UPPER DIR:Militants surrounded a police checkpoint in Dobando, Upper Dir, from multiple directions overnight, sparking an hourslong gunbattle that raised concerns for the safety of 17 officers stationed there, police said.
The exchange began around 6 p.m. and continued until about 9 a.m. in the Ashiri Dara area of Upper Dir, according to police.
Officers at the Dobando checkpoint faced a serious security threat throughout the night, police said. The militants also blocked the main road in the area, stopping vehicles and searching travelers during the blockade, which restricted movement along the key route.
Authorities did not immediately provide details on the number of militants involved or the purpose of the searches.
Police also said four local residents were taken from Dobando before dawn. They were identified as Akhunzada, Mohammad Baz Khan, Syed Mohammad and Shah Islam. The circumstances of their disappearances remained unclear, and it was not known who took them or where they were taken.
