Taliban are imposing their rule in a mountain valley they took over last week, spreading fear in the area only 100-km from the capital, police and residents said on Monday. Surging militant violence across country and the spread of Taliban influence through the north-west are reviving concerns about the stability of the nuclear-armed US ally.
Clashes erupted in Buner district last week after scores of Taliban moved in unopposed from the neighbouring Swat valley. Buner residents formed a militia, or "Lashkar", to resist the militants and 13 people, including eight Taliban, three policemen and two villagers, were killed in clashes.
Authorities say they are negotiating with the militants to persuade them to withdraw but the Taliban have stayed put and appeared determined to take over the valley, police said. "They are everywhere," Arsala Khan, a deputy superintendent of police, told Reuters by telephone from Buner. "They are visiting mosques, they are visiting bazaars asking people to help them in enforcing Sharia," he said.
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