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| Militants kill Pakistan officials | |
| (21 minutes later) | |
| Three Pakistani security officials have been killed by militants in the north-western district of Swat. | |
| The vehicle carrying them was ambushed in the Matta area late on Monday. Witnesses says several suspects were later arrested in a search operation. | The vehicle carrying them was ambushed in the Matta area late on Monday. Witnesses says several suspects were later arrested in a search operation. |
| A spokesman for militants said the officials had been killed because they had tortured two militants in custody. | A spokesman for militants said the officials had been killed because they had tortured two militants in custody. |
| Matta is the hub of militants led by a local cleric and has been the focus of a military operation since last year. | Matta is the hub of militants led by a local cleric and has been the focus of a military operation since last year. |
| Police told BBC Urdu that the three officials, belonging to a federal intelligence agency, had been ambushed by more than a dozen militants in the Sanj Banrh area of Matta. | Police told BBC Urdu that the three officials, belonging to a federal intelligence agency, had been ambushed by more than a dozen militants in the Sanj Banrh area of Matta. |
| Following the ambush, security forces put the area under curfew and started a house-to-house search and a number of arrests were made, witnesses said. | Following the ambush, security forces put the area under curfew and started a house-to-house search and a number of arrests were made, witnesses said. |
| They also reported artillery fire from a paramilitary base in the area which targeted suspected militant positions. | They also reported artillery fire from a paramilitary base in the area which targeted suspected militant positions. |
| Violence | |
| A spokesman for the local militants, Muslim Khan, told BBC Urdu that the security officials had been involved in arresting and torturing two militants from the area. | |
| "Our colleagues were tortured so badly, they are still in the hospital and cannot eat or drink," he said. | "Our colleagues were tortured so badly, they are still in the hospital and cannot eat or drink," he said. |
| Correspondents say the security situation in Swat has been deteriorating despite a peace agreement between the government and pro-Taleban cleric Maulana Fazlullah. | |
| Last month, militants burned down much of a hotel in the country's only ski resort, located in the area. | |
| The Taleban admit attacking soldiers and police to avenge the death of their comrades. | |
| But they deny torching at least 10 local girls' schools, claiming unnamed elements were trying to sabotage the peace deal. |