Pakistan launches operation to free officers held by Taliban

Smoke rises from the counter-terrorism centre (Muhammad Hasib/AP)

Pakistan’s special forces on Tuesday stormed a counter-terrorism centre in a remote north-western district to free several security officials who were taken hostage earlier this week by a group of detained Pakistani Taliban militants, security officials said.

The operation came after the detainees, who were held for years at the centre in Bannu, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, overpowered their guards on Sunday, seized their weapons and took them hostage.