Egypt begins offensive on Islamic militants
CAIRO – Egyptian helicopter gunships and tanks pounded suspected hideouts of Islamic militants in the northern Sinai Peninsula on Saturday, in what officials described as a major new offensive in the insurgent stronghold. Residents who witnessed winding columns of trucks and armored vehicles pour into the area said the operation was one of the largest there in years.
Meanwhile, the country’s prosecutor general filed new charges against deposed President Mohammed Morsi, accusing him of insulting the judiciary – a crime in Egypt punishable by up to six months imprisonment.
A security official said “dozens” of insurgent suspects were killed and wounded in the Sinai offensive, which comes two days after a failed suicide bombing targeting the country’s top policeman in Cairo. Smoke could be seen rising from the towns of Rafah and Sheikh Zuweyid, and troops set up a cordon to prevent militants from escaping as others combed the area, he said.
Thousands attend peace vigil for Syria
VATICAN CITY – Tens of thousands of people answered Pope Francis’ call for a four-hour Syria peace vigil in St. Peter’s Square late Saturday, joining Christians and non-Christians alike in similar vigils around the world.
About 70,000 people, according to an estimate by the Vatican, were present at the start of the vigil. It was believed to be one of the largest rallies in the West against proposed U.S.-led military action against the Syrian regime after the Aug. 21 chemical weapons attack near Damascus.
Francis spent most of the vigil in silent prayer, but during his speech he issued a heartfelt plea for peace, denouncing those who are “captivated by the idols of dominion and power” and destroy God’s creation through war.
“This evening, I ask the Lord that we Christians, and our brothers and sisters of other religions and every man and woman of good will, cry out forcefully: Violence and war are never the way to peace!”
Militants attack Somali restaurant
MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somali militants attacked a restaurant near Mogadishu’s seat of government for the second time in less than a year on Saturday, detonating two large blasts that killed at least 15 people and wounded nearly two dozen, police said.
Officials said the attack included a car bomb blast and a suicide bomber who entered The Village eatery. The second blast was caused by a suicide bomber posing as a first responder after the car bomb exploded, the African Union military force in Somalia said in a statement.
The force of the blasts appeared to tear much of the roof off the restaurant, which is frequented by government workers.
Capt. Ali Hussein, a senior police official, put the death toll at 15 and said at least 20 had been wounded in the blasts.
Pakistan to free 7 more Taliban prisoners
ISLAMABAD – Pakistan announced Saturday it was releasing seven more Taliban prisoners in a diplomatic overture designed to help end nearly 12 years of war in neighboring Afghanistan, but doubts linger over whether the men will actually help advance peace negotiations or simply head back to the battlefield.
Some 26 other Taliban detainees have been released by Pakistan over the last year in a policy that has come under criticism partly because some of them are believed to have returned to the fight.
The most well-known among the seven is Mansoor Dadullah, a commander in southern Afghanistan who was captured in February 2008 by Pakistani forces in the Baluchistan province. According to the Long War Journal, which tracks militant activity in the two countries, Dadullah took over from his brother who was killed by British special forces in Helmand province in 2007. The brother was infamous for kidnapping people and often beheading his victims.
Little is known however about the other six detainees, the circumstances of their capture, and how long they’ve been in custody.
At least some of the released militants are believed to have rejoined the insurgency, underscoring how difficult it will be to reach a political settlement before the end of next year when most U.S. troops are scheduled to leave Afghanistan.
After political turmoil, Maldivians go to polls
MALE, Maldives – Voters in the Maldives went to the polls Saturday amid hopes that questions about the legitimacy of the government will finally be answered 19 months after the ouster of the first democratically elected president in the country, best known for its luxury island resorts.
About 240,000 people were eligible to vote in the election to pick a leader from among four candidates, though voter turnout was not immediately known. The polls closed late Saturday afternoon, and final election results were expected hours later.
The candidates included the Indian Ocean archipelago’s first democratically elected president, Mohamed Nasheed, who says he was ousted in a coup.
Nasheed, who won the country’s first multiparty election in 2008, ending 30 years of autocracy, resigned last year after weeks of public protests and slipping support from the military and police. He later said he was forced to resign at gunpoint by mutinying security forces and politicians backed by the country’s former autocrat.
Associated Press
