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| Pakistan 'nearing Swat victory' | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Pakistan's operation against Taliban rebels in the Swat valley region should be over in the next few days, the country's defence minister has said. | |
| Syed Athar Ali told a meeting of Asian nations in Singapore that only "5% to 10% of the job" remains. | |
| The army has said it will pursue "hardcore" rebels after recapturing Mingora, the main city in Swat | |
| Essential services were being restored to the city, the army said, home to 300,000 people before fighting began. | |
| Doctors had arrived to re-open the main hospital, gas had been restored and mobile generators would help restore the water system, army spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas said on Saturday. | |
| See a map of the region | See a map of the region |
| But he suggested it would take at least two weeks to restore the electricity network. Local defence committees would be set up eventually to stop militants returning, he added. | But he suggested it would take at least two weeks to restore the electricity network. Local defence committees would be set up eventually to stop militants returning, he added. |
| The general said clashes were continuing outside Mingora but the centre of the city was under Pakistani control and troops would now concentrate on tracking down senior and battle-hardened Taliban figures. | |
| "We are going after the leadership and we are going to take care of all the militants in the valley," spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas told the BBC. | |
| With journalists barred from the area, it is impossible to verify the situation in the city independently. | With journalists barred from the area, it is impossible to verify the situation in the city independently. |
| Some 2.5 million people have fled their homes since military operations began in Swat more than a month ago. | Some 2.5 million people have fled their homes since military operations began in Swat more than a month ago. |
| 'Better position' | 'Better position' |
| "We have been able to block the major routes and the entries, exit points of the valley," said Gen Abbas. | "We have been able to block the major routes and the entries, exit points of the valley," said Gen Abbas. |
| "So we are in a better position to flush out, to eliminate the main militants, the hardcore militants of the valley." | "So we are in a better position to flush out, to eliminate the main militants, the hardcore militants of the valley." |
| Major General Athar Abbas claims as few as 1000 militants remain in the Swat valley | Major General Athar Abbas claims as few as 1000 militants remain in the Swat valley |
| Troops now have Charbagh, a Taliban stronghold 32km (20 miles) north of the valley, in their sights, the BBC's Humphrey Hawksley reports. | Troops now have Charbagh, a Taliban stronghold 32km (20 miles) north of the valley, in their sights, the BBC's Humphrey Hawksley reports. |
| Helicopters are said to be dropping leaflets advising residents to leave. | Helicopters are said to be dropping leaflets advising residents to leave. |
| Soldiers continued to patrol Mingora's largely deserted streets on Saturday, securing neighbourhoods and checking houses for booby-traps. | Soldiers continued to patrol Mingora's largely deserted streets on Saturday, securing neighbourhoods and checking houses for booby-traps. |
| Pakistan has increased its reward for the capture of the Taliban leader in Swat, Maulana Fazlullah, to 50m rupees ($600,000). | Pakistan has increased its reward for the capture of the Taliban leader in Swat, Maulana Fazlullah, to 50m rupees ($600,000). |
| The radical cleric is believed to be the architect of a two-year uprising in the valley aimed at enforcing Islamic law. | The radical cleric is believed to be the architect of a two-year uprising in the valley aimed at enforcing Islamic law. |
| It is thought that the Taliban responded to the military campaign this week with a major suicide bomb attack on the country's second-biggest city, Lahore, as well as bombings in two other cities in the north-west. | It is thought that the Taliban responded to the military campaign this week with a major suicide bomb attack on the country's second-biggest city, Lahore, as well as bombings in two other cities in the north-west. |
| The US is giving full backing to the Pakistani operations, which are linked to its own offensive against the Taliban in Afghanistan, our correspondent says. | The US is giving full backing to the Pakistani operations, which are linked to its own offensive against the Taliban in Afghanistan, our correspondent says. |
| Click here to return | Click here to return |