4 militants, 3 troops killed in gunbattle

posted in dawn

Four militants and three security personnel were killed in an exchange of fire in Tora Warai area of Hangu district late on Friday night.

Official sources said that militants attacked a check-post near the Tora Warai Fort in Hangu district on Friday night for a second time in the last few days in which three security personnel were killed. Troops returned fire with artillery. The exchange of fire continued for several hours before militants fled, leaving behind four bodies of their accomplices. The bodies were found by troops on Saturday.

Militants had attacked the same check-post a few days ago and four of them were killed by troops in retaliatory fire.

Over a dozen militants were arrested in a crackdown launched by security forces in the Ahmadi Shama area of Lower Kurram on Saturday.

Officials said that security personnel carried out a house-to-house search in the area. Officials said that those arrested were being interrogated. A drone hit a suspected compound in the same area early this year killing over 30 people.

The administration has imposed a curfew in Sadda, the tehsil headquarters of Lower Kurram, while border with Afghanistan was closed for three days on Friday. Meanwhile, troops wrested control of two important positions from militants in Charkhel area.