Counterterrorism

US counterterrorism agency issues warning over threat from al Qaeda

Memo urged govt officials to avoid surveillance, to not post or publicly share details about travel plans, schedules and locations, and to remove badges and other forms of identification out of work

US-Pakistan hold talks, reaffirm commitment to fight terrorism in all forms

Both sides reaffirmed their intention to work closely in multilateral fora, including the United Nations, to promote effective and enduring approaches to counterterrorism

Security ops to kill terrorists enters second day in J&K's Kishtwar

Intermittent firing and deafening sounds of explosions rattled a forested area in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district as the operation to neutralise terrorists entered the second day on Monday, officials said. The terrorists are believed to be hiding inside a cave on a cliff at Bhagna forest in Dool area, some 25 km from Kishtwar town, the officials said. The search operation in the forest area started early Sunday following intelligence input about the presence of two most wanted Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists -- Riyaz Ahmad and Mudassar Hazari -- who are active in the district for the past eight years and carrying a reward of Rs 10 Lakh each. The hiding terrorists opened fire on the search parties at 6.30 am on Sunday and fled deep into the forest in the face of retaliation, the officials said, adding intermittent exchange of fire was reported two more times during the day. The cordon and search operation was strengthened with the joining of more reinforcements from the army, ...

Rajnath to focus on cooperation to counter terrorism at SCO meet in China

In line with India's diplomatic offensive against Pakistan-backed cross-border terrorism, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to press the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to ramp up efforts to contain terrorism at a two-day conclave of the bloc in China's Qingdao that begins on Wednesday. Singh is travelling to Qingdao, a port city in China's eastern Shandong province, for the conclave which is expected to extensively deliberate on the evolving regional security scenario. The defence minister's plan to call for greater regional cooperation to counter terrorism comes nearly a month-and-a-half after India carried out precision strikes on nine terror infrastructures in Pakistani territories in response to the horrific Pahalgam terror attack. It is the first visit to China by a senior Indian minister after the ties came under severe strain following the military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh that began in May 2020. NSA Ajit Doval is also ..

Search on in J&K's Kishtwar after encounter with suspected terrorists

Security forces on Thursday launched a cordon and search operation in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district after an exchange of fire with suspected terrorists, officials said. The firefight took place between the security forces and the suspected terrorists during a search operation following a tip-off about their presence in the Shingpora area of Chhatru, they said. "Contact has been established with terrorists during a joint operation with police at Chhatru in Kishtwar this morning," the White Knight Corps said in a post on X. Additional troops have been deployed, and the operation is ongoing to neutralise the terrorists, it added. According to reports, two to three terrorists are hiding in the area.

Search op underway in J&K's Reasi after reports of suspicious movement

Security forces launched a search operation following reports of suspected movement in a forest area of Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district, officials said. Acting on information that a woman spotted two suspected persons in Bhaga area of the district Wednesday night, a joint search operation was launched in the forest belt, they said. The operation is being carried out by the a joint team security forces with aerial support, they said. Authorities are conducting thorough security measures to ensure the area's safety. Security forces also continued their search operation in Kathua district for the second day after a woman reported suspicious movement of two persons on Wednesday, officials said. The joint search operation by police and paramilitary forces was underway in Gaghwal and its adjoining areas, they said. A local woman told police that two persons wearing army uniforms came to her home and asked for water before leaving, saying they were returning to their camp, the offic

India ramps up efforts for UN listing of LeT front TRF, meets top officials

An Indian delegation met top officials of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate here even as New Delhi stepped up efforts to designate The Resistance Front, an LeT proxy, as a UN-listed terror outfit. The Resistance Front (TRF), a front for Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), had claimed responsibility for the attack that killed 26 people in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam. An Indian technical team, which is in New York, interacted today (Wednesday) with the Monitoring Team of the 1267 Sanctions Committee and other partner countries in the UN. They also met with the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), sources told PTI. A readout from UNOCT and CTED of the meeting with the Indian team Wednesday, provided to PTI, said that United Nations Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov of the Office of Counter-Terrorism and Assistant ...

Centre moving ahead with a solid strategy against terrorism: Amit Shah

The Narendra Modi government is committed to eradicating terrorism in the country and moving forward with a solid strategy against it, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday. Shah also said that while law and order is a state subject but terrorism doesn't have any territorial boundary, and so all security agencies -- central and states -- must work in close coordination, chalk out joint strategies and share intelligence. Security forces have to train young officers and use technology to combat terrorism, he said addressing an anti-terrorism conference here. "After Narendra Modi became the prime minister in 2014, the country has been moving forward with a solid strategy against terrorism. We are committed to eradicating terrorism," he said. Now the whole world has accepted Prime Minister Modi's zero tolerance policy against terrorism, the home minister said, adding that the government is committed to removing the evil of terrorism. Highlighting the achievements of the Modi

Centre has eliminated terrorism, Naxalism on verge of ending: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has eliminated terrorism from the country while Naxalism is on the verge of ending. Addressing an election rally in Chhattisgarh's Kanker town, Shah also asked Naxalites to surrender, or else they would be rooted out from the state in two years. He asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi that four generations of his family were in power in the country, but what they have done for the poor people in Chhattisgarh. "The Congress says the minority (community) has the first right over the country's resources of the country, but we (BJP) say the poor, adivasis, Dalits and backwards have the first right over resources of the country," Shah said. He also said that Congress leaders did not attend the consecration ceremony of Lord Ram's idol at the Ayodhya temple in lure of their vote bank. The Union minister hailed PM Modi, saying he has a "track record of 10 years and agenda for 25 years." "Narendr

US, India agree to cooperate in Quad Counterterrorism Working Group

Both sides also exchanged information regarding procedures for designating various terrorist entities/groups and individuals, the US State Department said in an official press release

National counter-terrorist exercise of police forces planned next month

A joint exercise of various state and central police counter-terrorist forces is planned to be held next month by the federal contingency commando force NSG as part of a strategy to fine tune the national crisis management plan and enhance jointness, official sources said on Friday. The ninth edition of the exercise code-named "Agni Pariksha" is slated to be held between October 24 and November 4 at the garrison of the 'black cats' commandos force in Manesar (Gurugram). The joint national level exercise aims to enhance the counter-terrorist expertise of the state police anti-terrorist squads and those from the central armed police forces (CAPFs) as they are the first responders in case of a terrorist attack, a senior Union home ministry official told PTI. The aim of this exercise is to ensure minimum casualties and collateral damage during such operations and to achieve better results even as the NSG joins them in due course during a crisis that can occur in any form and in any part

India garners praise for UNSC's December Presidency by member states

The UN Member States on Friday (local time) heaped praise on India as it's United Nations Security Council December's presidential term comes to a close on December 31."Truly bittersweet moment, pleasure working alongside India, a Security Council veteran with principled foreign policy, constructive approach, a stellar cadre of diplomats. UAE particularly values its partnership with India on counterterrorism," said Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of the UAE to the UN, Mohamed Abushahab.Notably, UAE will take over from India the responsibility of chairing the CounterTerrorism Committee next month."As we navigate increasingly complex challenges & crises, we appreciate your much-needed focus on reforming multilateralism, your consistent advocacy for Global South," tweeted UAE in UN.Switzerland also congratulated India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj and her team for India's "extremely efficient Presidency"."Congratulate Amb @ruchirakamboj and her

US counterterrorism official visiting India for working group meeting

The 19th meeting of the Joint Working Group will "review regional and global terrorist threat assessments, collaborative bilateral and regional counterterrorism programming

Cost must be imposed on nations which aid terrorism, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday said cost must be imposed on countries which aid terrorism as part of their foreign policy by providing political, ideological and financial support. Organisations and individuals that try to create sympathy for terrorists must also be isolated, he said addressing the third 'No Money for Terror Ministerial Conference on Counter-Terrorism Financing' hosted by the Ministry of Home Affairs. "There can be no ifs and buts interfering in such matters. The world needs to be united against all kinds of overt and covert backing of terrorism," Modi said. The prime minister said tactical gains against terrorists will soon be lost without a larger strategy aimed at hurting terror finances. "International organisations must not think that absence of war means peace. Proxy wars are also dangerous and violent. There must be a cost imposed on countries that support terrorism," the prime minister said. He said sovereign nations have a right to their own systems

S Jaishankar speaks to Blinken, thanks him for message on counter terrorism

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday held a telephonic conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and thanked him for his "strong and clear message" on counter-terrorism as well as his call for holding those responsible for the 26/11 Mumbai attacks accountable. In a tweet, Jaishankar said the Ukraine conflict and other regional issues also figured in the meeting. "Good to speak to US Secretary of State @SecBlinken. Thanked him for his strong and clear message yesterday on counter-terrorism and 26/11 accountability. Discussed the Ukraine conflict and other regional issues," Jaishankar tweeted. Blinken, addressing an informal session of the UN Security Council's Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) in Mumbai via video message on Friday, said allowing the architects of the Mumbai attacks to go unpunished will send wrong message. "We have a responsibility to the victims and to people everywhere to bring to justice the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks, including

UNSC's counterterrorism committee meets in India's iconic cities: FS Kwatra

Foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra on Saturday said that it is a historical moment that United Nations Security Council's counterterrorism committee held its deliberations in India's iconic cities

G20 leaders discuss Afghanistan and counterterrorism efforts: White House

Leaders of the G-20 countries on Tuesday discussed the situation in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, including the critical need to maintain a laser-focus on counterterrorism efforts

India contributes $500,000 to UN Trust Fund for counter-terrorism

India has contributed an additional $500,000 to the United Nations Trust Fund for Counter-Terrorism, taking the country's donation to the UN office set up to combat terrorism to over $1 million.

India, Russia hold talks on UNSC, agree to deepen ties on counter-terrorism

The Russian side welcomed India taking up the non permanent seat at the UNSC for the period 2021-22, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement

19 yrs after 9/11: American idea of terrorism remains tied to that morning

The 9/11 attacks were perpetrated by al-Qaida terrorists. They resulted in nearly 18 times more deaths than America's second most devastating terrorist attack - the Oklahoma City bombing