42 hostages freed at Pakistani army HQ

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Military commandos launched an operation against a group of heavily armed militants inside military headquarters in Rawal-pindi. The operation freed 42 hostages.

The rescue operation began before dawn on Sunday, ending a bloody, 22-hour drama. About 30 minutes after the start of the operation,an ambulance was seen coming out of the General Headquarters, taking injured hostages. At least 19 people died in the standoff, including three captives and eight of the militants. One militant was captured.

Azhar Bin Karim, the journalist of AAJ TV, said, "Morning, at six o'clock and according to our information that the official sources told us that the operation has been totally completed and 25 hostages are now evacuated from the main security office and three are dead and four terrorists has been dead during the operation."

On Saturday, a group of over 10 armed militants wearing army uniforms took the hostages, after killing 6 soldiers at the main gate of the army headquarters. The Pakistani Taliban have claimed responsibility.

Saturday's siege followed a car bombing that killed 49 on Friday in the northwestern city of Peshawar, and the bombing of a UN aid agency on Monday that killed 5 in Islamabad.

Security checkpoints and police roadblocks have been set up around the country.