Car bombs kill 23 Shi'ite Muslims in Iraqi capital

(Reuters) - Three car bombings killed 23 Shi'ite Muslims during mourning processions in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Tuesday, police and hospital sources said.

Dozens more were injured in the explosions. They struck during the holy month of Ashura, of special significance to Shi'ites who are prime targets of al Qaeda's Iraqi affiliate and other Sunni Muslim insurgents.

Attacks on Iraqi Shi'ites tend to increase during Ashura, but Tuesday's was the first major one so far this year.

The deadliest attack on Tuesday occurred in the Shuala district, where a car bomb parked outside a Shi'ite place of worship exploded as people were leaving the building, killing nine.

"I saw lots of blood on the ground," said policeman Hashem Abbas, who witnessed the blast. He said shoes and torn clothing were scattered around the area.

Two other blasts killed seven people each.

Violence in Iraq has eased since the carnage of 2006-2007, but Sunni Islamists still launch frequent attacks, seeking to reignite sectarian strife and undermine the Shi'ite-led government's claim to provide security.

from REUTERS
BAGHDAD | Tue Nov 27, 2012 6:23pm GMT
(Reporting by Kareem Raheem; Writing by Isabel Coles; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

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15 Armed Taliban Killed in Laghman Province (27.Nov.2012.)

Publish Date: Nov 27, 2012

15 Armed Taliban Killed in Laghman Province

Afghan National Police, Afghan National Army, NDS and Coalition Forces launched a joint clearance operation in the Abozai village, Mahtarlam City capital of Laghman province last night and the operation is still going on.

As a result of this operation, 15 armed Taliban were killed including a local commander of Taliban (Dr.Zamary) and six other armed Taliban were wounded.

Also, during this operation, Afghan National Security Forces discovered and confiscated 15 different types of weapons consist of: two rocket launchers and one PKM machine gun.

Also, during this operation no ANSF member was harmed.

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Car bombs kill 4 in Iraq's Kirkuk

KIRKUK, Iraq, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- Up to four people were killed and 41 wounded in three car bomb explosions in Iraq's northern city of Kirkuk on Tuesday morning, a local police source told Xinhua.

One of the explosions occurred at Rezgari district near an office of a Kurdish party, while a second explosion ripped through Shorja district near a gas station in central city. A third car bombing took place in northern Kirkuk, some 250 km north of Baghdad, the source said on condition of anonymity.

"The latest report said that three car bomb explosions went off in Kirkuk, killing a total of four people and wounding 41 others," the source said.

Earlier, the source said that two car bomb ripped through Kikruk and put the toll at three killed and 20 wounded.

The attacks came a day after talks by Iraq's federal and Kurdish military leaders in Baghdad resulted in reaching an initial agreement to ease tensions in the disputed areas in northern Iraq.

The ethnically mixed province of Kirkuk and its capital Kirkuk City are part of the disputed areas between the Kurds and both Arabs and Turkomans.

Violence and sporadic high-profile bomb attacks are still common in the Iraqi cities despite the dramatic decrease in violence since its peak in 2006 and 2007, when the country was engulfed in sectarian killings.

from XINHUA
2012-11-27 18:25:17

Related articles

• Bombs kill six in Iraq's disputed Kirkuk province (nation.com.pk)
• Bombs kill four Kurds in Iraq's disputed areas (news.terra.com)

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9 insurgents join peace process, 8 killed

ASADABAD (PAN): A Taliban commander and eight of his associates joined the reconciliation process in eastern Kunar province on Tuesday, officials said.
The individuals, who were active in the Shonkri valley of Sarkano district, renounced the insurgency as a result of efforts by intelligence operatives, Governor Syed Fazlullah Wahidi said.

Addressing ceremony in Asadabad, he said the situation in Kunar following security transition to Afghan forces in the provincial capital and three districts.

As a result, security organs, peace council members and public representatives have stepped up contacts with the armed opposition to motivate them into join the reconciliation drive.

The rebel commander, Mohammad Shafiq, said they were operating in Sarkano district under the leadership of Abdul Wali. "We have decided to join the peace effort after realizing that some people are using us to achieve their nefarious designs."

Separately, eight rebels were killed during a joint operation in eastern Laghman province on Tuesday, said the governor's spokesman, Sarhadi Zwak. The operation was conducted by Afghan forces and foreign troops in Abuzai, Armal and Bahlawan Baba areas of Mehtarlam, the provincial capital.

from Pajhwok
By Mahbob Shah Mahbob & Khan Wali Salarzai Nov 27, 2012 - 16:10

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Nov. 27., 2012. - ISAF Joint Command Morning Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan – Yesterday, an Afghan and coalition security force conducted a security operation in Watahpur district, Kunar province that resulted in the death of the local Taliban leader, Amirullah.

Amirullah was involved in the unsuccessful suicide attack that targeted the anti-terrorism chief in Asadabad district, Kunar province, Nov 12. He was also involved in coordinating the movement of weapons, ammunition and various military supplies for insurgents in the province.


In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:

North

An Afghan-led security force, supported by coalition troops, detained three suspected insurgents during an operation in search of a Taliban leader in Archi district, Kunduz province, today. The Taliban leader is an improvised explosive device facilitator who coordinates IED attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

South

Today in Shah Wali Kot district, Kandahar province, an Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban facilitator suspected of being responsible for overseeing improvised explosive device and mine emplacement. It is also suspected that he trained other Taliban insurgents to build and test IEDs. During the operation, the combined security force detained three suspected insurgents and seized multiple weapons.

An Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation in In Shahid-e-Hasas district, Uruzgan province, yesterday that killed one insurgent. During the operation, the combined force also destroyed two caches that contained materials used in the construction of improvised explosive devices.

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Nov. 27., 2012. - RC-East operational update

BAGRAM, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition forces detained four insurgents, located a weapons cache and cleared four improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Nov. 26.

Ghazni province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces discovered a weapons cache in Ghazni district. The cache contained small arms, grenades and a barrel of silver nitrate.

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared two IEDs, one in Gelan district and one in Waghaz district.

Khowst province
Afghan National Security Forces coalition forces detained three insurgents during engagements in Khowst and Sabari districts. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.

Laghman province
Afghan National Army soldiers found and safely cleared an IED in Mehtar Lam district.

Nangarhar province
Afghan Uniformed Police and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Shinwar district.

Paktya province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces detained an insurgent during an engagement in Gardez district. The detained suspect was transferred to a base for questioning.

Operations in RC-East are still ongoing.

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