Pakistan: U.S. Consulate Attacked

There are varying reports this morning that the U.S. Consulate in Peshawar, Pakistan may have been or has been attacked.

Stratfor has this:

One attacker was able to blow up in the U.S. Consulate premises, AAJ TV reported April 5. The front side of the U.S. Consulate has been totally destroyed. Reports of seven or eight security personnel in the Consulate are dead. The Consulate’s communication system is down.

Three explosions, two rocket attacks and subsequent gunfire have been reported in the near vicinity of the U.S. consulate in Peshawar, Pakistan, on April 5. The attack occurred early afternoon local time when the consulate would have been full of both American and local employees. The death toll is reported at 36 but is expected to rise.

There are no assessments yet of the damage that the consulate building has sustained, but reports indicate that the explosions led to the collapse of other, adjacent buildings. Pakistani soldiers are also reported to be engaging militants in gunfire, indicating that militants are actively engaged in an attack near the area – possibly with the intention of breaching the U.S. consulate.

Many U.S. diplomatic missions (including the one in Peshawar) have a number of built in security features, such as a perimeter wall, ample stand-off distance between the buildings and the wall, reinforced concrete structure and windows and marines stationed inside to ward off attacks. While militant activity in the tribal belt of northwest Pakistan has led to regular attacks against targets of the Pakistani state, today’s assault against the consulate is an extremely rare direct attack on a U.S. target.

STRATFOR is monitoring the situation for more details.

AFP reports 38 dead at this time:

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AFP) – Suspected Islamist militants waged a series of attacks in northwest Pakistan on Monday, striking at the US consulate in Peshawar and killing 38 people at a political rally in a nearby town.

Three powerful explosions and gunfire erupted near the US consulate and sensitive military installations in Peshawar, the capital of northwestern Pakistan, witnesses and a security official said.

The attacks occurred at a checkpoint about 20 metres (yards) from the US consulate on the road leading to the diplomatic mission, an AFP correspondent said.

“We can confirm there has been an attack at the US consulate Peshawar facilities,” US embassy spokeswoman Ariel Howard told AFP, unable to provide any details about the nature of the attack, possible damage or casualties.

Pakistani police and army sealed off the entire area, preventing journalists from accessing the scene. At least two ambulances were seen driving away, but a hospital official in Peshawar said initially that only one person was wounded.

[snip]

“We have received 38 dead bodies,” Doctor Wakeel Ahmed, head of the main hospital in Timargarah told AFP. “There are more than 100 injured. Most of them are in a serious condition. I’m still sending out my ambulances.”

Associated Press via Google Hosted News: 4 bombs target US Consulate in NW Pakistan

By RIAZ KHAN (AP) – 1 hour ago

PESHAWAR, Pakistan – Militants exploded four bombs in quick succession Monday close to the U.S. Consulate in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar, police and witnesses said.

Gunfire was briefly heard close to the heavily guarded and fortified building in Peshawar, said police officer Aziz Khan.

Two of the blasts took place around 20 yards (meters) from the main entrance to the building, an Associated Press reporter close to the scene said. Huge plumes of smoke rose high into the air. TV footage of one of the blasts suggested it was a car bomb.

The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad confirmed the consulate was the target of the attack, but gave no more details. It was unclear if the consulate itself was damaged.