Pakistan's army has accused Taleban militants of "reportedly" holding 2,000 villagers as human shields to stop an offensive in the north-west. The military wants to clear insurgents from Pir Baba, an important religious shrine in Buner district, about 100km (62 miles) from the capital, Islamabad.
A BBC correspondent in Islamabad says it is not possible to verify the claim.
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The military has been engaged in an offensive to remove insurgents from the Lower Dir and Buner regions. The Pakistani government is trying to stop the Taleban extending its influence beyond the Swat Valley, an area which they largely control
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