attackers were surrounded and killed,” said the spokesperson for the Pakistan Army. He added that none of them was wearing any suicide jacket as their bodies were intact.
He said telephonic intercepts revealed that a splinter group of the outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was involved in the attack. He added that the attack was planned in Afghanistan.
Subsequently, the TTP spokesman, Mohammad Khorasani, claimed responsibility for the attack through an email sent to members of the media.
Maj Gen Asim Bajwa confirmed that 29 people embraced martyrdom in the attack during the exchange of fire with the attackers. He said the slain included 23 PAF officials and the Pakistan Army’s Captain Asfandyar Bokhari, who had won the Sword of Honour at the Pakistan Military Academy on account of his excellent performance during training. He is said to have fought valiantly and led from the front against the terrorists in Badaber.
He said that brigade commander of Peshawar led the operations in which the Quick Reaction Force, army commandoes and local PAF troops were present while the police stayed outside the base in the outer cordon.
He added that one of the three helicopters used in clearance and evacuation operations made an emergency landing due to a technical fault.
As many as 25 other personnel were injured in the attack. The injured were taken to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) and Lady Reading Hospital (LRH).
Those martyred in the attack were identified as Captain Asfandyar Bokhari, Naik Manzoor, Naik Tariq and PAF officials Kamran, Imran, Javed, Shan, Hussain, Ayub, Munir, Javed, Asif, Zain, Said Hussain, Nadeem, Tariq, Saqib, Asif, Sohaib, Faiz, Asim, Javed, Amir, Sardar and Khalid.
Three bodies were still unidentified at the mortuary of the CMH Peshawar. The dead also included civilian employees of the PAF, including a driver, cook, etc.
The Capital City Police Officer, Peshawar, Mubarak Zeb, said the vehicle used in the attack had been taken into custody. He added a search operation was carried out in Badaber and Matani areas after the incident during which several suspects were held. He added that an investigation would be launched after lodging the case.
According to the spokesperson of the Rescue 1122, Bilal Faizi, 18 ambulances of the Rescue-1122, five fire-fighting vehicles and 150 personnel took part in the operation to transport 20 bodies and 30 injured people from Badaber to the CMH Peshawar.
Corps Commander, Peshawar, Lt Gen Hidayatur Rahman, carried out aerial surveillance of the Badaber Camp.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Chief of the Army Staff Gen Raheel Sharif and Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman rushed to Peshawar after the attack.
According to the DG ISPR, the chiefs of army and air forces together visited the Badaber base and met the army, PAF and police officers who took part in the operation against the attackers.