WANA, Sept 21: Militants freed on Friday 25 of the more than 250 security personnel they have been holding hostage for several weeks, according to government and security officials.

The hostages were released as a result of intense efforts by a jirga of tribal elders and clerics who met militant commanders in Maulvi Khan Sarai. Militants had earlier released six soldiers.

Tribal insurgents in the restive South Waziristan agency had captured 280 military, paramilitary and auxiliary workers on August 30, and accused the government of violating the February 7, 2005, agreement by deploying troops in an area of the Mehsud tribe.

Those released on Friday included a subedar and four naib subedars. The others were soldiers, the officials said.

A government official told Dawn that while it appreciated the token release of soldiers, it still believed that the main issue was full implementation of the Sara Rogha peace agreement.

“This is a good first step and we welcome it,” the official closely associated with jirga efforts told Dawn in Peshawar.

“But what we are really interested in is whether the militants are willing to abide by the Sara Rogha agreement because if they do all contentious issues could be resolved.”

The official said that the government had conveyed to the militants what it believed were violations of the terms of the agreement, including presence of some foreign militants, cross-border infiltration and existence of some training camps.

The militants on their part, according to a jirga member, want dismantling of hill-top positions occupied by the military, which they see as violation of the sanctity of their homes in low-lying areas.

They also want the military to withdraw from the Mehsud territory and its replacement by paramilitary Frontier Corps and Khasadar Force.

The jirga member said the militants had no problem if the military moved to the borders.

“All they want is that the military should move to the borders, confine themselves to their camps or leave the Mehsud territory altogether. On his part, militant commander Baituallah Mehsud wants to abide by the Sara Rogha agreement and has even agreed to evict the few Uzbeks that he has given shelter to,” the jirga member said, requesting that he should not be named.

The official said that the military had already vacated two hill-top positions in respect of tribal sentiments but had refused to vacate a third one.

The official said that the 20 hostages had been released without any condition and as a goodwill gesture so that the jirga did not return empty-handed.

But one source said the militants wanted at least 30 of their comrades released before they could discuss releasing the remaining personnel.

Talks between the jirga members and militants stalled on Thursday when the former demanded release of their 20 comrades who had been arrested on charges of carrying out suicide bombings and subversive activities in various parts of the country.

Security forces vacated positions in Ghat Sar and Shin Sar to secure release of the hostages.

The source said the jirga has conveyed the militants’ demands to the government.