To help trace 30 boys abducted by militants from Pakistan's Bajaur tribal region, NATO alliance troops have launched an aerial surveillance of Taliban sanctuaries in border areas of Afghanistan.
The NATO-US surveillance was launched after a Pakistani Taliban leader released a video footage of kidnapped boys.
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) chief Gen John Allen, who made his first visit to Pakistan last week after taking over command of the coalition forces in Afghanistan, informed Pakistani military leaders that NATO had started surveillance of Pakistani Taliban sanctuaries in Afghanistan's eastern Kunar and Nuristan provinces. Allen hinted at air strikes being part of the aerial surge, depending on actionable intelligence gathered by his forces, sources said.
The Afghan government has sought the help of tribal elders to help secure the release of the boys. Pakistani authorities claimed the boys were taken away by the Taliban after mistakenly crossing into Afghanistan while on an Eid outing in Bajaur Agency on September 1.
However, a Taliban spokespersons and one of the boys, Abdul Hanan, confirmed to Afghan media that they were kidnapped by the militants from Bajaur Agency.
Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan deputy chief Maulvi Faqir Mohammad, now leading his fighters in Kunar, promised to resolve the issue of the abducted boys in line with tribal traditions but is yet to play any role in the matter.
The delay in the release of the boys has raised concern among their parents, who mostly belong to the Mamond tribe that has been accused by the Taliban of backing the Pakistan government.