UPPER DIR, Nov 30: Seven local Taliban militants who were sneaking into the Upper Dir area after fleeing from the restive Swat valley, were caught by local people of Wari here on Thursday and were handed over to police.

Informed sources told Dawn the militants were later handed over to army personnel who took them to an undisclosed location for interrogation.

The local people caught hold of the militants between Diskor Payeen and Diskor Bala.

They were identified as Muhammad Arif, son of Nawab Dad; Nawab Dad, son of Mulla Dad; Abdul Aziz, son of Malik Babar; Mohammad Rafiq, son of Namroz, a resident of Karachi’s District East; Siraj, son of Usman; Ihsanullah, son of Ghulam, a resident of Inayat Kalay in the Bajaur Agency; and Adul Satar, son of Shamsul Haq, a resident of the Mardan district.

Reports reaching here from different areas say the militants, after retreating from different areas of the Swat district, have taken refuge in some adjoining areas, including Upper Dir.