A military radar. PHOTO: WIKICOMMONS
At least 12 armed men attacked the Constabulary personnel guarding the radar at 6:30 pm with small arms and rockets. After pinning the guards down with heavy fire, they managed to take hostage one guard and snatched weapons from others.
“There were several BC [Baloch Constabulary] personnel guarding the radar set up on the mountain top. Armed men locked BC personnel inside the room after shooting,” a senior official of the Home Department said.
The armed men then attached explosive materials to the radar and sped away. According to a local official, they also fired few rocket propelled grenades on the radar, partially damaging the installation.
A bomb disposal squad was dispatched from Gwadar city after an hour. "They are still trying to defuse the explosive materials attached to the radar," Home Secretary Asad Gillani said.
“The radar system is still working,” he told The Express Tribune, before adding that, “More security forces were sent to the area."
According to a local official, the attackers had traveled to the radar in two vehicles and were armed with sophisticated weapons.
The radar had been set up by the Pakistan Air Force to monitor international air traffic.
The dead Constabulary man was identified as Mohammed Jan, a resident of Turbat, and was shifted to a state-run hospital.
Identity of the attackers is not yet known.
COMMENTS (8)
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@Ch. Allah Daad: "If we don’t negotiate with them then what other choice we got?" We have a created phenomena that can be controlled while removing all support to these terrorists by some political parties and our own powerful security. A couple of days bombing on these terrorists training centers has brought them to table and a big time efforts by at least three political parties to stop cleaning up and negotiate. It will take no more than a few weeks to clean up the entire structure if the supporters are highhandedly snubbed. To remove a cancer, you have to remove the spot from where it is spreading. If it is not so then don't spend billions of Dollars on armed forces rather spend a fraction on improving policing. Making others escape goat like USA, India, Afghanistan and most importantly creating false fence of religion Islam is a part of planning to fool the illiterates.
An other blow to faulty defence system guarding vital installations. But who bothers. In pappers all is ok.
@numbersnumbers: You must think the guards have magical powers that they can repel heavily armed men like these.
What I don't understand is if they attached explosives why didn't they set off the explosion? Did they fail to detonate?
@AnisAqeel: If we don't negotiate with them then what other choice we got? Our security forces are not willing to fight. In this incident too, guards were at the higher point and had also rifles. The attack could have easily been repelled but guards opened the gate and surrendered. Wearing similar uniforms and carrying sophisticated arms by attackers is no excuse.
It doesnt take much of imagination, who want such radars down so badly! Hint: Not taliban, not even BLA! same guys who destroyed P3C Orion aircrafts. Then they say India doesnt support these lunatics!