Suicide bombers attack UN building in Afghanistan

Afghan security forces secured the compound, which housed several UN agencies (File)


An attack by suicide bombers on the main United Nations compound in western Afghanistan was over and there were no U.N. casualties, a spokesman for the world body said on Saturday.

U.N. spokesman Kieran Dwyer said Afghan security forces had secured the compound, which housed several U.N. agencies. Afghan police said at least three suicide bombers, dressed as women and police, had attacked the compound.

Mohammad Salem Ehsas, police chief of Herat, said two suicide bombers blew themselves up outside the building while several other attackers managed to get inside. He did not know how many fighters there were but said it could be up to three insurgents.

Interior ministry spokesman Zemarai Bashary confirmed that an attack on the compound was underway.

"Yes, there has been an attack against the U.N. office in Herat," he said, adding: "Police have cordoned off the area."

Militants attacked a U.N. guesthouse in Kabul last year and five foreign U.N. staff were killed.

Casualties from Afghanistan's war against the Taliban are at their highest since the conflict began in 2001 when U.S.-backed Afghan troops ousted the group.

Insurgents have stepped up attacks beyond their strongholds in the south and east of the country.

Herat, Afghanistan's second biggest city, is near the border with Iran. It has until recently been relatively peaceful though the security situation has been deteriorating.

Residents say that the road to the airport is controlled after dark by criminal gangs. Some districts of the city, notably those dominated by ethnic Pashtuns, are controlled by Taliban insurgents, they say.

Resource from : KABUL (Agencies)

BAYI JANTUNG BERLUBANG : Perlu RM 44 ribu

NOOR Zainun melihat keadaan Nur Anis, yang memerlukan bantuan RM44,000 bagi kos pembedahan.

GEORGETOWN: Seorang bayi perempuan berusia tiga minggu, Nur Anis Emelia Mohammad Zambri yang menghidap penyakit jantung berlubang, memerlukan RM44,000 untuk menampung kos pembedahan di Pusat Perubatan Gleneagles (GMC).

Bapanya, Mohammad Zamri Ali, 35, seorang operator kilang di Seberang Prai hanya memperoleh pendapatan RM750 sebulan, manakala ibunya, Noor Zainun Jaafar, 34, seorang suri rumah serta perlu menyara dua lagi anak berusia tiga dan sembilan tahun.
Mohamad Zambri berkata, anaknya agak kritikal dan terpaksa bergantung kepada mesin bantuan pernafasan.

Katanya, Nur Anis perlu menjalani pembedahan segera kerana masalah jantungnya yang agak kronik.

Orang ramai yang ingin menderma, boleh menghantar cek atau wang pos atas nama The New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd (NSTP) ke Bahagian Kewangan / Tabung Kebajikan NSTP, Balai Berita, 31 Jalan Riong, 59100 Kuala Lumpur dengan menulis nama kanak-kanak itu di belakang cek berkenaan.

Dipetik dari: Berita Harian

PELUK ISLAM : Lauren Booth, adik ipar Tony Blair

Dapat hidayah ketika kunjungi masjid



BOOTH berdiri di hadapan Big Ben di Medan Parlimen London ketika tunjuk perasaan membantah Akta Jenayah Terancang 2005 yang baru.

LONDON: Adik ipar bekas perdana menteri Britain Tony Blair yang juga penyiar dan wartawan Lauren Booth, 43, mengumumkan beliau memeluk Islam enam minggu lalu selepas mendapat hidayah.
Lauren, adik tiri kepada isteri Blair, Cherry, berkata beliau kini memakai hijab ketika keluar rumah, bersolat lima kali sehari dan pergi ke masjid setiap kali mempunyai kesempatan.

“Saya tidak lagi makan daging babi atau minum arak. Saya juga membaca al-Quran setiap hari dan kini sudah sampai ke halaman 60. Sudah 45 hari saya tidak meneguk arak, paling lama dalam tempoh 25 tahun.

“Ajaibnya, sejak memeluk Islam saya langsung tidak teringin menyentuh arak, sedangkan sebelum ini saya akan minum sekurang-kurangnya dua gelas setiap hari,” katanya yang dipetik akhbar Daily Mail.

Lauren berkata beliau memperoleh ‘pengalaman suci’ ketika mengunjungi Masjid Fatimah al-Masumeh, yang menempatkan makam Fatimah al-Masumeh, adik Imam Reza, imam kelapan penganut Syiah daripada keturunan Saidina Ali, di Qom.

“Tiba-tiba saja saya berasa tenang dan gembira. Sejurus tiba di Britain, saya terus mengambil keputusan memeluk Islam,” katanya.
Mengenai kemungkinan untuk memakai burqa atau penutup muka, Lauren tidak menafikan akan berbuat demikian pada masa depan.

“Siapa tahu ke arah mana dan hala tuju mana Islam akan membawa saya seterusnya?” katanya.

Lauren sebelum ini diketahui sebagai seorang yang bersimpati dengan Islam dan menghabiskan banyak masa bertugas di Palestin.

“Saya kagum dengan keteguhan dan keindahan agama ini,” katanya apabila ditanya mengenai Islam. – Agensi