MIRAMSHAH, March 13: Political authorities in the North Waziristan agency on Monday ordered Afghan nationals to leave the area immediately. A radio broadcast in Miramshah warned them of strict action if they stayed on in the area.

Officials said that the warning was issued following reports that Afghan nationals were involved in recent clashes in the area.

They said security forces had arrested eight Afghans near Miramshah and moved them to some other place for interrogation.

The government had closed refugee camps in North Waziristan and other six agencies of Fata last year.

The officials said that despite the closure of the camps a large number of Afghans were still living there without legal documents. Many Afghans even ran business in the area.

Refugee camps were closed following reports that Taliban and their local supporters were using them as launching pads for attacks on allied forces in Afghanistan.

Tension, meanwhile, prevails in the area and reports of sporadic gunfire and rocket attacks have been received from different parts of the agency where, according to official claims, more than 170 militants had been killed.

Sources said that Frontier Corps fort in Boya, about 10 kilometres west from here, was attacked on Sunday night. They said that heavy gunfire between security forces and militants started at about 7:30pm and continued till 1am.

The sources also said that troops had pounded suspected locations with artillery which also hit some residential compounds.

The officials said that after the clashes, elders of Boya met the political authorities in Miramshah, requesting them to avoid indiscriminate shelling.

Residents said that people had started leaving their homes and moving to safe places.

Authorities have relaxed curfew hours from 9am to 5pm in Miramshah and security has been tightened with troops patrolling the bazaars.

Telephone lines were repaired in many areas but the town and adjoining areas are still without electricity and people have been facing shortage of drinking water for a week.