Pakistani Taliban claim downing helicopter, say PM was target
Last edited Fri May 8, 2015, 07:01 AM - Edit history (3)
Source: AFP
Gilgit (Pakistan) (AFP) - The Pakistani Taliban Friday claimed responsibility for downing a military helicopter, killing six people including the Norwegian and Philippine envoys, and said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was their target.
"The helicopter was shot down by an anti-aircraft missile, killing pilots and many foreign ambassadors," an Urdu-language statement emailed by their main spokesman Muhammad Khorasani said.
"A special group of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan had prepared a special plan to target Nawaz Sharif during his visit but he survived because he was travelling in another helicopter," Khorasani added.
It was not immediately possible to verify the claim, but the Gilgit-Baltistan region in Pakistan's north where the chopper came down is not known as a stronghold of the militant organisation.
Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/ambassadors-norway-philippines-killed-pakistan-helicopter-crash-083649528.html
Previous version:
Source: AFP
A Pakistani military helicopter crashed into a school in the country's north Friday, killing six people including the Norwegian and Philippine ambassadors, and setting the building ablaze, the army said as officials warned that casualties could rise.
The helicopter was one of three carrying a delegation of envoys to inspect projects on a three-day trip to Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan territory where they were set to meet with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Leif H. Larsen, the Norwegian envoy, and Domingo D. Lucenario Jr of the Philippines were killed along with the wives of the Malaysian and Indonesian ambassadors, as well as the helicopter's two pilots, according to official tweets by the army.
Polish ambassador Andrzej Ananiczolish and Dutch ambassador Marcel de Vink were also injured, the army added.
Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/ambassadors-norway-philippines-killed-pakistan-helicopter-crash-083649528.html
freshwest
(53,661 posts)cosmicone
(11,014 posts)If the Brits had not split up India nefariously and ifthe Americans had never supported Pakistan, there would not have been Taliban, Al Q'aeda et al.