World | Pakistan Pakistan Says It's Close to Swat Victory By Drew Nelles Posted May 31, 2009 12:31 PM CDT Copied In this 2007 photo, then-Lt. Gen. Syed Athar Ali, Director General, Joint Staff Pakistan, left, stands with Adm. Timothy Keating, center. Ali predicts that Swat Valley fighting will end shortly. (AP Photo/Audrey McAvoy) Pakistan’s defense secretary says the army will crush Taliban militants in the Swat Valley within days, the BBC reports. Just "5% to 10% of the job" is left, Syed Athar Ali told an Asian forum, though an army spokesman declined to give an actual timeline. Meanwhile, 40 rebels and four soldiers were killed in fighting near the Afghan border. Read These Next Trump birthright citizenship fight revives 1898 case. Texas high school student shoots himself after shooting teacher. Army investigating Kid Rock's strange helicopter videos. Nathan Kirch's business idea of 1976 just sold for $29B. Report an error