Hostage Situation in Pak: TTP Militants Take Control of Counter Terrorism Centre, Demand Safe Passage

Islamabad: A hostage situation at the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) police station in Bannu district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is ongoing as the Pakistani Taliban militants have demanded for safe passage to Afghanistan, local media reported. 

As per reports, at least two policemen were killed and several others injured when the militants occupied CTD and took some people as hostages. Meanwhile, the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from inside the CTD compound have claimed through a video that nine police personnel have been taken as hostages and said they would release the policemen if they were given a safe passage to a neighbouring country Afghanistan by air.

Sources said one of the arrested militants who was being interrogated at the CTD police station, snatched an AK-47 rifle from the police and opened fire. The militant also freed other suspects being held in the building and they took control of the compound, taking several policemen hostage, the Bannu district police officer Mohammad Iqbal told local media. He confirmed that there was no attack on the CTD compound from outside. 

Meanwhile, Akram Khan Durrani, a former chief minister of KP province, and sitting provincial minister Malik Shah Muhammad have reached Bannu to initiate talks with the militants. The Special Service Group troops have been put on alert as the government is trying to resolve the standoff and to rescue the hostages. 

(With PTI inputs)

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