Thursday, February 16, 2012

Afghanistan

Pakistani Border Town Under Curfew Following Fighting

Pakistani paramilitary troops in the North Waziristan region (file photo) (epa)

March 7, 2006 -- Pakistani authorities say security forces have been enforcing a nearly 24-hour curfew in the North Waziristan town of Miranshah, the site of three days of fighting between troops and pro-Taliban militants.

TEXT SIZE - +

March 07, 2006

Pakistani helicopter gunships and artillery again targeted suspected militant hideouts in the town on March 6, and thousands of townspeople are reported to have fled the region near the Afghan border. Local clerics are reportedly trying to mediate a cease-fire.

Officials said the curfew in Miranshah was in force around-the-clock except for three hours to allow residents to get supplies.

Pakistani officials say they believe more than 100 militants might have died in the fighting that began on March 4.

The tribally dominated region has historically been a source of regional instability and friction.

The unrest has further strained relations between the Pakistani and Afghan governments, with Pakistan linking the violence to the insurgency in Afghanistan and Afghan officials suggesting Pakistan has not done enough to stop cross-border infiltration by militants.

The Afghan and Pakistani presidents, Hamid Karzai and General Pervez Musharraf, have recently leveled strong accusations and counteraccusations over shared intelligence and security issues.

(compiled from agency reports)

A vendor in the central Bosnian town of Zenica sells heart-shaped cushions with proclamations of love for 1 euro each.

Love It (Or Hate It), It's Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day, the Western holiday celebrating love, has become a global phenomenon over the past two decades. The fall of communism and the emergence of the Internet have helped February 14 become something of an unofficial international day of romance. However, not all the passions the holiday stirs are related to love. While some countries have openly embraced the holiday, others are attempting to ban it or replace it with local customs. More

Gasoline prices have risen dramatically in Pakistan in recent years

In Pakistan, Cleaner Fuel Powers Supply, Safety Issues

Rising fuel prices have pushed Pakistan to become a global leader in using compressed natural gas (CNG) to fuel vehicles. More

Family members of missing Baluchs, mostly political activists, rally in protest on the eve of international Human Rights Day in Quetta, Balochistan, on December 10, 2011.

U.S. Hearing On Balochistan Raises Hackles, Awareness

The U.S. Congressional hearing last week on Balochistan, the largest of Pakistan's four provinces, though it was firmly rejected by Islamabad, is being seen in Pakistan as any eye-opener for the state and its security agencies. More