ISLAMABAD, July 11: President Gen Pervez Musharraf will address the nation on the military operation against the Lal Masjid-Jamia Hafsa complex that killed many people and the government's new anti-terror strategy, officials told AFP on Wednesday.

The televised address — due to air on Thursday — is set to be the military ruler's first official comment on the armed assault on the Red Mosque, where a military operation is continued for the ninth day.

The army said on Wednesday that the fighting was in its final phase. At least nine troops and 53 militants have died in the operation.

“The president is due to address the nation on a new strategy to combat extremism and terrorism,” a presidential aide was quoted by the news agency as saying.

“He will also detail the circumstances which pushed the government to launch a military operation in Islamabad,” the aide said. The aide gave no further details about the contents of the speech.

The Red Mosque crisis has presented Gen Musharraf, a key US ally in the “war on terror”, with one of the toughest challenges since he came to power in a coup in 1999.—AFP