PESHAWAR – At least one Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) official was martyred while several were injured after TTP militants took over a CTD compound and held the officials hostage in Bannu.
Amid the hostage situation, officials said a security operation against the militants is underway and would be completed soon.
The provincial administration of the country’s northwestern region claimed that prisoners snatched weapons from interrogators and helped release other inmates, ruling out reports of militants’ intrusion in Bannu Cantonment.
Banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan – a week after ending ceasefire, and increasing attacks on security forces, said prisoners had taken several army officers and the staff hostage at the compound.
TTP also rejected reports claiming that prisoners were seeking safe passage to Afghanistan as they mentioned going to Waziristan, saying the Pakistani government had not given a positive response in return.
It was reported that a senior police officer in Bannu said around 25 members of banned terrorist organisations were under arrest and interrogation at the CTD center when they took guns from seven security personnel on duty and took them hostage.
“Three injured policemen have been evacuated and transported to a hospital,” the officer said, adding that a number of personnel were still in a hostage situation.
Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif, Special Assistant to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on Information, said no one had attacked the police station. Rather, some suspects in custody under suspicion of terrorism tried to snatch weapons from security personnel deployed on site.
“The situation is under complete control. Security forces have cordoned off the area,” he said, adding that an operation was underway and would be completed in a while.
ANP MPA Samar Haroon Bilour addressed the situation and said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was “on fire”.
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“Police and civilians are totally like sitting ducks. How sad that those who have been ruling here for nine years cannot open their mouths. Those who can’t even condemn can never control that which they have imposed on us,” she said, referring to the PTI government.
