Pakistan
Associated Press: Pakistani Taliban Militants Have Ambushed A Military Convoy In A Border Region, Killing 6 Soldiers
“Pakistani Taliban fighters ambushed a military convoy in a former militant stronghold in the country’s northwest near the Afghan border on Tuesday, triggering an intense shootout that killed at least six soldiers and four militants, the military said. The attack took place in South Waziristan, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military said in a statement. It said four insurgents were killed when troops returned fire, while two other militants were wounded. The military said a search operation is underway in the area in an effort to hunt down the attackers. Mohammad Khurasani, a spokesman for Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP, claimed responsibility for the attack. The Pakistani Taliban are a separate group but are allied with the Afghan Taliban, who took over Afghanistan in August 2021, following the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces from the country. The takeover emboldened the TTP, who often carry out attacks near the Afghan border and elsewhere in the country.”
The News International: 'Won't Bow Down Before Extremism': PM Kakar Asserts Resolve Against Terrorism
“Praising the sacrifice of Pakistan Army soldiers in the country's war against terrorism, caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar Wednesday asserted Pakistan will not bow down before radicalisation, extremism and intolerance under any circumstances. Speaking with journalists at the Governor House in Karachi, the premier said Pakistan is our homeland and we will take it forward as per our own plan. The remarks by PM Kakar, flanked by Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, came in the wake of soldiers embracing martyrdom in Waziristan a day earlier. The acts of terrorism, he said, cannot weaken Pakistan's resolve in the fight against terrorism. The prime minister, during the presser, said those behind such acts mistakenly believe that the war on terrorism will exhaust us.”
Reuters: Islamist Militants Kill Six Pakistani Soldiers, Army Says
“Six Pakistani soldiers were killed on Tuesday in a clash with Islamist militants in a northwestern region near the border with Afghanistan, the army said, adding that four of the militants were killed. The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility saying its fighters had ambushed two military vehicles. "During an intense exchange of fire, six brave soldiers, having fought gallantly, embraced martyrdom," the army said in a statement, adding that the clash took place in North Waziristan. The rugged border region has long served as a safe haven for militants linked both to domestic Islamists who have been fighting against the state and the Afghan Taliban, before they returned to power in Kabul in 2021. The Pakistani Taliban, known as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), said in a statement its fighters had killed 18 soldiers in the ambush.”
Lebanon
i24 News: Lebanese Media Claim 14th Point Of Dispute In Border With Israel, Citing Map
“A newfound map has been added to Lebanon’s arsenal of border disputes with Israel, according to the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Akhbar. The Lebanese newspaper said it obtained the map which shows that part of the Israeli Rosh Hanikra belongs to Lebanon, according to a border registration agreement from 1923. The document that the Hezbollah-affiliated newspaper found would increase the points of border disagreement between Israel and Lebanon to 14, if the claim is verified. Senior Israeli and Lebanese army officials met last week, August 16, at a UN position on the border between the two countries, a press statement said that the parties discussed the “situation along the Blue Line, air and ground violations, and other issues within the scope of UNIFIL’s mandate.”Senior Israeli and Lebanese army officials met last week, August 16, at a UN position on the border between the two countries, a press statement said that the parties discussed the “situation along the Blue Line, air and ground violations, and other issues within the scope of UNIFIL’s mandate.””
Middle East
The Times Of Israel: Hamas Leader Says There’s No Political Solution To Conflict With Israel, Calls For More Attacks
“Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh rules out any political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and calls for unifying the ranks of the Palestinian “armed resistance” in the West Bank and for escalating attacks, following Monday’s deadly terror shooting near Hebron. At a meeting of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) leaders held in Gaza, Haniyeh calls for improved coordination between armed factions in the West Bank and notes that the Oslo agreements and any other attempts at a political solution have failed, according to a report by the Hamas-affiliated Shehab News. The meeting is held to commemorate the 54th anniversary of an arson attack at the Al-Aqsa mosque by a mentally unstable Christian Australian on August 21, 1969. A spokesman for the PIJ says, “The Al-Aqsa Mosque fire is still burning in our hearts,” and he urges the Palestinian Authority to stop all forms of cooperation with the Jewish state.”
Jewish News Syndicate: Hamas Recruiting PA Security Personnel
“Hamas has recruited “dozens” of members of the U.S.-trained Palestinian Authority security forces, using them as combatants and for intelligence gathering, Israel’s Kan News public broadcaster reported on Monday evening, citing senior officials in Ramallah. The Iran-backed terrorist organization is attempting to take advantage of the P.A.’s financial woes, added the report, noting that Ramallah has not paid its employees full wages since November 2021. Many of the P.A.’s 130,000 public workers have received only 80% of their salary in recent months, with the Palestinian leadership claiming financial hardship due to Israel’s withholding of tax revenue. Per a 2018 law, Jerusalem has deducted taxes and tariffs collected on behalf of the P.A. in an amount equal to that which it paid to terrorists and their families in 2022 as part of its “pay for slay” policy. In 2022, the P.A. paid out an estimated 865 million shekels ($228.9 million) under this policy.”
Nigeria
Daily Post: Boko Haram: NYSC Finally Resumes Orientation In Maiduguri, Twelve Years After Closure Of Camp
“The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has resumed orientation services in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, 12 years after the camp was shut down due to the Boko Haram insurgency. The NYSC Orientation camp, located along Kano Road, was shut down in 2012 during the height of the Boko Haram insurgency due to fears expressed by Nigerians over the safety of their wards. Due to years of inactivity, the NYSC camp was later converted to an Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) camp, where IDPs from Damboa, Gwoza and Konduga took refuge. With the return of peace, camping activities have resumed, with corps members deployed to Borno State for the one year mandatory service. Governor Babagana Zulum described the Batch B Stream 2 orientation course as historic and special, having marked the end of perennial dislodgement of corps members from the state.”
Somalia
Garowe Online: Somalia On The Verge Of Joining EAC After Long Struggle
“The Federal Republic of Somalia is on the verge of joining the East Africa Community [EAC], an expanding regional bloc that gives member countries the opportunity to trade and boost their economies through Tripartite agreements. For months, the Horn of Africa nation has strived to join the fast-growing community, even as it tries to restore stability and order, which has been compromised for the last three decades. The country has been battling civil wars and the Al-Shabaab menace for some time. According to reports, Somalia has since made critical steps towards gaining membership, and once admitted, it will be the eleventh member to join the summit. Most countries in Central Africa led by the Democratic Republic of Congo [DR Congo], Burundi, and Rwanda have since joined.At Arusha recently, the EAC Secretariat confirmed that the country has made critical steps towards joining the summit, noting that in due course, Somalia would be a full-fledged member, thus opening space for businesses, trade, and security.”
Europe
Reuters: Russia's Prigozhin Posts First Video Since Mutiny, Hints He Is In Africa
“Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin posted his first video address since leading a short-lived mutiny in late June, appearing in a social media clip which he suggested was shot in Africa. In the video, posted on Telegram channels affiliated with the Wagner group on Monday, Prigozhin speaks of making Russia greater on all continents and Africa more free. It is likely to exacerbate Western fears that Wagner could expand its African operations after a coup in Niger that has taken on anti-Western overtones. Prigozhin is seen standing in a desert area in camouflage with a rifle in his hands. In the distance are armed men and a pickup truck. Reuters was not able to geolocate or verify the date of the video. Prigozhin's comments and some posts in the pro-Wagner channels suggested it was filmed in Africa. "The temperature is +50 - everything as we like. The Wagner PMC (private military company) makes Russia even greater on all continents, and Africa - more free," Prigozhin says in the video.”
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