Thousands Forced to Flee Pakistan

Tens of thousands of people have fled fighting between government troops and pro-Taleban militants in Pakistan's northern Swat district.

The fighting began after supporters of a pro-Taleban cleric moved to implement barbaric Sharia law in the area.

Pakistani authorities say that recent fighting between the military and Taliban insurgents in the Bajaur tribal district has displaced at least 250,000 ethnic Pashtuns from the region.

Many such internally displaced families have moved to Peshawar, capital of the insurgency-plagued, North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) where some of them live in state-run displacement camps, while others depend on local charity.

International media reports say hundreds of militants, Pakistani soldiers, and civilians have died in the weeklong, fierce fighting between Pakistani security forces and the Taliban in Bajaur. The fighting created panic among civilians who fled elsewhere.

One man told RFE/RL at a new camp in Peshawar that fighting -- particularly aerial bombing -- left people no option but to flee from their homes and villages.

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• pakistanis
• sharia
• allah
• ramadan