13 Soldiers Slain as Pakistan Retakes Karachi Naval Base

Four Insurgents Reported Slain in 18 Hour Gunbattle

by Jason Ditz, May 23, 2011

At least 13 Pakistani soldiers, including 11 members of the Navy, were killed when a group of insurgents raided the Pakistani naval base in the financial capital of Karachi. The raid occurred overnight, but sparked what officials called an 18 hour battle.

According to security officials, the raid also saw two surveillance aircrafts at the base destroyed, and the Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was accused of having “claimed responsibility” for the attack by the nation’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik. Four insurgents were reported slain.

The success of the raid of such a heavily guarded facility has spawned considerable concerns again about the competence of the Pakistani military. These questions are compounded by a unilateral US raid earlier this month, which the military apparently did not notice.

Pakistani security officials shot back, saying that they responded to the raid within three minutes of the insurgents arriving. Officials also insisted they rescued 17 foreigners who were on the base, including 11 Chinese and six Americans who were involved in “training” exercises.

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