Attackers used different strategy at Badaber: wanted prolonged engagement with troops

“For the first time, none of the attackers had worn suicide vest and came with a lot of ammunition,” head of the Bomb Disposal Squad, who examined attackers bodies and ammunition inside the camp said.

BDS head Shafqat Malik said previously, militants used to wear suicide jackets. “The quantity of ammunition, which terrorists had carried, showed they had come for a long gun battle.”

In attacks on military installations in the past the militants usually used suicide vests.

The army spokesman has confirmed that 22 PAF personnel, three soldiers, including Captain Asfandyar Bukhari, and four civilians were killed in the attack.

The officials said heavy weapons and ammunition were recovered from attackers. The militants carried AK-47 rifles, rocket propelled grenades-7, anti-tank rocket launchers, hand grenades, improvised explosive devices and backpacks with loaded magazines, sources sad.

The security officials said attackers lobbed hand grenades to engage guards manning the camp’s main entrance. The attackers had planned to break the second line of defence to reach mess and residential quarters.

BDS chief Malik said fingerprints of attackers had been taken, while DNA tests would be conducted.

Arrival of over one dozen attackers in two vehicles also exposed intelligence and state of preparedness of law-enforcement agencies, especially the police. Attackers used main road to reach the PAF camp, where the police have checkpoints.

The camp is located in a thickly populated area, where Afghan refugees have sufficient concentration.

The Badhaber locality is notorious as for the law and order situation. The area is close to the tribal region and used to be infested with criminals and hardcore terrorists.