Militants take two hostages after Peshawar gunfight (Fourth Lead)

ISLAMABAD - Two security personnel are held hostage by militants inside a building as a gunfight continued near the US consulate in Pakistan’s Peshawar city to rescue the hostages, officials said Saturday.

Some terrorists arrested by security forces were being kept in the building for investigation. However, the terrorists have taken two officials hostage after overpowering them. Efforts are now on to rescue the hostages.

Director General of the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas told the media Saturday afternoon that it would be premature to say anything on the incident as the situation was unfolding.

“I can only confirm that the terrorists are still inside the building and are taking two sergeants hostage,” he said.

He dispelled the impression that the terrorists had attacked the building from outside and overpowered the guards on duty outside before taking control of the premises.

“This is not correct because all the terrorists were inside the building and nobody came from the outside”, he stressed.

Armed forces and police have cordoned off the area and nobody was allowed access to the spot.

Meanwhile, the US embassy spokesman in Islamabad, Richard Snelsire, said the consulate officials were safe. “We are taking necessary steps to ensure their safety,” he added.

Senior police official Karim Khan said the target of the terrorists was not clear because there were several important buildings in the area, Aaj TV reported.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province’s senior minister, Bashir Bilour’s house is located right opposite the US consulate. “I am not sure what is going on but I am unable to go out,” he was quoted as saying.

(Awais Saleem can be contacted at great_wall165@yahoo.co.uk)