BANNU, Pakistan: Local schools were ordered closed on Tuesday for fear of more kidnappings as a hostage situation at a jailed police station escalated. Pakistani Taliban The fighters were dragged into its third day.
Tehreek-e-Taliban has more than 30 members Pakistan ,ttp) The group – separate from the Afghan Taliban but with a similar hardline Islamist ideology – overpowered their jailers on Sunday and took away their weapons.
Those held on suspicion of terrorism have demanded safe passage to Afghanistan in exchange for the release of at least eight police officers and military intelligence officers, said provincial spokesman Muhammad Ali Saif. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government.
The deputy commissioner of the district announced that the schools would remain closed on Tuesday.
A senior district government official said, “We fear that the Taliban may enter any school in the suburbs and take students hostage. We are not taking any risk and that is why we have decided to close the schools for today.” Has decided.” to be nominated.
The police station is within a cantonment area in Bannu, which is in the former Self-Governing Tribal Areas of Pakistan and near the border with Afghanistan.
Offices and roads have been closed and checkpoints have been set up around the area.
A senior government official told AFP that Pakistani officials have asked the government in Kabul to help secure the release of the hostages.
TTP said its members were behind the incident and demanded authorities to provide them safe passage to border areas.
On Monday night, at least 50 Pakistani Taliban militants stormed another police station they have – close to the Afghan border and about 200 kilometers south of Bannu – according to local government and senior police officials, both of whom asked not to be named.
The group gunned down police officers and confiscated weapons before Border Force troops moved in to retake control.
TTP claimed responsibility, said two police officers were killed.
The authorities have not officially acknowledged the incident.
The TTP emerged in 2007 and perpetrated a horrific wave of violence in Pakistan, which was largely crushed after a military campaign that began in 2014.
However, attacks are on the rise again since the Afghan Taliban took over Kabul last year, targeting most security forces.
The months-long ceasefire between the TTP and Islamabad ended last month.
Tehreek-e-Taliban has more than 30 members Pakistan ,ttp) The group – separate from the Afghan Taliban but with a similar hardline Islamist ideology – overpowered their jailers on Sunday and took away their weapons.
Those held on suspicion of terrorism have demanded safe passage to Afghanistan in exchange for the release of at least eight police officers and military intelligence officers, said provincial spokesman Muhammad Ali Saif. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government.
The deputy commissioner of the district announced that the schools would remain closed on Tuesday.
A senior district government official said, “We fear that the Taliban may enter any school in the suburbs and take students hostage. We are not taking any risk and that is why we have decided to close the schools for today.” Has decided.” to be nominated.
The police station is within a cantonment area in Bannu, which is in the former Self-Governing Tribal Areas of Pakistan and near the border with Afghanistan.
Offices and roads have been closed and checkpoints have been set up around the area.
A senior government official told AFP that Pakistani officials have asked the government in Kabul to help secure the release of the hostages.
TTP said its members were behind the incident and demanded authorities to provide them safe passage to border areas.
On Monday night, at least 50 Pakistani Taliban militants stormed another police station they have – close to the Afghan border and about 200 kilometers south of Bannu – according to local government and senior police officials, both of whom asked not to be named.
The group gunned down police officers and confiscated weapons before Border Force troops moved in to retake control.
TTP claimed responsibility, said two police officers were killed.
The authorities have not officially acknowledged the incident.
The TTP emerged in 2007 and perpetrated a horrific wave of violence in Pakistan, which was largely crushed after a military campaign that began in 2014.
However, attacks are on the rise again since the Afghan Taliban took over Kabul last year, targeting most security forces.
The months-long ceasefire between the TTP and Islamabad ended last month.