Army chief visits Swat valley

Army chief on Wednesday visited the Swat valley for the first time since ordering a crackdown on extremists. Authorities have intensified efforts to wrest back control of the valley. Army chief General Ashfaq Kayani visited Swat on Wednesday despite increasing security problems in the valley, security officials said.
"The visit is important in view of the prevailing situation in Swat," a security official told AFP on condition of anonymity. The army chief met senior officers and soldiers engaged in the military operation, the official said.
Kayani was briefed by operation commander Major General Ejaz Hussain Awan and reviewed progress being made on the ground, he added. "The army is present in most parts of the Swat valley and conducting successful operations against militants," chief military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas told state television Tuesday. Once a popular mountain resort, Swat has descended into chaos in recent months, with pitched battles between militants and security forces.