Notorious South Sudanese Rebel Leader George Athor was killed yesterday in a cross fire with the Sudan People Liberation Army (SPLA) in Morobo county – says Vice President Dr Riek Machar.

Speaking to the press just an hour ago, Riek read said that, “On December 19th, 2011 an SPLA Border Patrol at Morobo County of Central Equatoria State clashed with elements that were in company of Lt. Gen. George Athor. This took place around 1800 Hours. George Athor and one other soldier were killed instantly.

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Kenya Air Force helicopters have destroyed Al Shabaab camps and killed several militants in Somalia.

On December 13 the military choppers destroyed al-Shabaab camps at Garbaguso, Afmadow airstrip and Usingo.

The raids were also conducted by the Navy, Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) spokesperson Colonel Cyrus Oguna said during the weekly briefing on the progress of the Operation Linda Nchi in Somalia.

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Clashes have erupted along a key overland route that will link the Tavoy deep-sea port megaproject in southern Burma to Southeast Asian economies, once again highlighting the volatility of large-scale infrastructural ventures in Burma.

Burmese troops have been stationed along several locations between the port and the Thai border where work is underway to build a multi-lane highway to the town of Kachanaburi, and then on to Bangkok.

Fighting broke out on Tuesday last week close to the town of Myitta, through which the road will pass.

Territory controlled by the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)’s Brigade 4 lies close to the region of Tavoy that is being transformed into Southeast Asia’s largest industrial complex, and the group has actively opposed the project:

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The SPLA forces killed 7 soldiers loyal to renegade General George Athor early this week after attacking the SPLA at Kir-Anyang Village of Jonglei State, the SPLA spokesman Col. Philip Auer Payang told Gurtong in a telephone interview.

“The fighting has also resulted into the killing of 5 SPLA forces even though SPLA managed to defeat the rebels and Kir-Anyang village is now under control with the surrounding areas,” Aguer said.

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As the Syrian revolt enters its 10th month, the pressure on the regime of President Bashar al-Assad has been increasing. Additionally, the death toll among civilians and members of the security and military forces is on the rise, with conflicting reports on the number of dead on Wednesday.

Activists reported that the government militia (”Chabihah”) stormed Hama to end the general strike, but encountered resistance from dissidents from the army. Activists said Syrian troops backed by tanks killed at least ten people when they stormed yesterday the city of Hama.

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Rival militias in an area south-west of the Libyan capital have exchanged heavy gunfire after a dispute flared up between them, killing at least four people, say local residents.

They said the latest flare-up began when El-Mashasha fighters killed a militia commander from Zintan on Sunday as his convoy tried to pass through a nearby town.

Journalists for the Reuters news agency in Wamis, about 190km from Tripoli, said on Monday the fighting was between members of the El-Mashasha tribe, based around the town, and fighters from the larger town of Zintan in the mountains to the north.

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According to news reports coming from Taleeh fighting erupted between two ethnic groups, one pro-Somaliland and the other supporting the semi-autonomous region of Puntland.

The two groups clashed at the outskirts of Taleeh village which lies east of Sool province and 180km away from Las Anod, Sool’s provincial capital.Fighting left casualties including loss of life and injuries sustained by the two sides that engaged in armed war.

The pro-Somaliland group ambushed officials from Puntland president who were en route to Taleeh while they were escorted with battle wagons.

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