Pak army says Karachi airport attack over after 6 hour siege

Pakistan’s army spokesman declared an end to a military operation following a six-hour long siege of Pakistan’s busiest airport in the southern city of Karachi Monday. “Update: Area cleared. No damage to aircraft, fire visible in pics was not plane but a building, now extinguished. All vital assets intact,” tweeted Major General Asim Bajwa at 4:35 am (1135 GMT Sunday). [caption id=“attachment_1561587” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Bodies of people killed in the airport attack: AP[/caption] Bajwa added that a total of 10 militants were killed in clashes with security forces, and that ammunition, rockets and RPGs were recovered from the attackers, who wore “big packs”. “Precautionary sweep after day light. Airport will be cleared by mid day for operations, handed back to CAA (Civil Aviation Authority)/ASF (Airport Security Force). Pakistan Zindabad (long live Pakistan)!” he later tweeted. Pakistan’s army had been at the forefront of the operation along with paramilitary rangers, police and the airport’s security force. The statement put to rest fears about a prolonged assault of the kind seen on key installations, including a Karachi naval base and the army headquarters in Rawalpindi, in recent years. AFP