It was revealed that Mr Badawi's predecessor, Mahathir Mohamad, had been brokering secret talks between Thai officials and southern separatists even before Mr Thaksin's downfall.

ECONOMIST: Thailand

Neighbouring Arab states, already alarmed that an earlier peace deal with southern, non-Arab separatists could lead to Sudan's partition, have quietly backed President Bashir.

ECONOMIST: Sudan

Officials say the fighting was between separatists and Islamists in the southern city of Aden.

BBC: Deaths mar Yemen's 2011 revolt anniversary