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Pak Army has 'broken back' of militants: Kayani

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"The terrorists' backbone has been broken and God willing we will soon prevail," General Ashfaq Kayani said in a speech at a passing-out parade at the Pakistan Military Academy in northwestern town of Abbottabad.

The White House this month criticised Pakistan's efforts to defeat the Taliban in its border regions, in a report immediately rejected by Islamabad.

"Let me assure you that we in Pakistan's army are fully aware of the internal and external threat to our country," Kayani said Saturday.

General Kayani said, "In the war against terrorism our officers and soldiers have made great sacrifices and have achieved tremendous success.

"The people of Pakistan value their freedom and independence more than anything else, and consider no sacrifice too great to preserve it," he said.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011