Pak Army takes over security in Swat
Peshawar,
Nov
13:
The
Pakistan
Army
has
been
deployed
in
the
Swat
Valley
to
crush
a
lingering
insurgency.
"Yes,
the
army
has
taken
over
command
in
Swat
from
Monday
and
will
lead
security
forces
to
eliminate
militancy," Military
Spokesman,
Major-General
Waheed
Arshad,
said.
Asked
if
paramilitary
forces
had
failed
to
bring
the
situation
under
control,
he
said
the
forces
had
taken
action,
but
the
situation
had
not
improved.
Major-General
Arshad
said
the
army
was
deployed
at
the
request
of
the
NWFP
Government.
Security forces have arrested a top militant accused of harbouring al Qaeda insurgents, beheading troops and supplying arms to Maulana Fazlullah, officials said.
"He is under interrogation. The man identified himself as Parwant and says he is local," Major-General Arshad said, adding the man"s real name was not known.
Locals said the clashes have erupted in the Valley after two helicopters came under fire in Matta. They confirmed that militants had captured anti-aircraft guns from the security forces.
They said the troops and law-enforcement personnel had not made ground advance on areas held by militants. Three helicopters carried out intense shelling on suspected militants" positions in Pir Kali, Sambet Chowk and Sairi.
Sources said that one militant was killed and five were injured in the attack. A civilian was killed when a mortar shell reportedly fired from a FC camp in Kabal hit his shop at Koza Bandae.
Fazlullah"s spokesman, Maulana Sirajuddin, said that three Taliban had suffered minor injuries. Militants say they will not surrender or end their movement without achieving their objectives.
"We will lay down arms when the government enforces Sharia in Swat; otherwise we"re ready to die," Maulana Mohammad Alam, the commander of the militants in Khwazakhela, said.
On October 24, the NWFP government had dispatched hundreds of paramilitary forces and police to establish the state"s writ in parts of the Swat valley under control of Fazlullah.
Officials believe that Fazlullah, who has set up his own government and courts, has some 4, 000 armed supporters in Swat, the Dawn reported.
At present, six of the eight sub-districts of Swat are under the control of militants. Educational institutions in the area are closed and law-enforcement personnel have abandoned government installations.
ANI
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