MINGORA / TIMERGARA, May 12 The military operation in Swat entered a crucial stage on Tuesday when commando units were dropped by helicopters on mountains around the Taliban headquarters in Peochar, said to be the hideout of the chieftain of militants in the region, Maulana Fazlullah.

Official sources said that a fleet of at least 13 helicopters flew over the Peochar valley and dropped commandos on mountains as the army intensified its offensive in the region.

People in adjoining Dir also reported seeing several helicopters hovering over the area and dropping commandos on hills in Niag Darra, Karo Darra and Turmang Darra areas.

According to sources, around 1,200 troops backed by tanks and artillery reached Turmang Darra in Upper Dir. Planes and helicopters flew over the area.

About the Peochar action, the military's Swat Media Centre said “Jetfighters and helicopter gunships shelled the region before dropping special services group (SSG) personnel in the region.”

Local people said ground forces moved towards the area which is considered to be 'rear base' of militants. Besides Maulana Fazlullah, his close lieutenants Muslim Khan, Shah Dawran, Mehmood Khan and Ibne Amin are also said to be based there.

Peochar, surrounded by dense forests, is a strategic location with several training camps, centres for suicide bombers, arms depots, torture cells, private jails where kidnapped people and 'prisoners' are kept, 'courts' and offices.

Taliban's shura held its meetings in Peochar and issued directives to militants in the district and other parts of Malakand region.

Officials said four militants were killed when helicopters gunships shelled their positions in Imamdheri. Militant hideouts in Malam Jabba were also attacked.

The district headquarters of Mingora is still under the control of Taliban. They are patrolling the streets and holding positions on rooftops.

Power, water, and gas supply to the whole district remained disconnected, adding to the misery of local people.

Government employees are yet to receive salary for March because all banks are closed.

In Shangla, a child and another non-combatant were killed and five other people were injured in Jabbar area adjacent to Malam Jabba.

About 250 displaced families arrived in Lelonai area of Shangla which has been under curfew for 48 hours.

At least 11 militants were killed and nine others injured during a search operation and troops cleared the area from Chakdara to Gaddar. Four suspected militants were arrested. Troops took positions on rooftops along the Timergara-Peshawar road. A security man was killed and another injured in Osakai area.

Sources said 40 to 45 bodies were lying in the premises of the Government Degree College in Gulabad which had been occupied by militants and shelled by security forces.A soldier was killed and a lieutenant injured in a clash near Gulabad.

Troops advanced to Tendodag, a stronghold of the Taliban, after taking control of the GT Road.

Two paramilitary soldiers — Amjad of Mohamand Riffles and Javed of Dir Scouts — were shot dead in Chakdara for violating curfew. They were going to Peshawar and Swat to resume duty. Another man was injured.

Security forces also took control of Hayaseri and set up a military camp there.

Iftikhar A. Khan adds from Islamabad Military spokesman Maj-Gen Athar Abbas said at a press conference that troops had landed in Peochar valley to conduct “search and destroy” operations. Until now, the valley had remained out of bounds for security forces.

He said 751 militants had been killed during the operation Rah-i-Haq 4 in Swat, Shangla, Lower Dir and Buner.

He said the operation was progressing smoothly, militants were on the run and the criminal elements who had joined the Taliban in Swat were deserting them along with new recruits.

As the influx of people from the disturbed areas increased, security forces started concentrating on the humanitarian side, designating a corps headquarters as 'special support group' for management of internally-displaced persons (IDPs), with the Mangla Corps Commander and former deputy chairman of the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority Lt-Gen Nadeem Ahmed as the officer in charge.

Maj-Gen Abbas said the group would provide support to provincial government's efforts. It has been assigned the task of looking after logistics and health administration and helping in IDPs' registration.

The spokesman said measures had been taken to avoid collateral damage. Only confirmed hideouts and strongholds in the valleys and on the mountains had been attacked.

He said air strikes were conducted only on the basis of concrete information and intelligence about training camps, hideouts, ammunition dumps and logistics being used by militants.

He said the security forces had not entered populated areas so far, except some small pockets on the shoulders.

Villagers were given warning before action was taken against militants, he said.

He said 29 personnel of security forces had been killed and 77 others injured in the operation so far.

He said 402 militants had been killed in Swat. Militants' strongholds in Mingora, Peochar, Kabal, Khawazakhel and Shangla had been attacked successfully. The Banni Baba Ziarat training camp of militants had been destroyed and 200 militants were reported to have been killed in the attack. He said 18 security personnel had been killed and 47 others injured during the operation in Swat.

He said a cordon and search operation continued in the Banni Baba Ziarat, where 11 security personnel had been injured over the past 24 hours.

In Dir, the operation was in progress in some areas and exchanges of fire were taking place, he said.

In Buner, troops continued to consolidate their positions around Daggar. The Sultanwas area had been surrounded by security forces, he said.

He said army had set up two hospitals with 30 doctors in camps for displaced people.

Answering a question, the spokesman said there were plans to eliminate 'high-value targets', adding that some of them had already been killed.

Responding to another question, he said a time-frame for the completion of the operation could not be given at the moment, but the government and the army wanted to bring it to an early end.

Information Secretary Ashfaq Gondal said four federal ministers were visiting Mardan and efforts were being made to provide maximum possible assistance to the displaced people.

A representative of the special support group said the number of IDPs was close to 1.3 million.

He said a screening process had been put in place to prevent the entry of terrorists into the camps.