Sudan to meet Darfur rebels

Darfur rebels on Saturday said they were preparing for talks with Sudan’s government in Qatar on Monday, the first time both sides will have met officially since 2007, possibly paving the way for full peace negotiations.

If the discussions go ahead, they will be seen as a step forward after almost six years of fighting in Darfur that, international experts say, has killed 200,000 and driven 2.7 million from their homes.

Filed under: Africa, African Union, Aid, Civil war, Darfur, Foreign affairs, Genocide, International, International Criminal Court, Justice, South Africa, Sudan, Terrorism, The Terror Journal, U.N, United Nations, War, War Crimes, World

Islamists target new Somali president with mortars

Union of Islamic Courts fired mortar bombs at the presidential palace in Mogadishu on Saturday hours after Somalia’s new President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed returned to the capital following his election at U.N.-led talks in Djibouti.

Ahmed has promised to build on his record of bringing security when his Islamist forces ruled much of the country, which has been racked by war for 18 years.

Filed under: Africa, African Union, Aid, Foreign affairs, Islamist, Somalia, Suicide bomber, Terror, Terrorism, The Terror Journal

Iraq bomb kills two Shiite pilgrims

A roadside bomb exploded in northern Baghdad on Sunday, killing two Iraqis and wounding 11 others taking part in a long pilgrimage on foot to mark a major Shi’ite Muslim religious rite, police said.

The pilgrims were in a group heading for the southern city of Kerbala where millions gather each year for Arbain, one of the holiest events for Iraq’s majority Shi’ites.

Filed under: MidEast, Arab, Arab Media, Iraq, Islam, Middle East, MidEast, Shi'ite, Suicide bomber, Terror, Terrorism, The Terror Journal, U.N, War, West Bank, World

Egypt seeks Gaza truce and prisoner deal

An Egyptian proposal to stabilize post-war Gaza calls for an extended truce between Israel and Hamas, a prisoner exchange and the initial opening of at least two of the enclave’s border crossings, diplomats said.

Ahead of an Israeli election on Tuesday, negotiations in Cairo have grown increasingly intense and complex. Western diplomats briefed on the talks said it was unclear whether all of the details could be worked out.

Filed under: MidEast, Arab, Arab Media, Barack Obama, E.U, Egypt, European Union, France, Gaza, Gaza raids, Gaza strip, Hamas, IAF, IDF, International, Iran, Iraq, Islam, Israel, Israel Air Force, Jordan, Kassam Rockets, Lebanon, Middle East, MidEast, Muslim, Operation Cast Lead, Palestine, Palestinian Authority, Qassam Rockets, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Terror, Terrorism, The Terror Journal, Turkey, U.N, U.S.A, UK, War, West Bank, World

Civilians fleeing Sri Lanka’s war zone

The stream of civilians fleeing Sri Lanka’s war zone picked up speed and air force jets killed 11 guerrillas in a strike that left the leader of the Tamil Tigers’ naval wing missing, the military said on Saturday.

More than 50,000 soldiers are converging on a tiny wedge of jungle in the Indian Ocean island’s northeast to crush the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) separatists and end one of Asia’s longest-running wars.

Filed under: Asia, Australia, Canada, Chennai, Colombo, Elephant Pass, Guerrilla Group, Guerrilla war, India, Jafna, London, LTTE, Madras, Mahindra Rajapaksa, Mullaitivu, Sri Lanka, Tamil, Tamil Nadu, Terror, Terrorism, The Terror Journal, Toronto, UK, Velupillai Prabhakaran, War