Pakistan Army kills 25 militants
2022.12.21 05:59
Pakistan Army kills 25 militants
Budrigannews.com – According to the army, the operation to retake the compound resulted in the deaths of one hostage, two commandos, and 25 of 35 Islamist militants who were hunkered down in a counterterrorism center in the northwestern city of Bannu.
After overpowering their interrogators and stealing their weapons, the militants held at the center took control of the compound on Sunday. This sparked a two-day siege before army commandoes stormed the area on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif tweeted, “Resurgence in terrorism poses a renewed threat to our national security.” He also said, “Our valiant security forces are fully capable of dealing with this threat.”
Seven of the 35 militants who were hunkered down surrendered, according to Major General Ahmed Sharif, the Army’s spokesman, in an interview with Geo News late on Tuesday. Three others who attempted to flee were also detained. He stated that one hostage, a security official, passed away during the raid.
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said earlier on Tuesday that all of the militants had been killed and all of the hostages had been freed. However, he later clarified that the army would provide the final numbers and details of the operation.
The first official account of the standoff, in which two security guards were killed when the militants first took over the compound and two commandos were killed in the subsequent raid, was provided by the army spokesman’s remarks.
He claimed that one militant was able to defeat his interrogator with a brick before seizing his weapon. Later, additional militants at the center broke into a warehouse to steal weapons.
“We tried very hard to convince them (militants) to give up without condition.” “They weren’t ready,” Sharif said, adding that they had requested safe passage to Afghanistan, but the authorities had denied them that.
Army commandos stormed the center on Tuesday after talks failed to end the two-day standoff. There were also injuries to ten soldiers, including three officers.
Sharif described the raid as a bloody battle. Prior, inhabitants said they heard blasts coming from the area of the middle on Tuesday as helicopters drifted above.
The majority of the terrorists belonged to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a coalition of Sunni Islamist and sectarian organizations that is affiliated with the Afghan Taliban.
After U.S.-led allied forces intervened in Afghanistan to oust its ruling Taliban in 2001 and drive them over the border into Pakistan, the TTP emerged to fight the Pakistani state and enforce its own harsh Islam.
Since announcing the end of a ceasefire with Islamabad last month that was mediated by the Afghan Taliban, the TTP has increased its attacks in recent weeks.
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The TTP initially confirmed the militants’ request for passage to Afghanistan, but later stated that the militants could also flee to Pakistan’s former tribal areas.
