Two SSG commandos martyred, all terrorists killed as operation at Bannu CTD centre concludes: Kh Asif

ISLAMABAD – Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday confirmed that all the militants of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in an operation launched by the Pakistan Army to free the hostages at a Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) centre in Bannu.

The minister told the National Assembly that 33 terrorists were detained at the CTD complex and one of them had managed to snatch a gun from an official after hitting him with a brick.

The operation was conducted by the Special Services Group (SSG) of the Pakistan Army, he said, adding that two of them were martyred in it. He added that the CTD compound was cleared after two-hour-long operation after it was started at  12:30pm.

Asif said that terrorism was resurging in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. He said that the KP government completely failed in its responsibility regarding the CTD compound incident.

Meanwhile, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in brief statement said the rescue operation is successfully underway way at CTD complex and it would be completed soon. It added that details of the operation would be shared soon.

On Sunday, the terrorists, who were detained at the Bannu CTD complex, took control of the building and held the officials hostage. They had demanded the Pakistan government to provide them safe exit to Afghanistan.

#بنوں اپریشن: یرغمالیوں کو چھڑانے کے لئے سکیورٹی فورسز کا اپریشن جاری ہے، دھماکوں اور فائرنگ کی آوازیں سنی جاسکتی ہیں pic.twitter.com/wvBsxwWscU

— Tahir Khan (@taahir_khan) December 20, 2022

Earlier in the day, viral clips on social media show clouds of black smoke arising from CTD compound while locals heard a blast from the Cantonment area.

On Monday, Pakistani clerics visited Kabul to soften TTP while the hostage situation entered the third day as talks failed to make headway.