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| Flight from Swat as curfew lifted | Flight from Swat as curfew lifted |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Thousands of people are fleeing Pakistan's violence-hit Swat district after the army briefly lifted a curfew. | Thousands of people are fleeing Pakistan's violence-hit Swat district after the army briefly lifted a curfew. |
| Local residents trapped by fighting between troops and Taleban militants were given a few hours to leave. | |
| The army is trying to reverse militant advances in the area, in what the prime minister has called a "fight for the survival of the country". | The army is trying to reverse militant advances in the area, in what the prime minister has called a "fight for the survival of the country". |
| Analysts say the lifting of the curfew is a sign that the army offensive is likely to intensify in the coming days. | Analysts say the lifting of the curfew is a sign that the army offensive is likely to intensify in the coming days. |
| See a map of the region | See a map of the region |
| Residents in Swat's main town of Mingora and the nearby towns of Kambar and Raheemabad began leaving their homes at 0600 (0100 GMT). | |
| The curfew has now been re-imposed. | |
| Syed Shoaib HasanBBC News, Islamabad The army has spent the last two days locating and destroying militant camps in the rural regions. | Syed Shoaib HasanBBC News, Islamabad The army has spent the last two days locating and destroying militant camps in the rural regions. |
| A major ground offensive now appears to be on the horizon to secure the seat of government in Swat. | A major ground offensive now appears to be on the horizon to secure the seat of government in Swat. |
| The Taleban have entrenched themselves in fortified position in and around Mingora. The army is likely to use aircraft and artillery to soften up these targets before sending in ground troops. | The Taleban have entrenched themselves in fortified position in and around Mingora. The army is likely to use aircraft and artillery to soften up these targets before sending in ground troops. |
| But even then, the fighting on the ground is expected to be bloody and long drawn-out. | But even then, the fighting on the ground is expected to be bloody and long drawn-out. |
| As dawn broke in Mingora, thousands of civilians began to leave. A local journalist described the event as something out of Doomsday, reports the BBC's Syed Shoaib Hasan in Islamabad. | As dawn broke in Mingora, thousands of civilians began to leave. A local journalist described the event as something out of Doomsday, reports the BBC's Syed Shoaib Hasan in Islamabad. |
| Men, women, children and the elderly were seen moving along the road that leads out of the region. | Men, women, children and the elderly were seen moving along the road that leads out of the region. |
| The lucky ones were able to get some sort of transport, ranging from a local bus to a donkey cart. | The lucky ones were able to get some sort of transport, ranging from a local bus to a donkey cart. |
| But many plodded down the road on foot carrying what little they could gather, our reporter said. "We are going out only with our clothes and a few things to eat on the long journey," Rehmat Alam, a 40-year-old medical technician, told the Associated Press news agency. | But many plodded down the road on foot carrying what little they could gather, our reporter said. "We are going out only with our clothes and a few things to eat on the long journey," Rehmat Alam, a 40-year-old medical technician, told the Associated Press news agency. |
| "We just got out relying on God because there is no one else to help us." | "We just got out relying on God because there is no one else to help us." |
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| Swat valley refugee camp relief | Swat valley refugee camp relief |
| Due to the intensity of the fighting and the cutting of phone networks, it is difficult to get independent information on the fighting or verify the army's claim that it has killed nearly 200 militants in the past two days alone, correspondents say. | Due to the intensity of the fighting and the cutting of phone networks, it is difficult to get independent information on the fighting or verify the army's claim that it has killed nearly 200 militants in the past two days alone, correspondents say. |
| Pakistan's government signed a peace agreement with the Swat Taleban in February, allowing Sharia law there, a move sharply criticised by Washington. | Pakistan's government signed a peace agreement with the Swat Taleban in February, allowing Sharia law there, a move sharply criticised by Washington. |
| Cynicism among Swat refugees In pictures: Pakistanis flee class="" href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/8042407.stm">Your comments | |
| The militants then moved towards the capital, Islamabad, causing further alarm. | The militants then moved towards the capital, Islamabad, causing further alarm. |
| Up to 15,000 troops have now been deployed in the Swat valley and neighbouring areas to take on up to 5,000 militants. The military has said it intends to "eliminate" the Taleban fighters. | Up to 15,000 troops have now been deployed in the Swat valley and neighbouring areas to take on up to 5,000 militants. The military has said it intends to "eliminate" the Taleban fighters. |
| Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani on Saturday called the conflict "a guerrilla war". | Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani on Saturday called the conflict "a guerrilla war". |
| "This is our own war. This is war for the survival of the country," Reuters news agency quoted him as saying. | "This is our own war. This is war for the survival of the country," Reuters news agency quoted him as saying. |
| The fighting has already displaced some 200,000 people, while a further 300,000 are estimated to be on the move or poised to flee, the UN says. | The fighting has already displaced some 200,000 people, while a further 300,000 are estimated to be on the move or poised to flee, the UN says. |
| On Saturday the government said that refugee camps would be set up in Peshawar, the capital of North West Frontier Province, and to the north-east in Naushara. | On Saturday the government said that refugee camps would be set up in Peshawar, the capital of North West Frontier Province, and to the north-east in Naushara. |
| Footage on local television showed people at one camp desperately looting UN supplies, including blankets and cooking oil. | Footage on local television showed people at one camp desperately looting UN supplies, including blankets and cooking oil. |
| Click here to return | Click here to return |
| Have you been affected by the fighting in the region? Have you been displaced? Send us your comments and stories using the form below. | Have you been affected by the fighting in the region? Have you been displaced? Send us your comments and stories using the form below. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |