'Taleban kill three for spying'

Suspected Taleban militants have killed three men in north-west Pakistan after accusing them of spying for the United States, police say.

The bodies were found on a road near Miranshah, the main town in the North Waziristan region.

The lawless region is known to be a hub of Taleban and al-Qaeda militants.

Militants have killed dozens of local tribesmen and Afghan refugees for allegedly spying for US forces in Afghanistan or for Pakistan.

Drone attacks

Two of those shot dead in North Waziristan are reported to be Afghans. The other was Pakistani.

One of the victims, aged 25, had been kidnapped several days earlier.

Notes found near the bodies said they had been found guilty of spying for the United States forces in Afghanistan.

The BBC's Charles Haviland in Islamabad says there are many instances of militant insurgency close to the Afghan border. Some have a sectarian dimension, others are linked to revenge issues if local people have tried to take action against the Taleban and others are connected with insurgents' growing attempts to introduce Sharia law.

Taleban militants have imposed Sharia law in parts of Hangu district in North West Frontier Province, reports on Monday said.

North-west Pakistan has seen a number of US drone missile attacks in recent months, causing anger in Islamabad which says the raids are violations of its sovereignty.

Pakistan has been accused of not doing enough to eliminate Taleban and al-Qaeda sanctuaries in the Afghan border region.