Pakistan Retakes Taliban-Held Town

[unhappycamper]

Pakistan Retakes Taliban-Held Town
Associated Press | November 28, 2007

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Security forces have regained control of a mountain town in northern Pakistan after shelling forced pro-Taliban militants to pull out, the military said Nov. 28.

The insurgents fled "in a disorganized manner" as troops entered the town of Alpurai in Swat, a former tourist destination, the military said in a statement. It said security forces were advancing on the hills ringing the town.

Fighters loyal to rebel cleric Maulana Fazlullah drove into Alpurai on Nov. 13, seizing the police headquarters in the town and hoisting their white flags on government buildings.

Troops using mortars and field guns also dislodged militants from their mountain strongholds near Swat's main town of Mingora, the army said.

Army spokesman Gen. Waheed Arshad said security forces also captured several other villages in the area. About 220 militants have been killed so far in the dayslong operation, Arshad said on Dawn News television. He gave no figure for government casualties.

Separately Wednesday, assailants killed three government soldiers and wounded five in Pakistan's insurgency-hit southern province of Baluchistan, officials said.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,157127,00.html?wh=wh

[Igel]

1. We're entering what? The third week of Pakistani Army involvement?

Good. Maybe Shangla and Swat will be next.