Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has confirmed that all the banned TTP terrorists who took hostages at the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) center in Bannu were killed in an operation by the Pakistan Army.
Image Credit source: TV 9
Security forces on Tuesday stormed an anti-terror center in Pakistan’s restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and killed all 33 terrorists after talks failed for two days over some people being held hostage. Government to end the hostage crisis and restricted Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Two special forces commandos were also killed in the rescue operation launched after talks between the TTP failed.
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has confirmed that all the banned TTP terrorists who took hostages at the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) center in Bannu were killed in an operation by the Pakistan Army. The government tried to negotiate with the terrorists to resolve the hostage crisis, but after that failed, commandos of the Pakistani Army’s Special Service Group (SSG) stormed the compound.
All 33 terrorists killed: Defense Minister
Asif told the National Assembly that the operation was launched by the Special Service Group on December 20 at 12.30 pm and all the terrorists were killed. He said that there were 33 terrorists arrested in the CTD premises and one of them had snatched the employee’s gun by hitting a brick on his head. The Defense Minister said that two commandos were killed during the operation, while more than a dozen were injured.
Asif said that the terrorists had killed two hostages before the rescue operation. He said that all the other hostages have been released, but he did not give the number. Earlier, police sources had told that about 24 officers were taken hostage. He said that by 2.30 pm the entire CTD complex was under control. Earlier, officials said that all the terrorists were killed in the 15-minute operation.
AK-47 rifle snatched from policeman
In footage aired on television on Tuesday, plumes of smoke were seen rising from the CTD premises. The standoff started when the CTD arrested some terrorists on Sunday and they were being interrogated at the police station. Then, on Sunday, one of these terrorists snatched the AK-47 rifle from the policeman and started firing.
Many policemen taken hostage
The terrorist freed the other terrorists held in the building and they took over the premises. They took many policemen hostage. TTP had demanded safe passage for its terrorists in the tribal districts of South or North Waziristan.
School-college, internet all closed
The situation in Bannu was tense on Tuesday as police and security agencies cordoned off the cantonment area where the center is located. Residents of the area were asked to remain indoors and schools and colleges were also closed. Mobile phone services were also suspended in the area.
credit to the army for the campaign
Attacking the government led by Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Asif said 33 (terrorists) with affiliations to several groups had been detained. The provincial government completely failed in its responsibility with regard to the occupation of the CTD premises. Giving credit to the army for the operation, Asif said that the provincial government had no role in it.
terrorist attack order
On Monday, Muhammad Khurasani, a spokesman for the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), said the step was taken because of the inhumane treatment of prisoners at the CTD police station by security officials. TTP, established in 2007 as a front group of several terrorist organizations, last month abrogated a ceasefire agreement with the federal government in June and ordered its militants to carry out terrorist attacks across the country.
Convicted for multiple deadly attacks in Pakistan
The terrorist group, considered close to al-Qaeda, has been blamed for several deadly attacks in Pakistan, including an attack on an army headquarters in 2009, attacks on military bases and the 2008 Marriott Hotel bombing in Islamabad. In a separate incident, at least 50 militants stormed a police station in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province late at night and injured a police constable.
Entered into the police station and opened fire
The incident took place at 1 am in Wana in the tribal district of South Waziristan. The chief police officer of the district said that more than 50 terrorists barged into the police station and opened fire, injuring a constable. They took away ammunition, weapons and other equipment. A terrorist was killed in retaliatory firing. Police said that the rest of the terrorists fled and a search operation is on to nab them.
: Language Inputs