PARACHINAR – Suspected militants released 50 people kidnapped on Saturday in Pakistan’s restive northwest, a government official said yesterday.
Hours later, an official said Pakistani fighter jets bombed Taliban positions in the northwestern region of Orakzai, killing 32 militants and destroying 10 hideouts in several attacks, as part of the latest government offensive against militants.
Suspected militants dressed as policemen kidnapped 60 people in two incidents in the ethnic Pashtun tribal region of Kurram.
Negotiations involving tribal elders were under way for the release of the remaining 10 hostages, regional government official Mumtaz Khan said yesterday.
“Militants seem reluctant to free them because they are government employees, but we are making all our efforts and we have engaged tribal elders in the process,” he said.
Pakistani government officials have accused Pakistani Taliban militants of turning to kidnap after coming under pressure from security crackdowns in Kurrum and other areas.
Taliban officials were not immediately available for comment.
Some kidnappings in the region were believed to have been carried out by tribesmen.
Tribal elder Hameedullah Khan had a different account of what happened with the hostages, saying 40 were released and 10 escaped, and he was optimistic the rest would be freed.
“The 10 men [still being held] do not have identity cards, so the Taliban are just holding them to verify their identity. It’s not a big deal,” said Mr Khan.
In a video message last week, Pakistan’s Taliban warned the US it would soon “burn”, while calling for Pakistan’s rulers to be overthrown for following “America’s agenda”. – (Reuters)