Swat, Malakand almost cleared of militants: Pakistan president

September 19th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Fifty-one suspected militants surrendered before security forces while seven were rounded up in Swat and Malakand, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Saturday. An ISPR spokesman said in a statement 22 militants voluntarily surrendered to the security forces at Shah Derai, while 10 suspected militants surrendered at Gwalerai.

September 15th, 2009 SWAT - Three extremists were killed and 22 others arrested as security forces continued their operation to flush out militants from Swat and Malakand. According to Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces conducted search operation at Mangaltan and killed three terrorists.

September 1st, 2009 ISLAMABAD - More than 100 militants have voluntarily surrendered to the security forces in northwest Pakistan, the army said in a statement Tuesday. The Pakistan Army said 105 militants voluntarily surrendered in the 24 hours to Tuesday evening in the Swat region of North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

August 31st, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Fifteen militants were killed in fighting with the security forces in northwest Pakistan, officials said Monday. The security forces also captured 22 militants during search operations in the Swat and Malakand districts in the past 24 hours till Monday evening, the Online news agency reported citing a statement of the Pakistan Army.

August 18th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistani security forces have arrested 34 militants in northwest Pakistan, the army said in a statement Tuesday. The militants were captured during search operations in Swat and Malakand division by the security forces and pro-government militias in the past 24 hours to Tuesday evening.

August 16th, 2009 PESHAWAR - Even as thousands of refugees have started returning to their home in the Swat and Malakand divisions after the Pakistan Army declared the region free from Taliban control, local residents claimed the extremists are consolidating their position once again. "The Taliban are strengthening their position in some parts of Malakand.

August 5th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistani security forces have killed eight militants and arrested 14 suspects during military operations in Swat, Dir and Malakand. Three militants were killed during a search operation in the Goratai area of the Swat valley.

July 31st, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Six militants were killed and several rebel commanders surrendered to the security forces during a search operation in northwest Pakistan, officials said Friday. The operation was carried out in the Swat and Malakand divisions of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

July 24th, 2009 Military: Clashes kill 5 militants in NW PakistanISLAMABAD — Security forces say clashes in the troubled Swat Valley and nearby areas in Pakistan's northwest have left five militants and a soldier dead. The military issued a statement Friday saying the deaths occurred during search and clearance operations over the previous 24 hours in various parts of Swat.

July 20th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Fourteen militants, including three rebel commanders, were killed in fighting with the security forces in northwest Pakistan, officials said Monday. In the past 24 hours to Monday evening, the security forces killed 14 terrorists, including three rebel commanders, in a search operation in the Swat and Malakand districts in northwest Pakistan, the Pakistan Army said in a statement.

June 24th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The Pakistan government Wednesday claimed that the entire Malakand division, including Swat, in the country's restive northwest had been cleared of the Taliban, but this seemed to be at variance with the military that indicated that its operations against the militants were far from over. Interior Minister Rehman Malik told the National Assembly that Malakand and Swat in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) had been cleared of the Taliban and that 1,592 militants had been killed so far.

May 31st, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan expects the military offensive against Taliban militants in the Swat valley to end within two or three days, Islamabad's Defence Secretary Syed Athar Ali said Sunday. "Only five to 10 percent of the job is remaining and hopefully within two to three days the pockets of resistance will be cleared," Ali said at a regional defence conference in Singapore, the Dawn newspaper reported.

May 27th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan security forces Wednesday said they killed 12 more militants in the ongoing operation against Taliban in northwest valley of Swat. Army spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said one soldiers was also killed and three others wounded during the firefight with the insurgents.

May 18th, 2009 NOWSHEHRA - NWFP Information Minister Iftikhar Hussain has said that internally displaced persons will soon hear a good news, claiming that most of the areas in Buner and Dir have been cleared of militants. Speaking to the IDPs at the Jalozai camp here on Monday, the provincial minister said that they would soon return to their homes in a dignified manner.

May 11th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - About 700 militants have so far been killed in the ongoing military operation in northern Pakistan, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said Monday, saying the operation would 'continue till elimination of the last terrorist'. Talking to media here after returning from the US, Malik said about '700 militants have been killed and 20 security personnel martyred' in the anti-Taliban offensive in Malakand division, the Daily New reported.