Page 12 - Terrorsim

Pak PM raises terrorism concern, urges global engagement with Taliban

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday raised the issue of terrorism as a major concern for member states at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and called for meaningful engagement with the Afghan Taliban government. Shahbaz, who arrived in Kazakhstan's capital of Astana on Wednesday for a two-day official visit, represented Pakistan at the SCO meeting where leaders and diplomats from countries including China, India, Turkiye, Iran, Azerbaijan, and Kyrgyzstan have gathered to discuss economic and security cooperation. The prime minister, during his address, emphasised the importance of maintaining peace in the region as a precondition for economic development, Dawn News reported. Achieving lasting peace in Afghanistan is a lynchpin to this common objective, he said, adding that the international community "meaningfully engage with the Afghan government to meet their genuine economic and development needs. Sharif also said the Afghan Taliban must also take concrete measures to

Reasi bus accident: J-K admin suspends DSP for 'dereliction' of duty

The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Thursday suspended a deputy superintendent of police (DSP) of the traffic wing for alleged dereliction of duty related to a major accident here last month. As many as 22 people were killed and 64 injured in the incident that took place in the Akhnoor area here on May 30. The administration had on May 31 suspended six transport department officials for alleged negligence in duty in connection with the accident. "In accordance with the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control & Appeal) Rules, 1956, Satish Kumar, DSP, Traffic Rural, Jammu, is hereby placed under suspension with immediate effect," said Chandraker Bharti, Principal Secretary of Home Department, in an order issued tonight. During the suspension period, the officer will remain attached to the police headquarters, the order said. The accident had occurred when a bus carrying 86 devotees from Haryana's Kurukshetra to the Shiv Khori shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi

Reasi terror attack on bus: Home Ministry hands over probe to NIA

The Union Home Ministry on Monday handed over the probe into the recent terror attack on a bus in Jammu and Kashmir to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), officials said. Nine people, including three women were killed, and 41 injured as a bus carrying pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi plunged into a deep gorge after an ambush by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district on June 9. The terrorists opened fire at the 53-seater bus when it was en route from Shiv Khori temple to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine at Katra. The investigation into the June 9 terror attack on a bus in Jammu and Kashmir has been handed over to the NIA, an official said. The decision came a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir and preparations for the annual Amarnath yatra in two back-to-back meetings here. The meetings were called in the wake of the terror attack on the bus in Reasi district and a few other terror incidents in the Uni

Reasi bus attack: 10 critically injured discharged, 5 stable in hospital

Six life-saving surgeries were performed on the most critically injured patients of the terror attack on a bus carrying pilgrims in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir, doctors said. "Our priority was stabilising patients and saving lives," recounts director of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi (SMVD) Narayana Superspeciality Hospital. Fifteen critically injured patients were admitted to SMVD Narayana Hospital at Katra. Ten of them have already been discharged, and five are still under observation and are responding well to treatment, the hospital said. Nine persons, including seven pilgrims from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, were killed and 41 injured in the attack when the terrorists opened fire on the bus carrying pilgrims returning from Shiv Khori shrine near Teryath village in the Pouni area. The 53-seater bus veered off the road and fell into a deep gorge following the gunfire. Hospital director Dr Mathavan said Code Orange, which refers to external disasters, was activated for t

PDP protests against terror attacks in J&K, seeks explanation on security

The Peoples Democratic Party on Friday held a protest here against the recent terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, seeking an explanation over the "alarming" security situation contrary to the government's claims of restoration of peace in the Union Territory. Terrorists struck at four places in Reasi, Kathua and Doda districts in the Jammu province between Sunday and Wednesday, killing nine people, including seven pilgrims and a CRPF jawan. Seven security personnel, 41 pilgrims and a villager were also injured in the attacks. Two terrorists were also eliminated in one of the encounters in Kathua, while a massive search operation is on to track down and neutralise the other terrorists. Led by PDP additional general secretary Rajinder Manhas and spokesperson S Varinder Singh Sonu, dozens of party workers took out a protest march from the PDP office at Gandhi Nagar. The protesters pushed forward through police barricade and briefly held a sit-in near the Jammu-airport road before ...

Fresh encounter in J-K, 4 terrorists hiding in upper Doda: Police. Updates

The latest encounter in Doda on Wednesday marked the third incident in Jammu and Kashmir this week. Earlier, two terror attacks took place in Doda and Kathua on Tuesday

J-K bus attack: Combing operation underway, L-G reviews security situation

A massive manhunt is underway for three foreign terrorists, possibly of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, responsible for the deadly attack on pilgrims in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi that resulted in the loss of nine lives, including a two-year-old, officials said on Monday. Lt Governor Manoj Sinha visited the injured in Jammu and Reasi hospitals and chaired a high-level meeting to review the security situation. Deputy Inspector General of Police, Udhampur-Reasi Range, Rayees Mohammad Bhat said they have got some leads as 11 teams of police, army and CRPF are jointly working on two different axes to neutralise the fleeing terrorists. Based on the statements recorded by those injured in the attack, the officials said they have not ruled out the possibility of a fourth person being present at the spot who acted as a lookout for the three terrorists. Nine people were killed and 41 injured as the terrorists opened fire at the 53-seater bus, which was on its way from the Shiv Khori temple to the Mata

Reasi bus attack: Nefarious design to spread turmoil in region, says J-K LG

Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha has approved an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh each for the next of kin of those killed in the terror attack on a bus in Reasi district, an official spokesman said on Monday. Sinha has also approved Rs 50,000 each for those injured, the spokesman said. Terrorists opened fire at the bus carrying pilgrims in Reasi district on Sunday, killing nine and injuring 41 others. The 53-seater bus, on its way from the Shiv Khori temple to Katra, veered off the road following the barrage of gunfire and fell into a deep gorge near the Teryath village of Poni area. The spokesman said a control room has been created by the district administration to provide all necessary assistance to those affected. Efforts are on to neutralise the perpetrators of the terror attack, the spokesman said.

PM Sharif vows to eliminate terrorism after 7 soldiers killed in attack

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday pledged to "relentlessly eliminate terrorism" from the country after seven soldiers, including a Captain, were killed in a terrorist attack in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province a day earlier. The incident occurred when the convoy of security personnel heading towards Kachi Qamar, Sarband Post of the Lakki Marwat district, came under attack by the terrorists. The terrorists blasted an improvised explosive device (IED) initially and later opened fire on the convoy. "Deeply saddened by the martyrdom of Pak Army personnel, including a Captain in a targeted attack in Lakki Marwat District," Sharif said in a post on X. "The sacrifices of our brave soldiers and citizens is a debt on us that we must repay by relentlessly eliminating terrorism from our nation," he said, condoling the deaths. According to the security officials, Lakki Marwat is a hotbed of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists. Pakistan has been facing a resu

Combing operation launched to track down terrorists in J-K's bus attack

Security forces on Monday launched a massive cordon and search operation to track down terrorists responsible for the attack on a passenger bus in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district that left nine people dead, officials said. The bus carrying pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh and Delhi plunged into a deep gorge after an ambush by terrorists on Sunday evening. The terrorists opened fire at the 53-seater bus when it was en route from Shiv Khori temple to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine at Katra near Teryath village in Poni area and it plunged into the deep gorge following the gunfire. Security forces, including the Army, police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), have laid multi-dimensional cordon of the Teryath-Poni-Shiv Khori area bordering Rajouri district, they said Armed with surveillance equipment, including drones and sniffer dogs, a massive combing operation has begun in the area and adjoining areas of the district, the officials said. Terrorists involved in the attack are believed

Reasi terror attack: 10 pilgrims killed; PM Modi acts| Latest updates

Reasi bus accident: Reasi SSP Mohita Sharma said due to the open firing by terrorists, the bus carrying pilgrims lost balance and fell into a gorge

LG, ex-CMs condemn terror attack on bus carrying pilgrims in J-K's Reasi

Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and four former chief ministers, along with other prominent leaders, strongly condemned the terror attack on a bus carrying pilgrims in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir in which nine people were killed and 33 injured. The bus was attacked by terrorists soon after it left Shiv Khori temple for Katra around 6.10 pm and plunged into a deep gorge. "I strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack on a bus in Reasi. My condolences to the family members of the martyred civilians. Our security forces and JKP have launched a joint operation to hunt down the terrorists," Lt Governor Sinha posted on X. Former chief ministers of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah of the National Conference (NC), Mehbooba Mufti of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and Ghulam Nabi Azad of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) also condemned the terrorist attack. "Terrible news from Reasi in J&K ... I unequivocally condemn this ...

At least 9 killed as terrorists open fire at bus carrying pilgrims in J&K

Terrorists opened fire at a bus carrying pilgrims in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district on Sunday evening, killing nine people and injuring 33, police said. The 53-seater bus, enroute from Shiv Khori temple to Katra, veered off the road following the gunfire and fell into a deep gorge. The incident took place around 6.15 pm near Teryath village in Poni area. "Nine pilgrims were killed and 33 injured," Senior Superintendent of Police, Reasi, Mohita Sharma told reporters. The attack marks a significant escalation in violence in the region. Reasi district has been relatively untouched by terrorist activities compared to neighbouring areas such as Rajouri and Poonch.

Security forces to take steps to ensure stability along LoC: Army official

The situation along the Line of Control is stable and security agencies will take all necessary steps to maintain it, a senior Army officer said on Sunday. General Officer Commanding (GoC) of Army 15 Corps Lt General Rajiv Ghai was talking to reporters at the Bipin Rawat Stadium in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district after a function to felicitate Kargil War veterans on the 25th anniversary of Vijay Diwas. "The situation on the borders is stable. Whatever is needed to keep the situation stable will be done by the security agencies," Lt General Ghai said. Asked about Director General of Police (DGP) RR Swain's statement that 70 to 80 foreign terrorists were active in the Union Territory, he said the police chief's remark was factual. "As far as the numbers are concerned, the DGP has stated a fact. How the security agencies are proceeding against them, you know very well how the operations are conducted," Lt General Ghai added. DGP Swain on Saturday told reporters in Pulwama that

No govt job for family member of terrorists, stone pelters in J-K: HM Shah

Sending a tough message, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said that no family member of any terrorist nor close relatives of stone pelters will get government jobs in Jammu and Kashmir. Shah also said that the Narendra Modi government has not only targeted terrorists but also eliminated the terror ecosystem, resulting in a drastic fall in terror incidents in the country. "In Kashmir, we have taken a decision that if someone joins a terrorist organisation, their family members will not get any government job," he told PTI in an interview over the weekend. Similarly, Shah said, if someone indulges in stone pelting, his family members will also not get a government job. He said some human rights activists went to the Supreme Court against the decision but, at the end, the government prevailed. The home minister, however, said the government will make an exception in case someone from a family comes forward and informs the authorities that his or her close relative has joined a terro

National Anti-Terrorism Day 2024: History, Importance, and Observance

On May 21, India observes National Anti-Terrorism Day to commemorate the murder of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in Sriperumbudur, a village near Madras (Chennai)

India needs to have stable leadership amidst global turbulence: Jaishankar

The world will witness a "very, very stormy" churn because of conflicts, power shifts and sharpening competition in this decade, which makes it all the more important for India to have a stable and mature leadership, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said. In an exclusive interview to PTI late Thursday, Jaishankar painted a picture of the world radically different from the one we are living in now by the end of 2020s when asked to draw on his nearly 50 years of experience in diplomacy and politics to give an assessment of the global power balance. "Multiple conflicts, tensions, divides! With all these variables that I am putting to you, I am painting to you, actually, a very, very stormy international scene for the balance of the decade," said Jaishankar, a former ambassador to China and the United States, who was tapped for the political role by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019. Jaishankar especially referred to the declining influence of the United States, the conflict in

Air Force convoy attack: Search operation underway in J-K's Poonch

According to the officials, the search operation was carried out to track the terrorists. Security forces have laid down nakas and checking is going on in the area

Students skip school after bomb scare; principals revisit evacuation plan

A day after more nearly 200 schools received hoax bomb emails, educational institutions in the city witnessed a slightly lower attendance, even as principals revisited evacuation plans for such emergencies in the future. Around 200 schools in Delhi-NCR Wednesday morning received a hoax bomb threat via email which led to widespread panic among parents and students, prompting authorities to suspend classes and ask parents to pick their wards from the school. Many schools on Thursday reopened to normalcy but attendance has taken a hit even in schools where the threat was not received, principals of some schools told PTI. Jyoti Arora, principal of Mount Abu School, said she revisited the school's evacuation plan on each floor and also wrote to disaster management authorities to conduct mock drills and awareness activities for them. She said that there was "slightly more absenteeism" than usual on Thursday. "I wrote an email to parents telling them to counsel their children and in case

Another ship hit in Arabian Sea, raising concerns over Houthi capabilities

A Portuguese-flagged container ship came under attack by a drone in the far reaches of the Arabian Sea, corresponding with a claim by Yemen's Houthi rebels that they assaulted the ship there, authorities said Tuesday. The attack on the MSC Orion, occurring some 600 kilometers (375 miles) off the coast of Yemen, appeared to be the first confirmed deep-sea assault claimed by the Houthis since they began targeting ships in November. It suggests the Houthis or potentially their main benefactor Iran may have the ability to strike into the distances of the Indian Ocean as the rebels previously threatened in their ongoing campaign over Israel's war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The attack happened last Friday, according to the Joint Maritime Information Center, which operates as part of the U.S.-led Combined Maritime Forces in the Mideast. After the attack, the crew discovered debris apparently from a drone on board, the center said. The ship sustained only minor damage and all crew on boa