Pakistan: Taliban hostage takers killed as police station liberated

Pakistani soldiers block the road leading to Bannu police station in Pakistan, December 20, 2022. © ZAHID MUHAMMAD / REUTERS

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The 33 Pakistani Taliban, at the origin of a hostage taking in the police station of Bannu in the North-West of Pakistan, were killed this Tuesday in the attack given by the special forces.

Two special forces personnel were also killed and at least 10 injured in the operation, Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said.

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With our correspondent in Islamabad, 

The hostage-taking began on Sunday evening

.

At that time, around 30 Pakistani Taliban, members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), were under arrest.

Suspected of terrorism, they are questioned by the police when one of them manages to seize a weapon.

The balance of power shifts.

The Taliban then take all the weapons and demand passage to neighboring Afghanistan in exchange for the release of the hostages, namely at least eight police officers as well as military intelligence officials.

The intervention of the special forces on Tuesday lasted several hours until the release of the captives.

Little information was given on their condition.

The Pakistani Taliban

with Islamabad calling for more attacks across Pakistan.

The Minister of Defense deplored on Tuesday a deterioration of security in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, both bordering Afghanistan where the Taliban seized power on August 15, 2021. According to the government, some 300 incidents related to Islamist militants were recorded in 2022 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

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• Pakistan

• Taliban

• Terrorism