25 terrorists killed in Bannu CTD hostage operation: ISPR

ISLAMABAD: Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that security forces have killed all 25 militants who had seized the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) police station in Bannu, ARY News reported.

Speaking to ARY News late on Tuesday night, DG ISPR Major Gen Ahmed Sharif said that three security forces officials were martyred while 10 soldiers, including three officers, were injured in the Bannu CTD operation.

He noted that 33 terrorists were under investigation in the CTD compound on Dec 18. “One of them snatched a weapon from a CTD officer and got his allies freed.

“Later, two CTD officials were martyred in firing by one of the terrorists,” Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said, adding that the security forces reached the sport after hearing shots. He said that security forces surrounded the entire area and thwarted any attempt by the terrorists to escape.

Gen Sharif said that terrorists were demanding safe passage to go to Afghanistan which was “completely rejected”. DG ISPR further said that forces started an operation on the CTD complex after terrorists denied to surrender their weapons.

“Major Khurshid Akram, Sepoy Saeed, and Sepoy Babar are among the martyrs,” he said and added, “This operation is proof of the Pakistan Army’s bravery and mission against terrorism.”

It is pertinent to mention here that dozens of terrorists, who stormed an office of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in Bannu city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Sunday, seek safe exit to Afghanistan via airway.