Second Taliban attack at Karachi airport

Pakistan's Taliban insurgents claimed responsibility for an attack on a security academy at Karachi's airport yesterday, less than 48 hours after an all-night siege by Taliban gunmen at the country's busiest airport that killed more than 30 people.

The assault late on Sunday destroyed prospects for peace talks between the Taliban and the government of prime minister Nawaz Sharif and triggered speculation that the army might opt for an all-out offensive against militant strongholds.

Yesterday a group of gunmen on motorbikes opened fire on an academy run by airports security and fled after security forces retaliated. No one was hurt, officials said.

“We accept responsibility for another successful attack against the government,” said Pakistani Taliban spokesman Shahidullah Shahid.

“We are successfully achieving all our targets and we will go on carrying on many more such attacks.”

Ten militants disguised as security force members and armed with rocket-propelled grenades broke into the airport in the first attack, one of the most brazen in a long-running Pakistani Taliban insurgency. At least 34 people were killed.

Reflecting an atmosphere of nervousness, Karachi airport suspended all flights in and out of the sprawling city of 18 million for the second time in two days, although most flights were restored by 9.30am yesterday.

Earlier yesterday, Pakistani fighter jets bombed Taliban positions on the Afghan border.

“Nine terrorist hideouts were destroyed by early morning military air strikes near the Pakistan-Afghan border,” the army’s press wing said, adding that 25 militants were killed.

It was unclear whether the latest air strikes had been carried out in retaliation for the airport attack. – (Reuters)