Islamabad: Pakistan security forces on Tuesday closed all roads leading into the restive Northwest region of Waziristan as the army announced it had received the "green signal" from the government to storm the stronghold of feared Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud.
The army announcement came as the ongoing operations in Swat and two other adjacent districts continued to gather momentum, with troops killing 13 Taliban militants and destroyed a terrorist training centre in fresh fighting in Swat and nearby areas. It apprehended three others in a campaign, which the forces say may be tapering after decisive blows to the militants.
Army opened heavy artillery barrage on the towns of Kotkai, Spainkai Raghzi and Srarogha areas which lie on the fringes of the troubled Waziristan as they set-up road blocks on all major roads into the area, apparently signalling that preparations of a major offensive were on.
"Government has conveyed to the Army its decision to launch military operations against Baitullah Mehsud and his network," military spokesman Major Gen Athar Abbas told newsmen adding, "We are making the preparations."
As Abbas said, the army had "received requisite orders" to launch the action, the Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said, "it has not officially started yet."
According to military sources, though the go ahead has been given, the Army would require some time and planning to go into the area where an estimated 8,000-12,000 Taliban, Al-Qaida and other insurgent group fighters are holed up.
Islamabad would have to work with US and Afghan militaries to work out a strategy to put a two-pronged pressure on these hard core radical terrorists, leaving them little chance of any escape.
The comments from the Army come as its chief General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani as denounced terrorists as enemies of Pakistan and Islam and vowed to wipe them out.
Kayani denounced Mehsud and Taliban commander in Swat Maulana Fazlullah saying they had nothing to do with Islam.
The army is already claiming victory in the Swat campaign which they say is about to come to an end. An indication to this effect, they said was in Monday nights incident when Taliban fighters were found fleeing on mules from Fazlullah's home base of Piochar.
Briefing newsmen on the ongoing operation, Abbas said 12 militants, including a commander named Abdullah, were killed during a gun battle that erupted when troops were conducting a search operation in Dir.
In Swat, troops captured and destroyed a militant training facility at Balasar-Chaprial with 120 foot-long tunnels and a firing range.
The centre was destroyed as security forces secured Peochar valley, the stronghold of Maulana Fazlullah, the Taliban commander in Swat, and linked up with troops who had captured the Chaprial area, he said.
A terrorist named Shah Sultan, described as an expert in making suicide jackets, was killed in Charbagh, a former Taliban stronghold in Swat. Two vehicles prepared for suicide attacks were destroyed at Dangram.
Security forces have discovered an extensive network of tunnels created by the Taliban in Swat during search operations.
Four such tunnels were destroyed at Peochar and Rampatai, Abbas said. Troops also seized weapons, improvised explosive devices and communication equipment during search operations at several places in Swat.
He said the civil administration and police force had become "fully functional" in Shangla district, which was recently liberated from the Taliban. Curfew had also been ended in Kalam and Bahrain, two towns that were earlier controlled by the rebels.
The Pakistani military claims it has killed over 1,400 militants in operations against the Taliban in Buner, Dir and Swat districts and the adjoining tribal belt. Over 100 soldiers have also died in the fighting.
The government is also grappling with the issue of providing aid to over 2.5 million people displaced by the fighting. A total of 21 trucks of the Red Cross carrying food and medicines have reached Mingora, the main city in Swat that till recently was controlled by the rebels.
Electricity has been restored in a large portion of Mingora. The staff of state-run PTCL would soon move to Mingora to restore communications facilities and 80 per cent of the work for restoring gas supplies in the city has been completed.
Engineers have completed a survey for reconstructing road and bridges and work would start in the next few days, the military said.