A senior al-Qaida leader was reported to have been killed in Pakistan on Tuesday. Abu Saeed Masri, also known as Mustafa Abu Yazid, was thought to be the head of al-Qaida operations in Afghanistan and number three in the organisation as a whole. His death will strike a blow against al-Qaida in Afghanistan, but given the decentralised nature of the terrorist group, it remains to be seen whether it will be more than a symbolic victory in the wider "war on terror." 

Masri was apparently killed in heavy fighting between militants and the Pakistani army along the border with Afghanistan. The Pakistani Taliban, allied with Al-Qaeda, has declared "open war" in response to the military offensives of the Pakistani army. The Taliban also claimed responsibility for a bombing that killed up to 14 people and destroyed a truck carrying Pakistani air force staff on Tuesday. A Taliban spokesman said attacks would continue unless the army ceased operations in the Swat valley region of Pakistan.

The toD verdict: The security situation in Pakistan is deteriorating rapidly. Whilst the Pakistani government tries to Keep up to date with the latest developments and sharpest perspectives in a world of strife and struggle.

Sign up to receive toD's daily security briefings via email by clicking hereimpeach President Musharraf, al-Qaida is reportedly trying to exploit the political turmoil in Pakistan to strengthen its position in the region - analysts have described a "resurgent" al-Qaida, rebuilding its network in Pakistan's tribal regions and striking at targets in Afghanistan, before retreating again across the border where it is difficult for NATO forces to pursue them.

The frustration felt by NATO forces in Afghanistan at this situation has led to unilateral attacks across the border, angering Pakistan. The latest such attack reportedly occurred on Wednesday when at least 10 militants were killed in explosions at two training camps, as a result of an alleged US missile strike, according to Pakistani officials.

Pakistan's offensive against militants in the region is aimed, among other things, at demonstrating to the west that Pakistan can deal with insurgents within its borders. Yet the problem for Pakistan is that these offensives stir up a hornet's nest of militant activity, prompting more unilateral attacks from the US. It will be a difficult cycle to break, but if not properly dealt with, it could easily escalate out of control.

Report reveals billions spent on Iraq contractors

A report from the U.S. Congressional Budget Office reveals that the US spent $85 billion on "private security contractors" in Iraq between 2003 and 2007, and is likely to have spent over $100 billion by the end of the year, representing one dollar in every five spent on the entire war. There is currently one private contractor in Iraq for every member of the US armed forces, which is a ratio at least 2.5 times higher than during any other major US conflict in history. Private contractors have boosted troop numbers and allowed the US to avoid instituting an unpopular draft, but contractors remain controversial after alleged abuses and disputes over their legal status.

Tripoli blast kills 14, wounds 40

At least 14 people have been killed when a bomb went off near a bus carrying soldiers in Tripoli, Lebanon's second largest city. It is thought the blast was targeting Lebanese military personnel; the bomb was planted in a bag at a military gathering point and nine of the dead and many of the wounded were soldiers. No group has claimed responsibility, but there is speculation that the attack may have been retribution for the Lebanese army's actions last year against Fatah al-Islam, an al-Qaida-inspired militant Islamist movement.

Rioting continues in Jammu and Kashmir

Violent street protests continued in the Indian-administered half of Kashmir on Wednesday. The violence has steadily escalated following a series of tit-for-tat protests from both Hindu and Muslim communities, beginning with Hindu protests at the end of June when the Indian government reversed its decision to grant land near a Hindu shrine to a religious group. The violence spread to other parts of India, and Tuesday was the bloodiest day since the unrest started, with 15 people left dead. A curfew is now in effect, with police threatening to shoot anyone violating it. The Indian Prime Minister has called for urgent cross-party talks to resolve the crisis.

Turkish soldiers killed in landmine ambush

Nine Turkish soldiers were killed in Turkey's eastern Erzincan province on Wednesday when their vehicle hit a landmine. Turkish military sources are blaming the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK), the separatist Kurdish movement, for the attack. Turkey has been embroiled in a low-intensity conflict with the PKK since 1984, in which some 40,000 people have been killed.