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| Pakistan army 'kills 40 rebels' | Pakistan army 'kills 40 rebels' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Pakistani forces have struck suspected pro-Taleban militant positions in the north-west, killing at least 40 rebels, the army says. | Pakistani forces have struck suspected pro-Taleban militant positions in the north-west, killing at least 40 rebels, the army says. |
| The insurgents were killed in Shangla district in Swat valley during raids on Tuesday and Wednesday, army spokesman Maj Gen Waheed Arshad said. | |
| There has been no comment from the militants yet. | There has been no comment from the militants yet. |
| The Swat valley, next to Pakistan's tribal areas, has been in the grip of an insurgency since October. | The Swat valley, next to Pakistan's tribal areas, has been in the grip of an insurgency since October. |
| Last week, the army said they had killed 16 pro-Taleban militants in the same area. | Last week, the army said they had killed 16 pro-Taleban militants in the same area. |
| Situation worsens | |
| Troops "have cleared a hub of resistance of militants from a prominent height" overlooking a road leading to Alpurai, Shangla's main town, Maj Gen Waheed was quoted by news agency Associated Press as saying. | |
| "The operation is continuing today in several parts of Swat." | |
| Support for Maulana Fazlullah is strong in the area | |
| The situation in Swat valley has worsened since October after a pro-Taleban cleric, Maulana Fazlullah, and his supporters sought to enforce his brand of Islamic law. | |
| The militants have since taken over large parts of the outlying areas of the valley, as well as at least four small towns in the district. | |
| Observers say the security forces' largely inhibited movements have increasingly emboldened the militants. | |
| Heavy fighting has caused damage to civilian areas, forcing large numbers of residents to flee. | |
| Gen Musharraf says worsening security in Swat and other parts of Pakistan is one of the main reasons for his declaring a state of emergency on 3 November. |