Musharraf vows to fight terror after suicide attack kills 16 commandos

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Pakistan vowed to step up its fight against terrorism Friday after a suicide attacker detonated an explosive-laden vehicle inside a high-security military base, killing 16 soldiers from an elite counterterrorism task force. Authorities did not speculate on who was behind the attack, but Islamic militants will be suspected. Mostly Muslim Pakistan is a key ally of the United States in its campaign against terrorism, and has seen scores of attacks since Sept. 11, 2001, when President Gen. Pervez Musharraf threw his support behind Washington. Hundreds of suspected militants have been killed or detained. Twenty-nine soldiers were also wounded in the attack late Thursday at Ghazi Tarbela base - about 100 kilometers (60 miles) south of the capital, Islamabad - the headquarters of the quick-reaction counterterrorism commandos.