ISLAMABAD, July 16 (Xinhua) -- At least one policeman was killed and another injured when unknown militants stormed a police station in Pakistan's northwest city of Bannu on Monday morning, said police.
District Police Officer of Bannu said one policeman was killed and another was wounded in the crossfire, which is still underway.
Local media said that several policemen were held hostage by the attackers after they entered the building of the police station.
But there is no confirmation from the police side about this.
It is not known how many policemen were inside when the attack occurred.
District Commissioner of Bannu said that a curfew has been imposed in the area for an indefinite time following the attack.
All the main roads leading to the city have been blocked by police and security forces in fear of more possible attacks by militants,said local reports.
The attack took place at about 9:40 a.m. local time when six to eight gunmen, according to eyewitnesses, launched an attack on the police station.
Handgrenades and heavy weapons were used in the attack, said local reports, adding that two blasts were first heard at the police station, followed by fierce firing.
Police and security forces have surrounded the building occupied by the attackers. Heavy contingent of army has also been called in for help.
Bannu is a city located just several kilometers to the eastern border of North Waziristan, a tribal area in northwest Pakistan, which borders Afghanistan. Militants from this tribal area often launch attacks on police and army in the neighbouring areas. Attacks of Monday's type in Bannu frequently happen in the country 's northwest.Such attacks normally end with militants killing themselves after they have been cornered by the police and security forces for a few hours.
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