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Fazlullah’s militants take Kalam

* Militants now in control of six of Swat district’s eight tehsils

By Saleem Athar

MINGORA: Pro-Taliban militants loyal to rebel cleric Maulana Fazlullah took control of a police station, paramilitary force camp and other government buildings in Kalam on Wednesday, extending their hold over the Swat Valley, officials and witnesses said.

Out of the eight tehsils in Swat district, the militants are now in control of six – Kabal, Matta, Khawazakhela, Charbagh, Maydan and Kalam. According to Online, the militants have appointed officials in the towns they control and seized government and NGO vehicles.

Dozens of paramilitary troops and police surrendered their weapons to the militants and retreated from Kalam early on Wednesday, a police official told AFP. Before taking Kalam, the militants captured the town of Bahrain, having seized Madyan later Tuesday, officials and residents said. Local residents said a jirga of elders later pledged to support the militants if they agreed to leave the town. “We did this because we feared gunship helicopters will also pound our areas if the militants stayed in control,” said local elder Hameed Kalami. “We asked the Taliban to leave Kalam and they granted our request.”

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