Four militants, cop killed in Swabi clash

SWABI: Four militants and a cop were killed, while six policemen, including a deputy superintendent of police (DSP), sustained injuries in an exchange of fire that continued for more than three hours in the Shewa village in Razaar Tehsil on Tuesday, police sources said.
Saeed Khan Wazir, DIG of Mardan Range, also reached the spot to oversee the action along with District Police Officer Sajjad Khan and other officials.The sources said the police had received a tip-off that some suspected militants were present in Shewa village graveyard and were planning to carry outand were planning to carry out subversive activities in Swabi district.
They said the cops from Kalu Khan and Parmulai police stations were alerted and additional policemen were also ordered to reach the spot to encircle the terrorists.The policemen from Mardan were also deployed to reinforce the police force already present in the area, said the sources.
The militants used hand-grenades in the clash, the sources maintained. The area echoed with heavy gunfire for hours and the locals were told to stay indoors.When the militants failed to flee under the cover of the fire from the area, they retreated and took refuge in a house.Later, the women and children were taken out from the house but the militants held the house and continued to fight the cops.
The officials said that they wanted to protect the women and the children in the house where the militants were hiding. They said Constable Said Muhammad was killed in the clash and DSP Tehsil Swabi Fayyaz Khan, SHO Haroon Khan of Kalu Khan Police Station, SHO Sultan Khan of Parmulai Police Station, and three constables were also injured in the clash.
They were taken to the Shah Mansoor Hospital Complex for treatment.A police communiqué issued by the provincial police chief’s office stated that two of the militants were identified as Salman and Bilal belonging to Shewa village while the identity of others was being confirmed.
It added that the militants were affiliated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the government had already fixed Rs2 million head-money over commander Salman.It further stated that they were wanted to the law-enforcement agencies in attacks on the police stations, security forces and government installations. The police also seized explosive devices, hand grenades and Kalashnikovs from them.