PESHAWAR, Nov 28: Militants in Miramshah, a major North Waziristan town, detained a local journalist for several hours on Tuesday and burnt copies of several newspapers. They also banned distribution of all newspapers in the agency for two days.

Sources said that the militants, known as local Taliban, were enraged by the publication of an old news item about the killing of their four companions in the agency.

They said that at least 10 armed men came to the office of a news agency, owned by journalist Pazir Gul, collected copies of all newspapers at gunpoint and set them on fire in front of the office.

The armed men whisked away Naser Minllah, son of Pazir Gul, to their office in the town.

Mr Minllah, a journalist who works for two Urdu dailies, was kept in the Taliban office for more than five hours.

Later, a group of tribal journalists visited the Taliban office and requested their Shura (council) to release the young newsman.