Gunmen hit Pakistan police academy

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Dozens more were wounded when assailants armed with assault rifles and hand grenades launched the attack in Lahore early on Monday.

The assault came less than a month after gunmen brazenly ambushed Sri Lanka's cricket team in the same city, killing six police officers and a driver and wounding several players.

Paramilitary troops rushed in to the compound to help, while some police tried to escape by crawling on their hands and knees.

"It is a complete panic here. We do not have any idea how many the attackers are, and how many of them are dead, or hiding in nearby buildings," officer Syed Ahmad Mobin said. "We are fighting them."

Pakistan has endured scores of suicide bombings and other attacks in recent years, and it faces tremendous US pressure to eradicate al Qaida and Taliban insurgents on its soil.

Most of the violence occurs along the country's north-west border with Afghanistan, but cities in the east have not escaped, with Lahore seemingly an increasingly alluring target.

Monday's attack occurred as dozens of the training police officers were carrying out morning drills. "We were attacked with bombs. Thick smoke surrounded us. We all ran in panic in different directions," said Mohammad Asif, who was wounded in the attack.

At least 11 police officers died in the attack, while another 40 to 45 were taken to medical facilities, police official Ali Nawaz said. About 700 trainee officers were inside the academy at the time.

Helicopters flew above the facilities to try to spot the attackers. "We have reports that some of the attackers have been hit, but we don't have any details," Nawaz said.