Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has condemned the alleged execution of 23 kidnapped soldiers by the Taliban as a 'heinous' crime.
The comments from Sharif came after militants in a statement on Sunday night said they had killed the soldiers, who had been held since 2010.
Sharif said the deaths would have a negative impact on current peace talks with the Taliban.
Government negotiators cancelled a meeting with the Taliban scheduled for Monday.
According to the BBC, Shahidullah Shahid, spokesman for the main Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), said the killings 'appear to be connected to the killing of 23 Talibanis by the Pakistani forces since 28 January'.
He said the TTP would contact the group based in the Mohmand tribal region, which said it carried out the killings to find out further details, the report added.
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