The most senior Taliban leader in Pakistan, Beitullah Mehsud, is rumoured to have died late on Monday after suffering kidney failure. Mehsud is the head of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, an umbrella organisation for Islamist militant groups operating across Pakistan's northwest. Based in the restive tribal agency of South Waziristan, Mehsud has also been accused of organising waves of suicide attacks in Pakistan since last year, including masterminding the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. Keep up to date with the latest developments and sharpest perspectives in a world of strife and struggle.

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The toD verdict: Although a new head of the country's principal intelligence agency was appointed on Monday, American officials have expressed their frustration at Pakistan's failure to kill or capture insurgents and tribal fighters who they say assist in the traffic of irregulars and arms into Afghanistan, fuelling the conflict there. The death of such a high profile militant leader could ease tensions between Islamabad and Washington.

However, Taliban spokesmen have dismissed the rumour that Mehsud, an ethnic Pashtun tribesman in his mid-thirties, has died or even that he is seriously ill. One militant spokesman, based in the Swat Valley in northwest Pakistan, said: "I just spoke to a close aide of Beitullah Mehsud and he did not mention any such thing", whilst a second commented that "our leadership is fine and healthy. There's no serious illness". In the United States, a Pentagon official said he could not confirm the suspected death. And even if the Taliban chief's death proves to be true, will it be any more than a propaganda coup?

American drones kill four in Pakistan

A pilotless American drone fired missiles near the town of Mir Ali in North Waziristan on Tuesday, killing at least four people and injuring nine. The missiles were reportedly fired after the drone was shot at. The area is known as a haven for Taliban and al-Qaida fighters who enter Afghanistan. This attack comes amidst growing tensions between the United States and Pakistan over the latter's sovereignty.

Afghan president appeals to Saudi Arabia

The president of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, has said that he is seeking help from Saudi Arabia to organise talks with elements of the Taliban in an attempt to stop the fighting in his country. In a message to mark Eid-al-Fitr - the end of the holy month of Ramadan - Karzai announced on Tuesday that he aimed to urge a ceasefire. He said that he had been appealing to the king of Saudi Arabia to help in the Afghan conflict for two years. However, he denied the report that talks had already taken place. Saudi Arabia was one of the few countries to recognise the Taliban rule of Afghanistan during the 1990s. Karzai said that he would personally protect Taliban leaders from US and NATO troops if they came back to Afghanistan for talks. These announcements sit against a backdrop of rising civilian casualties, as detailed in a recent UN report.

Ambush in Thailand kills three soldiers

Three Special Forces soldiers were killed on Wednesday by militants who ambushed their vehicle as it entered Ban Champakor in Narathiwt's Bacho district in Thailand's restive south. The attackers retreated back into the surrounding jungle after exchanging fire for about five minutes. One day before, an Islamic school in Yaha district came under arson attack. In Bangkok, Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat has announced his intention to visit the region, where more than 3,400 people have been killed since January 2004

Six soldiers and 60 rebels killed in Sri Lankan clashes

Fighting in the north of Sri Lanka left 60 rebels and six soldiers dead on Tuesday. Two Tamil Tiger boats were sunk off the northeast coast and a second Tamil Tiger runway was caught in the Panikkankulam region. Earlier this month, rebels bombed a key military base in the government-controlled area of Vavuniya. Just yesterday, an explosion rocked the capital Colombo, injuring two people.

Former insurgents incorporated into Iraqi army

From 1 October, more than 80,000 members of the Awakening movement start getting their wages paid by the Iraqi government, instead of the US military as before. The aim is to incorporate these troops, mostly Sunni Arab former insurgents who are now fighting against al-Qaida, into the Iraqi army proper. However, only 20 percent of the Awakening members will be included in this scheme. Amongst critics of this number is the Awakening leader in Ameriya, Abu Ibrahim al-Azawi, who angrily asked reporters: "What about the other 80 percent?" The Awakening movement was created after Sunni insurgency leaders realised that al-Qaida militants were exploiting the local population, holding whole communities in their thrall for their own extremist ideological purposes. However, al-Qaida remains fairly influential in the predominantly Sunni parts of Iraq and there are fears that, if abandoned by the Iraqi government, fighters could turn once more to them.

Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari stated on Sunday that if his government were to capture Osama bin Laden he would consider handing him over to the United States. Zardari said: "I will go around with my friends and see what they wanted. If they want them tried in Pakistan we will try them in Pakistan. If they want them tried in New York, sure so be it".  

Afghan president Hamid Karzai also modified an important aspect of his rhetoric on the "war on terrorism" for the first time since the 11 September attacks by withdrawing his claim that bin Laden was hiding in Pakistan. He maintained, however, that the al-Qaida leader was not in Afghanistan and had not been there since 2001. Keep up to date with the latest developments and sharpest perspectives in a world of strife and struggle.

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The toD verdict: Relations between Kabul and Islamabad under Pakistan's previous president - the disgraced Pervez Musharraf - were frosty at best. Karzai, in an interview with CNN, said that "with the current [Pakistani] democratic government, we have the possibility to work together". He hopes that Musharraf's replacement will be more cooperative in the fight against al-Qaida not only because of the great losses his country continues to suffer at the hands of militants but also because of the killing of Benazir Bhutto, Zardari's late wife, by Islamist assassins at the end of the last year.

Zardari's announcement regarding the potential custody of bin Laden hints at simmering tensions between the United States and Pakistan, stoked by incidents like last Thursday's exchange of fire between US and Afghan troops and Pakistani forces after two US helicopters were shot down near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

Zardari warned the US not to carry out unilateral action inside his country, insisting that the Pakistani authorities were more capable of dealing with the terrorist threat. This was followed, on Monday, by US Defence Secretary Robert Gates's note-worthy response to a question in Senate when he argued that the US could take unilateral actions in Pakistan under international laws, saying that the US has every right to save the lives of its troops. Will this battle of rhetoric harden into more deadly confrontations?

Two policemen dead in Maoist attack

Suspected Maoist insurgents killed two policemen and injured five in a landmine blast in Bastar in central India on Monday. The landmines exploded near where the president, Pratibha Patil, was holidaying and has been described by the Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh as a reminder of the grave threat Maoists continue to pose to the country's internal security. Maoists in India claim to be fighting for the rights of farmers and labourers and have killed thousands in an insurrection which dates back to the 1960s.

Nuclear security organisation set up in Vienna

A new organisation, the World Institute for Nuclear Security (WINS), was set up in Vienna on 29 September with an aim to improve security at nuclear sites around the world and to prevent atomic theft and nuclear terrorism. The organisation was the initiative of Sam Nunn, who leads the Nuclear Threat Initiative, and it will focus on larger management issues rather than the nitty-gritty of cameras and locks. Its director is Roger Howsley, previously director of security for British Nuclear Fuels.

17 killed in Damascus bomb attack

Seventeen civilians were killed and 14 wounded on Saturday in the Syrian capital of Damascus in the bloodiest attack in Syria in two decades. A car packed with 200kg of explosives blew up near a security checkpoint on the road to Damascus airport, next to a Shia shrine which draws tens of thousands of pilgrims from Iran, Iraq and Lebanon each year to pray at the tomb of Zeinab, daughter of the Shia holy figure Imam Ali and granddaughter of the prophet. The attack has drawn worldwide condemnation, including from the United States, which has on numerous occasions accused Syria of fuelling unrest in Iraq.

Troops killed in Lebanon

Following the bomb attack in neighbouring Syria, a car bomb killed at least four people and injured around 30 more in the Lebanese city of Tripoli on 29 September. The bomb, controlled remotely, targeted a military bus in the Bahsas region. Most of the casualties were reported to have been soldiers. This explosion is the second bomb attack on Lebanese troops in Tripoli in two months; on 13 August, a bomb killed at least 18 people, including nine soldiers, as they boarded a bus. Tripoli has previously been the site of clashes between pro-government Sunni fighters and armed men from the pro-Syrian Alawite Shia sect, though no group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

Clash with Pakistani troops kills 15 insurgents

An attack by government troops on a Taliban and al-Qaida stronghold in Pakistan on Monday reportedly killed 15 militants. No mention was made of government casualties. The attack, which took place in the Bajaur region near the Afghan border, was part of an ongoing series of clashes between the military and insurgents which have been encouraged by the United States. Bajaur is the most northerly of Pakistan's wild tribal regions, one of many which have fallen under the control of militants opposed to the Afghan and Pakistani governments.

Militants threw two grenades into crowds of revelers in the Mexican town of Morelia yesterday, during celebrations meant to mark Mexico's independence day. Authorities were quick to accuse operatives of the country's numerous drug cartels, against whom President Felipe Calderon has waged an escalating offensive. Morelia - Calderon's home town - sits in the state of Michoacan, which continues to witness deadly clashes between gangs and the army.

Torch passed from Petraeus to Odierno

Gen. David Petraeus stepped down this week as commander of US troops in Iraq to take a higher regional command. Petraeus has been credited for improving the situation in the country since last year's controversial "surge". His principal achievement was tactfully creating the "awakening councils" in Anbar province, where formerly hostile Sunni militants were co-opted to fight against foreign and extremist fighters in the restive region. Keep up to date with the latest developments and sharpest perspectives in a world of strife and struggle.

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But as Petraeus has admitted himself, all gains are reversible. The Shia-led government in Baghdad has taken an increasingly strident line against factions of the Sunni "awakening". Petraeus' replacement, Gen. Ray Odierno, is not held in as high esteem by many Iraqis; while in charge of the 4^th Infantry Division, Odierno was known for his aggressive and blunt approach, using tanks, heavy artillery and mass arrests. If the alleged successes of last year spring from Petraeus' subtlety, then Odierno's record is far from encouraging.

Christian factions spar in Lebanon

As Lebanese politicians attempt to cobble together a unity government, rival Christian factions Marada and Lebanese Forces fought in north Lebanon in violence that left at least two people dead. Marada is tied to the pro-Syrian Hizbollah, while Lebanese Forces back the anti-Syrian alliance led by Saad al-Hariri. 

Soldiers vanish in Mauritania

Mauritanian officials suspect al-Qaida's north African outfit - Al-Qaida in the Maghreb (AQIM) - of kidnapping twelve soldiers near the mining town of Zouerat. AQIM has mostly confined its activities to Algeria, and analysts fear that the ambush is a sign of the group's growing influence. Opposition figures in Mauritania were quick to seize upon the attack as evidence of the failure of the military junta to secure the country's borders since coming to power in an August coup d'etat. 

Hamas move against crime clan

In its ongoing bid to bring order to the Gaza Strip, Hamas raided the compound of the Dagmush clan, a large family with deep ties to criminal and militant activity in the strip. Fighting on Monday and Tuesday left at least twelve people dead, including a one year-old child. The Dagmush were responsible for the abduction of BBC journalist Alan Johnston.

Turmoil in the Niger Delta

For the fifth consecutive day, militants in the oil-rich south of Nigeria targeted oil installations. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta claims to have blown up a Shell pipeline in Rivers state. An ongoing insurgency in the region continues to threaten the flow of oil from west Africa.

Security forces targeted in Swat

A suicide bomber attacked a compound housing soldiers and paramilitaries in the Swat valley in north Pakistan. Soon after the initial blast, militants bombarded the compound with rocket and mortar fire. At least ten people have been killed. The attack comes as top US military officials visit Islamabad to discuss greater coordination in addressing the insurgency that continues to destabilise both Pakistan and neighbouring Afghanistan. The Swat valley was formerly home to the pro-Taliban leader Maulana Fazlullah who fought bitterly against government forces in the region last year. 

The UN has found "convincing evidence" that 90 civilians, including 60 children, were killed in the US airstrike last Friday targeting senior Taliban commander Mullah Sadiq. Coalition spokespeople initially claimed 30 militants had died in the attack, and that there had been no civilian casualties. However, after an Afghan government investigation reported close to a hundred civilians deaths, coalition officials released a revised death-toll which included five civilians, all members of Mullah Sadiq's family.

The latest figures from the UN, however, support the Afghan government's findings. Initial investigations by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) have concluded that "some 90 civilians were killed, including 60 children, 15 women and 15 men."

The toD verdict: 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 hereThe United States Institute of Peace released a report in August investigating the changing way the war in Afghanistan is being fought. There has been a massive increase in the use of aerial munitions over the course of the conflict, from an average of 5,000 pounds of munitions being dropped per month in 2005 to a peak of 168,000 pounds in December 2007. Related to the increasing reliance on air power is a rise in the number of civilian casualties, which rose in Afghanistan by 62% in 2008 compared to the first six months of 2007.

Despite the rise in civilian casualties, some US and allied commanders in Afghanistan have expressed frustration at what they feel are restrictive rules governing when and how airstrikes can be employed. The Afghan government, meanwhile, has expressed frustration that airstrikes are being employed at all - with President Karzai arguing in a speech earlier this month that "the only result of the use of airstrikes is the killing of civilians."

Fighting in Afghanistan has intensified in recent months to such an extent that British troops are now being killed at a faster rate than during the height of the Iraq war. The Taliban, too, are suffering heavy casualties: nearly fifty Taliban militants were killed on Tuesday, according to Afghan officials. But to achieve lasting success in Afghanistan, the US-led coalition will have to wean itself off its reliance on air power.

Darfur plane hijackers surrender

Two men who hijacked a Sudanese flight and took hostage 95 passengers and crew have surrendered after a 22-hour standoff. The flight, originally bound for the Sudanese capital of Khartoum, was diverted at the hijackers' request to an airfield in Libya. According to Libyan officials, the hijackers claimed to be members of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), although the leader of the SLM, Abdulwahid Elnur, has denied his movement was involved.

The plane was hijacked not far from a refugee camp which was raided by the Sudanese military on Monday. At least 33 people were reported to have died in the raid, with some reports saying as many as 70 were killed. Up to 300,000 people have been killed since the conflict between ethnic minority rebels and the Sudanese government began in 2003.

Violence sweeps Pakistan amidst political crisis

A senior US diplomat in northwest Pakistan escaped an attempt on her life on Tuesday when two men armed with AK-47s shot at her armoured vehicle. Just hours later at least seven people were killed and 20 injured when a bomb exploded at a street-café in Islamabad. Another bombing at a political rally in south-western Pakistan injured 20.

Meanwhile, in the northwest of the country, security forces claim to have killed 40 militants in heavy fighting. Analysts are concerned that the collapse of the ruling coalition in the wake of President Musharraf's resignation will only distract the government from the increasing violence.

Religious strife engulfs parts of India

The murder on Saturday of Swami Lakshmanananda, a Hindu religious leader in the Indian state of Orissa, has sparked clashes between Christians and Hindus which have left at least 11 people dead. Police believe Maoist rebels were behind the assassination, which has been publicly condemned by Christian groups, but religious tensions in the region have boiled over into violence.

Meanwhile, Muslim protests in Indian Kashmir, which began in response to earlier Hindu protests over the government not granting land to a Hindu shrine, have grown into calls for Kashmiri independence from India. Police have on several occasions caused fatalities by firing into crowds of protestors. The UN has called for calm and asked India's security forces to "respect the right to freedom of assembly and expression."

Death-toll rises in Philippines fighting

Ten days of fighting between the Philippines army and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has left at least 187 people dead, including 60 civilians, according to human rights monitors. The violence, some of the worst in recent years, erupted last week when a peace-deal between MILF and the government collapsed. Rebels in the Muslim-majority mineral-rich Mindanao region have been pushing for independence from the largely Christian Philippines for four decades, in a conflict which has claimed at least 120,000 lives.

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.

India has pledged an additional $450 million in aid to Afghanistan, taking the total to over $1 billion, as the two countries vowed that terrorism would not break their close relationship. The pledge came during a visit to India by Afghan president Harmid Karzai.

Prime minister Manmohan Singh described the recent terrorist attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul as "an attack on the friendship between India and Afghanistan" and said such incidents would not get in the way of the "abiding commitment to Afghanistan's efforts to build a democratic, pluralistic and stable polity".

The toD verdict: Not-so-hidden between the lines of yesterday's statements is a message to Pakistan that the actions of its rogue intelligence services will not de-stabilise the partnership between India and Afghanistan.

It has been widely reported that agents from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) were in direct contact with the militants who carried out the India embassy bombing on July 7. The spy agency's links to the Taliban are deeply rooted and date back to before 9/11. If indeed the attacks were aimed at severing India's economic and diplomatic support for Karzai's government, then they have grossly backfired.

Singh's thoughts are on India's domestic terrorist threat, too, since the recent bombings in Ahmedabad also bear traces of ISI involvement.

Indonesian jihad leader resigns Keep up to date with the latest developments and sharpest perspectives in a world of strife and struggle.

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The spiritual leader of the Council of Indonesian Jihad Fighters (MMI) has quit his post, citing ideological differences with other council members. Abu Bakar Ba'asyir is believed to be one of the founders of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), a terrorist organisation with links to a series of bombings across South East Asia. Prosecutors in Indonesia have struggled to connect him to the wide range of terrorist incidents with which he has been associated, although he served 25 months in prison for "approving" the 2002 Bali bombings. Ba'asyir has always denied the existence of JI, and any involvement in terrorism. His resignation from MMI could be the result of personal disagreements, or it could be confirmation that he disapproves of terrorist tactics. In a statement on his personal website, he wrote: "Ever since I was appointed as the Amir Mujahidin (leader of the Jihad fighters), I've seen this as a mistake. I was forced to temporarily take the offer in the hope of improving its shortcomings in the future." He says his attempts to persuade MMI leaders to follow Islamic teachings had failed.

Syrian general assassinated

Rumours continue to circulate around the assassination of a top Syrian army chief at the weekend. It is believed Brigadier General Mohammad Suleiman was killed while relaxing on a beach near the resort of Tartous by a sniper firing from an offshore yacht. His alleged connections to Hizbollah are seen by some as motive for Israel to have carried out the assassination. Other reports say he was involved in upgrading Syria's military, including its alleged nuclear program. Syria has denied US allegations that it has an illegal nuclear facility. Israel raided a site, widely believed to be part of a nuclear program in September 2007.

War of words over South Ossetia

Increasingly aggressive rhetoric suggests a deteriorating security situation around Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia. Separatists claim that six civilians were killed and 22 injured during attacks by Georgian forces on the regional capital of Tskhinvali on Friday and Saturday. The rebels have refused to meet with Georgian representatives, and vowed violent retaliation if the attacks continue. Meanwhile, Russia, who have frequently supported the separatist cause, says it will "not allow itself to remain indifferent" should the shelling continue. Tblisi accuses Russia of wishing to perpetuate instability in the region in order to derail both the EU-sponsored peace process and Georgia's bid to join NATO.

Monday night saw the Kashmiri front reignite into the worst breach of the ceasefire between India and Pakistan since it was agreed in 2003. A 12-hour gun battle across the disputed frontier left one Indian and four Pakistani soldiers dead. The Indian army say the battle was started by Pakistani troops crossing the border and opening fire.

"Between 10 and 12 Pakistani soldiers crossed the Line of Control and entered the Kupwara sector (in Indian Kashmir), and after a verbal duel they shot dead a soldier," said spokesman Lt. Col. Anil Kumar Mathur. "We've sought a meeting with the Pakistani army to protest the violation of the cease-fire."

The toD verdict: The last few days have highlighted the range of internal and external threats facing India. Manmohan Singh's government just barely scraped through a vote of no-confidence last week related to its civilian nuclear deal with the United States, and the tumultuous process left it with a blemished reputation and a restless political situation.

Then, over the weekend, came the devastating series of bomb attacks in Ahmedabad and Bangalore that left at least 50 people dead and around 150 injured. The Indian Mujahideen, who claimed responsibility for the Ahmedabad attacks, say the blasts were in retaliation for the region's ethnic clashes in 2002 between Hindus and Muslims, in which around 2,000 Muslims were killed.

Analysts have been quick to point blame at Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency. It is widely believed these attacks are the culmination of a long-term plan by the ISI to create home-grown Islamist cells within India, initially funded and organised in Pakistan and Bangladesh, but increasingly autonomous.

Despite the slow success of the peace process between India and Pakistan, last night's gun battle across the Kashmiri border is evidence of the continued external threat from India's volatile neighbour. India is paying the price for the disarray in Pakistani politics and the failure of Islamabad to keep a tight rein on its army and intelligence services.

Palestinian security forces torture each other, says report

A human rights agency says opposing Palestinian security forces are torturing rivals and that the vast majority of arrests are politically motivated. Both Hamas and Fatah have acknowledged problems, but say they are being dealt with. The two groups have been engaged in a violent struggle for power since Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip in June 2007. A perfect illustration of the point was made just yesterday as both sides made dozens of tit-for-tat arrests throughout the West Bank and Gaza. Amid ongoing uncertainty about whether and how Palestinian reconciliation should take place, such human rights violations are likely to continue.

PKK denies involvement in Istanbul blasts

The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) have denied responsibility for the explosions that killed 17 people in Istanbul on Sunday. "The PKK has nothing to do with this event," the group's leader, Zubeyir Aydar, told a pro-Kurdish news agency, responding to yesterdays' accusations by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The possibility has been raised that the shadowy secularist group Ergenekon could be behind the attacks. There are no certainties in Turkey at the moment - these are tumultuous times, in which the Constitutional Court is about to make a landmark decision on whether the ruling Justice and Development Party has threatened Turkey's rigidly secular code of conduct. Further shocks to system are likely in the coming weeks.

Petraeus speaks too soon

It was unfortunate timing for General David Petraeus, America's top general in Iraq, when he told Reuters that security forces controlled virtually the whole of the country. His interview coincided with one of the bloodiest days of the year in Iraq, with suicide bombers killing an estimated 61 people and injuring around 250 in Baghdad and Kirkuk. The attacks targeted a Shia pilgrimage in the capital, and a Kurdish protest in the northern city of Kirkuk. "I think it's accurate to say that Iraqi and coalition forces control the vast majority of the country," Petraeus said. "There are clearly areas in which al Qaeda or other extremist elements have what you might call small sanctuaries." Sadly, small sanctuaries are all that is needed to carry out large attacks.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards test-fired nine long and medium ranged missiles on Wednesday, including an upgraded Shahab-3 missile with a range of 2000km, enough to strike at targets in Israel or at US bases in the Persian gulf. Brigadier General Hoseyn Salami, a commander in the Revolutionary Guard, described the test as being intended to "demonstrate Iran's resolve and might against enemies who in recent weeks have threatened Iran with harsh language." The US administration has condemned the tests, describing them as "inconsistent with Iran's obligations to the world."

Government officials in Pakistan claim they have destroyed a major militant headquarters in the restive Khyber tribal region on the fourth day of the paramilitary offensive against Islamist extremists.

The site belonged to the group Lashkar-e-Islam, who prompted the campaign by the paramilitary Frontier Corps after making incursions into the regional capital of Peshawar last week. Armed members of the group were reported to be roaming the streets of the city's wealthier districts and raiding surrounding villages.