Pakistan intensifies offensive against militants in northwest

About 15,000 to 20,000 civilians remain in the city, but the fighting has not led to civilian casualties, said military spokesman Maj. General Athar Abbas. Tens of thousands of others have fled.
Pakistan intensified its military operation to regain control of the country's northwest from Taliban militants, with fighting focused on the largest city in the Swat Valley on Sunday.
Security forces cleared and secured two important areas in Mingora, he said. One of them is the power station and authorities hope to restore power to the town soon, he added.

Swat Valley, which is close to the border with Afghanistan, was once one of Pakistan's biggest tourist destinations. However the central government has long exerted little control in the area.

As retaliation for the government's military presence, the Taliban carried out a series of deadly attacks, beheadings and destruction of girls' schools.

Earlier this year, Islamabad struck a peace deal with the Taliban. As part of the pact the Taliban was allowed to impose sharia, or Islamic law, in the valley, which among other restrictions, prevents women from being seen in public without their husbands or fathers.