Taliban free 17 hostages unconditionally

The people had crossed the border into Afghanistan, officials saidMore than 30 young people aged between 20 and 30 were kidnapped from Pakistans Bajaur tribal region during celebrations marking the Muslim Eid holiday in September 2011.Today Taliban has released 17 of them, some 8-10 are yet in their custody, Bajaur administration official Islam Zeb said.Zeb at the time said the boys had been abducted by a militant group allied with Taliban commander Maulvi Faqir Muhammad, who led local insurgents but is believed to have fled to Afghanistan in 2010.They have been freed unconditionally, he added.Another senior official, Mohammad Tariq Khan, confirmed the release.Afghanistan shares a disputed and unmarked 2,400-kilometre (1,500-mile) border with Pakistan, and Taliban and other Al-Qaeda-linked militants are on the run on both sides.Afghanistan and Pakistan blame each other for several recent cross-border attacks that have killed dozens and displaced hundreds of families.Bajaur was the scene of a major anti-militant operation in August 2008 and in February 2009 and the military said the area had been secured. --AFP