MIRANSHAH, Pakistan, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Villagers in the South Waziristan region of Pakistan said the Taliban punished them for not backing the insurgency by going on an arson spree.
Local villagers said the Pakistani Taliban torched more than 60 houses, razing an entire village in the Feroze Khel area in South Waziristan, Pakistan's Dawn newspaper reports.
Pakistani Taliban militants stormed the village of Tori Mela and set several vacant homes on fire. Family members fled the region to nearby villages, saying they feared militants would use them as human shields.
Government-backed tribal fighters took on Taliban militants in the region beginning in November following a major crackdown by the Pakistani military.
Taliban members have reacted by taking harsh action against tribal leaders in the region.
Islamabad said it killed several high-profile Taliban leaders since military operations began in October. Militants in response struck several targets throughout the country. A school for boys was bombed in the tribal regions along the Afghan border Tuesday.
Washington has pressured Islamabad to do more to control militancy within its own border, linking Pakistani security to stability in neighboring Afghanistan.
