& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

UN seeks $543m for Pak war refugees

Britain giues some extra aid

AP, AFP, KhwazakhelaJ London
Troops arc encircling Taliban militants in their mountain base as well as the main town in the Swat Valley, a Pakistani general said yesterday, as the UN appealed for $543 million to ease the suffering of nearly 2 million refugees from die fighting.
With scepticism growing about the progress of die month old army offensive in the northwestern region, the army flew a handful of reporters from foreign news organizations into Swat on Friday.
An Associated Press reporter aboard the helicopter saw no cars and few people in the town of Mingora or on roads further up the valley, a former tourist haven just 100km from the capital, Islamabad
From the air, diere was lit de evidence of the fierce fighting and airstrikes that the military claims have already killed more than 1,000 militants as well as some 60 soldiers.
But a senior commander insisted the army was trapping militants in Mingora and Piochar, a side-valley further north that is die stronghold of Swat Taliban leader Maulana Fazlullah.
"The noose is tightening around them. Their routes of escape have been cut off," Maj. Gen. Sajad Ghani said. "It's just a question of time before (Taliban leaders) are eliminated."
Pakistan launched an offensive last month to halt a Taliban advance from Swat toward the capital, Islamabad, that prompted US warnings about the stability of the nuclear-armed country.
While the US has praised the military operation, it is also contributing to a gathering effort to shield the government from the political fallout from the humanitarian crisis.
Officials say 1.9 million people have fled the fighting. More than 160,000 are staying in sweltering camps just south of the battie zone. The rest have been taken
in by relatives.
The United Nations said its appeal would help provide food, schooling and health care to the multitude displaced from tiie Swat area and by fighting in other border regions last year.
"The scale of this displacement is extraordinary in terms of size and speed and has caused incredible suffering," said Martin Mogwanja, the acting UN humanitarian coordinator in Pakistan. "We are calling for generous support from the international community."
Meanwhile, Britain announced Friday an extra 10 million pounds (15.9 million dollars, 11.4 million euros) in aid to help huge numbers of people displaced by a military offensive in northwest Pakistan.
The new money brings Britain's contribution to 22 million pounds, and will be distributed via UN agencies working in the affected areas, said international development minister Douglas Alexander.