The World in Brief

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Uzbek group claims Pakistan-siege role

ISLAMABAD -- An Uzbekistan militant group operating in Pakistan's northwest tribal areas said on its website that it played a role in an attack on the Karachi airport last weekend.

The Pakistani Taliban initially claimed responsibility for the airport siege Sunday that ended with 36 people dead. A Taliban spokesman said Wednesday that his group had worked with the Uzbek group but did not give any details.

The Uzbek group was formed in 1991 with a goal of setting up an Islamic state in Uzbekistan, but it later broadened its ambitions to seeking an Islamic state across Central Asia.

The U.S. State Department designated it as a terrorist organization in 2000. The group's leadership is believed to be based in Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal region, and it has a relationship with the Afghan Taliban and the Pakistani Taliban, according to the State Department.

Meanwhile, two Pakistani intelligence officials said the U.S. broke its five-month hiatus on drone strikes in Pakistan, firing two missiles at a militant facility in North Waziristan and killing at least three insurgents.

Filipino on U.S. list is nabbed in Manila

MANILA, Philippines -- Philippine security forces Wednesday captured a top Filipino commander of the Abu Sayyaf extremist group who is on a U.S. list of most-wanted terrorists and has acknowledged receiving al-Qaida funds to finance bombings in the country.

Khair Mundos did not resist when army troops and police arrested him in a slum community near Manila's international airport. The military and police have accused him of involvement in bombings and kidnappings.

Mundos was a top commander, a combat trainer, spiritual leader and a plotter of bombings and ransom kidnappings for the Abu Sayyaf, according to military intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Eduardo Ano.

The State Department announced a $500,000 reward in 2009 for Mundos' killing or capture. The Philippine government also offered a reward of about $27,000.

The U.S. State Department said Mundos, who was captured in 2004 but escaped in 2007, has acknowledged in the past that he has arranged the transfer of al-Qaida funds to the Abu Sayyaf to finance bombings in the Philippines.

C. African clashes rage, leave 21 dead

BANGUI, Central African Republic -- Violence in Central African Republic pitting Muslim fighters against Christian civilians has killed 21 people so far this week, including two who were publicly executed, witnesses said Wednesday.

The latest clashes broke out after villagers in Liwa killed two Muslim men on a motorcycle Monday, residents said.

In response, fighters descended on Liwa and nearby Bambari, throwing grenades and burning more than 100 houses, said Bambari resident Nono Azoundja. After taking four people hostage, the fighters executed two of them in front of the Bambari courthouse, which Seleka leaders have been using as a headquarters, Azoundja said.

French and African forces arrived in Liwa to restore calm and conduct an investigation, he said.

A Section on 06/12/2014