Deadly battle for Mingora looms

ISLAMABAD - Artillery batteries shelled suspected militant hideouts in Swat and Lower Dir, with the military claiming to have killed around 124 militants in the last 24 hours. Nine soldiers have also lost their lives.
Residents trapped in Swat’s main city of Mingora fear a deadly battle for the town looms, saying that armed Taliban have mined roads and dug trenches around up to 200,000 civilians encircled by the troops.
Meanwhile, Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani Thursday visited the front lines in Swat to take stock of the ‘Rahe-Haq 4’ operation ahead of a scheduled briefing he would give to the leaders of parliamentary parties about the ongoing military operation.
According to ISPR, General Kayani met field commanders and troops, saw ‘firsthand certain operations being carried out against the militants’ and reiterated his resolve to defeat the extremists. He appreciated the high morale of the troops.
On the occasion, General Officer Commanding gave him the detailed briefing about the progress of operations. The Chief of Army Staff reiterated Army’s resolve to root out militancy from Swat and defeat the militants as a whole. Earlier, on arrival the Corps Commander received him.
It was General Kayani’s first reported visit to Swat where armed militants have caused havoc and government had to request the armed forces last month to launch an all-out military offensive in Malakand region to eliminate miscreants, militants and terrorists.
Meanwhile, the Director General ISPR Major General Athar Abbas told a joint press briefing that 54 militants were killed while 9 security forces personnel embraced martyrdom during operations in various parts in the last 24 hours. Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Syed Sumsam Ali Bukhari and Minister of State for Finance and Economic Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar also addressed on the occasion.
Gen Athar Abbas said that security forces had launched operation in Sultanwas area in Buner District and hoped it would be cleared of militants in the next 48 hours. Similarly, security forces had encircled the Peochar Valley where 12 militants had been killed.
He said that the operation had been going on successfully and the security forces were now advancing in the area to flush out the miscreants.
Referring to the prevailing war situation in the operation area, Major Gen Athar Abbas urged the media to be mindful of the fact that the valiant soldiers who were fighting against the terrorists and miscreants, were doing this for the cause of the survival and well-being of everyone of us. “They are offering sacrifices for the liberty and well-being of each one of us,” he said.
So far more than 800 militants and 33 troops had been killed since the military launched a full-scale operation in Lower Dir, Buner and Swat on April 27.
Director General ISPR reiterated the firm stand and direction given by the Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani to take extraordinary measures to avoid collateral damage during the operation.