Daily Summary - Tuesday, December 13, 2005

**Airbornelawyer** · 12-13-2005, 10:43

Middle East and South & Central Asia:

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

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

Iraq: Iraq militant group says won't hit voting stations "An Iraqi militant group said it would not attack polling stations in Thursday's landmark election in Iraq, but said that did not mean it supported the poll, according to an Internet statement posted on Tuesday.…" (Reuters Alertnet)

Iraq: Prominent Sunni politician shot dead "A leading Sunni Muslim Arab politician was shot dead in Iraq on Tuesday just two days before the nation votes for a new parliament. Mizhar al-Dulaimi, head of the Free Progressive Iraqi Party, was killed while campaigning in the centre of Ramadi, capital of the restive Anbar province in western Iraq, police said. Three of his bodyguards were wounded.…" (Reuters Alertnet)

Iraq: Militia presence still haunts Iraq's Basra "In Iraq's southern city of Basra, fear of militia violence is clouding the run-up to Thursday's parliamentary election, with some candidates too scared even to reveal their identity.…" (Reuters Alertnet)

Iraq/Denmark: Irakere går forrest – Iraqis Take the Lead "Mandag morgen gennemførte den danske bataljon for første gang en operation, hvor den irakiske hær havde en ledende rolle…" – On Monday morning, for the first time the Danish battalion undertook an operation where the Iraqi army had the leading role. (Danish Armed Forces)

Iran: Iran could have nuke bombs in 3 years -Israeli army "Israel's army chief said on Tuesday Tehran could start enriching uranium by March 2006 and might be capable of producing nuclear bombs within three years.…" (Reuters Alertnet)

Palestinian Authority: Gaza gunmen storm election offices, spark gunbattle "Palestinian gunmen from President Mahmoud Abbas's ruling Fatah party stormed election offices and battled police in Gaza on Tuesday in a flare-up of violence that could disrupt next month's parliamentary ballot.…" (Reuters Alertnet)

Pakistan: Pakistan arrests Sunni Muslim militant suspect "Pakistani security forces have arrested a Sunni Muslim militant wanted in connection with bomb attacks on minority Shi'ite Muslims, police said on Tuesday. The suspect, Qari Ihsanullah, was arrested in Rahim Yar Khan city in the eastern province of Punjab on Monday, said district police officer Tariq Hanif Joya.…" (Reuters Alertnet)

Europe:

Armenia/Azerbaijan/EU: EU offers to help solve Armenia-Azerbaijan dispute "The European Union offered on Tuesday to help mediate in a long-running territorial dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia, as ministers from both countries hailed progress towards a solution. …" (Reuters Alertnet)

The Netherlands/US/Iraq: Dutch Iraqi may face extradition "A court has ruled that an Iraqi-born Dutch citizen can be extradited to the United States to face charges of taking part in the insurgency in Iraq.…" (BBC)

East Asia:

Indonesia: JI 'could be ready to attack' "THE latest warnings from Australia and the US against travel to Indonesia could indicate Jemaah Islamiah (JI) is ready to strike again, a US intelligence group said today.…" (The Australian)

The Philippines: Fresh clashes in south Philippines, 2 troops die "Two Philippine soldiers were killed and 11 wounded in fresh fighting on the remote southwestern island of Jolo with Islamic militants suspected to be linked to al Qaeda, an army general said on Tuesday. A Marine platoon clashed with about 50 Abu Sayyaf rebels in mountains near the town of Patikul late on Monday, said Brigadier-General Alexander Aleo, commander of the military's counter-terrorism task force. …" (Reuters Alertnet)

The Philippines: Philippine army links 5 officers to alleged plot "Philippine security officials on Tuesday identified one general and four colonels, including two retired police officials, as leaders of an alleged plot to unseat President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. …" (Reuters Alertnet)

Thailand: Thai Muslim unrest could take generations to end "It will take generations for largely Buddhist Thailand to end the separatist violence in its mainly Muslim south, a top security official said on Tuesday, citing a century of deep-rooted problems.…" (Reuters Alertnet)

Africa:

Somalia: ICG calls for increased efforts to counter terrorism threat "The international community should counter the threat of terrorism in Somalia by helping the country to restore peace and establish a broad-based government, the International Crisis Group (ICG) said in a report on Monday. …" (Reuters Alertnet). The full report is available in PDF format here.

Ivory Coast: Civilians Not Impressed by Armed Ivory Coast Rebels "Being armed is what characterizes rebels in conflicts in West Africa and what allows them to pursue their agenda. Rebels in Ivory Coast say they will not disarm until they are given the right to vote in free and fair elections. On a trip to western Ivory Coast, VOA's Nico Colombant spoke with a brash rebel about the effects of being armed, but also found out civilians in the region are not impressed.…" (VOA)

Ethiopia/Eritrea: Ethiopian PM confirms decision to pull back troops "Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi told parliament on Tuesday his government would redeploy troops away from the tense border with Eritrea in compliance with a U.N. Security Council request.…" (Reuters Alertnet)

The Americas:

Mexico: La Secretaria de la Defensa Nacional Continúa su Intensa Lucha en Contra del Narcotráfico en Todo el Territorio Nacional. – The Secretary of National Defense is Continuing its Intense Struggle Against Narcotrafficking in the Entire National Territory "En esta ocasión aseguró y destruyó más de 8 toneladas de mariguana y se erradicaron 182 hectáreas 1,019 metros cuadrados de sembradíos de enervantes; asimismo, se pusieron a disposición de las autoridades correspondientes a 11 civiles nacionales. ..." (Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional)

Colombia: Colombia rebels in Cuba for talks "Members of Colombia's second-largest rebel group have arrived in the Cuban capital to hold preliminary peace talks with the Colombian government.…" (BBC)