Mali rebels say drop separatist goal

BAMAKO, July 15 (Reuters) - Tuareg-led Mali rebels who seized the north of the West African country in April declared on Sunday they had dropped claims for a separate state after the rebellion was hijacked by al Qaeda-linked Islamists now holding sway in the north. "We are seeking cultural, political and economic independence but not secession," Ibrahim Ag Assaleh, a senior...

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15 insurgents killed in Afghan operations

KABUL, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Up to 15 Taliban insurgents have been killed and six others detained in operations carried out by Afghan police, army and NATO-led coalition forces within the past 24 hours, the country's Interior Ministry said Sunday morning. "A total of seven armed Taliban insurgents were also wounded during the 10 raids launched by the joint forces in Nangarhar,...

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18 wounded in twin blasts in E. Afghanistan

Districts of Logar. This image does not include Azra district, located to the east of Khoshi and Mohammad Agha. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) PUL-E-ALAM, Afghanistan, July 15 (Xinhua) -- At least 18 people were wounded Sunday morning in twin bomb attacks in eastern Afghan province of Logar, the police said. "Our report said that a total of 18 people with majority of them civilians...

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Afghan minister survives assassination attempt

Districts of Kunduz. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) An Afghan government minister has survived a bomb attack on his motorcade in northern Afghanistan, the second assault on a high-profile politician in two days. However, two of his bodyguards were wounded, provincial officials said. Higher Education Minister Obaidullah Obaid was travelling from Baghlan to Kunduz province...

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R.I.P. - Sgt. Michael E. Ristau

DOD Identifies Army Casualty             The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.             Sgt. Michael E. Ristau, 25, of Rockford, Ill., died July 13 in Qalat, Zabul province, Afghanistan,...

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July 15., 2012. - ISAF Joint Command Morning Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan – An Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation to detain a Haqqani weapons dealer in Khost district, Khost province, today. The Haqqani weapons dealer supplies weapons, explosives and improvised explosive device components to insurgents throughout the region. The operation resulted in the detention of several suspected insurgents. In...

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July 14., 2012. - RC-East operational update

BAGRAM, Afghanistan – Afghan and coalition forces detained four insurgents, located three weapons caches and cleared eight improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, July 14. Ghazni province Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared two IEDs in Ghazni sistrict. Khowst province Afghan...

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