Page 372 - War Conflict
Boko Haram attacks kill 12 in Nigeria
At least 12 civilians were killed in multiple Boko Haram jihadist attacks targeting two villages and a camp for those displaced by the bloody conflict in northeastern Nigeria, civilian militia and residents told AFP Thursday. Jihadists in seven trucks late on Wednesday attacked Bulaburin and Kofa villages as well as a camp in Dalori village outside the Borno state capital of Maiduguri. "The terrorists attacked and completely burnt Bulaburin and Kofa villages and burnt half the Dalori two IDP (internally displaced persons) camp," militia leader Babakura Kolo told AFP. "They killed nine people in Bulaburin, two people in Dalori, and one in Kofa and looted food supplies before setting them on fire," Kolo said. The attack was launched in Kofa where the jihadists opened fire indiscriminately and killed one person as residents fled, said Kofa resident Musa Goni. "They then moved to nearby Bulaburin where they gunned down nine people and burnt the village after stealing food," Goni said. At .
Gold jewels burgled from church in Kanyakumari
: Ten sovereigns of gold jewels have been stolen from a church here allegedly by a youth, police said Thursday. The theft in the over 100-year-old St Alankara Upahara Church came to light in the morning when an employee of the place of worship found the valuables missing, the police said. The glass boxcontaining a statue of a goddess was broken and four gold bangles, a bracelet and a chain, all weighing 10 sovereigns, were stolen, they said. Two of the five CCTV cameras showed the youth hiding in the church since Wednesday night, while the three other cameras were covered with a cloth, the police said. The youth would have escaped with the loot the next morning, they said.
Lt General Rajeshwar takes over as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff
Lieutenant General P.S. Rajeshwar on Thursday took over as the 12th Chief of Integrated Defence Staff.
Kabul control slips, Afghan force losses at record: US watchdog
Kabul's control of Afghanistan slipped in recent months as local security forces suffered record-level casualties while making minimal or no progress against the Taliban, a US government watchdog said Thursday. The latest glimpse into Afghanistan's security crisis highlights persistent problems among police and army units who have faced years of devastating losses, and shows the Taliban's resilience 17 years after the US-led invasion. Numbers provided by Resolute Support, the US-led NATO mission in Afghanistan, show that during the last quarter, the Afghan government controlled or influenced 226 of the country's 407 districts -- or 55.5 percent. According to the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), which compiled the data, the figure marks a slight drop (0.7 percent) over the previous quarter. It is the lowest level since SIGAR began tracking district control in November 2015. Of the remaining districts, SIGAR assessed that 49 were under insurgent ...
2 militants killed in encounter with security forces in J&K's Budgam district
Two militants were killed in an encounter with the security forces in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir Thursday, police said. "Security forces launched an operation based on credible inputs about the presence of militants in the Zagoo locality of the Khansahib area in the district," a police official said. He added that during the operation, the militants fired on the search party, which was retaliated by the security forces. "In the exchange of fire, two militants were neutralised. Their identities are being ascertained," the police official said. Arms and ammunition were recovered from the encounter site, he added. Meanwhile, an outdoor broadcasting (OB) van of a media organisation was damaged in a stone-pelting incident in Budgam district, the police said. The windscreen of the OB van of a television news agency was damaged after it was attacked by a stone-pelting mob while the media crew was on its way to cover the encounter, a police official said. There were no reports of ...
Two militants killed, protesters attack security forces
Security forces shot dead two militants on Thursday in a gunfight in Jammu and Kashmir's Badgam district, triggering widespread street protests in Badgam and Pulwama districts, police said.
Sri Lanka Parliament to be reconvened on Nov 5: Rajapaksa
The newly-elected Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa announced that the country's Parliament will be reconvened on November 5.Rajapaksa was informed of this decision by President Maithripala Sirisena, reported Colombo Page.The decision to lift the suspension of Parliament comes after Sirisena succumbed to the pressure from the legislators, civil societies and the international community.Sirisena had prorogued Parliament from October 27 until November 16 without consulting the Speaker.Political turmoil erupted in Sri Lanka after Sirisena sacked former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on October 26 and replaced him with Rajapaksa following the collapse of the governing coalition between the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and UNP.The island nation also witnessed massive protests when hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Colombo against the sacking of Wickremesinghe and demanded reconvening of Parliament to end the constitutional crisis.
Over 3,000 TN fishermen chased away by Sri Lankan Navy, fishing nets snapped
More than 3,000 Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu were chased away by the Sri Lankan Navy, who also hurled stones at them and snapped fishing nets of 50 vessels for fishing in their territorial waters, a fishermen association leader claimed on Thursday. Rameswaram Fishermen Association President, P Sesuraja said fishermen from this town and Mandapam region had ventured into the sea Wednesday morning in over 700 mechanised boats and were fishing near Katchatheevu when Sri Lankan naval personnel arrived there and threatened them. They also snapped the fishing nets of 50 boats and pelted stones at the fishermen before driving them away, he alleged, adding all the fishermen returned early Thursday morning without a catch. Sesuraja urged the Centre to take up the issue with the island nation's government to prevent recurrence of such incidents. Referring to the 1974 India-Sri Lanka agreement on fishing, he claimed that they had rights to fish in Katchatheevu, an islet ceded to the ...
Lt Gen Thimmaya takes over as GoC Army Training Command, Shimla
Lieutenant General P C Thimmaya took over as the 21st General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Army Training Command (ARTRAC) here on Thursday, an Army official said. After passing out from the Indian Military Academy with the sword of honour, he commissioned into the 5th battalion Mechanised Infantry Regiment (14 KUMAON) on June 13, 1981. An alumnus of Sainik School Bhubaneswar and National Defence Academy Pune, Thimmaya commanded his battalion during operation Parakram and an Independent Mechanised Brigade in the deserts. As a major general, he commanded a strike formation and subsequently, as a lieutenant general, he commanded a Corps in the western theatre. Prior to his assumption of command of ARTRAC, Lieutenant General Thimmaya was posted as the Commandant of Army War College, Mhow. He has had international assignments as military observer in UN Mission (UNAVEM, Angola) and Defence Attach in Bangladesh.
FBI arrests man for demonstrating how to build bomb
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested a man from Arizona for demonstrating how to build a bomb and teaching others how to do so.
J-K: 2 terrorists killed in Budgam encounter
Two terrorists were gunned down by security forces during an encounter which broke out in Zagoo Arizal area of Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam district on Thursday morning.The terrorists were killed after a joint search operation was launched by a team of police and security forces based on credible inputs about their presence in the area. The operation has concluded now.The Jammu and Kashmir Police, in a statement, said that during the search operation, terrorists fired on the security forces, which was retaliated.Incriminating materials, including arms and ammunition, have been recovered from the site of encounter and a case has been registered.The police have also requested residents to not venture near the encounter zone since such an area can prove dangerous due to stray explosive materials. They have also requested locals to cooperate with them till the area is completely sanitised.
2 militants killed in encounter with security forces in J-K's Budgam district
Two militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, police said. "Security forces launched an operation based on credible inputs about the presence of militants in Zagoo locality of Khansahib area in the district," a police official said. He said during the operation, the militants fired on the search party, which was retaliated by the security forces. "During the exchange of fire, two militants were neutralized. Their identities are being ascertained," the police official said. Arms and ammunition were recovered from the encounter site, he said.
J-K: Encounter underway in Budgam
An encounter is underway between the terrorists and security forces in Zagoo Arizal area of Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam district.Two-three terrorists are reportedly trapped in the area. More details are currently awaited.This comes after bodies of two terrorists were recovered in Pulwama's Tral town following an exchange of fire between terrorists and security forces.The police had also recovered arms and ammunition, including M4 and AK 47 rifles and other incriminating materials from the site of the encounter.
'Mother, I will possibly die!' cameraman said before surviving Maoist attack
Mother! I love you. It is possible I will die in this attack," Doordarshan cameraman M.M. Sharma said on his mobile telephone as Maoists ambushed a team of policemen and Doordarshan journalists. But he had a miraculous escape.
Bihar Military Police official accused of molestation,
An official of the Bihar Military Police was on Wednesday placed under suspension and orders were issued for his arrest after he was accused of molestation by a trainee female constable, a senior BMP official said. The accused is Shambhu Saran Rathore, a subedar - an inspector rank post - with the BMP-5 . Director General, Bihar Military Police Gupteshwar Pandey told PTI-Bhasha that departmental action, which may be dismissal from service, will be taken against the accused BMP official based on findings of the probe. "Such acts of indecency and indiscipline will not be tolerated at any cost. After a thorough investigation in the matter, departmental action will be taken against Rathore and he may be dismissed from service", Pandey added. Earlier, female police personnel had staged a demonstration outside the office of BMP-5 here demanding action against Rathore. They dispersed following assurances by senior officials. The Bihar Military Police is the armed police force ...
Naxal threat: About 65,000 troops for 1st phase of Chhattisgarh polls
About 65,000 troops from various central and state police forces will be deployed for the first-phase of the assembly polls in naxal-hit Chhattisgarh, officials said Wednesday. Elections to the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly will be held in two phases on November 12 and November 20. In two recent Maoist attacks in Bijapur and Sukma districts, nine security personnel and a DD News cameraman were killed, prompting security officials to direct personnel to "maintain a very high state of alert till the polls process is completed". The officials said contingents from central forces such as the CRPF, BSF, ITBP, SSB, CISF and RPF, and a few from state police forces have reached capital Raipur. These will be in position at their designated locations and polling booths by this week, they said. "About 650 companies of central and state police forces will be deployed for the first phase of polls in the state.The (personnel of) Chhattisgarh Police is in addition to this," a senior official ...
Pakistan: Gunmen on motorbike kill 5 workers in southwest
Pakistani police say gunmen riding on a motorcycle have shot and killed five workers at a construction site in the country's southwestern Baluchistan province. Police officer Abdul Hafeez says Wednesday's attack took place in the coastal town of Gwadar. He says two other workers were critically wounded and that the death toll could rise. The attackers fled the scene and an investigation is underway. No group has immediately claimed responsibility for the drive-by shooting. Baluch separatist groups have claimed past such attacks on laborers, usually from other parts of the country, working in Baluchistan. Islamic militants also operate in the region. Baluchistan has been a scene of a low-level insurgency by Baluch separatists who demand a greater share of the province's natural gas and mineral resources.
Deswal appointed new ITBP DG
IPS officer Surjeet Singh Deswal on Wednesday took over as the new Director General (DG) of border guarding force Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), tasked primarily with manning India's frontier with China. The 1984-batch Indian Police Service officer of Haryana cadre took over from R K Pachnanda. An order issued by the Personnel Ministry said the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved Deswal's appointment as the DG, ITBP for a period up to his superannuation on August 31, 2021. Deswal was serving as the DG of another border guarding force Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), a post he was appointed to only a month ago. Another order issued Wednesday said he will continue to hold the SSB charge in an "additional" capacity. The around 90,000-personnel strong force, raised in the aftermath of the 1962 Chinese aggression, works under the command of the Union Home Ministry. Apart from its primary task of guarding the 3,488-km Sino-India ...
SSB chief Deswal named ITBP DG, to continue in previous charge
Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) chief S.S. Deswal was on Wednesday appointed Director General of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), a para-military force mandated to guard the 3,488-km Sino-Indian border. He will also hold the additional charge of SSB Director General till further orders.
Lt General PC Thimmaya to assume charge of ARTRAC
Lieutenant General PC Thimmaya, a recipient of Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) will take over as the 21st General Officer Commander-in-Chief of Shimla-based Army Training Command (ARTRAC) facility on November 1.Lt. Gen. Thimmaya was earlier posted as the Commandant of Army War College in MHOW, Madhya Pradesh.He passed out from the Indian Military Academy (IMA) with the coveted Sword of Honour in 1981, following which he was commissioned into the 5th Bn, the Mechanised Infantry Regiment (14 KUMAON).He has officiated as Military Observer in United Nations Angola Verification Mission and has also been deployed as a defence attache in Bangladesh.An alumnus of Sainik School, Bhubaneshwar and the National Defence Academy in Pune, he has tenanted critical command and Staff Appointments along the borders in peace and field in his illustrious career.The General Officer has commanded battalions during operation 'Parakram' and Independent Mechanised Brigade in the deserts. He has commanded a Strike ..