Pakistani officials said 10 Taliban militants, armed with weapons and suicide vests, were killed as they attacked two military bases in Quetta Airport, Pakistan on Thursday night leaving 13 Pakistani security forces injured.

Pakistan has suffered more than a few airport attacks. The latest raid marked the third incident in which Pakistan airports had been targeted since June, Reuters reported.

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Provincial Home Minister Sarfaraz Bugti confirmed the terrorist attack in Quetta, capital of Balochistan province. The militants tried to storm the Samungli air force base and the Khalid military airbase, both located in Quetta, but failed to infiltrate the area. Security troops were already on high alert before the attacks took place.

Shots were fired near both air bases, while the Bomb Disposal Squad had disarmed explosives near the Khalid airbase, Bugti told the reporters.

More than 20 explosions were heard during the operation and heavy exchange of fire took place between the militants and Pakistani security forces, reports said.

After several hours of gun battle and searching, a Frontier Corps (FC) spokesperson said that security forces successfully cleared the area and the situation was now under control.

Some reports indicate that the Ghalib Mehsud faction of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the airbases attacks.

According to Ghalib Mehsud, the leader of the suicide wing of the TTP, it was an act of revenge for the army killings of innocent people in North and South Waziristan, a region considered to be Taliban's major stronghold. Furthermore, militants confirmed more attacks in coming days.

Last June, the Taliban and Uzbek militants had attacked the airport in Karachi that left 30 people dead. Because of the incident, the Pakistan security force launched the Zarb-i-Azb military operation in North Waziristan that killed more than 700 militants.

TagsPakistan, bomb, gun, attack, quetta