At least 16 suspected militants and one soldier were killed in clashes in Swat Valley, the military said Sunday as it escalated its offensive against insurgents in the one-time tourist haven.
Swat lies outside the tribal regions along the Afghan border where the Taliban and al Qaida have traditionally had their strongholds. Residents say militants now control most of the valley, despite an army operation that began more than a year ago. The military recently vowed to reinvigorate its efforts in Swat, where Taliban fighters have set up their own courts, destroyed scores of girls' schools and reportedly driven out hundreds of thousands of residents.
The latest clashes broke out in several parts of the valley over 24 hours, according to a military statement that detailed the casualties. It said troops ``consolidated their hold' over Charbagh, an area considered a militant stronghold.
Separately, militants fatally shot a police constable they had abducted in Rahimabad, a village in the valley, the statement said. Swat's police forces have been decimated by desertions and militant killings over the past 18 months, underscoring the power vacuum in a region that _ unlike the tribal areas _ is supposed to be under full government control.
Swat is less than 100 miles (160 kilometers) from Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, and there are fears that the militancy could spread beyond the valley to other parts of the country. The picturesque region that once attracted legions of tourists is now losing population. Some lawmakers say up to a third of the 1.5 million people in Swat have left, with many going to stay with relatives elsewhere in the country. Wajid Ali Khan, a provincial minister, said the government set up a relief camp a few days ago in the Birkot area, not far from Swat's main city of Mingora, to help those who have fled other parts of the valley.
"We are facing a very dangerous situation,' he said. "The fighting in the valley has made almost impossible for civilians to stay there anymore. Hundreds of families are leaving their homes. Some of them have places to go, and others simply do not."