Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Truce Collapses in Northwest Pakistan as Fighting Resumes in Swat Valley

By VOA News
31 October 2007

A temporary truce has broken down in Pakistan's northwestern Swat Valley as Islamic militants torched a police station and fired on helicopter gunships overnight.

Officials say Pakistani forces retaliated, targeting several militant positions. There were no immediate details of damage or casualties.

On Monday, militants called for a cessation of hostilities to collect their dead after three days of fighting that the Pakistani military said killed at least 60 militants.

The Swat Valley has seen a surge in militant activity since cleric Maulana Fazlullah launched an illegal FM radio station, urging a holy war against the government.

Around 2,500 troops were sent to Swat last week to counter the Islamists. A day later some 30 people died, mostly Pakistani soldiers, in a bomb attack against a military vehicle.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.