Taliban shave off beards to flee Swat

TALIBAN fighters are shaving off their beards and trying to flee from a Pakistani army offensive in their Swat bastion, the military said, as it relaxed a curfew to allow civilians leave.

The army launched an offensive in the Swat valley, northwest of Islamabad, last week to stop the spread of Taliban influence which had alarmed the United States and other Western allies of nuclear-armed Pakistan.

More than 900,000 civilians have fled and the United Nations has warned of a humanitarian tragedy unless Pakistan gets massive assistance.

Clashes had erupted in various parts of the region, the military said yesterday, adding it was achieving successes. It also appealed to civilians to identify Taliban fighters trying to flee.

Taliban members and supporters usually have long beards and many of them also have long hair. There was no immediate comment from the Taliban about the military’s statement.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres, who is in Pakistan, has called for massive international help to avert a tragedy. His agency said more than 907,000 people have registered as displaced since May 2.

Residents began fleeing late last month when the army attacked the Taliban in two districts they had occupied near Swat in violation of a February peace pact.