Islamabad, Aug. 28: Terrorists detained in office of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) on Saturday overpowered the guards in Pakistan’s Peshawar city and the military was only able to bring the situation under control after an 11-hour standoff.
“There was a war scene. The firing continued for 11 hours before the military succeeded and the terrorists released the hostages and then surrendered,” said a security official.
The crossfire inside the building erupted at 6 am and ended around 5 pm, officials said.
“Some of the terrorists who were kept in a building for interrogations overpowered their two sentries during interrogations,” military spokesman, Major General Athar Abbas, said.
The militants also took control of the building located a short distance from the US Consulate and an office of the intelligence bureau.
Peshawar’s military airbase and the city’s airport are located a few kilometres from the building occupied by the militants.
Earlier reports had suggested that a group of militants had entered the high security area and engaged security forces in a gun battle.
However, Gen. Abbas clarified that no terror attack had occurred and that no militants had entered the area.