At least 28 people, including a reported 10 militants, were killed in an overnight battle as Taliban forces attacked Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city. From Reuters:
The violence began just before midnight when 10 gunmen wearing military uniforms and armed with automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades shot their way into the terminal building after arriving at the cargo terminal in two mini-vans…Gun battles raged through the night until security forces regained control of the airport at dawn.
Said a Taliban spokesman: “The main goal of this attack was to damage the government, including by hijacking planes and destroying state installations.” No planes were successfully hijacked.
The battle between security forces and militants lasted a reported six hours. Jinnah airport, the country’s busiest, has already reopened for passengers.
