The Pakistan army says it has taken control of a key town in Buner district in the north-west, a day after starting an offensive against the Taleban.
Soldiers were dropped from helicopters into the town of Dagar and were linking up with ground forces.
The area is less than 100km (60 miles) from the capital, Islamabad.
The government is concerned the Taleban are trying to extend their control beyond the Swat Valley, an area which they largely control already.
"The airborne forces have linked up to police and Frontier Constabulary in Dagar," the military spokesman said.
"A link-up with ground forces is in progress."
See a map of the region
The army said 50 militants and one soldier were killed.
Two ammunition dumps were destroyed by security forces and 70 members of the security forces were abducted by militants, with 18 later released, the army said.
The army launched its assault in the valley, only a few hours drive from Islamabad, on Tuesday afternoon as jets bombed militant positions.
The Pakistan army said 50 militants were killed in the Dagar operation
The BBC's Mark Dummett in Islamabad says that the army's assault in the valley means there is a real fear now that the violence will spread.
But our correspondent says that so far the government's peace deal with radical clerics in the Swat Valley seems to be holding.
Dagar resident Saleem Dil Khan said when the army arrived "a lot of firing took place early in the morning, a curfew is imposed in the area and they are not allowing us to come out of our houses.
"We are very much worried."
The Pakistan government says there are as many as 500 armed Taleban fighters in Buner in violation of a peace agreement.
The peace deal between the two sides this year allowed Sharia law to be adopted in large parts of Malakand division - which includes Buner, the Swat Valley and Lower Dir - in return for the Taleban laying down arms.
Fighting in Lower Dir, another mountainous region in the north-west, had ended, said chief military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas, according to the AFP news agency.
Exodus slows
However the BBC's M Ilyas Khan - who is in Lower Dir - says that house-to-house searches in the town of Maidan are continuing.
Our correspondent says that the large exodus of people fleeing Lower Dir towards the town of Mardan - further south - to escape the fighting has now reduced to a trickle.
Most roads in Lower Dir are still closed to traffic, but the authorities are allowing pedestrians to use them.
The army said about 75 militants and 10 security personnel died in the operation. There is no independent confirmation of the figures.
Tens of thousands of people had fled the area and many houses were damaged.
The increase in army activity follows criticism from US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that Pakistan was abdicating to the Taleban.
Last week she said the Taleban posed a "mortal threat" to the world security.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
US reports first swine flu death
A Mexican child has died of swine flu in Texas - the first death from the virus outside Mexico, where it may have killed as many as 159 people.
Officials say the 23-month child had been visiting relatives in the Houston area when he became ill.
President Barack Obama urged local authorities across the US to be vigilant and shut schools if necessary.
Several new cases have been reported in Europe. The World Health Organization has called a meeting on the outbreak.
CONFIRMED CASES
Mexico: 159 suspected deaths - seven confirmed cases
US: one death, at least 63 confirmed cases
Canada: 13 confirmed cases
UK: 5 confirmed cases
Spain: 4 confirmed cases
Germany, New Zealand: 3 confirmed cases each
Israel: 2 confirmed cases
Austria: 1 case
Earlier, it confirmed that the flu was being transmitted between humans and called on countries to check their contingency plans for a possible pandemic.
But the WHO - the UN's health body - also urged caution, saying measures like travel bans were unlikely to prove effective.
France will ask the European Union on Thursday to suspend all flights going to Mexico because of the flu outbreak, Health Minister Roselyne Bachelot said.
She said the request would be made at a meeting of the 27 EU health ministers, due to be held in Luxembourg.
New cases
The child's death in Houston was confirmed by Dr Richard Besser, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
SYMPTOMS - WHAT TO DO
Swine flu symptoms are similar to those produced by ordinary seasonal flu - fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, chills and fatigue
If you have flu symptoms and recently visited affected areas of Mexico, you should seek medical advice
If you suspect you are infected, you should stay at home and take advice by telephone initially, in order to minimise the risk of infection
Q&A: What is swine flu?
Swine flu: How serious a threat?
Can masks help spread?
The quest for a swine flu vaccine
"Unfortunately this morning I do have to confirm that we have the first death of a child from H1N1 flu virus," he told US TV channel CBS.
Officials said he had recently crossed the border to visit family in southern Texas and became ill.
Speaking in Washington on Wednesday, President Obama offered his condolences and said the federal government was doing the utmost to contain the virus.
He also urged local public-health bodies to be vigilant and said schools with confirmed cases "should consider closing".
Meanwhile, new cases of swine flu have been confirmed in several European countries - all people who recently visited Mexico.
They include:
Three cases in Germany - two women and one man
Three people in Britain - including a 12-year-old girl - bringing the UK total to five
One woman in Austria
In Spain, the number of confirmed cases doubled to four
Egypt, for its part, began a mass slaughter of all 300,000 pigs in the country in an effort to fight swine flu - although no cases have been reported in the country.
Confusion
In Mexico, there is some confusion over exactly how many people died from H1N1, the BBC's Stephen Gibbs reports.
From Matthew Price in Oaxaca, Mexico
The first fatal case of the virus is believed to have been contracted here in Oaxaca. It is a tourist centre and the obvious concern is that when the visitors leave, they may take the virus with them.
At the local cemetery, a group of gravediggers pointed me towards a freshly dug plot. The flowers on top had wilted under the sun but still had some colour. Here was the grave of the first confirmed victim of the virus, Adela Gutierrez, 39.
One of the gravediggers, Sergio Castro Lopez, told me people here are worried. They are waiting for the authorities to tell them what they should do. I tried at the local hospital to get more information but the ministry of health has ordered its staff across the country to remain silent.
This is largely because the government is now subjecting the samples it has from deceased patients to a more laborious verification process.
Meanwhile, the search for the source of the outbreak continues, with the focus on the vicinity of a pig farm in the eastern part of the country.
The Mexican government is urging against jumping to conclusions and is suggesting the possibility remains that the virus originated outside the country, our correspondent adds.
The capital, Mexico City, has banned restaurants and cafes from serving all food except takeaways to try to prevent the spread of the virus.
Schools across the country have closed, public gatherings are restricted and archaeological sites have been placed off-limits.
There is great fear among the medical community... One of my colleagues that was exposed chose to stay in a hotel rather than run the risk of infecting her daughters
Mexico City's chamber of trade estimated restrictions in the city were costing businesses there at least 777 million pesos ($57m or £39m) a day.
People have been cancelling beautician appointments, wary of close physical contact, Reuters news agency reports.
"The customers are scared stupid - they don't want to go out," said hairdresser Esther Gonzalez.
Officials say the 23-month child had been visiting relatives in the Houston area when he became ill.
President Barack Obama urged local authorities across the US to be vigilant and shut schools if necessary.
Several new cases have been reported in Europe. The World Health Organization has called a meeting on the outbreak.
CONFIRMED CASES
Mexico: 159 suspected deaths - seven confirmed cases
US: one death, at least 63 confirmed cases
Canada: 13 confirmed cases
UK: 5 confirmed cases
Spain: 4 confirmed cases
Germany, New Zealand: 3 confirmed cases each
Israel: 2 confirmed cases
Austria: 1 case
Earlier, it confirmed that the flu was being transmitted between humans and called on countries to check their contingency plans for a possible pandemic.
But the WHO - the UN's health body - also urged caution, saying measures like travel bans were unlikely to prove effective.
France will ask the European Union on Thursday to suspend all flights going to Mexico because of the flu outbreak, Health Minister Roselyne Bachelot said.
She said the request would be made at a meeting of the 27 EU health ministers, due to be held in Luxembourg.
New cases
The child's death in Houston was confirmed by Dr Richard Besser, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
SYMPTOMS - WHAT TO DO
Swine flu symptoms are similar to those produced by ordinary seasonal flu - fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, chills and fatigue
If you have flu symptoms and recently visited affected areas of Mexico, you should seek medical advice
If you suspect you are infected, you should stay at home and take advice by telephone initially, in order to minimise the risk of infection
Q&A: What is swine flu?
Swine flu: How serious a threat?
Can masks help spread?
The quest for a swine flu vaccine
"Unfortunately this morning I do have to confirm that we have the first death of a child from H1N1 flu virus," he told US TV channel CBS.
Officials said he had recently crossed the border to visit family in southern Texas and became ill.
Speaking in Washington on Wednesday, President Obama offered his condolences and said the federal government was doing the utmost to contain the virus.
He also urged local public-health bodies to be vigilant and said schools with confirmed cases "should consider closing".
Meanwhile, new cases of swine flu have been confirmed in several European countries - all people who recently visited Mexico.
They include:
Three cases in Germany - two women and one man
Three people in Britain - including a 12-year-old girl - bringing the UK total to five
One woman in Austria
In Spain, the number of confirmed cases doubled to four
Egypt, for its part, began a mass slaughter of all 300,000 pigs in the country in an effort to fight swine flu - although no cases have been reported in the country.
Confusion
In Mexico, there is some confusion over exactly how many people died from H1N1, the BBC's Stephen Gibbs reports.
From Matthew Price in Oaxaca, Mexico
The first fatal case of the virus is believed to have been contracted here in Oaxaca. It is a tourist centre and the obvious concern is that when the visitors leave, they may take the virus with them.
At the local cemetery, a group of gravediggers pointed me towards a freshly dug plot. The flowers on top had wilted under the sun but still had some colour. Here was the grave of the first confirmed victim of the virus, Adela Gutierrez, 39.
One of the gravediggers, Sergio Castro Lopez, told me people here are worried. They are waiting for the authorities to tell them what they should do. I tried at the local hospital to get more information but the ministry of health has ordered its staff across the country to remain silent.
This is largely because the government is now subjecting the samples it has from deceased patients to a more laborious verification process.
Meanwhile, the search for the source of the outbreak continues, with the focus on the vicinity of a pig farm in the eastern part of the country.
The Mexican government is urging against jumping to conclusions and is suggesting the possibility remains that the virus originated outside the country, our correspondent adds.
The capital, Mexico City, has banned restaurants and cafes from serving all food except takeaways to try to prevent the spread of the virus.
Schools across the country have closed, public gatherings are restricted and archaeological sites have been placed off-limits.
There is great fear among the medical community... One of my colleagues that was exposed chose to stay in a hotel rather than run the risk of infecting her daughters
Mexico City's chamber of trade estimated restrictions in the city were costing businesses there at least 777 million pesos ($57m or £39m) a day.
People have been cancelling beautician appointments, wary of close physical contact, Reuters news agency reports.
"The customers are scared stupid - they don't want to go out," said hairdresser Esther Gonzalez.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Life-term for 8 CPM, 5 RSS activists
Eight CPM and five RSS activists were on Tuesday sentenced to life imprisonment in two separate cases of murder in Kerala's
Kannur and Alappuzha districts.
The CPM workers were punished for killing RSS activist Shaji at Thalassery in Kannur district seven years ago. Another accused was given an additional 10 years' rigorous imprisonment for stocking explosives at his home.
The RSS workers were sentenced to life by an additional sessions court in Mavelikkara of Alappuzha district for killing a youth, Ashraf, in February 2005.
Kannur and Alappuzha districts.
The CPM workers were punished for killing RSS activist Shaji at Thalassery in Kannur district seven years ago. Another accused was given an additional 10 years' rigorous imprisonment for stocking explosives at his home.
The RSS workers were sentenced to life by an additional sessions court in Mavelikkara of Alappuzha district for killing a youth, Ashraf, in February 2005.
LTTE cadres could sneak into India, fear security agencies
In the wake of the Sri Lankan military offensive, security agencies have warned that LTTE cadres could infiltrate into India. Sources
said while this kind of intelligence has not been corroborated, there is increasing fears that LTTE operatives fleeing Lanka may be in India.
In the election season, this only adds to the dangers facing India. Moreover, considering LTTE has said that those who were not "with" them were "against" them, India also believes that the threat from the Lankan terrorist organisation has also increased.
The Lankan offensive had only degraded the conventional military capability of the LTTE, sources said. Their political leadership remained intact, as did their fund-raising capacities and their international "business" operations. "Until the command and control of the LTTE is destroyed, this organisation will continue to be dangerous," a source said. LTTE still retains capability for guerrilla warfare.
This was only the end of one phase of the war in Sri Lanka, they said.
Sri Lanka needs to immediately undertake relief and rehabilitation measures for civilian Tamils. India will also expand the 100-bed hospital in Vavuniya and the strength of Indian doctors there will be increased from 62. These activities will be undertaken under the Rs 100 crore humanitarian assistance package announced by India.
According to Indian estimates, around 1.65 lakh civilians came out of the conflict zone in the last one week and between 5,000 and 20,000 are still trapped there. According to LTTE, 4,500 people died during the conflict between Sri Lankan military and Tamil Tigers. India believes that while casualties are inevitable in a war, every effort should be made to get civilians out of the conflict zone. To de-mine areas freed from LTTE control and to make these safe for civilians, two expert teams are being sent in addition to the one already in Sri Lanka.
said while this kind of intelligence has not been corroborated, there is increasing fears that LTTE operatives fleeing Lanka may be in India.
In the election season, this only adds to the dangers facing India. Moreover, considering LTTE has said that those who were not "with" them were "against" them, India also believes that the threat from the Lankan terrorist organisation has also increased.
The Lankan offensive had only degraded the conventional military capability of the LTTE, sources said. Their political leadership remained intact, as did their fund-raising capacities and their international "business" operations. "Until the command and control of the LTTE is destroyed, this organisation will continue to be dangerous," a source said. LTTE still retains capability for guerrilla warfare.
This was only the end of one phase of the war in Sri Lanka, they said.
Sri Lanka needs to immediately undertake relief and rehabilitation measures for civilian Tamils. India will also expand the 100-bed hospital in Vavuniya and the strength of Indian doctors there will be increased from 62. These activities will be undertaken under the Rs 100 crore humanitarian assistance package announced by India.
According to Indian estimates, around 1.65 lakh civilians came out of the conflict zone in the last one week and between 5,000 and 20,000 are still trapped there. According to LTTE, 4,500 people died during the conflict between Sri Lankan military and Tamil Tigers. India believes that while casualties are inevitable in a war, every effort should be made to get civilians out of the conflict zone. To de-mine areas freed from LTTE control and to make these safe for civilians, two expert teams are being sent in addition to the one already in Sri Lanka.
Buner operation launched after success in Dir
Director-General Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Athar Abbas said on Tuesday that the government would not allow anyone to violate writ of the state adding that a major offensive has been launched to flush out militants from Buner.
Addressing a press briefing here, Major General Athar Abbas said that security forces extended an offensive against Taliban militants to Buner district, around 100 km (60 miles) north of the capital Islamabad.
“The military launched an operation at 4:00 pm today, the aim of the offensive is to eliminate and expel militants from Buner”, Abbas said.
He said the army and the Frontier Corps troops have entered Buner and IG FC is overseeing the operation. Abbas said that over 70 militants were killed in Lower Dir operation while 10 security forces personnel were martyred. Abbas said that fighter jets of PAF are also taking part in the operation.
He said over 500 militants, equipped with sophisticated communication system, are holed up in various parts of Buner who are constantly receiving money and arms from unknown sources.
Addressing a press briefing here, Major General Athar Abbas said that security forces extended an offensive against Taliban militants to Buner district, around 100 km (60 miles) north of the capital Islamabad.
“The military launched an operation at 4:00 pm today, the aim of the offensive is to eliminate and expel militants from Buner”, Abbas said.
He said the army and the Frontier Corps troops have entered Buner and IG FC is overseeing the operation. Abbas said that over 70 militants were killed in Lower Dir operation while 10 security forces personnel were martyred. Abbas said that fighter jets of PAF are also taking part in the operation.
He said over 500 militants, equipped with sophisticated communication system, are holed up in various parts of Buner who are constantly receiving money and arms from unknown sources.
UK cases of swine flu: How couple's honeymoon in Cancun ended in isolation unit
Swine flu tests were being carried out on 23 people across Scotland yesterday as Britain's first confirmed victims of the virus recovered in hospital. Nine people who have been in close contact with newlyweds Iain and Dawn Askham are among those undergoing tests.
Another 14 people with travel links to Mexico or affected parts of the United States have also shown symptoms of swine flu and are being tested, said Scotland's health secretary, Nicola Sturgeon.
The cases came from several health board areas - Greater Glasgow, Lothians, Grampian, Tayside and Lanarkshire. Their symptoms were described as mild.
The Department of Health said last night that leaflets would be distributed to households across the UK containing information on the swine flu virus. A spokeswoman said: "The leaflet will be sent out next week, cover the whole of the UK and will contain information about this flu outbreak and preventative messages."
There were reports last night that the department had ordered millions of surgical face masks for health workers, but the spokeswoman would only say discussions were taking place with manufacturers.
She said: "We are talking to a number of manufacturers about procuring face masks. We are not in a position to provide further details at this stage."
"Although we are aware that facemasks are being given out to the public in Mexico, the available scientific evidence does not support the general wearing of facemasks by those who are not ill while going about their normal activities."
Sturgeon was keen to stress that the symptoms of the people being tested in Scotland were mild and that they were not confirmed cases.
She added that a passenger on the same flight used by the Askhams to fly home from the Mexican resort of Cancún last Tuesday had also shown mild flu symptoms in England, and was also being tested.
Dr Harry Burns, Scotland's chief medical officer, indicated that most of those extra cases involved people aged between 25 and 40, in common with the large majority of the victims in Mexico.
It is understood, however, that one of nine people with symptoms within the Askhams' "contact group" is a five-year-old child and may include colleagues of Dawn Askham at a branch of Boots in Polmont, where she worked as a dispensing assistant but had no direct contact with customers.
In a joint statement issued yesterday afternoon by the couple's parents, Iain and Pauline Askham, and Linda and Brian Colston, the families noted: "They were both quite shocked that the result was positive for swine flu."
Within hours, both families and close friends - 22 people in total - found themselves under surveillance. Both sets of parents are now under voluntary quarantine, taking regular doses of the antiviral drug Tamiflu, waiting for the couple to be discharged from hospital.
Scottish ministers and senior health experts have been at pains to insist their symptoms are very mild and no one else has yet tested positive, but locally the fear of infection has spread faster than the virus.
Calls to NHS24, Scotland's phone-in service for medical advice, have jumped 20% in one day.
The chief medical officer for Wales, Tony Jewell, said there were eight suspected cases under investigation in the country and all were linked to travel in Mexico.
Wiltshire primary care trust confirmed that seven people from the county were being tested at a Health Protection Agency facility in Bristol.
Another 14 people with travel links to Mexico or affected parts of the United States have also shown symptoms of swine flu and are being tested, said Scotland's health secretary, Nicola Sturgeon.
The cases came from several health board areas - Greater Glasgow, Lothians, Grampian, Tayside and Lanarkshire. Their symptoms were described as mild.
The Department of Health said last night that leaflets would be distributed to households across the UK containing information on the swine flu virus. A spokeswoman said: "The leaflet will be sent out next week, cover the whole of the UK and will contain information about this flu outbreak and preventative messages."
There were reports last night that the department had ordered millions of surgical face masks for health workers, but the spokeswoman would only say discussions were taking place with manufacturers.
She said: "We are talking to a number of manufacturers about procuring face masks. We are not in a position to provide further details at this stage."
"Although we are aware that facemasks are being given out to the public in Mexico, the available scientific evidence does not support the general wearing of facemasks by those who are not ill while going about their normal activities."
Sturgeon was keen to stress that the symptoms of the people being tested in Scotland were mild and that they were not confirmed cases.
She added that a passenger on the same flight used by the Askhams to fly home from the Mexican resort of Cancún last Tuesday had also shown mild flu symptoms in England, and was also being tested.
Dr Harry Burns, Scotland's chief medical officer, indicated that most of those extra cases involved people aged between 25 and 40, in common with the large majority of the victims in Mexico.
It is understood, however, that one of nine people with symptoms within the Askhams' "contact group" is a five-year-old child and may include colleagues of Dawn Askham at a branch of Boots in Polmont, where she worked as a dispensing assistant but had no direct contact with customers.
In a joint statement issued yesterday afternoon by the couple's parents, Iain and Pauline Askham, and Linda and Brian Colston, the families noted: "They were both quite shocked that the result was positive for swine flu."
Within hours, both families and close friends - 22 people in total - found themselves under surveillance. Both sets of parents are now under voluntary quarantine, taking regular doses of the antiviral drug Tamiflu, waiting for the couple to be discharged from hospital.
Scottish ministers and senior health experts have been at pains to insist their symptoms are very mild and no one else has yet tested positive, but locally the fear of infection has spread faster than the virus.
Calls to NHS24, Scotland's phone-in service for medical advice, have jumped 20% in one day.
The chief medical officer for Wales, Tony Jewell, said there were eight suspected cases under investigation in the country and all were linked to travel in Mexico.
Wiltshire primary care trust confirmed that seven people from the county were being tested at a Health Protection Agency facility in Bristol.
Pakistan attacks Taliban bases near Islamabad
The Pakistani army launched an air attack Tuesday and prepared to deploy troops against Taliban bases near Islamabad, the nation's capital.
The offensive appeared to be a broadening of the state's moves against militants, many of whom have become increasingly brash after reaching a controversial peace deal this year largely on their terms.
In Pakistan, fighting terrorists the...Pakistanis worry about their international image
Pakistan kills at least 30 militants
Hillary Clinton warns of 'existential threat' in Pakistan
Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas, a military spokesman, told reporters in Rawalpindi that army and Frontier Corps paramilitary units launched the operation in Buner district, building on a several-day offensive in the region. Abbas said an estimated 450 to 500 Taliban fighters are believed to be active in Buner.
"The government asked them to leave the district several times but they paid no heed," Abbas said. "The operation in Buner aims to eliminate militants who pretended to leave the area."
Witness reports suggested some Taliban militants fired back at army helicopter gunships with heavy machine guns. Buner officials said a curfew was imposed indefinitely. Explosions were heard as helicopters bombed militant strongholds, and Taliban fighters reportedly blew up the main bridge in Buner's Ambala area in retaliation.
Early this month, well-armed Taliban militants entered Buner from their stronghold in neighboring Swat Valley, setting up checkpoints, warning locals to follow strict Islamic rules and patrolling the area. They also reportedly took over Buner's Pir Baba police station, holding 43 paramilitary fighters and 17 policemen hostage, and have kidnapped boys to recruit into Taliban ranks. Buner is about 60 miles from Islamabad.
This bid to boost the militants' influence -- coming fast on the heels of a peace deal in Swat that granted them authority to impose Sharia, or Islamic law, on the population -- has raised alarm across Pakistan and around the world amid fears their expansion could further undercut the state authority in this nuclear-equipped nation.
The army's attack Tuesday follows several days of military activity in Dir, another nearby district that has witnessed an influx of Swat Taliban.
Abbas said the army successfully cleared Dir of fighters in an operation that left as many as 75 militants and 10 security forces dead. By Tuesday, however, up to 30,000 residents wary of getting caught in the crossfire had reportedly fled Dir for the regional capital of Peshawar and nearby towns.
Swat, Buner and Dir are part of the Malakand division of the North-West Frontier Province abutting Afghanistan. Two weeks ago, President Asif Ali Zardari sanctioned the Sharia peace deal throughout the region with radical cleric Sufi Mohammed. Supporters argued the move would reduce violence, as militants were expected to disarm. Critics tarred the deal as a sellout that would embolden the extremists.
Analysts said some suspect that the United States put pressure on Zardari to mount the offensive. Also, concern is growing domestically that the Taliban will not stop fighting.
"No one likes the authority of their state to be challenged by a lot of people that could lead to anarchy," said Tasneem Noorani, a former Interior Minister. Pakistanis "don't necessarily have a lot of love lost for Zardari, but they're perturbed that after [the Taliban] saw its demands achieved, they continued to mount a challenge."
The government also bears enormous responsibility for the recent developments in the region, added Shireen Mazari, a defense analyst. If it hadn't abdicated its basic responsibility to maintain security for its citizens in the frontier and tribal areas, the Taliban and other militant groups wouldn't have been able to move into the vacuum, she said.
Pakistan's leaders barely venture into the areas in question, she added.
"At the end of the day, the army can only do tactical operations," she said. "Ultimately, there must be a political solution."
The offensive appeared to be a broadening of the state's moves against militants, many of whom have become increasingly brash after reaching a controversial peace deal this year largely on their terms.
In Pakistan, fighting terrorists the...Pakistanis worry about their international image
Pakistan kills at least 30 militants
Hillary Clinton warns of 'existential threat' in Pakistan
Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas, a military spokesman, told reporters in Rawalpindi that army and Frontier Corps paramilitary units launched the operation in Buner district, building on a several-day offensive in the region. Abbas said an estimated 450 to 500 Taliban fighters are believed to be active in Buner.
"The government asked them to leave the district several times but they paid no heed," Abbas said. "The operation in Buner aims to eliminate militants who pretended to leave the area."
Witness reports suggested some Taliban militants fired back at army helicopter gunships with heavy machine guns. Buner officials said a curfew was imposed indefinitely. Explosions were heard as helicopters bombed militant strongholds, and Taliban fighters reportedly blew up the main bridge in Buner's Ambala area in retaliation.
Early this month, well-armed Taliban militants entered Buner from their stronghold in neighboring Swat Valley, setting up checkpoints, warning locals to follow strict Islamic rules and patrolling the area. They also reportedly took over Buner's Pir Baba police station, holding 43 paramilitary fighters and 17 policemen hostage, and have kidnapped boys to recruit into Taliban ranks. Buner is about 60 miles from Islamabad.
This bid to boost the militants' influence -- coming fast on the heels of a peace deal in Swat that granted them authority to impose Sharia, or Islamic law, on the population -- has raised alarm across Pakistan and around the world amid fears their expansion could further undercut the state authority in this nuclear-equipped nation.
The army's attack Tuesday follows several days of military activity in Dir, another nearby district that has witnessed an influx of Swat Taliban.
Abbas said the army successfully cleared Dir of fighters in an operation that left as many as 75 militants and 10 security forces dead. By Tuesday, however, up to 30,000 residents wary of getting caught in the crossfire had reportedly fled Dir for the regional capital of Peshawar and nearby towns.
Swat, Buner and Dir are part of the Malakand division of the North-West Frontier Province abutting Afghanistan. Two weeks ago, President Asif Ali Zardari sanctioned the Sharia peace deal throughout the region with radical cleric Sufi Mohammed. Supporters argued the move would reduce violence, as militants were expected to disarm. Critics tarred the deal as a sellout that would embolden the extremists.
Analysts said some suspect that the United States put pressure on Zardari to mount the offensive. Also, concern is growing domestically that the Taliban will not stop fighting.
"No one likes the authority of their state to be challenged by a lot of people that could lead to anarchy," said Tasneem Noorani, a former Interior Minister. Pakistanis "don't necessarily have a lot of love lost for Zardari, but they're perturbed that after [the Taliban] saw its demands achieved, they continued to mount a challenge."
The government also bears enormous responsibility for the recent developments in the region, added Shireen Mazari, a defense analyst. If it hadn't abdicated its basic responsibility to maintain security for its citizens in the frontier and tribal areas, the Taliban and other militant groups wouldn't have been able to move into the vacuum, she said.
Pakistan's leaders barely venture into the areas in question, she added.
"At the end of the day, the army can only do tactical operations," she said. "Ultimately, there must be a political solution."
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