Pakistan Blast Kills 15 in Karachi

Militants attacked a police compound in the heart of Pakistan's largest city today with a hail of gunfire and a massive car bomb, leveling the building and killing at least 15 people. The gang of around six gunmen managed to penetrate a high-security area of Karachi that is home to the US Consulate, two luxury hotels, and the offices of regional leaders.

While no stranger to extremist violence, Karachi has not witnessed this kind of organized assault in recent years. It was the first major attack against a government target outside the northwestern tribal regions for several months, showing the reach of Islamist militants seeking to overthrow the US-allied government despite efforts to crack down on them over the last three years. (More Karachi stories.)