Myanmar‘s security forces have killed more than 1,000 civilians since the military ousted Aung San Suu Kyi from power six months ago, an advocacy group said on Wednesday. The country has been in turmoil since February 1, when the armed forces seized power in a lightning coup, triggering dissent as protesters demanded a return to democracy. Security forces responded with bloody crackdowns, using live rounds against civilians. But anti-junta mobs — some of whom have formed self-defence groups — are still taking to the streets daily in flash marches. Activist group AssistanceRead More

KABUL – Girls wearing white hijabs and black tunics crammed into classrooms in the western Afghan city of Herat just days after the Taliban’s takeover. As the school opened its doors, the students scurried down corridors and chatted in courtyards, seemingly oblivious to the turmoil that has engulfed the country in the past two weeks. The scenes — which many feared would be banned under the Taliban — were filmed by an AFP cameraman this week, just days after fighters from the hardline Islamist group took the city following theRead More

ISLAMABAD, AUG 18 /DNA/ – Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi received a telephone call from Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi . The two Foreign Ministers exchanged views on the evolving situation in Afghanistan. The Foreign Minister underlined that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan was of critical importance for Pakistan and the region. In this perspective, Pakistan had assiduously supported the Afghan peace process. Pakistan and China, as part of Troika Plus, had made valuable contribution to these efforts. The Foreign Minister added that in the givenRead More