Tag: Clashes

TUNIS/MUSCAT/MANAMA - Tunisian Prime Minister Muhammad Ghannouchi resigned on Sunday, as security forces clashed with protesters in Tunis demanding the removal of some ministers of his interim government. "I have decided to quit as prime minister," Ghannouchi told a news conference, saying that he thought carefully before taking the decision which was supported by his family.
"I am not running away from responsibility. This is to open the way for a new prime minister. I am not

ABIDJAN - Clashes between Ivory Coast security forces and supporters of would-be president Alassane Ouattara spread in the early hours to the political capital, Yamoussoukro, witnesses said on Friday. Patrols of the Defence and Security Forces (FDS) loyal to outgoing president Laurent Gbagbo, who has refused to step down after November elections, came under fire in the Dioulabougou district, and sustained shooting went on until 7am (0700 GMT). A local journalist told AFP that sporadic

CAIRO/LONDON - Clashes in the Libyan capital Tripoli on Monday left 160 people dead, Arabiya television quoted eyewitnesses as saying. The Arab satellite channel gave the number in a newsflash, without providing further details. Tripoli residents gave conflicting reports on Monday, with some saying they could hear gunfire in the Libyan capital and a political activist telling Al Jazeera warplanes were bombing the city.
"We don't know what is going on, all we can hear are

CAIRO/SANAA - Unrest swept across the Middle East on Saturday with reports from Libya saying more than 80 people had been killed in a bloody crackdown, as an anti-government protester was killed in clashes in the Yemeni capital. On the fifth day of an unprecedented challenge to his four-decade regime, Libyan leader Moammar Qaddafi had still made no public comment, although he reportedly appeared at a mass rally of supporters in the capital on Thursday.
After regime opponents used

DHAKA - Police fired tear gas at protesters in northwestern Bangladesh on Monday as minor clashes broke out across the country during a paralysing nationwide strike called by the main opposition party.
In Rajshahi town, 150 miles (200 kilometres) northwest of Dhaka, hundreds of Bangladesh Nationalist Party activists threw rocks at police and vandalised vehicles, prompting police to react with tear gas and baton charges. "At least 15 strike supporters were arrested," deputy

PHNOM PENH - Fresh clashes broke out along the Thai-Cambodian border Sunday near a disputed temple, armies from both countries said, ending a ceasefire agreed after fighting left at least five people dead. "We are fighting now, they started firing at us first," a Cambodian military commander told AFP, referring to Thai troops across the border.
Thai army spokesman Colonel Sunsern Kaewkumnerd confirmed the renewed unrest, but accused the Cambodian side of reigniting the violence

KHARTOUM - A student beaten by police during violent anti-government demonstrations in Khartoum has died of his wounds in Omdurman hospital, protesters said on Monday. "Mohammed Abdulrahman, from Ahlia University, died last night in Omdurman hospital as a result of his ... wounds after he was beaten by police," an activist who took part in Sunday's protest told AFP.
"This morning (Monday) both Ahlia University and the Islamic University of Omdurman have been closed by a

ABIDJAN - The government of Ivory Coast's internationally recognised president on Thursday rejected strongman rival Laurent Gbagbo's charges that his camp was behind deadly unrest in parts of Abidjan.
"We reject these accusations," Alassane Ouattara's government spokesman Patrick Achi said after army chief of staff General Philippe Mangou accused his camp of orchestrating attacks on Gbagbo's Defence and Security Forces (FDS).
"It's the security forces who once more have

DHAKA - Police fired tear gas and baton-charged thousands of investors in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka as crowds vented their fury after the stock market tumbled nine percent in an hour. Trading on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) was halted when stocks fell a record 9.25 percent soon after opening in a plunge that sent outraged investors onto the streets.
The benchmark Dhaka Stock Exchange general index (DGEN) rose 80 percent in 2010, with small investors piling into the market,

TUNIS - Two civilians were killed and eight injured in overnight clashes with police in a provincial town, the Tunisian government said on Sunday, the deadliest incident in a series of riots that started nearly a month ago.
Witnesses said crowds throwing stones and petrol bombs were clashing with police in another town nearby, and that three people there had been killed by gunfire, but there was no official confirmation of those accounts.
People taking part in the spate of

JUBA - Clashes between renegade militiamen and south Sudanese troops disrupted voting in a landmark independence referendum in part of a key oil state on Sunday, the organising commission number two said.
"There has been some fighting because of certain militiamen but I am assured that the situation has been contained," Chan Reec told a news conference. "I am optimistic that this will not impact the voting process," he added. Reec said he had no details on any casualties from the

JOS - Clashes broke out between armed Christian and Muslim groups near the central Nigerian city of Jos on Sunday, a Reuters witness said, after Christmas Eve bombings in the region killed more than 30 people.
Buildings were set ablaze and people were seen running for cover as the police and military arrived on the scene in an effort to disperse crowds. This correspondent saw dozens of buildings on fire and injured people covered in blood being dragged by friends and family to

KHARTOUM - Clashes between government forces and fighters from an alliance of Darfur rebel groups have left 40 rebels dead, Sudan's army said Saturday, announcing a figure contested by the insurgents.
The fighting occurred on Friday in the Shangil Tobaya region, about 65 kilometres (40 miles) south of El-Fasher, historic capital of Darfur in western Sudan which has been gripped by civil war since 2003, the army said.
"The army attacked and defeated an alliance of the

PESHAWAR: At least 24 militants and 12 security personnel were killed and several others injured in clashes in Baizai area of Mohmand Agency on Friday.
The clashes erupted when a group of militants attacked five checkposts in Baizai late on Thursday. Officials said around 150 militants attacked the checkposts at Ghanam Shah, Badmani and Sar Kandaw.
Subsequently, 12 security personnel were killed and another 12 injured. There were reports that several personnel went missing,

CAIRO: Egyptians headed to the polls Sunday in a legislative vote marred by violence and protests that is expected to see the ruling party emerge stronger at the expense of the harried Islamist opposition.
Violent clashes took place at several centres, with witnesses saying police fired tear gas at voters in the Nile Delta and in Qena, about 475 kilometres (300 miles) south of Cairo.
Egyptian monitors said election irregularities were rife and evident from the start of

UMM AL-FAHM
Israeli police and stone-throwing Arabs clashed in northern Israel on Wednesday as a group of extreme right-wing Israelis tried to march through the Arab Israeli town of Umm al-Fahm.
Hundreds of police clad in riot gear fired tear gas and stun grenades to disperse angry Arab youths, many with scarves wrapped around their faces, who burned tyres and hurled stones in protest ahead of an extremist rally in their town.
Tensions were high as around 20 Israeli

- Law Minister Rana Sanaullah and Labour Minister Ashraf Sohna swap allegations of point scoring, humiliating assembly members
LAHORE
Personality clashes and the point scoring resulted in heated arguments between lawmakers from the treasury and opposition benches in the Punjab Assembly's session on Friday.
The first brawl erupted when Dr Samia of the PML-Q expressed dissatisfaction over the governments' reply to non-payment of Rs 31 billion to government