Army mounts new phase of offensive in Swat : Security forces enter Mingora

17 Taliban including key commander killed as street battles begin * Taliban flee in small groups from Peochar valley By Tahir NiazISLAMABAD: Troops stormed into Mingora and fought street battles with the Taliban on Saturday, in a bid to wrest the main Swat town from Taliban control.Seventeen Taliban including a commander were killed as the new and most important phase of Operation Rah-e-Rast commenced, chief military spokesman Major GeneralAthar Abbas said in a daily briefing.He said the troops had secured a part of the city from the Circuit House to Makan Bagh. Battles to secure Nawan Killi have begun and a link up between forces coming from Fiza Ghat to Whataki Chowk and Ayub Bridge to Nawan Killi has been completed. Intense clashes were reported from Nishat Chowk in Mingora. A suicide bomber was shot dead and an explosives-laden vehicle was destroyed in Makanzai area of the city. On the Qambar Ridge overlooking Mingora, three caves with large quantities of ammunition and rations were discovered during a search and destroy operation. The Taliban are on the run in small groups from their former Peochar stronghold.Troops have secured the vital Wanai Bridge linking Matta with Peochar.Gen Abbas said there were about 1,500 ‘hardcore militants’ still fighting in Swat, and that the army would try to complete the operation in eight weeks.