Militants, tribesmen row snags troops release

ISLAMABAD—More than 95 paramilitary soldiers remained stranded amid a dispute between militants and tribesmen in South Waziristan here on Friday.
Sources said that tribesmen strive to save the trapped military convey while insurgents near Afghan borders try to surround them. Talking to media persons ISPR spokesman Major General Waheed Arshad said “The troops have not been able to leave the area because there is a dispute between local tribesmen and militants who wanted to surround the soldiers.”
He also denied the reports that troops had been kidnapped, added that troops wanted to avoid use of force. He informed that as soon as tribal groups reached an agreement troops would leave. Due to poor weather conditions, soldiers had to station and camp in the area, he added.Earlier Arshad said late on Thursday that the convoy was surrounded by local villagers who thought the soldiers were preparing to launch an attack, triggering a tense standoff. The soldiers are safe, he concluded.
Talks underway to secure release of 150 troops WANA, Aug 31 (Online): Over hundred security men, who had gone missing, while on their way to Ladda in South Waziristan, even on the second day, could not reach their destination and the Jirga comprising of tribal sardars and Ulema has left for Waziristan.
The Frontier Corps unit was travelling between the regional capital of Wana and Shakai in 16 vehicles when “hundreds” of heavily armed militants blocked and surrounded the convoy, a senior security officer said on condition of anonymity. The group was being held in mountains in the Ladha area, he added.
However, ISPR spokesman has denied reports of the capture, saying contact was lost with the group while it was sheltering in a valley from a storm and that the convoy would shortly return to base. A spokesman for a local rebel leader Baitullah Mehsud told the BBC that the soldiers were surrounded, disarmed and taken prisoner because the government was not honouring a peace deal.
While Senator, Maulana Saleh Shah told Geo News that the security personnel’s moving ahead has become impossible because of a caved in bridge on their way and the security men were in the protection of armed Mehsud tribesmen. A 15-member Jirga constituting of ulema and Mehsud tribal elders has left for Waziristan from Tank for the resolution of the security men issue.
Meanwhile the chopper, which had flown carrying Senator Saleh Shah, S. Waziristan Political Agent, Hussainzada and other officials for Wana, returned to Kohat from Waziristan, as it couldn’t land there due to bad weather. Senator Saleh Shah said that they would again leave for Wana as soon as the weather improves.—Agencies