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Khar: A Taliban spokesman on Tuesday warned the government to end a military crackdown against insurgents in a restive northwestern mountain valley or face suicide attacks.
Maulvi Omar urged the government to immediately halt a military operation in the Swat Valley, where the army says bloody clashes this week have left 125 dead.
"Our ultimatum has ended. Now they have made a strike and it is our turn to strike whether it will be tomorrow, the day after or whenever," Omar told a news conference in a village mosque in the Bajaur tribal region bordering Afghanistan.
Omar is spokesman for Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, an umbrella organisation of militant groups led by Baitullah Mehsud, the country's top Taliban commander.
Pact
The violence has erupted in Swat despite a peace agreement between a pro-Taliban cleric, Mullah Fazlullah, and the provincial government reached in May.
Under the pact, militants agreed to recognise the government's authority and halt attacks in return for the release of prisoners and government concessions on implementation of Islamic law.
Omar accused the government of violating the accord. He threatened suicide bombings and other attacks targeting the government and senior officials.
Authorities say more than 60 girl schools have been set on fire in recent weeks and security forces attacked. On Saturday, nine police and paramilitary troops were killed in a bombing on a bridge.
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