Army Frees 42 Captives in GHQ Operation
RAWALPINDI: Military commandos raided a building of the Army headquarters Sunday and freed 42 people held hostage by the militants who staged a brazen attack on the compound while wearing military uniforms.
Director General ISPR Maj. Four militants were killed, three captives and two commandoes were also martyred in the action and two others were injured.
The leader of the terrorists Aqeel alias Dr Usman was captured in injured condition.
“The operation was started at 5:58 am on Sunday morning and the military in a successful commando action recovered 42 hostages safely, “ he said. “Four terrorists were killed and a terrorist has been captured in an injured state,” he added.
“The terrorist arrested in injured condition is the leader of the attackers. His name is Aqeel alias Dr. Usman and he is linked with Punjabi Taliban,” security sources said. Aqeel said to be the mastermind of the attack on Sri Lankan cricketers in Lahore.
According to reports three injured hostages have been admitted in hospital.
Explosions and gunshots rang out just before dawn Sunday as commandos moved into a building in the complex, while a helicopter hovered in the sky. Three ambulances were seen driving out of the heavily fortified base close to the capital, Islamabad.
Two hours after the raid began, two new explosions were heard. The army said it was “mopping up” the remaining insurgents.
Five heavily armed militants took the hostages after they and about four other assailants attacked the main gate of the army headquarters Saturday, killing six soldiers, including a brigadier and a lieutenant colonel. Four of the attackers, who were wearing army uniforms, were killed.
Army spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas said 20 of the hostages had been kept in a room guarded by a militant wearing a suicide vest who was shot and killed before he managed to detonate his explosives.
He said the militants had suicide jackets, hand grenades, landmines, explosives along with sophisticated rifles.
Army Frees 42 Captives in GHQ Operation was first posted on October 11, 2009 at 11:51 am.
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