Page 207 - War Conflict
'Seeing names of fallen soldiers on National War Memorial gives me goosebumps'
Wing Commander Sushmita Sekhon, who commanded guard of Honour at National War Memorial inauguration here, said that looking at the names of fallen soldiers on National War Memorial gave her goosebumps.Speaking to ANI on Monday, Wing Commander Sekhon said, "Names of fallen soldiers are imbibed throughout this memorial which gives me goosebumps. And I am part of this historic moment. This is a feeling that I cannot describe in words."Delighted to get the opportunity for commanding the guard of Honour at the inaugural event of the memorial, she said, "I basically belong to a Defence family. My father is in vigilance department; my brother is in the Army. My husband and I are in the Air Force, brother-in-law in Navy, and father-in-law was in Navy. We all know the importance of this moment."After 72 years of Independence, India got its first National War Memorial, a state-of-art monument spread over an area of approximately 40 acres. It is a tribute to Indian soldiers who made the supreme .
India gets its first National War Memorial after 72 years of Independence
After 72 years of Independence, India got its first National War Memorial, a state-of-art monument spread over an area of approximately 40 acres and is a tribute to Indian soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice for the country post-independence.While inaugurating the memorial, today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "Demand for National War Memorial has been there for many decades. Some efforts were made previously but nothing concrete happened. In 2014 we started the procedure and today it is being inaugurated before time. This monument is also the testimony of how a vow is taken and fulfilled."The memorial is dedicated to soldiers who laid down their lives defending the nation during Sino-Indian war in1962, Indo-Pak wars in 1947, 1965 and 1971, Indian Peace Keeping Force Operations in Sri Lanka and in the Kargil Conflict in 1999.The National War Memorial will be the place for wreath-laying for all designated events in the future. It also commemorates the soldiers who participated
Lanka's Tamil-dominated north observes shut down over justice for disappeared persons
Sri Lanka's Tamil-dominated northern province observed a complete shut down on Monday with protestors demanding justice for thousands of disappeared persons of the brutal three-decade-long civil war against the LTTE that ended in 2009. The families of the disappeared persons joined the protest and public transport, schools and government institutions remained shut with the civil society's support, a Tamil party official said. At a well-attended gathering in Kilinochchi, the former LTTE stronghold, the protestors said they had no faith in any local probe and wanted internationally-supervised process of accountability for crimes committed in the final phase of the conflict. "Ten years passed since the bloody war came to an end but nothing has changed significantly in our daily lives, we are still searching for our loved ones, our lands are still occupied by military and our homeland militarised," placards at the rally read. The protesters urged that the Sri Lankan government not be ...
PM dedicates National War Memorial; calls it symbol of soldiers' sacrifice and courage
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the country's National War Memorial (NWM) adjoining the iconic India Gate complex in the heart of the capital, nearly 60 years after it was mooted to honour the fallen soldiers after Independence. Spread over an area of approximately 40 acres, the memorial comprises four concentric circles, namely -- the 'Amar Chakra', 'Veerta Chakra', 'Tyag Chakra' and the 'Rakshak Chakra' with names of 25,942 soldiers inscribed in golden letters on granite tablets. It also includes a central 15.5-m obelisk, an eternal flame and six bronze murals depicting famous battles fought by the Indian Army, Air Force and the Navy in a covered gallery (Veerta Chakra). The prime minister dedicated to the nation the memorial, built at a cost of Rs 176 crore, by lighting the flame positioned at the bottom of the stone-made obelisk. Rose petals were showered by IAF helicopters and a fly-past in 'Missing Man' formation was also part of the event. There was no ...
War memorial may replace Amar Jawan Jyoti as venue for paying tribute to fallen soldiers
The National War Memorial is likely to replace India Gate and the Amar Jawan Jyoti as the venue for paying respect to the fallen soldiers on national events like Republic Day and Vijay Diwas. The iconic India Gate may see mostly regimental functions of the armed forces.
UN court rejects UK's right over Chagos Islands
The International Court of Justice on Monday dismissed the UK's right to govern the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean and called on its government to withdraw from the archipelago, a verdict viewed as a big setback to Britain's standing in the UN. Mauritius had filed a claim in the top UN court demanding its right over the islands, an assertion which was backed by India during the legal proceedings in September last year. In its advisory opinion, which is not legally binding, the The International Court of Justice (ICJ) concluded that the archipelago had not been lawfully separated from Mauritius, a former British colony which gained independence in 1968. The Chagos Islands, which includes the strategic US airbase of Diego Garcia, has been operated as a British Indian Ocean Territory. "The UK has an obligation to bring to an end its administration of Chagos archipelago as rapidly as possible," ICJ President Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf said in a ruling in The Hague. The ICJ ruled that the ..
PM opens National War Memorial, targets Congress
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the National War Memorial here by lighting the "eternal flame" at the monument and chose the occasion to accuse the previous Congress governments of playing with national interest, saying there was a concept of "family first" instead of "nation first."
'Fully prepared' for befitting response to 'any India aggression':Pak Army
A top Pakistan Army official said on Monday that his country's armed forces are "fully prepared" for a befitting response to "any Indian aggression or misadventure". Army spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor said that Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa met Air chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan and the two chiefs deliberated on operational environment including threat and response. "Both chiefs expressed satisfaction on readiness, coordination and synergy. Pakistan Armed Forces are fully prepared for a befitting response to any Indian aggression or misadventure," he added. His statement came amid heightened tension between India and Pakistan after the February 14 suicide attack by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group that killed 40 CRPF soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. Days after the attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said security forces were given a free hand to avenge the dastardly act. Ghafoor said Gen Bajwa also visited Headquarters Rawalpindi Corps, where he was
Mobile data from suspected JeM members extracted, being analysed: UP police
Data from the mobile phones of the two suspected Jaish terrorists arrested from Deoband town in Saharanpur district was extracted on Monday at a court here and is being analysed by investigators for leads, a senior Uttar Pradesh ATS official said. In a statement, the Anti-Terrorist Squad official also said "some persons" linked to the two men belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammad, the group behind the deadly Pulwama attack, were questioned. Director General of Police OP Singh previously said the two men were "using BBM, virtual numbers and an app not available on Google Play Store" to communicate. They discussed movement of weapons and preparations for a major terror incident, he has said. Shahnawaz Ahmad Teli, from Kulgam in J&K, and Aquib Ahmad Malik, from Pulwama, were arrested on Thursday night and .32 bore pistols and cartridges were seized from them. Aged between 20-25 years, they were staying in Deoband and posing as students without taking admission anywhere, according to DGP ...
Cong made defence purchases 'source of income': PM
Inaugurating the country's first National War Memorial here, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday targeted the Congress, saying it had made defence purchases a "source of income" during its rule and that probe in all cases from Bofors to AgustaWestland chopper deal pointed towards the "first family", a reference to the Gandhi family.He alleged that the previous Congress governments had committed the "sin" of neglecting the national security and the armed forces and was now using its full force to stall the Rafale fighter procurement.Addressing a gathering of ex-servicemen at the event, the Prime Minister said his "strong government" had taken steps towards strengthening the national security and enhancing the country's prestige and that "more such steps will be taken in that direction in the coming days"."We have shown how impossible can be made possible. For the prestige of the country, this 'pradhan sevak' (chief servant) will take decisions in the country's interests," he ...
US envoy meets top Taliban political leader in Doha as new talks begin
US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad met with the Taliban's top political leader in Doha Monday, in what is believed to be the highest level engagement between the US and the Taliban since the months-long peace push began. Khalilzad tweeted that he and Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a cofounder of the Islamist movement, had held a "working lunch" ahead of a fresh round of talks with the insurgent group as the US seeks a way out of its longest war. The arrival in Qatar late Sunday of Baradar, seen as close to Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, has helped fuel speculation of a breakthrough. Marathon talks last month saw the two sides walk away with a "draft framework" that included a Taliban vow to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a haven for international terror groups. There was no accord on a US withdrawal or a ceasefire, however, issues which have derailed attempts at peace talks in the past, while the government in Kabul has voiced increasingly loud fears it was being sidelined from
Centre, J&K, NHRC to reply on armed forces' rights in insurgency-hit areas
The Supreme Court on Monday sought responses from the Centre, the Jammu and Kashmir government and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on a PIL seeking a policy to safeguard the rights of armed forces personnel in insurgency-hit areas.
Suspected JeM member bought Maruti Eeco 10 days before Pulwama terror attack: NIA
The NIA, which is probing the Pulwama terror attack on February 14, on Monday said that the Maruti Eeco used by the suicide bomber to ram the CRPF convoy was bought 10 days before the attack by a resident of Kashmir's Anantnag district who has now reportedly joined Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).
National War Memorial: Bronze murals depicting battles made by 'Statue of Unity' artist
The six bronze murals located in the Veerta Chakra zone at the National War Memorial, depicting famous battles fought by the armed forces, were made by noted artist Ram Sutar, who had designed the 182-m 'Statue of Unity'. Dedicated to the nation on Monday by Prime Minister Narndra Modi, its design draws inspiration from the 'Chakravyuh' formation and boasts of four thematic concentric circles with a tall ceremonial obelisk at its centre bearing the eternal flame. The Noida-based sculptor, a Padma Bhushan-recipient who attended the inauguration ceremony also made the busts of 21 awardees, 15 posthumously, of the Param Veer Chakra (PVC), country's highest wartime gallantry medal which dot the Param Yoddha Sthal built close to the main memorial on the northern side of the India Gate's C-Hexagon area. "The battles depicted in bronze relief works are -- Battles of Gangasagar, Longewala, Tithwal, Rizangla, and Operations Meghdoot and Trident," said Sutar's son Anil Sutar, who assists the ..
Past govt. made national security source of income, all Investigations from Bofors to Helicopter leading to same family: PM Modi
Unveiling the National War Memorial here, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday targeted the Congress, saying it had made defence purchases a "source of income" during its rule and that investigations in all cases from Bofors to AgustaWestland helicopter deal pointed towards the "first family", a reference to the Gandhi family.He alleged that the previous Congress governments had committed the "sin" of neglecting the national security and the armed forces and was now using its full force to stall the Rafale fighter procurement.Addressing a gathering of ex-servicemen at the event, the Prime Minister said his "strong government" had taken steps towards strengthening the national security and enhancing the country's prestige and that "more such steps will be taken in that direction in the coming days"."We have shown how impossible can be made possible. For the prestige of the country, this 'pradhan sevak' (chief servant) will take decisions in the country's interests," he said.Listing ..
SC rejects PIL seeking probe into possible larger conspiracies behind Pulwama attack
The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea seeking a probe into possible larger conspiracies behind the February 14 Pulwama terrorist attack in which 40 CRPF soldiers were killed. The PIL, filed by lawyer Vineet Dhanda, had claimed that nearly 370 kg RDX explosive was used by the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) suicide bomber who rammed his vehicle into the bus carrying the soldiers and hence required a thorough probe. A bench of Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna dismissed the plea. The plea had also sought directions to the Centre to constitute a committee headed by a retired judge of the apex court to inquire the role of Indian citizens in the Uri and Pulwama terrorist attacks. It alleged that though the investigations by the Centre and the Army found procedural lapses in the 2016 Uri attack in which 17 jawans died, they did not carry out any detailed investigation because of which the people behind it were not punished. It further claimed that the role of ...
National War Memorial: Now, one more pilgrimage place for Indians, says Def Min
The inauguration of the sprawling National War Memorial is a "landmark event" and the county now has "one more pilgrimage place" where citizens can come to pay homage to our brave soldiers, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Monday. Addressing a gathering of ex-servicemen at the National Stadium, she also said that there was "always an inexorable requirement to have our own war memorial" to pay tribute to soldiers who have laid down their lives since Independence. Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the memorial on Monday, spread over 40 acres in the India Gate complex here, by lighting the flame positioned at the bottom of the stone-made obelisk. Modi also addressed the ex-servicemen at the event. "It has been wonderfully designed such that it homogenously merges with the surrounding, giving an impression that it existed ever since long. We can proudly say there is one more pilgrimage place for we Indians. We expect every citizen will pay a visit to this memorial to pay ...
PRISM urges NHRC to monitor presence of security forces at
The People's Representation for Identity and Status of Mizoram (PRISM) sent a letter to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Monday, urging it to monitor the presence of large number of the Indian Army and the central armed police forces (CAPF) along the Mizoram-Myanmar border. The letter said that the presence of large number of armed soldiers in the areas is creating panic among the civilians along the Myanmar border, a statement issued by the party said. Restricting civilian movement by the troops has created serious problems for the people, the statement quoted the PRISM's letter as saying.
Burkina Faso says its forces have killed 29 extremists
Burkina Faso's armed forces say defense and security forces killed 29 extremists in an operation last week in the country's east. Armed forces spokesman Col. Karim Ouili said late Sunday the combined actions of special forces by land and air on Feb. 19-20 took place in the localities of Kompienbiga, Kabonga and a touristic hunting area. He said weapons, ammunition and other materials were also seized. Burkina Faso has seen a major increase in extremist attacks in the past few years. The threat, which initially came from the northern Sahel region, has shifted into the forested east near the border with Niger. The government recently declared a state of emergency in 14 provinces of seven regions. Burkina Faso is part of the G5 Sahel regional counterterror force.
French forces strike jihadists in central Mali
French warplanes struck a group of jihadists in central Mali over the weekend, killing or wounding 15 of them, the defence ministry in Paris said Monday. The raid -- the second in 48 hours -- took place north of Mopti on Saturday evening, as French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and Defence Minister Florence Parly were visiting Mali. Two Mirage 2000 jets, aided by a Reaper drone, took off from Niamey in neighbouring Niger to carry out the strike, which targeted forces from the Macina rebel group in the Dialoube region. The defence ministry did not specify how many jihadists were killed and how many wounded, saying only they were "put out of action". France has around 2,700 troops stationed in Mali as part of its Barkhane anti-insurgency campaign in the region, which comprises a total of some 4,500 soldiers. In addition to French troops, around 15,000 peacekeepers have been deployed in the country as part of the United Nations' stabilisation mission, known as MINUSMA. But the Malian .