Pakistan Taliban release video showing forces' execution

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - The Taliban have released a video showing the execution of more than a dozen Pakistani security forces in the northwest last month.

The video, posted on the LiveLeak website showed the security forces, all wearing traditional baggy trousers and tunic, lined up before four militants with their faces covered.

"They are enemies of the religion of God. They are apostates," one of the militants shouted as the security forces looked on calmly.

He also accused the security forces of "brutally" killing six children in the former Taliban stronghold of Swat in the northwest.

"They (security forces) were arrested in the operations," the militant said before they opened fire on the soldiers.

The soldiers cried out as they died. Later, one militant fired shots into the soldiers' heads to ensure all were dead.

Pakistani army spokesman Major-General Athar Abbas said on Monday the security forces were captured during a cross-border raid by militants from Afghanistan in the northwestern Dir district on June 1. He gave no other details.

Pakistani government officials at the time said up to 400 militants crossed from Afghanistan and clashed for more than 24 hours in the village of Shaltalo in Dir. Twenty-seven Pakistani forces and 45 militants were killed in clashes, the officials said.

Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

Pakistan later lodged a protest with Kabul over the attack and called for stern action by Afghan and U.S.-led forces against the insurgents.

(Reporting by Zeeshan Haider; Editing by Chris Allbritton and Sugita Katyal)