GHALANAI: Nine members of a tribal volunteer force (lashkar) and three militants were killed during a clash in Mohmand Agency on Saturday.

GHALANAI: Nine members of a tribal volunteer force (lashkar) and three militants were killed during a clash in Mohmand Agency on Saturday. According to officials, a group of armed militants attacked members of the Qaumi Lashkar in Pamp Pokha area of Ambar tehsil late on Friday night when they were returning to their base.
Lashkar sources said that militants had captured three tribesmen and taken them away. They said militants might have fled to Bajaur. Five militants were injured in the fighting.
‘We have asked the Mohmand administration to take up the matter with the Bajaur administration to block the infiltration of miscreants into the region,’ they said.
‘Militants from Bajaur often cross into Mohmand for attacks.’
Lashkar volunteers demolished dozens of houses of militants and captured several suspects in Shati Maina, Adam Kor and Omarkhel areas of Ambar tehsil on Saturday.
They also claimed to have controlled a number of strategic villages and destroyed several militant hideouts.
Sources said that the Qaumi Lashkar, led by Chandi Khan and Sadat Khan, had over 1,500 volunteers and their number was rising.
Soon after the Taliban attack, a jirga of 200 elders and volunteers held a meeting with Mohmand political agent Amjad Ali Khan.
They urged the government to set up security checkposts in Shati Kandao, Danish Kool Khward and Sar Lara Sar areas.
The political agent announced a compensation of Rs100,000 for families of each of the lashkar fighters killed in the clash with militants.
He claimed that security forces had arrested Taliban commander Fazal Hadi outside the Nadra office in Ghalanai and 36 suspects in Khwaizai and Bazai areas. He said that Alingar area had been cleared of militants.
Mr Amjad said that about 2,000 militants were still in Mohmand. About 600 of them have surrendered to the political administration and 300 have been killed during operations in different areas of the region.
A large number of militants had fled the area because of the action by security forces, he added. He said that most of the militant hideouts had been destroyed.
Syed Zahid Jan in Upper Dir adds: Clashes between a tribal lashkar and militants erupted again on Saturday in Doog Darra area of Upper Dir after a two-day break.
According sources, about 40 to 50 militants attacked the lashkar’s positions in Tutam Khwar area in the village of Badarkanai.
Lashkar fighters repulsed the attack and killed one foreign militant and injured another