Relief after 16 hrs; Taliban-Navy gunbattle ends in Pak

Karachi, May 23: The 16 hours long gun-battle in Pakistan's Karachi, finally ended on Monday, May 23. Pakistani interior minister Rehman Malik announced that the 16-hour siege by the Taliban on the naval base PNS Mehran has ended.

Thirteen security personnel were killed and 14 were injured.The Pakistan Taliban, Tehreek-e-Taliban had claimed responsibility for the terror attacks which had started on Sunday (May 22) night. According to Geo News reports, the terrorists used rocket propelled grenades to damage and destroy several warplanes including Pakistan navy's premier anti-submarine attack jet - the US made P-3C Orion.

Rehman, while announcing their successful operation to nail down the militants claimed, "Operation conducted by Pak Navy commandos." Earlier Rehman also claimed, "The nation should support our forces and condemn al-Qaeda. al-Qaeda and the Taliban are against Pakistan and they're a threat to Pakistan and today nobody should have any doubt that this attack is actually an attack on Pakistan. I believe that this is an attack on Pakistan. And this is now a responsibility of every citizen of Pakistan to condemn this act and also condemn those who are supporting al-Qaeda and the Taliban and issuing statements in their favour, and praying for them. I believe that they are not Muslim and neither are they well- wishers of Pakistan."

OneIndia News