Islamabad: Days after Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) declared end to ceasefire, its militants seized control of a crucial complex of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of the Pakistani forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, leading to a hostage crisis which ended on the third day today.
The seizure of the CTD compound in Bannu came alongside the recent increase in attacks by the TTP, which have claimed the lives of several policemen and armed forces.
It was late Sunday when a group of TTP rebels, lodged inside the CTD, took control of the complex after snatching guns from seven security personnel and holding them hostage along with a number of others.
According to reports, the militants also freed some prisoners.
They demanded safe passage to Afghanistan.
For over two days, the militants held control of the complex, which ended today after the Pakistan Army’s Special Service Group (SSG) launched an operation this morning.
In the evening, Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said in the National Assembly that the compound had been cleared with the militants being killed.
Two SSG commandos were killed and up to 15 were injured in the operation, he said.
“All the hostages have been freed,” the minister said.
He said 33 arrested militants were inside the compound and they took control of the compound after snatching weapons.
TTP has recently scaled up attacks after ending ceasefire with the Pakistani forces, blaming them for not honouring the terms of the moratorium.
Two days back, the TTP cadres attacked a police station in Lakki Marwat in Bannu Division, killing 4 policemen.
Yesterday, an Intelligence Bureau officer was shot dead in Peshawar while a soldier and two civilians were killed in a suicide attack in North Waziristan.
