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The Karachi assault started late Sunday when 10 gunmen, at least some disguised as policemen, opened fire with machine-guns and rocket launchers, triggering a gunbattle with police during which all the attackers were killed, said Rizwan Akhtar, the chief of Pakistan’s elite paramilitary Rangers.

Heavy gunfire and multiple explosions were heard coming from the terminal, used for VIP flights and cargo, as militants and security forces battled for control. A major fire rose from the airport, illuminating the night sky in an orange glow as the silhouettes of jets could be seen. As dawn broke Monday, smoke could still be seen billowing in the air.

Authorities diverted incoming flights and suspended all flight operations.

An Emirates flight in Karachi bound for Dubai had to be cancelled and passengers were escorted off the plane because of the fighting.

“The passengers and crew disembarked the aircraft and were taken to a secure area of the terminal,” the Dubai-based carrier said. It didn’t say how many passengers were onboard.

The airline is by far the Middle East’s biggest and operates multiple daily flights to Karachi and other Pakistani cities. It said the airport’s closure would continue to affect other flights into Karachi. Etihad Airways, based in Abu Dhabi, said Monday it was delaying its own flights to Karachi and would monitor the situation.

Akhtar said no planes were damaged during the attack but a cargo building was left completely gutted by the fire and the explosions.