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Pak army vows to clear Swat valley of militants

AFP, Mingora
Pakistan will not halt a military offensive in northwestern Swat valley until all Islamic militants are cleared from the once-popular tourist site, the region's army commander said yesterday.
"There is no time frame for completion of the operation as there are still 400 hardcore militants hiding in Swat valley," Major General Nasser Janjua. the regional commanding officer, told reporters.
"It will take time to wind up the operation” he added.
Janjua said the army was still on the trail of Maulana Fazlullah, a radical cleric who has demanded Islamic law in the valley. The army launched a major offensive in November to drive his followers outofSwat.
"He is around Swat district but is hiding somewhere and keeps changing his location. We are behind him," Janjua said.
Fazlullah is known as "Mullah Radio” for broadcasting fiery speeches over his private FM radio
station.
Janjua said the army had secured 90 percent of the region near the Afghan border, with more than 230 militants killed and 1.035 questioned during the offensive.
He said 36 Pakistani soldiers had died during operations.
The mountainous, snowcapped Swat region is renowned for its ancient Buddhist relics and once attracted large numbers of foreign and local tourists, but has been beset by recent violence blamed on pro-Taliban militants.
Hundreds of people have died across northwest Pakistan in recent months in clashes between proTaliban militants and security forces and in a wave of suicide attacks blamed on the rebels.
A roadside bomb hit a wedding party convoy in Swat on Friday, killing 14 people including the bride.
Janjua said hardline Islamists were losing support amid ongoing violence, a trend reflected in last week's general elections, which saw an alliance of religious parties lose control of the northwest
region.
"Locals in Swat have been taken onboard by winning their hearts and minds. They are now resenting the militants," Janjua said.