Peshawar, July 12 : Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leader Baitullah Mehsud has claimed to have captured 29 security personnel from Hangu and threatened to start killing them one by one from Saturday afternoon if the military operation was not stopped and the militants released.

“We will be left with no option but to start killing the captive soldiers if our people were not released by 2 pm Saturday,” threatened Maulvi Omar, a spokesman for Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The News quoted Omar as saying that they had captured 29 security personnel including, 12 Pakistan Army soldiers, eight paramilitary FC personnel and seven policemen, from Doaba and Thall areas after the local police arrested their peaceful Taliban colleagues from Doaba Bazaar.

Pakistan Army troops were called on Thursday when Taliban besieged a police station in Doaba after the police arrested around seven militants including an important commander, Rafiuddin. 

There were also reports that Rafiuddin was deputy to Taliban’s dreaded commander, Baitullah Mahsud. Sources close to Baitullah, however, denied the claim.

The security forces continued search operation in the town and held 19 more suspected militants. The troops had also shifted heavy weapons, including tanks and artilleries to the town and taken positions on the main road and other important places.

Fearing bloodshed, residents of the restive town were seen leaving their homes for safer places. Also, sources said armed militants had so far been avoiding confrontation with the law-enforcement agencies.

They said militants occupied a nearby Naryab small dam for a brief time, but later disappeared on appeal from a tribal jirga. 

A 20-member grand jirga, led by MNA Pir Haider Ali Shah and MPA Syed Mufti Syed Janan, has been constituted to find a peaceful solution to the conflict. (ANI)