Page 14 - War Conflict
Maoist killed in encounter in Jharkhand
A Maoist was killed in an encounter with the CRPF and district police personnel in Simdega district on Wednesday, a police officer said. Additional Director General of Police (Operation) Murari Lal Meena said that an AK-47 was recovered from the spot of the encounter at Urmi forest under Bano block of the district. The security forces received a tip-off about the presence of Naxalites in the area and a search operation was launched, he said. Upon facing gun-fire, the security forces personnel retaliated in which the Maoist was killed, he said.
Notices to 12 Mumbai cops who obtained transfer to ATS:
Transfer of 12 officers of Mumbai Police to the elite Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) has led to a piquant situation within the force, with the city police authorities issuing them show-cause notices. Sources said Wednesday that notices were issued a few days ago to the 12 officials, asking why their increments should not be withheld as a disciplinary action, and seeking replies within ten days. A Mumbai police spokesperson, however, denied that any such notices have been issued. Twelve officials had applied to the Director General of Maharashtra Police seeking transfer to the ATS without intimating city police commissioner Sanjay Barve, sources said. The officials, their ranks ranging from assistant police inspector to senior police inspector, were granted transfer to the ATS. But city police authorities were peeved as they did not keep the police commissioner in the loop, sources added. IPS officer Deven Bharti, who has had a long stint in the city police, was recently ...
Army reviews security situation in run-up to Aarnath Yatra
Days before the start of Amarnath Yatra, the Army's Northern Command's top brass Wednesday reviewed security arrangements to ensure a safe and secure annual pilgrimage. General Officer-Commanding-in-Chief, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh also reviewed the Army's operational readiness at various forward posts in Akhnoor and Reasi sectors of Jammu and Kashmir, said a Defence spokesperson. He visited the forward posts and hinterlands bases in the two sectors along with White Knight Corps Commander, Lt Gen Paramjit Singh, the spokesperson added. During his visit to forward posts, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh was also briefed about various measures initiated to monitor the intrusion and infiltration bids from across the Line of Control, he said. The Army commanders also visited the hinterland bases, during which they were apprised of the formation's preparation for the upcoming pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre high holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas, he added. They were briefed about the ...
Chhattisgarh: constable kills two colleagues at CAF camp
A constable of the Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) allegedly shot dead two of his colleagues in the Naxal-affected Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh Wednesday, police said. The CAF is a unit of the state police. The incident took place at its camp at Mingachal under Naimed police station area around 4 pm, a senior police official said. Constable Sanjay Nishad allegedly opened fire with a Light Machine Gun on fellow constables Sanjay Bhaskar and Surendra Sahu, killing both on the spot, the officer said. Bhaskar hailed from Kawardha district and Sahu from Janjgir-Champa district. The three had returned from patrolling duty just before the incident. Nishad, a native of Kabirdham district, reportedly had a spat with the other two over some issue after which he shot them, the official said. The bodies were taken to Bijapur town for autopsy. Nishad was apprehended by other CAF personnel in the camp. He was being interrogated, the officer said.
Army planning Integrated Battle Groups along western border
The Indian Army is planning to raise Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs) along the borders with Pakistan that will help it carry out swift strikes in case of war, sources said. The IBG, which aims to integrate different components of the Army into the new formation, will include artillery guns, tanks, air defence and logistical elements. This is expected to make it a complete battle-ready unit. The move comes amid efforts to bring better synergy among the three armed forces. The Army also tested the new fighting concept of IGBs, whose role is expected to be offensive in nature. Following positive results, the Army gave green signal to form the specialised units. At least three such units are likely to come up by the end of this year. The IBGs are likely to be headed by Major General-rank officers and could have troops numbering 5,000. Gradually, the number of IGBs can be increased along the western front. The issue of IBGs came up for discussion during the Army Commanders' Conference in ..
Ukraine urges Russia to admit responsibility over MH17 downing
Kiev on Wednesday urged Russia to admit responsibility over the 2014 downing of passenger flight MH17 over rebel-held eastern Ukraine that left 298 people dead, after charges were laid by international investigators. "We call on the Russian Federation to acknowledge its responsibility for supplying arms" to Kremlin-backed rebels in the region, Ukraine's foreign ministry said in a statement. It urged Moscow "to cooperate with the probe", referring to international investigators who earlier issued arrest warrants for four suspects, three of them Russian nationals.
Libya air raid destroys warehouse, wounds three: oil firm
Libya's National Oil Company deplored an air raid that on Tuesday evening destroyed a warehouse operated by a subsidiary and wounded three personnel near Tripoli. "A warehouse owned by subsidiary Mellitah Oil & Gas Company (MOG) was destroyed by aerial bombardment," the NOC said in a statement on its website. "The attack and resulting fire destroyed valuable equipment and materials in addition to the warehouse itself," it said, adding that three MOG employees had been lightly wounded and taken to hospital. Tripoli is controlled by forces loyal to the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA), but strongman Khalifa Haftar's self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) launched an offensive against the capital in early April. Images published by the NOC show a building devastated by fire, which was extinguished by fire fighters. "This is another tragic loss caused by this unnecessary conflict," said NOC chairman Mustafa Sanalla. "NOC infrastructure is being destroyed .
MH17 suspect denies Ukraine rebels behind attack
One of the main suspects named in the shooting down of passenger flight MH17 over Ukraine denied Wednesday that pro-Russian separatists were behind the missile attack that left 298 people dead. "I can only say that rebels did not shoot down the Boeing," Igor Strelkov, who is also known as Igor Girkin, told Russia's Interfax news agency. On Wednesday, international investigators said they were issuing arrest warrants for Girkin and three other suspects over the downing of the Malaysia Airlines plane in July, 2014 when it was shot out of the sky by a BUK missile. The Dutch-led probe said it was going to prosecute Russian nationals Girkin, Sergei Dubinsky and Oleg Pulatov as well as Ukrainian Leonid Kharchenko, adding they would be placed on national and international wanted lists. Dutch prosecutor Fred Westerbeke said the four men "will be held accountable for bringing the deadly weapon, the BUK Telar, into eastern Ukraine". Relatives of the victims earlier said they had been told the ..
Militants carrying out odd attacks as they've lost the battle: J&K guv
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik said on Wednesday militants were carrying out odd attacks on the security forces at the behest of their handlers across the border as they have lost the battle. "These attacks are nothing new in this place, but we have subdued it over the past six months. I believe 100 per cent that they (militants) are under pressure from across (the border) to do something," Malik said in an apparent reference to the Pakistan-based militant handlers. "They (militant handlers) feel that they have lost as the terror infrastructure they had raised in last 10 years has been dismantled," he said on the sidelines of a function here. "That's why they carry out an odd attack. In such cases, the initiative obviously lies with the attacker, but still we assure you that we will uproot this menace very soon." The governor asserted that the recruitment of new militants had stopped, while stone-pelting incidents after Friday prayers had also ended. "People have realised .
SSDF hods rally to condemn security personnel's killings in terror attacks
The Shiv Sena Dogra Front activists Wednesday held a demonstration to condemn recent killings of security personnel in terror attacks in the Valley and demanded stern measures to wipe out the menace from the state. The SSDF activists, carrying tricolour and photographs of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and shouting slogans like 'aur kitne shaheed honge, jawab do jawab do' and 'aar karo ya par karo', took out a rally at Rani Park here in the city. Ten security personnel including Major Ketan Sharma, Inspector Arshad Khan and two CRPF assistant sub-inspectors were killed and several others injured in a series of attacks and encounters in the Valley over the last week. "The terror activities in the Valley are on the rise and need to be curbed with iron hand," said SSDF chief Ashok Gupta, while leading the protest. He said there is a need for final assault on the terrorism to root it out from the state.
US interests come under repeated fire in Iraq: officials
US assets in Iraq have been targeted at least five times in as many days, officials said Wednesday, amid a tense standoff between Baghdad's key allies, Washingon and Tehran. The attacks follow a series of operations against tankers in highly sensitive Gulf waters which the US has blamed on Iran, raising fears of a regional war. In Baghdad, officials have voiced fears that a proxy conflict between the bitter enemies could play out in Iraq, where political and armed groups routinely accuse each other of being agents for foreign states. On Wednesday at dawn, "a Katyusha rocket fell on an Iraqi drilling company in the Burjesiya area near Basra, wounding three people according to an initial assessment," Iraqi military command said in a statement. Oil ministry spokesman Assem Jihad told AFP that those wounded were all Iraqis. Burjesiya is a complex near southern Iraq's main city, in a key oil-producing region hosting various Iraqi and foreign companies including US major Exxon Mobil. The ...
Pompeo cancels visit to Lanka
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Wednesday cancelled his trip to Sri Lanka, still recovering from the Easter Sunday bombings, due to "unavoidable scheduling conflicts" during his visit to the Indo-Pacific region next week. Pompeo's trip to Colombo was aimed at expressing America's solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka as they stand united against the despicable April 21 suicide attacks. New Delhi would be Pompeo's first stop and South Korea his last during the nearly week-long visit to the Indo-Pacific region, beginning June 24, that was also scheduled to take him to Sri Lanka and Japan. His trip is aimed at deepening US partnerships in the strategic Indo-Pacific region. The US Embassy in Colombo in a statement said Pompeo will not be visiting Sri Lanka due to "unavoidable scheduling conflicts" during his visit to the Indo-Pacific region that includes accompanying President Donald Trump to the G20 Summit in Japan. "Pompeo regrets that he is no longer able to visit Colombo at this ..
Overground workers of Hizbul Mujahideen arrested in J-K's Shopian
Security forces have arrested five overground workers of proscribed terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district, police said Wednesday. "Based on specific input, police arrested five associates of terrorists from Shopian district," an official spokesman said. He said on IED, which the militants were planning to use against security forces, was recovered at the instance of arrested persons. The arrested individuals have been identified as Aqib Nazir Rathar, Amir Majeed Wani, Sameer Ahmed Bhat, Faisal Farooq Ahanger and Rayees Ahmed Ganai, the official said. "During questioning of the arrested persons, it was revealed that terrorists of proscribed outfit HM, along with above stated associates, were planning to target police and security forces by planting an IED in the area," he said.
Database says 91,600 killed in Yemen fighting since 2015
Yemen's civil war has killed at least 91,600 people so far, a database tracking violence said Wednesday, presenting a new estimate after completing reporting for the first months of fighting in 2015. The conflict began with the 2014 takeover over of northern and central Yemen by the Iranian-backed rebels, driving out the internationally recognized government from the capital, Sanaa. Months later, in March 2015, a Saudi-led coalition launched its air campaign to prevent the rebels, known as Houthis, from overrunning the country's south. In the relentless campaign, Saudi-led airstrikes have hit schools, hospitals and wedding parties and killed thousands of Yemeni civilians. The Houthis have used drones and missiles to attack Saudi Arabia and have targeted vessels in the Red Sea. Civilians have borne the brunt of the conflict, which has created what the United Nations says is the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, or ACLED, said that
J-K: Police bust Hizbul Mujahideen module, arrest 5 terrorists
Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday busted a module of Hizbul Mujahideen and arrested five terrorists during an operation.An improvised explosive device (IED) was found during the raid, the police said.The terrorists were planning to target police and security forces by planting explosives in the Shopian region, they said.
3 suspected IS supporters planned attacks on temples, churches: Police
Three suspected IS sympathisers, who were arrested recently, were planning to carry out terror attacks on temples and churches in and around the city, police said on Wednesday. According to the FIR registered against the trio -- Shahjahan, Mohammed Hussain and Sheikh Safiullah -- they had conspired to carry out suicide attacks at temples, churches and places where people gathered in large numbers. Based on inputs, the police kept the three under watch and claimed to have found them watching video clippings of the Islamic State (IS). They were arrested on Saturday under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The arrests came days after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) raided seven locations in the city and arrested Mohammed Azarudeen, the alleged mastermind of the IS Tamil Nadu module, who was a Facebook friend of Zahran Hashim, the mastermind of the Easter Sunday suicide bombings in Sri Lanka.
ITBP personnel perform yoga with dogs in tow
Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel from Animal Training School (ATS) located at Lohitpur performed Yoga with dogs, ahead of International Yoga Day on June 21.ITBP personnel performed asanas along with dogs on the river bank near ATS situated in beautiful Lohit valley of Arunachal Pradesh. Photographs of the event show the dogs, doing the yoga asanas along with their masters. One picture shows the soldiers standing in ankle-deep water twisting to complete a posture with the dogs cradled in their arms.Earlier this month, personnel from the central armed force performed yoga at an altitude of 18,000 feet in freezing Ladakh."Himveers of ITBP gearing up for 5th International Day of Yoga at 18,000 feet in Ladakh", ITBP tweeted along with a video clip.ITBP is one of the seven Central Armed Police Forces of India and is deployed along India's border of Tibet.International Yoga Day is celebrated throughout the world on 21 June every year. The concept of Yoga Day was formally promoted
Oppn seeks cyber probe in budget 'leak' on FM's Twitter a/c
Opposition legislators on Wednesday demanded a probe by the cyber cell into the alleged "leak" of Maharashtra budget provisions on Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar's Twitter handle before presentation in the Assembly. NCP leader Jayant Patil said in the state Assembly that thebudget provisions were known outside before the finance minister's presentation in the Lower House on Tuesday. He lamented that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Mungantiwar justified the tweets. Fadnavis and Mungantiwar on Tuesday dismissed the budget "leak" charge, saying the provisions were put out on Twitter 15 minutes after the finance minister began his budget speech in the Assembly. "This is not justified," Patil said and demanded that the cyber crime investigation cell probe the alleged leak. To this, Speaker Haribhau Bagade said he would accept the demand for probe if sufficient proof was submitted. Earlier several lawmakers, including NCP's Ajit Pawar, Patil and Dhananjay Munde, held .
Odisha CM announces Rs 25 lakh ex-gratia for jawan's kin
Expressing grief over the death of Odia Army jawan Naik Ajit Kumar Sahoo in Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Wednesday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh for the next of the kin of the deceased. While condemning the terrorist act, Patnaik said the assistance will be given from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund. "Martyr Sahoo has made supreme sacrifice for the nation," the chief minister said. "Deeply saddened by the martyrdom of Odia jawan Ajit Kumar Sahoo in an encounter with militants in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. Salute to the supreme sacrifice of the brave soldier, my thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved family," the CM tweeted. Sahoo, who hailed from Badasuanla village under Kamakshya Nagar block of Dhenkanal district, was hit by an IED blast in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Monday. He had sustained injuries in the blast at Arihal and succumbed on Tuesday. Sahoo had joined the Indian Army in 2015. Nine Army personnel ...
Iraqi official: Rocket hits oil site, wounds 3 Iraqi workers
Iraqi officials say a rocket hit an oil-drilling site in southern Basra province, striking a camp housing energy giant Exxon Mobil and wounding three local workers, one seriously. Security official Mahdi Raykan says a Katyusha rocket landed early Wednesday in the Zubair and Rumeila oil fields camp, operated by the Iraqi Drilling company, where Exxon Mobil has tents. Exxon Mobil, based in Irving, Texas, didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. In May, it evacuated staff from the West Qurna 1 oil field in Basra province. As tensions escalate between Iran and the US, there're concerns Iraq could once again get caught in the middle. The country hosts more than 5,000 US troops, and is home to powerful Iranian-backed militias, some of whom want those US forces to leave.