Suicide blast kills five in Swat
Sunday, 16 August 2009
MINGORA, Aug 15 (Reuters): A suicide car-bomber blew himself up at a Pakistani security post in the Swat valley Saturday killing five soldiers in the most serious attack in the area for weeks.
The military went on the offensive in the region northwest of the capital in late April and has killed or driven out many Taliban militants in what has been widely seen as a successful operation.
The army push has allayed fears among allies, in particular the United States and other countries with troops in neighboring Afghanistan, that nuclear-armed Pakistan was failing to get to grips with spreading Islamist violence.
The bomb attack in Khawazakhela town, about nine miles north of Swat's main town of Mingora, raised concern that the Taliban could make a comeback, especially as no top insurgent leaders in the former tourist valley were killed or captured.
The military went on the offensive in the region northwest of the capital in late April and has killed or driven out many Taliban militants in what has been widely seen as a successful operation.
The army push has allayed fears among allies, in particular the United States and other countries with troops in neighboring Afghanistan, that nuclear-armed Pakistan was failing to get to grips with spreading Islamist violence.
The bomb attack in Khawazakhela town, about nine miles north of Swat's main town of Mingora, raised concern that the Taliban could make a comeback, especially as no top insurgent leaders in the former tourist valley were killed or captured.