国际英语新闻：U.S. vows to fully support for Afghanistan, Pakistan on efforts to dismantle Taliban

WASHINGTON, May 1 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Friday reaffirmed its determination to dismantle the Taliban militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan, vowing to offer assistance where possible to the two countries.

    "We're providing assistance where we can as well as other countries around the world who believe it is critical to international security that we deal with the Taliban and those extremists that are operating not only in Pakistan but in Afghanistan as well," said Robert Wood, spokesman for the State Department.

    Pakistan's military said Friday that its forces have killed some 50 Taliban militants in the last 24 hours in heavy fighting in Taliban-controlled areas in the northwest Buner region, just 60 miles from the capital of Islamabad.

    More than 100 militants have been reported killed since Tuesday.

    Under strong urge by Washington, the Pakistani army troops have launched an aggressive operation against some 500 Taliban militants, who advanced from the Swat Valley to Buner and controlled the region last week.

    Pakistani officials said Wednesday that at least 50 militants have been killed in the region, and dozens of soldiers are being held captive by Taliban, who advanced from the northwestern Swat Valley to Buner and controlled the region last week.

    "It's going to take consistent, determined, and forceful action," said Wood, adding "We're willing to be as helpful as we can in terms of dealing with the militants."

    The Obama administration believes that the anti-terror war targeted Taliban and al-Qaida in Afghanistan and Pakistan is crucial to its global strategy and that the cooperation between Kabul and Islamabad is crucial to the war.

    Barack Obama will meet on Wednesday with his Afghanistan counterpart Hamid Karzai and his Pakistan counterpart Asif Ali Zardari in Washington, in an effort to strengthen their cooperation on fighting Taliban and al-Qaida.

    "We think that there are a number of important missions in Afghanistan, but we can only do a few. And we have to count on our allies and partners to do others," said Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Friday.

    According to the annually country report on terrorism, which issues Thursday by the State Department, al-Qaida is still the greatest terrorist threat to the United States and its partners, while Taliban's threat to the stability in Afghanistan and Pakistan is expanding.