Taliban capture at least 22 Pakistani government forces

The Pakistani Taliban have seized at least 22 men from a paramilitary force in attacks on three checkpoints in northern Pakistan, a regional official said on Thursday, but Taliban and other Pakistani sources put the number even higher.
   
At least 22 men were missing, two had been killed and one was injured after the overnight attacks, said Naveed Akbar, a regional official whose remit covers the paramilitary units.
   
Other Pakistani officials said at least 30 men had been taken, a figure confirmed by Taliban spokesmen.

Earlier, the Pakistani Taliban had outlined conditions for a ceasefire, including the adoption of Islamic law, a spokesman said.   

The Taliban, in a letter printed by the Pakistan daily The News, also demanded that Pakistan stop its involvement in the war pitting Afghan insurgents against the Kabul government and refocus on a war of "revenge" against India. The militants accused Pakistan's army of acting as "mercenaries" for America.   

The conditions, confirmed by spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan in a phone call to Reuters, also said Pakistan should rewrite its laws and constitution according to Islamic law.


REUTERS