PESHAWAR/MIRAMSHAH, March 6: Security forces, which have regained control of Miramshah after three days of gunbattle with the local Taliban, clamped curfew on the town on Monday.

Sources said that after a night of heavy firing between troops and militants the area was comparatively quiet and a group of Ulema tried to negotiate a lasting ceasefire.

A 15-member jirga headed by Maulvi Mohammad Nauman, first held a meeting with the political authorities and later moved to Khatti Kali to discuss the situation with Taliban leaders.

Independent sources are yet to confirm the figures given by official sources about casualties in clashes which erupted on Saturday, and a senior government official claimed on Monday that 140 militants, including five foreigners, had been killed.

It is learnt that the Taliban have vacated their positions and and retreated to the mountains.

Additional secretary of the NWFP Governor’s Secretariat, Fata, Sikander Qayum, said at a press briefing that about 100 militants were killed in Miramshah when troops took retaliatory action on Saturday.

He said that militants had ambushed a convoy near Mirali the same day. However, paramilitary troops took prompt action and killed 21 assailants.

He said that troops blew up a hotel in the main bazaar on Sunday night and 19 militants were killed. The figure might rise, he added.

“Militants have been eliminated and the town is now under the administration’s control,” Mr Qayum said.

The administration, he said, had exercised maximum restraint and given a chance to the militants to vacate government buildings, but they refused to leave.

“They (militants) had challenged the writ of the state and the administration used force as the last resort to dislodge the militants,” Mr Qayum said.

He said that Miramshah and adjoining areas were under curfew and troops had been patrolling the streets.

He said that the curfew was relaxed from 1pm to 4pm to allow people to purchase items of daily use. He confirmed that a large number of people were leaving the area.

The sources said that Maulvi Abdul Khaliq and Maulvi Sadiq Noor who were leading the Taliban had gone underground.

Witnesses said that the fighting had caused widespread damages in the town.

The local hospital, telecommunication system and government buildings had been targeted and the town has been without electricity for three days.

Security forces also targeted Darul Uloom Faredia Gulshen-i- Ilum and a mosque. Residents said that Mali Khan Serai, Datakhel village, Khatti Kali and Angher Kali also come under attack, causing damage to many houses.

People are leaving their homes and moving to adjacent Bannu and Karak districts. Many families have moved to Mirali which also is quite tense.

Security forces have blocked all main roads and many people had walked about 15 kilometres in the rugged territory to reach safe places.

A girl student was killed when a shell hit a house in the government colony and identified as Fazl Rehman was wounded.

Three journalists who had been in the area were allowed to go home on Monday afternoon.