Page 22 - War Conflict
166 SPOs appointed in Poonch to strengthen security grid
Police have appointed 166 special police officers to strengthen the security grid in the border district of Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said Thursday. The police department in Poonch selected the candidates and an approval has been given by the police headquarters for their appointment, they said. The appointments of the SPOs are aimed to strengthen the security grid in the border district, they said.
Taliban's bid to overrun Afghan district foiled, 20 killed
Taliban's attempts to capture Obe district in Afghanistan's Herat province have been foiled with 20 insurgents killed, the police said on Thursday.
Arms and ammunition belonging to insurgent group seized in Imphal
Arms and ammunition were found on Thursday during a combined search operation by officials of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), 6 Assam Rifles and Imphal East Commando Police near New Salem Tangkhul Village in Kangpokpi district.The NIA team led by Dy SP Nishant Singh, 6 Assam Rifles team led by Col. AK Das and Imphal East Commando unit led by inspector Md. Rajeev was spurred to action after NIA received credible input about the presence of a cache of arms and ammunition of Kangleipak Communist Party (People War Group) in New Salem Tangkhul Village's forest area.After a prolonged search, the team found the arms and ammunition buried in bushes in the ground of Nangdam Thumkhong Hill.The arms and ammunition included one AK-56 Rifle with three magazines, two pistols, two Chinese hand grenades, 180 live rounds of AK-56, ten 9 mm live rounds and four 0.38 mm live rounds. Uniforms along with jungle boots were also found concealed in the cache.As per information received by the NIA, ..
Sri Lanka appoints new intelligence chief after Easter attacks probe row
Major General Ruwan Kulatunga will be Sri Lanka's new chief of National Intelligence after President Maithripala Sirisena sacked his predecessor for blaming him for failing to avert the Easter Sunday terror attacks. Kulatunga would replace Sisira Mendis, a retired senior police superintendent, who was sacked by Sirisena after he testified before a parliament select committee formed to probe the Easter bombings that targeted three Catholic churches and high-end hotels, killing 258 people. During the inquiry last week, Mendis testified that the April 21 attacks could have been averted and also said that President Sirisena had failed to hold regular security meetings to assess the threat from Islamic radicals. Mendis, in his testimony, mentioned about the prior intelligence of the attacks and the official negligence in averting the series of blasts. Sirisena, who is also the Minister of Defence, last week claimed that he had sacked Mendis before he appeared for the enquiry. Earlier, ...
Egypt officials say roadside bomb wounds 6 police in Sinai
Egyptian security officials are saying that six policemen were wounded by a roadside bomb targeting a police patrol vehicle in the restive northern Sinai province. The officials said Thursday that the bomb was detonated remotely near the city of El-Arish. They said Islamic militants had set up ambushes along the highway leading to El-Arish where they had kidnapped at least 14 civilians over the course of the last 24 hours. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak to the media. Egypt has battled Islamic militants for years in northern Sinai, where an affiliate of the Islamic State group is based. Last week, the group claimed responsibility for the killing of eight policemen in an assault on a checkpoint near El-Arish.
Belgium to bring home six orphans of jihadists slain in Syria
Belgium will bring six orphans home from Kurdish-controlled camps in Syria after the deaths of their jihadist parents, Finance Minister Alexander De Croo said Thursday. "These are children who were born in our country and who today no longer have parents," the minister told VRT public radio after a cabinet decision. Belgium is one of several European countries wrestling with the dilemma of what to do about citizens trapped in Syria following the defeat of the Islamic State group. Some are reticent to accept captured extremist fighters, but the cases of children and non-combatant wives have proved more complicated for Western authorities. On Wednesday, Foreign Minister Didier Reynders said Belgium has a signed deal to allow returnees to transit through Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region. The bulk of the Islamic State fighters and family members who were captured when its so-called caliphate collapsed are being held in Syria in Kurdish-run camps. De Croo said that four of the six ...
Pakistan ordered Wednesday's suicide attack: J&K Governor
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik said on Thursday that the 'fidayeen' (suicide squad) attack in Anantnag district on Wednesday was carried out at the behest of Pakistan.
Anantnag terror attack: Congress condoles death of security personnel
Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala on Thursday condoled the death of five security personnel who died in a terrorist attack in Anantnag yesterday. He also urged the Centre and the intelligence agencies to take requisite measures in order to combat the menace in the near the future.Taking to Twitter, Surjewala said, "Disturbing to learn that 5 brave CRPF Jawans have been martyred & 4 Jawans injured in a terror attack at a busy road in Anantnag. My salutations to the valour of our Jawans. Govt and intelligence agencies must take suitable action so that attacks be curtailed in the future."Five Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed and three others were injured when their patrol party was attacked by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag on Wednesday.Among those dead are ASI Ramesh Kumar (Jhajjar, Haryana), ASI Nirod Sarma (Nalbari, Assam), CT Satendra Kumar (Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh), CT Mahesh Kr Kushwaha (Gazipur, Uttar Pradesh) and CT ...
Delhi: Criminal with 12 cases held
A criminal wanted in 12 cases has been arrested following an encounter with police in Netaji Subhash Place area here on Monday night, the police said.Deputy Commissioner of Police (North-West Delhi) Vijayanta Arya told ANI, "Shrikant sustained bullet injuries in the encounter. A girl who was present with the criminal last night during the police encounter and had fled the spot. However, she has been arrested later from Shakurpur area."They committed two loots last night as well and the looted possessions have been recovered from her," he said.More details are awaited in this regard.
NIA searches continue for second day in ISIS Kerala-TN module case
The National Investigation Agency Thursday continued raids here for a second day in connection with the ISIS Kerala-Tamil Nadu module case. After carrying out searches at seven locations in the city on Wednesday, the NIA had detained six people for questioning and arrested prime accused Mohammed Azarudeen, who was a Facebook friend of Sri Lankan Easter Day blasts mastermind Zahra Hashim. Officials from the revenue and police departments are carrying out searches at the houses of three other people-Mohammed Hussain, Shahjahan and Hayatulla- from as early as 4.30 am Thursday, police sources said. NIA had registered cases on May 30 against Azarudeen, Sheik Hidyathullah, Akram Sindhaa, Aboobacker M, Sadham Hussain and Ibrahim alias Shahin, all from Coimbatore, for their involvement in recruiting youth and planning terrorist attacks in south India, especially Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The officials had seized a number of devices like mobile phones, laptops, pen drives and incriminating ...
Hong Kong: Govt offices shut down due to mass protests over controversial bill
Authorities in Hong Kong on Thursday closed government offices after mass protests intensified against a controversial extradition bill that would allow people to be sent to mainland China for criminal prosecution.Chief Executive Carrie Lam, the embattled leader of the semi-autonomous body, described the protests as politically motivated "riots" and condemned protesters who resorted to "dangerous and life-threatening acts", Al Jazeera reported.Lam further defended the highly controversial bill, insisting that the legal changes were crucial to the territory's future.Thousands of people surrounded the Legco or the Legislative Council, on Wednesday morning ahead of a scheduled second debate on the extradition bill.An estimated 5,000 riot police fired tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets and bean bags at the protesters as they were forced to clear the streets around the Legislative Council.The demonstrations forced the debate to be postponed to an unspecified date, but the situation ...
Afghan government says it has freed 490 Taliban prisoners
The Afghan government says it has freed 490 Taliban prisoners from jails across the country in a gesture of good will as part of efforts to move a stalled peace process forward. Feroz Bashari, government media center chief, told The Associated Press on Thursday that the freed Taliban insurgents were either ailing or had less than a year remaining on their prison sentence. He says they are part of a group of 887 inmates that President Ashraf Ghani ordered freed to mark the Eid-al-Fitr holiday that followed the end of the holy month of Ramadan earlier in June. He didn't say when the remaining prisoners would be released. The development comes as US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is in the Afghan capital of Kabul, trying to revive peace talks.
Police face mounting brutality claims after Hong Kong clashes
Their motto has been "Asia's Finest" since colonial times, but videos of Hong Kong police beating unarmed protesters have fuelled public anger and sparked accusations of brutality. Tens of thousands of demonstrators occupying city streets scattered when police used tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets and bean bag rounds on Wednesday. Police insisted the force was necessary to fend off protesters throwing bricks and metal bars. But critics said officers used localised violence by small groups of hardcore activists to launch an unprecedented operation against the much larger mass of peaceful protesters who had taken over parts of the city on Wednesday. Criticism of police tactics poured in Thursday as videos of the clashes went viral. The Hong Kong Bar Association slammed the "deployment of wholly unnecessary force against largely unarmed protesters who did not appear to pose any immediate threat to the police or the public at large." The group said the police "may well have ...
Tamil Nadu: NIA raid continues, more locations brought under probe based
National Investigation Agency's (NIA) raid at seven locations in Coimbatore in connection with ISIS module case continued on Thursday morning.Yesterday, NIA had begun the raids at different locations and had arrested four persons for interrogation.Based on the cross-examination of the arrested individuals, the local police is also conducting an inquiry at three more locations in the city.Residences of family members of Shabi Ullah, Mohammed Hussain, and Shajha Khan at Karumbukadai, Ukkadam and Anbu Nagar in Coimbatore are being searched by the state police.Earlier on Wednesday, NIA had recovered 14 mobiles, 29 SIM cards and other incriminating materials including 300 air-gun pellets and posters of some proscribed organisation during its searches in Coimbatore in connection with ISIS Tamil Nadu-Kerala case." During the searches, digital devices including 14 mobile phones, 29 SIM cards, 10 pen drives, 3 laptops, 6 memory cards, 4 hard disc drives, 1 Internet dongle and 13 CDs/DVDs ...
Anantnag terror attack: J&K guv expresses grief over loss of CRPF men
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik expressed deep anguish on Thursday over the loss of CRPF men in Wednesday's terror attack in Anantnag district as floral tributes were paid to the slain personnel at a function held at Humhama. Condemning the cowardly attack, the governor said his heart went out to the departed soldiers and their families, a Raj Bhawan spokesperson said. "Whenever successful attempts are made by the security forces to either conduct peaceful elections or continuous elimination of terrorists, the masterminds of terrorists from across the border order them to carry out fidayeen (suicide) attacks on forces and yesterday's attack in Anantnag district was also a fidayeen attack," Malik said. He added that the terrorists and their handlers should know that "our resolve to eliminate this menace (of terrorism) is unshakable". A wreath-laying ceremony was held for the five Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel who were killed in the attack at Anantnag's ...
Trump hopes 'China and Hong Kong can work things out'
President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he hopes things may work out between the Chinese central government and Hong Kong as protesters intensified demonstrations against a controversial extradition bill which would allow criminal suspects in the city to be sent to mainland China for trial.More than 70 people have been injured as a result of protests over the bill that would allow Hong Kong to extradite fugitives to territories where it doesn't have formal extradition deals, including mainland China, Taiwan and Macau, CNN reported."I don't know what they're sending them. That's a demonstration that they're having. I understand the reason for the demonstration but I'm sure they'll be able to work it out. I hope they'll be able to work it out with China," Trump was quoted as saying when asked if the protesters are sending any message to China.Trump said the Hong Kong demonstration he saw was "as big a demonstration as I've ever seen.""So, I hope it all works out for China and for Hong .
HK postpones 2nd reading of controversial extradition bill
The Hong Kong Legislative Council on Thursday postponed for a second consecutive day, a session in which the second reading of the highly contentious extradition bill was expected to be held.
US to deploy 1,000 additional troops in Poland
President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that the United States will deploy 1,000 additional troops in Poland, a move that may raise security concerns from Russia.Trump announced the troop deployment at a news conference with Polish President Andrzej Duda in the White House Rose Garden shortly after the two leaders signed a joint declaration affirming defence cooperation, Al Jazeera reported.Poland will buy 32 F-35 advanced warplanes, the US President said while lauding Warsaw for increased defence spending to meet its NATO commitments.Meanwhile, Duda, who is considering naming the US military camp in Poland as "Fort Trump", said that the new influx of troops was needed because of Moscow's past aggression against Poland and to help solidify his country's ties to the West.Duda said, "Russia again is showing its unkind, unfriendly imperial face. Russia is always looking out to take our territory."Poland, which joined NATO in 1999, currently hosts around 4,500 US troops as part of a 2016
No debate set for Hong Kong bill after protests
A Hong Kong Legislative Council official says no time has been set aside for debate on a highly controversial extradition law that has drawn large-scale protests. The announcement Thursday from council official Cicely Wong appeared to show the impact of Wednesday's street demonstrations, along with statements of concern from foreign governments, business associations and the legal profession. Those voices have joined with human rights and supporters of the free press who have long warned of growing restrictions on civil rights in the former British colony that returned to Chines rule in 2019. Traffic was restored in the city the day after the clashes between police and protesters who oppose the legislation that would allow criminal suspects to be sent to mainland China where they could face unfair trials on political charges. After days of silence, Chinese state media is characterizing the largely peaceful demonstrations in Hong Kong as a "riot" and accusing protesters of "violent ...
2 armed men shot during Australian counter-terrorism probe
Two armed men were shot by police officers during an counter-terrorism investigation in the Australia Victoria state, authorities said on Thursday.