Khar: At least 10 people have been killed in gun battles between Taliban militants and pro-government tribal leaders in a northwestern Pakistani tribal town, officials said today.

The militants intercepted a convoy carrying 12 pro-government Mamoun tribe elders in Bajaur district near the Afghan border yesterday as they headed for talks with officials, local government official Israr Khan told AFP.

The tribesmen opened fire and killed three militants including their commander, he said.

The group of elders, which leads an anti-militant tribal force known as a lashkar, then took refuge in a guest house belonging to a local tribal chief, near the region's main town Khar.

But more militants joined the insurgents, and they besieged the house and demanded the influential local chief, named Ismail Khan, hand over the tribal elders.

"They opened fire with assault rifles and lobbed hand grenades inside, killing four elders and three servants of the tribal chief," Israr Khan said.

A security official speaking on condition of anonymity said the militants abducted eight tribal elders who had taken refuge at the house, but three of them managed to escape.

A Taliban spokesman said the abducted elders included the tribal chief Ismail Khan.

The elders formed the lashkar last month to take action against militants hiding in the area, whom local tribesmen say are undermining their control.

Pakistan's tribal belt became a safe haven for hundreds of extremists who fled Afghanistan after the US-led toppling of the hardline Taliban regime in late 2001.

Source : PTI