Militant followers of a pro-Taliban cleric have taken 48 security personnel hostage in the Swat region of northwestern Pakistan, where fierce clashes have left more than 150 people dead since last week.
The security personnel reportedly surrendered after they were surrounded by the militants in the Khwazakhela area in Swat on Thursday. They are currently being held in Charbagh, a stronghold of radical cleric Maulana Fazlullah's men.
A group of journalists was allowed to interact with the captured security personnel in Charbagh on Friday morning, Dawn News channel reported.
The troops, captured along with their weapons and equipment, are in good health, militant spokesman Sirajuddin said.
The journalists who met the captured personnel said the militants have not yet made any demands for their release.
Militants armed with assault rifles and rockets, who are guarding the troops, have said that the captured men would not be killed.
The troops told the journalists that they had no option but to surrender as they were surrounded and running low on ammunition.
Sirajuddin, a lieutenant of Fazlullah, claimed more troops were in the custody of the militants but did not give details.
Relatives of some of the captured troops have reached Swat in the hope of negotiating for their release, possibly through a 'jirga' or council of tribal elders.
The local administration and security forces, however, denied that any personnel has been captured by the militants led by Fazlullah, who is running a parallel government in nearly 60 villages in the Swat valley.
