Thousands demand reform in Morocco rallies Thousands of protesters marched in Morocco on Sunday demanding reform in the Arab world's longest-serving dynasty and opposing militant violence after a deadly bomb attack. The rallies in Marrakesh and Casablanca were the latest in a series organized by the February 20 youth movement and presented a challenge to the government of King Mohammed, wary the protests could build into an Egypt-style revolt. In Marrakesh, marchers passed a cafe where 17 people, including eight French nationals, died in a bomb attack on April 28. Authorities last week arrested three suspects and said the ringleader was loyal to al-Qaeda. The group's north African wing, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, said on Saturday it was not responsible for the bombing, the first such attack since 2003. Tunisia reinstates curfew after protests Tunisia has reinstated an emergency night-time curfew after four days of unrest and clashes between anti-government protesters and police. The caretaker government said the capital, Tunis, and its surrounding areas would be shut down from 9pm until 5am until further notice to end the “violence and pillaging”. Hundreds of people have taken to the streets in recent days to demonstrate against the interim government and demand political change in the wake of January's people's revolution. In the worst violence, on Friday, police using teargas and batons fought running battles with demonstrators. Officers beat and manhandled 15 journalists in what one union warned was a “possible return to the oppressive practices of the previous regime”. Youths reportedly ransacked shops and burned cars in a poor Tunis suburb. Libya: RAF in bombing raid on Gaddafi's home town RAF fighter planes have destroyed Libyan missile launchers during a bombing raid on Colonel Gaddafi's home town, the Ministry of Defence said. Two Tornado planes attacked FROG-7 rocket launchers and canisters used to carry Scud missiles on Friday morning at the site near the Libyan city of Sirte. The FROG-7 can fire rockets up to 70km and would pose a serious threat to civilians if used against an urban area, the MoD said. The latest development comes as Nato targeted a Libyan government weapons depot, while heavy fighting was reported near Libya's Misrata Airport. Rebels in Misrata denied Libyan state TV reports that they had surrendered to the government as conflicts around the area intensified. North, South Sudan agree Abyei troops withdrawal North and south Sudan have agreed to start withdrawing unauthorized troops from the flashpoint Abyei border region, the United Nations said, a week after clashes there left 14 people dead. Current Font Size: The two sides agreed that the pullout would begin from Tuesday and be completed within a week, the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) said in a statement late on Sunday. The decision was taken at a meeting of a joint committee, comprising representatives of the north and the south and chaired by UNMIS Force Commander Major General Moses Obi, the statement said. “The meeting agreed that both parties will create a conducive environment by de-escalating tensions and speaking to their respective communities on the ground regarding the implementation of the Kadugli agreements, and ensuring freedom of access for UNMIS,” the peacekeeping mission added. BM
