(9 Jun 2014) The Pakistani Taliban on Monday claimed responsibility for a brazen five-hour assault on the country's busiest airport that saw gunmen disguised as police guards storm the international terminal in Karachi, set off explosions and kill 18 people.
The assault started late on Sunday when 10 gunmen, at least some disguised as policemen, opened fire with machine-guns and rocket launchers, triggering a gunbattle with police during which all the attackers were killed, according to Pakistan's elite paramilitary Rangers.
Local eyewitness Mohsin Ali described hearing a deafening blast late on Sunday evening and seeing a blaze coming from the airport hangar.
He said gunfire soon followed.
A major fire rose from the airport, illuminating the night sky in an orange glow as the silhouettes of jets could be seen.
As dawn broke on Monday, smoke could still be seen billowing in the air.
The Taliban said the assault on the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, the capital of southern Sindh province, was in revenge for the killing of the militant group's leader in a US drone strike last November.
The claim further diminished prospects for a resumption of government-led peace talks with the Taliban.
Those talks floundered in recent weeks and the Taliban have called off a cease-fire they declared during negotiations.
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