Pakistan Military Enter Swat Valley Mingora Battle

The Pakistani army are fighting Taliban fighters(above) street to street in Swat valley's main city of Mingora. Photo by wordpress.com

Pakistani forces have clashed with Taliban fighters after entering the main city in the militant-controlled Swat Valley, the military has said.

At least 17 militants have been killed in street fighting in Mingora, it said, cited by the BBC.

The push into the city is the latest phase of an offensive aimed at crushing the militants, whose influence extends across a wide area of the north-west.

The army has been fighting the Taliban in Swat and other areas since a peace deal broke down earlier this month.

Capturing the city is critical if the military is to regain control over the valley. The military said they had destroyed most of the Taliban's ammunition dumps.

Nearly 1,5 M people have been displaced by this month's fighting in the north-western region, and about two million since last August, the United Nations refugee agency says.

On Friday, the UN appealed for USD 543 M in humanitarian aid to help those displaced by the conflict.