Page 281 - War Conflict
Lt Gen J S Nain takes over as Commander of Army's Rising Star Corps
Lt Gen J S Nain on Saturday took over as the 14th Corps Commander of the Rising Star Corps from Lt Gen Y V K Mohan here, a defence spokesperson said. A highly decorated soldier and an alumni of the National Defence Academy, Lt Gen Nain was Commissioned into the 2nd Battalion of the Indian Army's Dogra Regiment in June 1983. The spokesperson said during his career, Lt Gen Nain commanded his battalion at the Line of Control (LoC) in high-attitude area, a mountain brigade in the eastern sector and an infantry division along the LoC in Kashmir Valley. He was also the brigade major of an independent mechanised brigade group, an instructor at a prestigious infantry school and appointed at many other key positions, the spokesperson said. He added that the General officer has excelled in various professional courses during his service and has many achievements to his credit. Lt Gen Nain is a graduate from Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, College of Defence Management, Secunderabad .
ISIS module: NIA arrests man from UP's Ghaziabad
The National Investigation Agency said Saturday it has made a fresh arrest from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh 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 also conducted fresh searches on Saturday at three locations in Meerut, Hapur and Ghaziabad in connection with the latest arrest. An agency spokesperson said Muhammad Absar (24) was arrested by NIA sleuths from Hapur on Friday night. With the latest arrest, the NIA has nabbed 12 people so far in this connection. He said Absar was a resident of Jasora in Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh and used to teach at Jamia Husania Abul Hassan in the Piplera area of Ghaziabad. Absar, the spokesperson said, had "visited three places in Jammu and Kashmir in the months of May and August 2018 along with another accused, Iftekhar Sakib, in connection with the terror ...
Thai security forces kill two linked to deadly shooting at school
Two insurgents believed to be tied to a motorcycle drive-by shooting at a school in Thailand's south were shot dead Saturday, police said, as UNICEF warned of trauma for children near the scene of the lunchtime violence. Since 2004 clashes between Malay-Muslim rebels and the Buddhist-majority Thai state that annexed the area over 100 years ago have killed nearly 7,000 people, mostly civilians of both faiths. The conflict rarely makes global headlines but is a reality for residents of border provinces where security forces maintain a large footprint, aided by poorly paid defence "volunteers" drawn from local communities. The four men killed in Thursday's shooting were all Muslims and were guarding a school in Pattani province when the attackers struck just before lunchtime with students mere metres away. Pattani provincial police commander Piyawat Chalermsri told AFP Saturday that two people with alleged ties to the school violence were killed in a shootout Saturday morning. Though he .
12 civilians killed in jihadist attack in Burkina Faso
Twelve civilians were killed on Thursday during a jihadist attack in the north of Burkina Faso, which has been battling a wave of Islamist violence, officials said Friday. The west African country declared a state of emergency in several provinces at the end of last year and on Thursday replaced its army chief as it struggled to put a stop to a spate of such attacks. In the latest violence, gunmen attacked a village market in broad daylight, the security ministry said in a statement issued late Friday. "Around 30 armed individuals perpetrated... a terrorist attack in the village of Gasseliki," it said, giving a toll of 12 dead and two wounded. "A barn, a cart and six shops were also set alight," it added. A local source told AFP that the attackers "ransacked stores and opened fire on people who had gathered for the weekly market". Jihadist attacks began in northern Burkina Faso in 2015 but then spread to the east, near the border with Togo and Benin. The country is part of the vast ...
India dismisses Pakistan's allegation regarding Chinese mission attack
India has dismissed allegations by Pakistan about playing a role in the terrorist attack on the Chinese mission in Karachi last year saying Islamabad should instead take credible action against support to terrorism.
Chinese national stabbed in Karachi, 2 security guards arrested
Two security guards have been arrested from interior Sindh province on the charge of stabbing a Chinese national and stealing Rs 3 million rupees other valuables from him in Karachi. DIG South, Sharjeel Karim Kharal told the media that the guards were arrested on Friday from near the town of Jamshoro. "They had attacked the Chinese national with knives in a neighbourhood of Defence Housing Society and robbed him of Rs 3 million and other valuables on Thursday," he said. Kharal said the guards worked for a private security agency and were detailed at the residence of the Chinese national, Shi Qingpu, who was residing in Karachi while being engaged in private business. The two accused attacked Shi at his residence on Thursday night, stabbed him and made away with the cash and valuables, the DIG said. "The two guards were arrested at Jamshoro toll plaza after fleeing from Karachi," he added. The injured foreigner was admitted to a private hospital in Clifton. Senior police officials met .
Deputies agree historic name change for Macedonia
Macedonian deputies voted Friday to change the country's name to "the Republic of North Macedonia", settling a decades-long row with Greece and paving the way to NATO and EU membership. Parliamentary speaker Talad Xhaferi said 81 MPs had voted in favour of the name change in the 120-seat chamber, securing the required two-thirds majority. However, the ball is now in Athens' court as the name change will be effective only once it is cleared by the Greek parliament. Athens has promised to lift its veto on Skopje's attempts to join NATO and the European Union, once Macedonia changed its name. Greece has blocked that path since Macedonia broke away from the former Yugoslavia in 1991 because, it says, the name Macedonia should apply solely to its own northern province. For the Greeks, Macedonia evokes national pride as the cradle of Alexander the Great's ancient empire, a heritage that they guard jealously.
Germany checking jihadist claim against man deported by Egypt
German prosecutors said Friday they were looking into allegations that a German national arrested and then deported by Egypt is a jihadist militant. "Based on the information published in the Egyptian media, the prosecution service... is investigating whether there are any indications of criminal offences," the service in the city of Celle told AFP. The 23-year-old student from the university town of Goettingen is one of two German men detained separately last month in Egypt, with an 18-year-old still in custody there on Friday. The families of both men believe their arrests were cases of mistaken identity. However, German public broadcaster SWR reported, without citing sources, that the 23-year-old was known to German police as a suspected Islamist. It said he had been the target of an investigation into the possible "planning of an act of violence against the state". Egyptian security sources said he was detained at Cairo International Airport over suspicions he was seeking to join .
Chinese consulate attack: India rubbishes Pak's 'fabricated and scurrilous' accusations
India has rubbished allegations made by Pakistan with regard to the Chinese consulate attack which took place in Karachi last year.In response to a question regarding statements attributed to the Karachi police chief of levying false accusations against India, Ministry of External Affairs on Friday termed the allegations as 'fabricated and scurrilous'."We have seen statements in Pakistani media attributed to the Police chief of Karachi making false allegations against India for the terrorist attack on the Chinese Consulate in Karachi in November 2018. We completely reject these fabricated and scurrilous attempts to levy accusations on India. Instead of maliciously pointing fingers at others for such terrorist incidents, Pakistan needs to look inwards and undertake credible action against support to terrorism and terror infrastructure in its territories," the statement read.Earlier in the day, Dawn quoted Karachi Police chief Amir Ahmed Shaikh as saying that the terrorist attack on the
India rejects 'fabricated, scurrilous' Pak charge of RAW involvement in Karachi consulate attack
Pakistani police on Friday accused Indian spy agency RAW of being involved in the November terrorist attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi, a charge rejected by India as "fabricated and scurrilous". Karachi police said they have arrested five suspects from a separatist Baloch group for the November 23 attack on the Chinese consulate that killed four people, which they claimed was carried out to "sabotage" the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). At a press conference, Karachi police chief Amir Sheikh said the men arrested confessed to their role in facilitating the three attackers, who were also killed during the attack on the consulate. Shaikh claimed that the attack was planned in Afghanistan and executed with the help of India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). Reacting to the Pakistani claim, a spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi said, "We have seen statements in the Pakistani media attributed to the police chief of Karachi making false ...
Palestinian woman killed by Israeli fire in border protests: Gaza ministry
A Palestinian woman was shot dead by Israeli forces during protests along the Gaza border Friday, the health ministry in the Hamas-run enclave said. Spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra told AFP the woman, who was not identified, was shot in the head east of Gaza City. The Israeli army did not immediately respond to the specific incident but said around 12,000 Palestinians had gathered in multiple sites along the border. "The rioters have burned tyres and hurled blocks, explosive devices and grenades towards (Israeli) troops and at the Gaza Strip security fence," an army spokeswoman said. Troops were responding "in accordance with standard operating procedures". At least 14 other Palestinians were wounded by gunshots, al-Qudra said in a statement. The latest fatality brought to at least 241 the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli fire in Gaza since often violent border protests began in March. The overwhelming majority have been men, though a female medic died in June. Most of Palestinians .
Army porter killed in firing by Pak troops along LoC in J-K's Rajouri
An Army porter was killed Friday when Pakistani troops continued ceasefire violations for the fourth consecutive day along the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting the Indian Army to retaliate, officials said. Army porter Hemraj was critically injured when Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing in Sunderbani Sector of Rajouri district, PRO Defence Lt ColDevender Anand said. He was provided immediate resuscitation and medical aid, but he succumbed to the gunshot wounds, he said. The Army will provide all possible assistance to the family of martyred porter, the PRO said. Pakistan troops also resorted to firing and shelling along the LoC in forward areas of the Poonch district, the officials said. Indian troops guarding the borderline retaliated strongly, resulting in exchange of firing on the both sides, they said. The year 2018 had witnessed 2,936 ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Indo-Pak border, the highest in the last 15 years. The ...
Two Army soldiers killed in explosion near LoC in Rajouri district
Two Army soldiers were killed on Friday in an explosion near the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district.
Three arrested with fake currency in J-K's Rajouri
Security personnel Friday arrested three persons and recovered fake currency with a face value of more than Rs 15,000 in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, police said. A Special Operation Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police along with a team of 38 RashtriyaRifles unit set up a checkpoint at Manyal Gali area in Thanamandion the Thanamandi-DKG road, they said. During the search, the forces intercepted a car while it was trying to flee. Fake currency notes worth Rs 15,100. Of them, 43 notes were in Rs 200 denomination and 13 in Rs 500, police said. The arrested accused were identified as Javaid Ahmed, Abdul Rashied and Bilal Ahmed Dar, all of them residents of Kulgam in south Kashmir, the SSP said. In the preliminary investigation, it was revealed that the accused have links with some drug peddlers in Rajouri and Poonch and used the fake currency to supply narcotics, the SSP said, adding that the trio is also part of a narco-terrorism racket here. A case has been registered ..
Militants attack CRPF bunker in Srinagar
Militants hurled a grenade at a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) bunker in the city centre Lal Chowk here on Friday but no one was injured.
Pak police arrest 5 Baloch separatists for Chinese consulate attack in Karachi
Pakistani police on Friday said they have arrested five suspects from a separatist Baloch group for the November attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi that killed four people, which they claimed was carried out to "sabotage" the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). At a press conference, Karachi police chief Amir Sheikh said the men arrested confessed to their role in facilitating the three attackers, who were also killed during the November 23 attack on the consulate. He said the detainees were linked to the Baloch Liberation Army, a Balochistan-based group which had claimed responsibility for the attack at the time. Three militants tried to storm the consulate in the city's posh Clifton area but security forces foiled their attempt by killing all of them in a gunbattle. The attack also killed two police officials and two visa applicants. Shaikh claimed that the attack was planned in Afghanistan and executed with the help of India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) spy ...
Army porter critically injured in firing by Pak troops along LoC in J-K's Rajouri
An Army porter was critically injured Friday when Pakistani troops continued ceasefire violations for the fourth consecutive day along the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting the Indian Army to retaliate, officials said. Pakistan troops resorted to firing and shelling along the LoC in forward areas in Nowshera and Poonch sectors, critically injuring an Army porter, they said. He has been hospitalised, the officials added. Indian troops guarding the borderline retaliated strongly, resulting in exchange of firing on the both sides, they said. The year 2018 had witnessed 2,936 ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Indo-Pak border, the highest in the last 15 years. The continuous shelling and firing by Pakistan targeting villages has set in fear psychosis among the border dwellers, the officials said. Pakistani troops resorted to firing and shelling along the LoC in Poonch eight out of ten days of this month, they said. On Thursday, Pakistan resorted ..
Two soldiers injured in explosion near LoC
Two soldiers were injured on Friday in an explosion near the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district.
Kumar Rajesh Chandra takes over as SSB chief
Senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Kumar Rajesh Chandra on Friday took over as the Director General of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) -- a paramilitary force mandated to guard 1,751-km India-Nepal and 699-km India-Bhutan borders.
JCO, soldier injured in IED blast along LoC in J-K's Rajouri
A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and a soldier were injured in an IED blast along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district Friday, officials said. An improvised explosive device was planted by suspected militants in foot-track along the LoC to target Army soldiers patrolling the borderline in Laam sector of Rajouri district, they said. The blast resulted in injuries to two soldiers, including a JCO, officials said, adding they have been hospitalised. Army soldiers have been alerted against IED blasts and attacks by the border action teams (BATs) of the Pakistan Army, they said.