MINGORA, May 31 Thousands of people, who have been suffering severe harships without water, electricity, gas and food for over a month, started streaming out of the area when the authorities announced a six-hour curfew relaxation on Sunday, for the first time in 10 days.

The last time the curfew was relaxed on May 21.

Between 7am and 1pm, desperate people were seen looking for transport to reach camps for the IDPs in Swabi and Mardan.

The town looked like a war zone with soldiers deployed on roofs of buildings, business centres and patrolling streets.

There was a massive troop deployment between Landakai checkpost and Mingora bazaar which was controlled by Taliban brigands before the military operation was launched on May 7.

Security forces, who are allowing vehicles into the area for evacuating people, are not letting anyone proceed to Mingora without a thorough body search.

Despite the military operation and fierce clashes between troops and the Taliban, the town does not appear to have suffered heavy destruction. Only a few buildings and shops have been damaged by firing and shelling.

This correspondent saw four decomposed bodies lying along the Nawi Road near the People's Square.

Local people said that top militant commanders had abandoned their fighters, who were mowed down by troops. The city is still without basic amenities like gas, water, electricity and phone.

A resident, Mohammad Nisar, said that people were facing starving having they run out of food.

”Thank God the curfew has been relaxed. We can now leave the area, otherwise all of us will die of starvation,” he said.

Hassan Khan said that people had became desperate after they had run out of food.

Meanwhile, a team of the International Committee of the Red Cross visited Swat area to assess the humanitarian situation.

Pascal Cuttat, head of the ICRC in Pakistan, Expressing concern at the plight of the people in Swat, said “The people of Swat need greater humanitarian protection and assistance immediately. “The ICRC ... is mobilising additional resources, but safe and unimpeded access to the area remains essential.”

Daniel O'Malley, who led the ICRC team to Swat, said “People have been blocked (inside the city) for weeks,” said.

”There is no running water, no electricity, and food is scarce. There is no fuel left for generators and most medical facilities in the district are no longer functioning.

”Phone lines are down (and) people have been cut off from the outside world and are anxious for contact with relatives who fled the area.”

The team visited a hospital still operating in Khwazakhela locality of Swat. “The hospital staff is struggling to work without any water, electricity or supplies,” Mr O'Malley said. “They simply cannot cope with the influx of patients.”

AP adds “We have been ... eating (plants and) leaves just to keep ourselves alive. Thank God it is over,” said Afzal Khan. “We need food, we need help. We want peace.”

Most of Mingora's around 375,000 residents had fled before or during lulls in the offensive. The curfew relaxation on Sunday allowed some of the 20,000 people who still remained in the town to buy provisions.

Ali Rehman said he had not left his house for 25 days. “I had no idea who was fighting who or who was being killed,” he said, clutching two bags of flour. “I need help to keep my family alive because I no longer have any source of income.”