Thursday, November 22, 2012

Nigeria to send 600 troops to Mali: minister

ABUJA, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria will send a total of 600 out of the 3,300 troops pledged by ECOWAS, for deployment to contain rebel militants in Northern Mali, a top government official said on Wednesday.

Minister of State for Defense Olusola Obada said so to a delegation from the United Kingdom led by the representative of the Prime Minister of Britain in the Sahel, Stephen O'Brien, in her office in Abuja.

O'Brien was in Abuja to dialogue with Nigerian leaders on the rising insecurity in the Sahel, especially the crisis in Northern Mali, and to get first hand information on the areas.

The minister said that security in the Sahel region was not just of concern to West Africa but also to the entire international community.

She also regretted that the Sahel region has become home to cells of terrorist organizations who are exporting insecurity not only in Northern Mali but in the sub-region.

She said while the country was aware of the forthcoming elections in Mali, the elections should be held in the whole of Mali and not just a part of the country, thereby necessitating the need to sort out the issue of Northern Mali before the election.

from XINHUA
2012-11-22 08:22:02
Editor: Yamei Wang

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TTP claims responsibility for Karachi, Rawalpindi blasts

The TTP spokesman was talking to Dawn.com’s correspondent from an undisclosed location.— Dawn File Photo


PESHAWAR: Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan while talking to Dawn.com’s correspondent on Thursday, said that the TTP was responsible for the blasts carried out a day earlier near Imambargahs in Rawalpindi and Karachi.

While giving details of the attacks Ehsan said that the organisation had carried out a suicide blast in Rawalpindi whereas the twin explosions in Karachi were planted bombs adding that it would stage more attacks on Shias over the next few days.

The statement came after the TTP had claimed responsibility for two earlier blasts on the same  day in Bannu and Shangla areas, bringing the tally of cities targeted on Wednesday to four.

from DAWN 

---

from nation.com.pk:

TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan while talking to a private TV, said that the TTP was responsible for the blasts carried out a day earlier near Imambargahs in Rawalpindi and Karachi.

While giving details of the attacks Ahsan said that the organisation had carried out a suicide blast in Rawalpindi whereas the twin explosions in Karachi were planted bombs.

"We carried out the attacks (on Wednesday) in Rawalpindi and Karachi because the Shia community is engaged in defiling the Prophet," he added

The statement came after the TTP had claimed responsibility for two earlier blasts on the same day in Bannu and Shangla areas, bringing the tally of cities targeted on Wednesday to four.
In an unrelated incident a minor blast took place in Jamrud near the same spot where a Nato driver was killed a day earlier.

Construction workers on the New Torkham highway found a pressure-cooker bomb while conducting digging work in the area. The bomb disposal squad (BDS) reached the spot and defused the bomb.

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Nov. 22., 2012. - ISAF Joint Command Morning Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan – Afghan and coalition forces confirmed today the deaths of three Taliban senior leaders to include the number one Taliban leader in western Logar province, during a security operation in Logar province Wednesday.

At the time of his death, Abu Baker was the number one Taliban leader in western Logar province who facilitated weapons to insurgents throughout western Logar, planned attacks against Afghan and coalition forces, and was directly involved in foreign fighter facilitation.

Bashir was a Taliban leader involved in the Aug. 7 suicide vehicle improvised explosive device attack on Forward Operating Base Shank, and directly linked to the final, pre-execution stages of planning for an impending vehicle-borne IED attack targeting Afghan and coalition forces in Logar province.

Taliban leader, Zarqawi, facilitated weapons in order to execute numerous attacks on Afghan and coalition forces to include IED, direct and indirect fire.

During the operation, a number of additional insurgents were killed, one suspected insurgent was detained and the security force seized several rocket-propelled grenades and multiple assault rifles.

In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:

North

An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban facilitator in Kunduz province Wednesday. The arrested facilitator is suspected of being directly involved in the purchasing and distribution of weapons to Taliban fighters for use in attacks on Afghan and coalition forces. The security force also detained one suspected insurgent and seized rocket-propelled grenades, mortars, hand grenades, assault rifles and assorted ammunition as a result of the operation.

South

An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader in Kandahar province today. The arrested leader is believed to have provided command guidance while coordinating IED emplacement and ambush attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. During the operation, the security force also detained two suspected insurgents.

Afghan and coalition forces confirmed today the arrest of a Taliban senior leader in Nimroz province Wednesday. The arrested leader is suspected of being a financier involved in the purchasing and movement of weapons and providing intelligence to Taliban senior leaders. The security force also detained a number of suspected insurgents as a result of the operation.



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Nov. 22., 2012. - RC-East operational update

BAGRAM, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition detained two insurgents, located a weapons cache and cleared six improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Nov. 21.

Ghazni Province
Afghan National Police and coalition forces found and safely cleared four IEDs in Khogani District.

Khowst Province
Afghan Uniformed Police and coalition forces detained two insurgents during an engagement in Gurbuz District. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.

Paktika Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared two IEDs, one in Yahya Khel District and one in Giyan District.

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces discovered a weapons cache in Sharan District. The cache contained four missiles, 16 mortar rounds, seven rocket-propelled grenades, ammunition, a remote control missile launcher and a pair of binoculars.

Operations in RC-East are still ongoing.


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From al Qaeda in Italy to Ansar al Sharia Tunisia

Abu Iyad preaches during a rally in Tunisia in front of a flag commonly used by al Qaeda in Iraq. On the right (Iyad's left), in orange, is Sami Ben Khemais Essid. On the left (Iyad's right, also in orange), according to L'Espresso, is Mehdi Kammoun.
By Thomas Joscelyn - November 21, 2012 - LWJ

Two convicted members of an al Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group in Italy are now senior members of Ansar al Sharia Tunisia. The pair, Sami Ben Khemais Essid and Mehdi Kammoun, were arrested in 2001 and sentenced to several years in prison for their terrorist plotting as operatives in the Tunisian Combatant Group (TCG).

They were each subsequently deported to their native Tunisia, where they were imprisoned by President Ben Ali's regime. In the wake of the Arab Spring, Essid and Kammoun were freed.

The US government has previously identified Essid as the head of al Qaeda's operations in Italy. In early 2001, Essid plotted to attack the US Embassy in Rome, among other targets.

Essid's and Kammoun's role in Ansar al Sharia Tunisia was first reported by L'Espresso, a weekly Italian news magazine. L'Espresso identified the two in a video of Ansar al Sharia Tunisia's leader, Seifallah ben Hassine, also known as Abu Iyad. They can be seen wearing orange vests, flanking Abu Iyad on both sides.

The Long War Journal has found the same video online. A side-by-side comparison of a screen shot from the video and a known photo of Essid is shown below. Essid has subsequently been interviewed by an Algerian newspaper, which confirmed that he is now a leader in Ansar al Sharia Tunisia. A similar photo of Kammoun was not immediately available for comparison purposes.

Ansar al Sharia Tunisia orchestrated the Sept. 14 assault on the US Embassy in Tunis. The attack did extensive damage to US interests, including a school. Several people were killed during a subsequent confrontation between the rioters and Tunisian security forces.


Sami Ben Khemais Essid. On the left, Essid attends an Ansar al Sharia Tunisia rally. On the right, Essid as pictured by the US State Department.


Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2012/11/from_al_qaeda_in_ita.php#ixzz2CwJsfjPF
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Suicide attack near Rawalpindi Imambargah; 12 dead, 36 injured

People run away after a blast in Karachi on Wednesday. – Photo by AP
ISLAMABAD: A suicide attack near an Imambargah on Misrial Road in Rawalpindi on Wednesday has left at least 12 people dead and 36 others injured, DawnNews reported.

Police officials said that a suicide bomber had tried to enter a procession near the Imambargah, where the bomber detonated the explosives after being stopped by security forces.

The injured have been taken to a nearby hospital. However, due to area being heavily populated, rescue workers were reported to be having difficulties.

The bodies of five people killed in the blast have been taken to the DHQ Hospital Rawalpindi.

The Misrial Road area was put on high alert by the authorities during the Muslim holy month of Muharram.

Electricity within the vicinity of the area in which the explosion took place has reportedly gone.
Emergency has been declared at all hospitals of the city. The army along with the police and other security agencies have cordoned off the area.

The attack came hours after two bomb blasts killed at least two people near a gathering of Shias in Karachi and a remote-control blast killed at least five in Quetta. 

The violence erupted a day before Pakistan hosts a summit of developing nations attended by the leaders of Iran, Egypt, Turkey, Indonesia and other countries. Some of the presidents have already arrived.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik said the attacks were designed to create the impression that the government is incapable of providing adequate security for the summit.

“We are trying to build relationships, get investment in Pakistan and these groups are trying to derail the process,” he told Reuters.

Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has strongly condemned the bombing. In an official statement the prime minister said that the country was united and would never submit to terrorism.

He also said that those injured in the blast be provided with the best medical attention.

President Asif Zardari, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, MQM chief Altaf Hussain and Governor Sindh Dr Ishratul Ibad have also strongly condemned the attack.

from DAWN,
5 hours ago
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