Islamabad: A group of terrorists launched a deadly attack on a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) training base in Mianwali, Punjab province, on Thursday morning, killing three security personnel and destroying 40 fighter planes. The PAF said that they foiled the attack before the terrorists could enter the base, and killed three of them in a gunfight. The remaining three terrorists were surrounded by the troops and a joint search operation was underway to clear the area.
The attack took place at around 6 a.m., when five to six heavily armed men stormed the Mianwali airbase, which houses several aircraft, including F-16s, JF-17s, and Mirage jets. The terrorists opened fire at the security forces and tried to enter the base. The security forces retaliated and engaged the terrorists in a fierce exchange of fire. The terrorists also used explosives and rockets, causing damage to several aircraft parked inside the base.
According to sources, 40 fighter planes were damaged in the attack, some of them beyond repair. The sources said that the attack was a major blow to the PAF, which has a limited number of aircraft and faces a shortage of spare parts. The sources also said that the attack exposed the security lapses at the airbase, which is located near the border with India.
The PAF confirmed the attack in a statement and said that the security forces displayed extraordinary courage and timely response to thwart the terrorists. The statement said that the safety of personnel and property was ensured and that the situation was under control. The statement also said that the PAF was committed to eliminating the menace of terrorism from the country at all costs.
A Pakistan-based terrorist group called Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan (TJP) claimed responsibility for the attack in a video message. The group said that the attack was revenge for the killing of its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, by the US forces in Syria last year. The group also threatened to carry out more attacks on the PAF and other targets in Pakistan.
The attack was the latest in a series of terrorist incidents in Pakistan, which has seen a surge in violence in the past few months. According to a report by the Pakistan Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), at least 386 security personnel have died in terrorist attacks in the first nine months of 2023, which is the highest level in eight years. The report also said that at least 445 people lost their lives and 440 were injured in more than 190 terrorist attacks and counter-terrorism operations in Pakistan in the third quarter of 2023.
