Friday, December 28, 2012

Five killed in North Waziristan drone strike: officials

PESHAWAR: At least five people were killed Friday in a suspected US drone strike in North Waziristan tribal region, intelligence officials said.

According to the intelligence sources, the US predator targeted a compound in Gurbaz village of North Waziristan’s Shawal district, close to the border of South Waziristan agency, firing two missiles and killing five suspected militants inside.

Shawal district of North Waziristan region is considered a bastion of Taliban and al Qaeda-linked militants.

North Waziristan, which is close to the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, is one of the seven regions in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), governed by tribal laws. An extremist insurgency led by the Pakistani Taliban plagues the region while the area is known to be infested with militants, including the al Qaeda, Taliban and other armed extremist organisations.

Attacks by unmanned US aircraft are deeply unpopular in Pakistan, which says they violate its sovereignty and fan anti-US sentiment, but US officials are said to believe the attacks are too important to give up.

from DAWN
Zahir Shah Sherazi | 17 mins ago


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from Radio Pakistan:

Posted Date: 28th December, 2012 Last updated at 17:55 PST


North Waziristan Agency: 4 killed in US drone attack
Four people were killed in a US drone attack in North Waziristan Agency on Friday.

The drone fired six missiles on a house at Shawal area.
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from ARY NEWS:

Drone attack kills 5 in North Waziristan
Updated : Friday December 28 , 2012 6:45:30 PM  
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from XINHUA:
4 killed in U.S. drone strike in NW Pakistan
2012-12-28 21:10:46  
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Nigeria: Army Kills 5 Gunmen, Discovers Bomb Factory in Kaduna

Operatives of the Nigerian Army yesterday killed five and injured two suspected members of the Jama'atu Ahlis Sunnah Ladda'awatih Wal-Jihad, also known as Boko Haram, following a shootout between the two groups in Kaduna.

And in Abuja, there were feelers that men of the Nigerian Army foiled an attempt to attack Abuja, just as gunmen were reported to have killed six people in Riyom, near Jos, in Plateau State.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the Army operation, which lasted about five hours, took place at Namadi Road in Rigasa district of Igabi Local Government Area (LGA) in Kaduna metropolis when the men of the Nigerian Army stormed a bomb making factory in the area following a tip-off.

The Army operatives, LEADERSHIP further gathered, demolished the bomb factory after hours of gun battle, arrested some suspects and also discovered already made Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

An eyewitness, who gave his name as Ibrahim Yusuf, said the well-armed soldiers, numbering about 50, stormed the house around 1:30am and conducted a search around the whole area.

"I saw dead bodies of the occupants of the house, numbering at least five, while their children were taken away by the soldiers; but we don't know where they were taken to. We learnt that the house belongs to one woman who rented the house out at the sum of N120,000 per annum," he said.

Yusuf appealed to traditional rulers and government to set up a committee to oversee the issue of rents, landlords and agents who are in the habit of giving out houses to people of questionable character.

The ward head of Miyyetti Allah, Alhaji Adamu, told journalists that when he heard the gunfire, he came out to ascertain what was going on, only to meet some soldiers outside his house who told him to go back to his house, and not to panic.

Confirming the incidence, the Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, 1 Division, Col. Sani Kukasheka Usman, said the operation took place between 1:30am and 6am. He said the terrorists had opened fire on the soldiers when they arrived at the area.

According to Usman, "On approaching the factory, some suspected terrorists opened fire and also threw already primed IED at the troops."

He further stated that the factory had been demolished and advised property owners to be wary of their tenants, even as he advised people to always volunteer information to the security agencies.

The operatives recovered five Mark 4 rifles, three pump action rifles, 20 rolls of detonating cords, 21 nine volts batteries, two remote switches, one testing meter, five assorted daggers and jackknives and other IED materials.

He equally assured that the actions of the Army and 1 Division in particular were aimed at ensuring peace and securing lives and property of law abiding citizens of the state, urging the public to always report suspicious movement to the concern authorities

In Abuja, there are indications that the Army Garrison headquarters had foiled a plot by some terrorists to carry out a suicide bombing in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

According to an unconfirmed report, two drums loaded with explosives, several cans including those of vegetable oils and palm oil converted to IEDS, about six AK 47 rifles and timing materials were recovered from the hideout of the plotters.

Military sources disclosed that two persons, the landlord of the house where the high calibre explosives were recovered and another man described as the middleman who facilitated the movement of the plotters as well as the IEDS to the house where the attack was to be coordinated, have been arrested by the AHQ Garrison, while a manhunt has been activated for the persons scheduled to carry out the bombings.

It was gathered that both the landlord and the middleman are being detained in a military facility in Abuja while the Police and the SSS have been co-opted into the effort to arrest the two runaway plotters.

Investigations showed that security agencies have beefed up security in and around Abuja, with all exit and entry points receiving special attention.

Meanwhile, patrol teams of the AHQ Garrison, Guards Brigade, SSS and the police were moving round the city while gadgets had been activated to intercept any movement of explosives or IEDS around the FCT.

Some military and public institutions premises are under the watchful eyes of heavily armed, fierce looking soldiers. However, when LEADERSHIP called at the Army Headquarters, it was gathered that the report had not been officially filed at the time of filing this report.

Gunmen Kill 6 in Jos


Unknown gunmen yesterday stormed Bachit village and killed three people, leaving several others with severe injuries and shattering the relative peace in the troubled Riyom Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State.

A retired soldier residing in Rim village in the same local government was also killed in his house by some people suspected to be Fulani herdsmen on Christmas Day while celebrating with his family.

LEADERSHIP checks revealed also that the gunmen, who came in large numbers, stormed Bachit village yesterday morning and forced their way into a home where they shot a man and his wife in their sleep.

An eyewitness further disclosed that the marauders, while trying to escape, ambushed a man in the same village and killed him while other unlucky people that crossed their paths were also molested and shot, some of whom are presently receiving treatment at the hospital.

A member of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Hon. Daniel Dem, representing Riyom constituency, confirmed that about six people were killed in Riyom in the last few days.

He further said that the pattern of the killings were not different from the previous ones, adding that those behind the act were the same set of people that had been troubling the area.

He appealed for calm and enjoined the people to be more vigilant. He also counseled them not to be overly reliant on the security men posted to the area, but that they should brace up and not be carried away by the Christmas and New Year festivities.

When contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abuh Emmanuel, said that he was yet to get the details of the attack and promised to get back to our reporter, but never did at the time of falling this report.

Police arrest 4 over attempt to bomb Enugu Airport

Meanwhile, the Enugu state police command have arrested four persons for allegedly attempting to blow up the Akanu Ibiam International Airport Enugu with explosives, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, has said.

The ploy was earlier yesterday by operatives of the Explosive Ordinance Department (EOD) of the Enugu State Police Command.

The suspects, whose identities had been kept secret for security reasons, were apprehended while driving to the airport at about 8.30am yesterday.

The four suspects including the driver of their vehicle with registration number KJA 359 AP were reportedly heading towards the airport when they were stopped in their tracks by EOD operatives on routine duties.

According to the PPRO the suspects were arrested after the vehicle conveying them was stopped, upon a thorough search by the operatives, some items believed to be dangerous fireworks contained in two cartons were discovered in the vehicle.

from allAfrica/Leadership
By Bayo Oladeji, Achor Abimaje, and Midat Joseph, 28 December 2012


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Dec. 28., 2012. - RC-East operational update

BAGRAM, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition forces killed two insurgents, detained two and cleared three improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Dec. 27.

Ghazni Province
Afghan National Security Forces detained one insurgent during an engagement in Andar District. The detained suspect was transferred to a base for questioning.

Khowst Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared one IED in Khowst District.

Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces found and safely cleared two IEDs in Bak District.

Nuristan Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed two insurgents and detained one during an engagement in Kamdesh District.
The detained insurgent was transferred to a base for questioning.

Operations in RC-East are ongoing.

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US Closes Embassy in Central African Republic; Evacuates Staff

The United States has temporarily shut down its embassy in the Central African Republic and evacuated the staff, because of a rebel threat to topple the government.
A State Department spokesman Thursday said Washington is urging all parties to begin peace talks to offer a new vision of security for the country. He said U.S. diplomatic relations with the C.A.R. are not affected.

The United Nations already has evacuated non-essential staff from the country because of the threat of violence.

Rebel fighters are about 300 kilometers from the capital, Bangui. They have said they have no plans to seize the city, but say they will not wait around if government forces make any moves against them.

The rebel coalition called Seleka has captured 10 towns since launching its offensive two weeks ago. It has threatened to overthrow President Francois Bozize, accusing him of failing to implement a 2007 peace accord that ended an earlier rebellion.

The C.A.R. won independence from France in 1960. About 250 French troops are in the country as part of a peacekeeping mission. Some in the C.A.R. want France to do more to counter the rebel threat.

French President Francois Hollande says France is in the C.A.R. to protect its interests and nationals, not to intervene in the country's business.

from VOA News
December 27, 2012



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