A round up of today's world stories in brief
Darfur town razed after attack on base
DARFUR- A Darfur town where rebels attacked an African Union base and killed 10 peacekeepers last week has been razed in an apparent retaliatory attack.
The United Nations Mission in Sudan yesterday confirmed that Haskanita had been "burned down, except for a few buildings".
The mission apportioned no blame, but noted that the town was "currently under the control of the govern- ment". - (Guardian service)
Kurdish rebels kill 13 Turkish soldiers TUNCELI - Kurdish rebels shot dead 13 Turkish soldiers yesterday, the worst such incident in years and likely to put more pressure on the government to authorise a cross-border military strike against Kurdish bases in Iraq.
The soldiers were killed after the army killed a PKK suspect earlier in the day in fighting in Sirnak province. Meanwhile, a bomb exploded near a ferry terminal on the outskirts of Istanbul, injuring at least one policeman, an official said yesterday. Turkish news agencies said the explosion had injured four people but none were seriously hurt. - (Reuters)
Malaysia urges Burma to talk
RANGOON- The Burmese junta was under growing pressure yesterday to open dialogue with the detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, as Malaysia added its voice to calls for negotiations on moves towards democracy.
Malaysia's foreign minister, Syed Hamid Albar, said Gen Than Shwe should drop any conditions on talks if Burma was to avoid sanctions. "Myanmar [ Burma] has no choice but to move towards democracy," he said.
The UN Security Council is to debate a draft resolution today condemning the repression that left at least 13 dead. - (Guardian service)
New US claim against Iran
BAGHDAD- The commander of US forces in Iraq, Genl David Petraeus, yesterday sharpened America's confrontation with Iran, claiming that a leader of its Revolutionary Guard corps was in direct charge of policy in Baghdad.
The charge that Tehran's ambassador to Baghdad, Hassan Kazemi-Qomi, was a member of the Quds force, a unit of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, takes US accusations of Iranian meddling in Iraq's violence to a new level.
It strengthens suggestions that Washington is preparing for possible military strikes against Revolutionary Guard facilities in Iran. - (Guardian service)