Somalia
The Transitional Federal Government has been disbanded and replaced by the New Federal Parliament of Somalia, whose members were appointed by tribal leaders. The appointment of a new president has been delayed.
Monthly Archives: August 2012
Ethiopia
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi died of an undisclosed illness. Zenawi had ordered the Ethiopian invasion of Somalia in 2006 and supported operations in the country beginning in 2011. Shabaab celebrated his death and accused him of “annexing Somali Muslim territories into Ethiopia.”
Al Qaeda releases biography of slain senior leader
Al Qaeda has released a biography of Atiyah Abd al Rahman, a senior al Qaeda operative who served as Osama bin Laden’s chief-of-staff. Rahman “engineered” the December 2009 terrorist attack on Combat Outpost Chapman that killed seven CIA officials and a Jordanian intelligence officer.
Al Qaeda in Iraq video details deadly raid in Haditha
Al Qaeda in Iraq fighters dressed as policemen are seen executing policemen with a silenced pistol during the deadly March 5 raid in Anbar province.
US drone strike kills 5 ‘militants’ in North Waziristan
The strike is the fourth in Pakistan in five days; all took place in North Waziristan in areas under the control of Hafiz Gul Bahadar.
Afghanistan
Afghan Singer Cancels Concert in Herat After Mullahs Protest
Iran
Is Iraq helping Iran evade sanctions?
Iran
Iran Unveils More Defense Projects
Pakistan
Christian Girl’s Blasphemy Arrest Incites a Furor in Pakistan
Al Qaeda
Concerns About Al Qaeda in Syria Underscore Questions About Rebels
Hezbollah
NYPD: Muslim spying led to no leads, terror cases
Italy
Italy: Somali Olympic sprinter died at sea trying to reach Italian shores
Denmark
Denmark – Shooting leads to chaos at Odense hospital
ISAF kills, captures al Qaeda-linked Taliban commanders in east
Mutaqi passed “critical information between the senior al Qaeda associated Taliban leaders in Kunar province” and plotted suicide attacks in the region. The commander in Ghazni helped al Qaeda fighters travel throughout the region.
Taliban rockets hit General Dempsey’s plane
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s C-17 was damaged on the tarmac at Bagram Air Base. Dempsey left Afghanistan in another plane.
India
Officials complained about text messages allegedly sent from Pakistan that sparked panic in a number of Indian cities and triggered clashes in Assam. India blamed several Pakistan and Bangladesh-based terrorist groups, including the Harkat ul Jihad al Islami and Jamiat-e-Islami, for launching the “cyberattack” and blocked 245 websites that contain doctored images and videos.
United States
President Obama warned Syria that if it started moving around its stocks of unconventional weapons, there was a risk of US military intervention. Officials seized $150 million in funds allegedly laundered by Hezbollah from a Lebanese bank’s New York account. The US is seeking to cut the funding of the banned terrorist group.
Afghanistan
An al Qaeda-linked Taliban commander was killed in an airstrike in Kunar province. The Taliban killed three family members of an adviser to President Karzai in an IED attack in Paktia. Police killed two suicide bombers in Faryab. New Zealand may withdraw its troops from Afghanistan earlier than planned.
Turkey
A remote-controlled car bomb exploded near a police station in the border city of Gaziantep, killing at least eight people and wounding 64 more. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the blast.
Shabaab leaders divided? Not quite
Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, a top Shabaab leader who supposedly split with the group’s emir, was photographed recently leading Eid prayers in Barawe.
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The U.S. Role in a Changing Mideast
Afghanistan
US to beef up rural police forces in Afghanistan despite attacks
Saudi Arabia
In Saudi Arabia, a quiet tide of reform
Iran
Little boat, big danger: how a British-made speedboat has become a weapon in Iran’s standoff with the US
Syria
Government and rebel forces fought in Aleppo, Daraa, and Damascus. Rebels established civil organizations in rural areas abandoned by government forces. Turkey urged the UN to create a “safe zone” within Syria to accommodate the growing number of Syrian refugees.
Libya
Security forces arrested 32 members of a group loyal to former leader Muammar Gaddafi. Authorities said they were responsible for two car bombings in the capital of Tripoli on Sunday.
Somalia
Many of the 219 “criminals” pardoned by President Sharif are said to be Shabaab fighters. Sharif was the leader of the Islamic Courts Union, Shabaab’s predecessor, prior to being appointed president. Senior Shabaab leader Hassan Dahir Aweys was pictured leading Eid prayers in Barawe.
Algeria
Security forces arrested an al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb leader and two fighters in Berriane. Necib Tayeb, the AQIM leader, is said to be a longtime official and currently serves on the judicial shura.
Mali
The Economic Community of West African States has blocked arms shipments to Mali. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation said it would appoint an envoy to Mali to address the crisis there. A new unity government was formed in Mali.
Egypt
Israel deploys anti-rocket battery near Egypt border: army