KHAR, July 13: Security forces and members of a local militia have forced the militants who sneaked into Mamond tehsil of Bajaur Agency from across the border on Thursday to flee back to Afghanistan, according to official sources here.

All the people who were taken hostage by the militants were freed and the entire area was cleared by early Friday morning, an administration official told Dawn. “The kitkot village which was seized by the militants has also been cleared of them.”

The militants were forced to flee to the Afghan province of Kunar after a search operation was launched in the border areas by personnel of the security forces and members of the Mamond Qaumi Lashkar, the official said.

As many as 16 militants were killed in the clashes and more than 20 others injured. “Two members of the Lashkar were also killed. At least eight members of the Lashkar and two security personnel were wounded in the fighting,” said the official.

The local officials and elders denied reports that some members of the Lashkar went missing during the fighting.

Daulat Khan, who was taken hostage by the militants in his house, told Dawn that he was sleeping when some people knocked at his door.

“When I opened the door I saw some armed men looking like Taliban standing near my room.”

He said the militants told him later that they had come to wage jihad against the enemies of Taliban. “After taking positions in my house, they started firing on targets in the village with heavy weapons.”

Abdullah Khan, who also was taken hostage, said the militants began fleeing after helicopters reached the area and started shelling the extremists’ positions.

Meanwhile, security has been beefed up in the border areas, according to the sources. Several new check-posts have been established and volunteers deployed in the sensitive areas.

A grand Jirga of all sub-tribes of the Mamond tribe have been convened on Saturday.

AP adds: The fighters who staged the cross-border attack at about 2pm on Thursday appeared to be targeting members of the anti-Taliban militia in Kitkot village.

Pakistan has railed against Afghan and Nato forces for not doing enough to stop the rising number of cross-border attacks, which it says have killed dozens of members of its security forces.

The militants fled Kitkot under the cover of darkness late in the night, said Framosh Khan, a government official.

Locals reported seeing them carrying the bodies of 15 dead fighters, he said.

Soldiers managed to free dozens of villagers who were taken hostage by the militants or were trapped in their homes during the fighting, Mr Khan said.