Victim of attack on police college Quetta
(Image via Samar Abbas journalist, Twitter)
Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, Pakistan is once again under threat as 6 attackers stormed a police centre in Sariab Road housing 200 cadets. The assailants are believed to have entered through a front gate. At least 60 people have been killed and over 100 injured. Both military and Frontier Constabulary were at the scene and engaged in an ongoing gun battle struggling in the dark to identify whether persons in the building were victims or terrorists.
Dawn media stated early on in the attack, “police officials say the casualties may rise. Television channels are reporting that the terrorists have taken several cadets hostage, and an operation is underway to clear the building.Gunfire and explosions can be heard from inside the centre.” Express Tribune noted, “the attack came a day after separatist gunmen on a motorcycle shot dead two coast guards and a civilian and wounded a shopkeeper in Gwadar.”
Captain Rooh Ullah among the dead (Image via Mureeb Mohmand)
Bodies of the deceased in Quetta attack… 60 cadets dead,165 injured in terror attack on police academy (Image via Samar Abbas)
The injured have been shifted to Civil Hospital Quetta and the Bolan Medical Complex and a state of emergency declared. Minister of Health, Baluchistan spoke regarding the first casualties saying, “among 25 injured 12 got gunshot wounds and 13 from the bomb blast”.
The Civil Hospital, Quetta came under serious attack itself in August 2016. At least 70 people died and many others were wounded when a suicide bomber targeted a group of lawyers gathered to mourn fellow legal professional Bilal Kasi, president of the Balochistan Bar Association who been killed in a shooting incident earlier the same day.
See following link for full story”
“Balochistan: Both TTP JA and IS claim responsibility for blast killing dozens at a Quetta hospital
Imran Khan, Chairman of political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) tweeted on the police attack to, “strongly condemn cowardly terror attack on police training centre in Quetta. May Allah keep hostages safe. Prayers for recovery of injured.”
Syed Zeeshan, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) said, “we Condemn 4th Time attack on Quetta Police Training Center.”
Intelligence on possible attack meant authorities were already on high alert
(Image via GEO)
According to the New York Times, Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, the chief minister of Baluchistan, spoke to GEO News television network saying, “we received intelligence reports three to four days back that terrorists, suicide bombers planned to target Quetta… Security was already on high alert and maybe that is why they have targeted the police training center on the outskirts of the city.”
Inspector General Frontier Corps (FC) confirmed during a press conference, “there were three terrorists and all of them were wearing suicide vests… Two suicide attackers blew themselves up, which resulted in casualties, while the third one was shot dead by our troops.”
Quetta Gladiators tweeted the following image with a message of support to those caught up in the carnage.
Prayers for Martyrs & those injured in #QuettaAttack Terrible incident but terrorism would be wiped out one day. Long live Pakistan!!!!
Saleem Mehsud, Pakistani journalist tweeted,
Brutal Militant group #ISIS Khurrassan claimed #Police Academy attack #Quetta #Baluchistan, saying 3 bombers of #IS carried out the attack
Amaq released the follow claim of responsibility from Wilayat Khorasan (ISIS) showing photos of the attackers
This could not be independently verified.
The following list of 61 deaths was posted on Facebook by Moin Tareen
1. Capt Rooh ullah ex lt cdo
Civ hosp
Rects/Const
1. 7923 Asif Murad (turbat)
2. 7928 Zubair Ahmed (turbat)
3. 7948 Asif Hussain (turbat)
4. Muhammad Noor (panjgur)
5. 7952 Shah Khalid (Loralai)
6. 7951 M. Yousaf (Pashin)
7. 7888 Janib Ali (panjgur)
8. Murad (turbat)
9. Sartaj (turbat)
10. 7935 Mehmood (turbat)
11. Amir (Qilla Abdullah)
12. 7969 Waseem Jawad (turbat)
13. 7952 Liaqat Ali
14. 7974 Amin
15. 7966 M. Abbas (Qilla abdulah)
16. 7962 Shahbaz (Quetta)
17. 7964 Gulzar (turbat)
18. 7961 Abdul Hakim (turbat)
19. 7970 M. Yousaf (turbat)
20. 7971 Shakeel (gwdr)
21. 7926 Abdul Qadir (pasni)
22. 7965 M. Tayab (qillah Abdullah)
23. 7941 Salar Ahmed (dera bugti)
24. Abdul Wahid 7940 (Panjgr)
25. Dilawar 7956 (Qta)
26. Shuaib 7929 (Turbat)
27. Haider Ali 7968 (dera bugti)
28. Majid Ali 7937 (panjgur)
29. Shahid Hussain 7930 (turbat)
30. Sharad ud din 7953 (Qillah Abdullah)
31. Tariq 7939 (turbat)
32. Majid Ali 7979 (turbat)
33. Naveed Ahmed 7960 (panjgur)
34. Shahid Hussain 7957 (panjgur)
35. AMIN Ullah 7972 (panjgur)
36. Mrhboob 7950 (panjgur)
37. Ismail 7931 (turbat)
38. Zahir Ahmed 7983 (panjgur)
39. Muhammad Hayat 7986 (harnai)
40. Ab Jabbar 7987 (Sibi)
41. Naseeb Ullah 7980 (Qilla Abdullah)
42. 7983 Muhammad Nasim (qilla abdullah)
43. 7958 Liaqat Ali (panjgur)
44. 7944 Chakar Ali (turbat)
45. 7967 Imdad (Qilla Abdullah)
46. Shuaib7929 Turbat
47. 7940 Ferdoos (turbat)
48. 7943 Ijaz (Khuzdar)
49. 7945 Ashfaq Ahmed (panjgur)
50. 7967 Sartaj Gani 7967 (turbat)
51. 7955 Abrar Ahmed (loralai)
52. Asif Hayat7990 Turbat
53. Mohib Ullah7963 (Mustung).
7 x unidentified dead bodies
Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad . She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.
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