Taliban claims attack on ISI office that killed 5

A Taliban faction today claimed responsibility for one of the first major suicide attacks on an ISI facility in southern Pakistan that killed five persons, including a senior intelligence official.

A Deputy Director of the Inter-Services Intelligence agency was among the dead, media reports quoted officials as saying. Officials said five militants also died during the assault.

The Jundullah faction of the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the brazen attack in a statement sent to media organisations. The group's spokesman, Ahmed Marwat, said the attack was carried out to avenge the killing of commander Waliur Rehman in a US drone strike.

A group of terrorists wearing suicide vests and carrying automatic weapons targeted a compound housing offices of the ISI, Military Intelligence and Pakistan Rangers at Sukkur, the third largest city of Sindh province, yesterday evening.

One attacker rammed an explosive-rigged vehicle into the high-security compound, forcing a big opening through which terrorists stormed in.

They lobbed grenades at the ISI office and engaged police and paramilitary forces in a gun battle that lasted hours.

Shehzad Abro, an official in the district police control room, told PTI that five persons died in the suicide attack and gun battle before five attackers were killed.

An intelligence official said the five dead included two intelligence personnel, two policemen and a civilian employee. He said 40 people were injured.

Reports said two terrorists blew themselves at the start of the attack while three more were killed in the gun battle.