Page 235 - War Conflict
Patnaik condoles death of two CRPF jawans from state, speaks to their families
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Friday spoke to the families of the two CRPF jawans from the state, who were among 40 personnel killed in a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said. The CRPF personnel were killed when a Jaish suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into a bus at Awantipora in Pulwama district Thursday. "The chief minister spoke to the family members of Saheed Prasanna Sahu and Saheed Manoj Behera over telephone and conveyed his deep sympathy," a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office said. "Deeply saddened by the martyrdom of so many @crpfindia #jawans in terrorist attack in #Pulwama district of #JammuAndKashmir. Strongly condemn the cowardly act and condolences to the bereaved families (sic)," Patnaik tweeted. Patnaik also directed Finance Minister S B Behera and Health Minister Pratap Jena to visit the families of martyrs. While Sahu belonged to Naugan village in Jagatsinghpur district, Manoj Behera hailed from ..
Death toll in Pulwama terror attack mounts to 40; CoI ordered
The toll in the terror attack on CRPF personnel in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district has risen to 40 even as a full Court of Inquiry (CoI) has been ordered by the force headquarters in Delhi, a senior official said Friday. A Jaish suicide bomber Thursday rammed a vehicle carrying about 100-kgs of explosives into a bus carrying CRPF personnel in Pulwama district. "A total of 40 personnel have been killed in Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir. Five troops are injured," the senior official said. While 38 personnel have been identified, DNA and forensic tests are being conducted on two bodies, he said. Amongst the killed is a personnel of the CRPF road opening party (ROP) who was tasked to sanitise the highway route for convoy movement, the official said. In the wake of the incident, the CRPF has issued a 'high vigil' alert to all its formations in the Kashmir Valley and other places in the state and has asked its units to be in "full preparedness." A Court of Inquiry (CoI) has been ...
Maharashtra grieves for two troopers killed in Kashmir
Two CRPF troopers from Maharashtra are among the 45 killed in the suicide bombing in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Friday.
Nitish condemns Pulwama attack, hopes for "befitting reply"
Strongly condemning the "cowardly terrorist attack" in Pulwama, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday expressed hope that a "befitting reply" will be given to the perpetrators. The martyrdom of the CRPF men "will not go in vain", he told reporters outside the premises of the Assembly here, where proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm after the members observed a two-minute silence in memory of the deceased jawans at 11am. "I strongly condemn the cowardly terrorist attack on the CRPF convoy in Pulwama. The nation stands united against the terrorists and I am confident that a befitting reply will be given. My condolence to the bereaved family members. The martyrdom of the slain soldiers will not go in vain," Kumar said. A Jaish suicide bomber Thursday rammed a vehicle, loaded with 100 kg of explosives, into a bus carrying CRPF personnel in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. Forty jawans died in the attack and five sustained injuries. Meanwhile, sources in the BJP .
Slain jawan's family cries revenge
Anger has overtaken grief as the family of Bablu Santra tries to come to terms with his death in the horrific suicide bombing of a CRPF contingent in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, demanding that the killing be avenged and perpetrators taught a lesson they don't forget. Santra is survived by his wife, a four-year-old daughter and mother, the martyred jawan's nephew Raghubir Mondal said Friday after receiving the news of his death from CRPF authorities by phone. As continual wails of Santra's wife and mother broke the eerie silence of his home, other members of the family and friends said they wanted those dead in the brazen terror attack avenged. "We want the killing of 'mama' (maternal uncle) and others who died with him avenged. Those behind the cowardly attack must be taught a lesson they don't forget," said Modal, whom his uncle often encouraged to join the force to serve the nation. He said Santra asked him to prepare for the test to join the central paramilitary ..
Minerva request AIFF to shift Srinagar game or ready to forfeit
Holders Minerva Punjab FC have requested the All India Football Federation to shift their upcoming I-League match from Srinagar or defer it in the wake of the Pulwama terrorist attack, saying the club is ready to forfeit if the game is not rescheduled. On Thursday, at least 40 CRPF paramilitary troopers were killed in a terror attack while several others are battling for their lives following what is being termed as the deadliest terrorist strike in three decades in Jammu and Kashmir. Defending champions Minerva Punjab FC are scheduled to play Real Kashmir FC on February 18 at the TRC Turf Ground in the Jammu and Kashmir capital. "We have written to the AIFF requesting them to shift the game from Srinagar. My team jersey has the line written 'We Salute Indian Army'. A game of football is nothing compared to what has happened last evening," Minerva Punjab FC owner Ranjit Bajaj told PTI. He added, "We are willing to forfeit the game if it is not moved out. I am sure the people will ...
China again says no to back India's bid to list JeM chief Azhar as global terrorist by UN
China on Friday condemned the Pulwama terror attack carried out by a Jaish suicide bomber but once again declined to back India's appeal to list the Pakistan-based terror group's chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN. At least 40 CRPF personnel were killed and five injured on Thursday in one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir when a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into their bus in Pulwama district. "China has noted the reports of suicide terrorist attack. We are deeply shocked by this attack. We express deep condolences and sympathy to the injured and bereaved families," spokesman of the Chinese Foreign Ministry Geng Shuang told a media briefing here. "We firmly oppose and strongly condemn all forms of terrorism. We hope relevant regional countries will cooperate to cope with the threat of terrorism and jointly uphold regional peace and stability," Geng said. When asked about China's stand on the
Rajnath leaves of J-K; to asses situation, pay respect to jawans killed in terror attack
Home Minister Rajnath Singh left for Jammu and Kashmir on Friday to take stock of the situation in the state in the wake of a terror attack in Pulwama that killed at least 40 CRPF personnel, officials said. He is accompanied by top home ministry officials. During the visit, the home minister will take part in a high-level meeting in Srinagar to be attended by Governor Satya Pal Malik and top civil, police and other security officials. The home minister will take stock of the security situation in the state in view of the terror attack on Thursday, a home ministry official said. Singh will also pay his last respects to the CRPF jawans who were killed in Pulwama. Forty CRPF personnel were killed and five injured on Thursday in one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir when a Jaish-e-Mohammad suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into their bus in Pulwama district. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said those responsible for the attack ...
Karnataka CM consoles CRPF trooper's family
Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Friday consoled the family of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) trooper H. Guru who hailed from the state and was among those killed in a suicide attack in Jammu and Kashmir.
Advisor to J-K Guv, DGP visit Pulwama terror attack site
Ahead of Home Minister Rajnath Singh's visit, K Vijay Kumar, the advisor to Jammu and Kashmir Governor, Friday led a team of top police officials on a visit to Lethpora on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, the site of one of the deadliest terrorist attacks on security forces in the Valley that left 40 CRPF soldiers dead. Kumar, who holds the charge of home portfolio in the governor's administration, was accompanied by Director General of Police Dilbag Singh and Additional DGP Munir Ahmad Khan to the site of the terrorist attack. The team visited the site to get a first-hand account of the incident as Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Governor Satya Pal Malik are scheduled to arrive here later in the day to pay homage to the slain jawans, officials said. Singh and Malik are also likely to co-chair a security review meeting here, they said. Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Director General R R Bhatnagar and senior officials of the force are part of the team led by Union Home ..
Those behind Pulwama attack will be punished: PM Modi
Coming down heavily on Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that those behind the Pulwama terror attack have committed a "grave mistake" and they will "punished"."If our neighbour, which is totally isolated in the world, thinks it can destabilise India through its tactics and conspiracies, then it is making a big mistake," the Prime Minister said."I want to tell terrorist organisations and their guardians that they have done a grave mistake. Those behind the attack will be punished for their actions," Modi said here while flagging off the Delhi-Varanasi high-speed Vande Bharat Express train.Paying tributes to the CRPF personnel who lost their lives in the Pulwama attack, he said, "Our security forces have been given full freedom (to carry out anti-terror operations). We have full faith in their bravery."Modi also thanked the countries which have supported India and condemned this incident in the strongest of terms. "A strong reply will be given to this attack," he ...
Pulwama attack: Nation mourns CRPF bravehearts, anti-Pak protests emerge in UP
A pall of gloom descended at the homes of the CRPF personnel who were killed in the Pulwama terror attack on Thursday, even as the bereaved await the arrival of the mortal remains of the bravehearts. While key leaders across the globe stood in support of India in the wake of the ghastly attack, anti-Pakistan slogans were raised in Uttar Pradesh.Effigies of Masood Azhar, the chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed (who claimed responsibility for the attack), were burnt in Varanasi as a sign of protests against the killing of the security personnel on Thursday.Protesters thronged the streets with placards that read ''Aakhir Shahadat kab tak?" (how long will this martyrdom continue) and festoons displaying various demands and needs of the Indian soldiers.Another protest took place in Bhopal by the workers of BJP, who also expressed their grief over the loss of lives. One of the workers said, "Very painful and shameful incident. The terrorists are bred by Pakistan. We want Prime Minister Modi to ...
Taliban confront fake news and social media in propaganda war
Fighting "fake" news, wrestling with social media, and deploying an intern army -- the Taliban's sprawling propaganda machine embraces modernity even as the group vows to enforce Islamist controls on journalists if it returns to power. Notorious for banning TV and radio under its iron-fisted 1996-2001 regime, the militants have proven surprisingly deft at adapting to the ever-changing nature of modern media. The Taliban's official spokesman now tweets real-time updates about battlefield operations and its media arm stays in direct contact with journalists on a range of messaging apps. "Media is considered one side of the struggle," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP via Whatsapp. "We are not against modern technology," a senior Taliban source with links to the insurgents' media wing told AFP. "This is the need of the hour and using it is not against Islamic shariah." But the source admits his team struggles at times to control their own narrative. High-profile interviews ...
Death toll in Pulwama terror attack mounts to 40
The toll in the terror attack on CRPF personnel in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district has risen to 40, a senior official said Friday. A Jaish suicide bomber Thursday rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into a bus carrying CRPF personnel in Pulwama district. "A total of 40 personnel have been killed in Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir. Five troops are injured," the senior official said. In the wake of the incident, the CRPF has issued a 'high vigil' alert to all its formations in the Kashmir Valley and other places in the state. Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Director General R R Bhatnagar and senior officials of the force are leaving for Kashmir as part of a team led by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. They are also expected to meet the injured who are admitted to the 92 base hospital of the Army in Srinagar, they said. More than 2,500 CRPF personnel, many of them returning from leave to rejoin duty in the Valley, were travelling in the convoy of 78 vehicles ...
Protest shutdown against terror attack affects life in Jammu
Life here in Jammu and Kashmir was adversely affected on Friday due to a protest shutdown called against the terror strike in the valley in which 45 CRPF personnel were killed in a suicide attack.
War kills over 100,000 babies a year: Save the Children
At least 100,000 babies die every year because of armed conflict and its impact, from hunger to denial of aid, Save the Children International said on Friday. In the 10 worst-hit countries, a conservative estimate of 550,000 infants died as a result of fighting between 2013 and 2017. They succumbed to war and its effects, among them hunger, damage to hospitals and infrastructure, a lack of access to health care and sanitation and the denial of aid. It said children face the threat of being killed or maimed, recruited by armed groups, abducted or falling victim to sexual violence. "Almost one in five children are living in areas impacted by conflict -- more than at any time in the past two decades," said the charity's CEO Helle Thorning-Schmidt in a statement. "The number of children being killed or maimed has more than tripled, and we are seeing an alarming increase in the use of aid as a weapon of war," she said on releasing the report at the Munich Security Conference. Save the ...
Killing of CRPF personnel "a huge tragedy": Kiran Bedi
: Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi has described as "a huge tragedy" the killing of CRPF personnel in a terror attack in Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir. "40 brave CRPF Jawans killed in J&K. This is a huge tragedy. And a serious security challenge for the country. This situation demands a united strong response. As also full support to the bereaved families in all possible ways," the former IPS officer tweeted late Thursday night. The CRPF personnel were killed on Thursday in one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir when a Jaish suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into their bus in Pulwama district.
Jaitley to return as Finance Minister, to attend CCS meet
Union Minister Arun Jaitley, who returned from the US last week after a medical treatment, will resume office as the Finance Minister on Friday.
J&K terror attack: Two more CRPF troopers die, toll touches 45
The toll from Thursday's terror attack on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy in Jammu and Kashmir rose to 45 as two more troopers succumbed to their injuries, officials said on Friday.
Israel's Netanyahu denies agreeing to Holocaust distortion
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denied suggestions of going along with Holocaust historical revisionism in Poland. Netanyahu was asked Thursday in Warsaw about the issue by a reporter and replied: "Here I am saying Poles cooperated with the Nazis. I know the history and I don't whitewash it. I bring it up." Last year Poland and Israel were embroiled in a bitter dispute over a Polish law that made it a crime to blame the Polish nation for Holocaust crimes. Israel saw it as an attempt by Poland to suppress discussion into the killing of Jews by Poles during the wartime German occupation. The dispute was resolved when Poland softened the law and Netanyahu and his Polish counterpart agreed on a joint declaration stressing Polish involvement in helping Jews.