SWAT, Dec 10: A major, a captain and five soldiers, who had been kidnapped by militants about a month ago, escaped from their captors and reached their base here on Monday.

Officials said the army personnel had escaped after overpowering the militants guarding them and reached the base in Swat by walking about 65km.

They said the soldiers had been kept in Peuchaar, a stronghold of Maulana Fazlullah’s supporters.

After the soldiers reached the base, security forces started shelling Peuchaar and Loee Namal areas. The shelling continued for about four hours and several houses were also reportedly hit.

Sources said a civilian had been killed and his two sons, wife, daughter-in-law and two other members of the family injured when a shell hit their house in the Choparyal area.

Cobra helicopters pounded different locations.

An official statement released in Mingora said that people in Kabal had demolished houses of two militants, Ishaq and Akbar Hussain, who had close links with Fazalullah and were involved in terrorist activities. Law-enforcement personnel arrested three suspects and two arms dealers in Kanju and Mingora on Monday.