Monthly Archives: December 2011





Egypt

Islamists in Egypt’s tourist spots win surprise support








Syria

Syria – The World’s Worst Human Rights Observer


Syria

Observers monitoring the Arab League peace plan arrived in Homs. Protesters reported they were “ being slaughtered” but the chief observer said he saw “nothing frightening.” Human rights monitors questioned the observer’s judgment and accused Assad of hiding tanks until the observers leave.


Factbox: Strait of Hormuz


Afghanistan

A district council chief and his son were shot dead in Helmand’s Musa Qala district. Coalition forces killed Mullah Abdul Rahim, a top Taliban commander in Helmand’s Nowzad district. Afghanistan signed its first major oil extraction contract with China.


Yemen

Labor strikes spread through Yemen as workers demanded reforms and dismissal of managers over alleged corruption linked to the country’s outgoing president. Two soldiers and three al Qaeda fighters died when government forces clashed with al Qaeda suspects in Zinjibar.


Iraq

Three security contractors, two of them US veterans and one from Fiji, were freed almost three weeks after being detained by the Iraqi Army. Militants fired a Katyusha rocket at a camp housing several thousand Iranian exiles in northeastern Iraq. Baghdad has not extended the end-of-year deadline to expel the terrorist Mojahedin Khalq Organization (MKO) […]


Nigeria

About 90,000 people have been displaced in clashes between militant Islamists and security forces in Damaturu city. Assailants threw a bomb into an Arabic school, injuring seven people. Another UN staff member has died from the Aug. 26 car bombing of its Nigeria headquarters, bringing the death toll to 25.


Iran

Iran’s navy chief threatened again that his country can easily close the Strait of Hormuz. The US warned Iran that it will not tolerate any disruption of maritime traffic through the Strait. Iran held the first trial session of Amir Mirza Hekmati, who was recently arrested on a charge of spying for the CIA.


Somalia

At least 10 Shabaab fighters were killed by Somali and Kenyan forces during a clash in the Burgabo village of Lower Jubba province. Somali officials said cutting off remittance flows could further destabilize the country. Somali pirates have hijacked an Italian cargo ship and its 18 employees and are holding them for ransom.


Philippines

Abu Sayyaf kidnappers demanded a ransom of A$22,600 for the release of Warren Rodwell, an Australian. The military and police searched for more bombs in Mindanao after two explosions injured five people last week in a terrorist campaign by an explosives expert with links to al Qaeda, Jemaah Islamiyah, and Abu Sayyaf.









India

Pakistan and India take steps to prevent accidental nuclear war