Page 259 - War Conflict
Dozens killed in failed IS counterattack in east Syria: monitor
The Islamic State group made an aborted attempt to retake a village from US-backed forces in eastern Syria Thursday, a monitor said, leaving 50 fighters dead on both sides. The failed assault came a day after the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who are backed by the US-led coalition, took the village of Baghouz from IS. On Thursday, the jihadist group launched a counterattack including at least three suicide bombers wearing explosive belts against SDF fighters, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Sixteen SDF fighters and 34 IS jihadists were killed in the assault aimed at retaking the village near the Iraqi border, the Britain-based monitor said. A further "21 IS fighters were taken prisoner as they tried to open up a gap" in defences and make an escape towards Iraq, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. The SDF have since September been whittling away at a pocket of territory on the eastern banks of the Euphrates River in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor. The latest ..
Death toll in Venezuela protests this week reaches 26: NGO
Twenty-six people have been killed since the latest wave of protests against Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro broke out four days ago, the Caracas-based Observatory of Social Conflict said Thursday. The previous toll from the protests -- which began when a group of soldiers took over a command post in the north of the capital in defiance of the socialist regime -- had stood at 16. In some places, armed forces have fired tear gas and rubber bullets to subdue protesters, some of whom threw stones.
JeM members arrested for allegedly planning attacks on R Day
Two alleged Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) members have been arrested on charges of planning to carry out terror strikes in the national capital during Republic Day celebrations, Delhi Police officials said on Thursday. They were identified as Abdul Latif Ganaie (29), alias Umair alias Dilawar, and Hilal Ahmad Bhat (26) residents of Jammu and Kashmir's Wakura and Batapora areas respectively. Dilawar was arrested on the intervening night of January 20-21 after police got a tip off from military intelligence that a house in Laxmi Nagar was frequented by suspicious persons, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell P S Kushwah said. Police learnt that Dilawar would come near Rajghat to meet someone and accordingly a team was deployed there. Subsequently, he was arrested with incriminating material, he said. A .32 bore pistol and 26 live cartridges were recovered from him. Three rubber stamps of JeM commanders and other material was also recovered from his possession, he added. It took the ...
Afghan official says airstrike kills 16 civilians
An airstrike on a home in southern Afghanistan killed 16 civilians from the same extended family, an Afghan official said Thursday. Attaullah Afghan, head of the Helmand provincial council, said the airstrike was launched Wednesday in the Sangin district during heavy fighting between Afghan forces and the Taliban. Most of those killed were women and children, he said. Omar Zwak, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said an investigation has been launched. It was not immediately clear if the airstrike was launched by Afghan forces or NATO, which often provides air support to Afghan ground troops. "A large Afghan-led, multi-day operation in Sangin, Helmand has been supported by US advisors and coalition air strikes," NATO said in a statement. "Due to the ongoing operation and the number of units involved, we are still looking into the claim of non-combatant casualties." Afghan forces have struggled to contain a resurgent Taliban that now effectively controls nearly half the ...
I did not cry when I heard he is no more, says wife of Ashoka Chakra awardee Nazir Wani
It was love at first sight for Mahajabeen, wife of Lance Naik Nazir Ahmad Wani, when the two met at a school in South Kashmir around 15 years back. Nearly one-and-half months after Wani's death in an anti-terror operation in Shopian, Mahajabeen, a teacher and mother of two, says his immense love for her and fearless persona are a source of motivation for her to encourage youngsters to become good citizens. "I did not cry when I was told he is no more. There was an inner resolve which did not allow me to cry," she said, on a day the government announced the Ashoka Chakra, India's highest peacetime gallantry award, for Wani who hailed from Cheki Ashmuji in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir. Wani, a militant-turned-soldier who had joined the Army's 162 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army) Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry in 2004, will be conferred the award posthumously on Saturday by President Ram Nath Kovind. "He loved me so much. For me, he was my guiding light. He always ...
Central African Republic peace talks open in Khartoum
Peace talks to end chronic violence in the Central African Republic began in Khartoum on Thursday, attended by representatives of the government and 14 armed groups, the UN peacekeeping mission in the CAR said. The meeting, brokered by the African Union after 18 months of exploratory work, will be the eighth bid in almost six years to forge peace. Since 2013, thousands have been killed and a quarter of the population of 4.5 million have fled their homes. Warlords will dialogue directly with high-ranking emissaries of the Bangui government, including ministers and President Faustin-Archange Touadera's chief of staff. The talks, aimed at reaching an accord and setting up a follow-up committee, could last up to three weeks, according to Sudanese authorities. Touadera controls only a fraction of the state, despite the support of more than 13,000 troops and police in the UN's MINUSCA peacekeeping mission. The rest is held by militias, who typically portray themselves as defenders of a ...
In first for Kashmir, militant-turned-soldier gets Ashok Chakra
Lance Naik Nazir Ahmad Wani, who had returned to the mainstream abandoning militancy, has been posthumously awarded Indias highest peace time gallantry award, the Ashok Chakra.
Army porter injured in Pak firing in J&K's Rajouri
An army porter was injured Thursday when Pakistani troops fired heavy mortar shells and small arms targeting forwards posts and civilian areas along the Line of Control (LoC) Jammu and Kashmir's in Rajouri district, officials said. A defence spokesperson said the Pakistan Army fired small arms and mortar shells in Sunderbani Sector starting 09:15 am. In the breach of truce, one army porter was injured in Nowshera sector this evening. He was shifted to the hospital, the official said. The spokesperson said the Indian Army was retaliating strongly and effectively. The Pakistani troops have targeted civilian areas close to the International Border and the LoC on 17 days this month. They had fired mortar bombs and small arms at forwards posts and civilian areas along the LoC in Poonch district on Wednesday.
ATM looters gang busted
Odisha police Thursday busted a gang of ATM looters and arrested three persons in this connection. Police seized Rs 15,000 cash, three ATM cards, a car, a motorcycle and four mobiles from their possession. The gang, whose members were identified as residents of Cuttack and Kendrapara districts of the state, was involved in looting at least 30 ATM loots in several districts in Odisha and outside the state, police said. Acting on a tip-off, Jajpur town police with the help sadar police jointly conducted a raid and nabbed the three when they were planning to loot an ATM in the outskirts of the district headquarters town. The gang members mostly targetted senior citizens and gullible account holders who are not conversant with drawing money from ATMs and looted money from their accounts from other ATMs, said Jajpur Sub Divisional Police Officer Prasanta Kumar Mallha. Police said the accused also confessed their crimes during interrogation at the police station. They were ...
Yemen govt accuses rebels of violating Hodeida truce
Yemen's embattled government accused rival rebels on Thursday of failing to abide by a truce reached between the warring parties at UN-sponsored peace talks in Sweden last month. "The legitimate government remains committed to the Sweden accords," state-run Saba news agency quoted Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi as saying. Hadi accused Yemen's Huthi rebels of failing to respect an agreement on the flashpoint port city of Hodeida, controlled by the insurgents since 2014, Saba said. The news comes as reports surface that the UN is looking to replace the head of a monitoring mission to Hodeida, a lifeline to millions of Yemenis dependent on its imports to survive. The United Nations' Yemen envoy, Martin Griffiths, met with Hadi in Riyadh on Thursday, after holding talks with rebels in the Yemeni capital Sanaa. Also at the Riyadh meeting was retired Dutch general Patrick Cammaert, who heads a monitoring team tasked with overseeing the Hodeida truce. Diplomatic sources on Wednesday
Nations should join hands to put an end to terrorism:VP
Vice President M Venkiah Naidu Thursday said terror had no religion and rued that terrorists were misusing it. In his valedictory address at the Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet (GIM) 2019 here, Naidu termed terrorism as a threat to the world order and urged all nations to join hands to put an end to it. "Terror is increasing. Terror has no religion. Unfortunately some people are linking terror with religion. No religion approves terror. Terrorists are trying to misuse religion. The world must be active and come together to put an end to this terrorism through united efforts," he said. He also sought extradition treaties among all countries to bring back economic offenders and said the mistakes of a few businessmen were giving a bad name to the entire community. On the issue of black money, the vice president said it was a 'menace' for the world community and urged all countries to come together, understand each others' problems and exchange information about black ...
I feel bad if there is loss of even one life, even if that is of a terrorist, says J-K Governor
Contending that killing terrorists is not a solution to the problems of Jammu and Kashmir, the state's Governor Satya Pal Malik on Thursday said he feels "bad" even when a terrorist is killed.He said all terrorists should return to the mainstream and "a good rehabilitation offer" will be made for their settlement. "Terrorism is not in the gun but in the head," Malik said at an event here."I feel bad if there is loss of even one life, even if that is of a terrorist. I feel sad about the fact that they (terrorists) could not be brought back to the mainstream," he added.The Governor's comments came on a day when the state police declared Baramulla as the first district of Kashmir valley where no militant is alive.The declaration was made a day after security forces gunned down three militants in the district.Lauding the police and security forces, Malik said several terrorists have been neutralised but that is the achievement of the security forces.The security forces are neutralising ...
Militant-turned-Army man from Kashmir gets highest peacetime gallantry award
Lance Naik Nazir Ahmad Wani, a militant-turned-soldier who laid down his life during an anti-terror operation at Shopian in Kashmir in November last year, has been awarded the Ashoka Chakra, India's highest peacetime gallantry award. President Ram Nath Kovind will present the award to the gallant soldier's wife Mahajabeen on the Republic Day, officials said Thursday. On November 25, 38-year-old Wani, hailing from Cheki Ashmuji in Kulgmam district of Jammu and Kashmir, lost his life in a counter-terror operation against six terrorists in Hirapur village near Batgund, in Shopian. Under intense hail of bullets from the terrorists, he eliminated the 'district commander' of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and one foreign terrorist in a daring display of raw courage, officials said. In the ensuing gunfight, he was hit multiple times including on his head. He also injured another terrorist before succumbing to his grievous wounds, they said. Apart from his wife, he is survived by two sons Athar ...
R-Day prep: Multi-layered security shield deployed around Rajpath
A multi-layer high-security grid has been activated around Rajpath for the Republic Day celebrations in line with threat perception assessment made by security agencies to safeguard the high-profile event from a possible terror attack.
Afghan officials says airstrike kills 16 civilians
An Afghan official says an airstrike on a home has killed 16 civilians from the same extended family in the southern Helmand province. Attaullah Afghan, head of the provincial council, said the airstrike was launched Wednesday in the Sangin district during heavy fighting between Afghan forces and the Taliban. He says most of those killed were women and children. Omar Zwak, a spokesman for the provincial governor, says an investigation has been launched. It was not immediately clear if the airstrike was launched by Afghan forces or NATO, which often provides air support to Afghan ground troops. NATO said it was looking into the reports. Afghan forces have struggled to combat a resurgent Taliban that now effectively controls nearly half the country.
Centre reconstitutes tribunal to adjudicate ban imposed on 8 Manipur insurgent groups
The Centre on Thursday reconstituted a tribunal to adjudicate matters related to extension of ban imposed on eight insurgent groups in Manipur for five more years over continued involvement in unlawful and violent activities. In a notification, the Home Ministry said the tribunal has been set up under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 and will be headed by Delhi High Court judge Justice G S Sistani. The tribunal will adjudicate whether or not there is sufficient cause for declaring the Meitei extremist organisations of Manipur as "Unlawful Associations", the notification said. On December 12, 2018, the central government had constituted the tribunal headed by Delhi High Court judge Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal. However, due to certain reasons, Justice Sehgal could not continue with the tribunal and hence the tribunal has been reconstituted with Justice Sistani. The organisations which were banned in November 2018 include Peoples' Liberation Army generally known as PLA ..
Didn't know about 'Ashok Chakra' till two days ago, happy that husband got it: Awardee's wife
Mahajabeen, who lives with two children in Cheki Ashmuji area of Kulgam district in Kashmir, said, she was proud of her husband and would try to fulfill his dreams.Wani was posthumously awarded India's highest peace time gallantry award the 'Ashok Chakra'.President Ram Nath Kovind will present the 'Ashok Charka' to the gallant soldier's wife Mahajabeen. "Till two days ago, I did not know that Ashok Chakra was an award or such an award existed. I am feeling happy that he has received the award but his loss is irreparable," she told ANI.She said she came to know about the award being given to her husband two days ago when the unit members came to her village in Kashmir to inform her about the government's decision.Mehjabeen recalled that the last time she had a conversation with her husband was a few hours before the operation of November 24 in which he lost his life.Wani had called her to discuss about the well being of the family and disconnected as he had to go for the operation.On ..
In first for Kashmir, Nazir Wani gets Ashok Chakra
Lance Naik Nazir Ahmad Wani has been posthumously awarded Indias highest peace time gallantry award, the Ashok Chakra, it was announced on Thursday.
Killing militants won't solve Kashmir problem: Governor
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik said on Thursday that killing militants will not solve the real problem in the state.
One dead in skirmishes between Sudan security forces
A security agent from Sudan's intelligence service has been killed in skirmishes with a group of soldiers in the Red Sea town of Port Sudan, police said Thursday. The fighting between members of the country's powerful National Intelligence and Security Service and a group of soldiers erupted late on Wednesday, Port Sudan police chief Mohamed Musa Omer said in a statement. "There were skirmishes yesterday evening at 8:00 pm (1800 GMT) between members of Sudanese armed forces and members of NISS," Omer said. "One member of NISS was killed, while there are several others from both sides who are wounded." Residents of Port Sudan told AFP that the fighting was close to the coast, forcing nearby cafes and restaurants to shut. Omer said the commanders of both the groups later stopped the fighting and the "situation is now under control across the Red Sea state". Members of NISS are leading a sweeping crackdown on anti-government protests that have rocked Sudan for more than a month now, with