Pakistan 'captures Taliban hideout'

Source: Al Jazeera English

The Pakistani military has said it captured a Taliban stronghold in Gatt Puchar, believed to be home to Mullah Fazlullah, a pro-Taliban leader, and a centre for 4,000 fighters.

The hideout in a mountainous region in the Swat valley was taken on Tuesday morning, with helicopters being used in the assault, military sources told Al Jazeera.

Troops were dropped into the area, which has so far proved to be impenetrable for ground forces.

General Athar Abbas, a Pakistani military spokesman, said that troops were dropped into the region as a "search and destroy operation" was launched. "The militants are on the run," he said.

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Imran Khan, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Peshawar, said: "The army is telling us that they started to use heavy bombardment against a mountain stronghold that belongs to Mullah Fazlullah. "Once that bombing was over they sent in helicopters and then parachuted in commandoes to take the area," he said. "This area is home to nearly 4,000 Taliban fighters and it is home to Pakistan Taliban in the Swat valley's arms dump and training camps for suicide bombers and armed fighters. So it's really the hub. It's a crucial blow to the Pakistani Taliban."

Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2009/05/2009512122453341592.html

And shades of Vietnam, I might add. Captured a base and "Charlie" is gone.