The Obama administration has ordered the Justice Department to find an alternative location for the trial of Khalid Sheihk Mohammed and four other al Qaeda operatives involved in the Sept. 11 attacks on the US. The move came after New York City’s mayor protested the trial, citing high security costs and the negative economic impact […]
Buying flowers from Jihadists
The Taliban destroyed three NATO supply trucks on the outskirts of Karachi and wounded six people while bombing CD shops in Attock. Security forces killed nine Taliban fighters in Bajaur and four more in South Waziristan, and detained seven fighters in Swat.
One person was killed and four others, including the governor of the Sool region in Somaliland, were wounded in a roadside bomb attack that targeted the governor’s car. Djibouti said it planned to send 450 troops to support the African Union mission in Mogadishu.
Former ISI chief Hamid Gul. While it pains me to have to quote Hamid Gul, the former chief of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency and an al Qaeda and Taliban ally, he is absolutely correct concerning the so-called high level talks with the Taliban. From Adnkronos International: “This [claims of high-level talks with the Taliban] is […]
Iraqi security forces killed a suicide bomber in Mosul and detained seven members of al Qaeda IED cells in Baghdad, three insurgents in Mosul, and a member of the Promised Day Brigade in Baghdad. Insurgents killed an imam in Baghdad. The Independent High Electoral Commission banned nine parties from participating in the upcoming election.
US and Iraqi forces killed Abu Khalaf during a raid in Mosul on Jan. 22. Khalaf was al Qaeda in Iraq’s top facilitator, who was responsible for recruiting suicide bombers and foreign fighters and helping them enter Iraq. He is thought to have entered Iraq last fall to direct operations.
Abu Khalaf was killed during a Jan. 22 raid in the northern city. According to US intelligence, he entered Iraq last fall to direct operations.
Ten suspects linked to the Christmas Day plot to blow up an airliner over Detroit were detained in Kuala Lumpur. The 10 men, who are from Malaysia, Syria, Nigeria, Jordan, and Yemen, are thought to be linked to Nigerian bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who is in US custody.
Afghanistan to take over security operations within five years, NATO says
A tribe in Nangarhar province vowed to oppose the Taliban. Coalition forces killed more than 12 Taliban fighters in Baghlan province and accidentally killed a cleric during an escalation of force incident in Paktia. The Taliban killed a US soldier in an IED attack in southern Afghanistan.
‘2009 successful year for offensive against Taliban’ – Pakistani ambassador
China mulls setting up military base in Pakistan
Afghanistan: Ex-Pakistan spy chief says UK summit will fail
Karzai says it will take years to train Afghan forces
Iran executed two men accused of seeking to topple the state. The US seeks to propose a new regimen of sanctions against Tehran targeting the IRGC. Iran skipped the Afghan conference in London; British authorities said their presence was missed.
The Taliban leadership council again demanded that Western forces withdraw from Afghanistan and insisted it would reestablish the Islamic Emirate.
Afghan tribe vows to fight Taliban, for US aid
Detainee operations in Afghanistan focus on law, dignity
Pig heads found at Malaysia mosques
Nigeria text messages ‘fuelled Jos riots’
The media are atwitter over the prospects of negotiations with the Taliban. Secret talks with high-level Taliban leaders, including Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s son, were held in the Maldives recently. (The Afghan government and the Coalition have been trying to cut a deal with Hekmatyar since 2002, and have come away empty each time. Hekmatyar, by the […]
Nothing like good or bad Taliban, Krishna tells Miliband
An explosion outside a school in Rawalakot in Pakistan-held Kashmir wounded 13 police and civilian bomb disposal experts. Two of the experts were seriously wounded. The school is thought to have been the target.
The Taliban killed a tribal leader who raised a lashkar and kidnapped two other tribal leaders in Bajaur, and killed three boys in an IED attack in Dir. Security forces killed two Taliban fighters in Bajaur and detained three more in Khyber and Mohmand.
Insurgents killed an Iranian and two Iraqis, including a mayor, in attacks in Baghdad and Mosul. A suicide bomber wounded five civilians near Mosul. Security forces detained four terrorists in Kirkuk, four wanted men in Basrah, three insurgents in Mosul, and two Baathists in Karbala.
US troops, intel involved in Yemen strikes
NATO finalizes Afghan transit deal with Kazakhstan
Kabul minister says Taliban ready to negotiate – Taliban reject claims
Taliban calls Afghanistan meeting useless