Iran urges West to accept nuclear fuel swap deal

TEHRAN: Iran called on Western powers on Saturday to accept a nuclear fuel swap deal brokered by Turkey and Brazil as a “dignified” way out of an intensified atomic standoff, the state news agency reported.

“The best dignified way out of Iran”s nuclear issue for Western countries is to accept the fuel swap,” the head of Iran”s Atomic Energy Organisation, Ali Akbar Salehi, told the agency.

Ten rebels killed in Chechnya

MOSCOW: Ten rebels including a Jordanian were killed during an operation by Russian forces in the volatile Chechnya region, local news agency reported Thursday.

The operation took place in a forest in the Vedeno region of southwest Chechnya, an official with the Russian special forces in the north Caucasus told the agency.

“Ten rebels were shot dead. One of them has been identified,” he said, naming the man as Yassir Amarat, a Jordanian who was leader of the rebel group.

Amarat was suspected of several crimes against Russian soldiers and local residents, the official said.

Authorities in Russia”s volatile North Caucasus region, which includes Dagestan, Ingushetia and Chechnya, are battling an insurgency that has seen almost daily shootings and bomb attacks.

6 Pakistanis Killed In Somalia By Gunmen

MOGADISHU: Six Pakistanis were killed by unidentified gunmen on in Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland region, witnesses said.

Two other people were wounded in the attack at a mosque inGalkayo, residents said, adding that the foreigners came from Pakistan on Tuesday and were dressed as Islamist preachers.

“Masked gunmen opened fire in the mosque, killing six Pakistanis and injured two others,” resident Sheikh Abdiqadir Ali told foreign news agency.

“Puntland forces have reached the mosque to carry away the dead bodies,” the elder Mohamed Hussein told the agency by phone from Galkayo.

“These foreigners, mostly Pakistanis, were 25 in number and arrived from Pakistan yesterday.”

More 56 Families Of Internally Displaced Persons Leave For Home

PAKISTAN, NOWSHERA: Fifty-two families of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) left for Bajaur Agency from Galozai camp on Wednesday.The incharge of Jalozai camp 1 Allahdad Durrani said 52 families of 364 persons left for Bajaur from camp 1 in a convoy of seven trucks. Strict security measures had been taken at this occasion.