By IANS,
Islamabad: Nine policemen were shot dead by Taliban militants Thursday in Pakistan’s Lahore city while they were asleep in a building.
The attackers came on three motorcycles and stormed the two-storeyed building in the densely populated Ichhra area where some 35 police and prison staff were staying, Geo News reported.
The security personnel had come from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Lahore for training. Their training was scheduled to be completed July 28.
The 10 assailants, who were wearing face masks, fled after the attack around 5.30 a.m.
“The gunmen came early in the morning, entered the building and opened fire,” Lahore police chief Aslam Tareen was quoted as saying.
“We the mujahideen of TTP (Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan) claim responsibility for attack on police personnel in Lahore early today (Thursday),” Taliban spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan said in an email to the media.
“The targeted policemen belonged to prison police of Khyber Pukhtunkhawa,” Xinhua quoted the statement as saying. The militant group claimed 10 policemen died.