Pakistan Paramilitary troops secure a checkpoint leading to Swat Valley
Posted on 05/11/2009 9:25:33 PM PDT by bruinbirdman
The claim made by Mr Malik, the head of the interior ministry, could not be confirmed and exceeded that given by the military on Sunday by at least 200.
Mr Malik's announcement came as fighting continued in the Swat Valley and the northeast of Pakistan faced a worsening refugee crisis.
Pakistan Paramilitary troops secure a checkpoint leading to Swat Valley
"The operation will continue until the last Talib," said Mr Malik. "We haven't given them a chance. They are on the run. They were not expecting such an offensive."
The army's senior spokesman said on Sunday that so far some 400 to 500 militants had died. But Mr Malik also said that the figure of 700, was expected to "rapidly rise".
Official figures given for the number of enemy killed are notoriously exaggerated in Pakistan.
In a television interview aired on Sunday, the US Central Command chief, Gen David Petraeus, said Pakistan's actions in the next few weeks could prove "pivotal" to its future.
"Certainly the next few weeks will be very important in this effort to roll back, if you will, this existential threat, a true threat to Pakistan's very existence that has been posed by the Pakistani Taliban," the general said.
The army says 12,000 to 15,000 troops in Swat face 4,000 to 5,000 militants, including small numbers of foreigners and hardened fighters from the South Waziristan tribal region.
The UN said today that 360,600 displaced people had registered in camps and centres since May 2 after fleeing Swat and neighbouring Dir and Buner districts.
Some 500,000 people had already registered as displaced due to offensives over the past year.
An official in Swat said he was confined to his station due to heavy fighting but added that he could see a decapitated
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Uh-oh, if those were moderate Taliban Obama’s gonna be upset.
Were they counting kidnapped & recruited children?
Sounds like they’re just making up numbers.
"Official figures given for the number of enemy killed are notoriously exaggerated in Pakistan."
Most folks simply EXPECT Pakistanis to LIE... LIE is the operative word -- not "exaggerated".
I agree... this is way too high a number to be real. They seem to be trying to please the US...
I only wish this was true, but it comes from Pakistan so it must be a lie.
Yeah, well if they shoot a rock they claim a kill.
I have a whole lot more confidence in the ability of the Mexican narco mobs than the Pakistan military.
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