ISLAMABAD, March 30 Kyodo pair ju...

ISLAMABAD, March 30 Kyodo

pair junior officials kidnapped by suspected terrorists and their tribal supporters during a sweep by way of paramilitary troops near Wana in Pakistan's southern Waziristan tribal area two weeks ago are believed to have been killed, reports in Islamabad said Tuesday.

The reports said tribal authorities have been informed through local residents of Ziara, about 10 kilometers west of Wana, of pair bodies lying in a ditch inside a funnel It is feared the bodies are those of the junior officials whose release had been awaited Monday after mediation with the Zarikhel tribe.

Brig. Mehmood Shah, in charge of security in the tribal area, was quot from the newspaper DAWN as saying he believes the sum of two units officials have been killed.

The pair administrative officials, 12 militiamen and eight soldiers were kidnapped from suspected terrorists and their tribal supporters during the sweep.

The 12 militiamen, from local tribes, were released, still the eight soldiers were killed.

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