[Airbornelawyer]

Middle East and South & Central Asia:

• Middle East and South & Central Asia: Ongoing operations – Miscellaneous releases from U.S. Central Command.

• Iraq: Ongoing operations – Miscellaneous releases from Multi-National Force Iraq.

• Iraq: Incidents in Iraq on Election Day (Reuters Alertnet)

• Iraq/Italy: Italy to cut its Iraq forces by 10 pct in Jan -Min "Italy will reduce its troop force in Iraq by 10 percent in January as part of its phased withdrawal from the country, Defence Minister Antonio Martino said on Thursday. Martino told reporters Italy would cut its military contingent to 2,600 soldiers by the end of January from 2,900. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said last month that all the troops would be withdrawn from Iraq by the end of 2006 in coordination with the Iraqi government. Italy, which has the fourth-largest foreign contingent in Iraq, faces a general election next April where the unpopular Iraq war might become an issue. Most Italians and all opposition parties were opposed to the troop deployment. The Italian government started withdrawing its forces in September, pulling an initial 300 soldiers from Iraq." (Reuters Alertnet)

• Iraq/Czech Republic: Do Iráku odlétne 9. kontingent Vojenské policie – 9th Contingent of Military Police Depart for Iraq (Czech Armed Forces)

• Israel: Gaza rocket hits edge of Israeli city, no injuries "Palestinian militants in Gaza fired a makeshift rocket on Thursday that hit an industrial zone on the outskirts of the Israeli coastal city of Ashkelon, causing no damage or casualties, the army said. The army said the rocket flew eight km (five miles) before falling harmlessly in an open, sandy area. Militants have targeted Ashkelon before, but this was the first time a rocket was known to have hit the area since August 2003.…" (Reuters Alertnet)

• Saudi Arabia: Explosives Seized at Riyadh Villa "Saudi security forces have seized large quantities of explosives and chemicals at a villa in Riyadh, newspapers reported yesterday. Home-made bombs, weapons, chemical products, computers and leaflets inciting violence were among the items seized, Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper reported, citing an unnamed security source.…" (Arab News)

• Afghanistan/UK: Army chiefs warn: 'We're not ready for Afghanistan' "BRITAIN is set for a U-turn on its commitment to send thousands of troops to fight in Afghanistan next year, with some in the army now questioning whether the mission should be abandoned altogether. …" (The Scotsman)

• Afghanistan: U.S. soldier killed in Afghan clash, prisoners freed "An American soldier was killed in a firefight with suspected Taliban guerrillas in Afghanistan on Thursday, the U.S. military said. The clash occured in the restive southern province of Kandahar as Afghan and U.S. troops were conducting a joint combat patrol, the U.S. military said in a statement. One militant was killed, while one U.S. soldier and an Afghan soldier were wounded. Other militants fled after American aircraft pounded their positions, the U.S. military said.…" (Reuters Alertnet)

• Pakistan: Pakistani commander wounded in attack on helicopter "The commander of Pakistan's paramilitary Frontier Corps was wounded on Thursday when gunfire hit his helicopter as it flew over a troubled southwestern province, officials said. Major-General Shujaat Zamir Dar was inspecting an area in Baluchistan province where suspected separatist rebels fired eight rockets at a security force base on Wednesday as President Pervez Musharraf was visiting a nearby town, one said.…" (Reuters Alertnet)

• India: Indian Maoists threaten foreign companies "India's increasingly active Maoist guerrillas said they would attack multinational and large Indian companies, accusing them of colluding with governments to oppress the poor, The Hindustan Times reported on Thursday. Thousands of rebels, who operate across a large swathe of India, have stepped up attacks in the past few months, killing dozens and sparking concern over their growing power.…" (Reuters Alertnet)

• Sri Lanka: Suspected rebel fronts threaten Sri Lankan army "Soldiers forced people in Sri Lanka's war-ravaged north to cut back their garden hedges on Thursday as a security precaution against deadly ambushes with suspected rebel fronts threatening to mount attacks.…" (Reuters Alertnet)

• Nepal: Nepalese soldier shoots many dead "A Nepalese soldier has opened fire on a crowd near Kathmandu, killing at least 11 civilians, police say. Another 19 were wounded in the carnage during a religious festival at a temple in Nagarkot late on Wednesday. The army said the soldier, in civilian dress, also died, but it is not clear how. Witnesses said he sprayed locals with bullets after arguing with them.…" (BBC)

• South Asia: South Asia Terrorism Update (South Asia Terrorism Portal)

• Sri Lanka: Security Situation Report. (Sri Lanka Army)