Has Beslan come to Pakistan? 400 abducted from boys school in N Waziristan

From Yahoo News:

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, police and a witness said.

The brazen abduction came amid rising militant violence in Pakistan's tribal belt — actions the military says are aimed at distracting it from its offensive against the Taliban in the nearby Swat Valley.

Details were still emerging Monday about the nature of the attack. No group immediately claimed responsibility.

Police official Meer Sardar said the abduction occurred about 20 miles (30 kilometers) from Razmak Cadet College in North Waziristan tribal area. 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, Sardar said, 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.

The details were confirmed by a staff member at the school who was among those who escaped. 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.

The staffer said the assailants carried rockets, Kalashnikovs, hand grenades and other weapons.

It was unclear how many students were involved, though they made up the majority of the group. Cadet colleges in Pakistan are usually run by retired military officers and educate teenagers. They also typically provide room and board.

North Waziristan is a major Taliban stronghold bordering Afghanistan.

According to The Times of India no group has yet claimed responsibility for the brazen abduction.

About the Cadet College:

Cadet College Razmak, North Waziristan Agency is a prestigious institution located in the heart of FATA. The college is providing quality education to the poor tribal candidates. The college was established Presidential Regulation-II of 1977. this Division sponsors the financil liabilities of the college. The Finance Division allocates sufficient amount in the regular budget of this Division as grant-in-aid . The aforesaid amount is released to the college on the basis of monthly installments. There are 196 employees 35 Gazetted while 161 are non-Gazetted. The Board of Governors regulates the affairs of the college.

The physical plant consists of:

The college is spread over an area of about 154 acres (0.62 km²).The buildings comprise a beautiful mosque, a double-storeyed Academic Block, College Auditorium, six newly constructed hostels called "Houses", one cadets' mess, a beatutiful and newly constructed administration block, and a science block. Sports facilities includes four squash courts and a number of football, hockey, cricket, basketball,volleyball grounds and six tennis courts. The college also has residential accommodation for the teaching and administrative staff.

Islamic religious instruction is compulsory.