20 armed insurgents arrested in Afghanistan

Twenty armed insurgents have been detained in a series of military operations in Afghanistan over the past 24 hours, the country's Interior Ministry said on Saturday morning.

"During the past 24 hours, Afghan National Police (ANP), Afghan National Army and NATO-led Coalition Forces launched five joint operations in Kandahar, Uruzgan, Helmand and Khost provinces detaining 20 armed insurgents," the Ministry said in a press release.

The ANP also discovered and confiscated five AK-47 guns, three pistols, two different types of weapons, 466 kg of hashish, 20 kg of explosive materials, one vehicle and one motorbike, it added.

The ANP also discovered and defused two anti-vehicle mines and one BM-1 rocket as a result of separate operations in Kandahar and Laghman provinces in the same period of time.

Afghan officials often use the word "insurgents" referring to Taliban. However, the insurgent group, who launched in May 2011 a rebel offensive against Afghan and NATO forces, has not to make comments yet.


from GLOBALTIMES

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Six militants killed in Landi Kotal clash

LANDI KOTAL: At least six militants were killed and 12 injured on Friday after Lashkar-i-Islam and its rival Zakhakhel tribal force exchanged gunfire to gain control of a key base in Bazaar Zakhakhel area of Landi Kotal on Friday.

Officials said the dead were six Lashkar-i-Islam fighters, while the wounded included six fighters of the militant outfit and six Zakhakhel force volunteers.

They said Lashkar-i-Islam fighters attacked the Shankhel base of Zakhakhel force near Nari Baba area but the attack was repulsed after prolonged exchange of fire.

Officials said the two groups had many bloody clashes over the last many days for the control of key hilltops in the area.

Also in the day, the head of a peace committee remained safe in a blast targeting him in Sangar Khwar area of Mohmand Agency on Friday.

An explosive device planted near the house of Malik Mohammad Ali Haleemzai went off without causing any damage to the head of the peace committee.

The levies and khasadar personnel cordoned off the area and began an operation to hunt the perpetrators of the blast. However, no arrest could be made until late night.

Mr Haleemzai told Dawn that he and his guards were safe and that he was inside the house when the explosive device went off.

He said he was the apparent target of the blast as he used the passage, where the explosive device was planted, to go to the regional headquarters of Ghalanai in car.

Local political administration registered a case against unidentified miscreants and began investigation.

Meanwhile, a khasadar succumbed to his injuries at Peshawar`s Lady Reading Hospital on Friday.

Taj Mohammad, a resident of Gul Bar Shah Korona Ekkaghound, was doing his duty on a bridge near Ekkaghound on the main Peshawar-Bajaur highway when a speeding coach hit him. With critical wounded, he was shifted to the Lady Reading Hospital, where he died.

In a similar incident in Charsadda district`s Ibrahimzai area, a government girls` school was blown up by militants early on Friday.

Police and locals said miscreants planted an improvised explosive device inside the building of a government school for girls in Ibrahimzai area near Sradheri and that went off in the small hours of Friday.

They said the blast damaged the school`s boundary wall, rooms, furniture and documents.


from DAWN

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Taliban want US prisoners sent to Qatar: official

KABUL: Afghanistan’s Taliban insurgents have demanded in negotiations with the US that prisoners held in Guantanamo Bay be transferred to Qatar, an Afghan government spokesman said on Friday.

But President Hamid Karzai’s government objects strongly to the move and wants the prisoners sent directly to Afghanistan, presidential spokesman Aimal Faizi told AFP.

The Taliban announced this week that they planned to set up a political office in Qatar, a move seen as a precursor to peace talks with Washington.

At the same time, the hardline Islamists demanded the release of prisoners from the US military detention centre at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba – but the statement did not specify where they should be sent.

Karzai was told by the US about the demand that they should go to Qatar shortly before the Bonn conference on Afghanistan in December, Faizi said.

“Several meetings had taken place between the Americans and the Taliban. It was something discussed between the two sides.

“But that day, when the Americans talked to Karzai, it was the first time that they talked about the transfer of the prisoners to Qatar.” Faizi said his government was in favour of a release of Guantanamo prisoners, “but we don’t want them to go directly to Qatar – our government is strongly against it”.

Karzai’s government is concerned about being sidelined in the negotiations towards possible peace between the Taliban and the US, and Faizi stressed that it wanted “an Afghan-led transition”.

“The prisoners should be sent to the Afghan government first. We’ve been discussing this with the USA for the last five-six years. But so far, we have reached no agreement on that issue.”

Washington said on Wednesday it had taken no decision to release prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay in order to boost negotiations aimed at ending the 10-year war with the Taliban in Afghanistan.

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Fresh Nigerian shooting kills 20

LAGOS, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- A fresh shooting attack from a Muslim sect had claimed 20 lives in northeast Nigeria on Friday, a local police officer has said.

The attack came as a spate of sect shooting and bombing attacks in the country's north over the past weeks.

The attack, which happened in Mubi in Adamawa state, had targeted a hall where a group of Igbo traders were meeting, the state police commissioner Ade T. Shinaba told local media.

He blamed the radical sect known as Boko Haram for the killing.

Two persons have been killed and three others wounded by unidentified gunmen in motorbikes in Mubi on Thursday evening and the Igbos were meeting to handle their corpses, according to local residents.

The attack came barely few days after a state of emergency was announced by the Nigerian government in some parts of Borno, Yobe, Niger and Plateau States. Adamawa was not listed among the flashpoint states.

Spokesperson of the Boko Haram sect Abu Qaqa on Sunday issued a three-day ultimatum to non Muslims and residents from the southern states of Nigeria living in north of the West African country to vacate the area or face the wrath of the group.

Boko Haram is apparently responding to the state of emergency declared on Saturday by Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan.

Boko Haram launched the first attack in Maiduguri in July 2009, during which many were killed and wounded with property destroyed. The sect's leader known as Yusuf and his alleged financier Buji Foi were killed in a counter-attack by the security operative.

More than 800 people including security personnel have been killed in violence linked to suspected Boko Haram militants.

The frequent spate of violent attacks especially on innocent souls in north Nigeria is worrisome, partly for its reflection of the dastard state of insecurity in the land.

Related articles

• Deadly Nigeria shooting 'targets southerners' - BBC News (bbc.co.uk)
• 20 Igbo traders killed by suspected Boko Haram gunmen in Mubi, Adamawa State (saferafricagroup.com)

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Kenya's airstrikes kill over 60 Al-Shabaab fighters

Image via Wikipedia

NAIROBI, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- More than 60 Somali militants have been killed in the latest airstrikes by Kenyan troops that targeted the militia's camp near Garbahare in southern Somalia.

Military spokesman Major Emmanuel Chirchir confirmed on Friday the airstrikes which took place late on Thursday also saw more than 10 technical vehicles burnt down.

"Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) jets pounded Al-Shabaab camp south of Garbahare on Thursday night, killing over 60 Al-Shabaab, battle damage assessment to follow," Chirchir said in his official Twitter account on Friday.

Kenyan forces entered Somalia in October to push back Al- Shabaab, which controls large sections of southern and central Somalia and is blamed by Kenya for a series of cross-border kidnappings.

The militant group has also come under pressure from African Union peacekeepers, who pushed them out of the Somali capital Mogadishu in August, and from Ethiopia, which seized the town of Beledweyne on Saturday.

Chirchir said the late Thursday's airstrike could make the turning point in the dual military operation being undertaken with soldiers from the Transitional Federal Government.

"The latest airstrike may be the turning point in our military operation in Somalia. No KDF/TFG soldier was injured in the attack which was conducted by air. All troops are safe and in high spirit, " Chirchir told Xinhua by telephone.

Al-Shabaab is known for enforcing a strict brand of Islam in the areas under its rule and is believed to have links to al-Qaida.

The group has also blocked most international aid workers from accessing parts of Somalia suffering from drought and famine.

There has been a string of attacks by Al-Shabaab militants and their sympathizers since Kenya sent troops into Somalia in October to subdue the insurgents who were blamed for a series of murders and kidnappings on the Kenya soil with Daadab district which hosts the refugee camps being one of the worst hit by the attacks.

In total about seven security officers were killed in ten attacks that has occurred in Mandera town, while 19 people were killed in Garissa County, among them five were security officers.

from XINHUA

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Afghan police open fire on colleagues in Ghor province

According to local authorities in western Afghanistan, an Afghan police service member shot dead at least two Afghan police and an Afghan civilian in western Ghor province.

The officials further added, another Afghan police was also injured during the incident.

Provincial deputy police chief Abdul Rashid Bashir said, the incident took place at Shahrak district.

Mr. Bashir further added, the main motive behind the incident unclear and a delegation has been sent to Sharak district in a bid to launch a probe into the incident.

In the meantime, an Afghan security official speaking on the condition of anonymity said that the police was linked with the Taliban militants based on the preliminary investigation reports.

The source further added, the Afghan assailant police who was killed by other security forces wanted to put fire on arms depot belong to Shahrak district police commandment.

Taliban group yet to comment regarding the incident.

Ghor province located in western regions of Afghanistan is considered to be a relatively peaceful province however in a number of cases Afghan security forces have opened fire on their international counterparts specifically on foreign militry trainers who are training Afghan police and Afghan national army soldiers.

The latest incident by an Afghan police to kill their Afghan mates is rare in a situation where Afghan security forces are scheduled to hand over security responsibilities for additional regions in the country.

Related articles

• Afghan police open fire on colleagues in Ghor province (khaama.com)

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US Navy rescues Iranians held hostage by pirates

A US Navy ship has rescued 13 Iranians held hostage by Somali pirates for weeks in the Arabian Sea, US military officers said Friday.
The USS Kidd, a destroyer, responded to a distress call from an Iranian-flagged fishing vessel and a Navy team boarded the boat, freeing the Iranian crew and detaining 15 suspected pirates, the Fifth Fleet said in a statement.

ARABIAN SEA (Jan. 5, 2012) The guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd (DDG 100) responds to a distress call from the master of the Iranian-flagged fishing dhow Al Molai, who claimed he was being held captive by pirates. Kidd's visit, board, search and seizure team, boarded and detained 15 suspected pirates, who were reportedly holding the 13-member Iranian crew hostage for the last two months. Kidd is conducting counter-piracy and maritime security operations while deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo/Released)
hi-res

As described in the Navy press release, the VBSS team recovered the fishing dhow Al Molai from the 15 suspected pirates without resistance.

“After securing the ship and ensuring the safety of all persons on board, we began distributing food and water to both the crew and the suspected criminals as is our standard practice in Counter-Piracy operations,” said [NCIS agent Josh] Schminky. The pirates were detained on the Al Molai by the Kidd boarding party until the next morning when they could be transferred to the USS John C. Stennis where the matter will be reviewed for prosecution. The pirates currently remain on the Stennis.
“The Captain of the Al Molai expressed his sincere gratitude that we came to assist them. He was afraid that without our help, they could have been there for months,” said Schminky.

ARABIAN SEA (Jan. 5, 2012) A Sailor aboard a safety boat observes a visit, board, search and seizure team, assigned to the guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd (DDG 100), board the Iranian-flagged fishing dhow Al Molai. Kidd's visit, board, search and seizure team detained 15 suspected pirates, who were holding a 13-member Iranian crew hostage for the last two months, according to the members of the crew. Kidd is conducting counter-piracy and maritime security operations while deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo/Released) hi-res

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Suicide bomb kills 26 in Syria: interior minister (+video)

The Syrian government claimed that a "suicide terrorist" killed 25 people and wounded scores more in an attack in the capital of Damascus today. The blast took place near a school in the Maidan neighborhood, killing 25 people and wounding more than 40, according to Syrian news services. 


'Suicide terrorist' kills 25 in Damascus: Syrian state TV
By Bill Roggio - January 6, 2012, LWJ

The Syrian government claimed that a "suicide terrorist" killed 25 people and wounded scores more in an attack in the capital of Damascus today. The blast took place near a school in the Maidan neighborhood, killing 25 people and wounding more than 40, according to Syrian news services.

A screen grab from Syrian state television shows a car damaged by a suicide bomb that rocked Damascus on Friday. (AFP/HO/Syrian TV)

"Immediate information indicates that a suicide terrorist blew himself up at a traffic light in the Maidan neighborhood," state television said, according to Reuters. "There are dozens of dead and wounded, mostly civilians."

No group has claimed credit for today's attack. It could not be confirmed that the blast was carried out by a suicide bomber, as independent media outlets do not have access to the site.

In addition to today's attack, the Syrian government has claimed that two other suicide attacks have taken place in Damascus since late December 2011. The Syrian government said that twin blasts targeting security headquarters on Dec. 23 were the work of al Qaeda. Over 40 people were reported killed and scores more were wounded in the blasts.

But no group claimed credit for the Dec. 23 blasts. In fact, the Abdullah Azzam Brigades, an al Qaeda affiliate that operates in Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, and throughout the Middle East, denied responsibility.

The Abdullah Azzam Brigades released an official statement denying any role in the Dec. 23 attacks and said the bombs were the work of the Mukhabarat, Syria's military intelligence branch, which is controlled by President Bashir al Assad.

"The mujahideen, in all their groups, have no connection to these vicious bombings, and accusing them of it is falsehood and lies. The one truly responsible for them is he who is benefiting from them, and it is the regime of al Assad and his intelligence agencies," the Abdullah Azzam Brigades said in a statement that was released on Dec. 27 and translated by the SITE Intelligence Group.

Assad's regime is fighting a rebellion that has seen hundreds of his soldiers defect to the Free Syrian Army. Assad's security forces have ruthlessly put down protests in major cities and villages across Syria. His forces are said to have killed more than 5,000 Syrians since the uprising began last year, according to human rights groups.

Sources:
Deadly bombing hits Syrian capital, NOW Lebanon
Suicide bomb kills 25 in Damascus: Syrian TV, Reuters
Adbullah Azzam Brigades denies responsibility for Damascus suicide attacks, The Long War Journal

Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2012/01/suicide_terrorist_ki.php#ixzz1iiPmls4r

***some graphic pictures in the video***

Related articles

• 'Suicide terrorist' kills 25 in Damascus: Syrian state TV (longwarjournal.org)
• Suicide bomb kills 26 in Syria: Interior minister (theprovince.com)
• Suicide bomb kills 26 in Syria: Interior minister (vancouversun.com)
• You: SYRIA: Powerful explosion strikes central Damascus (france24.com)
• Syria: At Least 25 Killed in Damascus Blast (time.com)

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5 NATO troops, 6 kids killed in Afghan attacks

KABUL, Afghanistan — Explosives hidden in a trash heap killed six children in southern Afghanistan Friday, police said, and five NATO troops were killed in roadside bombings in the volatile region.
The children were rummaging through the trash for food scraps and bottles in the southern province of Uruzgon when the blast killed them, police spokesman Farid Ayal said. A civilian man also died in the blast.
Four other children were wounded by the explosion in Trinkot, the provincial capital about 250 miles southwest of Kabul.
The U.N. estimates improvised bombs and suicide attacks accounted for half of nearly 1,500 civilian deaths in the first six months of last year, the most recent statistics.
Elsewhere in the south, four NATO troops died in one of Friday's bombings, and one was killed in a separate blast. The alliance said both incidents occurred in southern Afghanistan but provided no further details. It did not identify the troops or disclose what countries they came from.
The deaths bring to nine the number of international troops killed in the first week of the year. At least 544 NATO troops died in Afghanistan in 2011, the second-deadliest year for the coalition in the decade-old war.

Related articles

• Explosions kill 6 Afghan children, 5 NATO troops (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Afghan blast kills children‚ troops (thehimalayantimes.com)
• Afghanistan bombs kill 5 NATO troops (cbsnews.com)

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Jan. 06., 2012. - ISAF Joint Command Morning Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan (Jan. 6) – A combined Afghan and coalition security force discovered a drug cache while conducting a routine patrol in Panjwa ‘i district, Kandahar province, yesterday. The cache consisted of approximately 2,420 pounds (1,100 kilograms) of hash and approximately 880 pounds (400 kilograms) of marijuana seeds.  Security forces destroyed all drugs and seeds on site without incident.

In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:

South
In Nahr-e Saraj district, Helmand province, a coalition security force discovered a cache of improvised explosive device materials during a routine patrol yesterday. The security force confiscated 50 various IED components from the scene to be destroyed at a later date.
An Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader during an operation in Nahr-e Saraj district, Helmand province, today. The leader constructed roadside bombs and trained insurgent fighters for attacks against coalition forces. Two additional suspected insurgents were detained during the operation.

East
In Sabari district, Khost province, an Afghan and coalition security force captured a Haqqani leader during an operation today. The leader procured weapons for insurgent fighters and conducted roadside bomb attacks. The security force seized weapons, bomb making materials and detained multiple insurgents during the operation.

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