Children taken hostage by militants in Pak school, freed

Islamabad, Oct 29 (PTI) Taliban militants Wednesday
briefly took more than 100 children hostage at a school in
Pakistan's troubled northwestern tribal region before freeing
them.

A group of 10 to 12 militants entered a state-run school
in Darwaz Gai area of Mohmand tribal agency, bordering
Afghanistan, after a gun battle with security forces and took
over the premises with the students inside.

However, they released the children after some time,
officials told television channels. It was not immediately
clear what prompted the militants to free them.

After the children left the premises, security forces
exchanged heavy gunfire with the militants.

They used mortars to target the Taliban militants in the
school and a nearby market. Shopkeepers in the bazar closed
their establishments and fled the area.

Mohmand agency has been tense over the past few days due
to a major anti-militancy operation being conducted by the
security forces in adjoining Bajaur tribal agency.

The army has claimed to have killed more than 1,500
militants in Bajaur and reports have suggested that Taliban
fighters have fled from the area to Mohmand agency.

The Taliban recently carried out a suicide attack on a
security checkpost in Mohmand. Following this, curfew was
imposed in the area and four militants were arrested Tuesday.