Pakistan security forces kill militants

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Source: CCTV.com | 11-02-2007 13:22

A backer of Maulana Fazlullah, the militant Islamic cleric, guarded a bazaar at Khawaza Khela in the Swat region on Thursday. (Mohammad Iqbal/Associated Press)

In Pakistan, fighting between government forces and pro-Taliban militants increased in the country's northwestern Swat district Thursday.

In the latest fighting, militants attacked law-enforcement posts and security forces responded with fire with mortars, small arms and helicopter gunships. Smoke could be seen rising from the area after the bombing.

It's a region where a militant cleric is calling for a Taliban-style rule. Pakistan's military claims 70 militants were killed in Thursday's offensive.

This comes on top of the 180, mostly militants, that have been killed since the deployment of more than 2,500 security personnel to flush them out. Since the increase in militancy in July, hundreds of army personnel have been taken hostage, while many others have lost their lives.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei