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Taliban resume patrols in Mingora; peace deal under pressure
Heavily armed Taliban on Sunday resumed patrols in Mingora, the main town in Pakistan's Swat region jeopardising the fragile peace deal between the NWFP government and the militants in Swat, where security forces have launched a major operation against the extremists.
Heavily armed Taliban on Sunday resumed patrols in Mingora, the main town in Pakistan's Swat region jeopardising the fragile peace deal between the NWFP government and the militants in Swat, where security forces have launched a major operation against the extremists.
Taliban patrolled across markets of Mingora, following which shops closed down in the town, even as the government imposed a night curfew in the entire valley.
Curfew will hold from 9.00 pm to 9.00 am in the region, Geo TV reported on Sunday.
A soldier was killed when militants exchanged fire with security forces in Madian area while three other soldiers were injured in separate incidents of exchange of fire with militants across Swat, the military said.
The beheaded bodies of two men were found at Khwazakhela in Swat last night. Militants also blew up a girls' school at Kabal early on Sunday morning and looted a bank in Chakdara later in the day, it said.
The military earlier accused the militants of "gross violation" of the peace accord in the restive Swat, blaming them for committing acts of violence in the valley.
Officials in-charge of the operation in Buner told reporters that security forces had killed 80 militants, including 21 suicide attackers, in recent fighting. Three soldiers were killed and eight others were injured, they said.
