Gordon Brown is in Pakistan today amid expanding military operations against Taliban-controlled areas of the country, which somewhat fulfill his claim that the region is the "crucible of terrorism". Despite rumours that President Asif Ali Zardari snubbed the British Prime Minister by delegating today's press conference to his premier Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, both emphasised unity in the face of a common threat. Brown pledged £10 million in military aid and training for Pakistani forces and highlighted the security concerns arising from Britain's large Pakistani population.
The toD verdict: Brown's arrival in Pakistan could hardly have been better timed, as a major confrontation intensifies between government and Taliban forces. Pakistan escalated its offensive today launching air strikes against suspected hideouts in the Buner district that killed over 70 people while heavy fighting in Lower Dir caused 30,000 people to flee their homes. Although military officials claimed operations were enforcing breaches in its peace treaty with Pakistani Taliban, there is an obvious danger that fighting will spread and develop into an all-out civil war. A spokesman for the militant group Tehrik-e-Nifaaz Shariat Muhammadi, which suspended peace negotiations yesterday in protest, warned of a "storm" across Pakistan if the government did not halt its offensive.
While the action has been welcomed in many quarters in Britain and answers continued US calls for tougher domestic policy, Pakistan may find itself facing criticism akin to accusations it levelled against the US for its repeated aerial assaults against suspected Taliban targets in the northwestern border regions. Pakistan may, instead of pacifying its frontiers, embroil itself in a heightened conflict while losing the vital support of the population among which the Taliban militia operate. 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 here
Three killed in Turkish police raids across Istanbul
Sixty separate raids against radical leftist and Islamist groups conducted across Istanbul last night left one militant, a senior police officer and a 16-year-old bystander dead. The casualties occurred as one police raid against Revolutionary Headquarters, a far-left organisation, degenerated into a six-hour-long firefight. Turkish media criticised the operations for a lack of preparation and for delays in cordoning off or evacuating the surrounding area, resulting in the shooting of a TV journalist who strayed too close to the fighting. Seven police officers were also injured in the raid, which marks the latest instalment in a violent struggle with the Turkish left going back to the foundation of the modern state in 1922.
Hospital patients fall victim to Fatah-Hamas rivalry
Gazans with serious illnesses are some of the most recent victims of rivalry between Hamas and Fatah. The West Bank's Fatah government have withheld funds from a medical referral committee since it was taken over by Hamas officials on 22 March. The committee was responsible for arranging medical treatment abroad for sick Gazans, and its suspension has so far resulted in the death of eight Palestinians awaiting treatment in Israel and Egypt and the continued suffering of the approximate 1,000 patients referred abroad every month.
An Egyptian crackdown on smuggling into the Gaza strip has placed further strain on the war-torn territory. Reuters' sources estimate that up to 4/5 of crossborder activity has been curtailed since Israeli operations in Gaza began in December 2008 and shortages of consumer and goods and fuel are now reported.
Gaza's economic and physical health now depends on ongoing unity talks between Fatah and Hamas which were resumed in Cairo on Monday. Mushir el-Masri, a senior Hamas official, indicated in a press statement today that Hamas would "listen carefully to all suggestions and ideas that might end the current rift". Meanwhile, the US appeared to be sending mixed messages regarding the possibility of a unity government. Secretary of State Clinton promised on Thursday that no "entity controlled by Hamas" would receive US aid just as the Obama administration proposed legal changes to Congress which conditionally permit the distribution of aid in the event of a coalition government.
Aid workers released by Somali captors
A Belgian doctor and Dutch nurse working for Medecins Sans Frontiers were released on Tuesday after nine days in the captivity of Somali gunmen. Their captors are thought to be local residents, unaffiliated with the Islamist al-Shabab group that controls the area where they were captured and ordered their unconditional release. The incident confirms Somalia's place as one of the most dangerous countries for humanitarian work, with 35 aid workers killed in 2008 and 26 abducted. Nevertheless, the country remains in desperate need of support, with half the population thought to require food-aid.
Tide turns against Somali pirates
Yemeni special forces yesterday succeeded in retaking a hijacked oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden, capturing nine pirates and killing three others. Yemeni raids successfully recaptured two further vessels in a series of rare victories against piracy in the region. In a separate incident, pirates who launched a failed bid to capture an Italian cruiseship were fought-off by private security guards before being captured by a Spanish war ship and detained on the Seychelles islands.
Snub to Swedish foreign minister provokes EU diplomatic clash with Sri Lanka
The Sri Lankan government prevented Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt from joining his British and French counterparts in a peace mission to the conflict stricken country. The mission signalled growing international pressure for a ceasefire, supported by the UN and EU since Monday. Europe has protested angrily at the measures, which were labelled "lamentable" by the Foreign Minister of Czech Republic, currently holding the EU presidency. Sweden has a long history of brokership in international conflict and helped monitor the now lapsed ceasefire between the government and Tamil Tigers from 2002 to 2006. The nation has withdrawn its ambassador from Colombo in response to the diplomatic affront.
