Wednesday, March 6, 2013

At least 17 killed, 43 wounded in separate attacks in Iraq

People gather at the blast site in Kirkuk, Iraq, March 5, 2013. Two car bombs hit police targets in the city of Kirkuk, some 250 km north of Iraqi capital of Baghdad, killing five policemen and wounding 17 people -- among them some policemen, a local police source anonymously told Xinhua. At least 17 people were killed and 43 wounded in separate voilent attacks in central and northern Iraq on Tuesday, the police said. (Xinhua/Dena Saad)
BAGHDAD, March 5 (Xinhua) -- At least 17 people were killed and 43 wounded in separate voilent attacks in central and northern Iraq on Tuesday, the police said.
Two car bombs hit police targets in the city of Kirkuk, some 250 km north of Iraqi capital of Baghdad, killing five policemen and wounding 17 people -- among them some policemen, a local police source anonymously told Xinhua.

In a separate incident, a car bomb went off near a football field at the town of Bani Saad, west of the provincial capital city of Baquba, some 65 km northeast of Baghdad, killing three people and wounding 20 others, said a provincial police source, who added that five of the wounded are in critical condition.

Earlier in the day, the police reportedly said that nine people were killed and six others wounded in separate shootings in central and northern areas of the country.

Tariq Harrosh, a leader of a government-backed Awakening Council group, was shot dead by two gunmen on a motorcycle in front of his house in Abu Ghraib area in the west suburb of Baghdad, a local police source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Separately, gunmen in the early morning broke into the house of another leader of the Sunni paramilitary group in the town of al- Siniyah, some 200 km north of Baghdad, and shot dead the leader's father and mother and critically wounded him before they fled the scene, a local police source anonymously told Xinhua.

The Awakening Council group, also known as Sons of Iraq movement or Sahwa, consists of mostly anti-U.S. Sunni insurgent militant groups, who fought al-Qaida network after Sahwa's leaders became dismayed by al-Qaida's brutality and religious zealotry in the country.

Also, two people were killed and a third was wounded when two gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire at them in a village near the city of Tuz-Khurmato, some 90 km east of Tikrit city, the capital of Iraq's Salahudin province north of Baghdad, a provincial police source said.

Salahudin province is a Sunni-dominated province. Its capital Tikrit is the hometown of former President Saddam Hussein.

Meanwhile, gunmen in their car opened fire at a convoy of vehicles carrying the mayor of the city of al-Qayyara, some 50 km south of Mosul, the capital city of Nineveh province, while travelling on a main road south of his city, a Nineveh provincial police source told Xinhua, adding that the mayor was seriously wounded along with two of his bodyguards.

Nineveh province has long been a stronghold for insurgent groups, including al-Qaida militants. Its capital city of Mosul, some 400 km north of Baghdad, is one of the country's most restive cities.

In Baghdad, gunmen attacked a real estate office in Sabie al- Bour area in northern the capital, killing two people and wounding another, an Interior Ministry source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

In addition, two civilians were shot dead in two attacks by gunmen using silenced weapons in al-Saidiyah district in southern Baghdad, the source said.

Violence is still common in Iraqi cities despite the dramatic decrease since its peak in 2006 and 2007, when the country was engulfed in sectarian killings.

from XINHUA
2013-03-06 03:34:16

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In Several Joint Clearance Operations, 13 Armed Taliban Killed (Mar.06.2013.)



Publish Date: Mar 06, 2013
In Several Joint Clearance Operations, 13 Armed Taliban Killed

Counterterrorism:
In past 24 hours, Afghan National Police conducted several joint clearance operations with the cooperation of Afghan National Army, NDS and Coalition Forces to clean some of the areas from terrorists and enemies of peace and stability of Afghanistan.

The operations were conducted in Kandahar, Maidan Wardak, Khost, Farah, Badghis and Helmand provinces, as a result 13 armed Taliban were killed, four wounded and two other armed Taliban were arrested by Afghan National Security Forces.

Also, during these operations, Afghan National Police discovered and confiscated 627 kilos of opium and 16 different types of mines.

During the same 24 hour period, Afghan National Police discovered and defused an anti-vehicle mine placed by enemies of Afghanistan in the Shahr Safa district of Zabul province.
 
Counter Crimes:
The 101 Kabul Zone National Police detained a suspect accused of theft in the 11th District of Kabul-City.
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Taliban abduct and kill 16 Afghan soldiers in Badakhshan

Districts of Badakhshan.
Districts of Badakhshan. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
According to reports Taliban militants group handed over the dead bodies of 16 Afghan national army soldiers to local officials in north-eastern Badakhshan province.
The soldiers were reportedly shot dead by Taliban militants following a fire gun battle in Wardaj district on Monday.

Taliban militants group following a statement confirmed, “A deadly fighting was reported in northern Badakhshan province on Monday. Mujahideen officials said the fight flared up in Wardaj district of the province at about 1:00 p.m. local time and went on till the evening hours of the day,  killing more than15 puppets and wounding a number of the enemy troops.

Mujahideen captured some 12 puppet soldiers as well as seizing 37 heavy and light machine guns and rockets and 2 ranger vehicles from the possession of the enemy amid fighting, whereas 2 Mujahids became martyr and one more hurt during the fighting.

About 8 enemy’s vehicle are said to have been destroyed in Monday’s fighting”

In the meantime local officials in Badakhshan province said Taliban militants released seven Afghan police officers who were captured during the gun battle in Wardaj district.

The officials confirmed that Afghan security forces suffered heavy casualties during the gun battle and several others were captured by the Taliban militants.

from KHAAMA
By Sayed Jawad - 05 Mar 2013, 10:27 pm

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Nigeria: Sultan Urges Amnesty for Boko Haram

Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad
The Sultan of Sokoto yesterday urged President Goodluck Jonathan to use the opportunity of his visit to Maiduguri scheduled for tomorrow to grant amnesty to Boko Haram fighters in order to restore peace in the North.

Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar spoke in Kaduna at the opening of the annual central council meeting of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), which was attended by senior traditional rulers and Muslim leaders from across the country.

This is the first time the Sultan publicly canvassed amnesty for members of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lid Da’awati Wal Jihad, though he had previously urged for dialogue between government and the sect.

Abubakar said President Jonathan should use the few members of the sect who denounced terrorism to reach out to others who have yet to do that. He was apparently referring to a Boko Haram faction which announced a ceasefire recently but was later disowned by sect leader Abubakar Shekau.

“I want to use this opportunity to advise the President, as we heard he is planning to visit Borno State on Thursday, to see how he can declare total amnesty to all combatants without thinking twice,” said the Sultan, who is President-General of the JNI.

“This will make any other person who picks up arms to be termed as a criminal. If the amnesty is declared, it will make all those who have been tired of running and hiding to come out and embrace the amnesty.

“Some of them have already come out. In fact, we heard stories in the papers that some have come out. Even if it is one person that denounces terrorism, it is the duty of the government to accept that person because he can be used to reach others. Whether it is true or not, the government should accept that person first and then interrogate him to see if he really belongs or not.

“Some people think we are not doing anything as leaders in the North. No, we have done enough and I want to commend all of you in what you have been doing. We will continue to do so despite criticisms because we know what we are doing.  In sha Allah we will continue to talk with the government to be just in whatever they do.”

He said the JNI was committed to peace and would therefore continue to advise the political authorities on the way forward.

“We want to tell our political leaders and religious leaders the truth on the way forward for this country. We will continue to advise the government at all levels. If they do what they ought to do, Alhamdulillah (Thanks be to God). If they don’t do we will continue to tell them to do the right thing because it is our duty to tell them,” he said.

Continue & Read more from The Daily Trust
Published on Wednesday, 06 March 2013 05:00
Written by Ismail Mudashir (Kaduna), Hamza Idris, Ibrahim Sawab (Maiduguri) & Hamisu Kabir Matazu (Damaturu)

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Three al-Qaida members captured over suicide bombing in southern Yemen

ADEN, Yemen, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Pro-government militiamen captured Tuesday three members of the Yemen-based al-Qaida offshoot in southern Abyan province who were linked to a suicide bombing that killed 12 people, a tribal chief told Xinhua.

About three terrorists suspected of masterminding a suicide bombing that killed 12 pro-government militiamen in Abyan's town of Lauder were captured inside an al-Qaida-held house, the local tribal chief said on condition of anonymity.

"The captured men were accused of planning attacks against pro- government militiamen. Explosives along with grenades, automatic rifles and pistols were seized inside the house," the tribal source added.

On Monday, an al-Qaida suicide attacker slammed his explosives- packed vehicle into a post run by pro-government militiamen in Lauder town, killing 12 people and wounding 16 others.

The al-Qaida militants frequently use improvised explosive devices, roadside bombs and carry out suicide attacks against the security forces, pro-government militiamen and intelligence officials in southern regions.

The Yemen-based al-Qaida branch, known locally as Ansar al- Sharia (Partisans of Islamic Law), took advantage of a political upheaval in 2011 in Yemen to take over several towns of the southern restive regions.

The militants were targeted by Yemeni security authorities after a U.S.-backed offensive launched in Abyan province months ago routed the militants out of their strongholds that they had controlled for nearly a year.

The Yemeni government has beefed up anti-terror operation since Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi took office in February 2012.

from XINHUA
2013-03-06 01:14:42

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Mar. 06., 2013. - ISAF Joint Command Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan and coalition force killed one insurgent and wounded two others, including a Taliban commander, during a security operation in Giro district, Ghazni province, yesterday.

The Taliban commander exercised operational control over Taliban fighters in the area and was responsible for improvised explosive device attacks against Afghan and coalition forces, as well as executing a campaign of fear and intimidation against local citizens in order to degrade support for the government of Afghanistan.

In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout
Afghanistan:

South

An Afghan and coalition force killed a Taliban leader, Biragh, during a security operation in Marjeh district, Helmand province, yesterday.
Biragh was responsible for conducting IED and small arms attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He coordinated the activities of multiple fighters and played a crucial role in facilitating weapons to insurgents throughout Helmand district.

North

An Afghan and coalition force killed a Taliban IED expert, Mushtaq, during a security operation in Kunduz district, Kunduz province, yesterday. Mushtaq, also known as Azizullah or Khalid, was heavily involved in IED operations throughout Kunduz province. He personally carried out multiple IED attacks against Afghan and coalition forces, and distributed IEDs to fellow insurgents.

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Mar. 06., 2013. - RC-East operational update

BAGRAM, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition forces located and safely cleared five improvised explosive devices and killed seven insurgents during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, March 5.

Khowst province
Afghan National Security Forces found and safely cleared an IED during operations in the Sabari district.

Kunar province
Afghan and coalition forces killed seven insurgents during operations in the Dangam district.

Paktika province
Afghan National Security Forces found and safely cleared an IED during operations in the Giyan district.

Nangarhar province
Afghan National Security Forces found and safely cleared three IEDs during operations in the Dehyak district.

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