Canadian Armed Forces Station in Afghanistan

U.S., Iran Downplay Talk Of War Over Nuclear Dispute

2008-07-03T08:40:00.000-06:00

U.S. President George W. Bush continues to insist that both military and diplomatic options remain on the table as Washington tries to convince Iran to end its uranium-enrichment program.

"I have always said that all options are on the table," Bush said on July 2. "But the first option for the United States is to solve this problem diplomatically."

The United States has accused Tehran of trying to build nuclear weapons. Iran insists it only wants to develop nuclear facilities for peaceful, civilian purposes. President Bush now says progress is being made in diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis.

"I've also made it clear that you can't solve a problem diplomatically unless there are other people at the table with you, and that is why we have been pursuing multilateral diplomacy when it comes to convincing the Iranians that the free world is sincere about insisting that they not have the technologies necessary to develop a nuclear weapon," Bush said. "And we're making progress along those lines."

Tensions have flared in recent days amid reports that Israel might be planning to carry out strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities. That has helped send crude-oil prices soaring to record highs on international markets.

But Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki, on a July 2 visit to United Nations headquarters in New York, told journalists he thinks neither the United States nor Israel will risk what he called the "craziness" of attacking Iran.

Mottaki said officials in Tehran think such an attack is unlikely because U.S. forces are bogged down in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mottaki said "constructive statements and approaches," as well as an earlier proposal by Iran, had "paved the way" for creating a more positive diplomatic atmosphere. But he also issued a warning that "if the nature of the offense changes and takes on a military shape and form, then the military will use its own language and speak in its own language."

"Our preference is that the environment remains political and diplomatic so that we can find diplomatic solutions as a priority," Mottaki said.

At the Pentagon, the chairman of the U.S. Joint chiefs of Staff, U.S. Admiral Mike Mullen, said Tehran has reached the wrong conclusion if it thinks the United States is unable to back diplomacy with military force. Still, Mullen admitted that war with Iran would be a logistical challenge for U.S. forces.

"Opening up a third front right now would be extremely stressful on us," Mullen said. "That doesn't mean we don't have capacity or reserve. But that would really be very challenging. And also the consequences of that sometimes are very difficult to predict."

Mullen, who recently returned from a two-day visit to Israel, said he thinks Tehran is "still on a path to get nuclear weapons." But Mullen said he is convinced that the way to resolve the dispute with Iran is to use other tactics to change Tehran's behavior -- including diplomatic, financial, and international pressure.

U.S. military officials are downplaying concerns that Tehran would be able to close the Strait of Hormuz -- a key oil shipping route -- if Iran does become engaged in any military confrontation with Israel or the United States.

Pakistan Blames IMU Militants For Afghan Border Unrest

2008-07-02T11:57:00.000-06:00

For months, media reports in the region have claimed that militants from Central Asia are conducting violent operations in Pakistan's volatile tribal areas along the Afghan border.

Now, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has not only confirmed those reports, according to which hundreds of IMU militants are holed up in Pakistan's tribal belt, but also pinned some of the blame for a recent rise in violence there on the Central Asian militants.

Speaking on June 28, Gilani stated that "foreign elements hailing from Central Asian republics are disturbing peace in the tribal areas." Gilani was apparently referring to the mainly Uzbek Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), an Al-Qaeda-inspired group originally founded to topple Central Asian governments and replace them with an Islamic caliphate.

He gave no other details. And what Pakistan intends to do about the presence of the militants remains unclear -- although senior officials including Major-General Ahtar Abbas acknowledge that military action against them is not imminent.

"There are no operations imminent because, as you know, there are already peace talks between the government and tribes there," Abbas said.

The IMU, which made headlines in January after reports of bloody clashes in South Waziristan with local tribesmen, first emerged as a militant group bent on overthrowing autocratic Uzbek President Islam Karimov. Many of its members were hosted by Al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan but ended up in Pakistan following the U.S.-led topping of the Taliban in late 2001.

The Pakistani government, in a bid to diffuse rising violence in the area, has been carrying out negotiations with pro-Taliban militants and local tribal leaders. But the IMU militants appear not to be part of this process.

Indeed, Pakistani officials like Abbas say they want to the IMU members to leave the country but would prefer that the problem be solved by local leaders.

"Allow a homegrown solution to emerge is what government is trying to do. This solution would comprise of first to ask [the tribes] to control the area and remove all the foreigners," Abbas said. "The government wants the tribes to throw out the foreigners in the area and is ready to give them some time in this regard."

Gilani reiterated the government's desire to negotiate peace deals with those who put down their weapons. But he added that Pakistan, which this week launched an attack on pro-Taliban militia near the city of Peshawar, would continue to use force against those who resort to violence and sow insecurity.

Experts believe that the group, with some 500 members, now poses more of a threat to Pakistan than to the Uzbek regime.

Pakistani journalist and the author Ahmed Rashid told RFE/RL that the group has localized its activities in Paksitan's tribal belt.

"We've seen more and more of these people coming in. We have seen more suicide bombers in Afghanistan who supposed to be Uzbek from Uzbekistan," Rashid said. "Clearly, there's something going on here."

History Of Violence

Pakistan's "Daily Times" has described IMU leader Tohir Yuldash as staunch follower of Al-Qaeda's second-in-command, Aiman al-Zawahiri. Yuldash reportedly believes that jihad should first target not the United States but "hypocritical Muslims" who somehow support Washington.

Uzbek militants have been blamed in some reports for violence against and disregard for local Pashtun culture in Waziristan, including killings and assassination attempts against some tribal leaders considered loyal to Pakistan's central government.

Last year, Pakistani forces claimed to have killed at least 150 Uzbek militants.

Early this year, the IMU said it had joined up with the forces of local militant leader Baitullah Mehsud to battle Pakistani forces and local tribal leaders. In an audio clip sent to RFERL's Uzbek Service in January, a self-described IMU spokesman, Abdulfattoh Ahmadi, purported to describe those clashes.

"For a week, Pakistani forces and tribal Muslims have engaged in heavy fighting in Spinkay, Makin, and Razmak regions," Ahmadi said. "Heavy weapons constantly are targeting civilians and women with babies can be seen running away in severe cold. However, government forces also suffer losses. Some government positions are seized and some burned down."

What is unclear is the real strength of the IMU, which is on the U.S. State Department's list of designated foreign terrorist organizations.

There have been several past reports that Yuldash 40, had been killed. But each time they were apparently disproved with the release of fresh audio addresses from the Uzbek militant leader.

Karimov, speaking after the Taliban's ouster from power in 2001, said "the IMU posses no threat to Uzbekistan." But to help prevent militants from invading the former Soviet republics of Central Asia, governments there have formed a rapid reaction forces under the pro-Russian Collective Security Treaty Organization.

Meanwhile, from South Waziristan, the IMU continues to search for ways to replenish its depleted and scattered ranks by promoting a new strategy - one that seeks to take aim at the government of Pakistan and its supporters.

Radio Free Iraq Correspondents Neighborhood Watch

2008-07-01T10:42:00.000-06:00

Correspondents on the ground for RFE/RL’s Radio Free Iraq regularly send their assessments of the security situation from the viewpoint of ordinary Iraqis. In mid-June, correspondents and contributors in four hot spots -- Baghdad, Mosul, and the central cities of Ba’quba and Hilla -- reported on the conditions amid an apparent lull in the violence throughout many parts of the country.

Correspondent Sa’ad Kamil in Baghdad:
The citizens of Baghdad have been able to breathe more easily during this past period. There has been a tangible improvement in the security situation and there are positive changes on the security front in most areas, even those that used to be described as hot spots. Coffee shops are open late into the night, and the shopping streets have revived with new movement.

But some recent incidents have had a negative effect on people, and we have seen two days of empty streets and very little shopping activity. Even the shops that were open were preventing vehicles from stopping near them, and those entering and leaving the larger shops and malls were being searched. There is a lack of trust, even with the visible military presence and the security measures, but there seems to be a weakness in the security personnel who are simply using hand signals while giving passing vehicles a cursory glance. This does not prevent those who want to hurt people from choosing their own time and place, like the incident in Al-Hurriyah. The general view of the streets of Baghdad shows one or more security vehicles stationed about 100-200 meters apart, but this does not allay fears among the people.

Correspondent Mohammad al-Katib in Mosul, Nineveh Governorate:
Security operations are continuing, and military activity is still ongoing. There have been some security breaches, such as car bombs and explosive devices, and some assassinations including a local Nineveh TV broadcaster. In spite of all that, life is going on normally; people are shopping on the streets where there is normal traffic movement. Again, this is in spite of the ongoing presence of checkpoints and concrete barricades on the streets.

There is a degree of hope and optimism among the people here that the security operation will succeed and achieve its goals. There is also optimism that life in the city will return to normal, and that the people will resume their normal lives and activities. [Residents'] comments on the security breaches indicate that such breaches are likely to occur anywhere in Iraq, regardless of any security operation.

[Regarding areas outside the full control of Iraqi security:] There is no particular area to single out, because such tensions can be present anywhere, but the Right Bank and some parts of the Left Bank [of the Tigris River] are affected.

Diyala Governor Ibrahim Bajellan in Ba'quba:
Two weeks ago, during a meeting of the Diyala Council, we asked the federal government to carry out a law-enforcement operation that would build on the previous operations. The operations in Baghdad, Mosul, and other parts of Iraq have resulted in some terrorists fleeing to Diyala Governorate, and particularly to the area south of Baladrooz, Hamreen, Sa’adiya, and Jalawla’a, and also to the Imam Weys area. The gangs in these areas are mounting roadblocks and killing innocent people; they kill according to the person’s identity.

[Violence has decreased] particularly in Ba’aquba and Muqdadiya, where we have seen, from time to time, operations by women suicide bombers who have come to Diyala Governorate. To date, 16 suicide women bombers have blown themselves up, leaving behind them a number of martyrs and injured people. There have also been some car bombs and roadside bombs. But their presence here as a base seeking to establish an Islamic state in Diyala has been eliminated. The army and the police in Diyala have obtained substantial evidence of this.

[Regarding attacks on the so-called Awakening movements in Diyala Governorate,] there has been a reduction in the number of kidnappings, particularly within the former hot spots of cities such as Ba’aquba and Muqdadiya. The calm that has spread within the cities would not have been possible without the help of the Awakening councils. The official security forces shared 50 percent of the success with the Awakening councils and with former Al-Qaeda dissidents. There are still widespread areas between Khalis and Ba’aquba and other parts of the governorate which are still being protected by the People’s Committees.

Correspondent Ala’a Razzaq in Hilla, Babil Governorate:
The situation is clearly tending toward stability, especially during the past two months, and this has been widely reflected on the streets of Hilla. During the past days and weeks there has been no record of any terrorist crimes, prompting some officials to point out that the terrorist crime rate has fallen steeply. There have been some crimes aimed at the wealthy and members of the medical profession, and officials are indicating that at least ten gangs responsible for such crimes have been neutralized.

Stability has been apparent in daily life on the streets of Hilla, particularly since the security agencies have relaxed the night-time curfew, and we now see vehicles on the streets through the late night hours. People are also showing their sense of security by stepping out to do their shopping, as evidenced particularly on certain streets within the governorate, where the music shops and the shops housing the bands that play at weddings are operating openly and using loudspeakers to advertise themselves. Celebrations after the national football team’s wins have recently filled the streets with thousands of celebrating fans, something which was not seen prior to the implementation of the governorate's security plan. [Previously] when the Iraqi team won the Asian Nations Cup, and when young people took to the streets to celebrate, many of them were beaten by members of some of the extremist factions. There has also been an increase in the number of security personnel on the streets who have been provided with large numbers of specialized security vehicles. The security situation thus appears to be stable.

[Regarding the notoriously dangerous Baghdad-Hilla highway:] In the past, we have recorded a large number of incidents on this stretch of highway, which has been dealt with in an organized way. Citizens took over the positions that were considered terrorist hideouts, and a number of operations were carried out to root out the bases that housed the armed gangs. Fixed and mobile patrols were also used to secure the area completely. The area is now witnessing a reconstruction effort as a result of the governorate's decision to allocate one-third of its budget to the former "Death Triangle" [in Babil Governorate.]

Defense Analyst Sees Enormous Progress In Iraq Security Situation

2008-07-01T10:32:00.000-06:00

The number of Iraqis killed in political violence fell nearly 10 percent in June, according to security officials. The U.S military attributes the drop to the deployment of extra troops, the formation of antiterrorist fronts among Sunni former rebels, and Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's decision to suspend the activities of his militia, the Mahdi Army. Is it a lasting sign that things are finally going right in Iraq? RFE/RL correspondent Andrew Tully put the question to Michael O'Hanlon, a defense analyst at the Washington-based Brookings Institution.

RFE/RL: You recently toured Iraq from May 28 to June 4, going from the Baghdad area north to Tikrit and south to Basra. What are your impressions from this trip?

Michael O'Hanlon: I think the spring of 2008 will be remembered as the period when the Iraqi army began to establish itself as a viable fighting force capable of taking on the country's enemies, capable of helping to stabilize their own nation, and also being able to do more and more of this without American help. Now they still need our assistance in certain ways, but they don't need us, in most cases, to be the lead force. And that's very good news for Americans who are looking for a day when we can pull ourselves out safely.

RFE/RL: Your group moved around southern Iraq with Iraqi troops -- and without U.S. or British armed escorts -- which you see as a strong sign of progress there. Is there just as much progress elsewhere in Iraq? And just as important, is it lasting?

O'Hanlon: The progress is fragile, and it varies from one part of Iraq to another, but the overall death rate in Iraq is down dramatically, by about 80 percent relative to a year and a half ago. But there are still parts of Iraq that are quite tense, up around Mosul in the north, for example, and there are certain parts of central Iraq that are potentially unstable to the extent that certain terrible things could happen again: Al-Qaeda could launch a spectacular attack if the United States pulled out [of the region] too quickly. In other words, there are a lot of reasons to be wary about an overly rapid change in our policy. But we, by the same token, can see a lot of progress, and I think that we can look to a day when, in the next two to three years, the model that we've seen work now in Al-Anbar Province [west of Baghdad] and in Basrah can be extended throughout more of Iraq, and we can see reductions of at least half of the total American presence in Iraq.

RFE/RL: What's the possibility that this let-up in the fighting is a strategy by enemies of the United States, lulling it into withdrawing its forces soon before mounting a major offensive to crush any remaining U.S. and Iraqi forces?

O'Hanlon: Yes, it is a worry, what Iran would do. But we are also seeing a trend in Iraq where Iraqis are starting to get tired of Iran. They're starting to realize what the Iranians have been up to. The Iranians are arming and equipping and funding every imaginable group, and often just trying to stoke violence for its own sake. And that's starting to create a nationalistic backlash among the Iraqi people and government against Iran. There's a chance that Iran won't be able to play this game as well as it has in the past.

Moreover, one last point, the city of Basrah in the south, where the Iraqi army is now really in charge -- along with the police -- that city is a place where they have found a lot of Iranian weapons caches on their own, and they don't have to depend on the United States to convince them any more that Iran's playing a nefarious role in their country. They can see it with their own eyes. So I think that Iran may have a harder time being quite so cynical as it's managed to successfully be in much of the last few years.

RFE/RL: My last question, referring to "enemies of the United States," was meant to include Al-Qaeda in Iraq, as well as various sectarian militias. Your answer focused on Iran. Is Iran the chief antagonist in the Iraq war now? And what about Al-Qaeda in Iraq and the indigenous Iraqi militias?

O'Hanlon: Yes, I think Iran is the main problem right now. Al-Qaeda is probably number two. It's still a serious problem, and it could get worse. But Al-Qaeda is very much on the run, and it has fewer and fewer sanctuaries within the country. And also, the Sunni population has really turned against it, even more fundamentally than the Shi'ite population has turned against Iran. And so I am nervous about both Al-Qaeda in Iraq and Iran, but I think that we are seeing momentum against each of those threats, and probably even more momentum against Al-Qaeda in Iraq.

RFE/RL: Yet Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki recently spent three days in Tehran, making it clear he wants the two countries to have close relations. At the same time, al-Maliki's government is in difficult negotiations with Washington over the so-called Status of Forces Agreement, which includes rules that U.S. troops and contract employees must follow while operating in Iraq. Is the Iraqi government, at least, truly fed up with Iran, as you say?

O'Hanlon: There is no doubt that Iraq would like to have a decent working relationship still with Iran. They're obviously close neighbors, they share a religious faith, they're the two major Shi'ite countries in the world, there's a lot of movement of their pilgrims and other people back and forth, and a lot of the Iraqi resistance had some debt to Iran from the period when [late former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein] was in control of Iraq. And so for all these reasons it's true: al-Maliki would like to stay on workmanlike terms with the Iranian government. And also, on the Status of Forces Agreement, he is playing hardball with the United States, he's trying to get some improvement on a couple of the stipulations that are currently being discussed. But I do not believe that he really wants us to leave.

RFE/RL: Last year, one of your colleagues said Americans should have what he called "strategic patience" with Iraq because the "surge" was beginning to show progress. At the time, you drew a similar conclusion. Are you again calling for Americans to be patient?

O'Hanlon: As far as it goes, "strategic patience" is correct, and I agree with it. But there could be circumstances in which it would not be appropriate. If we were still losing, if we were demonstrably going to fail, or if that was even the likelihood and it was a question of whether we should keep reinforcing a failing mission in the hope that somehow patience would finally become a virtue, I would not subscribe to that. I think that the reason for patience is the mission is starting to be much more successful, and therefore we are starting to see a way by which we can achieve some of our core goals in Iraq for the first time.

RFE/RL: People often ask if we can win, or are winning, in Iraq. How would you reply after what you have seen?

O’Hanlon: The last year and a half has been a dramatic turnaround; we are making enormous progress. I don't like to use terms like "victory" or "winning" because, I think, given where we are in Iraq, there's been so much sacrifice, so many losses, so many mistakes that such terms are not entirely appropriate for me. But we're making huge progress, and I think we should continue to build on that progress because the stakes are so high and the chances of getting a decent outcome have now become much better.

NATO, Pakistani Troops Kill Taliban On Afghan Border

2008-07-01T10:25:00.001-06:00

KABUL -- NATO troops in Afghanistan and Pakistani soldiers together killed a number of militants along the rugged border, the NATO force said, in a rare show of close crossborder military cooperation.

Afghan officials have for the last month showered Islamabad with accusations it was aiding Taliban insurgents against Kabul, and NATO said on June 29 there could be no peace in Afghanistan as long as militants have sanctuaries in Pakistan. But Afghan, Pakistani, and NATO troops do have regular and open lines of communication to try to coordinate actions along the long and porous border.

Taliban insurgents fired rockets and rocket-propelled grenades at an outpost of troops from NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in the Spera district of Khost province in eastern Afghanistan on June 30.

The troops responded with mortar, artillery fire, and air strikes, and the militants fled across the border.

"ISAF forces thus coordinated with the Pakistan military border area counterparts; and the Pakistan border force subsequently fired artillery on the retreating insurgents inside Pakistan," ISAF said in a statement.

ISAF does not disclose Taliban casualty figures.

Pakistani military spokesmen were not immediately available for comment.

The coordinated attacks contrast with a border clash on June 10 in which Pakistan said 11 of its soldiers were killed in an air strike by U.S. forces in the border area.

U.S. officials have ordered an investigation into the incident, but say those killed were firing on U.S. forces and that there were no Pakistani military units in the area at the time.

Almost all ISAF troops in eastern Afghanistan are American.

Poor relations and mutual distrust between Pakistan and Afghanistan have dogged efforts to undermine the hard-line Islamist insurgency, which now threatens both countries along the Pashtun belt on both sides of the

Iran Sentences Man To Death For Spying For Israel

2008-06-30T12:26:00.000-06:00

TEHRAN -- An Iranian court has sentenced an Iranian businessman to death on charges of spying for Israel on its disputed nuclear program and its military.

The Tehran court handed down its sentence at a time of high tension between Israel and Iran and speculation of a possible sraeli attack on Iranian nuclear installations.

Iranian media identified Ali Ashtari as the manager of a company selling communications and security equipment to Iran's government. He was accused of "engaging in espionage for [Israel's] Mossad intelligence service," the ISNA news agency said. He had confessed and asked for clemency.

"I apologize to the Iranian people and to any organization which has been damaged because of my acts, and I request Islamic clemency," the semi-official Fars News Agency quoted 43-year-old Ashtari as telling the court after a two-day trial.

Ashtari said he had accepted a loan of $50,000 from Israeli agents as he had been in financial trouble, Fars said.

His name indicated he was a Shi'ite Muslim, but Iranian media did not specify his religion.

'No Knowledge Of Case'

In Jerusalem, an Israeli government official said: "We have no knowledge whatsoever regarding this case."

Iran, which does not recognise Israel, has previously reported breaking up spy networks and accused the United States and "Zionists" of trying to destabilize the country.

In 2000, 10 Jews from the city of Shiraz were convicted of spying in a closed door trial that sparked international outrage. The last five detained were released in 2003.

Iran says its nuclear programme is peaceful and aimed at generating electricity. But the West and Israel fear Iran is seeking to build atomic bombs. Israel is believed to be the only Middle Eastern state with nuclear arms.

Fars quoted Ashtari as telling the court that three Israeli agents had presented themselves to him as foreign bank representatives looking for a commercial partnership.

Meetings with the agents, two of whom were called Jack and Tony, took place in Thailand and Turkey and they provided him with a laptop computer for coded communication as well as satellite phones, the news agency said.

Television showed images of the equipment allegedly used.

ISNA quoted a senior, unnamed Iranian counterintelligence official as saying Ashtari had business contacts with Iran's Atomic Energy Organization as well as "some defense and military centers" while working for Mossad.

Speculation Rising

With Mossad's help, Ashtari at times supplied "defective and contaminated equipment ... [and] in some instances the application of these parts led to the defeat of the project with irreversible damage," the official said, without elaborating.

Speculation of an Israeli attack on Iran has risen since a U.S. newspaper reported this month that the Jewish state had practiced such a strike against the Iran's nuclear facilities.

The standoff between the West and Iran, the world's fourth largest oil producer, has been a factor pushing oil prices to record highs.

Washington has said it wants diplomacy to end the nuclear row but has not ruled out military action should that fail.

Iraq Unveils Oil Fields Open For Long-Term Contracts

2008-06-30T12:21:00.000-06:00

BAGHDAD -- Iraq's Oil Ministry has unveiled six oil field areas open to foreign firms for long-term development contracts, clearing the way for major international involvement in the country's petroleum wealth.

The fields are Rumaila, Kirkuk, Al-Zubayr, West Qurna Phase 1, Bai Hassan and the Maysan fields. Maysan comprises three fields -- Bazargan, Abu Gharab, and Fakka.

Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani announced the list at a news conference in Baghdad. The government has already prequalified 41 foreign firms to bid for the contracts.

Two gas fields, Akkas and Mansuriyah, were also opened.

The Oil Ministry said last week it had finished negotiations with oil majors on six separate short-term oil service contracts and hoped to sign those deals during the next month.

The short-term deals, each worth about $500 million, are aimed at quickly lifting output at Iraq's largest producing fields by a combined 500,000 barrels a day (bpd). Iraq's current oil production is around 2.5 million bpd.

Taken together, the short-term and long-term contracts will open the door to major international involvement in the OPEC member's oil sector for the first time in decades.

Large Oil Reserves

The majors have been positioning themselves for years in the hope of eventually gaining access to Iraq's proven reserves, which at 115 billion barrels are the world's largest after Saudi Arabia and Iran. Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih said in April that reserves could be as much as 350 billion barrels.

Five of the short-term deals that have been under discussion are with Royal Dutch Shell, Shell in partnership with BHP Billiton, BP, Exxon Mobil, and Chevron in partnership with Total.

Iraq has also been in talks with a consortium of Anadarko, Vitol, and Dome for a sixth short-term contract.

Those talks on the short-term deals have given the majors a head start in efforts to bid for future oil contracts. The U.S. companies were involved in Iraq long before Saddam Hussein took over the country and nationalized the oil industry.

After bids are submitted for the long-term contracts, negotiations may take months. At the end of 2008 or in early 2009, the oil ministry has said it would announce the winners.

Oil is Iraq's main source of income, and boosting output is key to earning the cash the country needs for reconstruction.

Iraq's cabinet agreed a draft oil law in February last year, but it has failed to get through parliament partly because of rows between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Baghdad over who will control oil reserves and contracts.

In the absence of the law, Baghdad has moved ahead with the short and long-term contracts, saying this is in line with an old oil law in existance before the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

OSCE Meeting Targets Sluggish Kazakh Reforms, 'Frozen' Conflicts

2008-06-30T12:14:00.000-06:00

Some 270 members of parliament from the OSCE’s 56 member states are meeting in Astana, the Kazakh capital, to discuss an array of issues vital to the future of Europe’s leading human rights organization.

The annual session of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly kicked off on June 29 and runs through July 3.

Topics being debated include democratic reform, water management, human trafficking, migration, Afghanistan, and “frozen conflicts” involving Georgia, Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev

But Kazakhstan, the host, was the initial focus. Astana is struggling to implement democratic reforms despite promises to do so as part of its obligations to take over the chairmanship of the Vienna-based OSCE in 2010.

'In Good Faith'

OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Goran Lennmarker voiced concerns about the Kazakh chairmanship in his opening speech on June 29.

"At the last meeting among the ministers in Madrid, Kazakhstan made some statements regarding planned domestic legislative reforms," Lennmarker said. "We are confident that Kazakhstan will continue to work towards meeting these commitments outlined by Kazakhstan in Madrid in good faith and in a transparent and inclusive manner."

“Transparency in the OSCE” is the main theme of this year’s meeting, which is supposed to build on last year’s session hosted by Ukraine. But transparency is precisely what has been lacking in many countries in the OSCE, particularly with regard to the democratic process.

Lennmarker said the OSCE is contributing "fresh ideas" and encouraging "lively debates" with Kazakhstan on issues such as transparency.

OSCE Secretary-General Marc Perrin de Brichambaut also reminded Astana of its obligations, but suggested progress is being made.

"I feel confident that the government and the parliament of Kazakhstan will fulfill its commitments," he said.

At an OSCE gathering last year in Madrid, Kazakhstan pledged to push ahead with democratic reforms and create the conditions for a free media as a part of a deal giving Astana the rotating OSCE chairmanship in 2010. But so far, no reforms have been undertaken in Kazakhstan, where the OSCE has never recognized an election, including last year’s disputed parliamentary polls that left the ruling party as the only political force in the legislature.

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev told the assembly on June 29 that Astana is focusing on security, interreligious and intercultural cooperation.

While also noting that democracy should respect the "cultural principles of nations,” Nazarbaev used his speech to outline his government's priorities in an effort to show Astana’s willingness to pass democratic reforms.

"First, the creation of a legislative mechanism that allows for the formation of a parliament with no fewer than two parties," Nazarbaev said. "Second, the creation of favorable conditions for the registration of political parties. At the same time, we emphasize, and it should be clearly understood, the creation of a political party and its activities must adhere strictly to the constitution. Third is the development of the procedure for the electoral process. Fourth, the need for the removal of any unneeded bureaucratic barriers that regulate the functioning of the media. But in this the government insists that the activities of the media cannot become a reason for the violation of human rights, social, and religious tolerance or the security of the society of our country."

'Engaged' On Nagorno-Karabakh

On other issues, De Brichambaut said the OSCE remains "fully engaged" in trying to resolve the dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave.

He also clarified the limits of the OSCE’s involvement in Georgia's territorial disputes.

"If you remember that when it comes to Abkhazia, the OSCE is not the organization. It is the United Nations that has a responsibility when it comes to trying to find a solution on Abkhazia," he said. "But the OSCE has a responsibility when it comes to South Ossetia, and there, of course, we want to focus from the Parliamentary Assembly to see a process to find a eaceful solution to the conflict."

The main task of the OSCE parliamentary assembly is to facilitate interparliamentary dialogue as part of seeking democratic reform throughout the OSCE area.

RFE/RL's Kazakh Service contributed to this report

28 Taliban, Six Civilians Killed In U.S. Raid

2008-06-30T12:07:00.001-06:00

KABUL -- U.S.-led coalition troops, backed by air strikes, killed 28 Taliban insurgents in southwestern Afghanistan, but six to eight civilians were also killed in the operation, the provincial governor said.

The raid on June 29 was aimed at a Taliban meeting in the Khash Rud district of Nimroz Province, provincial governor Ghulam Dastagir Azad told reporters.

"The operation was carried out on the basis of a tip-off. Twenty-eight Taliban and between six to eight civilians were killed in it," he said, without giving further details.

The U.S. military confirmed the mission, but said nothing of civilian casualties. It said the operation was aimed at disrupting militant activities in Nimroz.

Civilian Deaths

The issue of civilians killed by foreign troops is a sensitive one in Afghanistan as it further undermines public support for the presence of around 71,000 international troops in the country.

In the first six months of this year, 698 civilians were killed, 255 of them by Afghan government and foreign forces. In the same period last year, a total of 430 civilians were killed, the United Nations said.

In the latest operation, U.S.-led coalition forces identified numerous militants armed with AK-47s, rocket-propelled grenades and hand grenades, the U.S. military said in a statement.

"Multiple militant groups engaged the force in a compound and in nearby areas. Coalition forces then killed them using small-arms fire. Two additional groups of armed militants manoeuvred against the force and were killed by air strikes," it said.

A Taliban spokesman said no member of the group was killed and the casualties were civilians participating in a party.

15 Taliban Killed

Also in Nimroz, 15 Taliban insurgents were killed in a joint Afghan and U.S.-led forces operation after a group of insurgents attacked an Afghan police post in the Dasht-e Bakwa on June 29, the Afghan Interior Ministry said.

Elsewhere, two Afghan soldiers were killed and three more were wounded when their vehicle struck a roadside bomb in the eastern province of Paktia on June 29, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

Afghanistan has faced an upsurge of violence since 2006 and some Western politicians have warned it may slide back into anarchy.

According to Afghan and UN officials more than 13,000 people have been killed since 2006 when the Taliban regrouped to overthrow the Afghan government and drive out foreign troops.

Pakistani Troops Seek To Counter Taliban Threat To Peshawar

2008-06-30T11:56:00.000-06:00

A home in Bar Qambarkhel said to have belonged to Haji Namdar, the head of a hard-line group seeking Taliban-style rule, on June 30

Pakistan's current offensive against pro-Taliban militants in a western tribal region near the North West Frontier Province's capital, Peshawar, is regarded as the country's first military response to ease concerns over a possible Taliban takeover of that strategic metropolis.

The operation comes after months of negotiations and attempts at peacemaking with the Taliban have yielded few tangible results.

Some 5,000 Pakistani paramilitary troops -- equipped with tanks, armored personnel carriers, and artillery -- have advanced into the town of Bara in the Khyber tribal district, a mere 15 kilometers west of Peshawar.

The aim of their operation is to put an end to the growing influence of pro-Taliban militants in and around Peshawar, a strategic city of some 3 million people located just east of the famous Khyber Pass leading into Afghanistan. The offensive also underscores the role of Peshawar, the purported birthplace of Al-Qaeda, as a key front in the battle against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

"If Peshawar falls then the whole of [North West Frontier Province] will fall and the [eastern province of] Punjab is not far," Ijaz Khan, a professor of international relations at Peshawar University, told RFE/RL. "It is wrong to assume that consequences of such an eventuality will not spread. This will dramatically worsen the whole situation."

Some analysts worry that the offensive, like previous Pakistani military actions in the area, will be temporary and lead to more deal making with militants. So far, the military operation has met with little resistance because rival pro-Taliban groups have been involved for years in violent sectarian conflict with one another.

One group is Lashkar-e Islam. The pro-Taliban militia controls large swaths of the Khyber district and is enforcing harsh measures to regulate public life. Lashkar-e Islam is locked in conflict with Ansar-ul-Islam, a rival militia. But the government responded to its activities only after the group reportedly kidnapped 16 Christians from Peshawar on June 21 and made raids into the city.

Regional Ties?

Reports from the tribal region on June 30 said Pakistani forces destroyed a house in the village of Bar Qambarkhel that was owned by another Islamic militant leader -- killing at least six people. The house belonged to Haji Namdar, head of the hard-line Vice and Virtue Movement, a group seeking Taliban-style Islamic law. Reports indicate Namdar's group has sheltered Arab and Central Asian militants suspected of carrying out attacks on NATO supplies being transported through the Khyber Pass.

A senior Pakistani security official has confirmed that Namdar's house was destroyed, saying that Pakistani ground troops were involved in the operation.

Namdar reportedly survived the explosion that destroyed his home. Namdar's spokesman claims the explosion was caused by a NATO missile strike.

On June 28, Pakistani troops destroyed the home of Lashkar-e Islam leader Mangal Bagh in the town of Bara. They also demolished the headquarters of the rival Ansar-ul-Islam group early on June 29 after the government in Islamabad outlawed all three groups.

Apart from the Khyber Pass to the west of Peshawar, Taliban factions also have been extending their influence from the tribal town of Darra Adam Khel on a strategic highway about 40 kilometers south of Peshawar.

Meanwhile, from the tribal districts of Mohmand and Bajaur about 30 kilometers north of Peshawar, fighters from other Taliban-linked groups have been making inroads into the city and the nearby towns of Charssada and Mardan.

Mounting Fears

Concerns about a growing Taliban threat to Peshawar were raised last week when Pakistani and international media published reports about the possibility the city might fall into Taliban hands.

Afrasiab Khattak, a peace envoy from the Awami National Party-led provincial government, has downplayed the threat.

"The peace and security situation in Pakistan over the past few years has deteriorated because of the flawed polices of [President] General Pervez Musharraf -- years of bad policies and judgments have resulted in the current grave state of affairs," Khattak said. "The security situation in FATA [Federally Administered Tribal Areas] and the adjacent settled districts of NWFP is bad. Across the border in eastern and southern Afghanistan the security situation is dire, too. Peshawar is not facing an imminent particular security threat. But it shares the security situation and concerns of the surrounding regions."

Others in Peshawar offered a more alarming analysis.

Ijaz Khan said the Taliban have gradually increased their influence over the past five years from Waziristan, some 500 kilometers south of Peshawar. He said their influence is now visible, with the militants making sporadic raids into Peshawar in a bid to regulate residents' lives by blowing up DVD shops and targeting those considered un-Islamic.

"The notion that Taliban have laid siege to Peshawar might not be right in the conventional sense as their forces are not waiting at the gates to take over the city," Ijaz Khan said, "but their influence is gradually increasing and the government seems to have no clear policy to confront it."

Key Questions

Located on a key route that links Pakistan and Afghanistan, Peshawar had been a bastion for the anti-Soviet Afghan Mujahedin resistance during the 1980s. Radical Arab veterans of that war also founded the Al-Qaeda network in Peshawar during the late 1980s.

Provincial police in NWFP recently announced a comprehensive plan to protect Peshawar. But the plan has so far contributed little to improving security.

The provincial government advocates a comprehensive strategy of political empowerment, economic development, and peace building. Khattak is adamant that Pakistan's new democratically elected government will deliver on its pledge to restore peace and security in the country.

"The new government has been in office for less than a hundred days, but over the past few weeks, we had a lot of high-level meetings in Islamabad and Peshawar and we have completed a comprehensive strategy," Khattak said. "This strategy will be implemented and you will see its results soon. The government is fully aware that protecting the life and property of its citizens is its primary responsibility. Unlike in the past, when using military might was the first and only strategy, the new government will engage in negotiations [with militants] but will use force against those who break the law."

Still, many analysts pointed out that Pakistan's elected leaders may not have the authority or resources to implement any well-intentioned comprehensive anti-terror policy. That is because the country's powerful military establishment continues to dominate vital policy decisions related to security.

Ijaz Khan said the actions of the current government resemble what he described as futile efforts by the previous regime.

"So far, the military actions consist of a few days of fighting resulting in the casualties of combatants from both sides and some innocent citizens," Ijaz Khan said, "Then they start negotiations, which often result in deal making. Such deals, in turn, result in increased Taliban influence."

Many Peshawar residents will have similar concerns, at least until they see real improvements to security in their beleaguered city and the surrounding regions.

Pakistan forces 'clear' Khyber town

2008-06-29T10:41:00.000-06:00

Pakistan has claimed success after a major military offensive cleared anti-government fighters from a town in the northwest of the country and troops returned to abandoned outposts.

Paramilitary troops were on Sunday seen patrolling Bara in the Khyber region in tanks had set up sand-bag checkpoints.

"The government has been successful in the operation in Khyber which was carried out to safeguard Peshawar," Rehman Malik, the interior ministry chief, told a high-level meeting in Peshawar.

He did not say when the offensive would end.

The government launched the operation after attacks on supply convoys for the US-led force in Afghanistan and reports of fighters threatening the city of Peshawar.

There has been growing concern about threats to Peshawar since a Taliban force from Khyber entered the city two weeks ago and seized 16 Christians, before later releasing them.

Around 1,500 troops and police commandos were deployed along the Peshawar border with the Khyber tribal region and its suburbs to protect the city's more than 1m populace.

Buildings destroyed

Muhammad Siddiq Khan, a local official, said that a tribal force that had been forced to abandon its posts in the region several months ago returned to the checkpoints on Sunday, he said.

In a nearby village on Sunday, soldiers blew up a building belonging to the Ansar-ul-Islam group, which is purportedly linked to the Taliban and has been accused of sending fighters across the border into Afghanistan.

"There was no resistance as the building used by Ansar-ul-Islam as their centre was empty," a security official said.

The previous day troops had demolished the house and headquarters of Mangal Bagh, head of the separate Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) group, which officials have said is not linked to the Taliban.

Bagh's group has been accused of robbing vehicles on the Khyber Pass, although officials said his men were not responsible for cross-border attacks on the US-led forces in Afghanistan.

Bagh told a newspaper that he did not know why he was being targeted and said his men had never attacked security forces.

"I have told LI volunteers to go home and not to resist any action," he was quoted as saying by The News, an English language newspaper.

Peace talks halted

Baitullah Mehsud, a senior pro-Taliban leader in Pakistan, has reportedly called off peace talks with the government following the start of the offensive.

"The talks will remain suspended until the government stops talking about operations and attacks against us," the Reuters news agency quoted Mehsud as saying.

About 1,500 troops and police were deployed on the Peshawar-Khyber border

A large military contingent was also reported to have reached the Jandula area in South Waziristan.

Another armed group said that an offensive in the area would only create further problems.

"If the government thinks there is any issue to address, that should be resolved through talks not by the use of force," Munsif Khan, spokesman for the Virtue and Voice organisation, said.

"We are ready for talks with the government."

Yousuf Raza Gilani, Pakistan's prime minister, denied that the government had launched the offensive after pressure from Washington and said negotiations with armed groups in the northwest would continue.

"This is our war and it is for our own survival," hei told reporters after a meeting of former premier Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party in Lahore.

"Nobody will be allowed to execute others publicly, kidnap minorities, set fire to girls' schools and barber shops in Pakistan.

"We do not take any pressure and I have also explained my policy to US President Bush that we believe in dialogue and want development, health, education and to eliminate terrorism from the country."

Gilani was in Peshawar on Saturday but insisted that his trip was not related to the military operation.

Islamabad Launches Military Operation Against Taliban

2008-06-29T10:33:00.000-06:00

Pakistani troops patrol on vehicles in Hayatabad near the Khyber tribal region

Pakistani forces have launched a military operation against Taliban militants near the northwestern city of Peshawar. The offensive in the Khyber tribal region marks the first major military action which Pakistan's newly elected government has taken against the Taliban on its territory.

Pakistani forces reportedly bombarded suspected militant hideouts with mortar shells in the mountains in Khyber.

Pakistani journalist Syllab Massud, speaking to RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan from Peshawar, said the situation is "tense."

"[People] are really worried about their futures because nobody knows what will happen next," Massud said.

Security officials were quoted as saying an around-the-clock curfew has been imposed in the Bara area near Peshawar, close to the Afghan border. Meanwhile, troops were deployed, blocking the main road into Khyber.

No casualties have been reported, but local newspapers report hospitals in Peshawar have been put on alert.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, who came to power following February general elections, is in Peshawar. He said his government, which has engaged in a cease-fire and negotiated peace deals with Pakistani Taliban leaders, would not allow the tribal areas to descend into chaos.

'We Will Use Force'

"We are ready to negotiate with those who are ready to put down their weapons," he said. "We are supporting a peace deal with those who want security in the region. We don't oppose any peace negotiation with those people. We will use force against those who are causing insecurity."

The crackdown follows increased activity of Taliban fighters in Khyber and in the sprawling city of Peshawar over the past year. Armed militants have threatened owners of music and video shops to close down, and ordered barbers to stop shaving men's beards.

The Khyber Pass provides the main road link to neighboring Afghanistan.

Kabul and NATO complain about an increase in crossborder attacks following the Pakistani peace deals. Afghan officials also accuse Pakistan of secretly supporting the insurgents and harboring their leaders -- a charge Pakistan's civilian and military leaders deny.

'Clearly A Concern'

On June 27, U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates criticized Pakistan for failing to put pressure on Taliban forces along the border, saying it had fuelled a rise in violence.

"The ability of the Taliban and other insurgents to cross [the Afghanistan-Pakistan] border and not being under any pressure from the Pakistani side of the border is clearly a concern," Gates said. "I think that's the area that needs to be addressed with the Pakistani government."

Speaking at a news conference in Washington, Gates said efforts by the Pakistani government to negotiate a peace agreement with tribal leaders had taken the pressure off insurgent groups.

Reacting to the latest government military offensive, Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mahsud said he was suspending peace talks with Islamabad and threatened retaliation across Pakistan unless military offensives against his group stopped.

RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan contributed to this report

North Korea pressed to disarm further

2008-06-28T10:34:00.001-06:00

The US has pressed North Korea to fully abandon its atomic weapons programmed, following the "breakthrough" demolition of the cooling tower at Pyonyang's main Yongbyon nuclear reactor.

Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, speaking in Seoul on Saturday, called on North Korea to completely dismantle its nuclear weapons.

"At the end of this [process], we have to have the abandonment of all programmes, weapons and materials," Rice said.

Rice was visiting South Korea for talks with Yu Myung-Hwan, her South Korean counterpart, before traveling to China as part of six-nation talks now focused on verifying North Korea's nuclear inventory.

Following the delivery of the inventory or "declaration" on Thursday, North Korea demolished the Yongbyon cooling tower, allowing foreign media to broadcast the event.

Pyonyang is disabling Yongbyon under US supervision in return for energy aid and the lifting of some sanctions.

"In the next phase we do have to move on abandonment. That is the purpose of six-party talks," Rice said.

'Emotional attachment'

Sung Kim, the US envoy to North Korea, also speaking in Seoul on Saturday, said North Korean engineers appeared to have formed an "emotional attachment" to their atomic programme.

He had seen emotion in the eyes of Ri Yong-ho, the head of the Yongbyon nuclear reactor, and his colleagues when they all witnessed Friday's demolition of the plant's cooling tower.

"I think I detected ... a sense of sadness when the tower came down but I thought he [Ri] put it well when he was asked what this all meant for him and he said that he just hoped this would contribute to peace and stability," Sung said.

Rice said she and Yu had held extensive talks about efforts to verify the North Korean nuclear inventory, which covers nuclear facilities and the production of bomb-making plutonium but not weapons.

Critics point out that it also fails to address concerns about a suspected secret highly enriched uranium weapons (HEU) programme or deal with suspicions that North Korea was involved in nuclear proliferation to Syria though both are referred to in separate documents.

"There are documents that are referred to in the declaration concerning those two issues - HEU and proliferation," Rice said.

Nuclear program

The next and final phase of the agreement with North Korea calls for Pyonyang to hand over all nuclear material and weaponry in exchange for diplomatic ties with the US and Japan, and a formal peace pact.

In return, Washington has eased some trade sanctions and moved towards taking the North off its list of state sponsors of "terrorism".

The US helped fund the demolition of the cooling tower with a $2.5m contribution.

"There is still much to be done but it's a good step when the North Koreans comply with their obligations," Gordon Johndroe, the US national security council spokesman said.

The Yongbyon facility produced the plutonium for North Korea's nuclear weapons programme which culminated in a nuclear test in October 2006.

Body parts plot leader sentenced

2008-06-28T10:27:00.000-06:00

A US dentist who masterminded a scheme to steal body parts from hundreds of corpses has been sentenced to between 18 and 54 years in prison.

Michael Mastromarino, 44, admitted leading a $4.6 million operation that stole the body parts from funeral homes for sale to transplant operations.

In March, Mastromarino pleaded guilty to charges of body stealing, reckless endangerment and enterprise corruption, and in June he apologised for the anguish he caused.

The ring stole body parts from funeral homes in New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, between 2001 and 2005.

Mastromarino, a former "oral surgeon", owned Biomedical Tissue Services (BTS), which supplied tissue to around 10,000 patients across the US.

No medical screening

Prosecutors said that as part of the scheme, a team of so-called "cutters" removed bone, skin and tendons in an unsanitary embalming room.

The bodies were dissected without permission and were not medically screened.

These were then sold to doctors who then used them for dental implants, knee and hip replacements and other transplant procedures.

"I am truly sorry for the pain I have caused," Mastromarino said as he faced relatives of the dead who were in court to deliver statements. "May God have mercy on my soul."

Dayna Ryan contracted Hepatitus B from
a stolen body part

"He fully recognised the gravity of what he has done," Mario Gallucci, Mastromarino's lawyer said outside the court. "He cut some corner and that is why he is here today."

"His sick, disgusting and appalling actions all in the name of greed, have devastated my family to the point where we can never recover," Dayna Ryan told the court.

Ryan, 44, contracted Hepatitus B after receiving one of the stolen body parts during an operation on her lower spine.

"In all of this, we're trying to find completeness and wholeness for him and we'll never find that, but that's our quest because he was just chopped up ... we're just trying to put him back together," said Karen del Re, whose father was also harvested by BTS.

Co-defendents

Three others who worked with Mastromarino have also been charged, as were a number of funeral home directors.

Chris Aldorasi, one of the "cutters", was found guilty of enterprise corruption and other criminal counts earlier in June; he was sentenced to between nine and 27 years in jail.

The plundered bodies included that of the veteran British journalist Alistair Cooke, author of the BBC's long-running Letter from America; he died in 2004, aged 95, in New York.

During Aldorasi's trial, Cooke's daughter testified that she had never spoken to BTS about them harvesting her father's body.

"Definitely not," said Susan Cooke-Kitteridge, when sked if she had given permission for the procedure. "My father would have been against that."

Another "cutter", Lee Cruceta, pleaded guilty and testified against Aldorasi and now faces up to 20 years in prison.

A fourth co-defendent is still awaiting trial.

Many killed in Niger clashes

2008-06-28T10:23:00.000-06:00

At least 17 people have been killed in clashes between Niger's army and Tuareg fighters who have been waging a sporadic insurgency for more than a year, according to statements issued by both sides.

The Niger government said only Tuareg fighters were killed and no government soldiers died in the fighting on Friday.

Both the government and the fighters confirmed battles around the town of Tezirzait, a town in the northern uranium-producing Agadez region.

Among the dead was a senior Tuareg member, the government statement said.

The Tuareg fighters, allies of the Niger Movement for Justice (MNJ), said on its website that 26 soldiers died in two other separate clashes in the area, along with seven of its own fighters.

The government operation to recapture Tezirzait was announced by Niger's defence ministry following the release of four French hostages by the MNJ on Wednesday. The French were abducted on Sunday.

Both the Tuaregs and the MNJ demand greater autonomy for the West African region and a bigger share of its mineral wealth for local people.

Encouraged by rising world prices for uranium, the radioactive fuel for nuclear reactors, Niger hopes to become the world's 2nd largest uranium producer by 2011.

UN move against Zimbabwe blocked

2008-06-28T10:18:00.001-06:00

Counting is under way in Zimbabwe after a one-man presidential election, dubbed a sham by the country's opposition and many in the international community.

With Robert Mugabe, the incumbent president, certain to win, the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said on Saturday he was only being kept in power by force and with help from Thabo Mbeki, the South African president .

The MDC, whose leader Morgan Tsvangirai boycotted Friday's poll after a wave of deadly attacks against his supporters, suffered a major blow overnight when South Africa blocked a move at the UN to declare the election illegitimate.

The United States and its European allies had pushed for a resolution that would have stated the results "could have no credibility or legitimacy" but South Africa argued the Security Council was not in the business of certifying elections.

The council instead merely issued an oral statement expressing "deep regret" that the election went ahead after widespread calls for it to be shelved.

George Bush, the US president, on Saturday reiterated that the Zimbabwean run-off vote was a sham and said he had directed that sanctions be drawn up against the "illegitimate" government of Zimbabwe .

"Given the Mugabe regime's blatant disregard for the Zimbabwean people's democratic will and human rights, I am instructing the secretaries of state and treasury to develop sanctions against this illegitimate government of Zimbabwe and those who support it," Bush said in a statement.

Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, said the US might introduce a UN resolution calling for sanctions against Zimbabwe.

Sanctions opposed

But African foreign ministers meeting in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh said on Saturday that getting Mugabe and Zimbabwe's opposition to talk will have better results than punitive measures.

Moses Watangula, the Kenyan foreign minister, said the route of sanctions may not be helpful for the southern African country.

Ralph Black, the MDC's representative in the United States, told Al Jazeera that a government of national unity may diffuse the current crisis.

"They must agree to form a government of national unity," he said.

"The two parties must come together to select and share power, but we believe Mugabe must not be part of a unity government - this is because the destruction of Zimbabwe's democratic institutions lies squarely at his feet."

Briggs Bomba, a Zimbabwe activist for Africa Action, a non-profit organisation, also told Al Jazeera the strategy the MDC is using has not been effective.

"What the MDC could have done was to mobilise mass popular support inside the country," he said.

"If Zanu-PF supporters, government officials, and the police, saw massive support for the MDC, and saw the people rally in large numbers in support for a change of political direction in the country, they themselves will be forced to re-think their roles as enforcing the policies of Robert Mugabe."

Poll pullout

Tsvangirai won the first round of the election on March 29, falling just short of the 50 per cent threshold needed to avoid a run-off.

But he decided to pull out of the run-off last weekend after the MDC claimed nearly 90 of its supporters had been killed in attacks by pro-Mugabe thugs and some 200,000 voters disenfranchised after being driven from their homes.

Amid widespread reports that the electorate was being coerced into voting for Mugabe, Tsvangirai advised followers on Friday against futile gestures of defiance in what he derided as an "exercise in mass intimidation".

Turnout was "massive" in the election, the official newspaper The Herald reported on Saturday, but provided no figures.

Taliban-linked rebels execute 2 Afghans as crowd watches

2008-06-28T10:12:00.000-06:00

The killings, which took place in front of about 5,000 people in the Bajur tribal region, were said to be in retribution for a suspected U.S. missile strike last month targeting Al Qaeda militants.

That strike, in Damadola near the Afghan border, killed at least a dozen people. It was not clear whether a senior Al Qaeda or Taliban figure was the target of the attack, the latest of several such strikes this year believed to have been carried out by U.S. forces.

The dual execution was brutal even by the fundamentalist code that prevails in the tribal areas, which lie largely beyond the jurisdiction of the Pakistani government. The killing of alleged spies is not unusual, but their public parading is rare.

Witnesses said the two men were taken to a gathering place by militants from the Taliban-affiliated Jaish-i-Islami group. Armed men first slit their throats, then sprayed the bodies with bullets from automatic rifles, then decapitated the pair to chants of "God is great!"

In the aftermath, celebratory gunfire killed two people and injured six in the frenzied crowd of onlookers, authorities said.

The militants' local chief, who calls himself Cmdr. Wali Rehman, said the two who were executed had confessed to spying for U.S. forces. He said they had implicated others who also would be brought to justice.

Pakistan's new government has been trying to negotiate peace accords with various militant factions in the tribal areas. No truce has been struck as yet in Bajur, but informal understandings with government forces appear to have given the militants freedom of movement in the area.

The killings come at a time of heightened tensions in Peshawar, the main city in Pakistan's northwest, adjacent to the tribal areas. In the last two days, paramilitary troops have been deployed throughout the city of 4 million after militants made an unprecedented show of force in the heart of Peshawar itself, staging patrols and carrying out abductions.

Abdul Ghafoor Afridi, a senior police officer, said a high security alert had been declared and that government forces were guarding the city perimeter and digging bunkers against possible attack.

Pakistan forces in Khyber offensive

2008-06-28T10:01:00.000-06:00

Pakistani security forces have launched a military operation against Taliban fighters in the Khyber tribal region near the northwest city of Peshawar.

Malik Naveed Khan, police chief of Pakistan's North West Frontier province, of which Peshawar is the capital, said the crackdown on Saturday was "going on smoothly".

"There has been no resistance, so far," he said, speaking to Reuters news agency. "No casualties, so far."

The historic Khyber Pass, long known as a den for smuggling, is the main road link with Afghanistan and provides crucial supplies to US forces across the border.

Military sources told Al Jazeera that security forces were shelling suspected Taliban hideouts in the mountains and had already destroyed three observation outposts.

The operation prompted a swift response from Baitullah Mehsud, a senior pro-Taliban leader in Pakistan, who has reportedly called off peace talks with the government.

"The talks will remain suspended until the government stops talking about operations and attacks against us," Reuters quoted Mehsud as saying.

"The situation is such that [the Taliban] are all around Peshawar, they are on our doorstep"

Mahmood Shah, former security chief in the tribal regions
He said he suspected similar operations being ordered against Taliban groups elsewhere in the region.

A large military contingent is also reported to have reached the Jandula area in South Waziristan.

A Taliban-linked group said an offensive in the area would only create further problems.

"If the government thinks there is any issue to address, that should be resolved through talks not by the use of force," said Munsif Khan, spokesman for the Virtue and Voice organization. "We are ready for talks with the government."

Peshawar fears

There has been growing concern about threats to Peshawar from Taliban fighters. Two weeks ago, a Taliban force from Khyber entered the city and seized 16 Christians, before later releasing them.

Mahmood Shah, a former security chief in the tribal regions, said: "The situation is such that [the Taliban] are all around Peshawar. They are on our doorstep."

"The situation is like water flowing into a field and until you have some obstruction to stop it, you will drown. We are drowning."

Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder said there was likely to be some reprisal from Taliban fighters because of the the military operation, such as rockets being fired at Peshawar.

Around 1,500 troops and police commandos were deployed along the Peshawar border with the Khyber tribal region and its suburbs to protect the city's more than 1m populace.

Mujeeb Khan, a senior local official, said a round-the-clock curfew was imposed in the Bara area bordering Peshawar, and heavy contingents of troops were blocking the main road into Khyber.

"All bazaars are shut, and residents have been asked not to come out of their homes," he said.

Yousuf Raza Gilani, Pakistan's prime minister, was in Peshawar on Saturday. However, he insisted his trip was not related to the military operation

Bush, Talabani Signal Progress On Thorny Security Pact

2008-06-27T10:06:00.000-06:00

Iraqi President Talabani (left) and U.S. President Bush at the White House

(epa)

WASHINGTON -- The United States and Iraq are signaling progress in negotiating what's called a Status-of-Forces Agreement (SOFA), which would set the rules for the presence of U.S. forces in the country.

U.S. President George W. Bush and his Iraqi counterpart, Jalal Talabani, discussed the issue when they met at the White House on June 25.

"We talked about a strategic framework agreement that suits the Iraqi government," Bush told reporters after their 30-minute meeting. "We talked about elections and different laws that have been passed. I did compliment the president on working hard to see to it that the [Iraqi] legislative session this year has been very successful. We talked about the fact that the [Iraqi] economy's improving, and that the attitude of the people there has improved immeasurably over the years."

Talabani suggested the two sides had made progress in reaching a SOFA deal.

"I agree with [Bush] that we are going to work together for having this agreement, such an agreement between the United States and Iraq, and also to continue our cooperation and our struggle against terrorism and for the promotion of democracy in Iraq and in the Middle East," Talabani said. "We are proud to have such good friends here in this great country."

At A Stalemate

Earlier this month, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said SOFA negotiations were at a stalemate because of a U.S. demand that private U.S. security contractors be immune from Iraqi law. Reports say the United States has since dropped that demand. The United States has SOFA agreements with some 80 other countries under which its military forces are immune from local laws.

The Iraqi government also wants U.S. forces to notify it in advance of any military operations. The status of that demand isn't known.

The United States and Iraq hope to complete a SOFA by the end of July so that U.S. troops can stay in Iraq after their UN mandate expires at the end of 2008. They also want to reach a separate understanding on long-term security, economic, and military issues.

At the White House, Bush and Talabani also discussed efforts to improve security within Iraq. Both men said the so-called "surge" of some 30,000 additional U.S. troops during the past year has led to reconciliation among the country's three groups -- Sunnis, Shi'a, and Kurds.

"I complimented the president on the progress that the [Iraqi] government has made," Bush said. "I complimented the president on the fact that, as security has improved, he and his fellow officials are reaching out to all aspects of society to help people realize the blessings of a free life. There's still a lot of work to be done. We recognize that."

Dividing Oil Wealth

Talabani pointed to two laws he said the Iraqi parliament hopes to pass this year. One would divide the country's oil wealth proportionately among the three groups, the other would ensure fair elections nationwide.

The Iraqi president also noted improved ties within the region.

"We improved our relations with our neighbors -- with Turkey, with Egypt, with Jordan, with Kuwait," he said. "We normalized our relations with Iran and with Syria also. So the Iraqi government is now going to play its role in the Arab world."

As the United States and Iraq move forward on the SOFA agreement, however, there's one provision that's of particular concern within the United States, where a new president will take office in January 2009. How long will U.S. forces commit to stay in Iraq, and how great will their role be in defending the country?

The Bush administration originally proposed that U.S. forces defend Iraq. Now Bush's negotiators are reportedly considering changing the role of the troops to merely helping Iraqi forces defend themselves.

A Cleric Accused for Raping a Young Girl in Badakhshan

2008-06-25T11:23:00.002-06:00

June 25,2008 -- This year 10 cases of violence against women and girls has been reported in Badakhshan. This includes two cases of rape, escape from home, beating and divorce.

A young girl was raped in Raghistan district of Badakhshan province. 17-year old Razia claimed that 40-year old Altaf Al-Rahman had raped her several times three days back.

She told PAN that she wanted justice and the punishment of the rapist but didn’t give any further details.
The statistics in the report from Womankind, Afghan Women and Girls Seven Years On, make shocking reading. Violent attacks against females, usually domestic, are at epidemic proportions with 87 per cent of females complaining of such abuse – half of it sexual. More than 60 per cent of marriages are forced.
The Independent, Feb. 25, 2008

…

Brigadier Mohammad Ashaq, the commander of security of Raghistan told PAN that Maulawi Altaf Al-Rahman had been arrested on the claims of Razia and the lawsuit had been sent to the judge of District Court.

But Amruddin Yamin, the judge of the District Court, said that according to the investigations Maulawi Altaf Al-Rahman had raped Razia nine months back and Razia had given birth to a child just some days back.

He added that the new born had been beaten to death and it was most probably done by the rapist.

Yamin said that the punishment of rape in Sharia law (Islamic Law) is stoning to death and according to the law it is serving in prison for a long time; when his crime is proved he will be punished.

Permission to speak to the suspect about the accusations was not given.

The head of the Human Rights Commission of Badakhshan talking about another case of human rights violation in Raghistan, said that four months back 19-year old Fatima had been engaged to Qari Mohammad Hussain in accordance with family settlements. After a few months Fatima had run away with a boy named Ghamkhwar who was also engaged.

He added that when the two had gone to the court of Faiz Abad to marry, they were arrested by the police.

According to the information of the head of the Human Rights Commission of Badakhshan, 13-year old Zarghoona, student of the fifth grade (Fatima’s sister) was then married to Mohammad Hussain. If this marriage has taken place then it is against the law and thus illegal.

According to the named, this year 10 cases of violence against women and girls has been reported in Badakhshan. This includes two cases of rape, escape from home, beating and divorce.

An 8-year old girl named Fatima was raped in the Saray Sang area of the city of Talaqan (capital of Takhar) in April of this year. She was on her way to the agricultural lands when 21-year old Askar Mohammad raped her and then she was killed.

The court of Takhar sentenced Askar Mohammad to death on 10th of June for the crime of raping Fatima.

Pakistan blamed for Karzai attack

2008-06-25T11:12:00.000-06:00

Afghanistan's intelligence agency has accused its Pakistani counterpart of masterminding an assassination attempt on Hamid Karzai in April.

The Afghan president survived the April 27 attack at the annual military parade, but three Afghans were killed, one of them a parliamentarian.

Sayed Ansari, a spokesman for the Afghanistan's national intelligence agency, said on Wednesday his organisation believed Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) was involved.

"The investigations, the documents we found and the confession of suspects arrested, show the real schemer and organiser ... of the terrorist attack is the intelligence agency of Pakistan, the ISI," Ansari said.

The statement came a day after Karzai's spokesman made a similar accusation.

Homayun Hamidzada, Karzai's spokesman, said on Tuesday: "Evidence shows the hallmark of a particular foreign intelligence agency which we believe was behind this attack.".

He, however, refused to name the foreign country or the spy organisation.

'Constant contacts'

Ansari said mobile phones seized from the men involved in the attack showed they had "constant contacts" with bases across the border with Pakistan.

The spokesman said eight of the 16 people arrested over suspected links to the attackers were government employees.

He did not give details, but authorities had earlier said a defence ministry weapons expert and a police nurse were arrested for allegedly facilitating the attack.

Islamabad denies any role in the attack.

Germany Signals Plan To Add 1,000 Troops

2008-06-24T12:05:00.000-06:00

Defense Minister Jung (file photo)

German Defense Minister Franz-Josef Jung has announced plans to add an additional 1,000 soldiers by the end of this year to the 3,500-strong German contingent already in Afghanistan.

The move would include deploying German soldiers to southern Afghanistan and, if approved by parliament, would appear to signal that NATO is taking the Afghan conflict ever more seriously.

Speaking alongside German military chief Wolfgang Schneiderhan, Jung also recommended extending the mandate of German troops in Afghanistan through December 2009. Jung said the "increase is necessary to give us more flexibility to respond to challenges."

Germany assumes command on July 1 of the rapid deployment forces protecting operations of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in northern Afghanistan.

The announcement follows calls by NATO countries, especially the United States, for Germany to contribute more soldiers to the NATO-led force in Afghanistan. The alliance also wants to move some of the German troops from their bases in the relatively peaceful north of Afghanistan to the restive south, where there has been fierce fighting with Taliban insurgents for months.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's government has backed the idea of sending additional troops to Afghanistan but not of sending German soldiers to southeastern areas of Afghanistan.

A German troop increase requires the approval of the Bundestag, the lower house of parliament, which would have to overcome the objections of several opposition parties who are critical of the mission as well as growing public skepticism over that country's role in Afghanistan.

There are currently some 60,000 foreign troops supporting operations by the fledgling Afghan National Army. About 43,000 of those foreign troops are under NATO command, and the rest are U.S.-led troops operating under U.S. command. Last weekend, German NATO General Egon Ramms said the alliance needs to add 5,000-6,000 troops to cope with increasing efforts by Taliban and foreign terrorist forces.

Troops from the United States, Britain, Canada, and the Netherlands have done the majority of the fighting in southern Afghanistan.

compiled from wire reports

Clashes continue in Afghanistan

2008-06-24T11:58:00.000-06:00

A suicide car bomb has killed five Afghan civilians and injured 19 others, Afghan sources say, amid continued fighting between multinational troops and Taliban fighters.

The explosion took place on Monday near a convoy of international forces in western Afghanistan, Zemarai Bashary, an interior ministry spokesman, said.

"A suicide car bomb exploded. Four civilians were killed and 12 others were injured. The target was a foreign forces' convoy," he said.

The condition of the foreign soldiers after the blast, which took place in the Shindand district of Herat province, was not immediately known.

The explosion occurred on the same day that US-led forces said they killed 55 Taliban fighters, including three senior commanders.

The deaths resulted after the fighters attacked a patrol of the US-led force with rockets in the Paktika province, near the eastern Afghan-Pakistani border.

Nangarhar incident

The incidents came a day after a father and son were allegedly killed by gunfire from US-led soldiers in Khogyani district of the eastern Nangarhar province.

US-led and Afghan forces hit a private house after firing on a neighbouring suspected opposition hideout, Haji Zalmai Khan, Khogyani's governor, said.

The deaths later prompted about 200 residents to take to the streets in protest.

The multinational forces, however, denied any civilian casualties.

In another incident on Sunday, air strikes conducted after a Taliban attack killed several fighters in southern Afghanistan, US-led forces said.

Violence surge

The Taliban in Pakistan have recently claimed a number of successes, killing seven foreign troops over the weekend, while violence has surged this month.

The group caused a jail-break of more than 1,000 prisoners on June 14, when suicide bombers attacked Kandahar prison in southern Afghanistan.

Many of those who escaped were Taliban members.

Afghan and Nato forces reacted by launching a major operation to expel Taliban fighters from villages surrounding Kandahar a few days later. Afghan officials said that the operation killed 56 Taliban fighters

Judicial blow for Pakistan's Sharif

2008-06-23T11:19:00.000-06:00

Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan's former prime minister, will not be able to run for parliament in forthcoming by-elections.

The ruling, announced on Monday by the Lahore High Court, will not allow Sharif to run for Thursday's elections because of previous convictions.

Sharif's rival candidates from the by-election had argued that loan defaulters and people convicted of criminal charges could not contest election.

The Lahore High Court accepted their case.

An order issued by the court said: "Nawaz Sharif is not a qualified candidate to contest a by-election."

Shahbaz, Sharif's brother, also had a case referred to the chief election commissioner.

The court said Shahbaz could continue as chief minister until a final decision on his case was made.

"It's a political decision and we reject it. It is a conspiracy against democracy," Siddiqul Farouq, a spokesman for Sharif's PML-N, said.

The judges who gave the ruling were appointed by Pervez Musharraf, the Pakistani president, after he sacked dozens of judges under emergency rule.

'Musharraf's agenda'

Sharif's allies were furious, with dozens chanting "Go Musharraf, go" outside the court and angry lawmakers walking out of the provincial assembly in protest.

At least 100 Sharif supporters had burned tires in the street.

Ahsan Iqbal, a senior PML-N leader, said: "They are implementing Musharraf's agenda."

The decision is a major political setback for Sharif, making it impossible for the Sharif, the leader of a junior party in the governing coalition, to become prime minister unless the ban on his candidacy is overturned.

Sharif was also barred from running in February elections because of convictions related to his ouster in a 1999 coup, which was left by Musharraf.

Earlier this month, the nation's election commission effectively cleared him to run in by-elections after a tribunal set up to decide the matter failed to reach consensus.

Pervez Rasheed, Sharif's spokesman, said Sharif will appeal the decision before the elections.

Clashes continue in Afghanistan

2008-06-23T11:12:00.001-06:00

Nangarhar incident

Violence surge