UPPER DIR: Local people got 11 kidnapped security personnel released from militants in the Haigai area of Upper Dir district on Friday.

Officials and witnesses said that around 40 armed men stormed the Levies headquarters in Dir town in the small hours of Friday, overpowered the security personnel, including a subedar major, and whisked them away despite warning shots by a security guard.

Sources said the attackers had also taken away 70 G3 rifles and 6,000 ammunitions from the headquarters, situated behind the DCO office in Paraw area.

As the militants were moving the personnel to another location, 300-400 tribesmen perched on hills overlooking Haigai besieged the gunmen. They warned the militants to release the personnel or face action.
 
District Police Officer Ijaz Khan confirmed the kidnapping and said that some elders were involved in talks with the gunmen to release the levies personnel.

The officials said that the kidnapped personnel had reached their headquarters safely. They were identified as subedar major Rahim Khan, Fazl Wahid, Jawad Ali, Ghausur Rahman, Abdul Qayyum, Mohammad Nawaz, Noor Wali, Sirajuddin, Bahadar Sher, Ibrahim and Inamullah.