BANNU: Two officials of the KP Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) were martyred and many more injured when terrorists, who had been arrested previously and being interrogated at CTD police station inside Cantonment, snatched an AK-47 from police and opened fire in Bannu district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Sunday afternoon.
The police and rescuers informed that one of the miscreants snatched rifle from police during interrogation and neutralised the guards deployed at the building.
BREAKING: Militants infiltrated into Bannu Cantt, reached Counterterrorism Department compound, freed imprisoned highly-wanted terrorists after taking hostages. Pak Army troops were dispatched immediately. Residents asked to stay indoors. pic.twitter.com/jPGZQZBEOd
— Shiffa Z. Yousafzai (@Shiffa_ZY) December 18, 2022
District Police Officer (DPO) Bannu Dr Iqbal also confirmed that there was no attack from outside and one of the miscreants snatched rifle from police during interrogation and neutralised the guards deployed at the building.
He then freed all the suspects being held at the building and who took control of the compound. They also made several policemen hostage.
“They are in control of the building and we have cordoned off the entire Bannu cantonment. They have been kept busy by means of negotiations,” he added. “We have our own plan which cannot be shared at the moment,” he said.
Militants released at least three videos in which they could be seen armed with AK-47 rifles and medium machine guns. In one video they showed a hostage and demanded the security forces to provide them with a helicopter to reach Afghanistan safely and in return they would not harm their hostages.
The affiliation of the terrorists could not be ascertained immediately.
A spokesman for the TTP did not immediately confirm or deny a link with the militants in the compound.
Meanwhile, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Special Assistant for Information Barrister Saif has denied that CTD facility had been attacked in Bannu, saying that some suspects attempted to snatch weapons from the security forces.
He said that the situation was “completely under control” and security forces have cordoned off the affected area.
Saif said that an operation was underway against the miscreants which will be completed soon.
It was the second terrorism incident of the day in the area as earlier four policemen were martyred in an attack by TTP in Lakki Marwat in the wee hours of Sunday. Four other policemen were injured in the attack on Burgai Police Station.
