Are the Taliban holding 2,000 civilians as shields????

What, did they get this strategy from the Palestinians???

Taliban militants were holding 2,000 people in Buner district of restive North West Frontier Province in Pakistan to use them as human shields in case the army attacked.

Taliban's move came as Pakistani forces stepped up their campaign to retake territory in the districts of Buner, Dir and Swat. The military said they had killed more than 100 militants and lost several soldiers since fighting began on Tuesday.

Taliban militants are holding 2,000 people as human shields in Pir Baba in Buner district, The Sunday Times reported.

"Kidnapping has become routine in our village. Armed Taliban were picking up people and then demanding a huge ransom for their release," said an elderly refugee now living with his family in a tent in Timergara, a town in Dir.