ISLAMABAD: Security forces stormed into the main town in the Swat valley and fought street battles Saturday in a bid to capture the capital of the northwest district from militant control, the military said.

The director general of the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), Major General Athar Abbas told a news conference that parts of Mingora had already been cleared and that 17 militants, including an important commander of Matta Usman, were killed during the most recent fighting of Pakistan’s northwest offensive. He said another important commander; Khursheed Qasai has been arrested from Watta Kali area.

The ground assault on Mingora, a city with an estimated population of around 300,000 — of whom many have fled — marks the most crucial part of the military’s blistering offensive against militants in the scenic valley.

Mingora has effectively been under militant control for weeks and — as the administrative and business hub of the entire district — its capture is essential for the military to be able to declare ultimate victory in Swat.

“Today the most important phase of operation Rah-e-Rast, the clearance of Mingora, has commenced,” Abbas said.

“In the last 24 hours, security forces have entered Mingora; 17 miscreants-terrorists, including important miscreant commander were killed,” he said.

The military reported intense exchanges of fire and said one would-be suicide bomber was shot dead and that another “suicide vehicle” rigged with explosives had been destroyed.

Troops had been slowly tightening their encirclement of the city for days and Abbas said that militant supplies had been cut off.