<P> In between, Pakistan Army launched various military operations to defeat the Taliban militants, but had to bow down to political pressure, which demanded for peace . Operation Rah - e-Haq - II was launched in July 2008 as the first infantry division was deployed . This time the military operation was led by both Air Force and Army . The operation was relied on both air power as well as heavy artillery . Soon the Taliban Forces, led by Faqir Mohammed, started playing havoc in Bajaur Agency . So the Army started Operation Sherdil . </P> <P> The Army launched Operation Rah - e-Haq - III in January 2009 to secure the main supply lines and consolidate Swat District . Frontier Corps infantry troops provided help to four army infantry brigades . The last week of January saw intensive aerial and artillery bombing . The forces regained Mingora and were poised to push the Taliban out of the district when Sufi Muhammad was released and Shariah was introduced in Swat and Malakand . The provincial government was confident of the outcome of the peace deal . However, the TTP betrayed the government by regrouping and capturing Swat, Buner, Mingora, Shangla and its surrounding areas . </P> <P> When the situation went out of hand, the provincial government requested the center to ask the Army to provide help . Events show that the Army never avoided taking decisive action but bowed to political pressure from the center and provincial government . However, it did so at an extremely high cost . </P> <P> Despite the victory by the Pakistani army, Taliban militants slowly re-entered Swat over the following months and started engaging security forces in battles that lasted throughout 2008 . By early February 2009, the Taliban had managed to regain control of most of Swat and at least 80 percent of the district was under their control . </P>

When did the taliban take over the swat valley