Please read the follow-up to this preliminary report in the June 28, 2013 NewsWire.–Ed.
As many as 20 gunmen dressed in paramilitary clothing attacked the Diamir Base Camp on Nanga Parbat (8125m) last night, killing at least 10 people and injuring at least one other. The armed men bound several Pakistani expedition staff, shot the foreign climbers and took their passports and money, the BBC reports. The names of the victims have not been released.
Some 50 climbers were on the mountain at the time of the attack, though the number of people in the Diamir Base Camp is unclear. Planetmountain.com reports that Pakistani police are now guarding the camp, while survivors are trying to get home. A representative of the Gilgit-Baltistan government says helicopters have been sent to evacuate the remaining climbers.
According to the BBC, the Taliban has taken responsibility for the attack, as retaliation for the death of Waliur Rehman, who may have died in a drone strike by the US last month.
Our hearts go out to the victims of this truly tragic event in the mountains. We hope that the survivors return home safely.