Page 161 - War Conflict

Two bikers injured in Army firing in J&K

Soldiers shot and wounded a motorcyclist and his pillion rider in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district when they ignored a signal to stop for a routine check.

Egypt sentences 18 to life in prison for Islamic State ties

An Egyptian court has sentenced 18 suspected militants to life in prison for allegedly forming a "terrorist cell" affiliated with the Islamic State group. The Cairo criminal court on Saturday sentenced another 12 defendants to 10 to 15 years on charges that include plotting attacks on the country's Christian minority in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, assaulting security forces and disrupting public order. All sentences are subject to appeal. Egypt has been battling Islamic militants for years, but the insurgency gained strength after the 2013 military overthrow of a freely elected but divisive Islamist president. Since then, courts have held mass trials and sentenced hundreds of people to death. Rights groups have repeatedly criticized such mass sentencings in Egypt and called on authorities to ensure fair trials.

4 killed as mortar mine hits school in Afghanistan

At least four students were killed and 17 others, including two teachers, sustained injuries as a mortar mine struck a school in Afghanistan's Ghazni province on Saturday, officials said.

Civilian killed by gunmen in Baramulla

Unidentified gunmen on Saturday shot dead a shopkeeper in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla town.

Pulwama: CRPF personnel injured in grenade attack by terrorists

A CRPF personnel sustained injuries in a grenade attack carried out by terrorists here on Saturday.The CRPF personnel, belonging to 182 Battalion, received splinter injuries on his thigh after terrorists lobbed a grenade at a CRPF bunker near a State Bank of India (SBI) branch here.The injured officer was immediately shifted to a hospital for treatment.Further details are awaited.

Afghan officials: Explosion kills 4 students in crossfire

A Taliban assault on a police checkpoint led to the deaths of four students Saturday in eastern Ghazni province, a provincial official said. Arif Noori, a spokesman for provincial governor, said that 17 others, including 15 students and two teachers, were wounded when an explosion, likely caused by rocket fire, hit the school in Andar district. The spokesman added that the students killed are between 10 and 16 years old. He said that provincial officials are investigating who fired the projectile hitting the school during the standoff between security forces and Taliban. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Taliban insurgents have stepped up their attacks against Afghan security targets in recent months. In a separate incident in northeastern Badakhshan province, Taliban insurgents overran a district headquarters late Friday, said Nek Mohammad Nazari, a spokesman for the provincial governor. "Afghan security forces retreated from the Arghanj Khowa district ...

Russia says opened helicopter training centre in Venezuela

Russia's arms export company said it has opened a training centre for military helicopter pilots in Venezuela after Moscow flew in troops and equipment. A spokesman for Rosoboronexport, the export wing of Russia's arms corporation, told Russian news agencies that the helicopter training centre opened Friday "with Russian and Venezuelan specialists participating." The centre that trains pilots to fly Russian-built Mil helicopters was built on the basis of a contract between Rosoboronexport and state-run Venezuelan Military Industrial Company Cavim, Interfax news agency quoted spokesman Vyacheslav Davydenko as saying. The announcement came after two Russian military planes landed a week ago at the main airport outside Caracas and offloaded equipment and troops, ratcheting up international tensions. The United States and more than 50 other countries recognise Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as interim president while Russia, along with China, backs President Nicolas Maduro. US ..

Sacked BSF jawan to contest LS polls from Varanasi

The BSF constable who was dismissed in 2017 after he posted a video online complaining about the food served to the troops has said he would take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Varanasi constituency in Uttar Pradesh. "I will contest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi constituency as an independent candidate," Tej Bahadur Yadav told reporters in Rewari, Haryana on Friday. Yadav said he wanted to contest the polls to eliminate corruption in the forces. "I had raised the issue of corruption but I was sacked. My first objective will be to strengthen and eliminate corruption in the forces," he said. Yadav had uploaded a video on social media in 2017, complaining that poor quality food was being served to the troops in icy, mountainous region along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. He was later dismissed on the charge of indiscipline.

Taliban attack kills 9 policemen in S. Afghanistan

Nine policemen were killed after the Taliban terror group attacked a checkpoint at the Shahr-e-Safa district here on Saturday, according to an official.The terror outfit has since claimed that seven terrorists were involved in the attack. They claimed that all the terror operatives fled the area and have joined others around the district.Furthermore, the Taliban also claimed that the attack had left eight policemen dead while one personnel was captured alive, according to Xinhua.However, a member from the Ata Jan Haqbayan provincial council confirmed that nine personnel had died. An official announcement is awaited on the incident.Around 23 security personnel lost their lives in Afghanistan's Helmand earlier this month in another Taliban attack. The siege on the 215 Maiwand Corps lasted for 16 hours, in an operation which killed 20 Taliban terrorists, including eight suicide bombers, on March 1.

France's yellow vest protesters march despite bans, injuries

French yellow vest protesters are rallying to support an activist injured in a confrontation with police. The demonstrators are undeterred by protest bans or repeated injuries in 20 weeks of demonstrations. So they're marching again Saturday in Paris, Bordeaux and other cities to keep pressing President Emmanuel Macron to do more to help the working classes, redesign French politics or step down altogether. They're also showing solidarity with Genevieve Legay, a 73-year-old anti-globalisation activist who suffered a head injury in the southern city of Nice last weekend. The Nice prosecutor said a police officer pushed her down. "We are all Genevieve!" read an online appeal for Saturday's protests. The main Paris protest will start to weave through the Left Bank and past the Eiffel Tower. Protests are banned around the Champs-Elysees, scene of recent rioting.

Blast damages CRPF vehicle on highway, causes panic

An explosion destroyed a car on the Jammu-Srinagar highway in Jammu and Kashmir's Banihal district on Saturday, sparking panic and slightly damaging one of the CRPF vehicles moving as part of a convoy, authorities said.

Deposit arms, says EC with eye on peaceful polls

The Election Commission (EC) has asked District Magistrates across the country to issue orders to licensed firearms and ammunition holders to deposit them with the authorities, an official said here on Saturday.

Importance of well-trained boots on ground cannot be overemphasised: India at UN meeting

In the face of increased threat to 'Blue Helmets', India has strongly underscored the need of well trained peacekeepers in UN missions, saying that their importance cannot be overemphasised. India's remarks came after UN Secretary General Antnio Guterres on Friday stressed on the need to make peacekeeping missions stronger and safer during the 2019 United Nations Peacekeeping Ministerial here. Ministers of defence, foreign affairs and high-level officials from more than 130 member states and intergovernmental organisations gathered at the United Nations headquarters for the ministerial to discuss and generate the specialized capabilities necessary for contemporary peacekeeping, with a specific focus on performance, protection of civilians and women, peace, and security. India is a signatory to A4P (Action for Peacekeeping) declaration and is ready to play an active role in collectively achieving the shared commitments identified in the declaration. With increased threat to the Blue ...

Mali warns any cut in UN force will strengthen militants

Mali's prime minister urged the Security Council on Friday to maintain its more than 16,000-strong peacekeeping mission in the country, warning that any reduction will end up strengthening Islamic militants and endangering the "fragile progress" toward peace. Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga addressed the council after US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale expressed disappointment "at the lack of significant progress" toward implementing a 2015 peace deal and called for a re-evaluation of the peacekeeping mission. Hale asked Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to provide the council with options for "a significant adaptation" of the Mali force, known as MINUSMA, in time for negotiations on the renewal of its mandate, which expires in June. Mali has been in turmoil since a 2012 uprising prompted mutinous soldiers to overthrow the president of a decade. The power vacuum that was created ultimately led to an Islamic insurgency and a French-led war that ousted the jihadis from

Mali warns any cut in UN force will strengthen militants

Mali's prime minister urged the Security Council on Friday to maintain its more than 16,000-strong peacekeeping mission in the country, warning that any reduction will end up strengthening Islamic militants and endangering the "fragile progress" toward peace. Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga addressed the council after US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale expressed disappointment "at the lack of significant progress" toward implementing a 2015 peace deal and called for a re-evaluation of the peacekeeping mission. Hale asked Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to provide the council with options for "a significant adaptation" of the Mali force, known as MINUSMA, in time for negotiations on the renewal of its mandate, which expires in June. Mali has been in turmoil since a 2012 uprising prompted mutinous soldiers to overthrow the president of a decade. The power vacuum that was created ultimately led to an Islamic insurgency and a French-led war that ousted the jihadis from

Taliban kill nine police in checkpoint assault

Nine Afghan policemen were killed when Taliban fighters stormed their checkpoints and launched a follow-up ambush in the eastern Afghanistan city of Ghazni, officials said Saturday. The assault began early Friday when the Taliban attacked two adjacent checkpoints, Ghazni police spokesman Ahmad Khan Seerat told AFP. The Taliban then ambushed a group of police rushing to the scene, killing the head of the local police, Seerat added. In all, nine officers were killed and six were wounded, he said. The toll was confirmed by Arif Noori, spokesman for the Ghazni governor. In August, Taliban fighters briefly held the city of Ghazni before they were pushed out by US air strikes and Afghan forces. Friday's attack highlights the ongoing fragility of Afghanistan's security and the risks faced by local security forces as they man vulnerable checkpoints. President Ashraf Ghani in January said 45,000 security forces have been killed since he took office in September 2014. On its Twitter account, ..

Afghanistan: 5 Taliban militants, 3 police officers killed in clash

At least five Taliban militants were killed during a clash with police force members in Kandahar province.Tolo News quoted Kandahar Police Chief General Tadin Khan as saying that the confrontation took place when Taliban militants attacked police soldiers in Maiwand district in Taimor area.Three militants were also injured in the clash.Khan added that three police force members were killed and one policeman was injured in the clash.

Palestinian killed by Israel fire ahead of border protests: Gaza ministry

A Palestinian was killed by Israeli fire on the Gaza border early Saturday, the territory's health ministry said, hours ahead of planned mass protests. The ministry said Mohammed Saad, 20, died after being hit in the head with shrapnel caused by Israeli army fire east of Gaza City. Protesters at the site said he had been taking part in an overnight rally ahead of the main demonstration scheduled for Saturday afternoon. They said he was more than 100 metres (yards) from the heavily-fortified border fence when he was hit and had been on crutches due to a previous injury. An Israeli army spokeswoman declined to comment. Thousands are expected to demonstrate on Saturday afternoon at various points along the Gaza-Israel border, one year after the start of regular mass protests demanding the right of return for Palestinian refugees to homes now in Israel. At least 259 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the protests began, the vast majority along the border. Two Israeli ...

Search operation in Jammu and Kashmir village

A search operation was carried out on Saturday in a village in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district, police said.

Agartala: TUIPC holds protest, demands rehabilitation of former militants

With the Lok Sabha polls on the anvil, a large number of surrendered militants took part in a protest here Friday demanding proper rehabilitation and withdrawal of cases as per the terms and conditions of the government's rehabilitation policy."The organisation includes former militants from 48 different groups who came to lead a normal life after the government called for shunning violence and returning to normal life. Unfortunately, they did not get a proper rehabilitation package and in accordance to the terms and conditions, pending cases against them were not withdrawn," said Denial Borok, organisational secretary of Tripura United Indigenous People's Council (TUIPC), said.Borok said that 84 of these militants are still in jail and around 9,000 cases are pending."Our organisation has a 20-point charter demanding implementation of the rehabilitation package beside free education and hostel facilities for the children of these former militants in Agartala and capitals of various ...