"Brave" Taliban men shaving beards to flee
KOTA: Taliban fighters are shaving off their beards and trying to flee from a Pakistani army offensive in their Swat bastion, the military said on Friday.
Clashes had erupted in various parts of the region, the military said on Friday, adding it was achieving successes. It also appealed to civilians to identify Taliban fighters trying to flee.
“We have confirmed reports that these Taliban terrorists, after shaving off their beards and cutting their hair, are fleeing from the area,” the military said. “We request the people of Swat to identify them,” it said, while providing a telephone number for informants to call or send text messages. Taliban members and supporters usually have long beards and many of them also have long hair. There was no immediate comment from the Taliban about the military’s statement.
Most political parties and members of the public support the offensive, despite scepticism about an alliance with the US in its campaign against militancy. Pakistan is vital for U.S. efforts to defeat al-Qaida and stabilize neighbouring Afghanistan.