SWABI: The local police claimed on Friday to have arrested three militants belonging to Mohmand Agency from the militancy-hit area of Maini here.

Swabi District Police Officer Mohammad Sohaib Ashraf told this correspondent that they had got prior information about the presence of militants in Soganday area of Maini region.

“Maini is one of the militancy-hit regions in the district and the local police have already done a lot to clear the area of anti-social elements,” he said.

He added that Ajmir mountain, where the militants often tried to hide, was also located in the region, and had been under police surveillance.

Mr Ashraf said a police party led by Topi tehsil DSP Ijaz Abazai reached the area and closed all the entry and exit routes so that the holed up militants could not flee.

The district police chief said that the police recovered a hand grenade, a pistol, a tin in which the militants had placed explosives and all other materials used in the subversive and terrorist activities.

Soon after their arrest, Mr Asharf said, the police called out the bomb disposal unit for checking the recovered materials.

The arrested militants were identified as Amanat Khan, Bakhat Rawan and Abdul Mannan.

The police officer said that the militants, after leaving Mohmand Agency, had started living in different regions of Swabi and used various tactics to move from one place to another, dodging the police.

The Counter-Terrorism Department of the police registered an FIR against the outlaws under sections 5Exp, 15AA and 7ATA and started investigation.

Published in Dawn, June 17th, 2017