Civilians kill seven in fight to oust Taliban militants

Islamabad: A citizens' militia trying to drive out the Taliban killed seven militants in a two-hour clash in Pakistan's troubled northwest, police said on Sunday, as the president claimed the entire country backs the battle against the extremists.

Ejaz Ahmad, police chief in the Upper Dir region, said another militant was wounded in the fighting late Saturday night near the village of Patrak, about seven kilometres east of Dir Khas, the region's main town and district headquarters.

Several civilian militias, known as lashkars, have emerged in Upper Dir since a suicide bombing on a mosque two weeks ago that was blamed on the Taliban killed at least 33 people.

The militias carry out patrols and have been pursuing remnants of Taliban who had tried to expand their influence into the area.

Ahmad said scores of militants have been trapped and killed by the militias in several villages, with police cutting off escape routes.

The Taliban who were killed Saturday had been trying to flee when they came across the militiamen and opened fire, he said.

"Due to heavy losses, militants have been attempting to escape the area under cover of dark, and last night's incident was one such attempt," Ahmad said. He said no civilians were killed in the fighting.

The report could not immediately be confirmed due to military restrictions on media access to the area.

In the most striking example of growing anti-Taliban sentiment, up to 1,600 tribesmen in Upper Dir cleared three villages of Taliban fighters two weeks ago, killing at least six militants.