Taliban kidnap, free 30 security men

Taliban freed 30 security personnel in the insurgency-hit Swat valley after they gave written undertaking that they would quit government jobs, a Taliban spokesman said Wednesday. The claim could not be officially confirmed.

Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan said that armed militants surrounded a police station at Barikot area late Monday night and Taliban captured the station after 24-hour exchange of firing. He said that Taliban seized 30 security men after taking control of the police station. Khan said that Taliban blew up the police station.

A kidnapped FC man Shahnawaz said that the security men in written undertaking agreed to quit police job. He said they would soon formally resign.

Locals also confirmed fighting and blowing up of the police station. However they said they were unaware of the seizer of the security men. The army-run media center and District Coordination Officer avoided commenting on the incident.

The security forces continued shelling of the positions of suspected militants overnight and Wednesday, forcing a large number of people to flee.

The authorities have set up temporary camps for the displaced people but the people have complained of lack of facilities. The army has stepped up offensive against the militants in Swat over the past week.

Source: http://www.thefrontierpost.com/News.aspx?ncat=ts&nid=3835&ad=05-02-2009