Posted by warvictims on July 24, 2009
By IRIN
MANILA, 24 July 2009 (IRIN) – In a bid to improve conditions for peace talks and the resettlement of hundreds of thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs) in Mindanao, the Philippines government announced a unilateral ceasefire effective at midnight on 23 July.
The island has witnessed an upsurge in conflict between government forces and the 12,000-strong Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), who have been fighting for an independent Islamic state on the island for decades, after a peace deal collapsed last August.
According to President Gloria Arroyo’s chief aide, Eduarto Ermita, the suspension of fighting would “advance stability and peace in the conflict-affected areas”.
“The AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] shall revert to the active defence mode as provided for in the guidelines on the primacy of the peace process,” Ermita said.
Rafael Seguis, chairman of the government’s peace negotiating panel with the MILF, said the decision would stop the humanitarian situation from further deteriorating.
“Because the hostilities have affected innocent civilians and the mounting number of IDPs, the president is very concerned,” Seguis said, adding that he had recently visited camps in Maguindanao Province – scene of the heaviest fighting in recent weeks – and was appalled by the “deplorable” condition of the IDPs. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Actors, Blogroll, Country, Government, Philippines, Region, Southeast Asia | Tagged: Armed Forces of Philippines, ceasefire, IDPs, internally displaced people, IOM, Maguindanao province, MILF, Mindanao, Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Philippines | Leave a Comment »
Posted by warvictims on July 24, 2009
By Hamid Shalizi KABUL, July 24 (Reuters) -
Afghan President Hamid Karzai, setting out his election manifesto, vowed on Friday to make foreign troops sign a framework governing how they operate in a bid to limit civilians casualties. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Actors, Afghanistan, Central Asia, Civilian Casualties, Country, Election, Government, ISAF, Insurgents, Military, NATO/Allies, Other, Region, Taliban, Type of Harm | Tagged: Afghanistan, British troops, foreign troops, ISAF, NATO forces, President Hamid Karzai, presidential election, US forces | Leave a Comment »
Posted by warvictims on July 24, 2009
By Pamela Constable
Washington Post Foreign Service
Friday, July 24, 2009
KABUL, July 24 — Afghanistan’s first-ever televised presidential debate took place as scheduled in prime time Thursday night, but it was marred by the glaring absence of the central figure in the race: incumbent Hamid Karzai. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Actors, Afghanistan, Central Asia, Civilian Casualties, Country, Election, Government, Military, Other, Region, Taliban, Type of Harm | Tagged: Abdullah Abdullah, Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani, Civilian Casualties, foreign troops, Kabul, presidential election, Taliban | Leave a Comment »
Posted by warvictims on July 24, 2009
Fri Jul 24, 2009 1:18am IST
GENEVA (Reuters) – U.N. goodwill ambassador Angelina Jolie, on her third trip to Iraq in two years, appealed on Thursday for aid to an estimated 1.6 million civilians who remain uprooted in their homeland. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Actors, Country, Displacement, Foreign Aid, Iraq, Middle-East, NGOs, Other, Refugee Camps, Region, Type of Harm, United Nations | Tagged: Iraq, United Nations, UN, Refugee Camps, UNHCR, IDPs, Internally Displaced Persons, internally displaced people, donor aid, relief aid | Leave a Comment »
Posted by warvictims on July 24, 2009
July 23 (Reuters) – Following are security developments in Iraq at 1830 GMT on Thursday.
*indicates a new or updated item.
* KIRKUK – A roadside bomb targeting a police patrol in central Kirkuk, 250 km (155 miles) north of Baghdad, killed one civilian and wounded three others, police said. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Actors, Bomb, Civilian Casualties, Country, Crossfire Deaths, Crossfire Injuries, Government, Gunfire, Insurgents, Iraq, Middle-East, Military, Region, Tactics, Type of Harm | Tagged: Abu Ghraib, Bomb, Civilian Casualties, civilian deaths, civilian injured, civilian wounded, firefight, Ghazaliya, gunfight, hand grenade, ied, improvised explosive device, Iraq, Kirkuk, roadside bomb, Yusufiya | Leave a Comment »
