US-led force kills 8 civilians in Afghanistan

KABUL - Eight Afghan civilians held hostage by Taliban militants were killed in an air strike by US-led troops during a battle that also left 25 rebel fighters dead, the force said yesterday.

Musharraf will not stand down: spokesman * ISLAMABAD - Embattled

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf will not resign, his spokesman

said yesterday, as parliament convened to discuss the impeachment

of the key United States anti-terror ally.

Roadside bombing in Turkey kills 9 * ANKARA - A roadside bomb

exploded in eastern Turkey yesterday, killing nine soldiers who

were on their way back from an operation against Kurdish rebels, an

official said.

 

Two other soldiers were wounded.

 

Iraqis suspend operations in Diyala * BAGHDAD - The Iraqi

government said yesterday it has halted military operations in

Diyala province for a week to give insurgents time to surrender,

even as deadly bombings struck the area northeast of Baghdad.

 

Roadside bombing in Turkey kills 9 * ANKARA - A roadside bomb

exploded in eastern Turkey yesterday, killing nine soldiers who

were on their way back from an operation against Kurdish rebels, an

official said.Two other soldiers were wounded.Iraqis suspend

operations in Diyala * BAGHDAD - The Iraqi government said

yesterday it has halted military operations in Diyala province for

a week to give insurgents time to surrender, even as deadly

bombings struck the area northeast of Baghdad.

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