Greece/Terrorism: Terror group vows to carry out attacks

Media reported on Wednesday that a Greek terrorist group calling itself Sect of Revolutionaries vowed to carry out attacks and turn Greece into a "warzone" after claiming responsibility for the killing of a journalist linked to a popular blog.

Reportedly, the group claimed in a statement it would wage a campaign of deadly attacks against police, businessmen, prison staff and journalists it considers corrupt and also claimed to have shot dead journalist Sokratis Giolias outside his Athens home on July 19.
 
However, the group also said it would not carry out indiscriminate attacks and did not make any direct threat to tourists.

Japan/Oman/Terrorism: Japanese tanker damaged off Oman

Media reported that the Japanese M Star Oil Tanker loaded with around 2.3m barrels of crude has been damaged in an explosion in waters off Oman, in the Gulf Strait of Hormuz and that the owners of the vessel were blaming the blast on a possible terrorist attack.

According to the Japanese Ministry of Transport, one of the 31 crew aboard was injured but no oil leaked from the Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC). The ministry also said that the cause of the explosion was still unclear.

It is worth mentioning that in recent past, Al-Qaeda has threatened to attack shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a route used by some 40 percent of the world's seaborne oil.

Iraq/Terrorism: Bomb kills five in Baghdad

Iraqi Police stated that a bomb planted in the middle of a road exploded on Wednesday, killing five and wounding 12 other persons who were standing in a line to collect their pensions outside a state-owned bank in the Sadr City slum, located in a Shi'ite area of Baghdad.

Meanwhile, 16 people were killed during rocket attacks launched by militants near the offices of the Department of Immigration in Karbala late on Tuesday.

Moreover, the Major-General Othman al-Ghanimi, Chief Commander of the Iraqi Army in Karbala reported that an Iraqi military helicopter mandated to provide air protection to pilgrims crashed west of the city, 80 km southwest of Baghdad, killing the five-man crew. First reports indicate the aircraft was downed by a sandstorm, but nevertheless, investigation regarding the crash is ongoing and not ruling out other potential causes.

It is worth mentioning that earlier on Monday, at least 20 mainly Shi'ite pilgrims have been killed and 54 others wounded when two bombs exploded near Karbala.

Mexico/Organised Crime: Police find human heads dumped near Durango

Mexican Authorities stated that eight human heads were found on Tuesday in four separate locations near roadsides outside the northern city of Durango.

The Durango State Prosecutor's Office said police found the heads within the time interval of two and a half hours due to anonymous tip-offs. The victims were males thought to have been aged between 25 and 30.

It is worth mentioning that the severed human heads were found two days after the arrest of the warden of the Cereso 2 Prison in Gomez Palacio, Durango, on accusations of having allowed inmates to leave the facility to carry out killings.

The state of Durango has been the scene of clashes in recent months between the rival Gulf and Sinaloa drug cartels.

France/Security: French detectives put on leave after death threats

Media reported on Wednesday that almost an entire Detective Squad in the French city of Grenoble has been put on leave after officers had received death threats from underworld figures.

Reportedly, three officers involved in the fatal shooting of 27-year-old Karim Boudouda earlier this month have been moved out of the unit and another 20 were put on leave following the recent developments.

Moreover, French President Nicolas Sarkozy vowed to wage war on the criminals after the death threats, while troops are carrying operations to identify and capture them.

In the past week there have been running battles between police and rioters in the city, following the fatal shooting of Boudouda, one of two men suspected of holding up a casino at Uriage-les-Bains, near Grenoble and whom police were pursuing early on 16 July.

Sudan/Russia/Insurgency: Hijacked Russian helicopter returns to base

The Russian Aviation Company UTAir announced on Tuesday that a helicopter belonging to the company that was previously reported to have been abducted by terrorists in the Sudanese region of Darfur has returned to its permanent base.

Reportedly, the helicopter was not damaged and the crew and passengers are safe.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that Darfur rebels had abducted on Monday the respective aircraft with four Russian crew members and five Sudanese passengers on board.

The helicopter was on a joint peacekeeping mission of the United Nations and the African Union in Darfur.

Afghanistan/Terrorism: Bomb blast kills 25 bus passengers in Delaram

Afghan Officials stated that at least 25 Afghan passengers have been killed and over a dozen wounded when their bus was hit by a roadside bomb in western Afghanistan on Wednesday.

Reportedly, the bus was on its way from Delaram district, about 700 kilometres from the capital, Kabul, when it hit an Improvised Explosive Device (IED).

Ghulam Dastgir Azaad, the Governor of Nimroz said the explosion went off shortly after NATO forces had patrolled the area.

However, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

Sudan/Russia/Insurgency: Terrorists hijack helicopter in Durfur

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday that terrorists in the Sudanese Darfur region on Monday hijacked a helicopter of the Russian UT Air company with four Russian crew members and five Sudanese passengers on board.

According to the ministry, there were no casualties reported and the helicopter was not damaged.

The Foreign Ministry stated that the Russian embassy in Khartoum is taking urgent steps to clarify the situation and promote the release of the hostages.

Egypt/Insurgency: Armed Bedouin hijack bus in Sinai

Security and tribal sources reported that armed and masked Bedouin tribe members hijacked a bus from an industrial area in Egypt's central Sinai Peninsula on Tuesday.

According to sources, the bus was carrying 30 employees of Sinai Cement who were dumped before the hijackers fled with the vehicle.

Police have launched a manhunt to nab the culprits. An official at Sinai Cement, the local unit of France's Vicat said the firm was not immediately aware of the hijacking.

Police detained thousands of Bedouins, members of nomadic Arab tribes of Sinai, after a series of bombings at tourist resorts in south Sinai in 2004-2006. Government Authorities accuse the Bedouin of involvement in weapons and drug smuggling from Sinai to Israel and the Hamas-run Gaza Strip.

Sudan/Germany/Insurgency: German aid workers released in Darfur

UN Official stated that two German aid workers kidnapped in Darfur have been released on Tuesday and are in good health.

The officials said the workers were released on Tuesday morning and are with the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Germany's Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle also confirmed the report. He said two men are now in the care of Sudanese authorities and are being brought to the country's capital, Khartoum.

The aid workers, employed by German non-governmental organization Technisches Hilfswerk (THW), were abducted on June 22 along with their Sudanese security guard by gunmen wearing in civilian clothes.

Iraq/Terrorism: Twin bomb blasts killed 40 in Karbala

Media reported that twin bomb blasts killed 40 people in the Shi’ite holy city of Karbala in southern Iraq on Monday.

Reportedly, in the first incident, a suicide bomber killed 18 people and left at least 47 wounded when he blew himself up in the middle of a large group of pilgrims. According to officials, most of the killed and wounded are policemen and civilians.

Minutes later a car bomb exploded some 300 metres away from the initial blast, killing at least other 22 people.

As a reminder, earlier on Monday, four people were killed and ten others injured when a suicide bomber has detonated an explosives-laden vehicle outside the Baghdad bureau of Al Arabiya television channel. 

Azerbaijan/Armenia/Security: Ceasefire breaks on the border

The Defence Ministry of Azerbaijan announced that Armenian Armed Forces have violated ceasefire after firing in Azerbaijan's Khojavend region on Tuesday.

According to Defence Ministry, Armenian Armed Forces fired at Azerbaijani positions at Seysulan and Goyarkh villages of Tartar region, Kehne Gishlag village of Agstafa from their posts at Paravakar village of Ijevan, Armenia.

Azerbaijani troops responded the fire. No casualties were reported.

The ongoing dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh region has been at the core of bitter conflicts between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The countries have been immersed in peace talks since 1994, mediated by the OSCE Minsk group.

Yemen/Terrorism: Terrorists fire at British Embassy in Sana’a

Yemeni Police stated that suspected Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) terrorists opened fire at the British Embassy in the capital Sana’a late on Monday.

According to officials, the gunmen fired a Rocket-propelled Grenade (RPG) at the main gate of the British embassy from a vehicle and then managed to flee the scene. Reportedly, the splinters of a projectile were found inside the embassy, but no casualties were reported.

Earlier on Sunday, six Yemeni soldiers guarding an oil company were killed when a group of suspected Al-Qaeda gunmen attempted to raid the company in Shabwa.

Afghanistan/United States/United Kingdom/Terrorism: US Sailor's body recovered, British soldier killed

NATO spokesman Lt. Col. Todd Breasseale stated on Tuesday that non-commissioned officer, Justin McNeley, 30, one of the two US sailors missing in Kabul since last week has been confirmed dead and his body has been recovered in eastern Afghanistan, while the search continues for the other one.

The two Navy Sailors went missing on Friday in the eastern province of Logar, after an armoured sport utility vehicle had been seen driving into a Taleban-held area. Later on Monday, the terrorists claimed that they had killed one of the two men in a fire fight and captured the other.

Meanwhile, the British Ministry of Defence announced that a British soldier was killed on Monday in an explosion in the Sangin area of Helmand province in Afghanistan.

The soldier is the sixteenth Briton to be killed in Afghanistan this month. The British death toll in the country since 2001 now stands at 325.

Cambodia/Civil Unrest: Nine injured in the clash between garment workers and police

Media reported that at least nine female garment workers have been wounded on Tuesday in clashes with Cambodian riot police who used shields and electric shock batons to try to end a week-long strike at a factory on the outskirts of the capital, Phnom Penh, over the suspension of a local union official.

Reportedly, around 100 police tried to disperse an estimated 3,000 female workers back into their factory, pushing several to the ground and stunning them with batons.

Srey Kimheng, a Secretary-General of the Free Trade Union (FTU), said at least nine workers were injured when police with a court order tried to clear roads and force them back to work. However, local Police Chief Mok Hong stated that the operation had gone smoothly and that there had been no injuries.

Cameroon/Piracy: One seaman dead in pirate attack

Marine Officials stated on Monday that one seaman was killed and eight others injured when pirates attacked a fishing vessel in coastal waters off Cameroon and Nigeria.

Manager of local shipping firm CamSpain, said the pirates looted the ship when they attacked it on Saturday.

According to him, the pirates taken away all the machines, money and personal property of crew members.

Turkey/Terrorism: Four police officers killed in Dortyol

Turkey's state-run Anatolian News Agency reported that unknown gunmen killed four Turkish police officers on Monday after opening fire on the police station in Dortyol, in the south eastern province of Hatay.

The agency said the gunfire came from a delivery truck with a fake registration plate which approached the police station.

However, it was not clear if they were rebels from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), who have recently stepped up attacks on Turkish security forces.

Earlier on Monday, a roadside bomb blast, blamed on the PKK, wounded at least six Turkish troops in the town of Lice in the south-eastern province of Diyarbakir.

Somalia/Insurgency: 13 terrorists killed in Puntland

President of Puntland Abdirahman Mohamed Farole stated on Monday that 13 terrorists from the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab group were killed in clashes with troops of the semi-autonomous northern Puntland region of Somalia.

Reportedly, the terrorists were killed after attacking Puntland's forces in an area to the south of Bosasso. Security Officials said at least three Puntland soldiers died in the gunbattle.

Farole said troops counted 13 bodies of the slain Al-Shabaab terrorists near Sugure and several of their senior commanders were captured in the fighting.

Meanwhile, media reported that 11 Somali pirates have been sentenced to 10 years in prison in the Seychelles for attempting to seize a coastguard boat last December.

The Supreme Court in Victoria said eight were convicted of piracy, while the other three were convicted of aiding and abetting piracy.

Somalia/Insurgency: At least 19 dead in Mogadishu fighting

Somali Officials said at least 19 people have been dead and 34 others wounded when fighting broke out on Monday morning between Somali government-backed African Union Forces and Al-Shabaab terrorists in Mogadishu.

According to the residents, the fighting started shortly after mortar shells had been exchanged in parts of Shibis and Bondere districts in north of the capital where both Al-Shabaab forces and the transitional government had used heavy weapons in early morning.

Al-Shabaab, which links to Al-Qaeda, is designated by the United States as an international terrorist group. The terrorist group is trying to topple the Somali transitional government in Mogadishu.

Mexico/Organised Crime:  Prisoners freed for killings in Durango State

Mexican Government Officials stated on Sunday that the gunmen who killed 17 people at a party in the city of Torreon, Coahuila state earlier this month were let out of the Gomez Palacio prison from the neighbouring Durango State in order to carry out the attack.

According to the Attorney-General's Office spokesman Ricardo Najera, guards of the respective prison are accused of lending the inmates weapons and vehicles to commit the murders before returning them to their cells. Reportedly, the bullets found at the crime scene in Coahuila matched the assault rifles assigned to the Gomez Palacio prison guards.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that the threat of more deadly car bombings like the one earlier this month has increased after 25 Kilograms of explosives had been found in the mountains between Chihuahua and Sonora states on Wednesday, forcing thus the Juárez authorities to take measures to protect police stations.

In a separate incident, at least 40 police officers and an unspecified number of inmates were injured in a riot at Prison No. 14 in Chiapas, a state in southern Mexico on Sunday.