Pakistan's security forces and a Muslim cleric, a mediator for peace talks between Pakistani government and local Taliban, signed a 17-point accord on Wednesday in the troubled Swat valley.

The accord was signed by the security forces and Sufi Muhammad, founding chief of a religious group Tehrik NifazShariat-i- Muhammadi(TNSM), local televisions reported.

The reports gave no further details about the accord, but it is the latest development in Swat valley since local Taliban led by Maulana Fazlullah announced indefinite ceasefire in February.

Sufi Muhammad has been mediating peace talks in a bid to persuade the Taliban to lay down arms on the condition of the implementation of Shariah, or Islamic laws, in the region.

The accord came after Sufi Muhammad set a deadline of March 15 to the government to set up Islamic courts and to release Taliban prisoners as agreed.

But two security men were killed and one injured in an ambush in Swat valley on Tuesday. The government termed the incident a violation of the peace accord because militants opened unprovoked fire at the security men.

(Xinhua News Agency March 4, 2009)