ADEN, Yemen, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- Gunmen shot dead a senior police officer in Yemen's southeastern province of Hadramout on Friday evening, a provincial security official told Xinhua.
Two unidentified gunmen believed to be linked to al-Qaida militants fired at a security checkpoint in the Shaher district in Hadramout province, killing a high-ranking police officer, the official said on condition of anonymity.
"A barrage of bullets hit the military vehicle of Colonel Mubar Barfah, head of the police investigations in the city, and killed him," the official said.
The attackers managed to escape after the shooting, he said.
No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the incident, but the attack bore the hallmarks of the al-Qaida in the Arabian peninsula (AQAP), according to the security official.
Taking advantage of Yemen's unrest to bolster their presence in the country's southern and eastern regions, the AQAP militants have been launching sporadic shoot-outs and motorbike attacks on security and intelligence officials during the past several months.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Friday met his French
counterpart, Nicolas Sarkozy and signed a strategic partnership
agreement.
The Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently said the strategic
partnership with France will span 20 years and cover economic, security
and political co-operation.
Saturday, 28 January 2012 10:26 Last Updated on Saturday, 28 January 2012 10:34
Written by TOLOnews.com
France on Friday announced it will pull its combat forces out of Afghanistan one year ahead of the scheduled Nato withdrawal.
Mr Sarkozy said France had told the US of its plan and will present it at a February 2 meeting of Nato Defence Ministers in Brussels.
"We have decided in a common accord with President Karzai to ask Nato to consider a total handing of Nato combat missions to the Afghan army over the course of 2013," Mr Sarkozy said.
The US plans to withdraw the 33,000 "surge" troops sent to Afghanistan in 2010 by the end of the summer.
The military believes that the remaining 68,000 should stay until the end of the 2014 summer fighting season to maintain and expand what they say are gains against the Taliban.
Mr Sarkozy said France will withdraw combat troops by the end of 2013. He said France will start training Afghan troops again on Saturday.
France halted its training mission on January 20 after an Afghan National Army soldier shot and killed four French soldiers and wounded 17 others in eastern Kapisa province.
After the attack Mr Sarkozy immediately suspended the training and joint French military patrols with Afghan forces.
France has around 4,000 troops in Afghanistan; it lost 82 soldiers during the war.
Meanwhile, US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said that the timetable announced by France was worked through by both the Afghans and Nato as part of efforts to transfer security authority to Afghanistan.
"We, obviously, want to continue to work together to ensure that this is implemented in a way that is consistent with the efforts of all of Nato to give increasing authority to the Afghans, and that it is smooth," she said.
Nato said it had "taken note" of Mr Sarkozy's statement.
Nato first set the 2014 target 14 months ago and has scheduled a summit in Chicago in May to begin to flesh out withdrawal plans.
Mr Karzai said: "We hope to finish the transition, to complete this transition of authority to the Afghan forces, to the Afghan government, by the end of 2013 at the earliest or by the latest as has been agreed upon by the end of 2014."
Afghan security forces took over responsibility for providing security in seven areas in the first phrase of transition. The second phase of transition has started, with Afghan troops taking control of 18 new areas from foreign troops.
There are around 130,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan fighting insurgents; 90,000 of them are from the US.
It is with great sadness
that the Ministry of Defence must announce that a soldier serving with
1st Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment was killed in Afghanistan today,
Friday 27 January 2012.
Serving as part of Combined Force Nahr-e Saraj (North), the soldier
was a member of an International Security Assistance Force foot patrol
to disrupt insurgent activity in the Khar Nikah region of Nahr-e Saraj
district, Helmand province, when he received a fatal gunshot wound.
Spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Lieutenant Colonel Gordon Mackenzie, said:
"It is my very sad duty to inform you that a soldier serving with 1st
Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment was fatally wounded in an insurgent
attack while on a foot patrol to disrupt insurgent activity in the Khar
Nikah area of Nahr-e Saraj district in Helmand province.
"Our deepest condolences are with his family and friends at this tragic time."
The soldier's family have been informed and have asked for a period of grace before further details are released.
KABUL, Afghanistan (Jan. 28) – An Afghan and
coalition security force captured a Taliban leader during an operation
in Maiwand district, Kandahar province, today.
The leader was part of an explosives cell and coordinated the shipment of weapons and ammunition for use by insurgent fighters.
The security force confiscated multiple bomb-making materials and detained two suspected insurgents during the operation.
In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:
East In
Nadir Shah Kot district, Khost province, an Afghan led and coalition
supported security force conducted an operation in search of a Taliban
leader today. The leader directs insurgent operations throughout Nadir
Shah Kot district. The security force detained multiple suspected
insurgents during the operation.
An Afghan led and coalition
supported security force conducted an operation in Ghazni district,
Ghazni province, yesterday. During the operation, the Afghan security
force identified a group of individuals engaged in suspicious activity.
The security force investigated and detained several suspected
insurgents. The detainees were taken in by Afghan security forces for
further questioning.
In Ahmadabad district, Paktiya province,
an Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation in search
of a Haqqani Network leader today. The leader is responsible for
multiple attacks in Gardez province and directs insurgents in roadside
bomb and complex attacks throughout the area. The security force seized
bomb-making materials and detained one suspected insurgent during the
operation.
Afghan-led and coalition-supported security force captured a Taliban facilitator during an operation at southern Helmand province.
NATO-led International Security Assistance Force following a statement on Friday said, the Taliban facilitator was detained following an operation at Nahr-e-Saraj district fof southern Helmand province.
The source further added, the leader conducted direct-fire attacks in Nahr-e Saraj district and distributed ammunition and bomb-making materials to insurgent fighters throughout Helmand province.
One additional suspected insurgent was detained during the operation, officials said.
In the meantime another Taliban facilitator during an operation in Lashkar Gah district, Helmand province following an operation by Afghan and Coalition security forces.
The facilitator distributed weapons and explosives to insurgent fighters and coordinated roadside bomb attacks against Afghan forces throughout the area.
Multiple suspected insurgents were detained during the operation.
According to ISAF officials, Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban facilitator during an operation in Jalrayz district, Wardak province.
IsAF officials further added, the facilitator distributed homemade explosives and weapons to insurgent fighters throughout Maidan Shahr district.
Meanwhile in eastern Khost province Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation in search of a Haqqani leader.
The leader constructs roadside bombs and distributes weapons to insurgents in Bak and Terayzai districts.
The security force confiscated multiple weapons and ammunition and detained several suspected insurgents during the operation.
According to local authorities in eastern Afghanistan, at least 3 insurgents planting roadside bombs were killed following an air raid by NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in eastern Khost province.
The officials further added, the incident took place on Thursday night at Haram Khel village in central Lakan in eastern Khost province.
According to reports, one of the insurgents was detained following the operation, along with explosives and other equipments at the scene of the incident.
Security forces launched an operation to detain one of the insurgents who managed to flee the area, officials.
At least three more suspects were detained during the search operation.
International Security Assistance Force Media and eastern Khost provincial police chief Sardar Zazai confirmed the operations.
Taliban, the main militants group fighting the Afghan government and NaTO-led International Coalition Security Forces yet to comment regarding the reports.
BAGHDAD -- A suicide bomber detonated an explosives-packed car near a funeral procession in Baghdad on Friday, killing at least 32 people - including six policemen who were guarding the march - in the latest brazen attack since the U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq.
Police said the blast struck around 11:00 a.m. in the predominantly Shiite neighborhood of Zafaraniyah, where mourners had gathered for the funeral of a person killed the day before. They said 65 people were wounded in the attack, including 16 police.
Hospital officials confirmed the death toll.
People clean the scene of a car bomb attack in Zafaraniyah, Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, Jan. 27, 2012. (AP / Khalid Mohammed)
An Afghan security force service member on Wednesday evening shot dead a relative of the Afghan Parliament member Aashiqullah in northern Pul-e-Khumri city.
Hashmatullah the brother of Haji Aashiqullah’s wife died of his wounds in the hospital after he was shot two bullets by Farshid, a service member of the Afghan Reserved forces.
The main motive behind the assassination of Hashmat was recongized as personal issues between the two individuals.
According to local officials, Hashmatullah married with the sister of assailant Farshid’s sister after they both escaped.
Security chief for the second district of northern Pul-e-Khhumri city Gen. Fazal-ur-Rahman confirming the report said, the assailant security service member Farshid managed to flee the area after shooting his sister’s husband Hashmat.
He also said, Afghan security forces have launched a search operation to detain Farshid.
NATO troops succeeded to clear the Nawa District of central Ghazni province from Taliban militants after four years struggle. The international troops have launched the clearance operations in Nawa district many weeks ago.
Ghazni Governor Muhammad Musa Akbarzada said that the provincial Government will soon appoint the new district governor and security chief of Nawa district. The Governor added that Afghan security forces have not deployed in Nawa district yet.
Nawa district is one of few Afghan districts that had controlled by Taliban for four years.
Nawa district was being important for Taliban as it is located near Afghan border with Pakistan and local authorities considered Nawa as save heaven for Taliban.
NATO and Afghan security forces have recently fasten their military operations in areas that are under Taliban control.
Meanwhile, it is said that Ghazni city will be named as “central of Islamic Civilization”.
But despite of major development work and achievements in Ghazni, insecurity is till the main challenge for government and local residents.
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