North Africa
Mali: shrines destroyed; intervention approved
Islamist militants in Timbuktu destroyed more Sufi shrines days after the UN Security Council approved an intervention force to retake Mali’s breakaway north.
Tag: struggle within Islam
Greater Middle East
Egypt: opposition to appeal constitution vote
Egypt’s opposition will appeal the referendum that appears to have voted in a new constitution backed by ruling Islamic parties, asserting the vote was marred by fraud.
North Africa
Mali: final bid to avoid intervention?
Mali’s government is in talks with Islamist rebels who control the country’s north, while Gen. Carter Ham in Washington warned that al-Qaeda has established a haven in the country.
Greater Middle East
Amnesty: human rights ‘catastrophe’ in Yemen
A report by Amnesty International documents a "raft of gross and deeply disturbing abuses" committed by both Islamist rebels and government forces in the battle for southern Yemen.
Greater Middle East
Egypt: high court suspends work in face of protests
Egypt’s Supreme Court indefinitely halted its operations amid pressure from protestors aiming to block the judges from ruling on the validity of the country’s new constitution.
Africa
ICC: Boko Haram in crimes against humanity
The International Criminal Court prosecutor accused Islamist group Boko Haram of committing crimes against humanity in Nigeria since taking up arms in 2009.
Afghanistan
Pakistan to Lebanon: Shi’ites under attack
Bomb attacks on Shi’ite processions marking Ashura claimed lives in Pakistan, while Sunnis and Shi’ites clashed in Kabul and a planned attack on Shi’ites was thwarted in Lebanon.
Greater Middle East
Egypt: cries for revolution against ‘pharaoh’ Morsi
Clashes between opponents and supporters of President Mohamed Morsi swept Egypt, as protesters filled the streets to decry Morsi's decree granting himself sweeping powers.
North Africa
Mali: Europe prepares intervention
Military experts from Africa, the United Nations and Europe have drafted plans to retake control of northern Mali, as West African nations prepare a request for armed intervention.
Iraq
Iraq exports Islamist militants to Syria?
Arabic-language news services report that 15 accused al-Qaeda members who recently escaped from a prison in Tikrit, Iraq, are now leading insurgent groups in Syria.
Southeast Asia
Mindanao: fighting despite new autonomy deal
New fighting was reported from the southern Philippines island group of Mindanao, despite a recent deal on regional autonomy aimed at ending the decades-long insurgency.
Europe
France: Muslims under attack… and Jews
A right-wing "Identity Group" seized a mosque in Poitiers, issuing a "declaration of war" against the "Islamization" of France—weeks after a bomb attack on a kosher shop in Paris.