Militants attacked a police training academy outside Quetta, Pakistan, Monday, killing dozens. Pakistani authorities blamed the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi group for the attack that killed 59 people and wounded more than 100, but ISIS claimed responsibility Tuesday, reported Reuters. Masked gunmen stormed the campus and wreaked havoc with gunfire and explosives,? according to eyewitnesses. They then held hostages for the nearly five hours it took security forces to take control. “The United States stands with the people of Pakistan and reiterates our commitment to support the Government of Pakistan in its efforts to end the scourge of terrorism and violent extremism and to promote peace, security, and stability in the region,” National Security Council spokesman Ned Price said in a statement following the attack.
The U.S. supports “a stronger and more capable” European defense, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III said during an Oct. 22 press conference in Brussels—but that defense should not duplicate the functions and capabilities of the NATO alliance.