MINGORA, Sept 5: Six militants and three locals were killed when fierce clashes erupted in Swat on Friday.

The militants and locals were killed in exchange of fire between the Taliban and dwellers of Mandal Daag area of tehsil Matta.

The clashes started when the Taliban raided the residence of a local spiritual leader Pir Samiullah and tried to take him away along with them. However, hundreds of locals took weapons against the militants to rescue their leader.

Several people were injured during the clashes. Both sides fired at each other’s positions with heavy weapons. A double cabin Taliban vehicle with arms was set on fire by furious mobs.

The Taliban made 15 locals hostages and shifted them to undisclosed location.

A large number of people from the far-flung areas came to Mandal Daag for spiritual healing everyday at the residence of Pir Samiullah. The Taliban were opposed to the Pir and his spiritual healing, and had asked him to wind up his ‘business’ from the area.

Security forces, in support of the local people, fired at the militant hideouts from Kabal, FC camp Kanju and Saidu Sharif using mortar shells. However, there was no report of any casualty.

The Mandal Daag area is a stronghold of pro-militant radical cleric Maulana Fazlullah.

Meanwhile, curfew was relaxed from 8am to 8pm on Friday in Mingora and areas along the GT road while indefinite curfew was imposed in rest of the district.

The people of the area expressed concern over the prolonged curfew.

They said pitch crops had been ripe at their orchards and if they were not lifted within few days, they would suffer huge financial losses.

Farmers appealed to the government to arrange alternative way so that they could transport fruits to the markets to earn their livelihood.—Correspondent