SWABI Three militants were killed and eight persons, including four soldiers, sustained injuries during an operation in Malikabad area of Swabi district on Tuesday, officials said.

They said that four militants surrendered and laid down arms during the first-ever operation in the district, jointly launched by army and police in Malikabad near Gadoon Amazai industrial zone.

The killed militants were identified as Shafi Akbar, Roolhal Amin and Khalid while the surrendered persons included Imran, Said Kamil Shah, Salman Akbar and Salman Shah.

An official said that four soldiers and as many civilians, including two children, were injured in the clashes.

Sources said that Shafi Akbar was a militant leader, who controlled the area. He was prayer leader of Khwar mosque that was built by him. Sources said that no one could challenge him and his supporters in Malikabad.

It was learnt that army and police reached the area at night. The residents of the area, when contacted by phone, said that they saw army and police everywhere when they woke up in the morning.

All the entry and exit points were sealed, they said, adding that they were not allowed even to come out of their homes.

The houses were vacated when the operation began, they added. They said that later women were allowed to go back to their homes but men were kept outside.

Sources said that the operation was expected as Shafi Akbar had developed contacts with other militant groups and their movements had become visible. He didn't allow administering anti-polio drops to the children of the area, sources added.

Our Correspondent from Ghalanai adds Two volunteers of a peace committee were killed and two others wounded in a remote controlled balst while five houses of militants were torched and huge cache of arms was recovered in Mohmand tribal region on Tuesday.A remote controlled bomb planted by suspected militants in Lakhkar Kallay of Baizai went off when a vehicle of Baizai Peace Committee was passing through the area.

As a result two volunteers, one of them identified as Mohammad Noor of Manzari Cheena, were killed and two other sustained injuries. The injured were rushed to a local hospital.

Meanwhile, security forces and militants traded fire during a search operation in Garhi area of tehsil Safi. However, no casualty was reported. Security forces seized three suicide jackets, six improvised explosive devices, three motorcycles and dozens of rocket shells during a raid on a house in the area. Later they defused the explosives.

Security forces, backed by tanks and artillery, also set on fire five houses of militants and arrested four suspected persons.

Sources said that three militants were killed and several injured when helicopter gunships and artillery guns targeted their hideouts in tehsil Safi on Tuesday night.