200 boys arrested in NW Pakistan operation

ISLAMABAD, July 27 (Xinhua) -- About 200 boys have been arrested in the military operation in northwest Pakistan, official sources said Monday.

The private TV channel Dawn News quoted official sources as saying that 200 boys were arrested during the Rah-e-Rast operation in Swat of North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

These children were forced to join Taliban, official sources said. Local administration will rehabilitate these children.

Arshad Abdullah, law minister of NWFP, said the government know about the children, but the details are sketchy.

Over 1,600 militants have been killed since Pakistani security forces launched the military operation against Taliban militants late April after militants in early April entered the Buner district from the neighboring Swat district and refused to vacate the area despite their pledge to do so.