NEW JERSEY-NEW YORK, JUN 1 – Vehicles carrying students of Cadet College Razmak in North Waziristan were taken away by unidentified armed men on Monday with one report saying over 400 students were on board.

According to several reports monitored here, unknown armed men, said to be Taliban militants, took away vehicles of Cadet College Razmak to undisclosed location, carrying the students, staff and others when they left the academy on way to Bannu and were later stopped along the road by a large group of militants.

While one report says the students were proceeding on summer vacaqtion, Geo reported that the college was suddenly closed after the abduction incident and possible terorrist attacks. 

The BBC’s Chris Morris in Islamabad reported that officials believe militants are trying to divert attention away from a major military offensive in the Swat valley.

Further north, troops are tightening their hold on Mingora, the main town in the Swat valley, after retaking it from the Taliban at the weekend.

In the town of Kohat, a blast at a bus terminal killed at least two people.

According to the District Police officer of Bannu, 22 to 25 cadet students were in vehicles, however, an official of Prime Minister House, have reportedly said that some 400 cadets were on board in 33 vehicles when they were taken away, expressing fear that it could be the handiwork of local Taliban militants.

DPO Bannu said the abduction occurred about 20 miles from Razmak Cadet College in North Waziristan tribal area, adding that two vehicles have been returned to Thana Meriyan and Baka Khail areas.

Agencies add: As confusion over exact number of kidnapped students mounts, different news agencies and sources are presenting widely varying figures. According to the agencies quoting different sources, suspected militants armed with rockets, grenades and automatic weapons abducted some 400 students, staff and relatives driving away from a boy’s school in a troubled tribal region in northwest Pakistan on Monday.

A police official said the people were leaving the school area after they were warned to get out in a phone call from a man they believed to be a political official, citing accounts from a group of 17 who managed to get away.

Around 30 buses, cars and other vehicles were carrying the students, staff and others when they were stopped along the road by a large group of alleged militants in their own vehicles, Sardar said.

He requested anonymity out of fear of Taliban reprisal but said the school’s principal was among those abducted. His vehicle happened to be behind a truck on the road, and it was less visible, so the driver slipped away.

It was unclear how many students were involved, though they made up the majority of the group.

According to another news agency, police were negotiating with the Taliban via tribal elders to release the captives taken in North Waziristan, said Mirza Mohammad Jihadi, an adviser to the prime minister.

Around 30 buses, cars and other vehicles were carrying the students, staff and others when they were stopped along the road by a large group of alleged militants in their own vehicles, according to a staff member at the school who was among those who escaped. The vehicle he was travelling in happened to be behind a truck on the road, and it was less visible, so the driver slipped away.

Late Monday, reports were coming in that at least one other bus managed to get away and reach a police station. Jihadi said at least 29 students escaped, apparently in addition to the 17 that managed to reach a police station in the Marian area. Meanwhile, talking to a news agency army spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas said, “This is all to divert attention”.