By NNN-PTI,
Islamabad : Fifty-five paramilitary troops taken hostage by tribesmen in Pakistan’s troubled Kurram Agency were released today after negotiations between a local jirga and officials.
Shia Turi tribesmen abducted the 55 Frontier Corps personnel in Piwar area of Kurram Agency yesterday. Turi tribal elder Ali Akbar said they had mistaken the paramilitary personnel for members of the rival Suni Mengal tribe.
Hundreds of people have died in sectarian clashes between Turi and Mengal tribesmen in Kurram Agency since last year. Fresh clashes recently erupted in the semi-autonomous tribal region bordering Afghanistan.
Akbar said his men had taken the Frontier Corps personnel hostage because there were reports of Mengal tribesmen moving about in the area wearing paramilitary uniforms.
The Frontier Corps convoy was on its way from a base in Parachinar, the mian town of Kurram Agency, to Tari Mangal on the frontier when the Turi tribesmen blocked the main road and captured the paramilitary personnel.
The local political administration then sent a jirga to the area to secure the release of the abducted personnel. Akbar said the local administration should inform tribal elders about the movements of paramilitary personnel.
The situation in Kurram Agency has been tense since a recent attack on a convoy that resulted in the death of 12 Shia Turi men.
In a separate incident, 11 members of the Khasadar militia force abducted by the Taliban nine days ago were released in Jamrud area of Khyber Agency Tuesday following negotiations between the militants and a local jirga.
The militants had kidnapped 15 Khasadar militia personnel from Ali Masjid in Khyber Agency. There was no information on the fate of the four other abducted personnel.