ISLAMABAD, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- 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 Mohmand tribal agency, an official said. Two Pakistanis and one Afghan refugee were kidnapped from Shna Ghundai area of Mohmand agency on Wednesday, the official said. A purported spokesman of Taliban in the region, Sajjad Muhmand, claimed responsibility for the killing of the three abducted men. He said the slain men were wanted to Taliban for their involvement 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 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 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 most areas have been cleared of the militants. Meanwhile, the Pakistani military helicopters shelled hideouts of the militants in nearby Orakzai tribal region on Thursday and killed 12 militants, security officials said. The military authorities said on Wednesday that 90 percent of Orakzai agency has been cleared of the militants. 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 that 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 other parts of the tribal belt, including South Waziristan where the security forces had launched major ground and air offensive in October last year.---Editor: en_hl (xinhua) =========================================================== =========================================================== |
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