Four killed as gunbattle ends at Pakistan army HQ

SLAMABAD: Heavily-armed unidentified gunmen on Saturday made an audacious bid to force their way into the Pakistan army's headquarters in

Rawalpindi, sparking a raging gunbattle which left all four attackers and some soldiers dead.

The brazen attempt by the gunmen shortly before noon was foiled as the army brought in commandos and helicopters to overpower the attackers, who drove up in a white van to the entrance of the general headquarters.

An intense shootout broke out as troops tried to stop the attackers from entering the complex, TV news channels reported.

"All four terrorists who were trying to enter (the general headquarters) have been killed," chief military spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas told reporters, adding the situation is fully under control now.

Abbas said some soldiers were also killed in the gun battle with the terrorists, but did not give the figure.

"They (attackers) came out of the van and ran towards another check post, where the exchange of fire continued for some time. We are ascertaining how many security personnel were killed in the incident,"

The heavily-armed terrorists, who were in a white van, opened fire when they were challenged by soldiers at a check post near a cricket stadium outside the general headquarters at 11.30am, Abbas said.

The terrorists tried to gain entry to the fortified military facility by using a street that connects the Mall Road, one of Rawalpindi's main thoroughfares, to the general headquarters.

"There was some confusion as the attackers were wearing camouflage uniforms but they were all killed and the situation was brought under control," Abbas said.

No group claimed responsibility for the attack but observers said it appeared to be the handiwork of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, which has vowed to target the Pakistani security forces to avenge the killing of its chief Baitullah Mehsud in a US drone attack in August.

Earlier, witnesses told TV news channels that the terrorists had lobbed about five grenades at the headquarters.

Dozens of army commandos in black uniforms and wearing body armour cordoned off the area, where traffic was stopped as several army helicopters hovered over the area to keep vigil.

The audacious attack was the third major assault in a week that came a day after a blast in NWFP capital Peshawar that left 50 people dead and over 120 injured.

Several top army officers were trapped in the compound during the 45-minute long gunfight, TV channels reported.

All roads leading to general headquarters were blocked and only ambulances and vehicles of rescue services were allowed to enter the area.

A witness told a news channel that the firing occurred in front of the office of the inter-services public relations, located within the general headquarters.

TV channels said they were beaming deferred footage from the scene of the incident as the aides of the terrorists could be monitoring the coverage.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani strongly condemned the attack in Rawalpindi, which is close to Islamabad.

Security has been tightened across the country, especially in the federal capital, and for dignitaries like president, prime minister and federal ministers.