Pakistan army rejects Taliban claim

The Pakistan army has rejected the Taliban's claim that the latter had handed over three security men and secured the release of six Taliban members in the Waziristan tribal region.

Taliban spokesman Shahidullah Shahid said Wednesday that the Taliban had handed over the security men and had its members released, reports Xinhua.

He said the freed Taliban belonged to Khan Said faction of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in South Waziristan.

"Talks had been going on for the exchange of prisoners for a long time and both sides reached the agreement," the TTP leader said.

He refused to divulge the names of the freed Taliban but said they have reached areas in Waziristan tribal region under their control.

However, the army denied the Taliban claim, and termed it as false.

"The Pakistan military rejected the news of swap over of any prisoners with Taliban as being reported by a foreign news agency," army spokesman Maj Gen Aslam Bajwa said in a text message to the media persons.