Pakistan army struggles in Buner

The BBC's Haroon Rashid reports from one town in Buner where the military is claiming victory The Pakistani government has not fully asserted control in the district of Buner, military officials have told a visiting team of BBC journalists. The army is conducting a big offensive against Taliban militants in Buner.The BBC's Haroon Rashid travelled to Buner in the north-west and says that fighting is continuing in two villages and the area is effectively a war zone.Our correspondent says that many areas are deserted and remaining residents are shaken by curfews and power cuts.Three weeks into the assault, our correspondent says that it is clear the army is not in full control, even if there is little overt sign of any militant presence. See a map of the region While some of Buner's residents are starting to return in trickles - mostly farmers fearing that their crops will die - the main town of Daggar is mainly deserted, with vehicles and a fuel station destroyed. Hospitals have remained open but power is erratic following recent fighting with the Taliban. The authorities have to deal with thousands of displaced people Our correspondent says that the army is not manning checkpoints in Buner, preferring instead to position themselves in the hills and fire warning shots at people who try to pass through during the hours of the curfew. Nearly 1.5 million people have been displaced by this month's fighting in the north-western region, the United Nations refugee agency says.The UN has called for urgent and massive international help.It says that 1.45 million people have been displaced since 2 May, in addition to those displaced by fighting last year - bringing the total to more than two million.The military says more than 1,000 militants have been killed in the fresh offensive launched two weeks ago.Officials say nearly 1.4 million people have fled the war zones in Swat, Dir and Buner districts of Malakand region since last month.The exodus was partly encouraged by the military to keep civilian deaths to a minimum in a hand-to-hand fight which it expects in some parts of Swat valley.On Monday, an army spokesman said most areas in Dir and Buner had been secured while infantry troops were being launched for a final ground offensive in Swat where the army hopes to trap militants and lure them into a street fight.