Uzbek group claims attack on airport
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – An Uzbek militant group operating in Pakistan’s northwest tribal areas says it played a role in the attack on the Karachi airport earlier this week, in a disturbing sign of the increased cooperation between militant groups in Pakistan.
The news came the same day that the U.S. broke its five-month hiatus on drone strikes with a strike in the Pakistan tribal areas that killed three militants, officials said.
SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors militant activity, reported the claim by the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan on Wednesday, and it was also detailed on the group’s website.
“We would like to emphasize that this martyrdom operation was carried out as the revenge to the latest full-scale bombardments and night attacks with fighter jets by Pakistan Apostate Army,” the statement read.
Militants laid siege to the airport late Sunday in a five-hour attack that ended with 36 people dead including the ten attackers.
Lower house approves Spanish abdication
MADRID – Spain’s lower house of Parliament on Wednesday voted overwhelmingly in favor of urgent government legislation allowing King Juan Carlos to abdicate this month and hand over his duties to Crown Prince Felipe.
The legislation was approved by 299 lawmakers, while 19 voted against and 23 abstained.
The bill was backed by the majority-ruling Popular Party and the leading opposition Socialist Party, while some regional nationalist and left-wing parties rejected it or abstained.
Several left-wing deputies held up signs demanding a referendum on whether to scrap the monarchy.
The bill will now go to the Senate on Tuesday, with 46-year-old Felipe likely being proclaimed king two days later.
Associated Press
