Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Suspected Taliban kidnap 11 Pakistani security personnel

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, March 30, IRNA -- Suspected Taliban militants Sunday kidnapped 11 security men from the Pakistani tribal region of Khyber Agency, officials said.

Armed Taliban stormed a check post at Shin Qamar area of Khyber Agency and took away the local security men called ‘Khasadars’ to undisclosed location.

No group claimed responsibility but the officials said Taliban are behind the kidnapping.

The incident came two days after a deadly suicide bomb attack in a mosque in Khyber Agency which killed over 50 people, including 17 security men.

Local tribal leaders launched search for the missing security men after the authorities south their help. But there was no success.

An official said that a low ranking officer Muhammad Ali was among those kidnapped.

Kidnappings and attacks on security forces have increased in Khyber Agency in recent weeks after Taliban increased activities in the area.

Khyber Agency is also the most important supply rout for US-led NATO forces in Afghanistan and the militants regularly target NATO supply trucks.

Taliban movement last week asked all the security forces in Khyber Agency to vacate their check post on the Pakistan-Afghan highway, otherwise, they would be attacked.

In another incident unidentified gunmen kidnapped six members of a religious group from Barqambar area of Khyber Agency on Sunday.

There was no claim for kidnapping the members of ‘Amar bil Maroof Wa Nahi Anil Munkir’ members but locals say that the group had differences with Taliban movement of Baitullah Mehsood.