Pakistan launches anti-Taliban crackdown

By Ibrahim Shinwari

LANDIKOTAL, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistani security forces launched an offensive against Taliban fighters near the northwestern city of Peshawar on Saturday, prompting a militant commander to suspend peace talks and threaten retaliation.

The crackdown in the Khyber tribal region followed a series of sorties by Taliban fighters into Peshawar to push people to observe their puritanical interpretation of Islamic law.

"There has not been any resistance from any group or miscreants," according to a government statement in Peshawar.

Major-General Alam Khattack, who is leading the offensive, said it was focused on Bara town, around 5 km (3 miles) west of Peshawar, and could be extended to other parts of Khyber.

"It was initially planned for four or five days but it may be extended further," he told a news conference in Peshawar.

A senior security official said the troops fired mortar rounds into militants' bases and destroyed eight of them, including the house of local militant commander Mangal Bagh. He said one militant was killed in an exchange of fire.

Roads in and out of Bara were closed, and a curfew ordered.

"People are in a state of fear. They are moving to safer places. All shops are shut," Murad Safi, a resident of Bara, told Reuters.