This little cyber-presenter, Dickie, seems pretty cute. Listen carefully to what he has to tell you however. He's repeating - word for word - press releases from the Afghan Taliban. Read more...

One of our Observers in Karachi, south Pakistan, has travelled the length of the country in order to administer humanitarian aid in the war-torn region of Swat valley. The refugees are left with absolutely nothing, he tells us, and getting aid to them is hindered by the local authorities. Read his account...

Pakistan’s army has temporarily suspended a curfew in the Swat valley to help stranded civilians escape raging battles between Pakistani forces and the Taliban. Three days ago our Observer in Mingora told us his family had escaped, but he was staying behind. Now, his brother says he has no news from the war zone. Read more...

As Pakistan’s armed forces step up their offensive against Taliban fighters in the country’s north-west, hundreds of thousands of civilians are desperately trying to flee the conflict zone. Our Observer, who lives just outside of Mingora in the restive Swat Valley, tells us his family has joined the growing flow of refugees – but he is staying behind. Read more...

The Pakistani Army launched a widespread offensive against the Taliban, pushing the militants back to the city of Mingora, in the restive Swat Valley, north-west of the capital Islamabad. Our Observer, who lives three kilometres from the centre, tells us that the residents there are rapidly running out of essentials, and, for the first time, he's considering fleeing his home. Read more...

The Pakistani Army launched a heavy-handed offensive against the Taliban militants squatting in Swat Valley yesterday, pushing thousands of residents to flee the area. One of our Observers however, remains just outside the city of Mingora, the region's main town. Read his account...

Residents across various cities and villages in Pakistan's Swat valley are evacuating their homes ahead of a possible military operation to rout the Taliban militia in the region. Read more...

The Taliban have positioned themselves less than 100km from the Pakistani capital. One of our Observers in the country tells us that she doesn't see the militant group taking power. She explains however that the US, which has today expressed alarm over the advancing Taliban, is partly responsible for the mounting success of Islamic extremism in the country. Read more...

One of our Observers in Pakistan has sent us some Taliban-made video footage that, until recently, was available on market stalls in the restive Swat Valley, in north-west Pakistan. Read more and watch the videos...