Army troops seize key town

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan: Pakistani forces attacking Taliban militants in their South Waziristan stronghold have captured Kolkal, a town on the approach to a main insurgent base, security officials said yesterday.

The fighting for control of lawless South Waziristan is a major test of the government's ability to tackle an increasingly brazen insurgency that has seen a string of attacks in different parts of the country.

In Islamabad yesterday, two explosions at an Islamic university in the Pakistani capital killed at least six people, authorities and witnesses said.