Thursday, April 11, 2013

3 killed, 22 injured as blast hits NW Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, April 11 (Xinhua) -- At least three people were killed and over 22 others injured when a bomb hit a camp of peace militiamen in Pakistan's northwest tribal area of Khyber Agency on Thursday afternoon, local media reported.
Local TV channel ARY reported that the explosion happened in the restive Tirah Valley area of Khyber Agency at about 3:30 p.m. local time, when some unknown militants targeted the camp of pro- government local people who formed a militia to fight the militants in the area.

Nature of the blast is not known yet.

The injured people were shifted to a nearby hospital where several of them were said to be critical.

No group claimed responsibility for the attack yet.

Early in the morning, one soldier and 15 militants were killed in clashes between insurgents and security forces in the same area.

Tirah valley is a strategically important area to both Pakistan army and militants, as some of the major roads from the valley lead to Afghanistan.

The fighting between militants and troops has been underway in the area since last year, however, the clashes escalated during last month when militants took hold of some of the major areas.

Local officials said that over 40,000 residents of Tirah Valley have taken refuge in the nearby areas due to the continuous clashes between different militant organizations and army over the last few months.

from XINHUA
2013-04-11 19:20:07

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Apr. 11., 2013. - ISAF Joint Command Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader and detained one other insurgent during an operation in Kandahar district, Kandahar province, today.

The leader is believed to be in charge of a cell of fighters responsible for improvised explosive device operations against Afghan civilians in Kandahar district. He was also involved in the facilitation of weapons and vehicles for use in attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout
Afghanistan:

North

An Afghan and coalition security force detained two insurgents during an operation in search of a senior insurgent leader with ties to both the Taliban and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan in Sholgarah district, Balkh province, Wednesday. The leader is the ranking Taliban official in Sholgarah district and has ties to local Taliban officials responsible for conducting attacks against Afghan and coalition forces in Balkh province. He also has a history of collecting taxes in order to finance the Taliban terrorist network, and manages the weapons distribution chain for insurgent cells in Balkh province.

An Afghan and coalition security force killed a number of insurgents during an operation in search of a senior insurgent leader with ties to both the Taliban and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan in Burkah district, Baghlan province, Tuesday. The leader is the second-highest ranking insurgent official in Burkah district and personally responsible for recruiting and training Afghans in insurgency operations and targeting Afghan officials for kidnappings and executions. He has also played a significant role in linking Taliban and IMU fighters in Baghlan, working as a mediator and coordinating operations between the two different networks.

South

During an operation in Nahr-e Saraj district, Helmand province Wednesday, an Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader and detained one other insurgent. The insurgent leader is alleged to be instrumental in acquiring weapons, distributing them to his subordinates, and leading them in attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He is also involved in IED research and development, with a history of experimenting with different device configurations for future employment.

An Afghan and coalition security force killed two insurgents Wednesday during a separate operation in Nahr-e Saraj district, Helmand province, in search of a senior Taliban leader. The leader has operational control over a cell of insurgents responsible for multiple attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. His group is known to use IEDs, vehicle-mounted automatic grenade launchers, rocket propelled grenades and various other weapons during their operations. The leader is also vital in insurgent weapons facilitation throughout Helmand province.

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Apr. 11., 2013. - RC-East operational update

BAGRAM, Afghanistan - Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces discovered two weapons caches, and found and safely cleared five improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, April 10.

Ghazni province

Afghan National Security Forces discovered a weapons cache during operations in the Ghazni district. The cache contained five containers of IED-making materials.

Khowst province

Afghan National Security Forces found and safely cleared two IEDs during operations in the Manduzai district.

Kunar province

Afghan National Security Forces found and safely cleared one IED during operations in the Asadabad district.

Logar province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared one IED during operations in the Pul-E-Alam district.

Paktika province

Afghan National Security Forces found and safely cleared one IED during operations in the Gomal district.

Paktiya province

Afghan National Security Forces discovered a weapons cache during operations in the Zormat district. The cache contained one 82 mm mortar tube, numerous 82 mm mortar rounds and one large caliber machine gun with hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

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Nigerian Christian Youth Reject Amnesty for Boko Haram

A picture taken from a video reportedly shows Abubakar Shekau (C), the suspected leader of Nigerian Islamist extremist group Boko Haram, flanked by six armed and hooded fighters in an undisclosed place, March 5, 2013.
ABUJA — The youth wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria on Wednesday warned President Goodluck Jonathan against granting any kind of amnesty deal to the militant group known as Boko Haram, calling the proposition “a clarion call to all terrorism in Nigeria.”

In recent weeks, the clamor from leaders of Nigeria’s volatile north has grown loud. They want the president to mediate an amnesty deal with Boko Haram, a militant group some call “the Nigerian Taliban.” 

Last week, President Jonathan announced he is forming a committee to look into the possibility.  The youth wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria, an umbrella organization that represents several denominations, said even entertaining the possibility will “fuel the anger of the Christian youth.”

“Mr. President should remember that the amnesty being advocated is for Muslim youths who are the Boko Haram members and who have killed, maimed out fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers and children and also bombed and burnt our churches without provocation,” said Simon Dolly, the organization’s president.

In a thinly veiled warning, Dolly went on to say that young Christians have not responded to Boko Haram violence in kind because the Christian Association of Nigeria has forbidden it.

The Christian Association’s southeastern secretary, Christian Nwanya, says the only way to end the violence is by brute force. “Beef up security.  They do not need amnesty. They should apologize for [to] Nigerians for killing us," she stated. "You can not forgive someone who kills you. It is not done anywhere.”

Violence associated with Boko Haram has killed more than 3,000 people since the insurgency began in 2009, including killings by security forces.  Boko Haram has attacked government buildings, media houses, churches, security forces, communications infrastructure, and the local U.N. headquarters.

Northern leaders argue the regional economy could collapse under the strain of constant attacks, and it is the north that bears almost the entire effects of the insurgency. 

In 2009, militants in the southern Niger Delta turned in their weapons and promised not to fight in exchange for job training and small salaries.  Supporters of amnesty for Boko Haram point out that the Niger Delta amnesty quieted what was nearly an all-out war.

from VOA News
by Heather Murdock
April 10, 2013

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