KARACHI, Pakistan — Pakistan’s military announced Sunday that three members of its paramilitary Rangers force lost their lives and four additional personnel were injured after militants launched an assault the previous night on a regional headquarters in the southern port city of Karachi.
According to police and witnesses, a militant drove a vehicle loaded with explosives into the provincial headquarters of the Pakistan Rangers on Saturday night, setting off a fierce exchange of gunfire between the attackers and security forces.
In an official statement, the military reported that security forces killed three of the attackers and took a fourth into custody. The captured suspect, who was wounded during the confrontation, was identified as an Afghan national.
The military said operations remained active in the surrounding area and issued a warning that Pakistan would strike back against those behind the assault. In recent years, Pakistan has conducted airstrikes inside Afghanistan, stating they were aimed at militants responsible for attacks on Pakistani soil. Afghanistan’s government has repeatedly denied that militant groups are permitted to use Afghan territory to carry out cross-border attacks.
The militant organization Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, which broke away from the Pakistani Taliban, took responsibility for the attack shortly after it took place.
Pakistan’s military characterized the group as a proxy of India, though it offered no evidence to back up that claim. India did not immediately respond, and New Delhi has rejected similar accusations in the past.
President Asif Ali Zardari honored the three Rangers personnel who were “martyred” in the attack, offered his condolences to their families, and wished a full recovery to those who were wounded, according to a statement from his office. He also recognized the sacrifices made by Pakistan’s security forces in combating militancy and reaffirmed the country’s commitment to wiping out terrorism.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif likewise condemned the assault and commended security forces for successfully repelling the attackers.
The attack is part of a broader pattern, as Pakistan has seen a significant rise in militant strikes targeting law enforcement and military personnel in recent years.
The military confirmed that operations were still underway to track down and eliminate any remaining associates of those who carried out the attack.
