By Aamir Latif
KARACHI, Pakistan (AA): Security forces killed three heavily-armed terrorists assailants, who stormed a five-star hotel in Pakistan’s southwestern Gwadar town on Saturday evening, the military said. Three security guards were killed and four were injured at the Pearl Continental Hotel in Gwadar.
“All the guests have been safely evacuated, and the clearance operation is in progress,” according to the security said.
“Security forces have cordoned off the area. Terrorists have been encircled by security forces in a staircase leading to the top floor [of the hotel]”, the statement added.
“Such attempts especially in Balochistan are an effort to sabotage our economic projects and prosperity. We shall not allow these agendas to succeed. Pakistani nation and its security forces shall defeat them all,” Prime Minister Imran Khan said in a statement issued by his office.
The banned terrorist group, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack. The BLA has targeted Chinese workers in Pakistan many times in the past.
Spokesman Jeeyand Baloch of BLA claimed responsibility for the attack and also released the pictures of four attackers, identifying them as Hammal Fateh Baloch alias Habib, Asad Baloch alias Mehrab, Munseeb Baloch alias Kareem and Kochkol Baloch alias Commando.
Gwadar is the site of a major deep seaport built being built by China under the the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a trade corridor that links southwestern China to the Arabian Sea through Pakistan.
The $60bn CPEC project has seen massive investment in infrastructure across Pakistan, including major roads and the Gwadar port in Balochistan province.
The economic corridor will not only provide China cheaper access to Africa and the Middle East but will also earn Pakistan billions of dollars for providing transit facilities to the world’s second largest economy.
Additional report by Agencies
[Map of Aerial view of Gwadar Port in Balochistan, western Pakistan, by the Arab Sea. Photograoher: Bjoertvedt/Creative Commons]
