The commandos of Special Services Group (SSG) of Pakistan Army winded up the rescue operation after inflicting another defeat on the terrorists and secured the release of 39 hostages held by them at the Security Office of check-post No 2 of General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.
However, three of the hostages and two commandos of SSG were martyred while four terrorists were killed in the operation which was started at 6 am on Sunday. Of the 39 hostages rescued safely, five were injured in the rescue process. The mastermind and gang leader of the attacking terrorists was captured alive in injured condition.
Overall, 20 people died _ six soldiers, two commandos, nine militant attackers and three captives _ and several were wounded. Twenty-seven hostages were released in the first phase, while four terrorists were killed by the commandos. Another 12 hostages were rescued in the second phase.
Explosions and gunshots rang out just before dawn as SSG commandos moved into the security office in the complex of GHQ, while a helicopter was providing cover to them during the rescue operation. Two hours after the rescue operation began, two new explosions were heard inside GHQ premises. The commandos, on intelligence information, were tasked to eliminate the gang leader suicide bomber in initial raid in a bid to rescue the hostages safely. This was successfully completed, but in the process three hostages were martyred by terrorists' firings, Defence sources said.
They said that the terrorists, occupying the security building, had planted explosives at four places to blow the building up, if anyone tried to enter the building. However, the commandos did enter the building in a blitzing raid with great expertise, and took action against the terrorists.
The operation began early in the morning in which four terrorists were killed while the gang leader, Muhammad Aqeel alias Dr Usman, was arrested in injured condition, said Major General Athar Abbas, Director-General, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
"Aqeel, in his last-ditch effort, tried to blow up the explosives, which he carried, injuring himself and some of the security personnel", Athar Abbas said. Describing the operation as highly successful, the Military spokesman said that the area had been cleared of the militants.
He said that three hostages embraced martyrdom in the operation while 39 were released, out of total 42, in the search and clearance operation, launched in two phases, Abbas said. He said that the first phase of the operation took 40 minutes to rescue the hostages. However, the terrorists' leader, Aqeel alias Dr Usman, managed to escape. Thus, second phase had to be launched, mainly to search the terrorist, General Athar said
He said in the second phase, terrorist Aqeel was overpowered within a few minutes and the remaining 12 hostages were also released. He said that 20 of the hostages had been kept in a room guarded by a terrorist wearing a suicide jacket. He was shot and killed before he managed to detonate his explosives. The terrorists had suicide jackets, hand grenades, landmines, explosives along with sophisticated rifles, he added. Five heavily armed militants had entered the Security Office of the check post No 2 on Saturday in the compound of the GHQ, when their four accomplices were killed. They took people present in the office as hostages.
Following the conclusion of the operation, Chief of Army Staff, General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani visited the GHQ and praised the commandos for their success in safe release of hostages. All terrorists in the attack were dressed in camouflage uniforms and had come in a Suzuki van bearing fake army number plate.