海角大神

The Pakistani Taliban have seized at least 22 men from a paramilitary force in attacks on three checkpoints in northern Pakistan, a regional official said on Thursday, but Taliban and other Pakistani sources put the number even higher.

At least 22 men were missing, two had been killed and one was injured after the overnight attacks, said Naveed Akbar, a regional official whose remit covers the paramilitary units.

Other Pakistani officials said at least 30 men had been taken, a figure confirmed by Taliban spokesmen.

This comes just after the Pakistani聽Taliban聽have outlined conditions for a cease-fire, including the adoption of Islamic law and a break with the聽United States, a spokesman said Thursday, an offer dismissed out of hand by the interior minister.

The聽Taliban, in a letter sent to the聽Pakistan聽daily The News, also demanded that聽Pakistan聽stop its involvement in the war pitting Afghan insurgents against the聽Kabul government聽and refocus on a war of "revenge" against聽India.

The letter from聽Taliban聽spokesman聽Amir Muawiya聽comes as the focus in聽Afghanistan聽shifts from a military push by NATO troops to potential peace talks, and amid speculation of a rift between top聽Pakistan聽Talibanleaders.

Military officials told Reuters last month that聽Pakistan聽Taliban聽leader聽Hakimullah Mehsud聽had lost operational command to his deputy,聽Wali ur-Rehman, considered to be more open to reconciliation with the聽Pakistani government. The聽Taliban聽deny Mehsud has lost command.

The Pakistani聽Taliban聽are a separate entity allied to the Afghan聽Taliban. Known as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan聽(TTP), they have launched devastating attacks against the Pakistani military and civilians.

The cease-fire conditions, confirmed by spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan in a phone call to Reuters, said聽Pakistan should rewrite its laws and constitution according to Islamic law.

Interior Minister聽Rehman Malik聽rejected any offer of a cease-fire unless it came from the聽Pakistan聽Taliban聽leader.

"I reject all these offers, and any future claims, of聽Ihsanullah Ihsan, unless and until Hakeemullah Mehsud owns them himself," Malik said.

A second government official, who asked not to be identified, dismissed the proposal as "preposterous."

"They are a bunch of criminals. This is not the Afghan聽Taliban. They are not open to talks," The official said.

"No one can take such an offer or terms seriously. The TTP is not a proper entity, certainly not one any government can negotiate with."

ISLAMIC LAW

In his comments, Ihsan said the Pakistani聽Taliban聽were ready to abide by a cease-fire "as long as they meet our demands, that an Islamic system should be put into place, they should fix their foreign policy and stop agreeing to聽America's demands."

The militants accused聽Pakistan's army聽of acting as "mercenaries" for聽America聽and pledged to continue attacks on two major political parties they say serve US interests.

"The big mistake [the government] made is that they fought聽America's war in聽Afghanistan聽and brought it into聽Pakistan," Ihsan said.

NATO troops are due to hand over control of most operations in聽Afghanistan聽to Afghan forces next year and officials have been eager to start peace talks with the聽Taliban聽there.

But the聽Taliban聽insurgency in both聽Pakistan聽and聽Afghanistan聽is fragmented and commanders often disagree over strategy.

Ihsan said that even if there was a peace agreement signed with the government, the聽Taliban聽would not disarm.

"We do not accept聽Pakistan's present secular and pro-West system and its constitution," he said. "We also oppose聽Pakistan's pro-West foreign policy and if the government wants us to announce a cease-fire, it will have to accept all our demands."

(Additional reporting by Jibran Ahmad in Peshawar; Writing by Katharine Houreld; Editing by Jon Boyle)