Page 176 - War Conflict
US-backed force says it's in control of IS Syria encampment
US-backed Syrian forces fighting the Islamic State group announced Tuesday they have taken control over an encampment in an eastern Syrian village where IS militants have been besieged for months, refusing to surrender. The milestone, though significant, was not the final defeat of IS in the village of Baghouz, the last sliver of territory in Syria held by the extremists. Mustafa Bali, the spokesman for the Kurdish-led force known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, said that however, clashes were continuing elsewhere in the village as IS militants continue to fight back. "This is not a victory announcement, but a significant progress in the fight," Bali said in a Twitter post. He said hundreds of wounded and sick militants were captured and have been evacuated to nearby military hospitals for treatment. The area held by IS in Baghouz is the last pocket of territory in Syria controlled by the extremist group, which once held a vast area of Syria and Iraq, calling it an Islamic ...
Syria force makes gains in last IS redoubt
Kurdish-led fighters advanced in the Islamic State group's last bastion in eastern Syria, confining holdout jihadists to a tiny pocket on the edge of Baghouz village, the force said Tuesday. The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces said those IS fighters who had not yet surrendered had been forced out of their main encampment and cornered into a very small area on the banks of the Euphrates River. "SDF is in control of the Daesh encampment area in Baghouz," spokesman Mustefa Bali said on Twitter in English, using the Arabic acronym for the jihadist group. But SDF fighters have not taken up positions in the so-called encampment, a jumble of mangled vehicles, makeshift berms and tents on the edge of Baghouz village. "This is not a victory announcement, but a significant progress in the fight against Daesh," Bali said. After another night of fighting and the surrender of yet another batch of jihadist fighters, the few acres of land controlled by IS shrank further. It is unclear how long ...
Prez awards gallantry awards to armed forces personnel
President Ram Nath Kovind Tuesday awarded two Kirti Chakras and and an equal number of Shaurya Chakras posthumously to soldiers who laid down their lives in Army operations in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast. In a rare occurrence, he also awarded a Shaurya Chakra to 16-year-old Irfan Ramzan Sheikh who thwarted a militant attack on his home in 2017. The Kirti Chakras were awarded to Sowar Vijay Kumar of the Armoured Corps and Constable Pradip Kumar Panda of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). The two died in two separate operations in Jammu and Kashmir. Rifleman Jaiprakash Oraon and Sepoy Ajay Kumar were awarded Shaurya Chakras for their role in counter terror operations in Manipur and Jammu and Kashmir respectively. Shaurya Chakras were also awarded to CRPF Deputy Commandant Kuldeep Singh Chahar, Major Pawan Kumar, Rifleman Rathva Lilesh Bhai, Naib Subedhar Anil Kumar Dahiya, CRPF Assistant Commandant Zile Singh, Havildar Jaweed Ahmad Bhat, Havildar Kul Bahadur Thapa, ...
President confers gallantry awards to armed forces
President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday conferred gallantry awards -- two Kirti Chakras and 15 Shaurya Chakras -- to the armed forces personnel for displaying conspicuous gallantry, indomitable courage and extreme devotion to the duty. Two Kirti Chakras and two Shaurya Chakras were given posthumously.
Boko Haram kills three in NE Nigeria: Residents
Boko Haram militants have attacked a town in northeast Nigeria, killing three, and robbing and burning a bank, residents said on Tuesday, in the latest violence in the restive region. Jihadist fighters arriving aboard vehicles and motorcycles stormed Michika in Adamawa state near the border with neighbouring Borno at about 6:30 pm (1730 GMT) on Monday, firing guns and forcing some residents to flee the town. Others were said to have locked themselves in their homes. "They attacked a commercial bus driving through the town and killed three people inside. They overpowered soldiers in the town and forced them to withdraw," resident Saleh Abbare told AFP. He said the insurgents also broke into a commercial bank, carted away money and set the building on fire. "The bank was recently renovated and banking activities resumed since 2014 after it was destroyed by the same Boko Haram when they took over the town," he said. Another resident, Daniel Bature, said the jihadists were pushed out ...
Modi to interact with 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' pledge takers
The BJP on Tuesday said its campaign 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' has turned into "a mass movement" with over one crore people taking a pledge to be a 'watchman' and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with them through video conference on March 31.
India will never forget Pulwama attack: Ajit Doval
National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on Tuesday said that India will never forget the killing of 40 CRPF jawans in the Pulwama attack last month and it is the leadership which decides "when, where and how" to respond to it.Speaking on the occasion of 80th CRPF anniversary parade in Gurugram, Doval said, "We have not forgotten 40 jawans who lost their lives in Pulwama; the country will never forget this."He added, "What we have to do, which path we have to follow, what action is to be taken and at what time, our nation's leadership is capable and strong enough to take this decision and face every kind of challenge."He said that the country is capable of doing whatever is needed to be done, whether it is against terrorists or those who are helping them. "We will fight against them. We have the courage and intention to fight against any crisis," said Doval.The NSA paid tributes to 40 CRPF jawans who were killed in a ghastly attack by Pakistan based Jasih-e-Mohammed (JeM). The CRPF .
Indian WWI soldiers' letters, songs inspire artwork
Poignant letters sent home by Indian soldiers during World War I and folk songs sung by families pained by war and separation have inspired artist Angeli Sowani's exhibited paintings that give voice and image to the forgotten soldiers.
Government capable of retaliation: NSA Doval
As the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) celebrated its 80th Raising Day on Tuesday, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval said the Modi government is capable of carrying out "retaliatory strikes" against any act of terrorism.
Six bodies released to Christchurch families after delay: police
The bodies of six of the Christchurch massacre victims have been released to their families after an anguished-filled delay, New Zealand police said Tuesday, but they warned only a fraction of those killed had been fully identified. Police said that all 50 autopsies had been concluded but only "12 victims have been identified to the satisfaction of the Coroner". "Six of those identified victims have been returned to their families." The delay has caused consternation among families of the dead, who would have liked to follow Islamic custom and bury their loved ones within 24 hours. Mohamed Safi, 23, whose father Matiullah Safi died in Al Noor mosque, earlier voiced frustration with officials for not giving grieving families any indication of when the bodies would be released. "There's nothing they are offering," the Afghan refugee said outside the family support centre in Christchurch. "They are just saying they are doing their procedures, they are doing their process. "But what ...
Awami League leader shot dead in Bangladesh
Unidentified assailants gunned down a local leader of the ruling Awami League in front of his family in the southeastern Bangladesh on Tuesday, a day after seven election and security officials were shot dead while returning from a remote polling centre. Suresh Kanti Tanchangya, Bilaichhari upazila president of the Awami League, was gunned down around 9:30 am in Alikhong area in Rangamati district, police said. He, along with his family, was coming to Bilaichhari on boat this morning, they said. "The miscreants intercepted a boat carrying Bilaichhari Upazila Awami League President Suresh Kanti Tanchangya and gunned him down," Rangamati hill district's police chief Alamgir Kabir told reporters. He said the family members accompanying Tanchangya, a tribesman, escaped the attack unhurt but could not identify the assailants. The attack comes a day after seven people, including a presiding officer, were shot dead by unidentified gunmen who opened fire on their two jeeps as they were ...
Myanmar court jails Rakhine leader for 20 years for treason
A Myanmar court on Tuesday sentenced a prominent ethnic Rakhine leader to 20 years in jail for treason, a verdict likely to intensify anger amid fighting between the ethnic group and the army. Security forces tried to calm hundreds of supporters outside the court in Rakhine state capital Sittwe as Aye Maung was escorted to a waiting police van following the verdict. Aye Maung, the former chairman of the Arakan National Party -- which is renowned for hardline views against the Rohingya Muslim minority -- was sentenced for treason and defamation over an allegedly inflammatory speech in January 2018, a day before deadly riots. State-backed media at the time said he railed against the central government for treating the ethnic Rakhine as "slaves" and said it was the "right time" for the community to launch an armed struggle. The following evening, Rakhine protesters briefly seized a government building and police opened fire, killing seven people. Aye Maung and a fellow detainee -- writer
NZ premier Ardern vows mosque gunman will face 'full force of law'
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern promised on Tuesday that the man responsible for last week's deadly mosque massacres would face "the full force of the law", as she vowed never to utter his name. "He sought many things from his act of terror, but one was notoriety -- that is why you will never hear me mention his name," Ardern said in an emotional address to a special meeting of parliament, which she opened with the Arabic greeting "as salaam aleikum" -- 'peace be upon you'. "I implore you: Speak the names of those who were lost rather than the name of the man who took them," she told the gathering in Wellington, four days after the massacre in the southern city of Christchurch. "He is a terrorist. He is a criminal. He is an extremist. But he will, when I speak, be nameless," she said. Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, was captured by police and has been charged with one count of murder, but Ardern assured parliament other charges would follow. "He will face the full force of .
New Zealanders give up guns after massacre, but some face blowback
New Zealanders have begun handing in weapons in response to government appeals following the Christchurch massacre, but the gesture has put some squarely in the social media firing line. John Hart, a farmer in the North Island district of Masterton, decided to give his semi-automatic rifle to police after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced on Monday plans to tighten gun laws in light of the slaughter Friday of 50 Muslim worshippers. She also encouraged owners to surrender unnecessary firearms after it emerged that the accused mosque attacker, Australia white nationalist Brenton Tarrant, had legally acquired the guns he used in the rampage. Hart said it was an easy decision for him to hand in his semi-automatic and tweeted that "on the farm they are a useful tool in some circumstances, but my convenience doesn't outweigh the risk of misuse. We don't need these in our country". The tweet drew a barrage of derogatory messages to his Facebook account -- most apparently from the US, ..
One of 7 Indians abducted in Afghanistan returns
The Ministry of External Affairs has said one of the seven Indians abducted in Baghlan province of Afghanistan has safely returned.
Utrecht tram shooting: 3 killed, suspect held
Dutch authorities on Monday arrested the suspect accused of opening fire inside a tram in Utrecht city in central Netherlands which left three people dead and five others injured.The gunman, Gokmen Tanis, who hails from Turkey, was arrested by the police after a manhunt was launched to nab the suspect, Central Netherlands Police chief Rob van Bree said.Meanwhile, a second suspect was arrested and sent to custody. However, it is unclear whether he was involved in the shooting or not, CNN reported.Following the arrests, Dutch authorities downgraded the terror threat level in Utrecht province to Level 4, which was raised to 5, during the attack, meaning critical. Police said that they were considering "a possible terrorist motive" for the shooting.Terming the attack as a "deeply disturbing" one, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the shooting was "an attack on our tolerant and open society."Security has been beefed up across the country in the wake of the attack with heavy deployment ..
Remains of Ohio soldier killed in Korean War identified
The remains of an Ohio soldier killed during the Korean War have been identified. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency said in a statement Monday that Army Cpl. Stephen Nemec, of Cleveland, was accounted for on July 13, 2018. Officials say the 21-year-old soldier was reported killed fighting against the Chinese People's Volunteer Forces at Turtle Head's Bend, near the village of Unsan, North Korea, on November 2, 1950. He was buried at a United Nations cemetery that was soon closed as the situation in North Korea worsened. Remains received in an exchange with Chinese and North Koreans after the war were interred at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu. A renewed effort to identify unknown remains resulted in Nemec's identification. Burial arrangements haven't been announced.
One of 7 abducted Indians return home from Afghanistan
One out of the seven Indian nationals who were kidnapped in Afghanistan's Baghlan province in May last year, returned safely to India, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Monday."We are grateful to the Government of Afghanistan for their support in securing the release and repatriation of the Indian national," the MEA stated. "We continue to work closely with the Government of Afghanistan for safe and early return of the remaining six Indian nationals," it added.The seven Indians were kidnapped by Taliban militants in northern Baghlan province on May 6 last year.The Indian nationals were employed in RPG Group company KEC International and were working on a project for the construction of a power sub-station in the country when they were abducted.Following the incident, India had said that it was in touch with Afghan authorities, adding that the lives of the seven Indian nationals were at stake."We are in touch with the Afghan authorities on this matter. Our External Affairs
Two held in city, arms seized
Two persons were arrested and country-made arms and ammunition seized from their possession at Esplanade area in the heart of the city, police said Monday. The police recovered a pistol fitted with a magazine with three cartridges, besides a single shot firearm with three cartridges. The two, who are residents of Kasba area of the city, had brought the arms and ammunition for selling them to some anti-social elements who managed to flee, police said. They were arrested late on Saturday night.
Landmine kills eight in NE Nigeria: Security sources
Eight people were killed in Borno state, northeast Nigeria, near the border with Cameroon on Monday when a vehicle hit a roadside mine, security sources told AFP. The vehicle, part of a civilian convoy under military escort, veered off the road in an attempt to overtake another vehicle when it hit the device. Military and civilian militia sources blamed Boko Haram jihadists for planting the mine, underlying the persistent threat to civilians in the remote region. "The vehicle exploded and all the eight people inside were killed," said a military officer. "Seven more people from the other vehicle we're injured from the explosion." The incident happened at about 10:00 am (0900 GMT) at Warabe village, some 15 kilometres (nearly 10 miles) from the town of Gwoza, said civilian militia leader Umar Ari. The convoy had left Gwoza and was heading to Pulka some 20 kilometres away on the border with Cameroon he added. The Boko Haram faction loyal to its long-time leader Abubakar Shekau is known .