PESHAWAR, Feb 4: Nine militants were killed in a clash with police following their attempt to kidnap a nazim on the outskirts of Peshawar on Wednesday morning.

Three security personnel and two volunteers of the local peace committee were injured in the two-hour clash with Lashkar-i-Islam militants in Bazidkhel, which is adjacent to tribal areas.

Local people said the militants had recently sent messages, asking them to pay a monthly ‘donation’ of Rs5000 each to help them carry out their activities.

Peshawar SSP (Operations), Abdul Ghafoor Afridi, told Dawn that on Wednesday morning a group of 10 militants tried to kidnap Union Council Nazim Fahim-ur-Rehman from his house, but police foiled the attempt. He said the militants surrounded the nazim’s house.

“Members of his family told them that he was not at home,” the SSP said. When the attackers saw police personnel who had been posted there to protect the nazim, they opened fire.

Security personnel fired back and four of the militants, who were in a car, were killed while the others who were in another car and on a motorcycle tried to escape. Police engaged the fleeing militants in a graveyard near Shadkhel, killing five of them. One of the militants escaped.