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| Pakistan steps up Swat offensive | Pakistan steps up Swat offensive |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Pakistan's military is stepping up an offensive against the Taleban, after a weekend in which it said it killed 200 militants in and near the Swat valley. | |
| It has begun an artillery bombardment of militant positions. | It has begun an artillery bombardment of militant positions. |
| The UN refugee agency has meanwhile warned of an increase in the number of civilians being displaced as tens of thousands flee the fighting. | The UN refugee agency has meanwhile warned of an increase in the number of civilians being displaced as tens of thousands flee the fighting. |
| The medical director of one district told the BBC the provincial government was coping well with the displaced. | The medical director of one district told the BBC the provincial government was coping well with the displaced. |
| Meanwhile at least six people were killed and several wounded in a suicide car bomb attack on a checkpoint near the city of Peshawar. | |
| See a map of the region | See a map of the region |
| Call for help | |
| The BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says the military has been using heavy artillery to soften up the Taleban, which is currently in control of large parts of Swat valley. | The BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says the military has been using heavy artillery to soften up the Taleban, which is currently in control of large parts of Swat valley. |
| Fighting is continuing throughout Malakand region, which includes Swat, Dir and Buner. | |
| Interior Minister Rehman Malik said about 200 militants were killed over the weekend, bringing the total killed in fighting in the region to 700, but it is impossible to independently confirm these figures. | |
| The government has vowed to eliminate the militants, but our correspondent says this could be a long and difficult battle. | The government has vowed to eliminate the militants, but our correspondent says this could be a long and difficult battle. |
| Civilians have been taking advantage of the lifting of a curfew to leave violence-hit areas, but our correspondent says security forces are no longer allowing them though. | |
| Arshad Ahmed Khan, the medical director of Mardan district, called for help from international aid agencies to deal with the problem. | |
| "The provincial government is ... providing a very great job to these IDPs [internally displaced persons], including free medicine, free food, even the clothes are provided by the government," he told the BBC. | |
| "We are doing our level best and we are catering for the IDPs, but still we feel that now is the prime time that the NGOs, they should come forward and they should take part in this activity." | |
| The government says it expects a million internally displaced people. | |
| Click here to return | Click here to return |
| Have you been affected by the fighting in the region? Have you been displaced? Send us your comments and stories using the form below. | Have you been affected by the fighting in the region? Have you been displaced? Send us your comments and stories using the form below. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |