Dozens of Pakistani Cadets Are Rescued

NYT.COM
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Dozens of students and teachers from a military college who were abducted by the Taliban in the mountains of western Pakistan were freed Tuesday morning, the Pakistani Army said.

A convoy of about 30 minivans was ferrying students and teachers Monday from the Razmak Cadet College, in North Waziristan along the border with South Waziristan. The area is a stronghold for several groups of Taliban as well as Al Qaeda. Pakistan’s government, after a month of battling the Taliban in the Swat Valley, has said it is planning an operation in the area.

In anticipation of the military action, the 80 students and teachers had been told by the local governor to leave early for summer vacation, according to an employee in the college who rode in the convoy, but spoke on condition of anonymity for his safety.

The convoy was accompanied by a local Taliban group for protection, but around 5 p.m., when the convoy reached a checkpoint at a place called Khajuri, that group left and armed men with another Taliban group approached, the employee said.

He said four armed men waved over their minivan and got on board, arguing with the driver.

When they began asking men to leave the van, women began to weep, he said, and the gunmen ultimately let the van go.

They reached the town of Bannu, the destination for the convoy, but only 7 other vehicles had made it, leaving about 20 unaccounted for.

The military said Tuesday that the other students and staff members were freed not far from Bannu, on the border of North and South Waziristan.