Page 271 - War Conflict
Considerable success in anti-militancy operations in J-K in 2018: Army
Security forces met considerable success in anti-militancy operations in Jammu and Kashmir in 2018 by eliminating several top ultras who were targeting security forces and civilians, Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Ranbir Singh said Thursday. He said the number of terrorists killed last year in the valley was highest in the past 10 years. "From the security point of view, 2018 has been a best year for the forces. More than 250 terrorists were killed, nearly 54 arrested and four surrendered," Singh told reporters in Poonch. He was replying to questions regarding the security situation in the valley in the backdrop of the 'Operation All Out'. He also said the Army was replying befittingly to Pakistani aggression along the Line of Control (LoC) in the state. "Our operation has been successful. We have been able to eliminate a number of militants, who were targeting security forces and civilians. We have foiled their designs," he said. Replying to questions about the continuous ceasefire ..
Omar questions Army officials boasting about number of militants killed in J-K
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah Thursday questioned Army officials boasting about the number of militants killed in the state last year, saying it would have been a "great year" if no youth had joined militancy. "I beg to differ, a great year would be one in which no young man would join militancy, no terrorists would be killed & no security personnel would lose their lives in encounters. The compulsion of killing militants/terrorists shouldn't be treated as a cause for celebration," Omar wrote on Twitter. He was responding to the remarks of Northern Army Command chief Lt Gen Ranbir Singh in which he reportedly said that 2018 has been a great year for the security forces as more than 250 terrorists were killed, 54 were caught alive and four surrendered to the forces.
Tear gas fired at protesters marching to Sudan presidential palace: witnesses
Sudanese police on Thursday fired tear gas at protesters marching towards the presidential palace, witnesses said, during a demonstration in the capital to demand the resignation of President Omar al-Bashir. Demonstrators chanting "Freedom, peace, justice" gathered in central Khartoum and began their march but riot police quickly confronted them with tear gas, the witnesses told AFP. Anti-government protests that erupted across Sudan on December 19, after the government raised the price of bread, have turned into daily nationwide demonstrations against Bashir's three decades of rule. Protests were also held in the Red Sea town of Port Sudan and in Gadaref, witnesses told AFP by telephone, after organisers called for simultaneous demonstrations in 11 cities apart from Khartoum. Ahead of the planned march, authorities had reinforced security forces in the capital's key areas. An AFP journalist saw security personnel, many in plainclothes, stationed across the downtown area of Khartoum ..
After Jammu-Delhi Duronto Express, RPF deployed to patrol trains to avoid similar incidents
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has been deployed for the patrolling of running trains to avoid repetition of cases of robbery. The move comes after the passengers of B3 and B7 coaches of Jammu-Delhi Duronto Express were looted on Thursday morning.Earlier in the day, passengers of B3 and B7 coaches Jammu-Delhi Duronto Express were looted by unidentified miscreants when the train was on the outskirts of the national capital region.Following the incident, the Delhi Police has lodged an FIR against unidentified persons.According to a passenger, the incident lasted for 10-15 minutes. He said, "Some 7 to 10 unidentified miscreants entered coaches B3 and B7 of the train. They were carrying sharp edged knives with them. They put the knife near to the neck of passengers and asked them to handover whatever expensive items they are carrying with them.
Compulsion of killing terrorists shouldn't be cause for celebration: Omar Abdullah
The compulsion of killing terrorists should not be treated as a cause of celebration, asserted National Conference (NC) vice-president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah while reacting sharply to a statement made by Northern Command chief Lt Gen Ranbir Singh earlier in the day.Lt Gen Singh, while addressing a press conference, presented the statistics of army operations from the past year and said, "2018 has been a great year for the security forces, more than 250 terrorists were killed, 54 were caught alive, and four surrendered to the forces."Reacting to the statement, Omar expressed his dissent and tweeted, "I beg to differ, a great year would be one in which no young man would join militancy, no terrorists would be killed and no security personnel would lose their lives in encounters. The compulsion of killing militants/terrorists shouldn't be treated as a cause for celebration."During his media briefing, Lt Gen Singh had also asserted that the Indian Army is always prepared .
J-K: Man held with 7 kg poppy
A man, suspected to be a drug peddler, was arrested and seven kilograms of poppy was seized from his possession in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district Thursday, police said. Acting on a tip-off, a police team intercepted the man, identified as Mansoor of south Kashmir, and seized the poppy from him, they said. A case has been registered, police said.
Grenade attack on security picket in Srinagar, three traffic cops injured
Militants carried out a grenade attack on a security picket at Zero Bridge in the city on Thursday, leaving at least three traffic policemen injured, police said. The attack took place less than 100 metres from the National Conference headquarters and the local office of All India Radio. "Militants hurled a grenade at a security forces picket near Zero Bridge on Rajbagh side. At least three personnel were hurt in the attack," a police official said. The injured including an Assistant Sub Inspector of the traffic police, the official said. He said security forces have cordoned off the area and a manhunt has been launched to nab the attackers.
Sniffer dogs, bomb experts comb through Kenya attack site
Kenyan security forces on Thursday resumed their search of the hotel complex attacked by Islamists with sniffer dogs and bomb experts, as information emerged about one of the attackers who killed 21 people. A police source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they were confident there were no more people trapped inside the hotel or surrounding office buildings after the 20-hour operation in which some 700 civilians were rescued. "We are confident that we have no more people there," the officer told AFP, "but in a situation like this, you are not done until you are done." "We are back in with sniffer dogs and bomb experts are checking through because yesterday we found grenades left by those people." Police warned the public there may be loud controlled explosions as they continued their sweep of the hotel. Five gunmen with the Al-Qaeda-linked Somali militant group Al-Shabaab attacked the DusitD2 hotel and office complex on Tuesday afternoon. Chilling CCTV footage showed one of ..
Civilian injured in Pak firing along LoC in J-K's Rajouri
A civilian was injured Thursday when Pakistani troops violated ceasefire and resorted to firing and mortar shelling along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, officials said. Northern Command chief Lt Gen Ranbir Singh said the Army is replying befittingly to the Pakistani aggression. Pakistan troops resorted to firing and mortar shelling on forward posts and civilian areas along the LoC in Nowshera sector, the officials said. The ceasefire violation resulted in injuries to a civilian who has been hospitalised, they said. The year 2018 had witnessed the highest number -- 2936 -- of ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops in the last 15 years along the Indo-Pak border. The continuous Pakistani shelling and firing targeting villages has set in fear psychosis among the border dwellers. Pakistan troops resorted to firing and shelling along the LoC in Poonch district of the state for 12 days of this month. On Monday, Border Security Force (BSF) Assistant Commandant .
India condemns Nairobi hotel attack
India on Thursday condemned the terror attack at a luxury hotel complex in Kenya's capital Nairobi that claimed the lives of at least 21 people.
India condemns terror attack at Kenya hotel
India Thursday strongly condemned the deadly terror attack at a luxury hotel complex in Kenya's Nairobi, where 21 people were killed. According to reports, at least two blasts and gunfire were heard at the compound which houses the Dusit hotel and some offices. "India strongly condemns the horrific terrorist attack in Dusit D2 Hotel and offices complex in Nairobi on January 15 which caused loss of innocent lives. We stand in solidarity with Kenya at this juncture," the Ministry of External Affairs said. India wished early recovery of the people injured in the attack, the ministry said. "We express our sincere condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the people and Government of Kenya and wish early recovery to the injured," it added.
Sri Lankan President signs 3 loan agreements with ADB
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena signed on Thursday three loan agreements totalling $455 million with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to fund projects in higher education, transport as well as a technical assistance loan in the urban sector.
3 policemen injured in Srinagar grenade explosion
Three policemen were injured in a grenade explosion here on Thursday, authorities said.
Two cops injured after grenade attack at Srinagar's Zero Bridge
At least two traffic personnel were injured Thursday in a grenade attack by militants on a security picket at Zero Bridge in the city, police said. "Militants hurled a grenade at a security forces' picket near Zero Bridge on Rajbagh side. At least two cops were hurt in the attack," a police official said. He said security forces have cordoned off the area and launched a hunt for the attackers. The attack took place less than 100 metres from the National Conference headquarters and the local office of the All India Radio.
British national gets bail in terror funding case
A Punjab court on Thursday granted bail to a British national in a terror funding case.
Mortal remains of BSF asst commandant arrives at Howrah home
The mortal remains of BSF Assistant Commandant Vinay Prasad, who was killed in a sniper shot in Jammu and Kashmir, was brought to his residence in Howrah on Thursday. Amid chants of "Bharat Mata ki Jai" and "Vinay Prasad Amar Rahe", Prasad's friends and relatives paid their last respects to the martyr, whose body arrived in a coffin wrapped in Tricolour. Senior officers of Border Security Force(BSF), South Bengal Frontier, also laid wreaths on the coffin as a mark of tribute to the soldier. On Tuesday, the troops were carrying out border domination along the International Border, when snipers of Pakistan Rangers opened fire at them around 10.50am in Hiranagar-Samba sector of Kathua. Prasad was critically injured in a sniper shot and was evacuated to the Military Hospital at Satwari (Jammu), where he succumbed to injuries.
Miscreants loot passengers of Jammu-Delhi Duranto Express
Passengers onboard in B3 and B7 coaches of Jammu-Delhi Duranto Express were looted by unidentified assailants on the outskirts of the national capital on Thursday.The incident took place in the early morning hours of today. Northern Railway Public Relations Office said that the Railway Protection Force has initial leads in the case and action will be taken against culprits.As per a passenger who was travelling in that train, the incident lasted for 10 to 15 minutes.He said, "Some 7 to 10 unidentified miscreants entered coaches B3 and B7 of the train. They were carrying sharp edged knives with them. They put the knife near to the neck of passengers and asked them to handover whatever expensive items they are carrying with them."According to the passenger, the Delhi police has lodged an FIR in the matter.
Nairobi hotel attack death toll reaches 21
The death toll in Tuesday's attack on a luxury hotel complex in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi has increased to 21, police have confirmed.
Family of Canadian kidnapped at Burkina mine 'hopeful'
A Canadian has been kidnapped by armed militants from a gold mine in eastern Burkina Faso, a region battling a rise in extremist violence and lawlessness, a senior government official said. Geologist Kirk Woodman is the vice president of Canadian company Progress Minerals, mining sources told AFP, which owns the mine in volatile Yagha province near the borders with Niger and Mali. "The agents who were working were attacked by about ten armed men who rounded up the staff. They took the expat with them," the Burkina's security minister Clement Sawadogo said Wednesday, adding that Progress Minerals was exploring at the gold site. The raid happened on Tuesday evening, he added. "We have faith and trust in Canadian authorities to bring our husband and father home safe. We are hopeful for a fast resolution to the situation," Woodman's family said in a statement. Canada currently has 250 soldiers and eight army helicopters deployed in neighbouring Mali as part of a UN peacekeeping ...
Probe against ISIS-inspired group: NIA carries out searches in western UP, Punjab
The NIA Thursday carried out searches at eight places in western Uttar Pradesh and Punjab in connection with its probe against an ISIS-inspired group, which was allegedly planning suicide attacks and serial blasts, targeting politicians and government installations, in Delhi and other parts of north India. The agency has arrested 12 people in this connection since December 26 last year. The fresh raids come five days after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Muhammad Absar (24) from Hapur on January 12. The NIA said that searches were being conducted based on inputs from interrogation of the people arrested for allegedly being part of 'Harkat ul Harb e Islam' module of global terrorist group ISIS. The agency had earlier said it had seized a locally made rocket launcher, material for suicide vests and 112 alarm clocks to be used as timers besides recovering 25 kg of explosive material -- Potassium Nitrate, Ammonium Nitrate and Sulphur. The group had allegedly purchased ...