A powerful and sophisticated type of roadside bomb prevalent in Iraq but not seen before in Afghanistan was found near a university in Kabul last week, prompting a rare countrywide warning to NATO and Afghan troops. The bomb, known as an EFP, or explosively formed projectile, was notable for its level of sophistication and similarity to those seen in Iraq, a spokesman for NATO’s International Security Assistance Force said. The armor-piercing EFPs have killed hundreds of U.S. soldiers in Iraq.
Nigeria: Militants offer cease-fire
The main militant group responsible for attacks on foreign oil installations in Nigeria’s lawless south announced a one-month cease-fire Saturday, giving the new president a chance to resolve the crisis that has helped cause global crude prices to spike. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta did not offer to stop kidnapping foreign oil workers, but it released six hostages who had been seized May 1 – four Italians, one American and one Croatian – as a peace offering to the government.
Denmark: Hijackers seize ship
A Danish cargo ship with five crew was hijacked off Somalia’s coast, the owner said Saturday, citing a report by the French navy. The 200-foot-long Danica White was on its way to the Kenyan port of Mombasa from Dubai when it was seized by pirates Saturday or early Friday, a spokesman for Danish shipping company H. Folmer &Co. said. He said a French naval vessel in the area had confirmed the ship was hijacked but was unable to intervene because it could not enter Somali waters.
Gaza Strip: Threat to broadcasters
An Islamic group threatened to behead female TV broadcasters if they don’t wear strict Islamic dress, frightening reporters and signaling a further shift toward extremism in the Gaza Strip. The threat to “cut throats from vein to vein” was delivered by the Swords of Truth, a fanatical group that has previously claimed responsibility for bombing Internet cafes and music shops. The new threat was the first time the organization targeted a specific group of people.
From Herald news services
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