Page 384 - War Conflict
Changes in security apparatus don't underline Defence Ministry's authority: Sitharaman
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday the authority of her ministry and of the armed forces have not been undermined by recent changes in the country's security establishment apparatus. She also said the National Security Adviser (NSA) plays an important role in inter-ministerial coordination for security-related matters. At an event here, the defence minister was replying to a question on "changes in the shape of security establishment" and its criticism in some quarters after the NDA government recently reconstituted the Strategic Policy Group, with NSA Ajit Doval as its chairman, to assist the National Security Council. "Now if you are looking at security and strategy council, looking at national security council or NSA, now because it is going to have (to) bring in other ministries, other departments (for security-related matters)... that does not undermine the Raksha Mantralay (defence ministry)," the minister said. "It does not take away the powers of the three ...
British security forces handling over 700 live terror probes: Scotland Yard
Britain's security forces are dealing with a record high of over 700 live anti-terror investigations, Scotland Yard's Indian-origin counter-terrorism chief Neil Basu has told an influential committee of the UK Parliament. The Metropolitan Police Lead for Counter-Terrorism and the Head of its Specialist Operations said the over-riding threat to the UK remains from terrorist groups like the Islamic State but, Islamist and far-right terrorism are "both feeding each other" as the country's terror threat levels escalate. "Across the counter-terrorism network at the moment, we are recording a record high of over 700 investigations," said Assistant Commissioner Basu, in his evidence before the UK Parliament's Home Affairs Select Committee on Wednesday. He also revealed that since the ISIS-claimed attack on the UK's Parliament complex in March last year, the security forces have prevented 17 terror attacks directed against Britain, four of which were extreme right-wing terrorist plots. "The ..
Gunfight in Anantnag
A gunfight erupted on Thursday between militants and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district.
12 persons including arms dealers held in MP, weapons seized
Police arrested 12 persons in Indore city of Madhya Pradesh Thursday and seized firearms from their possession during a special drive ahead of the next month's elections, a senior official said. Deputy Inspector General of police Harinarayanachari Mishra told reporters that those arrested included two alleged arms dealers. They were identified as Amarjit Singh Bhatia, resident of Dhar, and Virendra Singh, resident of Barwani. The other accused were allegedly trying to buy firearms from the duo, he said. Police recovered 19 firearms including country-made revolvers and pistols besides cartridges, he said, adding that further probe was on. Assembly elections will be held in Madhya Pradesh on November 28.
Two militants killed in encounter in Baramulla in J-K
Two militants were killed Thursday in a gunbattle with security forces in Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said. Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Kreeri area in the early hours following information about presence of militants there. Militants opened fire towards security forces, and two ultras were killed in the ensuing gunbattle, a police official said. "The encounter at Kreeri in Baramulla is over. Two militants have been killed," the official said. The identity and group affiliation of the slain militants were being ascertained, he added. The official said an exchange of firing also took place Thursday evening at Arwani area of Anantnag district after security forces launched an operation based on a tip. The anti-militancy operation in Arwani area was also in an advanced stage, he said.
CRPF jawan injured in blast in Sukma, Chhattisgarh
A jawan of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was injured Thursday in an IED blast carried out by Naxals in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Sukma district, police said. The incident took place when a team of CRPF's 223rd battalion was out on anti-Naxal operation in a forested area under Jagargunda police station limits Thursday afternoon, a local police official told PTI. While the team was cordoning off a patch of jungle near Chintabegu village, Naxals triggered the blast of an improvised explosive device (IED), he said. It was followed by an exchange of fire between the two sides before the Naxals fled into a dense part of the forest, he said. Constable Virendra Yadav was injured in the blast. Reinforcement was rushed to the spot and Yadav was being airlifted to Raipur, the police official said, adding that he was said to be out of danger. A combing operation was underway in the area, he said. The security forces have intensified combing operations in the ...
Koreas, UN finish withdrawing firearms from border village
The rival Koreas and the US-led UN Command completed withdrawing firearms and troops from a jointly controlled area at a border village on Thursday, as part of agreements to reduce decades-long animosities on the Korean Peninsula. South Korea separately announced its troops have found what it believes are Korean War remains in another front-line area where they've been clearing land mines with North Korean soldiers. The rival Koreas plan their first-ever joint searches for war dead there after their demining work is done. Disarming the Joint Security Area at the border village of Panmunjom and the joint searches are among a package of deals the Koreas' defense ministers struck on the sidelines of their leaders' summit last month. Other steps include creating buffer zones along their land and sea boundaries and a no-fly zone above the borderline, as well as withdrawing some of their front-line guard posts. On Thursday, the Koreas and the U.N. Command wrapped up a pullout of weapons, ...
Afghan official: Taliban kill woman, lover over adultery
An Afghan official says the Taliban killed a woman accused of adultery and her lover in western Ghor province after it was discovered that she had fled her husband to be with another man. Provincial spokesman Abdul Hai Khatebi says the couple tried to flee on a motorcycle but got stopped and captured by the Taliban at checkpoint manned by insurgents in their district. Khatebi says it all happened on Wednesday the Taliban detained the two, carried out a swift self-styled trial and handed down a death sentence for both. The Taliban, who hold sway in nearly half of Afghanistan, are seeking to impose their harsh interpretation of Islam in areas they control. The insurgents consider adultery an offense punishable by death.
Two militants killed in Baramulla
Two militants were killed on Thursday in a gunfight with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district, police said.
Egyptian officials: Roadside bomb kills 3 workers in Sinai
Egyptian security officials say a roadside bombing has killed three workers contracted to build a security wall in the northern Sinai city of el-Arish. The officials say another 10 workers were wounded in the explosion on Thursday. The officials blamed an Islamic State affiliate, which is active in that part of the Sinai Peninsula, for the bombing. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media. Suspected IS militants on Sunday shot and killed three workers outside their homes in el-Arish. Egypt has been struggling to contain an insurgency by Islamic militants in northern Sinai. The insurgency intensified after the military's 2013 ouster of Mohammed Morsi, an elected but divisive Islamist president.
Yemeni official: Death toll from Saudi airstrike now at 19
A Saudi-led coalition airstrike at a fruit-and-vegetable market near Yemen's flashpoint Red Sea port of Hodeida killed 19 civilians, including children, Yemeni officials said Thursday. Wednesday's strike came amid mounting fears of a fresh coalition assault on Hodeida, a city that has been the lifeline for international aid deliveries to Yemen, ravaged by a brutal three-and-a-half year war between the Saudi-led alliance and Shite rebels known as Houthis. The coalition has been trying to wrest Hodeida from the rebels but the campaign, like the rest of Yemen's war, had fallen into a stalemate. The airstrike, which hit the outdoor market in the town of Bayt el-Faqih, just south of Hodeida, also wounded six people. Initial reports had five dead but the death toll steadily climbed overnight. The director of the Bayt el-Faqih hospital, Abdullah Shahawi, said all the victims were civilians and that at least two children were among the dead. Video footage obtained by The Associated Press ...
Discovery channel to premiere a special series on High Altitude Warfare School
Discovery Channel, India's leading destination for factual entertainment, will premiere a special series on one of the most famous warfare academies of the world - High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) - as a part of its extremely popular Breaking Point franchise.Located in Gulmarg, HAWS is a globally acclaimed institution which trains Indian soldiers and attracts soldiers from friendly countries for high & super-high altitude warfare.The show on Discovery Channel is first of its kind on Indian Television detailing the rigors of training at HAWS. The 4-episode series 'Breaking Point: High Altitude Warfare School', to be aired every Friday at 10:00 pm till November 09 will give viewers a glimpse of how the soldiers learn the art of mountain and winter warfare; HAWS is the training ground for all High-Altitude Warfare.Each moment of the series takes the viewer a step closer to how the soldiers are transformed into glorified mountain warriors of the Indian Army. The series has been ...
J-K: 2 Encounters underway between security forces, terrorists
Two encounters broke out between terrorists and security forces on Thursday morning in Athoora and Kheri areas of Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district.Further details are awaited.On Wednesday, two terrorists were gunned down by security forces in Nowgam area of Anantnag district.The security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in the area following an input about the presence of the terrorists.
China, Russia fail to block Security Council briefing on Myanmar atrocities
After China and Russia failed to block a briefing on Myanmar, the Security Council heard the head of an independent investigation into alleged atrocities against the Rohingya calling for prosecuting senior leaders of national forces on charges of genocide.
Ongoing genocide' against Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims: UN
A genocide against Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims is still continuing, UN investigators said Wednesday as they presented a report to the Security Council, calling for the issue to be referred to an international tribunal. Marzuki Darusman, chairman of the UN Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar, said that beyond mass killings, the conflict included the ostracization of the population, prevention of births, and widespread displacement in camps. "It is an ongoing genocide," he told a press conference. "We consider the genocide intent can be reasonably inferred," he said as he presented the team's report to a United Nations Security Council meeting. The 444-page report, first made public last month, called on the council to refer the issue to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, or to create an ad hoc tribunal, as was done with the former Yugoslavia. The explosive report said that Myanmar's top generals, including Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing, must be investigated and prosecuted ..
Afghanistan- A long hard winter
New Delhi [India], Oct 25 (ANI): Reports in January this year were that the Taliban claimed that they controlled 70% of Afghanistan where for nearly 17 years the United States (US) had poured in billions to eliminate the Taliban and Al Qaeda. Even though the Taliban were in full control in only about 4% of the territory at the end of 2017, they had a presence in almost all districts to varying degrees. The Afghan government on the other hand had full control of only 30% of the territory. This is not a lot of territory for a government supposedly running an entire country and a poor advertisement for its ability to control Taliban.Later on October 18, after a year of continued violence and killings, the Taliban exhibited their control and ability in Kandahar when they shot dead General Abdul Raziq, the strongman of southern Afghanistan. This was done on the day when General Austin Miller, commander of the US and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces was visiting the police .
Gunfight on in J&K
A gunfight started on Thursday between holed up militants and the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district, police said.
Koreas remove guns from Cold War truce village
The two Koreas were removing the last remaining firearms and guard posts on Thursday from a Cold War era truce village where armed soldiers have stared each other down for decades, Seoul's defence ministry said. The Joint Security Area -- also known as the truce village of Panmunjom -- has historically been both a flashpoint and a key location for diplomacy between the two Koreas ever since their split in 1953. It is the only spot along the tense, 250-kilometre (155-mile) frontier where soldiers from North Korea and the US-led United Nations Command stand face to face. By Friday, all guards will be disarmed, ministry spokeswoman Choi Hyun-soo said, part of a recent diplomatic thaw between the two foes that has gathered pace. "I am aware that it is going according to plan," Choi told reporters. Panmunjom was where the armistice that ended the bitter Korean War was signed. It was a designated neutral zone until the "axe murder incident" in 1976, when North Korean soldiers attacked a ...
North Korean general says country seeking 'stable peace'
A top North Korean general says his country seeks a "stable peace" and wants to turn the Korean Peninsula into "the cradle of peace and prosperity." Vice Minister of the People's Armed Forces, Col General Kim Hyong Ryong, told a defence forum in Beijing on Thursday that Pyongyang wanted to "contribute to the security of Asia and the globe." Kim said North Korea was following through on agreements reached with South Korea and the US, including the consensus reached with President Donald Trump at their June summit in Singapore. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has this year taken some steps to ease tensions, including dismantling a nuclear testing site. However, the United States and its allies are reluctant to ease sanctions pressure unless the country takes significant disarmament steps.
South Korea finds likely war remains during border demining
South Korea has discovered what could be Korean War remains at a front-line area where it's jointly clearing mines with North Korea, Seoul officials said Thursday. The two Koreas began removing mines from one of the heaviest Korean War battle sites at their border on October 1 before starting their first joint searches for war remains. The joint searches were among a package of agreements the Koreas' defence ministers struck on the sidelines of their leaders' summit last month. Earlier this week, South Korean troops found what it believes are two sets of human remains during the demining work. A bayonet, bullets and a South Korean army identification tag with the name "Pak Je Kwon" were also found along with the bones, Seoul's Defence Ministry said in a release. The ministry said military records show Pak was a sergeant first class who died in a battle there in 1953 in the final weeks of the 1950-53 Korean War. Pak has two surviving sisters and authorities will take their DNA samples .