Pakistani Military: More Than 140 Militants Killed in Swat
By VOA News
08 May 2009
Pakistan's military says it has killed more than 140 Islamic militants over the past day in the northwestern Swat Valley, including some top commanders.
Major General Athar Abbas says the fighting is a "full-scale" attempt by Pakistani forces to eliminate Taliban gunmen in Swat, a militant stronghold.
Abbas says several soldiers have been killed in the fighting.
Pakistan launched new air strikes Friday on suspected Taliban positions in the Swat Valley, a day after Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani ordered the military to "eliminate" militants in the region.
Warplanes and helicopters bombed Taliban targets in the Kabal area, northwest of Mingora, the main city in Swat.
Half a million people flee fighting
The U.N. refugee agency says some 500,000 people have fled the fighting in northwestern Pakistan in recent days, bringing the total displaced in recent months to about one million.
The agency says the latest wave of people are fleeing an escalation of hostilities in Dir, Swat and Buner districts.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani called on the international community to assist in helping those displaced by fighting in Swat. Aid agencies are warning of a humanitarian crisis.
The fighting is the deadliest outbreak since February, when local officials signed a controversial peace deal with Taliban militants that has since collapsed.
Militants violate deal
A provincial official, Information Minister Iftikhar Hussain, said the militants violated the deal that required them to disarm in exchange for the establishment of Islamic law (Sharia) in Malakand Division. The official accused militants of trying to set up a parallel government in the area.
Many in Pakistan believe extremist activities by the Taliban appear to have reduced public support for the militants' cause.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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