SWAT, Jan 28: Security forces on Monday regained control of the Durshkhela fort in Matta’s Bagh Dheri area which had fallen to militants loyal to cleric Maulana Fazlullah three months ago.

The militants occupied the fort after over 100 besieged troops of the Frontier Constabulary (FC) had surrendered. The FC men were later released in groups.

The militants beheaded police constable Habibur Rehman on Monday and set his house on fire in Fazil Ghari near Durshkhela. The constable had been suspended by his department and was facing disciplinary action, local SHO Humayun Said told Dawn.

The militants also set on fire two vehicles of a forest officer, Zamir Khan, of Aghal village in Matta tehsil.

Despite the security forces’ claim of controlling 99 per cent of the area, the tehsil of Matta with a population of over 800,000 remained tense. The tehsil headquarters hospital, basic health units, district courts, administration offices, public health department, water management, other offices of public importance and educational institutions remained closed.

Curfew remained in force in Durshkhela, Kanju, Peuchar, Namal and Wanai. In the rest of the Swat valley, it was relaxed from 6am to 7pm.

The situation remained largely peaceful in the valley and shops and other places of public importance were open.

Local people are reported to have distributed sweets when troops arrived in Baidara area of Matta and other southern areas of the district for the first time since the cleric’s supporters gained control over the region.