MINGORA, Sept 12: Security forces backed by gunship helicopters and artillery continued search operation and siege of Koza Bandai in the Swat valley while a jirga called for lifting the curfew and halt to shelling on Friday.

The security forces pounded suspected militants’ hideouts in Koza and Bara Bandais with mortars and cannon shells from the FC Camp in Kanju and the Frontier House, Kabal. However, there was no immediate report of casualty.

The troops continued siege of Koza Bandai and targeted positions of militants loyal to hardliner cleric Maulana Fazlullah. Several houses were destroyed in the shelling.

The gunship helicopters flew over the troubled areas and fired shells on several areas.

The curfew remained imposed in Kabal for 10 days, although it was relaxed from 7am to 7pm on Friday.

The indefinite curfew and constant power shutdown has paralysed life in upper Swat. Local people have gone short of food items, life-saving medicines and water.

Thousands of people have left their houses for safer places, but most of them are still stuck in the way owing to the curfew.

The district administration of Swat has set up 12 relief camps for the displaced people and has been providing food and other items to them.

Meanwhile, a peace jirga of elders of the Kabal tehsil was held in the Kanju area on Friday, demanding end to shelling and lifting of the curfew.

The jirga was addressed among others by Feroz Shah, Abdul Jamil, Sayed Inamur Rehman and others.

The jirga demanded that the government and military authorities should stop shelling civilian population and end the curfew, which had crippled life in the region. They also expressed concern over the killing of innocent people and damages to their properties.