Three villagers killed in Peshawar clash

PESHAWAR: Three villagers and an ‘attacker’ were killed in an exchange of fire in Mashokhel village in the limits of Badaber Police Station on Saturday.

The police said the villagers and volunteers of the Amn Lashkar were patrolling the Mashokhel village after a blast in the village when one of the locals, Zafar, challenged a masked suspected man. The man, however, opened fire on Zafar, killing him on the spot.

The attacker and his accomplices also opened fire on them when the relatives of Zafar and other members of the Amn Lashkar reached the spot, an official said, adding, two more people, including a cousin and uncle of the slain Zafar were also killed.

Heavy police contingents backed by an armoured personnel carrier were rushed to the area after the incident and the exchange of fire continued for hours. There were reports that one of the attackers was also killed in the clash.

A search operation was also launched in Mashokhel and nearby areas close to the tribal belt that has become a hub of such attacks. Earlier, a low-intensity bomb went off in Mashokhel. The police said the bomb, planted in garbage, went off in the afternoon. The explosion, however, did not cause any casualty or damage.