Pak Army regains control of Swats main town

Its very good that Mingora city has come under the full control of the security forces, military spokesman Major-General Athar Abbas told a news conference. He said medical teams and food supplies,that had earlier been cut off,had arrived in the town. Gas supplies were restored,but the electricity grid needed to be repaired. It will take at least two weeks to restore amenities, Abbas said.

Security forces have secured an area of up to 70 km north of Mingora,including the town of Bahrain,Abbas said. Abbas said that some militants were still putting up resistance on the outskirts.

He said 1,217 militants had been killed since the fighting began in late April,while 81 soldiers had been killed,and 250 wounded.

The mass exodus from the valley and Lower Dir and Buner prompted UN warnings of a long-term humanitarian crisis. The UN has pleaded for international support for a 543-million fund to help Pakistan.

Almost 90 per cent of the displaced people have been offered shelter by families in neighbouring areas,while the rest have headed for camps around Mardan and Swabi.

The Government first ordered the Army into action after Taliban fighters moved south from their stronghold in Swat into Buner,just 100 km from Islamabad.

The military had sealed most routes into Swat,cutting supply lines and reinforcements for the militants,who have begun fleeing north over the mountains into Kalam valley,where troops were being deployed to meet them.