Monday, April 29, 2013

Car Bombs Kill 18 in Southern Iraq

Street cleaners remove debris on the road after a car bomb exploded in Diwaniya province, 150 km (95 miles) south of Baghdad, April 29, 2013.
Car bombs have exploded in predominantly Shi'ite areas of central and southern Iraq, killing at least 18 people and wounding more than 50 others.
Two of the blasts Monday happened in Amarah, 300 kilometers southeast of Baghdad.  Officials say those bombings killed at least nine people.

Deadly bombings also hit Diwaniyah, Karbala and Mahmoudiya.

Iraq has seen a surge in violence in the past week that has left at least 180 people dead.

It began last Tuesday when government troops raided a Sunni protest site in the central town of Hawija.  Clashes there left 53 people dead and were followed by unrest in western and northern Iraq.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has appealed for calm and dialogue, urging Iraqis in a televised address Thursday "not to remain silent" about what he called efforts by terrorists to drag the country back toward a sectarian civil war.

The violence is the deadliest in four months of protests by Iraq's minority Sunnis, who have been demanding Mr. Maliki's resignation.

They accuse his Shi'ite-led government of marginalizing the Sunni community and unfairly targeting its leaders for prosecution and arrest.

from VOA News
April 29, 2013

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Nigeria: JTF Kills Top Boko Haram Commander in Combined Operation

The military Joint Task Force (JTF) in Borno State, Operation Restore Order, Friday , killed a top commander of the Boko Haram sect, Mohammed Chad, in Maiduguri, the state capital, during a joint special operation with the men of the State Security Services (SSS).
Chad, who had been on the wanted list of the JTF, was said to have been killed in the Ruwan Zafi ward of the town at about 3am on Friday.

The killed Boko Haram commander was said to be a successor to one Ba'ana Assalafi, a Boko Haram commander who was killed during a shoot-out with security agencies in Sokoto last March

Military sources in the state fingered Chad as the mastermind of the multiple attacks and killings at Sanda Kyarimi Secondary School, Maiduguri where a teacher was shot dead and three female students were injured on March 18.

The JTF spokesman in the state, Lt. Col Sagir Musa, confirmed Chad's killing in a statement made available to newsmen yesterday.

"This special operation led to the death of a notorious Boko Haram terrorist, aka Mohammed Chad, an indigene of Marte, Borno State that has been on the wanted list of the

JTF. Intelligence indicated that he was involved in the planning and execution of many terror attacks in and outside Borno State.

"The killed suspected commander, is also believed to be the successor to Ba'ana Assalafi, a key Boko Haram commander that lost his life during a shoot out with security agencies in Sokoto," Sagir said in the statement

Cripple, 3 Others Remanded for Alleged Gang Rape - Adibe Emenyonu

A cripple and three other persons have been remanded in prison custody by an Oredo Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Benin City for allegedly gang-raping a 22 year old girl.

The accused persons , Saturday Enabulele(28), Moses Okoeki(18), Osasumwen Enina (17) and Junior Odubu(20), were also alleged to have on April 13 at 9 Akugbe Street, Siluko Road, Benin City, beat up the girl, tore her pant, shirt and skirt and dipped their fingers into her private part and consequently filmed her with a camera phone.

Apart from filming the victim's nudity and showing same to people, the prosecution further alleged that the accused persons and others now at large collected the girl's Nokia handset and wallet containing the sum of N10,000.

They pleaded not guilty to the 12-count charge brought against them and the trial Chief Magistrate, Peter Edo Asemota, had to remand them in prison custody in view of the prevalent rate of the offence within the court's jurisdiction. Hearing was adjourned to May 7.

from allAfrica/This Day
By Michael Olugbode, 28 April 2013

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Suicide Bomber Kills 8 in NW Pakistan

A police officer collects evidence from the site of a bomb blast on University Road in Peshawar, Apr. 29, 2013.
Pakistani police say a suicide bomber killed at least eight people and wounded 45 others in the northwestern city of Peshawar, as violence in Pakistan spikes ahead of the country's elections May 11.

Authorities say Monday's attack was carried out by a man on a motorbike and targeted the convoy of a senior official, who had left the scene just prior to the explosion.  The blast damaged a passing police vehicle and passenger bus.

Among the dead is the son of prominent Afghan cleric Qazi Amin Waqad.  The cleric is a member of Afghanistan's High Peace Council, which is working to bring the Afghan Taliban to peace talks with the government in Kabul.

Reports say the Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for Monday's attack, making it the latest in a wave of political violence that has killed dozens of people since April 11.  Most of the attacks have targeted candidates from secular parties opposed to the Taliban.

On Sunday, three Taliban bomb attacks in northwest Pakistan killed at least nine people at political campaign offices.

Two more Taliban bomb blasts Saturday targeted secular parties in Pakistan's largest city of Karachi.  At least three people died in those attacks.

The May 11 elections will mark the first time a Pakistani civilian government has served a full term and passed government leadership on to a new civilian administration.

from VOA News
April 29, 2013

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ISAF cargo plane crashes in Bagram

Map of Afghanistan with Parwan highlighted
Map of Afghanistan with Parwan highlighted (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
CHARIKAR (PAN): An International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) cargo plane crashed in central Parwan province on Monday afternoon, officials said.
The aircraft went soon after takeoff from the US main military base in Bagram at about 4pm, the district police chief, Col Zmarai Nasiri, told Pajhwok Afghan News.

He linked the incident to a technical fault, saying further details were awaited.

In response to an emailed query from Pajhwok, the ISAF media office confirmed the crash. “At 15:30 hours, a civilian cargo aircraft crashed on Bagram Airfield immediately after takeoff.”

Emergency responders were currently on the scene, it said, adding there was no sign of any insurgent activity in the area.

Meanwhile, the Taliban claimed shooting down the plane. The group’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said all those on board the plane were killed.

from Pajhwok
By Farid Tanha Apr 29, 2013 - 17:00

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In Several Joint Clearance Operations, 37 Armed Taliban Killed (Apr.29.2013)



Publish Date: Apr 29, 2013
 
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 Nangarhar, Baghlan, Kandahar, Zabul, Maidan Wardak, Ghazni and Paktika provinces, as a result 37 armed Taliban were killed, 13 wounded and 11 other armed Taliban were arrested by Afghan National Security Forces.                                                                                     

Also, during these operations, Afghan National Police discovered and confiscated some amount of light and heavy round ammunitions and IEDs.

Counter Crimes:
The 101 Kabul Zone National Police detained four suspects accused of theft in the 7th and 10th Districts of Kabul-City.
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Apr. 29., 2013. - ISAF Joint Command Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan – An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Haqqani leader during an operation in Nadir Shah Kot district, Khost province, today.

The leader has operational control over a group of insurgent fighters responsible for ambush attacks against Afghan and coalition forces in Nadir Shah Kot district. He has engaged in assassinations against Afghans who work with the local government, and is in charge of acquiring and emplacing improvised explosive devices throughout the region.

The security force also seized an AK-47 and a pistol as a result of the operation.

In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:

North

Afghan and coalition security forces confirmed today the death of an Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader, Haji Hafiz, during an operation in Burkah district, Baghlan province, April 9. Hafiz was in charge of a cell of insurgent fighters responsible for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He and his subordinates engaged in improvised explosive device operations and facilitated the movement of weapons to other insurgent groups in the region.

ANA Special Forces of the 5th Special Operations Kandak and Afghan Local Police detained three insurgents and destroyed an IED in the vicinity of Tash Guzar village, Imam Sahib district, Kunduz province, yesterday. After the Afghan force safely disposed of the IED, they noticed four suspicious men near where the IED was emplaced. ALP detained three of the men while one man fled the area. All three detainees tested positive for homemade explosive residue.

South

Afghan Provincial Response Company Zabul, enabled by coalition forces, killed four insurgents during a cordon and search operation in search of a Taliban facilitator in Daychopan district, Zabul Province, yesterday. Following the operation security forces seized one AK-47, one Markarov pistol and several IED making components. All seized items were destroyed on site.

East

An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a number of insurgents during an operation in search of a Taliban leader in Bati Kot district, Nangarhar province, Sunday. The leader has operational control over a group of fighters responsible for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He also facilitates the acquisition and distribution of weapons to insurgents throughout Nangarhar province. The security force also seized IED-making material as a result of the operation.

An Afghan and coalition security force arrested one insurgent during an operation in search of a Taliban leader in Sayyidabad district, Wardak province, Sunday. The leader has operational control over a number of insurgent fighters responsible for multiple attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He has also served as an intelligence operative for the Taliban, monitoring coalition force movements and reporting on their activities to Taliban leaders, and has facilitated the movement of weapons to his fellow fighters.

An Afghan and coalition security force arrested two insurgents during an operation in search of a high-profile attack facilitator for the Taj Mir Jawad insurgent network in Gardez district, Paktiya province, Sunday. The TMJ facilitator is responsible for providing weapons and funding for his fellow insurgent fighters. He is currently gathering supplies and fighters for a future attack against Afghan and coalition forces. The security force also seized one rifle and ammunition as a result of the operation.

West

Afghan Provincial Response Company Farah, enabled by coalition forces, arrested four men and seized 40 kg of opium at a vehicle search checkpoint near Qarya-i-Kalata village, Anar Darah district, Farah province, yesterday. During the search the security force also discovered one AK-47, four magazines with 100 rounds of ammunition, and one combat vest. All evidence collected and the four detainees are in the custody of the Afghan government.

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Apr. 29., 2013. - RC-East operational update

BAGRAM, Afghanistan - Afghan National Security Forces found and safely cleared two improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, April 28.

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

Paktika province
Afghan National Security Forces found and safely cleared one IED during operations in the Sar Rowzah district.

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