Rebel Azeri PM attacked

Moscow - President Geidar Aliyev of Azerbaijan has sacked his rebel prime minister, Suret Huseinov, after accusing him and his 'dark forces'of trying to mount a coup this week.

The two men appeared in public on Wednesday, suggesting they had settled their differences for the time being, but Mr Huseinov's dismissal was decided at a top-level meeting chaired by Mr Aliyev yesterday, the republic's news agency reported.

The Azeri parliament was due to debate the decision later yesterday. Reuter