Regional news round-up – October 15, 2008

KANDAHAR PROVINCE—Bomb kills civilians in bus blast: Afghan police say that a bomb attack on a minibus has killed at least nine civilians in Kandahar Province. Police chief Juma Gul Hemat blames the “enemies of Afghanistan” for the bombing, which also killed the head of the social affairs department, Dost Mohammad Arghestani and at least two children. The bomb may have been targeted at peacekeeping troops. [Al Jazeera]

ISLAMABAD—Security forces kill 40 Al-Qaeda-linked militants: More than two dozen militants linked to Al-Qaeda were killed by Pakistani security forces. The security forces, supported by helicopter gunships, killed the militants in a tribal area close to the Afghanistan border. Since August, more than 1,000 militants have been killed in Bajaur. [Gulf Daily News]

DUSHANBE—Strong aftershock hits Tajik-Kyrgyz border: An aftershock with a magnitude of 5.3 hit the China, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan border on Oct. 14. The aftershock struck the region in the morning hours with the epicentre at 39.5 degrees north latitude and 73.7 degrees east longitude. This aftershock follows the magnitude 6.6 earthquake that hit the region on Oct. 5. [The Hindu]

TASHKENT— Bopanna advances in Tashkent Challenger: After being cut from India’s Davis Cup team, tennis player Rohan Bopanna was victorious in the Tashkent Challenger in Uzbekistan. In the singles round Bopanna beat Ilia Marchenko 7-6 (8-6), 6-4, and partnered with Purav Raja in a 6-1(2-6), 10-8 win in doubles matches against Alexey Kedriouk and Yuri Schukin of Kazakhstan. [Deccan Herald]