Video apparently showing Pakistani soldiers beating men detained in anti-militant operations has surfaced on the Internet, a clip that will likely draw criticism from rights groups and could undercut support for the army's fight against al-Qaeda and the Taliban. The 10-minute video shows an army officer casually questioning four men in a building. The officer then steps aside and soldiers move in, punching, kicking and whipping the suspects, who scream in pain and writhe on the ground. The video has been posted on the Facebook and YouTube sites. Army spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas said the army was investigating the alleged abuse, but declined further comment Friday. Pakistan's poorly trained and underfunded security forces have long been accused of human rights abuses. The independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said in an August report it had received 'credible reports of numerous extrajudicial killings and reprisals carried out by security forces' in the Swat Valley since the area was retaken from Taliban control in July. It was not clear where or when the video was shot, and its authenticity was impossible to verify. It was first posted on Facebook last month.
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