Troops in Afghanistan Raid Suspected Terrorist Cell

AFGHANISTAN :The U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan says its forces have raided a suspected terrorist cell in the country's east, killing six people. The coalition says it had received information that the cell in Nangarhar province was planning car bombings, and that during the raid today (Sunday) coalition and Afghan forces opened fire only after shots were fired at them. The coalition says four of the victims were Taleban militants and the other two were female civilians. Local police say at least five of the victims were civilians. After the raid, hundreds of angry villagers blocked a main road to protest the attack.

PAKISTAN-BLAST: Pakistani police and intelligence officials are working to identify a suicide bomber who killed at least 28 people and wounded 47 others, including the interior minister. A senior police investigator said today (Sunday) the bomber appeared to be in his 30s and that his complexion suggests he is Afghan or from Pakistan's tribal areas bordering Afghanistan. The bomber blew himself up Saturday, moments after Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao finished speaking at rally in the town of Charsada. The town is in North West Frontier Province, bordering Afghanistan.

IRAN-IRAQ CONFERENCE: Iraqi officials say Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad confirmed today (Sunday) that his government will attend a major international conference on Iraq set for this week in Egypt. A statement from Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's office said Mr. Ahmadinejad telephoned the Iraqi leader and told him Tehran would participate.

TURKEY POL: Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul says he will remain the presidential candidate of the Islamic-rooted ruling A.K. Party, despite the military saying it would defend the country's secular traditions. Mr. Gul told reporters in televised remarks today (Sunday) that it was out of the question for him to withdraw his candidacy. Secular Turks fear that Mr. Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan are trying to undermine the country's secular system of government.

THAILAND-UNREST: Thai police say Muslim villagers in southern Thailand have protested the killing of an Islamic scholar by suspected insurgents who attacked a mosque late Saturday. Police say about 100 people staged the peaceful demonstration today (Sunday) outside the (Huterbong) mosque in (the Nong Chik district of) Pattani province. Thai officials say insurgents threw a grenade at the mosque Saturday night and then opened fire, killing the 67-year old Islamic scholar and wounding several other people.

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