67 killed in clashes with ISIS Militants in Iraq
On Monday 67 people, including 15 border guards, were killed in clashes between Iraqi security forces and ISIS militants in 2 provinces in Iraq. The first of such attacks occurred in Iraq’s western Anbar province when dozens of militants attacked the Iraqi military headquarters at the al-Waleed crossing near the Syrian border. In this incident 20 ISIS militants were killed and the 15 border guards. The second attack occurred in Iraq’s eastern province of Diyala where security forces and Shia militias clashed with ISIS forces. Seven militants were killed and weapons and explosives were seized from ISIS. The third attack occurred when Iraqi forces and Shia militiamen carried out an offensive in the town of Maqdadiyah in the same province. In this offensive 12 militants were killed. Lastly an ISIS militant was killed by a sniper as he tried to cross the Tigris River into the town of Duluiyah.
Bahraini Pro-Democracy activist jailed for three years
Zainab al-Khawaja was sentenced to three years in prison on Friday for tearing up a picture of King Hamad during a court hearing. Zainab, also known under the prominent twitter handle @angryarabiya recently spent a year in jail on charges ranging from taking part in an illegal gathering to insulting the police. Zainab is the daughter of another prominent jailed activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja and sister of Maryam al-Khawaja who was sentenced in absentia to one year in jail for assaulting a policewoman earlier this week. The Bahraini government has worked to crush dissent as decrees approved by King Hamad include up to seven years in jail for criticizing him and all protests in Manama are banned indefinitely.
Shia shop owner killed in Karachi
On Saturday 35 year old Kamran Zaidi was shot and killed by armed motorcyclists in his mobile accessories shop in the Korangi neighborhood of Karachi. The attack which occurred around 3:30 occurred when two men arrived on motorcycles and disembarked the bike before shooting into the shop Zaidi and 27 year old Zeeshan Shakir were wounded at the scene and were taken to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre. Zaidi was pronounced dead on the way to the hospital and Shakir is currently undergoing treatment and is expected to make a full recovery. This attack is yet another example of the failure of the Pakistani government to provide protection for its citizens.
Moroccan man admits to setting Shia mosque on fire in Belgium
36 year old Rachid El Bukhari is accused and has admitted to having set fire to the Rida Mosque on March 12, 2012 in Brussels, Belgium. The fire set by El Bukhari two years ago killed an imam and injured two others. El Bukhari stated on Thursday that the Shia are responsible unrest in Syria, and this was his motive for setting fire to the main Shia mosque in Brussels. The defendant has been charged with a ‘terrorist offense’ which yields a maximum of life in prison.
Shia doctor killed by Malik Isaq’s militants
In the Pakistani port city of Karachi a 58 year old Shia doctor and father of two was shot and killed on Monday in his clinic. Dr. Shamim Raza was shot by gunmen who entered his clinic around 1:30 pm in the neighborhood of Korangi. Dr. Raza sustained three gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead on arrival at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre. This murder marks the fourth such occurrence against Shia doctors in the past three months.
33 people killed in blasts in Baghdad and Kirkuk
Roughly 33 people have been killed in Shia neighborhoods of Baghdad and a Kurdish neighborhood in Kirkuk. 16 people were killed after two bombs went off in the Sadr neighborhood of Baghdad which is majority Shia. A second bomb exploded near the Shia neighborhood of Shaab in Baghdad. This blast killed three people and wounded 12 others according to medical officials. Lastly a bomb detonated on a busy street in the city of Kirkuk which killed around 15 people. These attacks come as ISIS is losing the ground it held over the summer to Iraqi security forces and Shia militias.
Bahraini security forces raid home of main opposition party official
This week Bahraini security forces raided the home of a main opposition party in the country. Forces fired tear gas at the house and at adjacent buildings during this raid. This offensive by the Bahraini security forces was unprovoked but is largely seen as retaliation for a mass boycott of the recent parliamentary elections. The party denounced the elections as a “farce” and said the Bahraini people would continue their struggle for justice and democracy until their demands are met.
