US-IRAQ-IRAN: Iran's state television is confirming that three Americans who
reportedly crossed into Iran from northern Iraq are being detained for
illegally entering the country. The government television station (al-Alam) says that the
three, described as hikers and tourists, crossed the northern border
into Iran without permission, and despite warnings that the border was
very close by and not well marked. The U.S. State Department says it is working through the Swiss Embassy
in Tehran to obtain the release of the two men and one woman. The
United States does not have diplomatic relations with Iran.
The Americans had arrived in the Iraqi Kurdish capital of Irbil earlier in the week, and were staying at (Ahmed Awa) a mountain resort near the border with Iran.
AFGHANISTAN: NATO officials in Kabul say three U.S. troops were killed Sunday in eastern Afghanistan. They were part of a patrol hit by a homemade bomb, and then ambushed with gunfire. Three other American troops were killed in militant attacks Saturday in
Afghanistan, along with a French soldier and two unidentified troops
NATO officials said were not Americans.
On Saturday, Afghan officials said suspected Taliban militants ambushed
a convoy carrying Afghan President Hamid Karzai's campaign staff,
killing one guard and wounding two other people.
NIGERIA-UNREST: Nigerian authorities say more than 700 people were killed in last
week's clashes between police and a militant Islamic sect in the
northern city of Maiduguri.
Government and health officials in Maiduguri cleared bodies from streets as calm returned. Police officials are continuing to search for members of the sect known
as Boko Haram who are blamed for violence that erupted a week ago after
security forces arrested some of the group's leaders. For five days,
the militants attacked police stations, churches and government
buildings.
Security forces retaliated later in the week. Officials say thousands of people were displaced by the fighting.
INDONESIA-PLANE: Indonesian officials say a passenger plane carrying 16 people has disappeared over eastern Papua province. Authorities say the Twin Otter plane, owned by Merpati Nusantara airline, was flying to Oksibil near the border with Papua New Guinea Sunday when it lost contact with air traffic control about 40 minutes into the flight from Jayapura. The trip normally takes about 50 minutes. A search and rescue team has been dispatched to the remote area. Much of Papua is covered with impenetrable jungles and mountains. In the past, some missing planes have never been found.