Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistani militants beheaded three men they accused of committing crimes while posing as the Taliban, a Taliban representative told CNN by phone.
Taliban spokesman Sajid Mohmand accused the men of robbery and kidnapping.
He said their crime spree was damaging the Taliban's reputation in the region.
Three beheaded bodies were found Thursday morning in a village in Mohmand, one of seven districts in Pakistan's tribal region, a government official told CNN.
Mairaj Khan said in a handwritten note attached to one of the bodies the Taliban claimed responsibility for the beheadings and issued a warning to local residents.
"These were criminals posing as the Taliban," the note said, according to Khan.
"Anyone who will misuse our name will face the same results."
CNN's Reza Sayah and Nasir Habib contributed to this report
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