BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraqi and U.S. forces now control virtually all of Iraq and Baghdad’s troops might be able to take on security responsibility for the whole country by the end of 2009, the top U.S. general in Iraq said on Monday.

MINGORA, Pakistan (Reuters) – Pro-Taliban militants attacked a security post and took up to 30 hostages on Tuesday in Pakistan’s Swat valley, a day after insurgents killed three army intelligence staffers, officials said.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) – An al Qaeda chemical and biological weapons expert named Abu Khabab al-Masri was killed in a suspected U.S. missile strike, Pakistani intelligence officials said a day after the attack.