WANA: Local Taliban militants have agreed to unconditionally release 15 paramilitary personnel who were kidnapped in Spinkai Raghzai area of South Waziristan 10 days ago, a tribal negotiator claimed on Sunday.

MNA Maulvi Mirajuddin, chief of a 21-member jirga, said that the local Taliban had assured them that the 15 personnel of the Frontier Corps (FC) would be freed. He said the men would be freed in phases and the first batch was likely to be handed over to the jirga in three days.

The militants had kidnapped 16 personnel from the area dominated by the Mehsud tribe on Aug 9 and one them was later found dead. No group had claimed responsibility for the kidnapping.

Mirajuddin told Dawn that talks between the jirga and the militants had been successful and the jirga had been assured of FC personnel’s unconditional release.

He said the talks were held in Eija Raghzai area, adding that the soldiers were in good health.

Officials said that the jirga had persuaded militants to vacate their positions on hilltops and subsequently the Wana-Tank Road was opened.

The agency’s assistant political officer Khaista Rehman said that army convoys stranded in bases in Jandola and Sarwakai areas were now safely passing through the area.