MINGORA/TIMERGARA: Swat Taliban set free 30 captured security personnel in the presence of media representatives in Kotli Dadhara area of Kabal tehsil (subdivision) on Wednesday.

Militants had earlier overrun a police post late on Tuesday night after a day-long siege in the Shamozai area bordering the Lower Dir district. The 30 security personnel stationed there were captured by the Taliban.

The kidnapping of the personnel triggered heavy shelling from the military base camp in Kabal, Swat and Chakdara Fort, Dir.

Four non-combatants were killed in the shelling in Asbanr, Lower Dir, and there were an unspecified number of casualties in Shamozai.

The personnel taken hostage were released by the Taliban on Wednesday. ‘The hostages were freed on humanitarian grounds after an emergency meeting of the local Taliban Shura somewhere in Swat district,’ armed Taliban leaders told newsmen at the ceremony.

Taliban leaders said the personnel were released on conditions that they would quit jobs forthwith and publish advertisements in the newspapers to that effect. They would not participate in any action against Taliban in future.

The freed personnel included six policemen and 24 Frontier Constabulary men.

The siege of the police post started early on Tuesday morning and continued till late night. The besieged personnel called for reinforcement from Kabal Army base camp after running out of ammunition. But the reinforcement was unable to reach the scene in time to rescue them.

‘As dusk fell we ran short of ammunition (and) then we had no other option but to surrender,’ one of the freed policemen said.

The Taliban blew up the police station and took away the hostages to their stronghold Kabal early on Wednesday morning.

Another freed constable, Kiramat Shah, said, ‘Taliban gave us new life. I call it a day. We were in Taliban siege for about 36 hours and pleaded for reinforcement but nobody came to our rescue (sic).’ 

Eight civilians buried in Adenzai

Eight civilians from Shamozai, Swat were buried by their relatives in various areas of Adenzai tehsil, Lower Dir on Wednesday.

Four dead were buried in Ramora, two in Gulabad, and one each in Chackdara and Ouch areas of tehsil Adenzai on Wednesday, residents told Dawn.

Residents said the bodies were brought to Adenzai teshil from the bordering Shamozai area on Wednesday morning due to security reasons, curfew and ongoing shelling in the area.

Four bodies recovered in Kabal tehsil

The bodies of four elders who were kidnapped from Shamozai a few days ago were recovered from a dry canal near Parrai village of Kabal tehsil on Wednesday.

Four non-combatants killed, eight injured in Lower Dir

Four non-combatants were killed and eight were injured in Kamal Khan area of Asbanr in Lower Dir early on Wednesday morning as one of the mortar shells hit their houses.

The mortar shelling from Kabal military base camp aimed at suspected militant hideouts in Shamozai area strayed into the bordering Lower Dir district, destroying three houses in Kamal Khan village. Four residents, including a woman and three girls, were killed on the spot and eight other sustained injuries.

The deceased were identified as wife of Sabir and her two-year old daughter, Jamila daughter of Khalid and three-year old daughter of Bakht Rahman.

Locals said the inmates were taking breakfast when the mortar shells fell on their houses. Soon after the occurrence of the incident the locals deserted the village in fear of further attacks.

‘Lala’ relative’s house torched

Militants burnt down a residence of a close relative of ANP senior leader Afzal Khan ‘Lala’ in the Bagh Dehri area of the militant stronghold of Matta on Wednesday night.

Local residents said that a large number of armed men attacked the residence and adjacent hujra (guest house) of Khursheed Khan, stated to be nephew of Afzal Khan Lala. They asked the watchmen to leave the compound.

Following the departure of the watchmen miscreants put the two structures on fire and left the place, which eventually burnt down. Mr Khursheed had already left the residence.

Unlike other MPAs elected from the troubled Swat Valley, Afzal Khan, a former federal minister, has opted to stay in his native Daroshkhela Village despite various attempts on his life and that of his close relatives.

Troops attacked in Malakand

Two mortar shells fired from undisclosed direction landed near the Malakand Levies (a paramilitary force) post in Pul Chowki early on Wednesday.

The Levies personnel narrowly escaped as one of the shella hit a tree near the Levies post while the second landed in the nearby River Swat at 1:00am on Wednesday.