Militant attacks kill five in Kooza Bandi

PESHAWAR: At least five people including three policemen were killed on Wednesday in two militant clashes near Swat Valley, officials said.

In the first incident, gunmen ambushed a car of local pro-government fighters in the Kooza Bandi village of Swat Valley, killing three people including a police guard, district police chief Sher Akbar told AFP.

Nobody claimed responsibility.

Separately, up to six militants stormed a checkpoint in the northwestern town of Dargai, that lies in the Malakand region neighbouring Swat, killing two police, local officials said.

"Two security force personnel embraced martyrdom in an attack at the checkpoint," Fayyaz Khan, a local government official told AFP.