Libya news.....
http://www.presstv.com/detail/2013/06/09/308059/libya-army-chief-of-staff-resigns/
Media reports say al-Mangoush has submitted his resignation in a closed door session of the General National Congress (GNC) and the assembly accepted his resignation on Sunday.
The developments come after the violent confrontation between a militia group and a group of protesters left at least 30 people dead and injured several others in the troubled city.
The fierce fighting erupted when angry protesters gathered outside the Libya Shield Brigade premises demanding its disband.
Moreover, heavily-armed assailants have attacked several army posts in the troubled eastern city over the past few weeks.
This is while several ministries have also been surrounded by hundreds of armed men since late April. The armed men demand that the ministries ban the remnants of the former regime of Muammar Gaddafi from holding key posts and hire those who had helped topple the long-time dictator.
Benghazi is the cradle of the 2011 uprising which toppled the long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi. The city has since been the scene of numerous attacks and assassinations.
Libyans rose up against Gaddafi’s four-decade-long rule in February 2011 and deposed him in August 2011. The ruler was killed on October 20 of the same year.
JR/PR
Pakistan.....
Friday night’s drone strike near the Afghan border, which was said to have killed seven militants, came two days after Sharif was sworn in as premier and the same day his Cabinet members took their oaths. Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-N handily won general elections last month and is expected to govern with a relatively strong mandate because it doesn’t need to rely on coalition partners.
Sharif, who wants to pursue peace talks with militants threatening his country, has insisted the U.S. stop the drone strikes, saying they violate Pakistan’s sovereignty and are counterproductive because they often kill innocent civilians and stoke anti-U.S. sentiment in this nation of 180 million.
The U.S. insists the CIA-run strikes primarily kill al-Qaida and other militants who threaten the West as well as efforts to stabilize Afghanistan. In a recent speech, President Barack Obama pledged more transparency and restrictions on the highly secretive program.
Sharif adviser Tariq Fatemi, acting on the premier’s instructions, summoned U.S. Embassy Charge D’Affaires Richard Hoagland to the Foreign Office on Saturday to complain about the latest drone strike, according to a Pakistani government statement. U.S. Ambassador Richard Olson was out of Pakistan at the time.
“The importance of bringing an immediate end to drone strikes was emphasized,” the government statement said. “It was also stressed that these drone strikes have a negative impact on the mutual desire of both countries to forge a cordial and cooperative relationship and to ensure peace and stability in the region.”
A U.S. Embassy official confirmed the encounter but did not provide further details. He requested anonymity because he was not authorized to publicly talk about diplomatic discussions.
Issuing the summons so quickly after taking power indicates Sharif wants to quickly carve out as much political space as he can — domestically and in his relations with the U.S. It could also be a fairly calculated move in this country, where the military retains significant power and where political rivals have gained traction by being even more vocal against drones.
While the previous government of the Pakistan People’s Party did, on occasion, summon U.S. envoys over drone strikes, it usually stuck to routine press releases denouncing them. It was also widely believed that many People’s Party leaders privately supported the drone strikes.
At the same time, Sharif has to strike a balance in his approach to a powerful ally such as the U.S., which has provided Pakistan with billions in military and humanitarian aid over the years, said Babar Sattar, a political and legal analyst in Pakistan.
“Reaction more stringent than this with an ally and friend would obviously have the possibility of disrupting the relationship — and he’s made it clear that’s not what he wants,” Sattar said, noting that Sharif has not, for example, backed calls by some activists that Pakistan shoot down the drones.
Sharif also has been far more careful than his People’s Party predecessors in his rhetoric about militancy in Pakistan and has said he wants to enter a dialogue with the Pakistani Taliban.
That has raised concerns in the West that he might be too sympathetic to the Islamist extremists, but he also may simply want to exhaust the option of peace talks so as to later gain public support for military action, Sattar said. A stop to drone strikes could give him more space in that process.
In its first drone strike in Pakistan after the country’s recent election, the U.S. in late May killed Waliur Rehman, deputy leader of the Pakistani Taliban. The Pakistani Taliban, who have killed thousands of people in bombings and other attacks across the country, confirmed Rehman’s death and promptly said they would not talk peace with Sharif.
Sharif — while not naming Rehman or the Taliban — spoke out against that drone strike, and his party in a statement noted that it was “highly regrettable” that it came after Obama’s speech.
The drone strike Friday night struck a compound in Mangrothi village in the Shawal area, along the border dividing the North and South Waziristan tribal regions, two Pakistani intelligence officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information on the record.
The tribal regions are nearly impossible to access for foreign and many Pakistani journalists, so the report could not be independently confirmed. But North and South Waziristan are known to be havens for multiple militant groups, including the Pakistani Taliban.
The U.S. has launched hundreds of drone strikes in Pakistan since 2008, though the frequency has fallen significantly in recent years. For all his rhetoric, it remains unclear if Sharif can actually stop the U.S. from using the drones to launch missiles at militants Washington believes are a threat.
For one thing, despite his numbers in parliament, Sharif still has to contend with Pakistan’s army for influence over security and foreign policies. And If he’s unable to end the strikes in Pakistan as the months wear on, that could give more room to opposition politician Imran Khan, the former cricket star, to drain support from Sharif and his party. Khan has been especially strident in campaigning against the drone strikes.
Iraq.......
http://www.presstv.com/detail/2013/06/09/308059/libya-army-chief-of-staff-resigns/
Libya army chief of staff resigns after violent clashes
Armed militias conduct a search operation in an area of Benghazi. (file photo)
Sun Jun 9, 2013 6:9PM GMT
1
Libyan army chief of staff Youssef al-Mangoush has tendered his resignation after deadly unrest killed more than two dozen people in the eastern city of Benghazi.
Media reports say al-Mangoush has submitted his resignation in a closed door session of the General National Congress (GNC) and the assembly accepted his resignation on Sunday.
The developments come after the violent confrontation between a militia group and a group of protesters left at least 30 people dead and injured several others in the troubled city.
The fierce fighting erupted when angry protesters gathered outside the Libya Shield Brigade premises demanding its disband.
Moreover, heavily-armed assailants have attacked several army posts in the troubled eastern city over the past few weeks.
This is while several ministries have also been surrounded by hundreds of armed men since late April. The armed men demand that the ministries ban the remnants of the former regime of Muammar Gaddafi from holding key posts and hire those who had helped topple the long-time dictator.
Benghazi is the cradle of the 2011 uprising which toppled the long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi. The city has since been the scene of numerous attacks and assassinations.
Libyans rose up against Gaddafi’s four-decade-long rule in February 2011 and deposed him in August 2011. The ruler was killed on October 20 of the same year.
JR/PR
Benghazi Libya Shield Protests: at least 27 dead
By Ayman Amzein and Maha Ellawati.
Protestors take cover in fighting at Libya Shield headquarters
Benghazi, 9 June 2013:
The death toll in fighting yesterday outside a military headquarters in Benghazi has left at least 27 people dead and 70 injured. According to Benghazi Congressman Ahmed Langhi, the death toll is 30. Other reports put the figure at 35. A Libya Herald reporter counted the bodies of 25 victims of the violence in the city’s Jalaa Hospital.
The fighting started when as many as 200 protestors gathered outside the headquarters of the First Brigade of the Libya Shield forces (Deraa 1) in Budazirah district in eastern Benghazi, demanding it vacate the premises and disband.
The Shield forces operate under the army but are seen as largely independent.
What happened next is unclear. According to Congressman Langhi, the protestors “were unarmed” but then others weapons came and joined them. Who fired the first shots has not been disclosed. One report claims that protestors managed to force their way into the headquarters firing into the air and that Shield forces then fired back at them.
The Shield forced leader Wisam Bin Hamid reportedly said that he told his men to stop firing because he did not want more bloodshed but also told them not to leave their posts.
The headquarters were eventually secured by the army’s Special Forces. Ben Hamed is said to have handed himself into their custody for safe protection. It is also reported, however, that a number of the protestors managed to take guns from the headquarters.
Protestors at the Libya Shield 1 headquarters
Many of the dead were taken to the city’s Jalaa Hospital which has published the names of the 25 seen by the Libya Herald. Most are thought to have been protestors although one Shield member, Ali Tarhouni, has been reported saying that a number of his colleagues had also been killed.
It is now yet known who organised the protest although it is claimed that some of the protestors were federalists, others simply wanting an end to any military organisations other than the regular army and the police. One report says that some of the protestors were involved in a land ownership dispute over the Shield headquarters.
Benghazi has seen a swathe of assassinations and attacks on security officials and buildings over the past year and a half but yesterday’s incident is the worst since the slaying in the city of US Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other US diplomatic personnel on 11 September last year.
“It’s a sad day for Benghazi but hopefully it will be an end of the story,” said Congressman Langhi, referring to the lawlessness that has hit the city and the country. “The mess has to end,” he said.
Congress is discussing the deadly incident today.
Libya Shield 1 is directly under the control of Chief of Staff Major-General Yousef Mangoush. It is has a reputation of being pro-Islamist, unlike Shield 2 which is considered more sympathetic to the federalists.
Pakistan.....
Days after taking power, new Pakistani government summons US envoy over drone strike
By Associated Press,
ISLAMABAD — Just days after taking power, Pakistan’s new government summoned a top U.S. envoy Saturday to lodge a protest over a U.S. drone strike, suggesting that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s team fully intends to make good on its promise to aggressively push for an end to such strikes.Friday night’s drone strike near the Afghan border, which was said to have killed seven militants, came two days after Sharif was sworn in as premier and the same day his Cabinet members took their oaths. Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-N handily won general elections last month and is expected to govern with a relatively strong mandate because it doesn’t need to rely on coalition partners.
Sharif, who wants to pursue peace talks with militants threatening his country, has insisted the U.S. stop the drone strikes, saying they violate Pakistan’s sovereignty and are counterproductive because they often kill innocent civilians and stoke anti-U.S. sentiment in this nation of 180 million.
The U.S. insists the CIA-run strikes primarily kill al-Qaida and other militants who threaten the West as well as efforts to stabilize Afghanistan. In a recent speech, President Barack Obama pledged more transparency and restrictions on the highly secretive program.
Sharif adviser Tariq Fatemi, acting on the premier’s instructions, summoned U.S. Embassy Charge D’Affaires Richard Hoagland to the Foreign Office on Saturday to complain about the latest drone strike, according to a Pakistani government statement. U.S. Ambassador Richard Olson was out of Pakistan at the time.
“The importance of bringing an immediate end to drone strikes was emphasized,” the government statement said. “It was also stressed that these drone strikes have a negative impact on the mutual desire of both countries to forge a cordial and cooperative relationship and to ensure peace and stability in the region.”
A U.S. Embassy official confirmed the encounter but did not provide further details. He requested anonymity because he was not authorized to publicly talk about diplomatic discussions.
Issuing the summons so quickly after taking power indicates Sharif wants to quickly carve out as much political space as he can — domestically and in his relations with the U.S. It could also be a fairly calculated move in this country, where the military retains significant power and where political rivals have gained traction by being even more vocal against drones.
While the previous government of the Pakistan People’s Party did, on occasion, summon U.S. envoys over drone strikes, it usually stuck to routine press releases denouncing them. It was also widely believed that many People’s Party leaders privately supported the drone strikes.
At the same time, Sharif has to strike a balance in his approach to a powerful ally such as the U.S., which has provided Pakistan with billions in military and humanitarian aid over the years, said Babar Sattar, a political and legal analyst in Pakistan.
“Reaction more stringent than this with an ally and friend would obviously have the possibility of disrupting the relationship — and he’s made it clear that’s not what he wants,” Sattar said, noting that Sharif has not, for example, backed calls by some activists that Pakistan shoot down the drones.
Sharif also has been far more careful than his People’s Party predecessors in his rhetoric about militancy in Pakistan and has said he wants to enter a dialogue with the Pakistani Taliban.
That has raised concerns in the West that he might be too sympathetic to the Islamist extremists, but he also may simply want to exhaust the option of peace talks so as to later gain public support for military action, Sattar said. A stop to drone strikes could give him more space in that process.
In its first drone strike in Pakistan after the country’s recent election, the U.S. in late May killed Waliur Rehman, deputy leader of the Pakistani Taliban. The Pakistani Taliban, who have killed thousands of people in bombings and other attacks across the country, confirmed Rehman’s death and promptly said they would not talk peace with Sharif.
Sharif — while not naming Rehman or the Taliban — spoke out against that drone strike, and his party in a statement noted that it was “highly regrettable” that it came after Obama’s speech.
The drone strike Friday night struck a compound in Mangrothi village in the Shawal area, along the border dividing the North and South Waziristan tribal regions, two Pakistani intelligence officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information on the record.
The tribal regions are nearly impossible to access for foreign and many Pakistani journalists, so the report could not be independently confirmed. But North and South Waziristan are known to be havens for multiple militant groups, including the Pakistani Taliban.
The U.S. has launched hundreds of drone strikes in Pakistan since 2008, though the frequency has fallen significantly in recent years. For all his rhetoric, it remains unclear if Sharif can actually stop the U.S. from using the drones to launch missiles at militants Washington believes are a threat.
For one thing, despite his numbers in parliament, Sharif still has to contend with Pakistan’s army for influence over security and foreign policies. And If he’s unable to end the strikes in Pakistan as the months wear on, that could give more room to opposition politician Imran Khan, the former cricket star, to drain support from Sharif and his party. Khan has been especially strident in campaigning against the drone strikes.
| Drone Attacks Simply Unacceptable: Sharif |
Afghanistan.....
Three Americans killed after argument with Afghan soldier - officials
(Clarifies status of third American, adds detail)
KABUL, June 8 (Reuters) - Three Americans, two soldiers and a civilian, were killed in Afghanistan on Saturday when a man in an Afghan army uniform turned his weapon on them in the eastern province of Paktika, the NATO-led force said.
So-called insider attacks by Afghan soldiers on their NATO-force allies have become an increasing problem over the past year or so, threatening to undermine already waning support for the war among Western nations sending troops.
Last year, a surge in such attacks prompted NATO to temporarily curtail some joint operations with Afghan government forces.
The three Americans were shot dead by the man following an argument, the Paktika provincial governor's spokesman Mukhlas Afghan said, adding that three other Americans had been wounded.
The attacker was himself shot dead soon after opening fire, the spokesman said.
"Two U.S. International Security Assistance Force service members and one U.S. civilian were killed today when an individual wearing an ANA uniform turned his weapon against (them)," a statement from Afghanistan's NATO-led force said.
A previous statement had said all three were soldiers.
Insider attacks accounted for one in every five combat deaths suffered by NATO-led forces in Afghanistan and 16 percent of all American combat casualties, according to 2012 data.
The toll has alarmed Afghanistan's Western allies and raised troubling questions about the unpopular war's direction as most international forces prepare to withdraw by the end of next year.
Also on Saturday, an Italian soldier was killed and three were wounded when a child threw a grenade at a NATO convoy in the western province of Farah, a spokesman for the governor and a Taliban spokesman said
"A brave, heroic 11-year-old Afghan child hurled a hand grenade at dismounted Italian troops in Farah city," the Taliban said in an English-language statement.
The four deaths on Saturday bring to 16 the number of international troops killed in Afghanistan this month and come two days after seven Georgian soldiers were killed in a suicide car-bomb attack in the southern province of Helmand. (Reporting by Elyas Wahdat, Sharafuddin Sharafyar, Mirwais Harooni; Writing by Dylan Welch; Editing by Robert Birsel and Gareth Jones)
| Women in Parliament Receive Threats – From Fellow Lawmakers |
Iraq.......
Unrelenting Iraq Violence Leaves 25 Dead, 85 Wounded
by Margaret Griffis, June 08, 2013
At least 23 Iraqis were killed and 78 more were wounded, mostly in Baghdad and Mosul. Two Iranians were also killed and seven more were wounded in eastern Iraq.
In Baghdad, seven people were killed and 12 others were wounded in a bombing. A bomb killed four civilians and wounded 20 others when a bomb exploded in Amin. Another bombing killed one person and wounded nine others, also in Amin. 12 41
In Mosul, a policeman was killed and two more were wounded in a car bombing. Asuicide bomber wounded 20 people at a base in east Mosul. Gunmen killed a manwhose father is a candidate for the provincial council. In south Mosul, a bomberwounded 11 soldiers.
Two Iranian pilgrims were killed and seven more were wounded in a blast in Diyalaprovince.
A clash in Tikrit left a soldier and two gunmen dead. Another soldier was wounded.
In Muqdadiya, an explosives expert was killed during a failed attempt at defusing a bomb at a market; two civilians were wounded in the blast.
Three people were killed in separate attacks in Baquba.
A policeman was killed in a bombing in Qayara.
A sticky bomb wounded a civilian in Falluja.
- Baghdad Bombings Resume; 20 Killed, 68 Wounded Across Iraq – June 6th, 2013
- 15 Shot at Fake Checkpoint in Iraq; 24 Killed Overall – June 5th, 2013
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