By Alex Rodriguez 11:21 AM PDT, May 23, 2009
Reporting from Islamabad, Pakistan -- The battle for the critical Swat Valley city of Mingora began today as Pakistani troops waged fierce street combat with Taliban militants and began the most difficult test yet in the monthlong offensive to regain much of northwest Pakistan from insurgents.Pakistani security forces so far have been able to root out Taliban fighters from regions surrounding the Swat Valley, as well as mountain ridges and towns within the region, where the militants recently won the right to impose Sharia, or Islamic rule....
Army mounts new phase of offensive in Swat : Security forces enter Mingora (click here)
17 Taliban including key commander killed as street battles begin
Taliban flee in small groups from Peochar valley
By Tahir Niaz
ISLAMABAD: Troops stormed into Mingora and fought street battles with the Taliban on Saturday, in a bid to wrest the main Swat town from Taliban control.
Seventeen Taliban including a commander were killed as the new and most important phase of Operation Rah-e-Rast commenced, chief military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said in a daily briefing.
He said the troops had secured a part of the city from the Circuit House to Makan Bagh. Battles to secure Nawan Killi have begun and a link up between forces coming from Fiza Ghat to Whataki Chowk and Ayub Bridge to Nawan Killi has been completed.
Intense clashes were reported from Nishat Chowk in Mingora. A suicide bomber was shot dead and an explosives-laden vehicle was destroyed in Makanzai area of the city. On the Qambar Ridge overlooking Mingora, three caves with large quantities of ammunition and rations were discovered during a search and destroy operation.
The Taliban are on the run in small groups from their former Peochar stronghold....
‘Pakistan ready to phase out nukes if India does so’ (click here)
WASHINGTON: Pakistan is willing to phase out its nuclear arsenal only if India agrees to do the same, Ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani said on Saturday. “Pakistan is willing to engage with our neighbour for a comprehensive settlement in which the nuclear weapons can be phased out by both countries,” he told CNN. Haqqani said Islamabad’s anti-terrorism efforts should not be confused with its nuclear programme but seen and supported in their proper perspective. app
