Pakistani warplanes and tanks on Monday targeted Taliban positions in the restive Swat valley, killing 52 militants, as the government went all-out to enforce its writ in the terrorist-infested tribal belt.
Around 700 Taliban fighters had been killed in the ongoing drive by security forces in Pakistan's northwest and it will continue "till the last Taliban militant is eliminated," Interior Minister Rehman Malik said.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said the operation was undertaken as the "very existence" of the country was "at stake." The troops will "force" the Taliban to surrender and "accept the writ of the government," he said.
Troops clashed with militants in several parts of Swat, located 160 km from the federal capital, as they continued "making headway successfully" in their operations against the Taliban, the military said in a statement.
Thirty Taliban fighters were killed when troops destroyed militant hideouts at several places, including the rebel strongholds of Kabal, Tutano Banda and Matta. Eleven militants died when hideouts were engaged at Peochar and Mingora, the main city in Swat.
Seven militants were killed at Ayub Bridge while air strikes by gunship helicopters on a tunnel and a hideout at Qamber killed three militants and injured five. Troops also killed a man who was planting an improvised explosive device.
The military said three soldiers were killed and 14 injured in the fresh fighting. Five security personnel were injured when militants raided the Kanju Fort while four were injured when the Taliban fired mortar shells at the police station in Mingora.
Despite the operation codenamed "Rah-e-Haq" launched in Swat, the Taliban continue to control Mingora and reports have said security forces had been surrounded by militants at several places in the city.
Addressing a special session of the National Assembly convened to discuss the situation in Swat, Prime Minister Gilani said his government had no option but to launch the military operation after the militants violated a peace deal.
"The very existence of the country was at stake," he said.
"I want to assure you that the terrorists, no matter how strong they are, cannot take on the armed forces and we will soon force them to lay down their arms and surrender. We will make them accept the writ of the Pakistan government," he said.
The terrorists had "no religion or respect for anything" and "their sole agenda is to destabilise the country," he remarked. "They are enemies of the country and are working on a foreign agenda," he said.
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