In the image above, armed Taliban militants move to take up positions in the Swat district of Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province. The Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Mashriq reported that the Pakistan army on Wednesday launched a decisive military operation against the Taliban fighters in the Swat district.
According to the report, 25 Taliban fighters, including a senior commander, were killed during the fighting on Wednesday. Five Pakistani security men, including two officers of the Pakistan army, were also killed. According to the report, the Taliban claimed to have killed 30 Pakistani security men.
The Taliban have blamed the provincial government for permitting the military operation. According to the report, the Taliban have warned of revenge action against the legislators and ministers from the Swat district. The Taliban also blew up an army rest house, a girls’ school, a tourist hotel and a bridge in the district on Wednesday.
According to the report, Taliban spokesman Maulvi Omar asked the provincial government to take responsibility for the military operation and resign. He also warned of destruction across Pakistan, if the military operation did not stop.
Source: Roznama Mashriq, Pakistan, July 31, 2008
