Fighting rages in stormed mosque

July 10, 2007

Pakistani forces have stormed a mosque in Islamabad after talks with militants aimed at ending a week-long siege broke down. Troops had surrounded the Red Mosque compound since Tuesday last week after clashes broke out between Pakistani security forces and Islamist radicals based at the mosque. The government had held-off from launching a full-scale assault on the compound for fear of causing mass casualties among hundreds of women and children whom the authorities say are being held hostage. A last-ditch effort by muslim clerics failed to persuade the militants to end the week-long stand-off after the final deadline for their surrender expired.