Click to play videoNew Delhi: The Pakistan Army have taken control of the entire Lal Masjid snuffing out last pockets of resistance.
The Army collected 73 bodies of terrorists as they cleared the masjid, mines and booby traps on Wednesday after flushing out or killing all the terrorists holed up inside.
Special forces stormed the mosque at 4:30 am on Tuesday and finished the first phase – clearing the compound of terrorists – by noon on Wednesday, while the second phase – sweeping the complex for unexploded ordnance and booby traps and collecting bodies – was still underway, director general of ISPR, Major General Arshad Waheed said.
He said later in the day, as the cleanup operation was almost complete that 73 bodies had been collected, and none of them were of women.
However, a promised tour of the compound for the media was delayed from Wednesday to Thursday, and restrictions on journalists visiting hospitals in Rawalpindi and Islamabad remained in place.
Gen Arshad said that another soldier was injured in fighting overnight, taking the casualty figures for the armed forces to 10 deaths and 33 wounded.
The death toll includes Lt Colonel Haroonul Islam, who was killed on Monday. Three more terrorists were also killed in fighting overnight, the military spokesman said.
Some 50 terrorists are said to have been killed on Tuesday.
Terrorists were said to be holding hundreds of women and children hostage in the compound before the operation was launched.
A group of 27 women were able to leave the mosque unharmed on Tuesday.
Gen Arshad said the 164 commandos who stormed the mosque had cleared each room in the complex in a systematic manner to avoid collateral damage.
“No suicide attack was reported on security forces during the operation,” he added.
Earlier in the morning, a series of blasts rocked the area prompting re-enforcements to be called in.
Sporadic gunfire and blasts were heard throughout the day as security forces continued the cleanup operation.
The security forces claimed to have arrested 15 injured terrorists on Wednesday. The government handed over 100 more students to their parents, taking the total to 247.
(With agency inputs)
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest)
More on IBNLive Right Now
TOP NEWS
MOST SHARED
PHOTOGALLERY
