Islamabad, September 11: Pakistan’s army says it has arrested Muslim Khan, the Taliban spokesman in the Swat Valley, and four other militant leaders from the region.
These are the first major arrests of members of the Swat Taliban leadership.
The army said Friday that the militant spokesman and fellow detainee Mahmood Khan both had bounties of 10 million rupees ($121,000) on their head.
Pakistan has waged a four-month-old offensive in the valley, which was once dominated by the Taliban.
Its apparent failure to catch or kill any of the key leaders had worried residents who feared the insurgents could stage a comeback.
–Agencies