BOKO HARAM VIDEO SIEZED

Following attempts by fleeing members of the Boko Haram terrorist sect to regroup in a bid to fight back, the Defence headquarters, yesterday, said that communication equipment used by the group for shooting and posting online video messages of their leaders have been recovered.

The disclosure was made just as Special Forces of the JTF commenced night and day patrols to dislodge remnants of terrorists still hibernating in the camps and hideouts of the hilltops and forests where the terrorists had made their den.
The equipment recovered including laptops, mobile communication equipment (GSM phones) and others used for shooting and posting online videos, as well as locally made rockets and rocket launchers were among several items seized by the JTF from the arrested terrorists. They were displayed for a nine man Defence Headquarters Assessment Team that visited Borno and Yobe states, weekend.

A statement by Brigadier General Chris Olukolade, Director of Defence Information said: “As a follow up to scheduled assessment visits to troops in the North East of the country, a nine member Defence Headquarters Operational Assessment Team has returned from Yobe and Borno States to brief the Chief of Defence Staff with updates on the situation in the operational area of the Special Forces operating in the North East.

“The force which has been tasked in support of the implementation of the State of Emergency is conducting operations to stop terrorism and to restore normalcy to the security situation in north eastern part of the country. The team visited troop’s location in various parts of Borno and Yobe States. Interacting with the troops inside Sambisa forest, the team leader and Director of Operations in the Defence Headquarters, Air Vice Marshal Olatunji Faloyin, conveyed the greetings and commendation of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), whom he said was very proud of the troops”.

FOLLOWING attempts by fleeing members of the Boko Haram terrorist sect to regroup in a bid to fight back, the Defence headquarters, yesterday, said that communication equipment used by the group for shooting and posting online video messages of their leaders have been recovered.
The disclosure was made just as Special Forces of the JTF commenced night and day patrols to dislodge remnants of terrorists still hibernating in the camps and hideouts of the hilltops and forests where the terrorists had made their den.
The equipment recovered including laptops, mobile communication equipment (GSM phones) and others used for shooting and posting online videos, as well as locally made rockets and rocket launchers were among several items seized by the JTF from the arrested terrorists. They were displayed for a nine man Defence Headquarters Assessment Team that visited Borno and Yobe states, weekend.
A statement by Brigadier General Chris Olukolade, Director of Defence Information said: “As a follow up to scheduled assessment visits to troops in the North East of the country, a nine member Defence Headquarters Operational Assessment Team has returned from Yobe and Borno States to brief the Chief of Defence Staff with updates on the situation in the operational area of the Special Forces operating in the North East.
“The force which has been tasked in support of the implementation of the State of Emergency is conducting operations to stop terrorism and to restore normalcy to the security situation in north eastern part of the country. The team visited troop’s location in various parts of Borno and Yobe States. Interacting with the troops inside Sambisa forest, the team leader and Director of Operations in the Defence Headquarters, Air Vice Marshal Olatunji Faloyin, conveyed the greetings and commendation of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), whom he said was very proud of the troops”.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/06/jtf-seizes-boko-harams-online-video-equipment-computers/#sthash.VbgxK5tE.dpuf

FOLLOWING attempts by fleeing members of the Boko Haram terrorist sect to regroup in a bid to fight back, the Defence headquarters, yesterday, said that communication equipment used by the group for shooting and posting online video messages of their leaders have been recovered.
The disclosure was made just as Special Forces of the JTF commenced night and day patrols to dislodge remnants of terrorists still hibernating in the camps and hideouts of the hilltops and forests where the terrorists had made their den.
The equipment recovered including laptops, mobile communication equipment (GSM phones) and others used for shooting and posting online videos, as well as locally made rockets and rocket launchers were among several items seized by the JTF from the arrested terrorists. They were displayed for a nine man Defence Headquarters Assessment Team that visited Borno and Yobe states, weekend.
A statement by Brigadier General Chris Olukolade, Director of Defence Information said: “As a follow up to scheduled assessment visits to troops in the North East of the country, a nine member Defence Headquarters Operational Assessment Team has returned from Yobe and Borno States to brief the Chief of Defence Staff with updates on the situation in the operational area of the Special Forces operating in the North East.
“The force which has been tasked in support of the implementation of the State of Emergency is conducting operations to stop terrorism and to restore normalcy to the security situation in north eastern part of the country. The team visited troop’s location in various parts of Borno and Yobe States. Interacting with the troops inside Sambisa forest, the team leader and Director of Operations in the Defence Headquarters, Air Vice Marshal Olatunji Faloyin, conveyed the greetings and commendation of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), whom he said was very proud of the troops”.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/06/jtf-seizes-boko-harams-online-video-equipment-computers/#sthash.VbgxK5tE.dpuf

FOLLOWING attempts by fleeing members of the Boko Haram terrorist sect to regroup in a bid to fight back, the Defence headquarters, yesterday, said that communication equipment used by the group for shooting and posting online video messages of their leaders have been recovered.
The disclosure was made just as Special Forces of the JTF commenced night and day patrols to dislodge remnants of terrorists still hibernating in the camps and hideouts of the hilltops and forests where the terrorists had made their den.
The equipment recovered including laptops, mobile communication equipment (GSM phones) and others used for shooting and posting online videos, as well as locally made rockets and rocket launchers were among several items seized by the JTF from the arrested terrorists. They were displayed for a nine man Defence Headquarters Assessment Team that visited Borno and Yobe states, weekend.
A statement by Brigadier General Chris Olukolade, Director of Defence Information said: “As a follow up to scheduled assessment visits to troops in the North East of the country, a nine member Defence Headquarters Operational Assessment Team has returned from Yobe and Borno States to brief the Chief of Defence Staff with updates on the situation in the operational area of the Special Forces operating in the North East.
“The force which has been tasked in support of the implementation of the State of Emergency is conducting operations to stop terrorism and to restore normalcy to the security situation in north eastern part of the country. The team visited troop’s location in various parts of Borno and Yobe States. Interacting with the troops inside Sambisa forest, the team leader and Director of Operations in the Defence Headquarters, Air Vice Marshal Olatunji Faloyin, conveyed the greetings and commendation of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), whom he said was very proud of the troops”.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/06/jtf-seizes-boko-harams-online-video-equipment-computers/#sthash.VbgxK5tE.dpuf

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Boko Haram again---Nigerian Military Banned satelite phones

Nigeria’s military on Wednesday banned the use of satellite phones in much of the restive northeast after cutting mobile phone service, further isolating the area after a series of fresh attacks. The military claimed in announcing the ban that Islamist extremist group Boko Haram had used satellite phones to plan attacks on schools. The insurgents have attacked two schools in the northeast this week, leaving at least 16 students and two teachers dead. “Therefore, effective from 19 June 2013, the (military) imposes a ban on the use and sale of Thuraya phones and accessories, including Thuraya recharge cards in Borno state,” said a statement from Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa. Thuraya is a popular brand of satellite phones. “Anyone seen with Thuraya phones, recharge cards and accessories will be arrested,” the statement said. It was unclear whether the ban would also apply to journalists, who have used satellite phones to communicate when visiting the region, where the military launched a sweeping offensive on May 15. The announcement applied to Borno state, the hardest hit in the region, and it was unclear if it would be extended. The military has claimed it has pushed out the insurgents with its offensive, but a series of attacks in recent days have raised questions over whether the gains were only temporary. On Sunday, suspected Boko Haram gunmen opened fire on a secondary school in Damaturu in Yobe state, killing seven students and two teachers. Two of the attackers were also killed, said the army. On Monday in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, suspected Islamists shot dead nine students as they sat an exam in a private school. Boko Haram, whose name roughly translates as “Western education is sin,” has carried out multiple attacks on schools in northeast Nigeria. The group has said it is fighting to create an Islamic state in the country’s mainly Muslim north. Violence linked to the insurgency has left some 3,600 people dead since 2009, including killings by the security forces, who have been accused of major abuses.

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BOKO HARAM AT IT AGAIN, KILLED 5 NECO STUDENTS

Barely 24 hours after gunmen, suspected to be Boko Haram members, Sunday night, killed seven students and two teachers of Government Secondary School, Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, five students and 13 civilians were, Monday, killed in separate attacks by suspected Boko Haram sect in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. Our correspondent gathered that five of the students killed were writing the ongoing National Examination Council, NECO, examinations when the gunmen stormed Ansarudin, a private primary/secondary school in Jajeri ward of the metropolis and opened fire in the hall, few minutes after the examination started.An eye witness who pleaded anonymity for security reasons told Vanguard that one of the victims was impersonating a candidate as he was writing the exams for somebody else, before he met his untimely death at about 3pm when the gunmen struck.In a related development, about 13 people, including fishermen and tea vendors, were killed around the Alau Dam situated on the outskirts of Maiduguri by suspected sect members. Vanguard reliably gathered that the gunmen ambushed the people around the dam and before opening fire, they told their victims: “You are those exposing our activities to security agencies. Today your days are over, as we will kill all of you.” It would be recalled that a week ago, some youths on a volunteer mission arrested several members of the sect in Hausari, Gwange, among other areas of Maiduguri and handed them over to the JTF before they were killed. Alau Dam is one of the biggest dams and a treatment plant that supplies water to people of Maiduguri and its environs. It also supplies vast agricultural land for irrigation for farming around the riverine areas. Those killed included some youths of Gwange ward of the metropolis who went to Alau Dam to buy fish for their domestic consumption. A resident of Gwange and a nieghbour to one of the victims, Mallam Mohammed Musa, said: “Yes, one of my neighbours was among the 13 people killed by suspected Boko Haram in Alau Dam on Monday. It was yesterday after Magrip prayers that the news of the killings filtered into the community. I just came to report in the office before going back home to attend the burial.”

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Taliban:Even after the proposals, we killed 4 US troops

The Taliban have claimed responsibility for an attack in Afghanistan that killed four U.S. troops just hours after the insurgent group announced it would hold talks with the Americans on finding a political solution to ending the nearly 12-year war. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said on Wednesday that the militants fired two rockets into the Bagram Air Base late on Tuesday. American officials confirmed the base had come under attack by indirect fire — likely a mortar or rocket — and that four U.S. troops were killed. The attack underscores the challenges ahead after the Taliban and the U.S. announced they would hold talks in Qatar to try and negotiate a solution to the violence. President Barack Obama has cautioned this would be neither quick nor easy.

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US,TALIBAN: PLEASE LETS END THIS WAR

The Taliban and the U.S. said Tuesday they will hold talks on finding a political solution to ending nearly 12 years of war in Afghanistan, as the international coalition formally handed over control of the country's security to the Afghan army and police. The Taliban met a key U.S. demand by pledging not to use Afghanistan as a base to threaten other countries, although the Americans said they must also denounce al-Qaida. But President Barack Obama cautioned that the process won't be quick or easy. He described the opening of a Taliban political office in the Gulf nation of Qatar as an "important first step toward reconciliation" between the Islamic militants and the government of Afghanistan, and predicted there will be bumps along the way. Obama, who was attending the G-8 summit in Northern Ireland, praised Afghan President Hamid Karzai for taking a courageous step by sending representatives to discuss peace with the Taliban. "It's good news. We're very pleased with what has taken place," U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said in Washington. British Prime Minister David Cameron, whose country has the second-largest contingent of troops in Afghanistan after the U.S., called opening the office "the right thing to do." As the handover occurred, four U.S. troops were killed Tuesday at or near Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, U.S. defense officials said. The officials said the four were killed by indirect fire, likely a mortar or rocket, but they had no other details. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to provide details on the deaths. Officials with the Obama administration said the office in the Qatari capital of Doha was the first step toward the ultimate U.S.-Afghan goal of a full Taliban renunciation of links with al-Qaida, the reason why America invaded the country on Oct. 7, 2001, shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks against the United States. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record, said U.S. representatives will begin formal meetings with the Taliban in Qatar in a few days. The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, said the only way to end the war was through a political solution. "My perspective has always been that this war is going to have to end with political reconciliation, and so I frankly would be supportive of any positive movement in terms of reconciliation, particularly an Afghan-led and an Afghan-owned process that would bring reconciliation between the Afghan people and the Taliban in the context of the Afghan constitution," he said. Dunford added that he was no longer responsible for the security of the country now that Afghan forces had taken the lead. "Last week I was responsible for security here in Afghanistan," he said, adding that now it was Karzai's job. "It's not just a statement of intent — it's a statement of fact." The transition to Afghan-led security means U.S. and other foreign combat troops will not be directly carrying the fight to the insurgency, but will advise and back up as needed with air support and medical evacuations. The handover paves the way for the departure of coalition forces — currently numbering about 100,000 troops from 48 countries, including 66,000 Americans. By the end of the year, the NATO force will be halved. At the end of 2014, all combat troops will have left and will replaced, if approved by the Afghan government, by a much smaller force that will only train and advise. Obama has not yet said how many soldiers he will leave in Afghanistan along with NATO forces, but it is thought that it would be about 9,000 U.S. troops and about 6,000 from its allies. It is uncertain if the Afghan forces are good enough to fight the insurgents. The force numbered less than 40,000 six years ago and has grown to about 352,000 today. In some of the most restive parts of the country, it may still take a "few months" to hand over security completely to the Afghans, Dunford said. The transition comes at a time when violence is at levels matching the worst in 12 years, further fueling some Afghans' concerns that their forces aren't ready. The decision to open the Taliban office was a reversal of months of failed efforts to start peace talks while the militants intensified a campaign targeting urban centers and government installations. Experts warned that it would be a mistake to expect too much. "The keys are to keep expectations low, to remember that a compromise is unlikely because no one can say what it would consist of," said Michael O'Hanlon of the Brookings Institution. He added that in his opinion, the Taliban wrongly "expect to win the war once NATO is largely gone come 2015." "All that said, it's a potentially useful step if we don't confuse ourselves or wind up in polarizing debates within the coalition," O'Hanlon said. In Doha, Ali Bin Fahad Al-Hajri, the assistant to the foreign minister of Qatar, said the Emir of the Gulf state had given the go-ahead for the office to open. "Negotiations are the only way for peace in Afghanistan," Al-Hajri said. The Taliban emerged from the Pakistani-trained mujahedeen, or holy warriors, who battled the Soviet Union's occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s with secret backing by the CIA. Civil war broke out when the pro-Soviet Afghan government collapsed following the departure of Moscow's troops. The U.S. took an arms-length position of neutrality as rival warlords shelled Kabul into ruins. By 1994, the Taliban had evolved into a united military and political force and in 1996, the group took control of Afghanistan. Led by Mullah Mohammed Omar, the Afghan Taliban sheltered Osama bin Laden in the years leading up to the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001, but the group was toppled shortly after the U.S. and allied invasion one month later. The U.S.-led invasion leveraged the firepower of factions, such as the Northern Alliance, who had held out against the Taliban after it seized power in 1996. CIA and U.S. special operations support for anti-Taliban forces enabled the U.S. to oust the Islamists by December 2001 without committing large numbers of U.S. ground troops, and the group appeared to have been defeated as a military threat. However, by 2005, the Taliban was beginning to make a comeback, showing signs of improved training and equipment, while using territory inside Pakistan as a sanctuary. On Monday, Taliban spokesman Mohammad Naim said the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, as the Taliban were known when they ruled the country, was willing to use all legal means to end what they called the occupation of Afghanistan. But he did not say they would immediately stop fighting. "The jihad continues to end the occupation and establish an Islamic emirate. To achieve this goal, we will follow every legitimate means," he said. "The emirate of the Taliban, with its military effort, has a strategic goal related to the future of Afghanistan. The movement is not intending to harm any other parties and will not allow anybody to use Afghan territory to threaten other countries." The Obama administration officials said the U.S. and Taliban representatives will hold bilateral meetings. Karzai's High Peace Council is expected to follow up with its own talks with the Taliban a few days later. But in making their announcement in Doha, the Taliban did not specifically mention talks with Karzai or his representatives. "We don't recognize the Afghan government and the government of Karzai. The talks will be with the Americans only in Doha under the patronage of Qatar," he said. "We represent the people of Afghanistan. We don't represent the Karzai government." The administration officials acknowledged the process will be "complex, long and messy" because of the ongoing level of distrust between the parties. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record, vowed to continue to push the Taliban further, saying that the Taliban ultimately must also break ties with al-Qaida, end violence and accept Afghanistan's constitution — including protections for women and minorities. They said the U.S. had long demanded that the Taliban make a statement distancing the group from international terrorism, but had said that they did not expect them to break ties with al-Qaida immediately. That would be one of the outcomes of the negotiating process, they added. The U.S. will hold its first formal meetings with the Taliban in Doha within a few days, senior officials said, with the expectation that it will be followed up days later by a meeting between representatives of the Taliban and the High Peace Council. The first meeting will focus on an exchange of agendas and consultations on next steps. Naim did not give a schedule for talks. The Taliban office is in one of the diplomatic areas in Doha. Its sign reads: "The Political Bureau of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in Doha." Despite Karzai's stated hope that the process will move almost immediately to Afghanistan, U.S. officials do not expect that to be possible in the near future. The Taliban have for years refused to speak to the government or the High Peace Council, set up by Karzai three years ago, because they considered them to be U.S. "puppets." Taliban representatives have instead talked to American and other Western officials in Doha and other places, mostly in Europe. Officials said Obama was personally involved in working with Karzai to enable the opening of the office, and that Kerry had also played a major role. Obama briefed other leaders at the summit meeting, which included the countries of Britain, Russia, Germany, Japan, Canada, France and Italy. James Dobbins, the U.S. special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, was scheduled to leave Washington on Tuesday to visit Turkey, Qatar, Afghanistan and Pakistan, focusing primarily on "reconciliation efforts," according to State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki. ___ Associated Press writers Julie Pace in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, and Robert Burns in Washington contributed to this report. Amir Shah, David Rising, Rahim Faiez and Kay Johnson contributed to this report from Kabul.

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Syrian Govt in US trouble

The United States is likely to send weaponry like rocket-propelled grenades and mortars to Syria's rebels after President Barack Obama approved arming the insurgents, sources said on Friday. A source in the Middle East who is familiar with U.S. dealings with the rebels told Reuters that weapon supplies would include automatic weapons, light mortars and rocket-propelled grenades, known as RPGs. Accusing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces of using chemical weapons, the White House said on Thursday the United States would supply direct military assistance to the rebels. A U.S. official said that meant sending them weapons supplies for the first time. Two European security sources said the United States would increase the caliber of the arms and ammunition being supplied to the rebels by regional powers including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, as well as supply some heavier weapons, including RPGs. More RPGs would give the rebels, who have lost ground to government forces and Lebanese Hezbollah militants in recent weeks, greater ability to fight government armored vehicles and even tanks. But a U.S. official who has been briefed on the new policy said he did not expect the new U.S. aid to seriously affect the course of events in Syria. All three sources said there were no plans to send shoulder-held anti-aircraft missiles, known as MANPADS, to the mostly Sunni rebels fighting Assad and his Lebanese Hezbollah Shi'ite allies. The first military supplies - to be sent to groups under rebel commander Salim Idriss that are vetted by Washington and its allies - could take a minimum of two to three weeks to be delivered. Deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes refused to say on Friday how Washington would arm the rebels. "I'm not going to get into kind of a detailed description of different types of assistance," he told a briefing in the White House. Aid to the rebels will most likely go through Turkey, where the United States is involved in a secret base that Turkey set up with Saudi Arabia and Qatar to direct military and communications aid to Syria's armed opposition. U.S. aid could also go through Jordan where several thousand U.S. troops are on a joint exercise. A further 200 soldiers from the U.S. Army's First Division are also there. source: Reuters

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US: Chemical weapon against the rebel? Red line crossed

Claims and counterclaims came thick and fast Friday in response to the White House's declaration hours earlier that it believes the Syrian government has crossed a "red line" in using chemical weapons against rebels. That conclusion -- declared for the first time Thursday -- is prompting the United States to increase the "scale and scope" of its support for the opposition, the White House said, although officials stopped short of saying it will put weapons in the hands of rebels.The U.S. report won backing from the British government Friday -- but Syria and its allies in Moscow quickly sought to cast its integrity into doubt. The Syrian foreign ministry accused Washington of releasing "a statement full of lies regarding the use of chemical weapons in Syria," according to a statement on state TV.And a government statement reported by state news agency SANA accused the United States of using "flagrant tricks to come up with any possible mean to justify the decision of President Barack Obama to arm the Syrian opposition." Washington is "clearly exercising scandalous double standards in dealing with terrorism," the statement said. The Syrian government under President Bashar al-Assad habitually refers to the rebels as terrorists. An Assad loyalist who spoke to CNN's Frederik Pleitgen in Damascus said he believes the United States is "inventing stories" about the government's use of chemical weapons "because our army is winning." A boost in support by the United States for the rebels could put at risk the gains made by Syrian forces in recent days, especially in central and northern Syria, with the help of Hezbollah fighters from Iran. But many questions remain over what form the U.S. support could take and whether it would include the provision of small arms and ammunition, or heavy arms such as anti-aircraft weapons. U.S. Sen. John McCain, who has repeatedly called on the Obama administration to step up its support of the rebels, told CNN's Situation Room on Thursday that the rebels need anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons. "They need a lot more military assistance," McCain, an Arizona Republican, said, adding that the United States and its allies also need to "establish a 'no-fly' zone to create a safe area" within Syria. "You can't do it with half measures. You can't do it with just supplying weapons," he said.

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Al qaida has feared weapon: mali manual

The Associated Press recovered a 26 page document in Arabic in a building that had been occupied by al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb in Timbuktu, strongly suggests the group now possesses the SA-7 surface-to-air missile, known to the Pentagon as the Grail, according to terrorism specialists. And it confirms that the al-Qaida cell is actively training its fighters to use these weapons, also called man-portable air-defense systems, or MANPADS, which likely came from the arms depots of ex-Libyan strongman Col. Moammar Gadhafi.The United States was so worried about this particular weapon ending up in the hands of terrorists that the State Department set up a task force to track and destroy it as far back as 2006. In the spring of 2011, before the fighting in Tripoli had even stopped, a U.S. team flew to Libya to secure Gadhafi's stockpile of thousands of heat-seeking, shoulder-fired missiles. By the time they got there, many had already been looted. "The MANPADS were specifically being sought out," said Peter Bouckaert, emergencies director for Human Rights Watch, who catalogued missing weapons at dozens of munitions depots and often found nothing in the boxes labeled with the code for surface-to-air missiles. The manual is believed to be an excerpt from a terrorist encyclopedia edited by Osama bin Laden. It adds to evidence for the weapon found by French forces during their land assault in Mali earlier this year, including the discovery of the SA-7's battery pack and launch tube, according to military statements and an aviation official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to comment.

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Another attack on Kabul Airport by The Taliban

The attackers took up positions inside a partially constructed building next to the international airport, interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said, and fought Afghan security forces for about four hours before the raid ended.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. Roads were sealed off and flights out of the airport were quickly canceled, while incoming flights were diverted to the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif.

Attacks on the heavily guarded airport, used by civilians and the military, are relatively rare and represent an ambitious target for insurgents, with recent assaults staged against less well-protected targets.
While it did not escalate dramatically, Monday's assault will add to mounting concerns over how the 352,000-strong Afghan security forces will cope with an intensifying insurgency once most foreign combat troops leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014.
The airport is home to a major operational base for NATO-led forces that have been fighting Taliban and other insurgents for 12 years and is bristling with soldiers and police, guard towers and several lines of security checkpoints.
The attack began at about 4.30 a.m. (2400 GMT), soon after morning prayers, and plumes of smoke were seen rising from behind razor-wire fences at the airport. The fighting ended about four hours later.
Police said the attack appeared to be centered on the military side of the airport, to the west of the civilian terminal, and that the attackers were dressed as police.
EXPLOSIVES-PACKED VAN DESTROYED

Kabul Police Chief General Mohammad Ayub Salangi told Reuters two suicide bombers blew themselves up and another five were killed in the fighting. There appeared to be no casualties among Afghan security forces or civilians.

Another police source said the attackers were wearing Afghan Border Police uniforms in order to avoid detection before they launched the assault.
Salangi also said a van packed with explosives hidden under vegetables was destroyed when security forces fired a rocket-propelled grenade at it.
The Taliban said the attack was part of its 2013 "spring offensive".

"Today ... there was a massive attack on the foreign military side of Kabul airport," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a text message sent to reporters.

"The enemy has suffered major casualties," he said. The Islamist group often exaggerates the damage and casualties from attacks on Afghan government and foreign military targets.
The Afghan Air Force, a number of logistics bases and the International Security Assistance Force's (ISAF) counter-narcotics office are also located in or near the airport.
Embassies in the diplomatic zone in the center of Kabul were locked down and emergency alerts were heard ringing from several Western missions and military bases soon after the attack began.
Two ISAF Black Hawk helicopters briefly circled the area while Afghan soldiers fired at the building where the gunmen were holed up, a Reuters witness said.
The attack follows other recent assaults on the International Organisation for Migration in Kabul and the International Committee of the Red Cross in the eastern city of Jalalabad that killed four people.
In April 2011, a rogue Afghan air force officer shot and killed eight U.S. servicemen and a civilian contractor in the worst attack at the airport since the war began.

source: Reuters

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Syria Rebel to be Armed by the US

White House meetings are planned over the coming days, as Syrian President Bashar Assad's government forces are apparently poised for an attack on the key city of Homs, which could cut off Syria's armed opposition from the south of the country. As many as 5,000 Hezbollah fighters are now in Syria, officials believe, helping the regime press on with its campaign after capturing the town of Qusair near the Lebanese border last week.

Opposition leaders have warned Washington that their rebellion could face devastating and irreversible losses without greater support, and the warnings are prompting the United States to consider drastic action.

Secretary of State John Kerry postponed a planned trip Monday to Israel and three other Mideast countries to participate in White House discussions, said officials who weren't authorized to speak publicly on the matter and demanded anonymity.

While nothing has been concretely decided, U.S. officials said President Barack Obama was leaning closer toward signing off on sending weapons to vetted, moderate rebel units. The U.S. has spoken of possibly arming the opposition in recent months but has been hesitant because it doesn't want al-Qaida-linked and other extremists fighting alongside the anti-Assad militias to end up with the weapons.

Obama already has ruled out any intervention that would require U.S. military boots on the ground. Other options such as deploying American air power to ground the regime's jets, gunships and other aerial assets are now being more seriously debated, the officials said, while cautioning that a no-fly zone or any other action involving U.S. military deployments in Syria were far less likely right now.
The president also has declared chemical weapons use by the Assad regime a "red line" for more forceful U.S. action. American allies including France and Britain have say they've determined with near certitude that Syrian forces have used low levels of sarin in several attacks, but the administration is still studying the evidence. The U.S. officials said responses that will be mulled over in this week's meetings concern the deteriorating situation on the ground in Syria, independent of final confirmation of possible chemical weapons use.
White House spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said Obama's advisers were considering all options to hasten a transition in Syria.

"The United States will continue to look for ways to strengthen the capabilities of the Syrian opposition," she said.

Any intervention could have wide-reaching ramifications for the United States and the region. It would bring the U.S. closer to a conflict that has killed almost 80,000 people since Assad cracked down on protesters inspired by the Arab Spring in March 2011 and sparked a war that has since been increasingly defined by sectarian clashes between the Sunni-led rebellion and Assad's Alawite-dominated regime.
And it would essentially pit the United States alongside regional allies Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar in a proxy war against Iran, which is providing much of the materiel to the Syrian government's counterinsurgency and, through Hezbollah, more and more of the manpower.
Syria's precarious position in the heart of the Middle East makes the conflict extremely unpredictable. Lebanon, across the western border, suffered its own brutal civil war in the 1970s and the 1980s and is already experiencing increased interethnic tensions. Iraq, to Syria's east, is mired in worsening violence. And Israel to the southwest has seen shots fired across the contested Golan Heights and has been forced to strike what it claimed were advanced weapons convoys heading to Hezbollah, with whom it went to war with in 2006.
Iran could wreak havoc in the region through its support of Shiite militant groups, and U.S. officials fear Iran may seek to retaliate for any stepped-up American involvement by targeting Israel or U.S. interests in the region. It's also unclear what American action would mean for relations with Russia, which has provided Assad with military and diplomatic support even as it claims that it working with the United States to try to organize a Syrian peace conference.
At the same time, it's unclear how Washington could fundamentally change the trajectory of a conflict that has increasingly tilted toward Assad in recent months without providing weapons to the opposition forces or getting involved itself.
The administration has been studying for months how to rebalance Syria's war so that moderate, pro-democracy rebels defeat the regime or make life so difficult for Assad and his supporters that the government decides it must join a peace process that entails a transition away from the Assad family's four-decade dictatorship.
But Assad's military successes appear to have rendered peace efforts largely meaningless in the short term. While Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov have been trying to rally support for the planned conference in Geneva — first envisioned for May and since postponed until July at the earliest — even America's allies in the Syrian opposition leadership have questioned the wisdom of sitting down for talks while they are ceding territory all over the country to Assad's forces.
Beyond weapons support for the rebels, administration officials harbor deep reservations about other options.

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The press should not lie against Buhari

In the History of Boko harram and bombing, General Buhari is the only Nigerian that has gotten the boldness to condemn Boko harram in the strongest term. Below are his words
Former Head of State Muhammadu Buhari was among eminent Nigerians and institutions who have condemned the Christmas Day church blasts in several states of northern Nigeria.

In his response, General Buhari said, "Bombing other human beings to death at any time is callous. It becomes much more reprehensible on a Christmas day and all lovers of peace must condemn these gruesome acts and demand that the perpetrators be fished out and brought to book."

The bombings took place at the St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State; Jos, Plateau State; and Damaturu, Yobe State.
Former Head of State and Presidential Candidate of Congress for Progressive Change, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari has condemned Friday bomb attacks at the United Nations building in Abuja in which many lives were lost and several others wounded. He described the horrendous attack as heart rending devastation and a great challenge to the emotion. Gen Buhari sends condolences to the United Nations, the mourning people of Nigeria and the grief-stricken families who have lost beloved ones in this unfortunate incident: "It is my prayer that the Almighty will comfort all the bereaved and bring speedy recovery to all the wounded" he said.

Gen Buhari however frowned at the lazy official response that has accompanied serial challenges to security in the country.

"There has yet to be any coordinated response by the security forces in the country. It is unprofessional and incompetent for our security agencies to surrender to this omnibus Boko Haram as the only clue to every security challenge."

He said such portends serious danger to the country: "What that means that even foreign interest can enter Nigeria today and wreck havoc and issue a statement in the name of Boko Haram and we will bury our dead and life continues".

He called on those in charge of the country to seriously address all the social problems confronting the country and show focused leadership which is lacking at the moment.

The truth is that this government hides many of these statements by Buhari from the public but always orchestrates and misinterprets every word that Buhari says to the public to make the Nigerian public hate Buhari since Buhari is the only prominent resistance and has been the only consistent opposition to PDP since 1999.

Also, just yesterday, Buhari made a statement and i quote.

1. "Muhammadu Buhari (retd), has frowned on the emergency rule in parts of the North. He alleged that innocent civilians were being killed in the states.".

2. "“Every Nigerian that is familiar with happenings knows this. The Niger Delta militants started it all. What happened is that the governors of the Niger Delta at that time wanted to win their elections, so they recruited youths and gave guns and bullets to them to use against their opponents to win elections by force.“After the elections, they asked the boys to return the guns, and the boys refused to do so. Because of that the allowance that was being given to them by the governors was stopped"

Let us analyze the 1st. The UN and other human right agencies in Nigeria and abroad have found out that innocent people have been killed in the hunt for Boko harram and the US gave Nigeria and the military a warning. President Jonathan himself have on various occasions agreed that the military has killed innocent people in their attack on boko harram and if i may ask you that is reading, do you doubt that some innocent people have been killed in the North.

Number 2. The statement Buhari made about the Niger Delta Militants did not originate from him. It was Jonathan and other governorship aspirants from Bayelsa, Delta and some other Niger delta states that made the allegation before now and Buhari only quoted what they said.

When MEND bombed in Abuja on October 1st, President Goodluck Jonathan spoke in their defense and it later turned to be that MEND was confirmed to be the actual bombers, yet Nigerians did not accuse Jonathan of being the leader of MEND. Are Nigerians being fair to Buhari?

Is it that Nigerians have intentionally allowed themselves to be deceived?
Have you ever wondered why the PDP government since 1999 has seen Buhari as a threat and have continuously attacked him and tried to make him to be hated by some Nigerians?

THINK! REASON! AND TRY TO FIND OUT THE TRUTH WHEN YOU ARE TOLD ANYTHING!

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Buhari, a security risk to Nigeria

Following the recent stand by Buhari to have questioned the “special treatment” given to the Niger-Delta militants by the Federal Government while the Boko Haram members were being killed and their houses destroyed by government.“He is, therefore, the prime leader of this religious and blood thirsty sect called Boko Haram, a movement that is based on a warped interpretation of a strict adherence to force people of other religions into Islam. This kind of fundamentalism is the driving force behind his failure of each election in the country.
“I intensely dislike to believe that Buhari is making these distasteful and unacceptable comments only as a way of escaping from the wrath of the sect members after their attack on his native Daura town. It is not enough to oppose positions that have been applauded by majority of Nigerians. Constructive criticism dictates that alternative solutions are given.
“Having explored all the windows of opportunity and commitments in its search for peace in the north-east, what I expect from Buhari is a suggestion as to the way forward and not comments that are divisive. Buhari should know that no injustice can justify the wanton destruction of churches and the widespread massacre of innocent Christians. Why are Christians more of the victims of this orgy of terror unleashed by the Boko Haram sect?
“Buhari and others of that ilk should rather than exacerbating the problem at hand aim to convince the sect members of the wrongfulness of their islamisation plot. If the retired General is now crying out that the Boko Haram members are being killed, it can only mean that the boys he intended to use to spill the blood of monkeys and baboons on the land are being decimated by the gallant Special Forces.
“For now, Buhari should be told that the time to grandstand for 2015 is not now. I, therefore, call on him and his fellow travelers to remember that we are all Nigerians, our religion and regional leanings notwithstanding”.

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Arrest Buhari Now

ABUJA—The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Tuesday, called for the arrest of the former Head of State and presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, General (rtd) Muhammadu Buhari, following his frequent provocative statements.
The President of CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, in a statement by his Media Assistant, Kenny Ashaka, said “Buhari, having on various occasions justified the action of the sect, strongly suggests that he is their leader, therefore, he stands a big security threat to the country’s corporate existence”.
Oritsejafor maintained that it was unfortunate that when every Nigerian was praying for successful military onslaught on the insurgence, Buhari rather than sharing the same feeling with well-meaning Nigerians was busy indulging in careless statements, without regards for victims of the sect’s violence who were mostly Christians.
The statement read, “The retired General was widely reported by several National Dailies, who monitored the Liberty Radio programme “Guest of the week”, to have questioned the “special treatment” given to the Niger-Delta militants by the Federal Government while the Boko Haram members were being killed and their houses destroyed by government.
“They (the Niger-Delta militants) were trained in some skills and were given employment, but the ones in the north were being killed and their houses were being demolished. They are different issues. What brought this? It is injustice”, the former Head of State was quoted to have said.
“I cannot wish away the outburst of harshly critical statements, especially as some of them are directly related to the defence of the Boko Haram sect whose members have continued to kill, maim Christians and burn Churches. I feel the pain inflicted on Christians living in the north is too deep for us in CAN to ignore any unsavoury statement that tends to portray innocent Christians who have been killed by the sect members as the aggressors.
“It is shocking that at a time well-meaning Nigerians are praying for the success of our soldiers, Buhari, rather than reflect the mood of the nation in his statements and conducts is indulging in careless statements without regards for victims of the sect’s violence who are mostly Christians.
“I have, several times been vindicated that Boko Haram is not inspired by pecuniary motives, the latest of which is the statement by Robert Fowler, the released former United Nations’ envoy to Niger Republic who said in a BBC programme, “Hard Talk”, aired on Tuesday, June 4, 2013, that his captors never talked of poverty, but islamisation of Africa.
“Spent and defeated politicians with outburst of temper and elders like Buhari who take delight in inflaming religious and ethnic passions should, therefore, be arrested and made to explain some of the issues raised by them. This is why I call for the arrest of Buhari now. Buhari is a big security risk to Nigeria’s corporate existence.
“It is laughable that Buhari, an ex-Head of State, a General in the Nigerian Army who has served this country in different capacities would support Islamists who are confronting those in his constituency who are fighting to keep the nation from dismemberment.
“For Buhari who has led a brigade of troops in 1982 to repel invading Chadian troops from the same north-eastern borders of Nigeria, the first major foreign invasion, to oppose a state of emergency when some parts of Borno and Yobe states had been occupied and the Nigerian flag replaced with theirs, burnt churches, schools, government institutions, killed innocent Christians, attacked traditional rulers and others not sympathetic to their cause, speaks volume.
“The retired General’s sad commentary has not portrayed him as a national leader. As a retired General, he should have known that fights against terrorists are not mere child’s play. They are much more difficult than conventional war which he fought in 1982. If Buhari is a national leader, he should have been more concerned about the killings of innocent ones by the sect members and the success of the troops and not that of terrorists as he has been doing.
“Therefore, Buhari’s comments, coming at a time Nigerians have been quite appreciative of the bold steps taken by President Goodluck Jonathan to rid the north of Nigeria’s enemies can only mean that the retired General is a fanatic.

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conflicts in the press

CBN Debunks Allegations against Governor Sanusi L. Sanusi - June 4, 2013 via Point Blank News

ABUJA-The Central Bank of Nigeria, has debunked the reports being circulated in the media, that one Dr. Maryam Yaro is the CBN Governor’s alleged mistress.

The Central Bank in a letter issued by its Director Corporate Communication, Ugochukwu A. Okoroafor has faulted the report first published by online news Premium Times that Dr. Maryam Yaro is Sanusi’s girlfriend and that Dr. Yaro was employed by the CBN because of her alleged romantic relationship with the CBN governor.

According to Okoroafor in his letter, which contained other documents attached, which was addressed to Premium Times Managing Director, read thus; “Our attention has been drawn to the libelous story posted on your website on 2nd June, 2013, on the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and which has now been circulated by other online websites and blogging groups.

The post was full of fabrication and inaccuracies. Ordinarily this would have been best ignored. We are however constrained to write to you on account of the severe implications of the allegations for the integrity of the CBN, as an institution.”

According to CBN in its letter it also added that; “It is also important to reaffirm our long-standing commitment to due process and international best practice in the discharge of every aspect of our statutory mandate. We wish to state that CBN is an equal opportunity employer, which prides itself with having female members of staff that possess the highest qualifications, competencies and skills. It is rather reprehensible for anyone to cast such aspersions on the qualifications and integrity of our female staff.”

The Director of Communications, in his letter to Premium Times said; “In the publication, you made the following false allegations: That Dr. Maryam Yaro is a staff of the CBN at the level of Assistant Director and that she was recruited without due process, as she was not qualified for the role. That the CBN Governor introduced Dr. Yaro to the CBN and exerted pressure on the Human Resources Department to recruit her.”

Speaking further in their letter to Premium Times; the Banker’s Bank also said; “We wish to state the fact as follows: Dr. Maryam Yaro is not, and has never been an employee of the Central Bank of Nigeria. She was one of four consultants (three of whom were male), hired by the Nigeria Incentive-based Risk-sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) Plc; on a one year contract, renewable on the basis of satisfactory performance. NIRSAL Plc is a special purpose vehicle (SPV) set up by the Federal Government of Nigeria, through a partnership between the CBN and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD).”

Clarifying further about the person of Dr. Yaro in their letter, Okoroafor wrote thus;“In the course of establishing NIRSAL, the Hon. Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, through a formal letter, recommended Dr. Yaro to participate in the project as a Specialist on Rural Finance Access. Dr. Yaro was hired after a rigorous selection process conducted by the NIRSAL Project Implementation Office. This clearly contradicts the claim that Dr. Yaro was brought in by the CBN Governor.”

“Contrary to allegation that the Governor expedited recruitment of Dr. Yaro, the PIO’s recommendation to hire her as a Consultant was written on March 30, 2012 but only received final approval on June 20, 2012. It is pertinent to add that Dr. Yaro’s academic qualifications and experience eminently qualify her for the job. She is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), who speaks three Nigerian languages, and has extensive experience working with farmers across the country on different agricultural programmes. She has also been a consultant to the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO); and was one of the experts working in the National Programme on Food Security before she was engaged by NIRSAL,” said CBN Communications Director.

Also attached to the letter according for Premium Times perusal was other relevant documents, as the CBN’s letter stated thus; “Please find attached, the relevant documents in support of the facts stated above and we hope you will give this the same publicity you gave your initial story. We have noted that the other allegations in the post border on the person of the CBN Governor and are consistent with previous attacks. In line with the Governor’s usual practice of not responding to these libelous comments on his person, we have decided not to respond.”

“The CBN shall remain resolute in the pursuit of its statutory mandates regardless of any attempt to distract the institution or its officers,” the letter said.

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crisis again

Reports indicate that heavy fighting is ongoing in Rukubi, Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. Rukubi is a village at the boundary between Nasarawa and Benue states.
A resident claimed on phone that several houseshave been razed, and many people killed or injured in the clash.
Another resident, who claimed to have narrowlyescaped being killed, told PREMIUM TIMES via telephone that many residents are holed up in their houses afraid for their lives.
Doma local government has witnessed some violent clashes recently, largely between herdsmen and farmers.
Details later…

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Another brutal killing

Gunmen Kill Sokoto House Of Assembly Member. Unknown gunmen last night in Mabera, Sokoto State, killed a member of the State House of Assembly, Alhaji Murtala Attahiru Wauru, who represented the Gada West Constituency.
Details of the incident are not yet available, but a source said the dead legislator was found in a pool ofhis own blood. His assailants made away with his car.
Wairu, who would have turned 45 in just over a week, was a graduate of the Sokoto State Polytechnic.
Report any suspicious persons and object to the law enforcement agencies, as that will save lives.

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Boko Haram Leader And Others Declared Wanted By The US

The highest reward of up to $7 million is offered for the leader of Nigeria’s Boko Haram extremists, Abubakar Shekau, while $5 million each was posted for Al-Qaeda veteran Mokhtar Belmokhtar and Yahya Abou Al-Hammam, a top figure in Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, US officials said.

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