Page 15 - War Conflict

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.

Cong slams govt over terror attacks in J&K, demands answer for 'intel failure'

The Congress hit out at the Centre on Wednesday over the deaths of soldiers in recent terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the Modi government will have to answer for the "intelligence failure". Four soldiers have been killed in the last 24 hours in Jammu and Kashmir -- Major Ketan Sharma, Rifleman Anil Kumar Jaswal, Havildar Amarjeet Kumar and Naik Ajit Kumar -- Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said. In all, 10 soldiers were killed over the last week, he added. "I salute their sacrifice for the motherland," Surjewala said in a tweet in Hindi. Two soldiers were killed and several injured in a terror attack on an Army vehicle in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama, he said. "This is completely a big intelligence failure of the government," the Congress leader said in another tweet. He pointed out that five jawans were killed in an attack on CRPF personnel in Anantnag last week, and asked whether any lesson was learnt. Seven civilians were seriously injured in a terror ...

38 killed in attacks on Mali villages

Thirty-eight people were killed and many others wounded in attacks on two ethnic Dogon villages in central Mali, the government said Tuesday, in the latest in a cycle of violence in the volatile Sahel country. No group immediately claimed responsibility for Monday's attacks but Mali has seen a spate of massacres this year between ethnic Dogon and Fulani communities. "The terrorist attacks on Monday evening targeted the villages of Gangafani and Yoro... not far from the border with Burkina Faso. The official provisional toll is 38 dead and numerous people wounded," the Malian government said in a statement. "Defence and security forces have been dispatched to the location to protect the population and their property and to track down the assailants of these attacks," the statement added, revising upwards an earlier toll of 14 dead.. Goundjou Poudiougou, a local community official, said around a dozen bodies had been counted in both villages. "They are terrorists because they killed and

Govt restores provision of 'ration in kind', Rajnath says will leave no stone unturned in lifting morale of forces

In a move welcomed by the defence forces, Union Minister for Defence Rajnath Singh on Tuesday announced the restoration of the 'Ration in Kind' for military officers posted in peace areas.Asserting that he feels honoured, Singh said: "I will leave no stone unturned to lift the morale of armed forces and support their families. By restoring Ration in Kind for officers of the three services I feel honoured that I got an opportunity to do something for the Armed Forces."On 1 July 2017 ration entitlement to officers of Indian armed forces deployed at Peace stations was revoked as part of recommendations given by the 7th pay commission.After nearly 2 years, the government has agreed to take back its decision and restore the ration entitlement.The said decision has been taken up by the government in view of the operational concerns being flagged by the armed forces on the issue.The matter was pending with the Finance Ministry after the Army had sent a proposal through Defence Ministry last .

People are laughing at Kishan Reddy for calling Hyderabad a terrorist hub: KCR

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Tuesday hit out at MoS Home G Kishan Reddy for calling Hyderabad a hub of ISIS and said that the latter has become a 'laughing stock' by making such comments."People are laughing at MoS G Kishan Reddy for his statement that Hyderabad is an ISIS hub. He has become a laughing stock. Hyderabad is a peaceful city," Chief Minister Rao told ANI.Rao further claimed that communal tensions have decreased in the region in the last five years. "If we see the history of Andhra Pradesh every year many cases of communal tension were reported. But, in the last five years of our governance, there was no single communal tension in the state. The crime rate has drastically come down. It is madness to say that this place is adda (hub) for terrorists. No single terrorist act was reported here in last five years," he said.The Chief Minister made the statement after Reddy claimed that Hyderabad had become a safe haven for terrorists. Reddy also linked ...

Suspected jihadists kill 15 soldiers at Nigerian army base

Suspected jihadists killed 15 soldiers at an army base in restive northeast Nigeria, stealing weapons before looting shops in a nearby town, military sources said Tuesday. The raids late Monday came a day after 30 people were killed in a triple suicide bombing that also bore the hallmarks of the Boko Haram group. "Fifteen bodies of soldiers have so far been recovered in a search and rescue operation," a military officer, who asked not to be named, told AFP after the latest attack. "This figure could change as the operation is still ongoing and many troops remain unaccounted" for. Boko Haram's decade-long campaign of violence has killed some 27,000 people and displaced about two million in Nigeria. The latest assault targeted a base outside the town of Gajiram, 80 kilometres (50 miles), north of the Borno state capital Maiduguri. The assailants were suspected to be from an IS-affiliated Boko Haram faction known as the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). They arrived on nine ...

Islamists kill 15 soldiers at Nigerian army base: military source

Suspected Boko Haram islamists killed fifteen soldiers in an attack on an army base in northeast Nigeria, military sources said Tuesday. "Fifteen bodies of soldiers have so far been recovered in a search and rescue operation," a military officer, who asked not to be named, told AFP. "This figure could change as the operation is still ongoing and many troops remain unaccounted" for after the attack late Monday.

Almost 700 dead, over 4,000 wounded in Tripoli clashes

Tripoli, June 19 (IANS/AKI) Scores of civilians are among at least 691 people killed and 4,012 injured in the battle for control of Tripoli since eastern warlord Khalifa Haftar began an assault on the Libyan capital in early April, according to the United Nations.

Hong Kong: Carrie Lam publicly apologises for extradition bill

Hong Kong's pro-Beijing leader, Carrie Lam, on Tuesday publicly apologised for having proposed controversial legislation that would allow criminal suspects to mainland China for persecution."I offer my most sincere apology to all people of Hong Kong," The New York Times quoted Lam as saying during a press conference at the government headquarters here.She added, "I've still got much to learn and do in better balancing diverse interests, in listening more to all walks of life and in taking our society forward."However, the leader, who had already announced the extradition bill's indefinite suspension, did not concede to protesters' demands that it be withdrawn entirely. Instead, she said that as long as there were public disputes over its contents, legislative work on it would not be resumed.Without further giving in to the demands of protestors who sought for her resignation, Lam noted that she would not resign as Hong Kong's chief executive, but acknowledged that "as for my ...

Sri Lankan Armed Forces delegation visits Gaya

The four-day visit of Sri Lankan Armed Forces delegation to the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Gaya ended on Tuesday."A delegation of Sri Lankan Armed Forces comprising of 160 members, led by Colonel WDM Kumarasinghe, OTA, Gaya from June 15 to June 18. Sri Lanka is India's oldest and closest maritime neighbor with deep historical and cultural ties," a press release by the OTA read.The press release added that the Lankan candidates got training at the facility as they have since the establishment and added the delegation also visited places of religious interest in and around Gaya."Sri Lankan cadets are undergoing training at OTA since it's establishment at Gaya. During the four days long visit to Gaya, the delegation visited various places of religious interest at Bodh Gaya, Rajgir, and Nalanda. The delegation also interacted with Lt Gen Sunil Srivastava, VSM, Commandant OTA and discussed various issues regarding the training of gentleman Cadets with faculty and staff," the press .

Maharashtra's please-all budget with deficit of Rs 20,293 cr

With an eye on the upcoming assembly elections, Maharashtra Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar on Tuesday presented an additional please-all state budget with a revenue deficit of Rs 20,293 crore, which is considerably higher than last' year's shortfall of Rs 14,960 crore.

Congratulation to Armed Forces for neutralising mastermind of Pulwama attack: Ravinder Raina

Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Ravinder Raina on Tuesday congratulated the armed forces for killing Pulwama terror accused Sajjad Ahmad Bhat and one other terrorist in a joint operation."A joint operation by the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and paramilitary forces has led to the neutralization of terrorist Sajjad Ahmad Bhat. Bhat was the mastermind in the suicide bombing on the CRPF convoy in the Pulwama district which took lives of 44 CRPF men, I congratulate the forces for that," Raina told ANI here.He added that not only Bhat was the mastermind behind the suicide bombing attack but his car had also been used to carry out the attack."The plot was finalised at Bhat's residence and the suicide bomber got training at Bhat's house. His car was also used in the attack, the real culprit of the Pulwama attack is killed and the credit goes to our forces, with the kind of action being taken by the forces recently the valley will soon be terror free again," Raina said.Earlier today, two

Def Min Rajnath, Army chief pay homage to Major killed in Kashmir encounter

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat Tuesday paid homage to Major Ketan Sharma who died fighting militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district. The 29-year-old officer was killed in an encounter in south Kashmir district Monday. A militant was also killed in the gun fight which broke out after the security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in the area. Singh and Rawat laid wreath on the body of Sharma at the Palam Technical Area here. "Paid tributes to Major Ketan Sharma who made the supreme sacrifice while fighting against the terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir. Major Sharma fought valiantly like a true soldier. My heart goes out to his bereaved family," Singh tweeted. The body was later taken to Meerut, Uttar Pradesh from where the officer hails.

NIA questions jail inmates in Chennai

Officials of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday questioned inmates of Central Jail here in an effort to probe their links with the Easter Day serial bombings in Sri Lanka, officials said.

Sri Lanka policeman defies president to testify at attack probe

A Sri Lankan police officer on Tuesday defied President Maithripala Sirisena and testified before a parliamentary investigation into the Easter Sunday suicide bombings that killed 258 people. Sirisena has come in for major criticism after ordering top brass not to allow police, military or intelligence personnel to take part in hearings into the attacks being held by a parliamentary committee. The president, who has said the hearings could reveal classified information, is accused by critics of presiding over a security and intelligence apparatus which ignored warnings that could have prevented the attack on three churches and luxury hotels. On Tuesday the committee heard evidence -- much of it in camera -- from Inspector N. B. Kasthuriarachchi, who had been in charge of an area where the bombing mastermind was based before he went underground in the months prior to the attack. Deputy parliamentary speaker Ananda Kumarasiri opened the hearing with a warning to public servants that ...

Civilians injured in grenade attack outside Pulwama police station

A grenade lobbed by terrorists exploded outside the Pulwama police station on Tuesday, injuring some civilians.The area has been cordoned off.Earlier in the day, two Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists, including the one whose vehicle was used to carry out the February 14 Pulwama attack, were killed in an encounter with security forces in south Kashmir's Anantnag district.Two Army personnel, who were injured in an IED attack on a patrol vehicle patrol in Arihal area of Pulwama district on Monday, succumbed to injuries on Tuesday.

7 civilians injured in grenade attack near police station

At least seven civilians were injured in a grenade attack by militants on a police station in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Tuesday, officials said. The militants lobbed the grenade towards the police station, but it exploded on the roadside, causing injuries to seven passers-by, the officials said. The security forces have cordoned off the area to look for the attackers and the injured were rushed to a nearby hospital, the officials added.

10 injured in grenade attack in J&K's Pulwama

At least 10 people were injured in a grenade blast in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama town on Tuesday, police said.

2005 Ayodhya terror attack: Sequence of events

A court here on Tuesday convicted four people in the 2005 Ayodhya terror attack on charges of criminal conspiracy and attempted murder and sentenced them to life imprisonment. One accused was, however, acquitted.

4 get life term in 2005 Ayodhya terror attack case, 1 acquitted

A special court here sentenced four persons to life imprisonment and acquitted one in connection with the 2005 terror attack on a makeshift temple at the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid complex here in which two locals were killed and seven CRPF personnel injured. Special judge Dinesh Chandra, who announced the verdict inside the Naini Central Jail where the accused are lodged, also imposed a fine of Rs 2.4 lakh on each of the four, Public Prosecutor Gulab Chandra Agrahari told reporters here. Agrahari said that the four who got life imprisonment are: Doctor Irrfan, Shakeel Ahmed, Asif Iqbal and Mohammed Naseem; while Mohammed Aziz was acquitted for lack of evidence. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath welcomed the conviction. On the sole acquittal in the case, he said the state government would take appropriate action after examining the ruling. "The court judgement is welcome. For one person who has been acquitted, necessary action will be taken after seeking legal opinion. ...