Pakistan says Taliban peace deal will end

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, May 7 (UPI) -- Pakistani government officials Thursday said they would scrap a peace deal with the Taliban and undertake a more aggressive operation against the militants.

The military announced it would begin a major offensive in the Swat Valley, site of the faltering deal between the Pakistani military and Taliban leaders, CNN reported. The agreement with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari in April allowed the Taliban to impose strict Islamic law, or Shariah, in the northwestern region in exchange for an end to fighting.

Between 12,000 and 15,000 Pakistani troops are in Swat, the official said, adding that more troops will be deployed to the Swat, Dir and Buner districts.

The Pakistani military used helicopters and fighter jets to bomb Taliban positions in Swat Thursday, striking training and communications centers in Gath Peochar, as well as installations in the Qambar area, where military leaders said militant commander Shah Duran operates, CNN reported.

A son of a pro-Taliban cleric who negotiated the controversial deal in Swat Valley was killed Thursday morning, Pakistani and Taliban officials said. Kafayatullah, son of Islamic fundamentalist leader Sufi Muhammed, died when mortar shells from Pakistani security forces hit a home in the Lower Dir district of Pakistan's North West Frontier province. The two officials told CNN the son was not a militant nor part of the Taliban movement.

The government initiated its offensive in late April after the Taliban moved into the Buner district and refused to disarm, violating the agreement, CNN said.

Government officials said about 40,000 people have fled the region and as many as 500,000 may be forced to evacuate eventually, The New York Times reported.