Pakistan claims 200 Taliban slain

MINGORA, Pakistan, May 10 (UPI) -- Pakistani military leaders Sunday said 200 Taliban militants were killed during a one-day period in the Swat and Shangla districts.

An army statement said at least two soldiers were killed while another died of wounds he suffered earlier, CNN reported. The statement also said an unspecified number of civilians were slain by the Taliban.

"Indiscriminate mortar firing and planting of IEDs (improvised explosive devices) in the streets and roads by the miscreants in the populated areas of Thana, Malakand and Mingora, resulted into civilian casualties," the statement said.

Sunday's fighting came after Pakistani officials eased a civilian curfew overnight, allowing residents to flee. The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees estimated150,000 to 200,000 civilians had fled the scene of the fighting in the North-West Frontier Province, with another 300,000 either moving or expected to flee.

With government forces using helicopter gunships, tanks and artillery to attack militants, "massive displacement" of civilians is likely, a U.N. spokesman said.