Pakistanis in Swat town fend off Taliban

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ISLAMABAD, May 21 (AP): Armed residents confronted a group of Taliban fighters and foiled their attempt to sneak into a town in Pakistan's Swat Valley, the focus of a major military offensive against the insurgency, an official said Thursday.
The attempted infiltration in Kalam indicated militants are feeling pinched by the army and are seeking new shelter, while the local resistance suggested growing public confidence in an anti-Taliban operation supported by the United States.
Deputy Mayor Shamshad Haqqai told newsmen that about 50 Taliban fighters tried to enter Kalam, but that residents gathered quickly Wednesday to fight them off.