KOHAT A further 14 people were killed and several others injured, while many houses were either blown up or burnt in the continuing clashes in Hangu city on Saturday night, sources said on Sunday.

Gunship helicopters pounded Ganjiano Kalay and Pass Kalay areas of Hangu city to dislodge the fighters from their positions.

A ten-member peace committee agreed on Sunday to announce a ceasefire after holding crucial talks with high civil and military officials in Hangu, but it faced hurdles in its enforcement.

It was a quasi-ceasefire as the non-local militants who participated in the battle refused to accept the truce decision of the peace committee. Efforts were underway to persuade them to stop firing and go back to their hideouts.

Talks were being held between Taliban militants and the elders at a secret place. The militants told the jirga members that they would not vacate their positions unless their Amir (Orakzai Agency), Mullah Hakeemullah asked them to do so.

Furthermore, the inability to promptly deliver news of the ceasefire meant that fighting between the warring groups continued in far-flung areas. Sporadic firing was continuing till filing of this report on Sunday night.

The death toll from the two-day clashes reached 40 as several houses were torched and blown up by the rival groups in Ganjiano Kalay on late Saturday night.

Senior government and police  officials in the area summoned the peace committee members in Hangu and tasked them to convey to their respective fighting groups the message about the ceasefire decision.

They warned the groups of strict military action if they did not agreed to a ceasefire because a lot of damage had been done and many precious lives had been lost in the fighting started on Friday evening.

Meanwhile the security forces were still being deployed at the Kohat-Hangu border and the city areas to enforce the peace agreement and provide security to the local people.

The curfew was not lifted and shoot at sight order was kept intact after the truce by the administration to act in case of any untoward incident.

The security of the Kohat-Hangu highway was also handed over to the army and troops were making trenches on Sunday. They had established three control rooms one on the Kohat- Hangu highway, another at Juzara rest house at the border with Kohat and third one in Hangu.

The road which was closed for traffic early Sunday morning was yet to be opened for the local people who were facing difficulties to come to their fields for work and participate in the mourning sessions.