ISLAMABAD, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Forty students from a cadet college, kidnapped Monday evening in Pakistan's tribal area, were released later.

    The vice principal of the Razmak Cadet College told local TV channels that only four buses with 40 students and six teachers had been kidnapped.

    But six teachers and the principal were still missing, according to the reports.

    Earlier, Mirza Muhammad Jehadi, advisor to prime minister on tribal affairs, quoted some students, who succeeded to flee, as saying that suspected Taliban kidnapped the students of the Razmak Cadet College.

    Taliban have not yet claimed responsibility but they are active in the area. The students and college staff were going home after closure of the college because of security threats.

    The security forces have launched a major offensive against militants led by Baitullah Mehsood in the Waziristan area.

    Jehadi said that he was in touch with the administrative officer of North Waziristan to take measures to recover the students.

Pakistani students sit in a police van after they managed to arrive in Bannu, while their other colleagues were abducted by Taliban militants. Taliban gunmen were accused Monday of kidnapping busloads of Pakistani students in a brazen abduction that sharply raised fears of a widening backlash against a punishing military offensive.