Militants holding soldiers speak to BBC

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Oct. 12 (UPI) -- The commander of about 280 Pakistani soldiers held by pro-Taliban militants told the BBC his superiors’ delay to act led to their capture more than a month ago.

Given access to the militants’ base near the border with Afghanistan, the BBC spoke to the militants’ spokesman and three of the prisoners, one of whom was the commanding officer.

The report said the soldiers talked only under pressure from their captors. The commander said after pro-Taliban tribesmen stopped his supplies convoy in South Waziristan, he was told by his superior officers to wait as they negotiated with the militant leadership.

But after waiting for more than four hours, the soldiers realized they had been surrounded, the report said. The soldiers, however, said they have been well treated byt their captors.

Zulfiqar Mehsud, the militants’ spokesman, accused the Pakistani government of not being serious to secure the soldiers’ release, blaming the political crisis in Islamabad.

“We are very serious about the matter and want to resolve it peacefully,” the spokesman said.

The BBC report said the three soldiers weren't aware three of their fellow captives had been killed by the militants who demand the military pull out its troops and release 30 militants from prisons.