Wars in the World

At least nine militants were killed in clashes with security forces in the northwestern valley of Swat and in the Mohmand tribal region on Saturday, officials said.

Security forces killed five militants in an exchange of fire in Swat, government officials said.

The army says the valley has been largely cleared after a military operation launched in April, 2009.

Separately, security forces killed four militants in a clash that erupted after insurgents attacked a military check post in Mohmand, senior government official Amjad Ali Khan said.

The News:
http://www.dawn.com/ … mohmand-clashes.html

Representatives of two ethnic armed groups traveled to Loi Tai Leng, headquarters of the Shan State Army-South (SSA-South), this week to meet with its leader for discussions aimed at expanding a new alliance of ethnic armies opposed to Burma’s ruling regime, according to a source close to the SSA-South.
The representatives, from the Karenni National Progressive party (KNPP) and a Lahu armed group, discussed the alliance with SSA-South leader Lt-Gen Yawd Serk during festivities to mark the Shan New Year, the source said on Wednesday.

“They mainly talked about military collaboration and analyzed the current political situation,” the source said, adding that other groups unable to send representatives to the gathering sent New Year’s greetings to the SSA-South.

The source said that further discussions may be held based on the outcome of the meeting at Loi Tai Leng.

The SSA-South is not part of an ethnic alliance formed on the Thai-Burmese border on Nov. 5, but may join if the ongoing negotiations are successful.

The current members of the alliance are the KNPP, the Chin National Front, the Kachin Independence Army, the New Mon State Party, the Karen National Union and the Shan State Army-North.

The News:
http://www.burmanet. … -south-headquarters/

Still victims in news fights in Mogadishu.

At least 2 people have dead and 5 wounded in clashes occurred in centre, near Bakara market, between al-Shabaab rebels and Africa Union peacekeepers (UA).

One hundred of mothers were in the streets to protest against continuing violences.

The News:
http://www.ansa.it/w … html_1672565456.html

Men carrying AK47s and rocket-propelled grenades are marching in unison, following the instructions of a battle-hardened commander.

In their combat fatigues, they could easily be mistaken for government soldiers, except for a red badge on their left shoulder and the periodic cry of “Allah Akbar!”, the Arabic for “God is great!”

They are members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a rebel group fighting for the rights of the Bangsamoro people - a Muslim community in a country that is more than 80% Catholic.

Moro rebels have been fighting against the government for nearly 40 years, in one of Asia’s longest-running insurgencies. An estimated 120,000 people have been killed.

It is a conflict that has nearly been resolved several times, and a fragile ceasefire has been in place since 2003.

But despite repeated attempts from both sides, something always seems to prevent a lasting settlement.

In May, there was renewed hope that a solution might be reached. A popular new president, Benigno Aquino, had just been elected into office in Manila, and one of his main campaign pledges was to restart peace talks and bring an end to the violence.

But nearly six months on, nothing has happened, and the Bangsamoro people are angry.

The News:
http://www.bbc.co.uk … sia-pacific-11925641

Kenyan forces have killed at least five Ethiopian fighters from the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) in an operation to flush the rebels out of the country’s north, a local official and residents said Saturday.

OLF rebels have made repeated raids inside Kenya to attack individuals they accuse of opposing the Oromo’s quest for secession. Kenya has conducted several missions to force the militants who also often use Kenya as a hideout back across the border.

“So far we have received reports about the killing of five OLF rebels. I am informed those killed could number even more,” Moyale District Commissioner Joshua Nkatha said by telephone.

Three Kenyan paramilitary troops were injured in the clash.

The News:
http://news.yahoo.co … /wl_nm/us_kenya_raid