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 Swats 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 Armys 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 Kayanis 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.
Pakistan Army understands that management of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) is as important as military operation. He maintained that the Special Support Group was making all-out efforts to manage the IDPs in a befitting manner.
Answering a question he said, the activities of miscreants, terrorists and Taliban should not be correlated with the military that has been carrying out operation in the area in a most professional manner.
He said the military had been fighting by observing all the norms while the opponent (miscreants, terrorists) had no such taboo to observe. They behead and slaughter the people while no single soldier can even think of committing any such barbarian act, he said.
He said the whole nation was backing the military operation and this would continue till the area was cleared of the terrorists and miscreants.
Answering a question about a BBC report claiming that most parts of FATA and NWFP had fallen to Taliban control, he said: We totally reject this report as incorrect and baseless. There has not been a single incident that militants had ever been successful to overrun even Tehsil headquarters in FATA region not to talk of the settled districts.
He explained that Bajaur Agency in FATA had been cleared of terrorists, while Momand Agency is in the process of being cleared, adding the state is functional there. The BBC report was part of a malicious campaign, he remarked.
About the role of PAF in the operation, he said, the aircraft of PAF had been engaged for mountainous and hilly areas, which were occupied by the terrorists. A number of caves occupied by the miscreants have been engaged successfully by PAF jets killing a number of terrorists, he said.
In reference to a report carried by New York Times, he said, the report did not deserve any comments as this was based on comments of some US officials. No US official has officially talked to any of our official on the subject, he said.
Answering another question, he said that Pakistani forces through indigenous resources were carrying out the Swat operation and rejected any such report referring that there was some assistance being given by Afghanistan.
To yet another question regarding time frame of the Buner operation, he said due to precise and specific approach the operation had to be halted for redesigning. It is going at a slower pace but major achievements are there, he said.
Giving details about the operation, he said, at Poechar, search and destroy operation was in progress as during the night between Wednesday and Thursday militants made an abortive attempt to raid the base of security forces. The miscreants suffered heavy casualties of 21 killings during the attempt while 8 security personnel were injured. At Ramotai Loe (Shangla Sector) 15 militant hideouts were destroyed where three miscreant snipers and 12 other miscreants were killed.
He said in the area of Barikot, the security forces after removing a lot of IEDs and eliminating the resistance, had been able to clear the area up to Udigram (6 km short of Mingora). Intense fighting is taking place at Udigram, he said. On Thursday, three miscreants including an important commander were killed in Udigram, he added. He said that intense clashes between the miscreants and the security forces were taking place in the north of Shalpalam area.
He said two miscreants were killed by security forces snipers near Circuit House in Mingora while 13 others were killed in Tursak, suburb of Mingora.
At Sultanwas in Buner, he said that ground forces had launched operation early Thursday to cleanse the area of militants. It is continuing smoothly and the militants are running away, he said.
In reply to yet another question, he said the operation at present was continuing at isolated places where the presence of the militants was confirmed.
Replying to a query, the representative of Special Support Group said that the possibility of presence of Taliban in the garb of civilians couldnt be ruled out completely.
However, efforts through adoption of various mechanisms were in hand to avoid any such incident. We cannot segregate Taliban from civilian population as they hail from the same area, he said.
AFP adds: Artillery batteries shelled suspected hideouts in Swat and the neighbouring district of Lower Dir, with the military claiming to have killed around 124 militants in the last 24 hours. Nine soldiers have been killed.
Security officials said around 70 of those militants died in operations in Lower Dir and the neighbouring district of Buner.
Based on combined military tolls, more than 870 militants and 42 troops have been killed during operations in Lower Dir, Buner and Swat, although there is no independent confirmation of the figures and no word on civilian casualties.
Army chief General Ashfaq Kayani toured the frontlines in Swat, his first reported visit to the area since the bombardment began.
Residents trapped in Swats main city of Mingora fear a deadly battle for the town looms, telling AFP that armed Taliban have mined roads and dug trenches around up to 200,000 civilians encircled by Pakistani troops.
The military has reported heavy fighting in the valleys northern mountains at Peochar, the suspected stronghold of firebrand Taliban commander Maulana Fazlullah, where airborne commandos this week opened a new front.
Fighter jets bombed caves and other hideouts overnight at Peochar, where security forces say they have taken hold despite pockets of resistance.