KHAR, March 12: At least eight people were killed and four others were injured in an exchange of heavy fire on Wednesday between security forces and local militants in Nawagai, some 28 kilometers north-west of here. There were conflicting reports about the death toll.

Assistant political agent of the Nawagai region, Mohammad Jamil Khan told Dawn that eight people had been killed, most of them militants. However, independent sources put the death toll at 11. Locals said most of the dead were civilians.

The fighting erupted when a security man was injured by a bomb planted by the militants. A contingent of Bajaur Scouts, he said, was carrying water from a stream when the bomb was detonated by remote control.

Soon after the attack, the Scouts cordoned off the area and started shelling. Some

of the mortar shells landed in the Nawagai bazaar killing civilians.

Sources in the political administration identified them as Amir Zaman Khan, Janbaz Khan, Luqman, Alam Khan, Musafar Khan, his wife and a child. Residents said Musafar Khan and his wife succumbed to their injuries on Wednesday while their minor son was killed on Tuesday night when a shell hit their house.

The Nawagai bazaar presented a deserted look as all shops remained closed since the fighting started on Tuesday. Vehicular traffic is suspended.

Meanwhile, armed men of local Taliban leader Maulana Faqir Muhammad, who had taken over Inayat Kalay bazaar, abandoned it after talks with a delegation of tribal elders on Wednesday.

The armed men had taken control of the bazaar a few days ago and started patrolling, saying that they were providing protection to people in the absence of personnel of the political administration.

The elders of the area went Maulana Faqir Muhammad and asked them to withdraw his men.

The shopkeepers later formed a patrolling party of 20 to 25 men.