No asylum for fleeing Gaza fighters
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas refused to grant West Bank asylum to forces who fled weekend factional fighting in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, despite fears for their safety.
Abbas ordered nearly 200 fighters back to Gaza from Israel, insisting that Fatah must retain a presence in the territory, which has been controlled by Hamas since a violent takeover in June 2007.
Hamas confirmed that it detained the first group of 32 who were sent back, but said it later released all but five of them.
On Saturday, 11 people were killed and dozens wounded during a Hamas raid on a Fatah stronghold in Gaza City.
EGYPTAl Qaeda says a commander dead
Al Qaeda confirmed the death of a top commander accused of training the suicide bombers who killed 17 American sailors on the destroyer Cole eight years ago off the coast of Yemen.
An Al Qaeda statement posted on the Internet said Abu Khabab Masri and three other top figures were killed but did not say when, where or how.
Pakistani authorities have said they believe Masri is one of six people killed in an airstrike July 28 on a compound in South Waziristan, a lawless tribal region near the Afghan border.
The U.S. military has not confirmed suspicions that it was behind the missile strike. The U.S. periodically launches similar attacks on militant targets in the tribal border region.
From Times Wire Reports
