Pakistan says anti-militant offensive successful

0 Comments | AFP, June, 2008

BARA, Pakistan (AFP) — Pakistan's government claimed Sunday that it had saved the northwestern city of Peshawar from militants, as troops pushed forward on the second day of a major offensive against the rebels.

Soldiers backed by armoured vehicles retook control of the main town in the Khyber tribal district, on the outskirts of Peshawar, and also demolished a building belonging to an Islamist insurgent group, officials said.

The government, under pressure from Western allies over its peace talks with militants, launched the operation on Saturday to counter rebels threatening Peshawar and raiding supply convoys for NATO and US troops in Afghanistan.

"The government has been successful in the operation in Khyber which was carried out to safeguard Peshawar,"...