(Updates with background) SYDNEY, Feb 21 (Reuters) - East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta has regained consciousness from a drug-induced coma since being shot 10 days ago in an assassination attempt and is talking to his family in an Australian hospital. "Doctors are pleased with his progress," a spokeswoman for Royal Darwin Hospital told Reuters on Thursday. Nobel laureate Ramos-Horta was shot and critically wounded at his home in Dili last week in an attack by rebel soldiers. Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao escaped injury in another shooting the same day. Both attacks are believed to have been carried out by followers of rebel leader Alfredo Reinado, who was killed during the attack on Ramos-Horta. Ramos-Horta, 58, was shot twice in the back and chest. He was put on life support, placed in a drug-induced coma and airlifted to Darwin where he underwent a series of operations. Darwin hospital staff could not say whether Ramos-Horta would require further surgery or how long he would remain in hospital. Arrest warrants have been issued against 17 people suspected of being involved in the attack while East Timor's police and international troops have been hunting for rebels hiding in hills near Dili. Around 200 fast reaction troops from Australia and more police were sent to the capital Dili after the attacks. Reinado deserted the army in May 2006 to join about 600 former soldiers sacked earlier that year amid claims they were discriminated against because they were from the western part of East Timor. Fighting killed 37 people, drove 150,000 from their homes and foreign troops were sent to restore order. East Timor gained full independence from Indonesia in 2002 after a U.N.-sponsored vote in 1999 marred by violence. Indonesia invaded the former Portuguese colony in 1975 and many thousands of East Timorese died during the brutal occupation that followed. ((Reporting by Michael Perry; Editing by David Fox)) (michael.perry@reuters.com; Reuters Messaging: michael.perry.reuters.com@reuters.net; +61-2-9373 1804)
Residents panic outside their homes in Indonesia's Simeulue district February 20, 2008. A 7.5 magnitude quake struck off Indonesia's Aceh province on Wednesday killing at least three people and damaging buildings ...
