PESHAWAR, Jan 17: Military authorities on Monday released 17 tribesmen who were apprehended during a raid in the North Waziristan Agency last week.

Sources said that a joint interrogation team, comprising officials of various intelligence agencies, carried out investigations and declared them to be 'white and locals'.

The tribesmen reportedly belonged to the Madakhel tribe living near the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Army commandos and regular troops conducted a joint raid in the Lowara Mandi area, about 70 kilometres east of Miramshah, on Saturday and arrested the 17 persons.