Two police officers killed in Dagestan

Two members of the the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) have been killed in Dagestan.

In the first incident a captain of the FSB was found shot dead outside Makhachkala. The officers body was found on the slopes of Tarki-Tau mountain. He had been shot twice in the head and two bullet casings were found at the scene.

In a separate incident in Makhackala, a police officer was shot dead after his car was fired on by an unidentified individual using an automatic pistol. One suspect has been arrested.

Hamas responds to Israeli airstrikes

The military wing of Hamas, along with other groups, have fired over 50 rockets and mortars into Israel in response to the killing fo two of it's members earlier in the week by an Israeli airstrike.

The Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades said that it's units carried out most of the attacks and that they were directed against four Israeli military bases located on the border. In a statement the group said it's forces fired at least 33 shells in co-ordinated attacks along the Israeli-Gaza border. According to Israeli sources, two soldiers were wounded by shrapnel.

Hamas said that the attacks were a direct response to recent Israeli airstrikes which killed two of their members.

Hamas rarely carries out such attacks although other groups such as Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) continue to fire rockets into Israel.

Unarmed militants killed in Gaza airstrike

Two unarmed members of Hamas's military wing have been killed and two others wounded in an Israeli airstrike on a security forces training facility in central Gaza.

Israel said the attack was in response to a rocket and mortar which were fired into Israel by militants earlier in the day. Neither of the militant attacks caused any injuries or damage.

Hamas has ceased carrying out rocket attacks on Israel and it's security forces have clamped down on other groups which are continuing such activities. Groups like Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine have carried out rocket and mortar attacks on Israel in recent months.

Hamas has confirmed that the two dead men, aged 25 and 27, were active members of the groups military wing and had been involved in succesful attacks on Israeli military forces.

Police Officer wounded in Moscow

A member of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has been shot and wounded in Moscow.

The attack took place outside the Concert Hall on Tsvetnoy Boulevard following a play by a Chechen Performance group. As a patrol car passed by the building a gunman opened fire with an automatic pistol, hitting the vehicles driver in the thigh. The injured officer was taken to a nearby hospital and treated for his injuries.

The gunman is understood to have fled the scene in a stolen vehicle which was recovered a short distance away.

Reports of skirmishes in Dagestan

At least seven Russian police officers have been wounded in a rebel attack on a government building in Rabbanikala, it has emerged.

A government spokesperson said that the building came under attack from gunmen armed with automatic weapons at around 11.15pm last night. After an initial burst of fire the rebels withdrew leaving a car packed with explosives outside the building. It exploded a few seconds later causing substantial damage to the building and destroying a number of nearby police vehicles. There were no fatalities.

In a separate incident, the Russian Military claims that it's forces killed three rebels in a shootout at a checkpoint outside Shamilkala. Rebels have claimed that they have "no knowledge" that any of their fighters were involved in the incident and said they believed that Russian forces may simply have fired on a car at random - killing three young male occupants. The Russian Military claims it's forces were fired on from the vehicle.

Rebels claim responsibility for assassinations

Dagestani separatist rebels have claimed responsibility for the shooting dead of a military official and a politician.

In the first incident Lieuteneant-Colonel Magutdin Urdikhanov was shot in the chest on the outskirts of the village of Khalil in the Tabasaran district of the country. He died of his wounds a short time later. According to initial reports Urdikhanov was attached to the Internal Security Unit of the Interior Ministry.

In a separate attack, Alibulat Gasanov, a member of the People's Assembly was seriously wounded in an assassination attempt in the Kaytag region of the province. His brother, who was driving the car, died at the scene. It is unclear whether or not Gasanov has survived however a rebel news site is claiming that he has since died of his injuries. It is also unclear how the car was attacked although local media has claimed that it was attacked by gunmen.

Truck-bomb kills 11 troops

A truck-bomb has killed 11 Iraqi troops and wounded dozens at a base in the Diyala province.

It is understood that a roadside bomb was detonated as soldiers passed the truck which was parked outside the Kanaan army headquarters, around 70km's east of Baghdad. A second car-bomb which was left at the scene was defused. Contrary to earlier reports the security forces have said they do not believe that the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber and believe that the bomb may have been detonated remotely.

Army officials said that a building at the base was destroyed in the attack and another seriously damaged. It is believed that up to 30 other soldiers were wounded in the attack which comes just days after 7 soldiers and a policeman were killed in gun and bomb attacks in the city Mosul.

This month has seen attacks by Iraqi rebels increase and the capacity of security forces to deal with the threat has been questioned.