August 12, 2008	Tuesday	Sha'aban 9, 1429

MINGORA, Aug 11: The Taliban besieged a village in Kishora area of Swat’s Charbagh tehsil on Monday and held 23 villagers hostage.

Taliban’s spokesman Muslim Khan denied the report about the siege and said that a local jirga handed over six villagers who had allegedly fired on Taliban fighters during an action on Sunday night.

“Taliban took away 23 people and asked the villagers to hand over the real culprits to them.”

Later, the 23-member jirga of the village held talks with the Taliban and handed over the six men, including three youths, to them.

Muslim Khan said the men, if found guilty, would be punished in accordance with ‘Sharia’.

Local people said the militants had raided the village and captured weapons.

A bridge in Dherai, linking Mingora with Matta, was partially damaged when a bomb planted by the militants exploded on Monday morning. A basic health unit, a mosque and a number of shops were damaged.

A curfew was clamped on Kanju and Kabal areas.

NIAB NAZIM QUITS: Naib Nazim of the Kabal union council Niaz Ahmed has resigned for personal reasons. He was acting as nazim of the council after the killing of Mohammad Hussian. Tehsil Council niab nazim Shahi Dawran has accepted the resignation.