Navy Fir says 10-12 militants attacked naval base

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A complaint registered with police by the Pakistan Navy on the terrorist assault on a naval airbase said the attack was carried out by 10-12 militants, contradicting interior minister Rehman Malik's assertion that only six attackers were involved.

Police officials in Karachi said a First Information Report registered at Sharah-e-Faisal police station quoted Lt Irfan Asghar – who was on duty when PNS Mehran was attacked — as saying that 10-12 terrorists attacked the airbase.

The Fir was registered under the Explosives Act and Anti-Terrorism Act.

Malik had told reporters on Monday that six terrorists were involved in the attack that left 10 security personnel dead and 15 more injured.

Malik said at least four attackers were killed or blew themselves up while two were believed to have escaped after the brazen assault.

Naval chief Admiral Noman Bashir too told the media that four attackers were killed.

The Fir filed by the navy stated that the terrorists entered the airbase by scaling walls near a check post.

Two suicide vests, eight grenades, four Kalashnikovs and a rocket launcher were recovered from the dead attackers, police told the media.

There has been considerable confusion regarding the number of terrorists involved in the attack on PNS Mehran, the Pakistan Navy's main naval air station.

Naval spokesman Irfan-ul-Haq told the media shortlyafter the attack began that 12 to 15 terrorists had entered the airbase.

Several TV channels reported during the 16-hour operation against the terrorists that four attackers had died while four others had been captured.

After troops regained control of the airbase, Malik told the media that four attackers had died while two had escaped.

Nearly 1,500 security personnel, including paramilitary troopers and elite army and naval commandos, were mobilised to clear the airbase.

Despite an extensive cordon put in place around PNS Mehran, it was not clear how two of the attackers had managed to escape.