[NYTr] Ceasefire in Pakistan's Swat Valley

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Prensa Latina, Havana
http://www.plenglish.com

Ceasefire in Pakistan's Swat Valley

Islamabad, Oct 29 (Prensa Latina) The Pakistani army and armed
supporters of cleric Maulana Fazlullah in the volatile Swat valley, in
the North-West Frontier Province, reached a ceasefire on Monday,
military spokespersons reported in this capital.

According to Inspector General of Police of NWFP Mohammed Sharif Virk,
the sides have agreed on a ceasefire and that the fighting has stopped
now. The agreement includes the exchange of bodies and the movement of
wounded to hospitals.

The truce came a day after bloody clashes left at least 17 rebels and
11 soldiers dead, and 35 people injured.

Also, militants beheaded six people who had been kidnapped from
different parts of the valley over suspicion of spying for the
Pakistani authorities.

Army spokesman Major General Waheed Arshad said he had no information
on the military casualties, but said the number of dead among the
militants could increase to 50 or 60.

Intermittent violence had been going on since Friday after security
forces sieged Fazlullah's seminary in the village of Imam Dheri
following a suicide attack on a paramilitary truck that killed 25
people, including 19 soldiers.

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