International Desk: Security forces killed 33 militants who had taken security officials and others hostage after capturing an anti-terror center in Bannu town of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. This information was given in a report of India Today.
According to the report, the militants were killed two days after the hostage incident. Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said this on Tuesday (December 20). The banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) took over the counter-terrorism centre. Later, all the militants were killed in an army operation.
Khawaja Asif told the Parliament that the Pakistani army rescued all the hostages. Two army commanders were killed in the operation. Security forces had earlier launched an operation to free the hostages.
Pakistani Taliban militants disarmed the interrogators and captured them on Sunday (December 18). At that time there were six security officers and some prisoners in the Counter Terrorism Center.
10 to 15 army personnel were also injured in the encounter with the militants. Security forces surround the military area where the anti-terror center is located.
At the center are about 20 fighters from the Pakistani Taliban, known as the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). In a statement given to the local media, the party confirmed its involvement in the attack.
The militant group has stepped up attacks since ending a ceasefire with the government last month. The two sides have been at loggerheads for years. Pakistani authorities on Monday (December 19) started talks to resolve the impasse.
