A government vehicle struck a roadside bomb in Mogadishu, killing at least six people and wounding seven others. At least seven people were wounded in an explosion at the Banadir hospital in Mogadishu. Shabaab fighters have closed down several aid agencies working in famine-hit Somalia, including some from the UN.
Yemeni forces killed nine al Qaeda fighters, including two Somalis, an Algerian, a Mauritanian, and a Saudi, in Zinjibar. Tribal fighters allied with the Yemeni military ambushed a vehicle between Zinjibar and Jaar, killing four suspected al Qaeda fighters.
Syria remains defiant after the Arab League imposed sanctions. France said President Assad’s “days are numbered.” A Libyan Islamist militia leader plans to meet with the opposition’s Free Syrian Army. Russia is sending a flotilla of warships to its naval base in Syria in a show of support for the Assad government.
The al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf Group is responsible for yesterday’s bombing that killed three people and injured 27 others. The bombing took place during a wedding at a hotel in Zamboanga City.
In its first election since the overthrow of President Mubarak, Egyptians cast their votes for a new parliament. Voter turnout was high. In Tahrir Square, several thousand protesters continued to call for an immediate end to military rule.
Pakistan permanently closes borders to NATO after air strike
Pakistan’s prime minister issues a warning to US
Major General Athar Abbas also called the attack “unprovoked.”
Pakistan – NATO attack: ulema mull issuing fatwa for jihad
Pakistan’s unprecedented response to the attack in Mohmand is curious, especially given the countless reports over the past six months of Pakistani military forts shelling Afghan territory. US and Afghan officials have claimed the airstrike on Nov. 26 was in self-defense.
Turkish FM expresses solidarity with Pakistan
Pakistan -Third rally in a week: Prepare for jihad, Jamaat ud Dawa says
Pakistan – Negotiating with the Taliban: The attacks are on, but so are talks
NATO braces for reprisals after deadly air strike on Pakistan border post
Analysis: US, Pakistani co-dependence may prevent rupture
Afghanistan Worries After Attacks in Pakistan
Afghan and NATO officials said Pakistan fired first, prompting the deadly airstrike in Mohmand. The second wave of transition from NATO to Afghan forces will include six provinces, seven cities, and dozens of districts. Germany called for the Taliban to be included in Afghanistan peace talks.
Iran threatened Israel with “150,000 missiles” if Israel launches any military action against the Islamic Republic. Parliament voted to reduce diplomatic relations with Britain. The military claims to have built and deployed three more submarines to its naval fleet.
The US will spend more than $6 billion in Iraq in 2012 even though its forces are to withdraw from Iraq in late 2011, according to the US ambassador. Mahdi Army militiamen are joining the government’s security services under a secret deal between the government and the Sadrist movement.
In an unprecedented move, the Arab League approved sanctions against Syria to pressure crackdown on dissent. Iraq refused to implement the sanctions while Lebanon “disassociated itself” from the decision. Qatar said that if Arab nations did not resolve the crisis, other foreign powers might intervene.
Shabaab warned Ethiopia that any military intervention in Somalia will result in “heavy” losses for its forces. Hundreds of Ethiopian troops with tanks and artillery reportedly reached parts of Hiran region in central Somalia on Saturday. Shabaab fighters beheaded two young boys in the Afmadow district of lower Jubba region.
Shabaab fighters attacked a police outpost in Arabiya, seizing weapons and ammunition and burning down a communications tower. No one was reported killed.
Abdulhakim Belhaj, the head of the Tripoli Military Council and leader of the al Qaeda-linked Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, was briefly detained by a rival militia as he was traveling to the airport to fly to Turkey. Belhaj said he declined an offer to become interim defense minister.
Analysis: Iran adopts wait and see policy on Syria’s crisis
Palestinian officials said they will be unable to pay upcoming public sector salaries, a sign that Israeli economic sanctions are starting to take effect. Hamas, running short of cash, cracked down on banks and big business to pay more taxes.
Afghan soldiers called in deadly NATO airstrike
Libya’s new rulers offer weapons to Syrian rebels
Libyan Islamist leader detained as tensions grow between rival factions
Afghanistan – Taliban paid £100 a month to stop fighting
India demands Pakistan action against Mumbai attackers