Afghan troops pull out of strategic Helmand district
Reuters, Lashkar Gah
Afghan forces have pulled out of bases in Musa Qala, a strategic district of the southern province of Helmand, after months of heavy fighting with Taliban insurgents, officials said on Saturday.
Helmand, a traditional heartland of the Taliban and one of the world’s biggest centers of opium production, has been threatened for months and the United States recently sent hundreds of soldiers to the province to bolster its defense.
EU to hold migration summit in March
AP, Brussels
The European Union has called an extraordinary summit with Turkey for early March to coordinate efforts to stem the flow of migrants across the Aegean into Greece.
EU Council President Donald Tusk said on Friday that the EU’s “joint action plan with Turkey remains a priority and we must do all we can to succeed.”
Al Qaeda seizes Yemeni town
Reuters, Aden
Dozens of al Qaeda militants took control of the southern Yemeni town of Ahwar on Saturday, residents said, consolidating the group’s control over much of the region.
The coastal city and surrounding district, in Abyan province, is home to over 30,000 people and is an important geographic link between the major port city of Mukalla to the east and the smaller town of Zinjibar, both of which Al Qaeda seized months ago.
Pakistan lifts sanctions against Iran
Dawn.com, Islamabad
Pakistan has decided to lift sanctions against Iran and has devised a strategy to promote trade ties with the oil rich country, a ministerial meeting decided on Friday, DawnNews reported.
According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad will revive all economic and commercial relations with Tehran, including the areas of trade, investment, technology, banking, finance, energy.
