MOGADISHU -- Federal Government of Somalias President and Prime Minister Wednesday vowed fresh offensives against Al Shabaab militants, Garowe Online reports. Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed tells that new plans with security at the forefront are ahead for his government a day after federal MPs approved the cabinet ministers in an overwhelming vote in Mogadishu.
My government faces a number of challenges including the security and we aim to remove Al Shabaab fighters from their strongholds, said Mohamed.
Meanwhile, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud noted that Al Shabaab represents a stumbling block to the basic services such as the education and health care in the areas remaining under their control.
Bright guy, their president, figured that out by himself...
Al Shabaab is an obstacle to the peace and progress and that is what prompted our new pledges, Mohamud declared in statement.
Despite looming threats of instability, Mogadishu-based government leaders havent specified a date for the forthcoming attacks on Al Shabaab bases. More than 20,000-strong African Union peacekeepers prop-up the Somali government forces as Al Shabaab is reeling from major setbacks.
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01/23/2014 00:00 ||
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BAIDOA -- Some 4395 peacekeepers from the neighbouring country of Ethiopia have been officially integrated into the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) on Wednesday, Garowe Online reports.
Watch out, Shaboobs, the Æthiops are after you!
AMISOM force commanders held a welcoming ceremony for the new Ethiopian peacekeepers at a military base in Bay regional capital of Baidoa of southern Somalia after Ethiopias government agreed to join the ongoing stabilization operations in the war-ravaged southern part of the country.
Who's paying?
According to a press statement by Ethiopian government, two battalions were sent into Somalia to dwindle Al Shabaab threats.
Under the overall directive of the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia Ambassador Mahamat Saleh Annadif and the command of Ethiopian sector commander, Ethiopian forces will operate in Bay, Bakool and Gedo regions.
Ethiopian troops moved into Beled Hawo town of Gedo region in October 2013 to resolve grudges that degenerated into deadly battles between Somali Government troops and Ahlu Sunah Wal Jamea militia.
Heavily armed Ethiopian forces in battle tanks crossed the border into southern Somalia in Dec-2006 and withdrew by Jan, 2009 but returned to Gedo, Hiran, Bay, Galgaduud and Bakool border regions in early 2012 in support of Somali government's fight on Al Qaeda linked Al Shabaab group.
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/23/2014 00:00 ||
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#1
Æ is it true that's the first question on the mod test? If not why not, explain, but don't whine.
Ever Mod I ever seen carries Æ in the backpack like an un-natural privilege.
[An Nahar] A South Korean trade official who was kidnapped in Libya has been sprung three days after he was taken hostage by gunnies, a report said Thursday.
Han Seok-Woo, the head of the Libya unit of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), was freed Wednesday by Libyan gunnies who were then placed in durance vile Keep yer hands where we can see 'em, if yez please! , Yonhap news agency reported, citing an official.
He is now being protected by the Libyan government, and will soon be handed over to the South Korean embassy, Yonhap reported the official as saying, adding there was "no problem" with Han's health.
Han was kidnapped in the capital of Tripoli ...a confusing city, one end of which is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn... on his way home after work on Sunday, a foreign ministry official who declined to be named told Agence La Belle France Presse at the time of the abduction.
The kidnap took place amid ongoing instability following the ouster and death of dictator Muammar Qadaffy ...a proud Arab institution for 42 years, now among the dear departed, though not the dearest... in 2011.
Han was captured by four unidentified gunnies who dragged him out of his car, shoved him into their own vehicle and drove away, while leaving his Iraqi driver behind, according to the official.
Han has worked in the KOTRA office in Tripoli since 2012, Yonhap said, citing Seoul officials.
Libya has been plagued by violence and sporadic armed unrest in many parts of the country since Qadaffy's overthrow.
Its deputy industry minister was rubbed out last week and Tripoli declared a state of emergency Saturday after fresh festivities with gangs in the south.
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01/23/2014 00:00 ||
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[An Nahar] A Cairo court jugged Please don't kill me! three people for two years Wednesday for destroying a monument to those killed in mass protests that unseated two Egyptian presidents since 2011, judicial sources said.
The monument was built by the military-installed authorities in Cairo's Tahrir Square -- epicenter of the revolt that ousted long-time ruler Hosni Mubarak ...The former President-for-Life of Egypt, dumped by popular demand in early 2011... in early 2011.
In November, angry protesters broke part of the stone monument and splashed it with graffiti.
They were marking the second anniversary of deadly protests against the military junta that ruled Egypt after Mubarak stepped down until his successor, the eventually deposed Mohammed Morsi ...the former president of Egypt. A proponent of the One Man, One Vote, One Time principle, Morsi won election after the deposal of Hosni Mubarak and jumped to the conclusion it was his turn to be dictator... , was elected in June 2012.
Several days of festivities around Cairo's Mohammed Mahmud Street in November 2011 were the first serious revolt faced by the junta since it took charge in February 2011.
The military handed power to Morsi after he won the country's first free election, but ousted him a year later following mass demonstrations demanding his resignation.
That ushered in a sweeping crackdown on Morsi's Islamist followers that has so far left more than 1,000 people killed and thousands more locked away Don't shoot, coppers! I'm comin' out! After his ouster, Egypt's government erected the monument to commemorate those killed in the protests against Mubarak and Morsi.
The protesters' graffiti expressed anger at the interim authorities and at Morsi.
They accuse the authorities of revising the history of the Mohammed Mahmud carnage amid a wave of pro-military nationalism following Morsi's overthrow.
Among those sentenced Wednesday was Sherif al-Sirfi, a member of an offshoot of the April 6 movement that was one of the main groups behind the anti-Mubarak uprising.
The authorities have also arrested and jugged Please don't kill me! several other prominent anti-Mubarak activists in recent months for organising unlicensed protests.
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01/23/2014 00:00 ||
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[Libya Herald] Five men, allegedly Qadaffy supporters, were reported killed in a firefight this morning in Sabratha when they and the group they were with were discovered by local security forces. The group are said to have been heading to Ajilat.
According to an army source in the Sabratha, seven others were caught and placed in durance vile Drop the rosco, Muggsy, or you're one with the ages! .
It has not been disclosed where the group came from or how many men were in it, other than "a lot", according to the source . The rest managed to escape.
The source told the Libya Herald that the fighters were caught moving through the town just before 5am. The shootout lasted over two and a half hours.
On Saturday, when the Tamenhint airbase near Sebha was taken over by Qadaffy supporters, other pro-Qadaffy elements came out in Ajilat with green flags and pictures of the former dictator. They were confronted by local military council but it was unable to contain the situation and asked for support.
Yesterday, forces from Zintan arrived and after heavy fighting managed gain the upper hand.
It is claimed that the group heading through Sabratha this morning were heading to Ajilat to help the beleaguered Qadaffy sympathisers there.
It is not clear yet if what happened at the Tamenhint airbase and in Ajilat, together with the various other appearances of Qadaffy symathisers with green flags in the past few days, are part of a coordinated movement. If so, it does not appear to well organised, let alone have any significant or measurable support.
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01/23/2014 00:00 ||
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[Egypt Independent] Six Brotherhood members were locked away Yez got nuttin' on me, coppers! Nuttin'! in Warraq, Giza, after prosecutors ordered their arrest on charges of organizing demonstrations in violation of the law which not only requires prior-authorization but bans all Brotherhood-related activities.
Security services claim to have found SMS messages on their mobile phones communicating with Brotherhood leaders about plans to attack public and private installations on 25 January.
One such message requested LE7,000 to buy supplies to resist tear gas.
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[MAGHAREBIA] The Tunisian army arrested an armed man during the search of a house in Sbitla, Kasserine governorate, Mosaique FM reported on Wednesday (January 22nd).
Farid Ben Salah Barhoumin is reportedly on the interior ministry list of terrorists sought in connection with the Jebel Chambi killings.
In other news, Gafsa joint security services discovered a large weapons arsenal, Tunisie Numerique reported.
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[An Nahar] At least 10 people were killed in fresh festivities Wednesday in the conflict-riven Central African Republic capital, witnesses said, just two days after new leader Catherine Samba-Panza appealed for peace.
Violence pitting civilians and Christian Death Eaters against ex-Seleka fighters broke out overnight in central Bangui, near a prison and a military barracks housing the former rebels, they told Agence La Belle France Presse.
Witnesses who asked not to be named said they saw the bodies of six former fighters and four Christian civilians near the prison building.
The mainly Moslem Seleka were the leaders of the March 2013 coup that overthrew the government and installed their leader as the country's first Moslem president, triggering a descent into chaos.
"Four ex-Seleka from the prison were killed by anti-balaka (anti-machete)," said a Western diplomat after the festivities, referring to the Christian self-defense militias set up to avenge Seleka violence.
Medics from the 1,600-strong French peacekeeping force in the Central African Republic tried in vain to save the life of one former Seleka fighter with extensive machete wounds.
An AFP journalist witnessed a crowd of more than 100 Christians celebrate the man's death.
Tensions in the area around the Seleka camp remained high on Wednesday afternoon, after African and French peacekeepers intervened, local residents said.
Soldiers with the 4,400-strong African force MISCA were also forced to intervene Wednesday to stop looting in the north of Bangui.
The latest unrest in the capital, where 1,000 people were reportedly killed last month alone in festivities between Christian and Moslem militias, comes just 48 hours after Samba-Panza's election as interim president.
In her victory speech, Samba-Panza called for an end to violence by the Seleka ex-rebels and anti-balaka militia.
She replaced former president Michel Djotodia, who stood down under intense regional pressure over his failure to stem 10 months of violence that has displaced a fifth of the country's 4.6 million people.
Looking to restore a functioning state and heal religious hatred Samba-Panza, who will be sworn in on Thursday, has made clear that her priority is to restore peace.
"We have thousands of armed youths, both with the Seleka and the anti-balaka. If we release them onto the street, we will not have solved the problem," she said Tuesday.
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01/23/2014 00:00 ||
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[Dhaka Tribune] Police recovered the body of a Jubo League ... the youth wing of the Bangla Awami League... supporter from a roadside ditch in Satkania upazila while a Jubo Dal I believe Jubo Dal is another piece of BNP.
leader was hacked by unknown miscreants in Sitakunda upazila in Chittagong yesterday.
Upon information, police recovered the body of Mohammad Alamgir, 33, of Kanchana Adarsho Gram with several injury marks around 11am. They suspect that Jamat-Shibir activists might have killed him over a political feud.
The body was sent to Chittagong Medical College Hospital morgue for post mortem examination. A case was lodged with Satkania cop shoppe.
Meanwhile, ...back at the barn, Bossy's udder had begun to ache... unknown miscreants hacked ward 3 Jubo Dal joint convener Mamun Reza, 30, of Sobhanbagh in Godown Road area around 4pm. He was taken to Sitakunda Upazila Health Complex but later shifted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital, said police sources.
Iftekhar Hasan, OC of Sitakunda cop shoppe, said receiving information police had rushed to the spot and rescued Mamun. Police were looking into the matter but none was enjugged Don't shoot, coppers! I'm comin' out! in this connection yet, added the OC.
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01/23/2014 00:00 ||
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[An Nahar] Colombian troops killed five FARC guerrillas Wednesday in the latest in a succession of military operations that have claimed the lives of 26 leftist rebels since the weekend, a military source said. The flare-up comes despite peace talks in Havana aimed at ending the 50-year-old insurgency and as the FARC denounced the killing of leftist activists.
The military source said Wednesday's fighting was in the central department of Meta where an army operation resulted in the deaths of five guerrillas and the capture of eight others.
On Tuesday, the army reported seven guerrillas killed in a separate operation in the department of Tolima, also in the central part of the country. And 14 guerrillas were killed over the weekend in an army air and ground assault on a rebel base in a rural region near Venezuela, the army said.
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has vowed to keep the pressure on the FARC even as his government pursues peace talks with the group in Havana.
"The offensive continues," he said Wednesday during an official visit to Spain.
"But at the same time we seek to negotiate so that all this violence, which has bloodied the country for 50 years, will be set aside and we can continue to grow without violence," he added.
Santos expressed concern ...meaning the brow was mildly wrinkled, the eyebrows drawn slightly together, and a thoughtful expression assumed, not that anything was actually done or indeed that any thought was actually expended... that the grinding of the peace processor might yet be derailed.
"What concerns me is that they might commit an irrational act, an attack against a very important person, something that would shatter the process into a thousand pieces," he said.
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01/23/2014 00:00 ||
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[BBC.CO.UK] Gunmen have rubbed out at least six guards who were escorting a Spanish cyclist through Pakistain's volatile Balochistan ...the Pak province bordering Kandahar and Uruzgun provinces in Afghanistan and Sistan Baluchistan in Iran. Its native Baloch propulation is being displaced by Pashtuns and Punjabis and they aren't happy about it... province.
They were about 50km (31 miles) west of the thriving provincial capital Quetta, in the district of Mastung, when they were ambushed.
Cyclist Javier Colorado was slightly hurt after falling off his bike.
A message on Facebook said he intended to continue his trip from Europe on into Asia and the rest of the world.
The attack happened close to the scene of a bus bombing on Tuesday that killed 28 Shia pilgrims.
This remote part of western Pakistain is plagued by kidnappings and narcos as Balochistan ethnic nationalists wage an insurgency for more autonomy.
'Hello Pakistain'
Mr Colorado had arrived from Iran on Tuesday evening. He was urged by the authorities to spend the night at a local cop shoppe before being assigned a 12-man armed escort, in two vehicles, for his onward journey.
Soon after setting off, a group of gunnies attacked the convoy, shooting dead at least six of the guards and wounding five others.
Soon after setting off, a group of gunnies attacked the convoy, shooting dead at least six of the guards and wounding five others.
Several hours after the attack, a message attributed to Mr Colorado's family was posted on the Facebook page devoted to his trip, Colorado on the Road.
"First of all, we want to thank the Spanish consulate in Pakistain for all their help. We've received a call from the embassy and they have informed us that Javier is well and not hurt.
"Today he will fly to Lahore, on the border with India. His initial intent is to continue his trip."
In an earlier message, Mr Colorado posted "Goodbye Iran, hello Pakistain" and said he was in Pakistain, close to Quetta, having cycled more than 10,000km since his trip began on 1 October.
"My next stop is the capital of this country, Islamabad."
Police say they do not know why Mr Colorado was cycling through such a dangerous area.
Two Czech women kidnapped as they travelled through Balochistan from Iran last March are still missing.
The BBC's Ilyas Khan says the route has been traditionally used by Western tourists entering Pakistain from Iran, but it has become increasingly dangerous to do so.
It seems bizarre that the Pak authorities would allow a Western tourist to cycle through the region, particularly in light of the kidnapping of the two Czech women, he adds.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/23/2014 00:00 ||
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#1
Why on earth is any cyclist doing training runs in Pakland?
#5
LOL The Tour de Wazooo... it would be epic, the helicopters would have to be Apache Longbows, the low light cameras would make night racing a possibility. The caravan could use all those surplus EID resistant vehicles. Doping might be a problem for all concerned tho. Spectators as well as competitors.
[TRIBUNE.PK] Nineteen bodies were recovered from a pile of rubble after recent bombing in the Tirah Valley, Express News reported on Wednesday.
The corpse count from the military offensive has risen to 35.
Fighter jets and helicopter gunships had earlier bombed hideouts of suspects in the tribal regions of North Wazoo and Khyber.
The air strikes -- targeting hideouts in Mir Ali, Miranshah ... headquarters of al-Qaeda in Pakistain and likely location of Ayman al-Zawahiri. The Haqqani network has established a ministate in centered on the town with courts, tax offices and lots of madrassas... and Tirah Valley -- came in response to the recent surge in myrmidon attacks targeting security forces.
A security official had claimed that four hideouts were flattened in the blitz in the Inzar Kor area of the remote valley.
The official had dismissed suggestion that the attacks were a formal launch of a military offensive against the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) and its affiliates.
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01/23/2014 00:00 ||
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[TRIBUNE.PK] A blast in Charsadda killed six coppers and a 13-year-old student and injured thirteen others on Wednesday.
The kaboom took place near a police mobile in Sardheri Bazaar, Express News reported. There were eight coppers in the mobile at the time of the blast.
The coppers were on their way to provide security to a polio ...Poliomyelitis is a disease caused by infection with the poliovirus. Between 1840 and the 1950s, polio was a worldwide epidemic. Since the development of polio vaccines the disease has been largely wiped out in the civilized world. However, since the vaccine is known to make Moslem pee-pees shrink and renders females sterile, bookish, and unsubmissive it is not widely used by the turban and automatic weapons set... team.
The kaboom was planted in a bicycle which went kaboom! when the police mobile passed by it, Hassan Khan, an official of the Sardehri cop shoppe told The Express Tribune.
Police said that up to five kilograms of explosives were used in the bomb, which exploded remotely.
The dear departed were identified as head constable, Khawaja Muhammad, driver Azam Khan, constables Kashif, Gul Shah, Wisal and Ikram and the civilian Adnan Khan.
Medical superintendent District Headquarters Hospital in Charsadda Muhammad Khan Afridi told The Express Tribune that six dead bodies of coppers and a body of a boy were brought to hospital.
Thirteen people injured in the blast were also brought to the hospital, he added further stating that two of the injured coppers, Faridullah and Haseen Jan were at death's door and taken to Beautiful Downtown Peshawar ...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province), administrative and economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Peshawar is situated near the eastern end of the Khyber Pass, convenient to the Pak-Afghan border. Peshawar has evolved into one of Pakistan's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire. and three of the injured were discharged after medical treatment.
Some of the injured were taken to the District Headquarters Hospital in Charsadda while others were taken to Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar.
No one had claim responsibility of the attack till filling this report.
Bomb Disposal Unit Charsadda in-charge Kiramat Khan told The Express Tribune that a remote-controlled device was used in the blast along with ball bearings and iron bars.
Security forces have cordoned off the area and started a search operation.
The funeral ceremony of the victims of the blast was offered at the Police Line, or the police's main office, in Charsadda, on the outskirts of Peshawar.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa ... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central... Chief Minister Pervez Khattak strongly condemned the attack and announced compensation for the victims.
He announced Rs 3 million would be given to families of each of the six police personnel, one lac each for the injured personnel, five lacs for the family of the student, and two lacs each for the civilians injured.
"Targeting the police force is nothing but aimed at making the public insecure which no government and nation could allow at any cost," he said.
Polio
Pakistain is one of only three countries in the world where polio is still endemic, along with Afghanistan and Nigeria.
Militant groups see vaccination campaigns as a cover for espionage, and there are also long-running rumours about polio drops causing infertility.
On January 17, the World Health Organization warned that Peshawar was the world's "largest reservoir" of polio.
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01/23/2014 00:00 ||
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[TRIBUNE.PK] A prayer leader was killed in Karachi's Orangi Town area on Wednesday. Qazi Meraj was shot multiple times and he died on the spot. Two armed men riding a motorbike shot Meraj within the jurisdiction of Pakistan Bazaar police station. The prayer leader was previously attacked twice in the city. His body was shifted to Abbasi Shaheed hospital after the incident.
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[TRIBUNE.PK] KARACHI: Four tortured bodies were recovered on Wednesday from Gulshan-e-Hadeed neighbourhood of Bloody Karachi ...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous... , Express News reported.
The bodies were dumped in bushes in the area and were spotted by passersby who then informed the police.
Police said the victims were tortured and rubbed out. The bodies have not been identified as yet.
Earlier on January 20, three bullet-riddled bodies that also bore torture marks were found near Baba Wilayat Shah mazaar in the city.
Sub-inspector Ikhlak Ahmed had said that the marks on the bodies indicated that the three people were kidnapped and tortured before they were killed.
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[DAWN] The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa ... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central... police have locked away Don't shoot, coppers! I'm comin' out! 28 proclaimed offenders, eight forces of Evil and 97 suspects besides recovering arms and ammunition during last two days in a fresh search operation across the province.
According to a handout, the operation was launched in the wake of prevailing law and order situation.
The raiding teams comprised of sniffer dogs, bomb disposal teams and vehicle verification officials, and reinforced by army and Frontier Corps personnel.
It said that the recoveries made during past two days included 20 Kalashnikovs, 45 rifles, 75 pistols, 1000 rounds and a heavy explosive cache.
It stated that the operation had been planned and initiated with focus on illegal Afghan immigrants, IDPs, proclaimed offenders, illegal arms and explosives.
Records of individuals previously charge-sheeted and apprehended for terrorist activities, individuals with bad reputation, rental properties, hotels and un-registered vehicles are also being re-verified.
Meanwhile, ...back at the Hubba Hubba Club, Big Shirley was still trying to snatch Nunzio bald-headed. She was already halfway there... as a pilot project the sub-divisional coppers of Beautiful Downtown Peshawar ...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province), administrative and economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Peshawar is situated near the eastern end of the Khyber Pass, convenient to the Pak-Afghan border. Peshawar has evolved into one of Pakistan's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire. police are being entrusted with the charge of supervising the investigation staff, in addition to their existing responsibilities, in order to improve the investigation process.
The decision was taken at a meeting at Central Police Office, Peshawar, on Tuesday. Chaired by the IGP Nasir Khan Durrani the meeting was attended by additional IGP operation, additional IGP investigation and other high-ranking coppers.
Prior to this the SDPOs had no role in investigation process since each sub-division has its own DSP (investigation).
After the decision, the SDPOs of Peshawar shall be responsible to SSP (operations) for operational matters and to SSP (investigation) for investigation affairs under the overall supervision of the capital city police officer.
Moreover, orders have been issued to all the SDPOs to ensure that preliminary investigation, soon after an occurrence of a crime and before registration of an FIR, be carried out jointly by the operational and investigation staff.
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[An Nahar] Three Germans were among 40 people killed when Pak jets and helicopters bombarded suspected Taliban hideouts in a northwestern tribal district, a senior security source said Wednesday. That'd be Hans und Fritz und Karl-Heinz, right?
The air strikes in the North Wazoo tribal region on Tuesday followed two major Taliban attacks on military targets in as many days.
"Most of (the) forces of Evil killed are imported muscle including 33 Uzbeks and three Germans," the source told Agence La Belle France Presse.
Uzbeks, many affiliated with the al-Qaeda-linked Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, make up one of the largest groups of imported muscle in Pakistain's tribal northwest.
There was no immediate confirmation from the countries concerned. Independent verification of casualties was not possible because media and aid workers are not allowed to visit the area.
The source added that Wali Muhammad, a Pak Taliban capo and trainer of jacket wallahs, was among the dead. This was confirmed by a senior bully boy source.
Tuesday's operation was one of the heaviest bombardments in recent years in North Waziristan, a key stronghold of gunnies linked to the Taliban and al-Qaeda.
Officials said some of those killed were linked to an attack on Sunday on paramilitary troops in the northwestern city of Bannu that killed 26, and a double suicide kaboom on a church in September that killed more than 80.
Another military official said a few families had fled the fighting and moved out of the tribal areas, but so far there has been no mass migration from the area.
The government officials said that around 500 families fled to Bannu district from North Waziristan after the bombardment.
"Some 500 families from Mir Ali sub-division of North Waziristan have migrated to Bannu. They are living with the local host tribes of Mamashkhel and Bakakhel in Bannu," said Arshad Khan, head of the Fata Disaster Management Authority (FDMA).
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01/23/2014 00:00 ||
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[TRIBUNE.PK] Nine people, including five in Lyari, were killed while five bodies were found in the city on Wednesday.
Violence in Lyari ...one of the eighteen constituent towns of the city of Karachi. It is the smallest town by area in the city but also the most densely populated. Lyari has few schools, substandard hospitals, a poor water system, limited infrastructure, and broken roads. It is a stronghold of ruling Pakistan Peoples Party. Ubiquitous gang activity and a thriving narcotics industry make Lyari one of the most disturbed places in Karachi, which is really saying a lot.... escalated in the evening with the sound of gunshots and kabooms of rockets, grenade and awans creating panic among residents. A woman, her son and a relative were among the five people killed while several others were maimed as groups of Baba Ladla and Uzair Baloch, armed with heavy weapons, started attacking each other in parts of Lyari.
The death of five residents was confirmed by Lyari SP Shahnawaz Khan. A woman, 35-year-old Raquiya, wife of Mukhtar, her son, 12-year-old Madad Ali, and her relative, two-year-old Tabassum, daughter of Najeebullah, bit the dust when an 'awan' bomb fired by the gangsters fell inside their house near Juna Masjid in Zikri Mohalla.
Two men, 35-year-old Gul Muhammad, son of Jumma Baloch, and Waqas Tufail were maimed in a hand-grenade attack in Eidu Lane of Baghdadi.
A young man, who has yet to be identified, was found dead in the Jhat Pat market area in Chakiwara. He was shot multiple times. Law-enforcers said that it has yet to be ascertained whether he was killed during crossfire between the two groups or was part of one of the groups. Separately, an elderly man was rubbed out near Juna Masjid. Several residents, including women and kiddies, were also reportedly injured. The bodies and the injured were shifted to Civil Hospital, Bloody Karachi ...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous... and Lyari General Hospital.
Extra contingents of law enforcers, including police and the Rangers, were unable to control the situation and take any action against the groups to stop the violence.
Bodies found
The bodies of the four men, suspected to be turbans of a banned outfit, were found from an empty plot near Link Road, within the limits of the Memon Goth cop shoppe in district East -- only a few days after three bodies of turbans were found from Sharafi Goth. The unidentified bodies were moved to Edhi morgue after medico-legal formalities were completed at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre.
According to SHO Naeem Khan, all four victims were wearing shalwar kameez. Three of them appeared to be young whereas the fourth one was believed to be above 50 years of age. The victims were shot multiple times in their heads and faces but their bodies bore no marks of torture. Based on the initial investigation, the police believe that the victims were kidnapped and then killed. A case has been registered and the police is also looking for their families.
Separately, an unidentified woman was found dead from Block 15 in Gulistan-e-Jauhar. Police officials said that the body, which had torture marks, was placed in a gunny bag. She was hit by a sharp material on her neck and strangled to death, said an official. Her body was moved to the Edhi morgue in Sohrab Goth.
Targeted killings
A police sub-inspector, identified as Nazeer Khaskheli, was rubbed out near the Shama Shopping Centre in Shah Faisal Colony.
The dear departed was posted at the Shah Faisal Colony cop shoppe and was going somewhere when unidentified gunnies attacked him.
In Orangi Town, 40-year-old Bashir Ishaq, was rubbed out by unidentified gunnies in Rabbani Mohalla in Frontier Colony within the limits of the Pirabad cop shoppe. The dear departed reportedly hailed from Swat ...a valley and an administrative district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistain, located 99 mi from Islamabad. It is inhabited mostly by Pashto speakers. The place has gone steadily downhill since the days when Babe Ruth was the Sultan of Swat... and had arrived in Karachi only a couple of days back.
Thirty-year-old Zar Lal, son of Taj Muhammad, was also rubbed out in Orangi Town within the limits of the Iqbal Market cop shoppe.
In Gulshan-e-Buner, an elderly man, 60-year-old Azad Gul, was killed and a rickshaw driver, 24-year-old Hameed Gul, was maimed in a firing incident within the limits of Quaidabad cop shoppe. According to the police, the dear departed hailed from Bajaur Agency, aka Turban Central ...Smallest of the agencies in FATA. The Agency administration is located in Khar. Bajaur is inhabited almost exclusively by Tarkani Pashtuns, which are divided into multiple bickering subtribes. Its 52 km border border with Afghanistan's Kunar Province makes it of strategic importance to Pakistain's strategic depth...
Posted by: Fred ||
01/23/2014 00:00 ||
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KARACHI: For Anita and Akbari, Tuesday was the perfect day to combat a life-threatening disease. The health workers had been visiting Qayyumabads A Area to administer polio vaccines for over a year now. The people were always welcoming and the two women had developed a cordial relationship with the residents.
That morning, Anita and Akbari, had been assigned to cover street number 6. The other team, with Fahad Khaalil and Salma Bibi, were on street number 7. At approximately 10:10am, Khaalil had just knocked on the door of a two-storey house when two men on a motorcycle came up from behind and shot the two health workers several times. Fahad sustained five bullet-wounds and died on the spot. Salma was shot thrice. A passerby, Syed Asghar Ali Shah, was also injured.
The assailants then turned into the adjacent street and targeted Anita and Akbari. Both were shot dead at point-blank range in front of a four-storey house they had just approached. The criminals escaped firing shots into the air.
One of the women was still breathing when I reached the spot, a resident told The Express Tribune. They were lying on the street for around 10 minutes before anyone dared try to rescue them.
The bodies of the deceased and the injured were shifted to Jinnah Postgraduate and Medical Centre. Fahad, Akbari and Anita were pronounced dead on arrival, confirmed the medico-legal officer Dr Manzoor Memon.
The lone survivor of the targeted attack, Salma, fights for her life at the hospital. She is a widow and the only source of income for her three daughters and a son. Salma was shot once in each arm while one of the bullets also pierced her chest. Her condition is stable now, said Dr Memon.
Salmas family are in shock. What was her fault? Why was she attacked? questioned her daughter, Hina, hysterically.
Because she was doing good in the world...
The injured Shah was discharged from the hospital within four hours. He was on his way to the market when the first incident occurred, said Shahs grandson, Syed Kamran Shah.
Polio workers have announced to boycott the campaign across Sindh. They will not participate in the drive today (Wednesday).
We will not continue the campaign. We were assured by the government regarding security measures but they have failed us, said the president of Lady Health Workers Association, Bushra Arain.
We will register an FIR against the information minister, Arain told The Express Tribune. She blamed the Sindh government for the attack, adding that it had failed to provide adequate security to health workers despite repeated assurances.
Memon had said that our workers would be given security but it was a false statement, she contended.
Our female workers are not ready to go into the field in such a situation. The government should make an alternative plan. Parents could come to centres to get their children vaccinated. We cant keep risking our lives for just Rs250, said Arain.
She also demanded the government to compensate the deceased workers, adding that their families should also be given jobs.
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/23/2014 00:00 ||
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#1
Just crop-dust the place with polio virus and be done with it.
#2
If the Paks were serious about this, they would send an infantry platoon out with each inoculation team. I suspect, however, the people doing the killing are too useful to the govt (or govt factions) in other areas to put them down.
#3
While we mock the Pakistainis for their 'kinetic' approach to vaccination, we have a similar element in our own country. The anti-vaccine crowd has not resorted to violence yet, which is to say they have not sunk to the level of the eco-terrorists and animal rights nuts, but they are having an effect: A map of measles and whooping cough outbreaks
[An Nahar] Air strikes against Death Eater targets in Iraq's restive western province of Anbar killed at least 50 Death Eaters, the defense ministry said Wednesday.
Security forces "received accurate information and carried out painful and effective air strikes against terrorist gatherings in Anbar yesterday, January 21, that killed more than 50 terrorists," a ministry statement said.
The turbans included imported muscle of Arab nationality, and large quantities of ammunition were destroyed, the statement said, without giving further information.
The strikes were the latest in a series of security operations targeting Death Eater groups in Anbar in recent weeks.
Parts of scenic provincial capital Ramadi and all of nearby Fallujah, ... the City of Mosques, which might have somthing to do with why it's not called Center of Prosperity or a really nice place to raise your kids... near Storied Baghdad ...located along the Tigris River, founded in the 8th century, home of the Abbasid Caliphate... , have been under the control of anti-government fighters for weeks, after unrest in the cities late last month.
Security forces have joined with pro-government tribal militias to try to retake the cities.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/23/2014 00:00 ||
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[USATODAY] Israel's internal security agency said Wednesday it tossed in the clink Don't shoot, coppers! I'm comin' out! three Paleostinians for allegedly planning to blow up the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, the Jerusalem International Convention Center and other targets.
The Shin Bet intelligence agency said the three men, two from Jerusalem and one from the West Bank, were recruited by a Gazoo-based operator working on behalf of al-Qaeda leader Ayman Zawahiri. ... Formerly second in command of al-Qaeda, now the head cheese, occasionally described as the real brains of the outfit. Formerly the Mister Big of Egyptian Islamic Jihad. Bumped off Abdullah Azzam with a car boom in the course of one of their little disputes. Is thought to have composed bin Laden's fatwa entitled World Islamic Front Against Jews and Crusaders. Currently residing in the North Wazoo area. That is not a horn growing from the middle of his forehead, but a prayer bump, attesting to how devout he is... Aviv Oreg, an Israeli expert on al-Qaeda and Global Jihad, called the thwarted attack "very serious."
"It appears that this is the first time since 2001, when the so-called Shoe Bomber came to Israel to conduct reconnaissance for a possible attack, that hard-core al-Qaeda elements are involved within Israel."
The security agency said one of the arrested recruits revealed that he was in the initial stages of planning twin terror attacks at the embassy and convention center, where U.S. President B.O. spoke during his March 2013 visit to Israel.
The recruit said he was planning to travel to Syria to plan the attacks with other al-Qaeda-affiliated operatives who would attempt to enter Israel with fake Russian IDs.
The plan called for two jacket wallahs to blow themselves up at the embassy's entrance. At the same time in Jerusalem, gunnies planned to detonate a large bomb at the entrance to the convention center as people were entering, and another when first responders arrived.
Oreg said Israel would be particularly disturbed by the role of the Syrian-backed jihadists in the alleged plot.
"It seems that the three recruits were about to go to Syria, where they would have been trained to construct explosive mobile devices and would be joined, on their return, by foreigners, who are attracted to the Syrian jihadi arena," Oreg said. "This isn't a lone wolf. We know what al-Qaeda is capable of, so this is a big development."
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01/23/2014 00:00 ||
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#1
an attack? Or an impromptu internet movie review? At this point, what difference does it make?
Posted by: Frank G ||
01/23/2014 11:22 Comments ||
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A Jakarta court Tuesday jailed for seven-and-a-half years the mastermind of an Islamic extremist plot to bomb Myanmar's embassy, but the terrorist militant pledged to continue fighting the enemies of Islam.
Sigit Indrajid confessed at an earlier hearing to leading a group which plotted to attack the mission in Jakarta to avenge the killing of Rohingya Muslims in mainly Buddhist Myanmar. The plan was foiled last May when police caught two of the plotters riding a motorbike, and one of them was found to be carrying a backpack full of pipe-bombs. They had planned to launch the attack the following day.
Indrajid showed no remorse during the hearing and smiled during much of it. After he was sentenced, he said, I will continue fighting the enemies of Islam.
Before the verdict, Indrajid told reporters that he would fight after serving his jail term, saying the eight-year jail recommendation by prosecutors was nothing. He said, It is not a death sentence. We need to fight for the implementation of Islamic sharia law here.
The plotters were part of a network called Negara Islam Indonesia (The Islamic State of Indonesia), and Indrajid is the third person to be sentenced over the embassy bomb plan. The court previously heard how he met some of his accomplices on Facebook, where he posted messages about the need to avenge the killing of the Rohingya.
Hours before Indrajid was sentenced, police revealed they had arrested two terrorists militants in Indonesias second-biggest city of Surabaya for planning an attack on a red-light district and police posts. Isnaini Ramdhoni and Abdul Majid were detained late on Monday at a gas station in the city.
[An Nahar] Gunbattles rocked the northern city of Tripoli ...a confusing city, one end of which is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn... on Wednesday, leaving one soldier dead and eight others maimed.
The festivities, which also injured four civilians, resumed in the morning after a relatively calm night as the Lebanese army came under heavy gunfire.
"Military conscript Hussein Hamad Saad died of his wounds on Wednesday afternoon," an army communique announced.
"Saad was injured while performing his duty of preserving Tripoli's security," it remarked.
In another statement, the military institution explained that a troop carrier was hit at 6:40pm with a Rocket Propelled Grenade launched by gunnies in Tripoli's al-Tabbaneh-Hay al-Bazar area in the city.
The attack left three soldiers injured, among them two with severe wounds.
Meanwhile, ...back at the mall, Clarissa spent the day shopping for new underwear. Tonight was going to be a special occasion... another soldier was maimed when an army vehicle came under fire at 7:35pm at the Abou Ali roundabout in the northern city.
"Gunmen positioned in Bab al-Tabbaneh's vegetable market area fired an RPG at an army patrol, wounding four troops," the communique added.
Wednesday's fighting mainly took place in the hotspots of Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen, two impoverished neighborhoods that are the scenes of frequent sectarian festivities linked to the war in Syria.
Fighters used RPGs and automatic rifles.
The army however responded to the sources of fire.
The highway linking Tripoli with the district of Akkar was blocked as schools and universities were closed amid limited traffic.
One person was killed and several others were maimed on Tuesday, raising the corpse count to seven after five days of festivities.
The gunbattles erupted last Friday when a Jabal Mohsen man was rubbed out in nearby al-Qobbeh.
Caretaker Premier Najib Miqati, who on Wednesday held talks with Tripoli officials, told news hounds that several measures will be taken to bring back a normal life to the city's residents.
"We should restore the trust between the citizens and security agencies," he said.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/23/2014 00:00 ||
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[An Nahar] Two people were maimed in a border town in the northern district of Akkar after rockets landed in the area from the Syrian side of the border, the state-run National News Agency reported Wednesday.
NNA said one rocket hit the house of Mohammed Mahmoud Haydar in the town of Danke, injuring two of his sons.
The agency did not state whether they have suffered serious injuries. It only said they were taken to hospitals in the region.
Several other rockets hit nearby towns and villages, NNA added.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/23/2014 00:00 ||
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[An Nahar] Syrian troops shelled rebel positions and dropped barrel bombs on opposition-held areas Wednesday as an international peace conference opened in Switzerland ...home of the Helvetians, famous for cheese, watches, yodeling, and William Tell... , a monitoring group said.
Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Terror of Aleppo ... 's forces shelled rebel positions near the Saydnaya area north of Damascus, while fighting in Zabadani nearby killed at least 10 soldiers, including three officers, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Regime helicopters meanwhile dropped highly destructive so-called barrel bombs in the central Hama province, said the Observatory, a Britannia-based group that relies on a network of activists and other witnesses inside the country.
The dropping of explosives-filled barrels on residential areas has been widely condemned by rights groups because such weapons fail to distinguish between fighters and civilians.
In Homs, where rebel-held areas have been under siege for nearly 600 days, troops shelled the contested Waar neighborhood, home to thousands of people who have fled their homes in other parts of the city.
"The situation on the ground has not changed at all despite the talks opening in Switzerland. All the main frontlines are still extremely violent, just like yesterday," said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman.
In northern Syria rebels battled on the war's newest front against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant ... the current version of al-Qaeda in Iraq, just as blood-thirsty and well-beloved as the original... , an al-Qaeda linked jihadist group accused of kidnapping, torturing and killing rival rebels and activists.
A child was killed as rebels and ISIL exchanged fire in Darkush, in the northern Idlib province.
Earlier this month three major rebel alliances of moderate and Islamist opposition fighters launched a major offensive against ISIL in several parts of Syria.
While rebels fighting Assad's troops initially welcomed the jihadists, ISIL's quest for hegemony and its horrific abuses against rebels and civilian activists have angered much of the rest of the opposition.
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01/23/2014 00:00 ||
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[An Nahar] Syria's Aleppo international airport, closed for a year because of fighting, reopened Wednesday with the landing of a civilian aircraft, state media reported.
"A first airplane landed at Aleppo's international airport, after the Syrian army secured the outskirts," state news agency SANA reported.
State television reported live from the airport, its news hound standing in front of the Syrian Air plane.
The airport has been closed since January 2013, when advances by rebel forces in the northern province of Aleppo made it too dangerous to use.
In November, the army recaptured Base 80, responsible for security at the airport, and made progress in the surrounding area.
"Repairs were made at the airport, which had been attacked by terrorists," SANA said.
The Syrian government describes all those seeking to oust Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Despoiler of Deraa... as "terrorists".
Aleppo city, the country's former economic capital, has been devastated by fighting between the government and rebel forces that began in mid-2012.
Control of the city is now divided between the regime and rebels, and the opposition also holds much of Aleppo province.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/23/2014 00:00 ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
Wazoo
[TRIBUNE.PK] Nine people, including five in Lyari, were killed while five bodies were found in the city on Wednesday.
Thirty-year-old Zar Lal, son of Taj Muhammad, was also 
KARACHI: For Anita and Akbari, Tuesday was the perfect day to combat a life-threatening disease. The health workers had been visiting Qayyumabads A Area to administer polio vaccines for over a year now. The people were always welcoming and the two women had developed a cordial relationship with the residents.
Zawahiri.
[An Nahar] Gunbattles rocked the northern city of 
Najib Miqati
Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir 
Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir 
