Most hostages freed at Pakistani army headquarters

Published 6:02 pm Saturday, October 10, 2009

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan — Pakistani commandos raided a building inside army headquarters early Sunday and freed most of about a dozen soldiers held hostage there by Islamist militants for more than 18 hours, an army spokesman said.

Three loud explosions and gunshots were heard from inside the complex close to the capital before dawn, and three ambulances were seen driving out. A helicopter hovered in the sky.

The army said operations inside the building were continuing just after dawn Sunday.

About five heavily armed militants took the hostages after they and other assailants attacked the main gate of the headquarters on Saturday, killing six soldiers in a brazen attack on one of the most powerful institutions in this nuclear-armed country.

Army spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas said commandos were raiding the building.

“Most of the hostages are out of the building now,” he said. “The security forces are inside the building, and they are going around searching and mopping up.”

Pakistan has been hit by scores of attacks by militants over the last three years, with security forces a favorite target.

The assault on the army headquarters in the town of Rawalpindi took place as the military was preparing for an offensive against the Pakistani Taliban in their heartland close to the Afghan border. Authorities said the latest militant attack had stiffened their resolve to go ahead with that operation.