MINGORA: Nine suspected militants were killed in clashes with security forces in Swat and Buner on Thursday.

A spokesman for the Swat Media Centre said that during a search operation in Dherai area troops came face to face with a group of militants.

An exchange of fire took place which left two militants dead.According to official sources, security forces captured three militants in Malookabad, two in Kabal, two in Charbagh and three in Damaghar.

An ISPR spokesman, meanwhile, said that curfew in Mingora, Fizagat Charbagh Kanju and Kabal had been relaxed from 4am to 11pm.

In Buner, according to a Media Centre’s spokesman, militants opened fire on security personnel involved in a search operation in Dokado, some 10 kilometres from Pir Baba.

The personnel returned fire and killed seven militants.

Buner’s DCO Yahyo Akhundzada said the search operation was jointly conducted by army troops and policemen.

TWO POLICEMEN KILLED: Two policemen and a militant were killed in an exchange of fire in the Dandai area of Shangla district on Thursday.

According to sources, a joint team of army and police raided a house on the information that it sheltered militant commander Khurshid. The personnel came under fire from inside the house and SHO Laal Mohammad Khan and Constable Amir Rehman were injured and died on way to a hospital.

The raiding team returned fire and commander Khurshid wanted by police for involvement in a bomb attack on an army convoy in Dandai in 2007 was killed.