Peshawar, Apr. 8 : Around a dozen people have been killed in violent clashes between locals and Taliban militants, who invaded Gokand area of Buner District, authorities have confirmed.

The violence broke on Monday evening when locals constituted a Lashkar for defending their areas from intruding Taliban militants, The Nation reports.

Earlier, The Taliban militants shot dead three policemen, including an Assistant Sub Inspector and one civilian in the violent clashes. The policemen were assassinated after being abducted.

Later, the locals cordoned off the Gokand valley, and targeted Taliban militants with guns and rifles.

The NWFP Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain during a press conference informed that the officials reported killing of eight Taliban militants.

Hussain also confirmed that people from all over Buner district were unhappy over the entrance of Taliban, and they were demanding their early return to Swat.

The situation in Buner further deteriorated when the Taliban militants refused to leave the area after killing four people.

The Talibani militants even rejected the mediation of Commissioner Malakand Syed Mohammad Javed and Tehrik Nifaz Shariah Mohammadi (TNSM) Deputy leader Maulana Mohammad Alam. (ANI)