Funerals have been held in France for two Frenchmen kidnapped in Niger this month and later found dead following a failed rescue attempt by French and Nigerien military forces. The terrorist group, al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, has claimed responsibility for the kidnappings. Security analysts say the kidnappings are evidence of the group's expanding operations in the Sahel.

Analysts say the kidnappings of the two Frenchmen from a busy restaurant in Niger's capital on January 7 was a bold move by al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb.

Al-Qaida's North African branch has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping in Niger last week of two French nationals, later found dead in a failed rescue attempt.

Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb issued the claim Thursday in an audio message distributed to various media outlets.

The group said fighters kidnapped the two Frenchmen from a secured diplomatic neighborhood of Niger's capital, Niamey, last Friday. It said the hostages were killed during clashes between its fighters and forces from France and Niger who were trying to rescue the men.

Witnesses say calm has returned to Ivory Coast's main city, Abidjan, after two days of clashes between supporters of incumbent leader Laurent Gbagbo and his rival Alassane Ouattara.

The army, which backs Mr. Gbagbo, imposed a curfew late Wednesday on Abidjan's Abobo district, an Ouattara stronghold that was the scene of this week's deadly fighting.

Residents of the area say they did not hear any shooting overnight.

At least 11 people were killed as pro-Gbagbo security forces fought with armed Ouattara supporters in Abobo Tuesday and Wednesday.

At least five policemen have been killed in Ivory Coast as forces loyal to incumbent leader Laurent Gbagbo clashed for a second straight day with supporters of his rival Alassane Ouattara.

Police and witnesses say Wednesday's fighting took place in Abidjan's Abobo district, a day after clashes in the same area left five civilians dead.

The area is a stronghold of Mr. Ouattara, who most countries recognize as the winner of November's presidential election.

Mr. Gbagbo, who continues to control the army, refuses to give up power despite intense international pressure to do so.

Southern Sudanese officials say 10 people were killed in an attack near the north-south border, as people continue to flood polling stations to vote in a landmark referendum on southern Sudan's independence.

Southern Internal Affairs Minister Gier Chuang says Arab tribesmen ambushed a bus carrying a group of southern Sudanese from the north to the south, killing 10 people and wounding 18 others.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in an unusual high-level U.S. visit to Yemen Tuesday, said the two countries have a mutual interest in defeating the Yemeni affiliate of al-Qaida. The Clinton visit was not announced in advance because of security considerations. The secretary of state also met with Yemen's president, Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Clinton, who arrived in Yemen from Dubai amid heavy security, is the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit the country since former Vice President Dick Cheney visited in 2002, and the first secretary of state to do so since 1990.

The Basque separatist group ETA has declared a permanent ceasefire. The group has waged a violent campaign to form an independent state in northern Spain and southwest France.

A video posted on the website of Basque newspaper Gara shows masked people purportedly from the separatist group ETA.

One of the masked people says ETA has decided to declare a permanent and general ceasefire that can be verified by the international community.

A democratic process is needed, the representative says, that will represent the will of the Basque people.

Yemeni officials say al-Qaida militants ambushed a military convoy on Friday, killing nine soldiers.

Officials say the militants fired machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades at the convoy as it was traveling in southern Abyan province.

Authorities say the convoy was carrying supplies, including water, to military bases in the area.

Yemen's weak central government is struggling with a growing threat from al-Qaida, which has stepped up attacks in the impoverished country.

Eight people are dead after gunmen attacked a passenger bus in Honduras late Thursday.

The attack happened in eastern Honduras as the bus was traveling from the city of Catacamas to the city of Juticalpa. The dead include four women and four children. Three other people were wounded in the attack.

Security Ministry spokesman Leonel Sauceda told reporters the attack appeared to be directed at one or two people on board the vehicle. The assailants opened fire after they failed to force the driver of the vehicle pull off the road.

Article by VOA News