Gwadar luxury hotel attack: death toll rises to five

Islamabad: At least five people including a soldier were killed when gunmen stormed a luxury hotel in the Pakistani city of Gwadar, the country's military confirmed.

The soldier was among security forces who rushed to the five-star Pearl Continental Hotel after the attack on Saturday. During the attack “5 individuals got Shaheed (martyred) including 4 hotel employees and a Pakistan Navy soldier,” the military said in a statement. One of the hotel staff killed was a security guard shot at the entrance.

Six others were injured including four security service officers and two hotel staff members.

The military said all three terrorists had been killed. Local police had earlier claimed there had been four attackers.

A Baloch separatist group claimed responsibility for the attack.

Prime minister Imran Khan said the attack was a bid to “sabotage prosperity”.

“Such attempts especially in Balochistan are an effort to sabotage our economic projects and prosperity. We shall not allow these agendas to succeed,” Khan said in a statement issued by his office.

The Chinese embassy in Islamabad also strongly condemned the incident.