Taliban using 2,000 villagers as human shields in Buner

Islamabad, May 3 (ANI): The Taliban are using at least 2,000 people as human shields in North West Frontier Province's (NWFP) Buner District.

According to the ISPR, the hostages are being held in Pir Baba in Buner district.

A British daily quoted an elderly refugee in Timergara in Dir as saying on Sunday that: "Kidnapping has become routine in our village. Armed Taliban were picking up people and then demanding a huge ransom for their release."

According to the paper, many of the 90,000 refugees fleeing the conflict zone in NWFP welcomed the military action despite their anger at being forced to leave their homes.

Although Pakistani officers described their onslaught as a "mopping up" operation, much of Buner remains under Taliban control, the report said.

On Saturday, Pakistani security forces seized control of a key highway in Buner. Sixteen militants were killed after they made an abortive bid to attack a post close to the Afghan border. (ANI)