Armed helicopters attack positions in the Lower Dir district. Peace pact with the Taliban may be jeopardized by the action, which suggests a tougher line by the Pakistani government. Pakistan launched a military operation against militants today in a district that has been covered under a controversial peace deal concluded with the Taliban, suggesting a tougher line by the government -- at least temporarily.
The military said at least 30 militants were killed, including a commander of the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban, a Pakistan umbrella group of extremists, as armed helicopters attacked their positions in the Lower Dir district.
The military action in the Lower Dir region could jeopardize the peace pact, under which the Taliban has been allowed to enforce Sharia, or Islamic law, giving it de facto authority in the Swat Valley and nearby areas.
The United States, some Pakistani lawmakers and analysts have criticized the deal, arguing that it could embolden the extremists rather than leading to genuine peace. Some of those fears appeared justified when Taliban fighters moved into the Buner district abutting Swat in recent weeks, hoping to extend their influence.
Government warnings caused the groups to retreat to Swat late last week, although militants were still on the streets when a reporter visited Saturday. Residents said they were local Taliban members.
Sunday's action may have been intended to send a signal to the Taliban. The attack was carried out in the hometown of Maulana Sufi Mohammed, an influential cleric who brokered the deal between the government and the Taliban in Swat.
Also Sunday, the remains of Polish geologist Piotr Stanczak, who was taken hostage and apparently beheaded by Taliban militants, were delivered in a casket to a paramilitary camp, Pakistani officials said.
Stanczak had been kidnapped on Sept. 28. A video released this year showed his apparent beheading, which Polish officials said they believed was authentic. His body will be handed over to Polish authorities. Despite the new military action, government officials said the peace deal remained intact. Under the agreement, Taliban militants were supposed to disarm, although by many indications this has not happened.
A statement by the military today said the Lal Qila area in Lower Dir district was fully secured after the successful operation by the Frontier Corps, a paramilitary unit.
In Islamabad, top Interior Ministry official Rehman Malik warned militants not to challenge government authority.
"Militants have no option but to lay down their arms because the government is serious about flushing them out," he told local television reporters. "Enough is enough."
Analysts said today's operation suggested that the government was now more willing to challenge the militants, although the effects of its actions might be short-lived.
The operation probably won't succeed militarily unless the government sends in significant numbers of infantry, said Tariq Rahman, a professor at Quaid-i-Azam University. And politically, he said, any gains could be temporary because Pakistani society is deeply divided on the topic of fighting Islamic militants.
"Unfortunately, in Pakistani society, there's a view that anyone who uses the name of Islam must be right," Rahman said. "If you start to see a lot of Taliban get killed, you will probably see more criticism against the army."
Today's operation, which took place in an area close to Afghanistan and the Swat Valley, a one-time tourist area, was somewhat unexpected, given that the government has in recent months appeared more interested in negotiating than confronting homegrown militants.
Television footage from the district showed helicopter gunships flying toward the mountains and soldiers guarding a road blocked with paramilitary trucks.
Malik denied that the government launched the military operation at the behest of the U.S. A military statement said the offensive in Lower Dir was carried out at the request of the provincial government and residents.
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