Pakistan Army end hostage drama

PAKISTAN: Pakistani troops stormed a besieged building at army headquarters Sunday, ending a militant hostage siege that hit the heart of the military establishment and left 19 people dead.

The mission freed 25 hostages snatched Saturday by suspected Taliban gunmen who tried to storm the military nerve centre near Islamabad, but three hostages, two soldiers and four militants were killed in the rescue operation.

Six soldiers and four other militants had already been killed in the siege, which began Saturday in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, the third dramatic militant strike to hit nuclear-armed nation in a week.

The audacious attack exposed Pakistan’s vulnerability in the face of a Taliban militia who have regrouped after the death of their leader and are determined to deter a military assault on their tribal hideouts, analysts said.

Gunfire and explosions were still ringing out near the compound Sunday. Military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said troops went in at about 6:00 am (0000 GMT), and met with resistance by militants barricaded in the building.

“Twenty-five hostages have been freed. Three hostages and four terrorists were killed in the rescue operation,” he told AFP, adding later that two soldiers involved in the rescue also lost their lives.

“Security forces are looking for one more militant who caused an explosion and appears to be in hiding. The operation is continuing and security forces are searching the area inch by inch,” he added.

Rawalpindi, Sunday, AFP