Pakistan

Army orders civilians out of conflict zone

Article published on the 2009-05-10 Latest update 2009-05-10 13:41 TU

Children in the UNHCR's Jalala camp in North West Frontier Province
(Photo: Reuters)

Pakistan's army on Sunday ordered people to leave parts of the Swat valley, where troops are locked in battle with Taliban fighters. The curfew in the area was lifted from 6 am to 1 pm local time. More than 100,000 people were expected to flee the area, boosting the ranks of nearly a million refugees in camps outside the conflict zone.

"We have ordered the civilian population in four districts to vacate the areas,’ said military official Nasir Khan. "They have seven hours to leave because we have to strike militant hideouts there."

Tens of thousands of people are reported to be streaming out of the area as the government's anti-Taliban offensive continues.

The army claims to have killed between 180 and 200 rebels in Swat and Shangla in the past 24 hours.

Elsewhere in the north-west of the country, the army says that 26 Taliban were killed when the stormed a Frontier Corps checkpost in the Mohmand tribal area, near the Afghan border.

Last month Pakistani troops and helicopters killed 18 Taliban in Mohmand.