MINGORA, Oct 26: Twelve jirga members were executed and seven militants, including commander Mulla Shamsher, were killed in fighting between a tribal force and militants loyal to radical cleric Maulana Fazlullah in Swat valley on Sunday.

Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan said Mulla Shamsher Ali, two other militants and 12 members of a Lashkar were killed in the clash.

He said the Taliban had shot the jirga members and then hanged them to ‘teach’ the local people a ‘lesson’ for moving against Taliban.

About 80 tribal elders from upper Swat were on their way to Wenai to attend a jirga for eliminating militancy and restoring peace in their areas. When they reached Aghal, Taliban militants ambushed them and took all of them hostage.

When people learnt about the incident, they attacked the Taliban, killing seven of them.

Muslim Khan said the Taliban executed the hostages in reprisal for killing of their men, including a key ‘commander’. Behramand.

Dr Akbar Khan, Aziz, Mumtaz, Afreen and his brother Ayub Jan were among the slain jirga members.

A paramilitary soldier was injured when a rocket struck a check post in Totano Bandai area on Sunday.

Security forces returned fire, shelling suspected militant hideouts. No casualty was reported from either side.

Taliban and the Lashkar clashed because the three-day deadline given by the grand jirga, allowing militants to leave the area had expired. of tribal elders of

Over 4,000 tribal elders and local people from villages in Matta tehsil took part in the jirga held in the Govt High School, Gwalerai, including Mandal Dag, Roringar, Pashtunai, Nalkot, Beha, Fazal Banda, Tangar, Labut, Barthana, Anmal, and Lailbanr.

The jirga was also attended by Pir Samiullah, Maj (retd) Khurshid Ali, Syed Akber Khan, Zarawar Khan, and Behramand.

The jirga had raised a Lashkar, which started patrolling the area from Friday. It also decided to open all educational institutions, including girls’ schools, health centres and government offices.

The jirga vowed to move against militants and even security forces if they tried to disturb the law and order situation.

Stressing the need to restore peace at all cost, the jirga members had said they would do anything to restore peace and return to normalcy in the area.