Assassination Attempts in Holland and Ethiopia, Afghans Killed by US Air Strikes, Pakistan Refugees, UN Sudan Mandate, Iraq Withdrawal Dates

May 8, 2009 at 5:14 pm | Posted in Politics | Leave a comment

Tens of Thousands of Refugees Are Fleeing Taliban in NW Pakistan:

Sudan UN extends mandate of force in southern Sudan:

“The Security Council has extended the UN mandate for southern Sudan by a year, and called for strict implementation of an agreement between Khartoum and southern rebels the UN force is in charge of overseeing”.

Netherlands Five killed in assassination attempt on the Dutch royal family:

The Dutch Royal Family looked on in horror [April 30th] as a car ploughed into a crowd of wellwishers, killing five and injuring twelve.

The car smashed through two police barriers in an apparent attempt to ram the open-top bus carrying the royal party, which included Queen Beatrix, 71.

Ethiopia arrests 40 for plotting to assassinate senior government officials:

Senior military officers in Ethiopia, including a general, had plotted to assassinate top government officials, Communications Minister Bereket Simon said Friday, adding that 40 people were under arrest. “While six of the suspects were army officers on active duty, including one general, 34 of the suspects were ex-army men expelled from the army on grounds of misconduct,”

Iraq Iraq rules out extension of U.S. withdrawal dates:

Iraq will not extend withdrawal deadlines for U.S. troops set out in a bilateral accord, ending months of speculation about whether U.S. combat troops would stay beyond June in bases in the restive northern city of Mosul.

Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said Iraq was committed to adhering to the withdrawal schedule in the pact, which took effect on January 1, including the requirement to withdraw U.S. combat troops from towns and cities by the end of June and a full withdrawal by the end of 2011.

Afghanistan “Dozens” of Afghan Civilians Killed by US Air Strike:

Remember all those promises from US commanders in Afghanistan, the promises made after each killing of large numbers of Afghan civilians, sometimes by air strikes, sometimes by ground forces during raids? After each incident – at least as far back as July 2007 – the commanders issue new pledges that US forces will change their rules of engagement, will take more care, will be more cautious to avoid more murders of Afghan civilians?