Organization of Islamic Cooperation
Islamic banks to expand, compete for mainstream clients
Monthly Archives: December 2012
Pakistan
Taliban leaders send their girl children to school: UN
China
US intelligence sees Asia’s global power rising by 2030
Pakistan
A Taliban suicide assault team killed three policemen, two civilians, and a soldier in an attack on a police station in Bannu. The Taliban said the attack was launched to avenge the death of Baitullah Mehsud’s nephew.
Pakistan
Pakistan – Silence resonates after Ahmadi graves’ vandalised
Afghanistan
Pentagon reports Taliban attacks up during Afghan fighting season
Taliban suicide assault team attacks Pakistani police station
The Taliban said the attack was executed to avenge the death of Ibrahim Mehsud, the nephew of Baitullah Mehsud, the former emir of the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan.
Afghanistan
The police chief in Nimroz and the acting head of women’s affairs for Laghman were assassinated in separate attacks. The Taliban killed an ISAF soldier in the south. A US Navy SEAL was killed in the Dec. 8 raid in Kabul that freed a kidnapped US doctor.
Iraq
Security forces destroyed an al Qaeda in Iraq camp in the Al Jazeera desert in Ninewa province. A joint Army and police force captured a top al Qaeda judicial figure in Mosul.
Tunisia
Extremism threatens Tunisia schools
Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa
UN blacklists MUJAO
North Korea
North Korea delayed the planned launch of missile, due to a “technical deficiency.” The launch is believed to be a test for an intercontinental ballistic missile, although North Korea has said the goal was to orbit a weather satellite.
Iran
Iran claimed it has decoded all of the data from a US drone captured last year. The UN’s nuclear agency said it had made no progress toward determining whether Iran was conducting research to build an atomic bomb.
Syria
Government forces adopted a new strategy, withdrawing troops from indefensible bases and concentrating them in Damascus and other cities deemed strategically important. After weeks of fighting, rebels captured a large army base in northern Syria.
Egypt
Egypt’s Morsi plays to his power base
Egypt
President Morsi issued a decree giving the army authority to arrest civilians during a referendum for a new constitution. Opponents called for a boycott of the referendum and for more protests.
Yemen
Seventeen Yemeni soldiers, including the chief of staff for Yemen’s central military region, were killed in last week’s ambush in Marib province by al Qaeda. A senior Yemeni general claimed that al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has only 700 to 800 fighters in the country.
Somalia
Shabaab released a statement from its emir, Sheikh Abu Zubayr, which addressed Taliban leader Mullah Omar and al Qaeda leader Ayman al Zawahiri, and praised Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. In the message, Shabaab vowed to continue its fight and said the US has been defeated.
Tunisia
A policeman was killed in a gunfight in Kasserine after “five suspicious bearded men” were seen in the area. Two days prior, two men from the Salafist stronghold of Jendouba near Kasserine were detained.
Nigeria
Security forces killed three Boko Haram fighters after the terror group launched an attack on a police headquarters in Potiskum. One policeman was killed in the attack.
Mali
The European Union agreed to send some 250 trainers, accompanied by a protection force, to Mali to train 4,600 Malian Army soldiers. A brother of one of the French hostages held in Mali by al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb issued a video appealing for information.
Attacks kill Afghan officials in Laghman, Nimroz
Recent deadly attacks on key officials in western and eastern Afghanistan continue the Taliban campaign to undermine Afghan governance. Amid security challenges posed by the withdrawal of Coalition troops, violent attacks on women have increased in 2012.
Al Nusrah Front, foreign jihadists seize key Syrian base in Aleppo
Foreign fighters, including an Uzbek commander, played a key role in taking the Sheikh Suleiman base outside of Aleppo. The base is thought to be involved in Syria’s chemical weapons program.
Hamas reportedly frees Jaish al Ummah leader in Gaza
On Sunday, Hamas reportedly released Abu Hafs al Maqdisi, a leader of a Salafi jihadist group known as Jaish al Ummah (Army of the Nation).
ISAF kills another al Qaeda commander in Kunar raid
An al Qaeda leader known as Numan was killed during a raid in the Nari district on Dec. 4. Numan supported senior “insurgent leaders” and moved weapons and fighters into the province.
Syrian rebels debut homemade fighting vehicle
Syrian rebels have debuted the Sham II armored fighting vehicle, “100 percent Syrian made,” in the besieged city of Aleppo.
Afghanistan
ISAF killed three Taliban fighters in an airstrike in Helmand. A US soldier died in eastern Afghanistan. Hundreds of Afghans angry over the execution of countrymen in Iran attacked the Iranian consulate in Herat.
North Korea
Japan deployed warships and land-based anti-missile defenses in response to North Korea’s announced plan to launch a ballistic missile this week. North Korea began transferring fuel in preparation for the launch.
Syria
US and Russian diplomats agreed to find a political solution for the Syrian conflict. Rebels in the northern city of Aleppo besieged a large government base.
Egypt
President Morsi rescinded a decree giving him authority over the judiciary, but refused to cancel a vote on a draft constitution. Opposition leaders rejected the compromise, saying the Muslim Brotherhood had hijacked Egypt. Both groups called for demonstrations on Tuesday. Opposition groups declared the independence of the province of Alexandria from the “Islamic regime.”