Pakistan executes 4 militants convicted by military courts

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s army says authorities have executed four militants convicted by military courts.

The army says the militants, members of the Pakistani Taliban, confessed to their involvement in attacks against civilians and the military. The executions were carried out early Wednesday.

Pakistan lifted a ban on capital punishment and set up the military courts to try suspected Islamic militants after a Taliban attack on a school in December 2014 killed more than 150 people, mainly children. Justice Project Pakistan, a human rights group, says 441 people have been executed since then, including at least 32 convicted by military courts.

Human rights groups have voiced opposition to the closed-door trials.

Pakistan has been fighting various extremist groups for over a decade. Militant attacks have killed tens of thousands of people.