Taliban free 23 detained tribesmen

Taliban militants on Friday freed 23 tribesmen whom they had detained this month for meeting army chief in the lawless tribal belt on the Afghan border. Taliban spokesman Azam Tariq told AFP from an undisclosed location that a militant "court" freed the 23 tribesmen after "they swore on the holy Quran that they would never support the government in future".
Officials had said 23 elders from the district of South Waziristan were summoned by the Taliban to Razmak, a town in neighbouring North Waziristan, on December 17 and had not returned. Local intelligence and administration officials confirmed the release.