Taliban claim responsibility for Karachi academy attack

The Pakistani Taliban have claimed responsibility for today's attack on the Karachi airport academy, Reuters have reported.

Two gunmen on a motorcycle have opened fire on the Karachi airport academy and fled, an airport security force spokesman said.

Pakistan security forces have sealed off an area surrounding Karachi airport academy and have begun to conduct "search operations" an eyewitness has told Reuters.

All flights in and out of Karachi airport have been suspended, a Pakistani official has told Reuters.

More: Karachi: Security academy targeted in new attack

A training academy run by the Pakistani airport security force has been targeted in a fresh attack on Karachi airport, local media and security officials have said.

"The ASF academy is under attack. There is gunfire. The extent of the damage is not clear," said a senior official at the Federal Investigation Agency. It was unclear who was firing at whom.

A security checkpost has come under attack at Karachi International Airport in Pakistan, Agence France-Presse has reported.

More: Karachi airport: Seven more bodies recovered

A further seven bodies have been recovered from a burned out building at Karachi international airport, bringing the death toll from the weekend attack to 36 - including 10 Taliban gunmen - Pakistani officials have said.

Dr Seemi Jamali, from the city's Jinnah Hospital, said the the charred remains of seven victims were taken there this morning.

The head of the Karachi Municipal Corporation, Rauf Akhtar Farooqi, said the bodies were burned beyond recognition. They were recovered from a cold storage unit at the airport but it is unclear how they ended up in it.

More: Karachi airport attack 'revenge' for killing of Taliban chief

Gunmen disguised as police guards stormed the international terminal in Karachi, set off explosions and killed 18 people. All 10 gunmen died in the battle.

The Pakistan Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying the assault was revenge for army airstrikes on their strongholds near the Afghan border and the the killing of Hakimullah Mehsud, the Taliban chief who died in a drone strike last November.

ITV News Correspondent Sejal Karia reports:

More: Karachi airport declared 'safe' by Pakistan troops

Pakistan military and police units have finished their security operation and have declared Karachi airport safe, according to local media.