Two houses firebombed in Corsica

Two homes in Oletta in northern Corsica were destroyed by fire yesterday.

The houses, which were around 100 metres apart went up in flames at around 8am yesterday morning.

Nearly 20 firefighters from Bastia and Calvi, supported by police and soldiers, managed to bring the incidents under control and prevent them spreading to nearby buildings. However the two buildings were seriously damaged in the blazes.

Nobody was injured in the attacks as both of the houses were empty at the time of the blazes.

Police are know trying to determine how the fires begun however it is likely that the attacks were the work of arsonists.

Chechen Commander claims assassination

Top Chechen rebel commander Doku Umarov has claimed responsibility for the shooting dead of a a Russian Colonel in Moscow last month.

Yuri Budanov was shot dead at close range in a busy Moscow suburb as he walked near a local park. Budanov had been charged with war crimes for the rape and murder of a teenage Chechen girl in 2003 but had only served 6 years in prison.

In a video which only appeared yesterday, Umarov is shown sitting alongside another rebel commander in what are assumed to be the mountains of southern Chechnya. In claiming responsibility for the assassination Umarov says:

"I am addressing you today about a joyous occasion: yesterday, on June 10, Allah by his will brought us a great celebration, punishing one of the sadists, the reprobate, the killer Budanov,"


"The same fate, the same revenge awaits the others," he added.

Doku Umarov is Russia's most-wanted man and is one of the most wanted people on the planet. So far, Russia has claimed to have killed him at least 17 times - although on each occassion such claims have proven to be false. He is suspected of ordering the Moscow Airport Bombing and the Moscow Train Bombings.

However Russian security forces have noted that there has been defections within the ranks of the Chechen Rebels and say that the long delays between attacks and subsequent claims of responsibility show that Umarov and his group are cut off from much of the world.

13 Soldiers & 5 Rebels dead in Kurdistan attack

13 Turkish troops and 5 members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) were killed in a clash in Silvan last week, it has emerged.

The attack took place in a heavily forested mountainous area of northern Turkey. According to reports on Turkish television, some of the soldiers and rebels were killed when a Turkish warplane bombed the forest following the initial surprise attack hitting fighters on both sides. At least seven other Turkish troops were wounded.

Turkish ground troops and war planes are currently combing the mountains for the rebel unit although it is believed that they have already crossed back into the safety of Iraqi Kurdistan, where they operate an autonomous government and have their own police force. Members of the Turkish opposition have called for a retaliatory raid into northern Iraq in response to the killings although the government has so far avoided such a move saying it will press on with it's democratic programme.

FLNC threat to criminal gang following murder of activist

In a press conference in the hills around Charles-Pierri a heavily armed group of around 30 FLNC fighters issues a statement in response to the June 29th murder of Corsica Libera Executive member Philippe Paoli. It is the first time since May 2004 that the clandestine organisation has called a major press conference.

A resident of Charles-Pierei, Paoli (41) was driving his morotbike in broad daylight near South Folelli, when he was gunned down by unknown individuals who pulled up alongside him on another bike. Paoli was a life long nationalist and in 2005 he was sentenced to five years in prison for terrorism related offences.

Four armed men sat behind a table in the woods of northern Corsica, one held in front of him a typed statement from the leadership of the FLNC which he read to the assembled press.

"As the national movement is poised to wrest significant political progress, the killing by a criminal gang of our activist Philippe Paoli darkens the political life of our country. Philippe was a long-time militant of our organization, he participated in the active and ongoing struggle with all of the Corsican people. He was an activist and an exemplary man.

"Those who carried out this act did not measure its scope or its consequences.

"Our organization will face this aggression while maintaining the political strategy that will enable our people to achieve significant progress.

"The chaos facing Corsica today is the result of the policy pursued by the French state. Our people must rely solely on their own forces to face this challenge.

"Only by resolving the national question can this harmful situation be brought to a close.

"It is with a project of national emancipation and giving our people all the privileges due to them that we will open new horizons.

"We will never abandon what we started May 5, 1976. The policy defined almost 40 years ago based on the fundamental rights of our people remains our guiding principle. Philip's death makes us sad. It is unjust and inexplicable. But it strengthens our resolve,

"On behalf of ther FLNC we express condolences to the wife, children and extended family of Phillipe".


Corsica's national newspaper Corse Matin noted:

Many had thought that the FLNC was in decline, that it was becoming increasingly irrelevant. Meanwhile, the images speak for themselves. It is neither in the press conference prepared hastily, nor in the economy of means.It is in the unit of men in hooded jackets and black uniforms, theatrical masks designed to hide their facial features. Armament exhibited to show that the "strike force" is still there. The message is clear. "

FARC launching major offensive in Colombia

 A Police Station in Corinto which was destroyed in a FARC attack last week

FARC guerrilla's are believed to be in the process of launching a major offensive this summer.

According to reports, rebel activity in the south-west of the country is at an all time high. Since January the organisation has been responsible for 1,115 attacks. The attacks have included gun battles, carbombings, sniper attacks, mine attacks rocket attacks.

Security forces have also claimed that the FARC's tactics are changing with "hit and run" attacks being preffered over the more traditional forms of combat generally associated with the organisation. Large FARC armies now appear to operate in smaller units of around 30 fighters.

FARC has also begun to carry out far more undercover operations in cities using activists disguised as civilians and the government seems unable to cope with the situation. Last year more than 2,500 government troops were killed or injured by the rebels.

Observers have also claimed that the targetted assassinations of key FARC leaders are having a counter productive effect as they are replaced by younger, more militant leaders. Thus removing any chance of negotiations.

Fierce fighting in Chechnya

It has been reported that there is fierce fighting between government troops and rebels in the forests around the Chechen town of Vedano.

Local residents have claimed that th enumber of casualties among Russian Police and Soldiers is far higher than what is being reported with some claiming to have seen around a dozen troops either killed or injured.

Chechen rebels have said that casualties among their own forces are unclear at this point although they are believed to be "light".

8 Injured in Corsica bomb attack

Eight people have been injured after suspected Corsican separatists detonated a bomb in an apartment block in the island's capital Ajaccio.

It is understood the bomb consisted of a gas canister packed with explosives which was placed against the hallway door of an apartment on the first floor. The explosion caused extensive damage to two apartments and resulted in lumps of metal and debris landing in the street below, damaging a number of vehicles. At least one of those injured in the blast was a child although none of those are said to be in a serious condition.

Police spokesperson Thomas Pison described the attack as "very worrying" and added that "two apartments, one of which was occupied at the time, had been completely blown away". If somebody had of been in the living room or on the balcony of the apartments they most likely would have been killed.

The motivations behind these attacks are still unknown although two bars in the same neighbourhood were destroyed in separatist bomb blasts earlier this year.

The attack has been condemned by Patrick Strzode, the French Prefect of Corsica.