Pakistan army says in final phase of Swat offensive

By Zeeshan Haider

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan security forces are near the end of their offensive in the Swat valley, the army said on Monday, with more than 40,000 people on the move before the next phase starts against the Pakistani Taliban's headquarters.

The offensive in Swat, 120 km (80 miles) northwest of Islamabad, came after Taliban gains raised fears for the future of nuclear-armed Pakistan, a vital ally for the United States as it strives to defeat al Qaeda and stabilise Afghanistan.

Nearly 2 million people have fled fighting in the northwest, most since early May when the army pushed into the former tourist valley of Swat, and the United Nations is appealing for $543 million in aid to avert a long-term humanitarian crisis.

"The security forces are in the final phase of eliminating terrorist hideouts and camps in Swat," chief military spokesman Major-General Athar Abbas told a media briefing.

Sporadic clashes were going on as the military cleared the militants' last strongholds in the scenic valley, and 22 militants had been killed in the previous 24 hours, he said.

"The search operations are continuing in the secured areas to ensure that areas are safe for the return of IDPs," he said, referring to internally displaced people.

The fragile civilian government which came to power last year is keen to see displaced people go home as quickly as possible.

The government has the support of most political parties and members of the public for the offensive but it risks seeing that evaporate if the displaced are seen to suffer unduly.