Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Pakistani Taliban execute three people

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, Oct 28, IRNA -- Pakistani Taliban militants have executed three persons over ?criminal activities’ in a tribal region near the Afghan border, a Taliban spokesman said Thursday.

The bullet-ridden bodies of three slain men were found in Muhmand tribal agency, an official said.

Two Pakistani and one was Afghan refugee were kidnapped from Shna Ghundai area of Muhmand agency on Wednesday, the official said.

A purported spokesman of Taliban in the region, Sajjad muhmand, claimed responsibility for the killing of three abducted men.

He said the slain men were wanted to Taliban for their involment in robberies, kidnapping for ransom and other heinous crimes.

The militants also attacked a check post manned by members of the local anti-Taliban peace committee volunteers in the area, killing one member and injuring five others.

The members of the peace committee also returned fire but there was no report of casualty on part of the militants.

The security forces launched limited operation against the militants in Mohmand Agency two years ago and the army claims to have killed some 500 militants. Nearly 140 members of the peace committee have also been killed in the violence.

Last year the local administration said the most areas have been cleared of the militants.

Meanwhile the Pakistani military helicopters shelled hideouts of the militants in Orakzai tribal region on Thursday and killed 12 militants, security officials said.

The military authorities said on Wednesday that 90 per cent of Orakzai agency has been cleared of the militants.

Also in June Pakistani forces said they had defeated militants in Orakzai, following an offensive against the Taliban in the region that lasted more than two years.

But Orakzai residents say not all the Taliban hideouts in the area were wiped out.

The region has also attracted militants looking for a haven from army operations in the other parts of the tribal belt, including South Waziristan where the security forces had launched major ground and air offensive in October last year.