BATKHELA / MINGORA, Feb 12: A militant blew himself up during a raid by security personnel on Saturday morning in this town in Malakand region, injuring a soldier and two other militants.

Sources told Dawn that 12 militants died in separate clashes with security forces.

The sources said that after receiving a tip-off, security personnel mounted a raid on the residence of one Fazl Hadi in the Gumbat locality of Batkhela town. Having besieged the house, the security men asked all those inside to surrender.

However, Shamsho Tamrez, son of Fazl Hadi, refused and blew himself up.

Three people were injured in the explosion, including two brothers of the suicide bomber, who were identified as Ihsanullah and Farmanuddin. Their house was destroyed.

The sources said the bomber’s father and four brothers were taken into custody and shifted to an unnamed place for interrogation.

The family originally belongs to Dheri in Swat valley but moved to Batkhela in 2009 during the Raah-i-Raast military operation.

According to a statement by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), a suicide bomber blew himself up during a search operation in Batkhela town. Five militants were seized during the raid.

Two militants were killed during an exchange of fire with security forces, the statement said.

The security forces killed another three militants when they tried to sneak into Swat district from Dir via Sar Kandao, the ISPR said. The security personnel confronted the militants and asked them to lay down arms, but they chose to fight.

In Baro Sar, three militants were killed when they tried to flee from custody, according to the statement.

Four more militants were killed in an exchange of fire with security forces when their car was stopped for search in Terat area of Madian.

The ISPR said that security forces had tightened security in Swat after receiving information that a number of militants could re-enter the valley because of military operations in Mohmand and Bajaur tribal regions.