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Taliban to avoid combat, says spokesman

Army rules out halting operation

AP, Islamabad
The Taliban urged civilians yesterday to return to the main town in Pakistan's Swat Valley, promising they won't attack security forces battling insurgents there but stopping short of calling the move a ceasefire.
The army has already ruled out halting its operation in the valley, saying such an announcement was a sign that the outnumbered insurgents were "staring defeat in the face."
Pakistan began the month-old offensive against militants in Swat and surrounding areas after they ignored the terms of a cease-fire, US and other Western allies have hailed the operation amid worries the country was not doing enough to root out militancy.
Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan the militants’ decision to stop attacking troops in Mingora town was made out of concern for the safety of civilians and
property.
"I would like to appeal to the people of Mingora to get back to their homes and start their routine life as we will not fire even a single shot," Khan said.
Asked if that meant a cease-fire, he added, "No, this is not like that. Our aides will remain there in Mingora, but we will not attack, we will not fire shots."
The army says it secured several major intersections in Mingora. Many of the extremists were fleeing Mingora for Kabal, a town to the west, but security forces are trying to secure that locality as well, an army statement said Monday.
TYoops also have secured Malam Jabba the site of a ski resort that militants wrecked last year which the army said the Taliban were using as a training centre and logistics base.
The army statement Monday afternoon said in the previous 24 hours, four suspected militants were killed and eight were arrested in the valley, while six secu-
ritypersonnel were wounded.
Army spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas said the militants “have started using ploys to escape. They are now remembering the civilians whom they used to behead and decapitate."
He said the operation in the city would go on as planned. Commanders have said they aim to eliminate the militants in the valley and on Friday said any form of cease-fire was highly unlikely.
The military says about 1,100 suspected insurgents have died so far in the offensive. It has not given any tally of civilian deaths, and it's unclear how it is separating noncombatants killed from militants. Residents fleeing the region have reported dozens of ordinary Pakistanis killed in the fight. Journalists have mostly been barred from reporting there.
Close to 1.9 million civilians have fled the valley and surrounding districts, but up to 20,000 remain in Mingora.