Across Asia: Pakistan

Dozens of soldiers seized

Pakistani airstrikes killed dozens of Taliban fighters in a fierce struggle to drive them from a district near the capital, while the militants took over police stations and kidnapped more than 50 security forces, the army said.

Government forces have begun trying to force the Taliban back into the Swat Valley, from where they had pushed out in the direction of Islamabad under the cover of a controversial peace process. Major General Athar Abbas said helicopters inserted commandos into the main town in Buner yesterday.

(China Daily 04/30/2009 page11)