Attack on police academy leaves 11 dead, 150 injured

‘The number of killed is at least 11,’ a police official outside the police training ground in Manawan said.

However, given the heavy amount of cross-fire as police attempted to flush out the remaining terrorist, the death count may end up being much higher.

‘The number of casualties may be more’ a police officer said.

The incident took place between 7 and 8 am on Monday morning, as trainees were participating in a morning parade. Eyewitness accounts estimate some 10 militants carried out the attack, and at least 11 explosions have been heard so far. According to reports, some of the attackers entered the academy wearing police uniforms.

The police and special forces remain locked in pitched with the attackers who are hidden inside various buildings at the site, as emergency services are scrambling to evacuate the wounded to nearby hospitals.
Dawn’s Lahore correspondent Husnain Ghayoor met with injured policemen at Lahore’s Mayo Hospital.
According to Basim Wahaj, a constable who sustained a leg and arm injury during the attack at the academy, “there was a general parade when terrorists threw grenades and then started firing. Everyone fell down and no one tried to retaliate. There were no security guards at the academy, and even if there were a few around they had no guns or bullets.”Another constable, Mohammad Ilyas, who was also transported to Mayo Hospital, explains that there was no let up in firing all through Monday morning.