MARDAN At least seven security personnel, including a captain of Frontier Corps and a deputy superintendent of police, were killed in an attack near Natyan on Thursday night.

According to officials, a team of security personnel rushed to the area after receiving reports that some militants had attacked a convoy of security personnel with hand grenades, injuring 22 of the personnel.

The area straddles near the boundary between Mardan and Buner districts.

As soon as security forces started a search, militants hiding on hilltops opened fire. The personnel retaliated and an exchange of fire continued for several hours.

Sources said that the personnel were ambushed near a blind turn and the militants were on high ground. The bodies could not be retrieved from the troubled spot because of pitch darkness.

Mardan's district nazim Himaytaullah Mayar and DCO Adil Khan have confirmed the killing of security personnel.

Three of the deceased were identified as DSP (Rural) Fareed Hussain Bangash, SHO of Rustam police station Sherullah Khan and ASI Hanan Khan.