Two commandoes embraced martyrdom in Bannu operation: Khawaja Asif

ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Tuesday confirmed that the Counter-Terrorism Department’s (CTD) compound in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu was cleared as all the terrorists, who had taken hostages, were killed in an operation conducted by Pakistan Army.

Speaking on the National Assembly floor, the defence minister noted that Pakistan Army’s Special Service Group (SSG) started operation at 12:30 pm on Tuesday and got the compound cleared by 2:30 pm. He said all the terrorists were killed in the operation.

Khawaja Asif further said that two security officials embraced martyrdom in the operation, while around 15 SSG personnel, including an officer, sustained injuries.

The defence minister added that there were 33 arrested terrorists inside the compound and one of them overpowered a man stationed at the centre. He then snatched his weapon and later the terrorists took over the centre, Asif said.

He credited the Pakistan army for the operation, adding that the provincial government had no role in it. “This is a failure of the provincial government there,” he said, adding that the entire provincial government was a hostage of Imran Khan in Zaman Park.

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.

Earlier, terrorists launched an attack on Bargi police station in the KP’s Lakki Marwat district late Saturday night. Four police officials were martyred and four got injured in the terrorist attack.

The terrorists used rocket launchers and hand grenades to target the police station in Lakki Marwat.