Taliban Issues Ultimatums to French, Afghan Governments

On April 20, 2007, the Taliban posted a communiqué on Islamist websites in which it issued ultimatums to the governments of France and Afghanistan. In the communiqué, the French government is called upon to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan within a week, and the Afghani government is urged to promptly accept the Taliban's offer of a prisoner exchange. The message threatens that if these demands are not met, the two French aid workers kidnapped by the Taliban on April 3, 2007 will share the fate of all foreigners previously captured by the Taliban.

Somali Group Claims to Have Used Chemicals in Attack on Ethiopian Base Near Mogadishu

On April 20, 2007, Islamist websites posted a communiqué by a Somali group calling itself "Shabab Al-Mujahideen," claiming responsibility for an April 19, 2007 suicide attack on an Ethiopian military base near Mogadishu. The communiqué states that the operation was carried out by an individual named 'Abd Al-'Aziz Daud 'Abd Al-Qader, and included "use of chemicals."