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| India-Pakistan |
| Army vows to kick out militants from Swat |
| 2008-02-26 |
| The Pakistan Army would not halt a military offensive in Swat valley until all militants were cleared from the once-popular tourist site, Major General Nasser Janjua said on Monday. “There is no time frame for completion of the operation as there are still 400 hardcore militants hiding in the valley,” the regional commanding officer told reporters. “It will take time to wind up the operation,” he added. Janjua said the army was still on the trail of Maulana Fazlullah, a radical cleric who has demanded Shariah in the valley. The army launched a major offensive in November to drive his followers out of Swat. “He is around Swat district but is hiding somewhere and keeps changing his location. We are behind him,” Janjua said. He said the army had secured 90 percent of the region near the Afghan border, with more than 230 militants killed and 1,035 questioned during the offensive. He said 36 Pakistani soldiers had died during operations. Janjua said militants were losing support amid ongoing violence. “Locals in Swat have been taken onboard by winning their hearts and minds. They are now resenting the militants,” he said. Hundreds of people have died across the NWFP in recent months in clashes between pro-Taliban militants and security forces and in a wave of suicide attacks blamed on the militants. |
| Posted by:Fred |