Pakistani forces attacking Taliban militants in their South Waziristan stronghold have captured a key town on the approach to a main insurgent base. The army says 78 militants and nine soldiers have been killed since the long-awaited offensive began on Saturday. Security officials said today that soldiers backed by jet fighters and artillery seized Kotkai town in fighting. Forces carried out a mop-up operation in Kotkai after capturing it and they seized weapons and improvised explosive devices left by the militants. Kotkai is the home town of Qari Hussain Mehsud, a senior Taliban commander known as the mentor of suicide bombers, and is a gateway to a militant stronghold at Sararogha.US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said he is encouraged by the the offensive but it was too early to gauge the impact. General David Petraeus, commander of US forces in the region, held talks with Pakistani military and government officials yesterday.Military officials and analysts say, forces had faced less resistance than expected, but heavy fighting is likely when soldiers approach militant sanctuaries in the forest-covered mountains. About 28,000 soldiers are battling an estimated 10,000 hard-core Taliban, including about 1,000 tough Uzbek fighters and some Arab al Qaeda members.More than 100,000 civilians have fled South Waziristan in anticipation of the offensive, with about 26,000 of them leaving since last week.