Oct. 25 (Bloomberg) -- Pakistan's military deployed more troops in the northwestern Swat Valley to curb pro-Taliban militants who are trying to implement Islamic law in the area.

At least 18 people including security forces personnel were killed today when a blast hit a truck carrying them in Mingora, a town in the Swat Valley, police official Gul Zameen said in a telephone interview from the town. Police are investigating whether the vehicle was attacked or ammunition exploded. At least 30 died in the incident, AAJ television reported earlier.

The troop deployment is ``aimed at restoration of law and order and to control the activities of militants who are trying to challenge the writ of the government,'' according to a statement posted on the military's Web site yesterday. Swat Valley, a popular tourist destination, is about 256 kilometers (160 miles) northwest of the capital, Islamabad.

Fighting between the militants and troops has escalated in northwestern Pakistan since President Pervez Musharraf ordered soldiers to storm Islamabad's Red Mosque in July, ending a challenge to the government by pro-Taliban clerics seeking to impose Islamic law in the capital. More than 100 people, including 75 militants, were killed in that raid.

The troops were deployed at the request of the governor of North West Frontier Province and will ``reinforce the local administration and police,'' the army said.

Suicide Bombings

About 450 people have been killed in suicide bombings and other attacks in Pakistan since the mosque raid. The military deployed troops in Swat Valley in July after militants attacked police in the area following the Red Mosque raid.

Maulana Fazlullah, a cleric who has the support of more than 4,500 armed volunteers, set up a parallel government in 59 villages in the region by establishing Islamic courts, Dawn newspaper reported today, citing Badshah Gul, home secretary of the province.

Fazlullah told his supporters through a local radio station that troops were deployed to kill innocent people, Dawn reported. He denied setting up a parallel government.

Musharraf has stationed more than 80,000 soldiers and established 1,000 military posts on Pakistan's 2,430-kilometer (1,510-mile) border with Afghanistan in an attempt to control insurgents. The U.S. administration says al-Qaeda is regrouping in Pakistan's tribal region and is carrying out attacks on coalition forces inside Afghanistan.

Troops killed 150 militants and wounded 50 others in three days of fighting earlier this month in the North Waziristan tribal region bordering Afghanistan. At least 45 soldiers were also killed in the clashes. Musharraf deployed troops to the border area in 2003 in an effort to control Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters.

To contact the reporters on this story: Khalid Qayum in Islamabad at kqayum@bloomberg.net; Khaleeq Ahmed in Islamabadt .

Last Updated: October 25, 2007 08:38 EDT