The dramatic 22-hour siege of the Pakistan Army Headquarters in Rawalpindi ended on Sunday after commandos stormed the premises freeing 42 hostages from terrorists, whose assault on the top military facility left a total of 20 persons, 11 security personnel and nine militants, dead.
Three hostages were killed in Sunday's firing by terrorists while two commandos of the elite Special Service group died during the rescue mission at a building in the premises that ended at around 9.30 am, chief military spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas said and added that four terrorists were also killed. Five security personnel were also injured, he said.
A fifth terrorist, identified as Aqeel, alias Dr Usman, and believed to be the mastermind behind the attack that began yesterday morning, was captured in an injured condition.
Military officials said Aqeel is linked to the March 3 attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore and failed attempts on former President Pervez Musharraf's life.
Four terrorists and six soldiers, including a brigadier from Military Intelligence and a lieutenant colonel, were killed during Saturday's fierce
gunbattle.
“It was a highly skilled and delicate operation because one of the hostages and the fact another militant holding them at gunpoint was also wearing a suicide jacket,” Gen Abbas said. “Getting him first was our top priority before he could do immense damage by pulling trigger of his jackets,” he added.
This was third dramatic militant strike in a week which jolted both the army and the civilian leadership for its audacity, sophistication and execution causing huge embarrassment to the army as it exposed its vulnerability. These attacks came after considerable lull that followed the death of Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud in a US drone attack about three months ago.
It showed that the Taliban and their foreign backers had regrouped under Baitullah's brother Hakimullah Mehsud who resurfaced about a week ago defying speculations about his death in an internecine feud over succession and vowed to avenge his brother's death. The government has the attacks as a desperate attempt to pre-empt the impending operation in their stronghold in South
Waziristan.
Interior minister Rehman Malik again declared that the resurgent Taliban activities have left no option but to launch the operation. "This is inevitable and will come very soon," Malik said. The successful culmination of the operation was commended national leadership and the people across the country. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani rang up army chief Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kayani praising the bravery of the troops. President Asif Ali Zardari also sent a message to Gen Kayani lauding the professional competence and commitment with which the army carried out the operation.
