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Showing posts from July 12, 2011

Reporter's Notebook: Reading the Rebels in Western Libya, Part I - NYTimes.com

Reporter's Notebook: Reading the Rebels in Western Libya, Part I - NYTimes.com Minutes after Qawalish fell last Wednesday, none of the village’s residents remained. They had bolted. There were signs, however, that until the rebels had arrived, at least some villagers had been present. The bazaar was still stocked with fresh vegetables, as if it had been working while the pro-Qaddafi forces held the town. The bakery had loaves of fresh bread. And little in the town appeared to have been disturbed as the town changed hands. Then the storm hit. The rebels began helping themselves to the fuel in Qawalish’s only gas station. Then an armed rebel wheeled about the road on a children’s bicycle he had apparently just taken from a home. A short while later rebels were shooting padlocks off the metal doors to shops, and beginning to sweep through them. At the time, rebels said they were carefully searching and securing the town. But their behavior soon raised questions, including: Was somethi

Karzai's brother shot dead in Kandahar - Central & South Asia - Al Jazeera English

Karzai's brother shot dead in Kandahar - Central & South Asia - Al Jazeera English Ahmed Wali Karzai, half brother to the Afghan president and one of the most powerful men in the country, has been killed in Kandahar city by a close associate, according to government officials and a member of his security team. Wali Karzai, the head of the Kandahar provincial council, was shot dead on Tuesday morning inside his house by Sardar Mohammad, a "dear" friend who regularly visited him, according to the security source and a member of the provincial council. A Taliban spokesman told Al Jazeera that they were behind the killing and had assigned Mohammad to carry it out a "long time" ago. But Afghan analysts say the Taliban often claims credit for acts it may not have organised, and according to officials, Mohammad had been close to Wali Karzai for many years. Mohammad shot Wali Karzai in the stomach and chest as he emerged from a bathroom and was then shot and killed