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Pakistan army 'rescues students' Abducted Pakistani students freed
(about 11 hours later)
The Pakistani military says dozens of students abducted by militants in the north-west of the country have been freed by troops. Dozens of students abducted by militants in the north-west of Pakistan have been released, the military and college staff say.
Several buses carrying students were reported missing in an area near the Afghan border on Monday. Several buses carrying students and staff were reported missing in an area near the Afghan border on Monday.
A military spokesman said about 80 students and teachers had been freed. The vice principal of Razmak Cadet College told the BBC everybody seized in North Waziristan had been released.
Pakistani officials believe Taliban militants could be trying to divert attention away from the military offensive against them further north. About 80 hostages were freed after a clash between militants and the army, a military spokesman said.
'Armed men' Pakistani officials believe that Taliban militants are trying to divert attention away from the military offensive against them further north.
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. 'Armed militants'
Vice principal of the cadet college, Junaid Alam, said that all of the abducted students were accounted for, except for 20 students who had escaped from the militants earlier and could still be making their way to the town of Bannu.
The Pakistan army is fighting militants in the region
He stressed that none of the students remained in the custody of the militants.
The students were kidnapped when travelling in a convoy of buses from their college to Bannu.
While figures cannot be confirmed, reports suggest that as many as 500 people, including students, their family members and staff were travelling in the convoy.
The buses were stopped in the semi-tribal area of Bakakhel by heavily armed militants.
The BBC's Syed Shoaib Hasan says that initially up to 300 people may have been held, but many of these were released. The others managed to escape on foot or in the remaining vehicles.
The Taliban then took away 80 students and staff and kept them hostage for several hours.
Negotiations about the hostages between the militants, a tribal council and the local political agent took place throughout the kidnappings.
Major Gen Athar Abbas, a spokesman for the Pakistan military, described how the army ultimately managed to rescue the captive students. He 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. Pakistani troops are battling militants in the Swat valley and pushing northwards from its main city of Mingora, which is now under full government control.
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 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.The last few days have seen a rise in violence in the tribal areas next to the Afghan border.