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Taliban chief orders fighters to kill civilians-NATO

July 19, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

July 18 (Reuters) – NATO said on Sunday it had intercepted a letter from the reclusive leader of the Afghan Taliban in which he calls on his fighters to capture and kill any Afghan working for foreign forces.

If genuine, the letter marks a turnaround from a directive issued by Mullah Omar a year ago when he urged fighters to avoid harming civilians even if they had been captured. Reuters could not immediately verify the letter’s authenticity.

The appeal, which NATO said was picked up in early June, also instructs Taliban field commanders to recruit anyone with access to foreign military bases in order to obtain information on international troops, said NATO’s spokesman in Afghanistan.

“The message was from Mullah Omar, who’s hiding in Pakistan, to his subordinate commanders in Afghanistan,” Brigadier General Josef Blotz told a news conference in the Afghan capital.

The letter, which contains five specific orders, also calls on Taliban commanders to fight foreign troops to the death and capture them whenever possible as well as instructing fighters to obtain more heavy weapons. <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

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One order in the letter specifically calls on fighters to capture and kill Afghan women who are “helping or providing information to coalition forces”.

Blotz said he was “100 percent sure” the letter was from the Taliban leader, although he could not reveal how it had been verified in order to protect NATO’s sources.

The Taliban could not be immediately reached for comment.

Violence is at its worst in Afghanistan since U.S.-backed Afghan forces overthrew the Taliban in late 2001 for refusing to give up al Qaeda members following the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States.

Omar, seen as the founder of the Taliban movement that emerged during the civil war of the early 1990s, has not been seen in public for years. He is believed to be in Pakistan.

While other leaders are believed to be more involved in the day-to-day command of the insurgency in Afghanistan, Omar is still considered the spiritual head of the hardline movement. (Reporting by Jonathon Burch; Editing by Maria Golovnina) (jonathon.burch@thomsonreuters.com; +93 794 354 074; Reuters Messaging: jonathon.burch.reuters.com@reuters.net)) (If you have a query or comment on this story, send an email to newsfeedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com)

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Factbox: Afghanistan: Who is fighting the insurgency?

July 19, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

July 18 – Afghan government, backed by thousands of international force are fighting a growing insurgency in Afghanistan since the Islamist movement was toppled by U.S.-led coalition and Afghan forces in late 2001 in the wake of September 11 attacks on the United States.

Despite repeated peace overtures by President Hamid Karzai to Taliban and other insurgent groups, only the Hezb-i-Islami movement has shown interest, sending their delegates to meet Afghan officials in Kabul earlier this year. However, there was no breakthrough.

In a major international conference this week in Kabul, one of the main themes of Afghan government will be to boost its reintegration efforts to woo low-level fighters who make up the backbone of Taliban insurgency.

There are three main militant groups in the country that lead a bloody insurgency campaign against the Afghan government and around 150,000 foreign troops under NATO’s command.

There are now some 20,000 to 30,000 active fighters within their ranks, according to a government official.

TALIBAN

A Talib, singular form for Taliban means a religious student. The group rose to power in 1994 in southern city of Kandahar under the leadership of Mullah Mohammad Omar who was then imam of a village mosque.

The puritan religious student mostly drawn from seminaries, run in the lawless tribal areas of neighboring Pakistan offered a simple but harsh form of Islamic Justice that appealed to many who were weary of brutal warlords who ignited a bloody civil when the Soviets departed from Afghanistan in 1989.

After years of factional fighting among the anti-Soviet groups over power, Mullah Omar’s young and fanatical fighters managed to capture Kabul in September 1996 where they imposed ultra strict Islamic sharia by banning music, TV and forbidding women to work and girls to school.

After being toppled in 2001, most of the leaders, including Mullah Omar, fled to Pakistan where they formed a council called “Quetta Shura,” a Pakistani city in the province of Balochistan.

The Taliban began to regroup in the south then relaunched their insurgency in 2005 with a wave of guerrilla attacks, suicide and roadside bombs that has grown steadily ever since.

Violence in the country has sharpened, threatening thousands of NATO and bulk of Afghan troops into a stalemate.

Karzai’s idea of peace negotiations to reach out to insurgents who denounce violence and accept Afghan constitution has the backing of international community, but the Taliban have repeatedly rejected the offer, saying foreign troops should leave the country before start of any peace talks.

HAQQANI NETWORK

Headed by Jalaluddin Haqqani, the Haqqani network is allied with the Taliban and is believed to have close links to al Qaeda. It has been behind several high-profile attacks in Afghanistan including an assassination attempt on President Hamid Karzai during a military parade in 2008, and last month attacked a major peace assembly.

Although the attacks caused no serious casualties, President Karzai sacked his interior and intelligence agency chiefs over security lapses.

Haqqani rose to prominence during the 1980s, receiving weapons and funds from the CIA and Saudi Arabia to fight the Soviet occupation and has also had long-standing links with Pakistan’s military Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Effective leadership of the group has now passed from Jalaluddin, who is in his 70s, to his more radical eldest son Sirajuddin, security analysts say.

Sirajuddin told Reuters last year that his group, mainly active in the eastern parts of Afghanistan and based in the North Waziristan of Pakistan, was under the overall command of Mullah Omar and admitted ties with al Qaeda.

HEZB-I-ISLAMI

Hezb-i-Islami or the Islamic Party was founded by veteran former Prime Minister Gulbuddin Hekmatyar in mid 1970s was one of the main mujahideen groups fighting the Soviet invasion in the 1980s from its base in Pakistan. It received the lion’s share of U.S. and Saudi arms and money channeled through the Pakistani intelligence service.

After the Soviet withdrawal Hekmatyar fought and made fleeting alliances with most other mujahideen factions during the resulting civil war and is blamed for killing thousands in Kabul with indiscriminate rocket attacks on the capital.

By the rise of the Taliban in 1994, Hekmatyar was sidelined by Pakistan in favor of Mullah Omar and after losing to their forces when the Taliban took Kabul in 1996, Hekmatyar fled to Iran.

Many of his fighters joined the Taliban ranks. He served briefly as prime minister in 1996 before the Taliban took control.

After the September 11 attacks Hekmatyar declared himself against the U.S. invasion and took up the fight in alliance with the Taliban. Its fighters number in thousands are most active in the east of the country and in pockets in the north.

In March this year, a high-profile Hezb delegation met Karzai and a U.N. special envoy in Kabul. Although the talks appeared to be preliminary, the public acknowledgement of meeting was unprecedented and could signal a division within the insurgency.

(For more Reuters coverage of Afghanistan and Pakistan, see: here) (Compiled by the Kabul Bureau; Editing by David Fox) (hamid.shalizi@thomsonreuters.com; +93 799 390 693

(If you have a query or comment on this story, send an email to news.feedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Afghan government, Factbox, government official, hamid karzai, Hezb, insurgency., Islamic Sharia, islamist movement, kandahar, Main Themes, militant groups, Mullah Mohammad Omar, Mullah Omar, other insurgent groups, peace overtures, President Hamid Karzai, September 11 Attacks, Singular Form, tribal areas, warlords

FACTBOX-Afghanistan: Who is fighting the insurgency?

July 19, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

There are three main militant groups in the country that lead a bloody insurgency campaign against the Afghan government and around 150,000 foreign troops under NATO’s command.

There are now some 20,000 to 30,000 active fighters within their ranks, according to a government official.

TALIBAN

After being toppled in 2001, most of the leaders, including Mullah Omar, fled to Pakistan where they formed a council called “Quetta Shura”, a Pakistani city in the province of Balochistan.

The Taliban began to regroup in the south then relaunched their insurgency in 2005 with a wave of guerrilla attacks, suicide and roadside bombs that has grown steadily ever since.

Violence in the country has sharpened, threatening thousands of NATO and bulk of Afghan troops into a stalemate.

HAQQANI NETWORK

Although the attacks caused no serious casualties, President Karzai sacked his interior and intelligence agency chiefs over security lapses.

Effective leadership of the group has now passed from Jalaluddin, who is in his 70s, to his more radical eldest son Sirajuddin, security analysts say.

HEZB-I-ISLAMI

By the rise of the Taliban in 1994, Hekmatyar was sidelined by Pakistan in favour of Mullah Omar and after losing to their forces when the Taliban took Kabul in 1996, Hekmatyar fled to Iran.

Many of his fighters joined the Taliban ranks. He served briefly as prime minister in 1996 before the Taliban took control.

After the Sept. 11 attacks Hekmatyar declared himself against the U.S. invasion and took up the fight in alliance with the Taliban. Its fighters number in thousands are most active in the east of the country and in pockets in the north.

An Afghan army general, Murad Ali Murad, told Reuters this month that members of Hezb was supplying intelligence on Taliban whereabouts to NATO and the Afghan government that led to the killing or arrest of several key commanders in the north. (For more Reuters coverage of Afghanistan and Pakistan, see: here) (Compiled by the Kabul Bureau; Editing by David Fox) (hamid.shalizi@thomsonreuters.com; +93 799 390 693 (If you have a query or comment on this story, send an email to news.feedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Afghan government, Factbox, government official, hamid karzai, Hezb, insurgency., Islamic Sharia, islamist movement, kandahar, Main Themes, militant groups, Mullah Mohammad Omar, Mullah Omar, other insurgent groups, peace overtures, President Hamid Karzai, sept 11 attacks, Singular Form, tribal areas, warlords

Iraq combat mission on track for August end: Biden

July 19, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – Vice President Joe Biden said on Sunday the end of U.S. combat missions in Iraq was on schedule for August and would not be delayed if the country failed to form a new government by that deadline.

“There is a transition government. There is a government in place that’s working. Iraqi security is being provided by the Iraqis, with our assistance. We’re going to have — still have 50,000 troops there,” Biden told ABC News’ “This Week” program in an interview.

Iraq’s political parties have been deadlocked since an inconclusive March election over who should form the coalition government and serve as prime minister and president.

“I don’t have a doubt in my mind that we’ll be able to meet the commitment of having only 50,000 troops there and it will not in any way affect the physical stability of Iraq,” Biden said.

U.S. troops intend to end combat operations on August 31 before a full withdrawal by the end of 2011.

Iraqis had hoped the election would lead to stability and economic recovery seven years after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. But coalition talks could last several more months, exposing Iraq to a risky vacuum as it emerges from sectarian war but struggles to contain a stubborn insurgency.

The sectarian war between once dominant Sunnis and majority Shi’ites that kicked off after the 2003 invasion has largely subsided but a Sunni Islamist insurgency persists.

Suicide bombers killed 43 people on Sunday in two separate attacks against government-backed Sunni militias, Iraqi security sources said.

(Reporting by Alister Bull, Editing by Stacey Joyce)

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Biden: Iraq combat mission on track for August end

July 19, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

July 18 (Reuters) – U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said on Sunday the end of U.S. combat missions in Iraq was on schedule for August and would not be delayed if the country failed to form a new government by that deadline.

Iraq’s political parties have been deadlocked since an inconclusive March election over who should form the coalition government and serve as prime minister and president.

“I don’t have a doubt in my mind that we’ll be able to meet the commitment of having only 50,000 troops there and it will not in any way affect the physical stability of Iraq,” Biden said.

U.S. troops intend to end combat operations on Aug. 31 before a full withdrawal by the end of 2011.

The sectarian war between once dominant Sunnis and majority Shi’ites that kicked off after the 2003 invasion has largely subsided but a Sunni Islamist insurgency persists.

Suicide bombers killed 43 people on Sunday in two separate attacks against government-backed Sunni militias, Iraqi security sources said. (Reporting by Alister Bull, Editing by Stacey Joyce)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Abc News, Biden Iraq, coalition government, Coalition Talks, combat mission, Combat Missions, combat operations, doubt in my mind, economic recovery, insurgency., Iraqi security, Islamist, Joe Biden, militias, Physical Stability, president joe, security sources, suicide bombers, Sunnis, Transition Government

Afghans ready for more responsibility: U.N. envoy

July 19, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – Afghanistan should be given more responsibility for its own security and administration with progress checked against six-month benchmarks, the United Nations’ top diplomat to the country said.

With around 150,000 NATO-led troops faced off against a Taliban insurgency at its strongest since their overthrow in 2001, Western governments are keen to pull out but fear the Afghans are not yet ready to take more charge.

“It is a chicken and egg situation, but the chicken is saying ‘we are ready to produce an egg’,” Staffan de Mistura, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s special representative for Afghanistan, told Reuters in an interview.

Over 60 foreign ministers — including U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton — gather in the Afghan capital on Tuesday for a conference at which President Hamid Karzai will plead for more control of $13 billion in Afghan aid and development.

The country has received over $40 billion since 2002, but Karzai says the government has handled only around 20 percent of that and much of the graft and waste complained about in the West was lost through direct channels.

“They have a point,” de Mistura said, arguing that if the government institutions were seen to be driving development, ordinary Afghans would support it.

He drew parallels with Iraq, where he served as the U.N. special envoy at the height of violence there.

“The moment they started taking their own future in their hands, we saw an improvement — not perfect by any means, but an improvement.”

NOT READY FOR PEACE

Security remains the biggest factor.

“We all know, everybody knows, everybody recognizes, that there is no military solution to the conflict.”

“However there is, unfortunately, still a perception that the time for dialogue is not ready. The Taliban don’t seem to be indicating yet that they are ready for that dialogue.”

Although Washington did not want to see the Taliban leadership included in peace talks, it would be up to Afghans to decide “who was allowed inside the tent,” he said.

The government has offered amnesty and reintegration to low-level Taliban fighters who agree to abide by the constitution, renounce violence, and quit militant groups.

Asked if this should be expanded to Taliban leaders, he said: “… if anybody on the Afghan side would accept those three conditions, it would be difficult for the community … to say you aren’t allowed inside the tent.

The conference will hear Karzai and his ministers present blueprint of projects and timetables de Mistura believes could deliver results within a year.

Asked what differences he expected in six months, he said:

“First we will see the Afghans taking much more seriously the fact that responsibility has been given to them and therefore they need to make some major effort on the issue of accountability, corruption and delivering concrete assistance to their own people.

“Second, I hope we will be seeing progress on security, and therefore the ideal time for political dialogue, but between now and six months on the security side it will probably look worse before it looks better.

“What we need before the six months is over is … a vision by the Afghan government which will be articulated in a way that will engage and reassure every stakeholder — both internally and outside, and regional stakeholders as well — of what Afghanistan can and should be looking like in two years time,” he said.

(Editing by Jonathan Thatcher)

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INTERVIEW-Afghans ready for more responsibility – U.N. envoy

July 19, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

KABUL, July 18 (Reuters) – Afghanistan should be given more responsibility for its own security and administration with progress checked against six-month benchmarks, the United Nations’ top diplomat to the country said.

For Kabul Conference stories, see [ID:nKABCON]

For more on Afghanistan click [ID:nAFPAK]

or see link.reuters.com/syx62d

Afghan blog: blogs.reuters.com/afghanistan/ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>

“They have a point,” de Mistura said, arguing that if the government institutions were seen to be driving development, ordinary Afghans would support it.

He drew parallels with Iraq, where he served as the U.N. special envoy at the height of violence there.

“The moment they started taking their own future in their hands, we saw an improvement — not perfect by any means, but an improvement.”

NOT READY FOR PEACE

Security remains the biggest factor.

“We all know, everybody knows, everybody recognises, that there is no military solution to the conflict.”

“However there is, unfortunately, still a perception that the time for dialogue is not ready. The Taliban don’t seem to be indicating yet that they are readly for that dialogue.”

Although Washington did not want to see the Taliban leadership included in peace talks, it would be up to Afghans to decide “who was allowed inside the tent”, he said.

The government has offered amnesty and reintegration to low-level Taliban fighters who agree to abide by the constitution, renounce violence, and quit militant groups.

The conference will hear Karzai and his ministers present blueprint of projects and timetables de Mistura believes could deliver results within a year.

Asked what differences he expected in six months, he said:

“First we will see the Afghans taking much more seriously the fact that responsibilty has been given to them and therefore they need to make some major effort on the issue of accountability, corruption and delivering concrete assistance to their own people.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: afghan capital, afghans, Ban Ki Moon, De Mistura, diplomat, foreign ministers, government institutions, graft, hamid karzai, Hillary Clinton, insurgency., kabul, military solution, own security, parallels, peace talks, reuters, secretary-general, Taliban Leadership, Western Governments

Suicide bomber kills four civilians in Kabul

July 19, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – A suicide bomber killed four civilians in an attack apparently aimed at a convoy of foreign forces on Sunday, security sources said.

The attack happened opposite a clinic on a road often used by foreign troops, one said, adding four more civilians were wounded.

There were no immediate word about casualties among the foreign forces, he said. The site of the attack was cordoned off.

A spokesman for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said they were aware of the incident but had no details immediately.

The blast took place just two days before dozens of foreign ministers — including U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Secretary of state Hillary Clinton — were due in the capital for an international conference of Afghanistan’s future.

(Reporting by Sayed Salahuddin; Editing by David Fox)

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Suicide bomber kills four civilians in Kabul

July 19, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

KABUL, July 18 (Reuters) – A suicide bomber killed four civilians in an attack apparently aimed at a convoy of foreign forces on Sunday, security sources said.

The attack happened opposite a clinic on a road often used by foreign troops, one said, adding four more civilians were wounded.

There were no immediate word about casualties among the foreign forces, he said. The site of the attack was cordoned off.

A spokesman for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said they were aware of the incident but had no details immediately.

The blast took place just two days before dozens of foreign ministers — including U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and U.S. Secretary of state Hillary Clinton — were due in the capital for an international conference of Afghanistan’s future.

(Reporting by Sayed Salahuddin; Editing by David Fox) (For more Reuters coverage of Afghanistan and Pakistan, see: here) (sayed.salahuddin@thomsonreuters.com; Kabul newsroom: +93 799 335 285)) (If you have a query or comment about this story, send an e-mail to news.feedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com)

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Bomb kills four civilians in Afghan capital

July 19, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

July 18 (Reuters) – A bomb killed four civilians in a crowded part of the Afghan capital on Sunday, security sources said.

It happened opposite a clinic on a road often used by foreign forces, one said.

Some 150,000 foreign troops are squared off against a Taliban insurgency at its strongest since the hardline Islamists were overthrown by a U.S.-led force in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. (Reporting by Sayed Salahuddin; Editing by David Fox and Jonathan Thatcher) (For more Reuters coverage of Afghanistan and Pakistan, see: here) (sayed.salahuddin@thomsonreuters.com; Kabul newsroom: +93 799 335 285)) (If you have a query or comment about this story, send an e-mail to news.feedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com)

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Afghan insurgent group denies selling out Taliban

July 11, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – An Afghan insurgent group rejected on Saturday reports that it was providing intelligence on the Taliban to the government and foreign troops.

General Murad Ali Murad, commander of Afghan troops in the north, told Reuters that Hezb-i-Islami fighters had tipped-off government and U.S. forces, revealing locations of key Taliban figures there.

“This is part of the propaganda war by the government, foreign troops and those trying to create differences among us,” said Haroon Zarghoun, a spokesman for Hezb, which is led by former prime minister Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.

“Anyone doing such work is an apostate and is certainly not a Hezb member,” Zarghoun told Reuters by phone from an undisclosed location. Hekmatyar’s Hezb is one of three major insurgent groups fighting government and foreign forces in Afghanistan — mainly in the east and pockets of the north.

STRONGHOLDS

The other two, both seen by NATO as bigger threats, are the Taliban, with strongholds in the south, and the Haqqani network, based mainly in the southeast.

Ousted in a U.S.-led invasion in 2001 the Taliban have re-grouped in their traditional heartlands, but are also now spreading to parts of the north.

However the group has lost a number of commanders in the north in operations by Afghan and foreign troops in recent months which senior Afghan officials said were the result of Hezb fighters selling them out.

While Hezb shares some of the aims of the Taliban, it has led a largely separate insurgency. Earlier this year, Taliban fighters pushed into Hezb-i-Islami strongholds in the north, leading to clashes between the two groups.

Both groups later played down the clashes, but Murad said Hekmatyar’s men — who came off worse in the fighting — were now seeking revenge and were passing on information about their Taliban rivals.

Several Taliban commanders, including the deputy shadow governor of Kunduz and a shadow district governor, have been killed in the last three months, NATO has said, some by air strikes as they drove through a remote desert and others as they met in a field.

Under NATO rules of engagement, such air strikes would require troops to follow strict procedures for positively identifying the insurgents. This in turn would be heavily dependent on reliable intelligence and could suggest such information came from within the insurgency.

Increased localized squabbling could signal divisions in the insurgency after Hezb-i-Islami distanced itself from the Taliban earlier this year when it sent a delegation to Kabul to meet President Hamid Karzai.

While the talks ended without breakthrough, Hezb said it would consider negotiating with the government as long as foreign forces withdrew within a specified timeframe.

The Taliban have always insisted no talks can take place until all foreign troops leave.

(Reporting by Sayed Salahuddin; Editing by David Fox)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Ali Murad, apostate, clashes, District Governor, former prime minister, gulbuddin hekmatyar, Heartlands, insurgency., Insurgent Group, Kunduz, Major Insurgent Groups, Murad Ali, Propaganda War, reuters, rivals, strongholds, Taliban, Taliban Commanders, taliban government, undisclosed location

Afghan insurgent group denies selling out Taliban

July 11, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – An Afghan insurgent group rejected on Saturday reports that it was providing intelligence on the Taliban to the government and foreign troops.

General Murad Ali Murad, commander of Afghan troops in the north, told Reuters that Hezb-i-Islami fighters had tipped-off government and U.S. forces, revealing locations of key Taliban figures there.

STRONGHOLDS

The other two, both seen by NATO as bigger threats, are the Taliban, with strongholds in the south, and the Haqqani network, based mainly in the southeast.

Ousted in a U.S.-led invasion in 2001 the Taliban have re-grouped in their traditional heartlands, but are also now spreading to parts of the north.

While the talks ended without breakthrough, Hezb said it would consider negotiating with the government as long as foreign forces withdrew within a specified timeframe.

The Taliban have always insisted no talks can take place until all foreign troops leave.

(Reporting by Sayed Salahuddin; Editing by David Fox)

Afghan insurgent group denies selling out TalibanAfghan insurgent group denies selling out Taliban

July 11, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

July 10 (Reuters) – An Afghan insurgent group rejected on Saturday reports that it was providing intelligence on the Taliban to the government and foreign troops.

General Murad Ali Murad, commander of Afghan troops in the north, told Reuters that Hezb-i-Islami fighters had tipped-off government and U.S. forces, revealing locations of key Taliban figures there. [ID:nSGE66300D]

“Anyone doing such work is an apostate and is certainly not a Hezb member,” Zarghoun told Reuters by phone from an undisclosed location. <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

For more on Afghanistan click [ID:nAFPAK]

or see link.reuters.com/syx62d

Afghan blog: blogs.reuters.com/afghanistan/ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>

Hekmatyar’s Hezb is one of three major insurgent groups fighting government and foreign forces in Afghanistan — mainly in the east and pockets of the north.

STRONGHOLDS

The other two, both seen by NATO as bigger threats, are the Taliban, with strongholds in the south, and the Haqqani network, based mainly in the southeast.

Ousted in a U.S.-led invasion in 2001 the Taliban have re-grouped in their traditional heartlands, but are also now spreading to parts of the north.

Increased localised squabbling could signal divisions in the insurgency after Hezb-i-Islami distanced itself from the Taliban earlier this year when it sent a delegation to Kabul to meet President Hamid Karzai.

While the talks ended without breakthrough, Hezb said it would consider negotiating with the government as long as foreign forces withdrew within a specified timeframe. [ID:nSGE62U06H]

The Taliban have always insisted no talks can take place until all foreign troops leave. (Reporting by Sayed Salahuddin; Editing by David Fox) (sayed.salahuddin@thomsonreuters.com; Kabul newsroom: +93 799 335 285)) (If you have a query or comment about this story, send an e-mail to news.feedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com)

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FACTBOX-Security developments in Pakistan, June 30

July 1, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

ORAKZAI – Fighter planes bombed militant positions in the northwestern region of Orakzai, killing 15 militants and destroying four hideouts, a government official in the region said.

There was no independent verification of the official figures of casualties, and militants often dispute government accounts.

Orakzai is one of seven semi-autonomous regions where al Qaeda-linked militants had strongholds before the military began offensives there last year. The army says the regions have largely been cleared.

*HUB – A roadside bomb blast killed one man and wounded three in the southwestern town of Hub, 725 km (450 miles) south of Baluchistan’s capital, Quetta, police said.

Baluch rebels have waged a low-level insurgency for decades for a greater provincial autonomy and bigger share in the income from natural gas and mineral resources.

(Compiled by Kamran Haider; Editing by Chris Allbritton) (For more Reuters coverage of Afghanistan and Pakistan, see: here)

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FACTBOX-Security developments in Pakistan, June 20

June 21, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – Following are security developments in Pakistan at 0602 GMT on Sunday.

QUETTA – A car-bomb blast wounded four soldiers and four passersby on the outskirts of Quetta city, police said.

Quetta is the capital of southwestern Baluchistan province where Baluch militants have waged a low-level insurgency for decades for greater autonomy.

MOHMAND – Security forces battled Taliban militants near the Afghan border late Saturday, killing four militants and wounding 10, a paramilitary spokesman said on Sunday.

ORAKZAI – Four Taliban fighters, including a commander, were killed in an accidental explosion in a hideout in Orakzai tribal region, officials said.

(Compiled by Islamabad Bureau; Editing by Bryson Hull) (For more Reuters coverage of Afghanistan and Pakistan, see: here)

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Rural outreach to Afghans snags on technology, fear

June 16, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

KANDAHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan, June 15 (Reuters) – Mortally wounded after setting off an improvised bomb, the boy might have survived. But rather than use the hotline provided them by Canadian troops, fellow villagers carried him out for treatment.

By the time they reached the Canadian outpost, using a wheelbarrow as a gurney, the 5-year-old was dead. A couple of days later, the soldiers were back in the Afghan hamlet of mud-brick huts to try to persuade its residents to be more forthcoming.

“While there is a system in place, it has deficiencies,” said Major Austin Douglas, the company commander.

He was referring mainly to a telephone line set up to allow local Afghans to summon help or provide tip-offs about Taliban insurgents, with six translators on hand to pass on the calls.

The initiative has been stymied by logistics, and fear. >^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

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Cellphones are relatively rare in Afghanistan, especially in rural areas like Kandahar province, where the Taliban insurgency against U.S.-led foreign troops is at its most potent.

The Taliban regard cellphone users as potential spies, and Afghan service-providers have been known to turn off antennas at night — when insurgents prefer to operate — out of concern their own facilities could come under attack. “They will just kill us if we speak to Western forces,” said Abdul Wahab, a 25-year-old farmer.

Another man recalled an ugly encounter with the insurgents.

“They took me once for a long time and beat me and said if I talk with the Canadians they will behead me,” he said with a throat-cutting gesture.

CLOCK TICKS

Apparently eclipsed amid all this alarm was the outrage over the boy’s death, which the Canadians, passing out children’s stickers and soft drinks, blamed on the “bad” Taliban.

Kandahar is the focus of a military and reconstruction push that the Afghan government and NATO forces hope will break the grip of the Taliban by providing services, jobs and stability.

If the campaign doesn’t work, Afghanistan may be unstable for years to come. Worst case, the Taliban, having been toppled in 2001, might return to power — exacting vengeance against Afghans who had worked with the foreigners. “We need the cooperation of the people. Many are stuck in the middle. They need to be able to control their lives. We will not be here forever,” said Winslow Taylor, a Canadian master-corporal who has learned some of the local language to build trust with Afghans.

The Canadian military contingent, which has suffered some of the biggest casualties in the war, is slated to leave next year.

Afghan villagers are already keeping account.

“Where is the paved road you said you would build?” one man challenged the Canadians.

In another area visited by the patrol the next day, locals listened as the Canadians chronicled the reasons for the Afghan invasion: to hunt down al Qaeda after it attacked the United States, and to do away with the militants’ Taliban sponsors. Then one farmer recalled how the Taliban once appeared wearing Canadian military uniforms, and slaughtered seven people.

(Editing by Dan Williams)

(david.fox@thomsonreuters.com; Kabul newsroom: +93 799 335 285))

(If you have a query or comment about this story, send an e-mail to news.feedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: afghans, Canadian Outpost, Canadian Troops, cellphones, Clock Ticks, company commander, Fellow Villagers, gurney, insurgency., insurgents, Kandahar Province, Mud Brick, Mud Huts, reuters, Snags, soft drinks, Telephone Line, Tip Offs, Ugly Encounter, Wheelbarrow

Clash between Somalia police, soldiers kills 13

June 14, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

MOGADISHU, June 13 (Reuters) – Fighting between Somali government troops and police has killed at least 13 people and injured 14 in Mogadishu after soldiers tried to rob civilians, police said on Sunday.

The clash occurred on Saturday in Hamarjajab district, in the south of the capital.

“The clashes came after some of the government troops started to rob a civilian car and the police were trying to stop it,” Abdullahi Mo`alim Kerow, a police officer, told Reuters.

The clash resulted in the deaths of nine soldiers and four civilians who were not involved the fighting but were caught in the crossfire.

“We have collected bodies of nine government troops … and three unidentified civilians. The injured have been taken to … hospital and the fighting has stopped,” Kerow said late on Saturday.

“This kind of clashes among the government troops is unfortunate and been has repeated so many times, claiming the lives of nearly 100 troops since January.”

Ten civilians were wounded and one of them later died, Ali Muse Abdi, the coordinator of ambulance services in Mogadishu, told Reuters.

Somalia has had no effective central government for 19 years and Western efforts to install one to steer the country back to stability have been hampered by an insurgency by al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab insurgents and another smaller group, Hizbul Islam.

The Transitional Federal Government controls only a few blocks of Mogadishu with the help of African Union peacekeepers.

Elsewhere, al Shabaab regained control the strategic central town of Baladwayne from Hizbul Islam.

While Hizbul Islam and al Shabaab have fought together against the government in Mogadishu, they are rivals in other parts of the country.

“Al Shabaab is in full of control of the town. Their fighters are everywhere. There was no confrontation at all. The Hizbul Islam in town have been disarmed,” Adam Mohamed, a resident of Baladwayne, told Reuters.

Fighting in Somalia has killed at least 21,000 people since the start of 2007 and driven another 1.5 million from their homes, triggering one of the world’s worst humanitarian emergencies. (Additional reporting by Abdi Sheikh, editing by George Obulutsa and Alison Williams)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: 19 Years, African Union Peacekeepers, alim, Ambulance Services, Central Government, civilian car, civilians, clash, clashes, confrontation, crossfire, government troops, insurgency., Mogadishu Somalia, Mohamed, reuters, rivals, somali government, Somalia Police, western efforts

BJP to discuss its election strategy for Bihar

June 11, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Patna (Bihar), June 11 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will hold a two-day National Executive meeting beginning on Saturday in Patna to discuss its election strategy for Bihar.

The party is expected to launch its campaign in the State, where it is a major partner in the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) Government.

This will also be a test for BJP President Nitin Gadkari, as this will be the party”s first electoral challenge after he took over the reigns.

The BJP is expected to go all out against the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government at the Centre for its alleged step motherly treatment towards non-Congress states and highlight its failures.

The failure of the Central Government to control rising prices and Naxalism would also figure in the resolutions.

“The top BJP leadership will minutely scrutinise the UPA Government”s performance in reference to its handling of terrorism and economy, Naxalite insurgency and the step motherly treatment meted to non-Congress, non-UPA governments in the states,” said BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad.

A ”Rashtriya Swabhiman” (national pride) rally will be held at the conclusion of the meet, which will be addressed by top party leaders signalling the launch of the Bihar campaign.

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is expected to be a prominent speaker in the rally, as this will be his first visit to Bihar after becoming Chief Minister in October 2001.

Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states will be attending the National Executive meeting, during which the party is expected to focus on the achievements of the Janata Dal-United Government led by Nitish Kumar in Bihar, which has logged 11 percent growth rate in the last five years. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: bharatiya janata party, Bjp Leadership, Central Government, Chief Minister, chief ministers, election strategy, Executive Meeting, Gujarat, insurgency., jd, launch, Narendra Modi, National Pride, party leaders, Patna, Pride Rally, progressive alliance, Ravi Shankar, spokesperson, top bjp

Fighting kills at least 12 in Somali capital

June 10, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

MOGADISHU (Reuters)- Fighting between government forces and rebels, and a roadside blast Wednesday killed at least 12 people in the Somali capital and wounded 22 others, a medic and residents said.

World

The anarchic country’s U.N.-backed Transitional Federal Government controls just a few blocks of the war-scarred coastal city and its security forces have been fighting to regain Mogadishu’s north.

Residents in the first incident said rebels attacked government forces between the president’s palace and the main Bakara Market, prompting an exchange of shells and machinegun fire.

“We have so far collected seven dead people and 22 others injured from around Bakara market,” Ali Muse, the coordinator of ambulance services, told Reuters.

“Among the dead is a mother. Most of the shells landed in and around the market. Death toll may rise because shelling is still going on.”

Somalia has had no effective central government for 19 years and Western efforts to install one to guide the country back to stability have been greatly undermined by an insurgency by al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab insurgents and another smaller group, Hizbul Islam.

In another incident, residents said at least five policemen on patrol died and another was wounded in a roadside blast targeting them.

“I could see five dead policemen and another seriously injured. The area was soon sealed off by the government forces. I was passing near the scene when the explosion happened,” Hussein Osman, one resident, said.

Government officials and rebels could not immediately be reached for comment.

Al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab fighters are trying to hold on to the city’s north which puts the presidential palace, known as Villa Somalia, within easy range of their crude mortar rockets.

Al Shabaab, and a second hardline group Hizbul Islam, have been fighting President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed’s Western-backed government since the start of 2007.

In the last two days, four ministers have resigned. Three stepped down Tuesday, including a defense minister who said he was quitting because the government had failed to fulfill its pledge to restore order.

(Writing by Abdi Sheikh, editing by George Obulutsa and Ralph Boulton)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: 19 Years, Ambulance Services, Bakara Market, Capital Mogadishu, Central Government, Coastal City, death toll, government forces, government officials, insurgency., Machinegun, medic, mortar, policemen, rebels, reuters, security forces, sharif, Somali Capital, western efforts

Fighting, blast kills at least 12 in Somali capital

June 10, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

MOGADISHU, JUNE 9 (Reuters)- Fighting between government forces and rebels, and a roadside blast on Wednesday killed at least 12 people in the Somali capital and wounded 22 others, a medic and residents said.

Residents in the first incident said rebels attacked government forces between the president’s palace and the main Bakara Market, prompting an exchange of shells and machinegun fire.

“We have so far collected seven dead people and 22 others injured from around Bakara market,” Ali Muse, the coordinator of ambulance services, told Reuters.

“Among the dead is a mother. Most of the shells landed in and around the market. Death toll may rise because shelling is still going on.”

In another incident, residents said at least five policemen on patrol died and another was wounded in a roadside blast targeting them.

Government officials and rebels could not immediately be reached for comment.

Al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab fighters are trying to hold on to the city’s north which puts the presidential palace, known as Villa Somalia, within easy range of their crude mortar rockets.

Al Shabaab, and a second hardline group Hizbul Islam, have been fighting President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed’s Western-backed government since the start of 2007.

In the last two days, four ministers have resigned. Three stepped down on Tuesday, including a defence minister who said he was quitting because the government had failed to fulfill its pledge to restore order. [ID:nLDE6571U4] (Writing by Abdi Sheikh, editing by George Obulutsa and Ralph Boulton)

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