Page 406 - War Conflict
Construction firm employee held for alleged link with Maoists
An official of a construction firm has been arrested for his alleged link with Maoists in Odisha's Malkangiri district, police said Sunday. Taraknath Paul (41) was picked up from Poplur Road near Doraguda village in the district on Friday evening and detonators, electric wires were seized from his possession, Malkangiri Superintendent of Police Jagmohan Meena said. "Paul failed to give a convincing reason for moving around in a desolate area with detonators and electric wires. The police patrol team also seized from him several documents, a bag with Rs 61,000 cash and a mobile phone," he said. During interrogation, Paul confessed that he was supposed to meet a Maoist leader in Poplur forest and hand over the cash and detonators to the rebels, the SP said. "The accused, who hails from a remote village in Kalimela police station area, also told police that he had been supplying explosive materials, funds and other logistics to the Maoists for a while now," Meena added.
Naxalism will be eliminated from India in 3 years: Rajanth
Home Minister Rajnath Singh Sunday said the menace of Left Wing Extremism (LWE) will be wiped out from the country in about three years. Addressing troops of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) on the occasion of their 26th anniversary celebrations here, Singh said their action should be rapid and quick but never "reckless." Singh, speaking at the CRPF camp here, said districts affected by Naxal violence in the country have come down to about 10-12 as compared to 126 some time back. The day is not far, may be in a time period of 1-2 or 3 years, that the LWE will be eliminated from the country and this would happen due to your (CRPF) determination, courage and hard work and that of the state police forces, he said. "I congratulate you on the kind of work you have done in the LWE theatre of the country," Singh said. The minister said the force has killed 131 Maoists and militants this year while it has apprehended 1,278 of them and has effected 58 surrenders during the same time. The home ...
Taliban destroy highway bridge, isolating 3 Afghan provinces
An Afghan official says the Taliban have destroyed a highway bridge southwest of Kabul during a wide-ranging assault on security forces, cutting off road traffic between the capital and three provinces. Abdul Rahman Mangel, the provincial governor's spokesman, says Afghan forces repelled the attack, which began late Saturday and appeared to be aimed at seizing a district headquarters in the Maidan Wardak province. He says gunbattles are still underway and there are casualties on both sides, without elaborating. The Taliban claim to have overrun the Sayed Abad district headquarters, but local officials denied the claim. The bridge destroyed in the assault cuts off the main highway from Kabul to the Ghazni, Zabul and Kandahar provinces. The battle also cut off electricity to four provinces: Maidan Wardak, Logar, Ghazni and Paktia.
Search operation underway in J&K's Shopian
Security forces launched a search operation in six villages Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district on Sunday, police said.
Security forces killed in Burkina Faso blasts: Sources
Six police officers were killed in an ambush with an improvised explosive device in northern Burkina Faso, while another member of the security forces died in a blast in the country's east, security sources told AFP on Saturday. The first attack took place late Friday on a police convoy in the town of Solle near the border with Mali. "The leading vehicle ran over a mine and six were killed," one source said, adding that the convoy then came under gunfire leaving some other officers injured. Another security source said that "at least" six police had died in Friday's attack, adding that a search for the attackers was underway in the area. Separately, one member of the Burkina Faso security forces was killed late Saturday and another was injured when a similar device exploded in the eastern town of Pama, according to a security source. Local residents say air strikes are being carried out in the forests surrounding Pama, which are known in the region as a refuge for jihadist fighters ...
Search operation underway in Shopian district
Security forces launched a massive cordon and search operation (CASO) in several villages of Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district on Sunday, police said. Joint teams of police, CRPF and Army launched a cordon and search operation in six villages of Shopian district of south Kashmir early this morning, a police official said. He said the operation was launched to flush out militants from the area. The operation is going on, the official said, adding further details were awaited.
Security stepped up ahead of local body polls in Kashmir Valley
Security forces have intensified checking and area domination as part of an elaborate plan to provide a sense of security for the smooth conduct of local body polls in the Kashmir Valley, officials said Sunday. The first phase of the polls start Monday. "An elaborate security plan has been put in place for the smooth conduct of the polls, a senior police official said. He said security forces have intensified vehicle checking, frisking and area domination in the city as well as in the other areas of the valley in the run up to the polls. Many check-points have been placed in the city where vehicles are being checked. Sniffer dogs are also being used to check vehicles. We are making sure that no untoward incident happens, he said. The official said while providing a secure atmosphere for the polls was a challenge, there is a good synergy between various security agencies and several steps have been taken to provide a general sense of security in the valley. We are providing cluster ...
UN praises new security arrangements in Libya's capital
The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Saturday praised the new security arrangements in the Libyan capital Tripoli adopted by the UN-backed government.
13 militants killed in Afghanistan
Thirteen militants have been killed in two separate strikes by the security forces in two Afghan provinces, the country's Defence Ministry said on Saturday.
Syria rebels say shifting heavy arms from Idlib buffer zone
Syrian rebels said Saturday they have begun withdrawing heavy arms from a planned buffer zone in northwestern Idlib province, ahead of a deadline to set up the demilitarised area. The Turkey-backed National Liberation Front (NLF) "has started pulling out its heavy weapons from the zone", the rebel coalition's spokesman Naji Mustafa told AFP. The buffer zone, agreed last month between rebel backer Ankara and government ally Moscow, aims to separate regime fighters from the myriad rebel and jihadist forces of the Idlib region. The accord, reached on September 17, aims to stave off a massive regime assault on the last major rebel bastion by creating a 15 to 20-kilometre (nine to 12-mile) buffer zone ringing the area. All rebels in the demilitarised zone must withdraw heavy arms by October 10, and radical groups must leave by October 15. NLF spokesman Mustafa said the rebel coalition was "maintaining its positions and headquarters with medium and light weapons" inside the buffer zone. The
Nearly 300 active militants in Kashmir valley: Army
Around 300 militants are active in the Kashmir valley while over 250 ultras have been waiting in the launch pads across the Line of Control (LoC) to infiltrate into this side, a top Army officer said Saturday. "Over 250 militants are on different launch pads and are trying to get into this side. Our army is alert and ready to stop them," General officer commanding (GoC) of the Army's 15 Corps, Lt Gen A K Bhatt told reporters in Kupwara district of north Kashmir. He said the Army's efforts would be to not let the militants infiltrate into this side. "People of this village (near the LoC) have been supporting us and we want to crush terrorism in entire Kashmir," he said. The army officer said around 300 militants were active across the Kashmir valley. He said the army along with police and CRPF are conducting area domination exercises to ensure the smooth conduct of the local bodies' polls. "Our aim is peace and tranquillity and that the elections are concluded peacefully. We are ...
J&K Governor reviews security ahead of municipal polls
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Saturday chaired a high-level meeting to review security arrangements ahead of the four-phase municipal elections beginning October 8.
Panchayats polls: J-K Guv reviews security arrangements
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Saturday chaired a review meeting and discussed security arrangements for the smooth conduct of the forthcoming polls to the Urban Local Bodies and Panchayats polls and the need of safe environment for the elections.The meeting that took place at the Raj Bhavan in Srinagar was attended by Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh, Northern Army Commander, Advisors to the Governor, B.B Vyas, Vijay Kumar, B.V.R. Subhramanyam, Chief Secretary, Dilbagh Singh, Director General of Police (DGP), A.K. Bhatt, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of XV Corps among others.The Governor, while obtaining sector-wise assessments of the prevailing security situations in the valley, emphasised on the importance of maintaining a close and sustained watch on the ground situation. He also appreciated the coordination and synergy between the security forces and the civil administration.Malik also stressed the need for a heightened vigil and ensuring the safety and security .
2 held with unaccounted cash of Rs 3.5 cr
Two persons were held here with unaccounted cash of Rs 3.5 crore, police said on Saturday. Acting on a tip-off, a team of local police and the Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) seized the cash from the duo in Sirohi district of Rajasthan while they were en route to Gujarat from Haryana. The cash was recovered upon searching the vehicle of the duo, Superintendent of Police (SP) Sirohi Jai Yadav said. The Income Tax department has been informed about the matter and the cash has been seized, he said, adding, that both the men were being questioned.
Myanmar delegation visits Nepal to learn about peace process
A delegation from Myanmar has visited Nepal to learn about the peace process in the Himalayan nation following the end of its decade-long armed conflict in 2006 which claimed over 16,000 lives. Nepal had witnessed a decade-long armed conflict between Maoists and the security forces between 1996 and 2006. Over 16,000 people, including security personnel, were killed and tens of thousands others displaced in the conflict that ended in November 2006 with the signing of Comprehensive Peace Agreement. On November 7, the Seven Party Alliance and Maoists signed a peace deal to bring the Maoists into political mainstream and to hold constituent assembly elections. The Myanmar delegation led by Lt General Yar Pyae - Chairperson, Head of the Myanmar Joint Monitoring Committee Union Level on Ceasefire (JMC-U)- interacted with Nepal's Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali in Kathmandu on Friday. According to a statement issued by the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Gyawali gave a brief ...
J-K guv takes stock of security situation ahead of 1st phase of municipal polls
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik Saturday took a detailed review of the security situation in the state ahead of the first phase of the municipal elections on Monday, an official spokesperson said. In a meeting involving senior Civil, Police, Central Armed Police, Army, and State and Central Intelligence Agencies, Malik undertook a detailed review of security management related issues at the Raj Bhavan, he said. The spokesperson said the meeting was attended by Northern Army Commander, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh,GOC 15 Corps, Lt Gen A K Bhat, and top officials from police, Central Reserve Police Force and civil administration. "The meeting discussed security arrangements made for the smooth conduct of the forthcoming elections to the urban local bodies and panchayats and the need for a safe environment for the elections," he said. The spokesperson said after obtaining sector-wise assessment of the prevailing security situation and arising ..
Taliban, ISIS clash in Afghanistan
One child was killed while another was reported to be injured on Friday during a clash between Taliban and Islamic State (Daesh) militants in eastern Kunar region of Afghanistan.Several Taliban and Daesh militants were also killed in the clash, Khaama Press News Agency said while quoting a military statement.Khamma News Agency quoted 201st Silab Corps statement that said a clash broke out between Daesh and Taliban in Watapur district on Friday."According to a statement released by 201st Silab Corps, , said at least four Taliban militants were killed during the clash and three others sustained injuries. The statement further added that four militants affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria were also killed during the fighting," Khamma News Agency said.It also quoted 201st Silab Corps saying that a two-year-old girl lost her life while a one-year-old girl sustained injuries during the clash. None of the groups involved in the clash has issued any statement so far.
Afghanistan: 57 terrorists killed in airstrikes
At least 57 armed terrorists were killed in airstrike operations conducted by the Afghan security forces in last 24 hours across different parts of the country, Afghanistan's Defence Ministry said on Saturday.The ministry stated that operations were conducted in Kunar, Helmand, Baghlan, Kandahar, Nangarhar, Herat, Ghazni, Badakhshan, Urozgan, Nimroz, Paktia, Faryab, Khost, Sar-e-Pul and Logar provinces. It added that eight others were injured in the clashes with the security forces, TOLOnews reported.The ministry further said that terror camps and weapons were destroyed during airstrikes in Farah province. It did not give details on casualties of civilians or security forces.Earlier this week, four Taliban commanders were killed in drone strikes conducted by foreign forces in various parts of Farah province.The Afghanistan government has objected the proposed privatisation of the war on terror in the country through the introduction of private contractors instead of foreign troops. ...
Six police die in Burkina Faso blast: security sources
Six police officers were killed in an ambush with an improvised explosive device in the northern Burkina Faso town of Solle near the border with Mali, security sources told AFP Saturday. "A police convoy was ambushed in Solle" late Friday, a security source said. "The leading vehicle ran over a mine and six were killed." The convoy then came under gunfire and some more police were injured, the source said. Another security source said that "at least" six police had died, adding that a search for the attackers was under way in the area. The attack came a day after six soldiers were killed in the east of the country in similar circumstances. Burkina Faso has seen regular jihadist attacks since the start of 2015, especially the north and east of the country. According to an official count published last month, such attacks have killed 118 people so far, 70 of whom were civilians.
2002 Gujarat riots: Bias and passivity of police led to uncontrolled violence, says retired Lt. General (Part II)
The Army put an end to the mayhem during the 2002 Gujarat riots within 48 hours (March 4) by "resolute, firm and fair action", says retired Lt. General Zameer Uddin Shah in his upcoming memoir, but holds the "bias" and "politicisation" of the police responsible for the uncontrolled violence.