Pakistan —Suspected Islamist militants attacked a major Pakistani Air Force base where some of the country’s nuclear weapons are thought to be storedin the early hours of Thursday, setting offan exchange of fire that lasted several hours.
Security forces battled attackers until dawn at the Minhas air force base, west of the capital, Islamabad, according to reports on Pakistani television. At least one militant was killed and several others were wounded.
The base, in the Attock district of Punjab, is believed to be one of the locations where partof Pakistan’s nuclear stockpile, estimated to include at least 100 warheads, is stored. The assault came amid mounting speculation that Pakistan’s military was preparing to carry out an operation in the militant stronghold of North Waziristan, in the tribal belt — alongstanding demand of the United States.
Early reports suggested that the attackers, some wearing suicide jackets, were targeting JF-17 fighter jets at the base that could be used in such an operation.
It was not clear how many warplanes were stationed at the base, or whetherany were damaged in the assault.
Militants have attacked the base twice already — in 2007, when a suicidebomber hit a bus near the entrance, and in 2008, when militants fired several rockets into the base.
The latest assault resembled a May 2011 assault on a military base in Karachi in which at least two American-built surveillance aircraft were destroyed. It was not entirely unexpected.
On Aug. 10, the newspaper The Express Tribune, quoting intelligence officials, reported that the Pakistani Taliban were planning to attack an air force base near Lahore before the religious holiday of Id al-Fitr, which is expected to fall around Monday.
Arif Rafiq, an adjunctscholar at Middle East Institute in Washington, noted that the attack coincided with the speculation about a military operation inNorth Waziristan. “The Taliban are telling Pakistan’s leadership, ‘If you hit us here, we’ll hit you everywhere,’ ” he said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/16/world/asia/pakistani-air-force-base-with-nuclear-ties-is-attacked.html?_r=1&smid=tw-nytimes&seid=auto

Pakistan Newspapers and News Sites:
Eight militants killed in Kamra airbase attack
Militants dressed in uniforms and armed with guns and rocketlaunchers stormed a Pakistani air force base on Thursday, sparking heavy clashes that left nine people dead, officialssaid.
One security official was killed and a plane damaged in the pre-dawn assault at PAF Base Minhas.
The attack comes amid speculation that Pakistan could launch an operation against militants in the tribal district of North Waziristan, where Washington has long demanded an offensive against Haqqani network.
The Air Force said seven to eight attackers with rocketpropelled-grenades and suicide vests attacked the base, home to to the Pakistan AeronauticalComplex that assembles Mirage and JF-17 fighter jets,at 2:00 am (2100 GMTWednesday).
That gunmen disguised themselvesin uniforms and got inside the facility just60 kilometres (37 miles) northwest of Islamabad will renewquestions about security, particularly at a base which has been attacked twice before.
"Other miscreants then fired RPGs from outside the base boundary wall. As a result one PAF aircraft got damaged," the air force said in a statement.
Gunfire, rocket and hand grenade explosions were heard during heavy clashes. One officer told AFP that he saw flames after waking up for his late night meal, eaten during the dawn-to-dusk Muslim fasting month of Ramazan.
"There was an announcement by megaphone for soldiers not to move from the barracks and we were forbidden from goingto the area where I saw the fire," he said.Special forces and police were scrambled to the scene.
"Eight terrorists have been killed and one security official martyred," an Air Force spokesman toldAFP.
"The attackers were wearing security force uniforms but I can't specify of whichforce uniform they were wearing," he added.
At least seven of the attackers were wearing suicide vests.
The military initially said that two securitypersonnel were killedbut no explanation was given for revising down the number.
The base commander, who led the counter-attack, was wounded and forces were searching the base toensure no other gunmen remained, the military said.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility but thePakistani Taliban have targeted a string of military bases since rising up against the government in July 2007.
In May 2011, it took 17 hours to quell an attack on an air base in Karachi claimed bythe Taliban.
Thursday's attack was the second in weeks to see troops die near the relatively secure capital. Gunmen on July 9 killed seven security personnel who had camped by a river less than 160 kilometres (100 miles) southeast of Islamabad.
Despite a relative lull in high-profile attacks, Pakistan has been on alert for violence to coincide with its independence day onTuesday this week and the Muslim festival of Eid, which is expected to begin at the weekend.
The base in Kamra was previously targeted on October 23, 2009 when a suicide bomber killedsix civilians and two Pakistan Air Force personnel at a checkpoint. On December 10, 2007, asuicide car bomber struck a school bus, wounding at least five children of base employees.
http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/national/16-Aug-2012/militants-attack-kamra-airbase
http://paktribune.com/news/Seven-militants-killed-in-Kamra-airbase-attack-PAF-officials-252467.html