Syrian security forces have renewed their assaults on the central cities of Homs and Hama, while anti-government forces are said to have killed soldiers in Idlib and a senior military official in Damascus, activists, rights groups and the state news agency report.

Opposition neighbourhoods in Homs were hit by tank and rocket bombardments on Saturday in the government’s continuing crackdown on protesters there, with the city’s Bab Amr area coming under concerted fire.

Rights groups say at least four people were killed during Saturday’s violence in Homs, and that three bodies of people who had been killed earlier were also recovered.

Security forces have also made house-to-house raids over the last two days in Homs, which has been under siege for the last week, anti-government activists have said. They say at least 300 people have been killed there since the government’s latest assault began on February 4.

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The governments of Sudan and South Sudan have signed a non-aggression treaty in the Ethiopian capital that is hoped to de-escalate growing tensions between the neighbouring states.

The chairman of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) Thabo Mbeki said that the accord also provides for a monitoring mechanism that would look into any allegations of violations by either side.

“In the event that there are complaints or allegations from either side… then they should be appointed to the joint mechanism,” Mbeki told reporters according to Agence France Presse (AFP).

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Tuareg rebels Wednesday said they had seized control of a northeastern region in Mali as UN chief Ban Ki-moon urged an end to the fighting amid growing global concern over the unrest.

“We took Tinzawaten on Wednesday,” said Mohamed Ag Ghaly, a Tuareg rebel fighter, referring to an area near the Algerian border.

“Our troops are occupying the town,” he said, speaking on the telephone. “We will give details about deaths and prisoners later.”

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The militant group of al-Shabaab in Somalia has formally announced on Friday it joined al-Qaeda, according to a massage from the al-Qaeda’s leader. Ayman Al Zawahri.

An audio Arabic massage released from a militant-controlled broadcast and post an on Islamic internet forum, Sheik Muktar Abdirahman Abu Zubeyr said they (al-Shabaab) joined al-Qaeda in terms of military and leadership in which he also made encouraging comments about the maintaining of Somali insurgency.

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One Turkish soldier and 13 militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) were killed in two separate
clashes in Turkey’s southeast today.

The troops killed nine militants in Bingöl province, state-run TRT television reported.

Four other militants were killed in a hot pursuit following a PKK attack on a military outpost on the Iraqi border, said Gov. Muammer Türker of Hakkari province. Twenty-year-old Sgt. Metin Çetin was killed and six other soldiers were wounded in that PKK attack near the town of Çukurca.

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South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit announced that he has ordered his army to deploy along the borderline with Sudan and get ready for a possible war between the two sides, while Sudan threatened to respond to any aggression, Sudanese media reported Wednesday.

“The army will begin deployment on the joint border with Sudan,” Kiir was quoted by Khartoum Al-Ahdath daily as saying.

“(Sudanese President Omar) al-Bashir is mobilizing his forces on the border with South Sudan to invade it with the aim to rejoin it to Sudan by force,” added Kiir, according to the paper.

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Breaking news coming from the village of Sool Jogto has reported that militia loyal to Somalia’s former Prime Minister , Ali Khalif Galayr has attacked Somaliland military stationed in the outskirt of Buhodle early this morning.

According to the reports coming from the front line Buhodle militia accompanied by ONLF, Al-Itihaad al-Islamiya and al-Shabaab militia attempted to surprise attack Somaliland forces who were expecting the their attack thus resulting a heavy loss of lives on the side of the militia. This morning’s fighting is said to be much worse than the last month’s clash which saw 38 militia being killed and scores wounded.

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