ISLAMABAD — Ground troops moved into Taliban-controlled areas Friday and engaged in the first gunbattle of a new offensive in northwestern Pakistan, as an aerial and artillery bombardment pounded other targets.
Officials said Friday’s action did not represent the start of a full-scale operation in the tribal belt along the border with Afghanistan, but that most troops were now in place for when the orders came.
The coming operation in South Waziristan, along with one unwinding in the northwestern Swat Valley, could be a turning point in Pakistan’s yearslong and sometimes halfhearted fight against militancy.
It could also help the war effort in Afghanistan, because the tribal belt is believed to house key al-Qaida and Taliban bases.
Washington strongly supports the operations, which are seen as a test of Pakistan’s resolve.
The Swat offensive has been generally welcomed in Pakistan, but public opinion could quickly turn if the government fails to effectively help more than 2 million people displaced from their homes by the fighting, or if civilian casualties mount.
by the associated press
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