BUNER: Three suspected militants were shot dead in an encounter in Malakand division on Sunday.

According to the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), the militants were coming from Elum Ghar just before Zuhar prayers when the CTD personnel present there started chasing them. After sensing that they were being followed by CTD officials, the militants opened fire on them. The CTD personnel returned fire and as a result all the three militants were killed.

The deceased were identified as Mohammad Wahab, son of Shakirullah of Bann village; Inamullah, son of Taj Mohammad of Malook Abadvillage; and Ihsanullah, son of Habibullah of Qambar village .

A CTD official said the three militants belonged to Swat district. The bodies were brought to the district hospital in Daggar and the militants’ families were informed through the local police to collect them, he added.

When contacted, the Pir Baba police said the operation was conducted by the CTD Malakand division for which the Buner Elite Force and the district police force supported it.

A month ago, some militants shot dead an elite force member and three army men in Elum Ghar during an encounter when some elite force and army personnel were conducting an operation against militants in the area.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2020