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Militants free all abducted Pakistani soldiers

By Xinhua

Islamabad : Militants in Pakistan’s South Waziristan tribal area Tuesday freed all 18 soldiers and a government official kidnapped earlier this month, officials said.

All the abducted people were released unconditionally, said Major General Waheed Arshad, spokesman of Inter-Services Public Relations.

The freed soldiers were handed over to a 35-member committee of tribal elders and religious clerics Tuesday morning, said Maulana Mirajuddin, a member of the committee.

The tribal committee, summoned by security forces, made efforts to secure the release of abducted soldiers by negotiating with the militants who eventually agreed to release the hostages.

Militants on Aug 9 kidnapped as many as 16 paramilitary soldiers in South Waziristan. One of them was later killed. The militants last Thursday captured three more troopers and a government official who were sent by the political administration to talk to abductors.

The security situation in the Waziristan tribal area bordering Afghanistan deteriorated since July 15 when militants in the north scrapped a peace deal signed with the government in September last year.

The militants continually launched attacks on security forces and triggered clashes that left more than 250 militants and 60 security men dead since early July.