Translate

Search This Blog

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Pakistan's Taliban movement Maulvi Faqir Mohammad as Taliban number 2


Maulvi Faqir Mohammad is the Taliban's commander in Bajaur, one of Pakistan s seven districts in the tribal belt on the Afghan border and one that has seen a recent lull in fighting between the Taliban and Pakistani soldiers. He was sacked on Sunday at a meeting presided over by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Hakimullah Mehsud at a secret location in Pakistan s northwestern tribal belt, spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan told AFP by telephone. "A shura (council) meeting was held on Sunday and it decided to remove Maulvi Faqir Mohammad from the position of deputy chief of TTP," he said, adding that Mohammad would continue to serve the group as an ordinary member. Ehsan gave no reason for the removal. Neither was a successor announced. A source close to the Taliban told AFP on condition of anonymity that the Bajaur commander fell out of favour with Mehsud over his alleged support for peace talks with the Pakistani government. Mohammad also had sympathies with Mehsud s biggest rival within the TTP, Wali-ur Rehman, the source added. The only TTP commander who refused to comply was Mehsud, an Afghan Taliban member recently told AFP. Young and impetuous, the TTP leader has reputedly said there will be no end to attacks until Washington stops drone strikes.

Roger Federer beat Andy Murray to win Dubai Championships


The second-seeded Federer didn t drop a set all week and was rarely threatened by the third-seeded Murray, who was coming off his semifinal win against top-ranked Novak Djokovic. The win was Federer s fifth title in seven tournaments and his 72nd overall. He also won two weeks ago in Rotterdam. "This is perfect. This is great. Any title is a good one, I ll tell you that," Federer said. "I have a losing record against Murray, I do believe, and not against Novak ... I don t want to say (beating Murray) means more to me but it s a beautiful victory." The 16-time Grand Slam champion kept Murray off balance much of the match, outplaying the 24-year-old from Scotland with a mix of powerful groundstrokes, drop shots and the occasional serve-and-volley. Federer saved two break points when down 3-2 in the first set at the Aviation Club. He saved the first when Murray hit a forehand long and won the second with a backhand volley. Federer broke Murray to go up 6-5 and took the first set when Murray hit a forehand wide. The two players traded breaks early in the second set before Federer broke decisively to make it 5-4. Murray saved one match point before the Swiss star hit a forehand winner into the corner. "The match was close I think in both sets, I just gave myself more opportunities than Andy did overall," said Federer, who used the fast surface to his advantage. Murray struggled much of the night with his backhand and his serve also let him down. He won 85 percent of his first service points against Djokovic, but only 48 percent against Federer. "For sure I made a few too many mistakes in the second, and he was playing a lot more aggressive than in the first set," Murray said. "Sets can come down to just a couple (of) points. You get a lucky shot here or one great shot and you can break the set wide open." Murray insisted his win over Djokovic was not on his mind as he took the court against Federer. "It was a good win yesterday, good win the day before, tough match today," Murray said. "So I m just happy with the week, because at this stage last year I was in a very different position, different frame of mind." Despite losing, Murray said his performance this week will help him at upcoming tournaments in the United States. "I was happy I managed to adjust to the court," Murray said. "The conditions over in Indian Wells (and) Miami are going to be very, very different to here. Much slower court, which hopefully will suit my game a little bit better." The 30-year-old Federer now heads to New York, where he will play an exhibition match Monday at Madison Square Garden against Andy Roddick. "There is no substitute to confidence," Federer said. "I ve played great."-

More than 100 Yemeni soldiers killed in clashes with Al-Qaeda gunmen


Sunday's assault was one of the single deadliest against Yemeni troops, and the latest in a spate of attacks against security forces since President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi pledged to destroy the militant group in last month s inauguration speech. A medical official at the military hospital in the southern port city of Aden, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said "the death toll... has risen to at least 103" soldiers. He said "many soldiers died from wounds sustained in the assault" on army posts on the outskirts of Zinjibar, Abyan s provincial capital where Al-Qaeda linked militants are in control. A military official, who also declined to be identified, told AFP Al-Qaeda militants were responsible for the "surprise attack," saying "it was a massacre." Another medic said hospital staff were overwhelmed by the number of casualties. "We were forced to use administrative offices and waiting rooms to treat the wounded," he told AFP, declining to be named. "The hospital was packed full with dead and injured" soldiers. Military officials had reported fierce clashes Sunday when suspected Al-Qaeda militants tried to overrun an army post in Kud, just south of Zinjibar. The violence then spread to other military positions on the outskirts of the city. At least 25 Al-Qaeda gunmen were killed in Sunday s fighting and several others wounded, a local official from the nearby militant stronghold of Jaar told AFP. He said that at least 56 soldiers were captured by Al-Qaeda, including seven army officers 10 wounded soldiers. The militants, known in Yemen as the Partisans of Sharia (Islamic law), took control of Zinjibar and several other towns in Yemen s mostly lawless south last May as former president Ali Abdullah Saleh faced mass protests demanding his ouster.

Indian weapons bribery scandal


The firms have been banned for their alleged role in a 2009 weapons bribery scandal, a government statement said. The firms targeted by the defence ministry included Singapore Technologies Kinetics Ltd, Switzerland s Rheinmetall Air Defence, Israeli Military Industries Ltd and Russia s Corporation Defence (CDR), the statement said. "The firms were recommended for blacklisting by the Central Bureau of Investigation on the basis of evidence collected against them," the statement by the defence ministry said. The two other companies blacklisted were both Indian firms -- RK Machine Tools Ltd and TS Kisan and Co Private Ltd, the statement faxed to AFP said. No comment was immediately available from the companies named in the statement, which said those blacklisted cannot do business with the Ministry of Defence "for a period of 10 years". India froze deals worth $1.5 billion in 2009 with seven companies after police arrested a top defence ministry bureaucrat on charges he allegedly accepted bribes from the firms. The firms were issued notices to show why action should not be taken against them in relation to the bribery case, the statement said. "The decision to debar (the companies) was taken today after taking into consideration their replies," the statement said. Indian defence procurement has traditionally been an opaque business, marred by postponements, and repeated re-negotiations over cost and scandals. An artillery bribery scandal in 1986 involving then Swedish firm Bofors AB led to the downfall of the government of then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. The nuclear-armed South Asian country is one of the world s biggest military spenders, purchasing weapons worth tens of billions of dollars to modernize its million-plus army, which is the world s fourth-largest. India’s spending on arms has been a source of worry for several regional countries, including Pakistan.