MINGORA: The security forces on Sunday morning imposed an unannounced curfew in Khwazakhela area of the restive Swat Valley and launched a search operation on information about the presence of miscreants that continued till late night.

The forces also carried out mortar shelling in Gashkor, killing a civilian and wounding five of a family. The forces cordoned off Gashkor and Alamganj areas of Khwazakhela and started a search operation in the area.

A civilian identified as Abdul Kabir was killed while Taj Gujjar and four other members of his family sustained injuries when mortar shells landed on their houses in Alamganj village. However, a spokesman for the ISPR denied the destruction of houses in the operation. He said the forces received credible intelligence reports about the presence of miscreants in the area, upon which they clamped a curfew and launched a search operation in the Gashkor village. The miscreants, he added, fired at the forces after the launch of operation, which led to an exchange of fire but no casualties took place. According to the spokesman, no arrests were made during the daylong search operation.

Meanwhile, the spokesman for Swat Taliban Muslim Khan said they had released two hostages, sweeper Jan Masih and mess manager Sabir, of blown up Sangota Public School. The militants destroyed the prestigious Sangota School and a semi-government college in Sangota town a week back.