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| Pakistan army 'rescues students' | Pakistan army 'rescues students' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The Pakistani military says dozens of students abducted by militants in the northwest of the country have been freed by troops. | The Pakistani military says dozens of students abducted by militants in the northwest of the country have been freed by troops. |
| Several buses carrying students were reported missing in an area near the Afghan border on Monday. | Several buses carrying students were reported missing in an area near the Afghan border on Monday. |
| A military spokesman said about 80 students and teachers had been freed. | A military spokesman said about 80 students and teachers had been freed. |
| Pakistani officials believe Taliban militants could be trying to divert attention away from the military offensive against them further north. | Pakistani officials believe Taliban militants could be trying to divert attention away from the military offensive against them further north. |
| 'Armed men' | |
| Major Gen Athar Abbas, a spokesman for the Pakistan military, said soldiers had opened fire on the militants as they were taking the students to South Waziristan. | Major Gen Athar Abbas, a spokesman for the Pakistan military, said soldiers had opened fire on the militants as they were taking the students to South Waziristan. |
| "Under cover of the firing the militants escaped and we have recovered them all," he said. | "Under cover of the firing the militants escaped and we have recovered them all," he said. |
| It was unclear how many people had been captured on Monday as reports from the violence-hit region are difficult to independently verify. | |
| Reports said a convoy of about 30 minibuses carrying the students left Razmak Cadet College in North Waziristan bound for the town of Bannu, but that only two had arrived. | |
| Witnesses who escaped the convoy said it was stopped by a group of heavily armed men. | |
| Pakistani troops are battling the militants in the Swat valley, pushing northwards from its main city of Mingora, which is now under full government control. | |
| The authorities say more than 1,200 militants and about 90 soldiers have been killed since their offensive began in a neighbouring district nearly six weeks ago. | |
| The last few days have seen a rise in violence in the tribal areas next to the Afghan border. |