Pakistani army headquarters siege ends, 30 hostages freed

Major General Athar Abbas said three hostages, two military commandos and four of the attackers died in the operation that freed several hostages after a 22-hour standoff inside the army base.

"By the grace of God, the operation has been successfully completed," Abbas said. "Up to 30 hostages have been rescued from the building and four terrorists are dead."

"The main focus of the operation was a suicide bomber who could have detonated the suicide vest he was wearing, but our soldiers killed him skilfully before he could pull the trigger," he added.

Three captives - two civilian employees of the base and a soldier - died while three more were injured during the rescue attempt. Two commandos were also killed in the combat.

One militant resisted the troops for more than two hours and eventually detonated some explosive material, severely injuring himself and five personnel of Pakistan's elite forces.

The army spokesman identified the captured terrorist as Aqeel alias Dr. Usman. "He was the leader of the terrorist gang."

Earlier, sound of explosions and gunfire rang out when the troops moved into the building shortly before dawn. Ambulances were later seen rushing to the nearest hospital while an army helicopter flew overhead with snipers on board.

On Saturday, militants wearing military uniforms took more than two dozen soldiers and civilian employees on the army base captive inside a security office near the compound, in a daring midday raid that left six soldiers and four attackers dead.

A brigadier and a lieutenant colonel were among the dead, an intelligence official who requested anonymity said.

The brazen raid and siege came as Pakistani security forces are preparing for a major offensive against Taliban insurgents in South Waziristan, a lawless tribal district along the Afghan border.

Insurgents have intensified recent attacks on civilian, official and foreign targets.

On Friday, a suicide bomber detonated his explosives-laden car in a busy commercial area of Peshawar, killing 53 people and injuring more than 100.

Six days ago, a suicide bomber dressed as a paramilitary soldier killed five employees of the UN's World Food