Pakistani troops recapture Lahore police academy

By Kamran Haider

LAHORE, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistani commandos stormed a police academy in Lahore on Monday, overwhelming suspected Taliban fighters who killed eight cadets and wounded scores in a rampage through the complex.

"The operation is over. Four terrorists were killed and three arrested," Interior Ministry Secretary Kamal Shah told Reuters. He said 89 policemen were wounded.

Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik said the militants were believed to be fighters loyal to Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud who had come from the South Waziristan tribal region.

"The entire planning was done there," Malik told a news conference in Lahore.

He said one of the men captured was an Afghan who arrived in eastern city 15 days earlier and had rented a house there.

"Some of his accomplices have been identified, while others are in the process of being identified," Malik said.

Punjab police chief Khawaja Khalid Farooq and a military spokesman said eight recruits were killed. although there had been reports the toll would be higher because there were 900 cadets in the academy at the time.

Three of the militants blew themselves up during the final assault and commandos rescued 10 police officers held hostage inside the main building.