Gunmen, bombers kill 11 in Pakistan

Associated Press

ISLAMABAD

Gunmen stormed Pakistan’s main court complex in Islamabad on Monday, cutting down fleeing lawyers before blowing themselves up in a rampage that killed 11 people. It was the worst terror attack in years in the capital, which has largely been spared the violence raging in many parts of the country.

The bloodshed undermined the government’s efforts to negotiate a peace deal with the main militant group, the Pakistani Taliban, just days after the organization announced a one-month cease-fire for the talks.

The Pakistani Taliban denied responsibility for the attack. But the violence underscored the difficulty of negotiations when numerous militant groups are operating in Pakistan. And it raised questions of whether the Taliban can control some of their factions that may oppose talks.

In an assault that lasted roughly 20 minutes, gunmen swarmed through the narrow alleys between the complex’s buildings, hurling grenades and firing automatic weapons wildly, witnesses said.

The dead included one judge, three lawyers and a policeman, said Dr. Ayesha Essani, spokeswoman for the hospital where the dead and wounded were taken. She said 29 people were wounded.

A little-known group identifying itself as Ahrar-ul-Hind claimed responsibility in a telephone call to an Associated Press reporter. A spokesman for the group, Assad Mansour, said it was not part of the Pakistani Taliban, nor bound by their cease-fire.