Khyber News

ATTOCK: At least nine heavily armed militants barged in the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Minhas Airbase at Kamra during wee hours here on Thursday.

According to official sources, the militants clad in air force uniforms were armed with Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs), automatic weapons, hand grenades, and were wearing suicide vests. 

Some reports place the number of militants at nine and ten. 

The militants made their way in the base using the cover of the night to their advantage. Source and residents living adjacent to the base told media men that gunfire and grenade explosions were first heard at around 2am with intermittent and intense firing lasting up to 6am, when all the militants were killed by security forces. 

An intense firefight erupted between the air force commandos and the militants which lasted for around five hours. 

PAF officials confirmed that all seven attackers have been killed while one soldier also lost his life in the attack and a Base commander, Air Commodore Muhammad Azam, who led the operation against the militants was injured in the attack.  However, rescue workers confirmed that the base commander was in a stable condition. 

It was not immediately clear how the attackers managed to enter the base this time.

Although the attack took place at about 2 am, it is likely many of the soldiers on the base were awake for prayers or breakfast during the fasting month of Ramadan.

“One body of a suicide bomber strapped with explosives has been found close to the impact area,” said an air force statement.

“Security personnel are now in the process of scanning the entire area to check for the presence of any other miscreant,” said the spokesman.