PESHAWAR: Pakistani authorities on Monday opened talks to attempt resolve a stand-off with Islamist militants who had been holding a number of safety personnel hostage after seizing management of a counter-terrorism facility within the nation’s northwest a day earlier.
Safety forces have surrounded the interrogation centre close to the city of Bannu, the place round 20 fighters from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) – an umbrella group of Islamist and sectarian teams – are holed up.
In accordance with a provincial authorities spokesman the militants had been demanding protected passage to Afghanistan.
“We’re in negotiations with the central leaders of the Pakistani Taliban in Afghanistan,” Mohammad Ali Saif, a spokesman for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial authorities, instructed Reuters.
He stated the kin of the militants had additionally been concerned in initiating talks with the militants inside the ability.
Not less than one counter-terrorism official was killed by the militants, who in response to authorities had snatched weapons off their guards whereas below interrogation. A number of vital TTP members had been current on the centre, Saif stated.
He didn’t say what number of safety personnel had been being held hostage. However, an intelligence officer instructed Reuters that there have been six hostages – 4 from the navy and two from the counter-terrorism.
The TTP, that has stepped up assaults because it introduced ending a ceasefire with the federal government final month, have lengthy been utilizing the violence in a bid to take over the nation and implement their very own harsh model of Islam.
Bannu district sits simply exterior North Waziristan, a lawless tribal area bordering Afghanistan that has lengthy been a protected haven for militants.
Safety forces have surrounded the interrogation centre close to the city of Bannu, the place round 20 fighters from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) – an umbrella group of Islamist and sectarian teams – are holed up.
In accordance with a provincial authorities spokesman the militants had been demanding protected passage to Afghanistan.
“We’re in negotiations with the central leaders of the Pakistani Taliban in Afghanistan,” Mohammad Ali Saif, a spokesman for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial authorities, instructed Reuters.
He stated the kin of the militants had additionally been concerned in initiating talks with the militants inside the ability.
Not less than one counter-terrorism official was killed by the militants, who in response to authorities had snatched weapons off their guards whereas below interrogation. A number of vital TTP members had been current on the centre, Saif stated.
He didn’t say what number of safety personnel had been being held hostage. However, an intelligence officer instructed Reuters that there have been six hostages – 4 from the navy and two from the counter-terrorism.
The TTP, that has stepped up assaults because it introduced ending a ceasefire with the federal government final month, have lengthy been utilizing the violence in a bid to take over the nation and implement their very own harsh model of Islam.
Bannu district sits simply exterior North Waziristan, a lawless tribal area bordering Afghanistan that has lengthy been a protected haven for militants.
