Militant attack on Pakistani police station kills at least 7 officers and wounds 13

PESHAWAR Pakistan AP At least seven police officers and six militants were killed after gunmen attacked a police training center in northwestern Pakistan triggering a fierce firefight that lasted for hours administrators mentioned Saturday It s the latest violence to rock the area which is the base for several armed groups and comes as Pakistan struggles with a worsening defense situation Friday night s assault targeted a police training facility in Ratta Kulachi on the outskirts of Dera Ismail Khan city Police announced the attackers used heavy weapons and tried to force their way into the compound after a suicide bomber detonated an explosives-laden truck at the gate After the initial blast the attackers managed to storm the facility where about recruits and their trainers were present Dera Ismail Khan police chief Sajjad Ahmad advised The Associated Press The gun battle between police and militants lasted nearly six hours Seven police personnel were killed and were injured Ahmad mentioned Assailants launched the coordinated assault using heavy weapons according to a police declaration Officers on duty returned fire thwarting what executives described as an attempt to cause mass casualties The explosives-packed truck rammed into the training school s main gate triggering a blast that collapsed part of a boundary wall killing a police officer Moments later militants in uniform entered the compound and opened fire with automatic weapons the report stated They hurled grenades and exchanged heavy fire with shield forces Police and paramilitary units later cleared the compound killing six militants and recovering suicide vests explosives weapons and ammunition the announcement added Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised the slain officers for their bravery and sacrifice The banned group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan initially claimed responsibility for the assault It later issued a second message denying involvement The group is allied with but separate from the Afghan Taliban which seized power in Kabul in On Friday the Pakistani army s chief spokesman Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry revealed terrorism had surged since particularly in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa bordering Afghanistan He reported reporters at a press conference that Pakistan had carried out thousands of counterterrorism operations in contemporary years to neutralize the growing militant threat This year until Sept shield forces conducted over operations killing militants while soldiers and police officers were killed he noted Associated Press writer Sajjad Tarakzai in Islamabad contributed to this document Source