Page 254 - War Conflict

Pak says main facilitator of attack on Chinese consulate arrested in Sharjah

The main facilitator of the terror attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi in November last year has been arrested from the UAE, Pakistan police has announced here. On November 23, three heavily armed militants attempted to enter the Chinese consulate in the high security zone' of Karachi's Clifton area but were shot dead in an encounter with law enforcers. The gun-and-grenade assault also claimed the lives of two police officials and two visa applicants, as well as injuring a private guard of the foreign mission. A senior official of the Counterterrorism Department (CTD) of Sindh on Tuesday province said that the suspect named Rashid Baloch was arrested by the UAE's law-enforcement agency in Sharjah a few days ago. He was marked out as the key man behind the attack on the Chinese consulate, that was foiled by security forces but left at least seven people dead. "Rashid Baloch alias Abdullah is not only the facilitator of the attack but also a key man of the Baloch Liberation Army .

Growth of Pak, India's nuke programmes increases risk of security incident in South Asia: Coats

The continued growth of the atomic weapon programmes of Pakistan and India increases the risk of a "nuclear security incident" in South Asia, America's top spymaster has warned. The remarks of National Intelligence Director Daniel Coats is part of US intelligence community's assessment of worldwide threats in the year 2019. While Pakistan continues to develop new types of nuclear weapons, including short-range tactical weapons, sea-based cruise missiles, air-launched cruise missiles, and longer range ballistic missiles, India this year has conducted its first deployment of a nuclear-powered submarine armed with nuclear missiles, he told lawmakers on Tuesday. "The continued growth and development of Pakistan and India's nuclear weapons programmes increase the risk of a nuclear security incident in South Asia, and the new types of nuclear weapons will introduce new risks for escalation dynamics and security in the region," Coats said in his opening statement running into over 40 ...

Three civilians injured in grenade attack

Three civilians were injured on Wednesday in a grenade attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district.

J-K: Terrorists lob grenade towards police station, 3 civilians injured

Three civilians got injured after terrorists lobbed a grenade towards a police station in Damhal Hanji Pora in Kulgam on Wednesday.The terrorists missed the target and the grenade exploded on road resulting in injuries to the civilians. More details are currently awaited.This comes days after terrorists attacked 44 Rashtriya Rifles camp at Ahgam. No loss of life or property was reported. The area was later cordoned off.

Three civilians injured in grenade attack in Kashmir's Kulgam

At least three persons were injured on Wednesday in a grenade attack by militants on a police station in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said. Militants lobbed the grenade at the local police station at Damhal Hanjipora in Kulgam district, a police official said. He said the grenade exploded by the roadside,resulting in injuries to three civilians. The injured have been rushed to a local hospital. Security forces have cordoned off the area and launched a hunt for the attackers,he added.

Grenade thrown into Philippine mosque kills 2 Islam teachers

A grenade was thrown into a mosque in the southern Philippines where Muslim teachers were sleeping early Wednesday morning, killing two of them and injuring four, authorities said. It was the second explosion at a religious site in the south this week, though authorities didn't see it as retaliation for the bombings of a Roman Catholic cathedral in nearly Jolo during Sunday Mass that killed 21 people. Regional police Chief Superintendent Emmanuel Luis D. Licup said investigators are trying to determine the motive and identity of the suspect in the grenade attack at the mosque in Zamboanga city. The victims were from Basilan and nearby provinces at the mosque to teach Islam to children. Military Col Leonel M Nicolas emphasized the grenade blast was not a retaliatory act and was still under investigation. Licup said a personal grudge was among the possible motives. The Ulama Council of Zamboanga Peninsula condemned the attack as "an inhumane act" and called for people to be "calm yet ...

N.Korea unlikely to abandon nukes: US intelligence

North Korea is unlikely to fully give up its nuclear weapons, a US intelligence report has said, weeks ahead of a proposed Kim-Trump meet.

Venezuelan army defectors appeal to Trump for weapons

Venezuelan army defectors are calling on the Donald Trump administration to arm them, in what they call their quest for "freedom", the CNN has said.

2 killed in Philippines mosque attack

A grenade attack on a mosque in the Philippine city of Zamboanga City killed two persons early on Wednesday, authorities said.

Beating the Retreat enthrals audience at Vijay Chowk with Indian tunes

As the sun prepared to hide behind the Raisina Hill, silhouettes of men astride horses appeared on top of the Hill. It was the Presidents Bodyguard strutting down to the Vijay Chowk flanking the Presidents limousine for Beating the Retreat ceremony.

BSF may involve private airlines to ferry CAPF personnel on leave

The BSF is looking for participation of private airlines in the "air courier" service being facilitated to the troopers of all paramilitary forces since 2018 to save their travel time when they go on leave.

Grenade attack kills two at southern Philippines mosque

A grenade attack on a mosque in the troubled southern Philippines killed two people early Wednesday, authorities said, just days after a deadly Catholic cathedral bombing and a vote backing Muslim self-rule. "A grenade was lobbed inside a mosque killing two persons and wounding another four," regional military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Gerry Besana told AFP of the attack in Zamboanga City. The victims were sleeping inside the mosque at the time of the attack on the insurgency-plagued island of Mindanao, which is home to the Philippines' Muslim minority. The blast comes as the country was on high alert after a cathedral bombing that killed 21 people at Sunday mass on the remote, Muslim-majority island of Jolo. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the cathedral blast. Philippine authorities initially said it was not a suicide attack, but on Tuesday President Rodrigo Duterte contradicted them saying one of the bombers had blown himself up outside the cathedral. Besana ...

Afghan talks: Need to retain capability to act in US interests, says CIA chief

On the potential peace agreement with the Taliban, CIA Director Gina Haspel said "a very robust monitoring regime would be essential in Afghanistan and the US needed to retain the capability to act in "national interests". It's very important that we maintain pressure on the terrorist groups that are there and so if there were an eventual peace agreement a very robust monitoring regime would be critical and we would still need to retain the capability to act in our national interests if we needed to, Haspel said in testimony to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. She was responding to a question from Senator Angus King, who asked whether the US could trust an agreement with the Taliban. US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad was quoted Monday as saying the US and the Taliban have drafted the framework of a deal which could pave the way for peace talks with Kabul. Mr Khalilzad, our envoy to Afghanistan, has said that part of the basis of the current talks with the Taliban is that .

Fernandes, a socialist to core, passes away

George Fernandes, a socialist to the core and one of the most popular defence ministers, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 88.Fernandes, who had been in public life for nearly six decades, had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease for a long time and was down with swine flu for the last few days as well.He breathed his last early this morning, his family said.Born in Mangalore in 1930, Fernandes joined a socialist trade movement in Mumbai in 1949, since when he had been active in public life.Known for his simplistic lifestyle and always clad in a kurta-pyjama, Fernandes was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1967 and served several times as a Union Cabinet Minister, holding very important portfolios such as defence, railways and communications at the Centre.He had emerged as a staunch opponent of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during the days of emergency in the country.As Defence Minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government from 1998, he oversaw the historic Pokhran ...

UN says 18 killed in Central African Republic attack

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Central African Republic says 18 civilians are dead and 23 wounded after an armed group opened fire during a funeral ceremony. The statement on Tuesday says the gunmen with the Union for Peace armed group carried out the overnight attack on Friday in the central town of Ippy. The peacekeeping mission condemns "this terrible massacre" that occurred as a new round of peace talks on Central African Republic began in Sudan. Central African Republic, one of the world's poorest nations, has faced interreligious and inter-communal fighting since 2013. The violence has intensified and spread in recent months. The 13,500-strong UN peacekeeping mission has struggled to protect civilians and contain the fighting since its arrival in 2014.

Nuke programmes of India, Pak increase risk of security incident in South Asia: US spymaster

There is an increased risk of a nuclear security incident in South Asia due to continued growth and development of Pakistan and India's nuclear weapons programmes, America's top spymaster told lawmakers on Tuesday. The remarks of National Intelligence Director Daniel Coats is part of US intelligence community's assessment of worldwide threats in the year 2019. While Pakistan continues to develop new types of nuclear weapons, including short-range tactical weapons, sea-based cruise missiles, air-launched cruise missiles, and longer range ballistic missiles, India this year has conducted its first deployment of a nuclear-powered submarine armed with nuclear missiles, he said. "The continued growth and development of Pakistan and India's nuclear weapons programmes increase the risk of a nuclear security incident in South Asia, and the new types of nuclear weapons will introduce new risks for escalation dynamics and security in the region," Coats said in his opening statement running into

Pak supported militant groups will continue attacks in India, Af: US spymaster

The militant groups supported by Pakistan will continue to conduct terrorist attacks in both India and Afghanistan, America's spymaster has said. Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats also said Pakistan's "narrow approach to counterterrorism cooperation-using some groups as policy tools and confronting only the militant groups that directly threaten Pakistan-almost certainly will frustrate US counterterrorism efforts against the Taliban." "Militant groups supported by Pakistan will continue to take advantage of their safe haven in Pakistan to plan and conduct attacks in India and Afghanistan, including against US interests," Coats told the members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Coats and heads of other top American intelligence agencies appeared before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on their worldwide threat assessment. Prominent among them included CIA Director Gina Haspel, who has just returned from a trip to India; FBI Director Christopher Wray ..

N Korea 'unlikely' to give up all nuclear weapons: US intel chief

North Korea is not likely to give up all of its nuclear weapons even if President Donald Trump's efforts to negotiate a deal with Pyongyang bear fruit, US Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said Tuesday. "We continue to assess that North Korea is unlikely to give up all of its nuclear weapons and production capabilities, even as it seeks to negotiate partial denuclearization steps to obtain key US and international concessions," Coats said in a report to Congress on threats to the United States. "North Korea will continue its efforts to mitigate the effects of the US-led pressure campaign, most notably through diplomatic engagement, counter-pressure against the sanctions regime, and direct sanctions evasion," Coats said in the report. The report, an annual assessment of threats against the United States from the entire US intelligence community, said North Korea's leaders see having a nuclear weapons capability as "critical to regime survival". It said Kim Jong Un, who is ...

Suicide bombers attack IGP's office in Balochistan; 9 killled

Heavily armed suicide bombers attacked the Deputy Inspector General's office in Pakistan's restive southwestern Balochistan province Tuesday, killing nine people, including eight policemen. The attack in Loralai also injured 21 others, including policemen and civilians. The injured who were shifted to hospital for treatment. In a statement, the army said that three armed suicide bombers attempted entry into DIG police office compound Loralai when about 800 candidates were present in its premises for enrolment in Balochistan police. "Police on duty responded and shot one of three suicide bombers at entry of DIG complex who also blew himself. Other two started indiscriminate firing and got into one of the side rooms," the statement said. Nine persons, including eight policemen, and one civilian candidate were killed in the attack that also left 21 others, including 12 policemen, injured. "All terrorists have been killed during the operation," the army said. Inspector General of Police ..

Indian tunes set mood at Beating Retreat ceremony, fascinating crowds at Rajpath

Indian tunes were the flavour of the Beating Retreat ceremony at Vijay Chowk on Tuesday with 26 performances by the bands of the armed forces and central and state police contingents which marked the culmination of the Republic Day celebrations. The function began with President Ram Nath Kovind arriving at the venue in his ceremonial motorcade. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, Air Force Chief B S Dhanoa and Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba were present on the occasion. The Army, Navy, Air Force, state police and Central Armed Police Force bands performed over two dozen tunes. There were 25 tunes composed by Indian musicians, including 'Indian Soldiers', 'Herana Heran', 'Mushkoh Valley', 'Tejas', 'The Great Marshal', 'Namaste India'. The only western tune played at the event was 'Abide with me'. The event will come to a close with the ever-popular tune 'Sare ...