Across Asia: Pakistan

1.3m flee fighting: Army

Pakistani commandos dropped from helicopters behind Taliban lines in the Swat Valley yesterday in a widening offensive that the military said has lifted the number of refugees in the northwest to 1.3 million. Choppers inserted troops into the remote Piochar area in the upper reaches of the Swat Valley, an army statement said. Officials identified it as the rear-base of an estimated 4,000 Taliban militants also entrenched in Swat's main towns.

The UN refugee agency said half a million have fled the region. "As of late yesterday (Monday), a total of 501,496 displaced people from the new influx have now been formally registered by authorities, with UNHCR's help, since May 2," the UNHCR said in a statement.