The Battle of Meymaneh: General Hashim Habibi (an ethnic Uzbek), commander of the Division 200 militia, strikes at the capital of Faryab province, Afghanistan, and executes Rasul Beg (an ethnic Uzbek) a field grade officer for Defense Minister Mohammed Fahim, (an ethnic Tajik), commander of the Division 24 militia.  “President” Hamid Karzai (de facto mayor of Kabul) appointed Qazi Enayatullah Enayat, to be the governor of Faryab province, but General Habibi had been the real power in Faryah, and now resents his loss of authority.  The government of Karzai remains broke because warlords refuse to send it revenue from taxes they collect.  The fighting, which kills 13 people, including an 8-year-old boy, lasts for 20 hours, and is interrupted only when the evening call to prayer is made.  The soldiers cease hostilities to allow the caller to chant: “God is great; everybody is asked to come to prayer,” and then resume fighting.

       [added 12/9/2023]

       The United states Armed Forces (private mercenaries) bombs the Baghdad, Iraq office of the Al Jazeera television news network, killing two foreign journalists.  In a separate incident, the U.s. Armed Forces shells the Palestine Hotel (also in Baghdad) killing another foreign journalist.

       [restored 12/9/2023] Thanks to Freedom’s Phoenix for this entry.