Pakistan: Thousands flee South Waziristan as army offensive begins

Thousands of people have fled Pakistan's South Waziristan territory adjacent to the Afghan border, as a military operation against Taliban militants got under way on October 17. A curfew was imposed in parts of Waziristan and troops began moving in, preventing others from fleeing. Action against militants had been anticipated for months. A similar military campaign against militants in Swat District, North West Frontier Province (NWFP), ended in July, leading to the displacement of some 2.3 million people in the area. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in its latest humanitarian update on Pakistan said about 500 people were fleeing South Waziristan daily. "For planning purposes, the estimate for a likely displacement from South Waziristan in the event of further military operations has been increased from 160,000 to 220,000 people. This includes the over 77,000 people already displaced, registered and verified in D.I. [Dera Ismail] Khan and Tank Districts," OCHA said.