The Pakistani army continued its offensive against the Taliban in the Swat Valley (or tribal region) on Friday:
Pakistan’s army, which launched its assault last month, said Thursday that its troops had advanced to within four miles (six kilometers) of Mingora and urged people to flee.
“The civilian population should leave the city so that security forces can take the militants to task in street-to-street fighting,” spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas said.
The United Nations estimates that 900.000 residents have fled the region already. More are expected to do so in the coming hours and days.
Although it is absolutely logical that residents want to flee, it is a bit problematic for the Pakistani military considering the fact that it is difficult to tell the difference between Taliban and innocent local residents; some Taliban can put down their weapons, pretend to be refugees, and go to Islamabad where they can influence thousands of Pakistanis and turn them into extremists as well. (more…)
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