Islamabad: Pakistan Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said that the Counter Terrorism Departments (CTD) compound in Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has been cleared after three days and all the 33 terrorists who overpowered security guards have been killed in an operation, local media reported.
In his briefing to the National Assembly, the minister said 10 to 15 soldiers have been injured while two have been killed after the Pakistan Army’s Special Service Group (SSG) launched an operation earlier this week, Geo News reported.
“By 2:30 pm, the SSG had cleared the compound. All the hostages have been freed,” Asif said. He also mentioned that the militants were not part of one group, rather they belonged to different banned outfits.
The Defense Minister added that there were 33 arrested terrorists inside the compound and one of them overpowered a man stationed at the center. He then snatched his weapon and later the terrorists took over the canter, Asif said, Geo News reported.
Terrorists affiliated to the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were involved in the incident and in a bid to end the standoff, the Pakistani government initiated talks with the militant group’s leadership.
Sources earlier told Geo News that the terrorists were demanding a safe air route to Afghanistan.
