Page 426 - War Conflict

Truce with Taliban will help focus on pressing issues: Afghan Prez Ashraf Ghani

Batting for peace with the Taliban, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani Wednesday said a truce will help his government focus on pressing issues such as poverty and counter-terrorism in the country, where 40 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line. Referring to the Eid ceasefire with the Taliban announced by his government this year, the Afghan president said the "bold move" was largely successful and welcomed by an overwhelming majority of people. He said the Eid ceasefire was 98 per cent implemented. "Why is peace with Taliban important? Because, if we arrive at peace with Taliban, we can concentrate on (matters like) counter-terrorism," Ghani said at an event organised by India Foundation. With the presence of foreign terrorists and ISIS in Afghanistan, it is necessary to devise a method to separate the Taliban and others, he said. "Consequences of this will enable us to embark on the real task. 40 per cent of Afghans are below poverty (line)," he said. Asserting that ...

NIA team in Assam to grill arrested Hizbul link men

Days after the arrest of a Hizbul Mujahideen man from Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh, a team of National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrived in Assam on Wednesday to grill the seven accomplices of the Hizbul cadre, who have been arrested subsequently from the state.

Afghanistan not on the verge of collapsing: Ghani

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on Wednesday said that Afghanistan is not on the verge of collapse, as it has "forces, resources, and the public, wealth" not to allow a collapse.Referring to the atrocities against the Hazara community by terrorist groups in Afghanistan, Ghani asked for the constitution of an international commission of civil society to investigate the violation.Talking about people of Afghanistan, Ghani said that the government is fighting for the next five generations."We need to overcome the past to create a different future," Ghani said.He further talked about the possibility of Intra-Afghanistan peace, saying, "Most important thing we learnt from the ceasefire is that the people of Afghanistan are ready to forego the past for a better future. We are ready to embrace the future together."He further asserted that peace with the Taliban is important as it can help the country's effort for counter-terrorism. "Taliban are the part of Afghan society," he added.At the

UK Foreign Secretary in Myanmar to discuss Rohingya crisis

British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt arrived in Myanmar on Wednesday on his first official visit to the country for discussions expected to include the Rohingya refugee crisis and the jailing of two Reuters reporters.

28 families of Bru refugees return to Mizoram

At least 28 Bru families from a refugee camp in Tripura Wednesday entered Mizoram during the repatriation process which commenced from August 25, officials said. With this, the number of repatriated families has gone up to 31. Earlier, three families have returned during the first three days of the beginning of the repatriation process. The officials said these 28 families would be taken to Dinthar village near Mizoram-Bangladesh border Tlabung town in south Mizoram's Lunglei district. The repatriation process is scheduled to be completed by September 25. At a meeting held earlier this month, Ministry of Home Affairs' Joint Secretary (North East) Satyendra Garg appealed to the Bru refugees housed in relief camps in Tripura to return to Mizoram as assistances doled out to them would be withdrawn from October 1. Thousands of Brus had been lodged in the Tripura relief camps since late 1997 in the wake of a communal tension triggered by the brutal killing of Lalzawmliana, a .

Thousands protest UN job cuts in Gaza

Thousands of employees of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees protested in Gaza on Wednesday against forced redundancies as a result of US funding cuts, announcing a one-day strike next week. More than 5,000 people attended the march that began at the Gaza headquarters of UNRWA, including senior figures from the enclave's Islamist rulers Hamas and other political factions. The agency announced it would cut more than 250 jobs in Gaza and the West Bank and make over 500 other positions part-time, as it seeks to survive crippling financial shortfalls caused by US aid cuts. Washington has provided more than USD 350 million a year for the agency, but US President Donald Trump pulled all funding earlier this year. More than five million Palestinians are eligible for UNRWA support, while around three million access its services. The job cuts have sparked fierce protests, with UNRWA's head in Gaza accusing the agency's labour union in the enclave of "mutiny". During Wednesday's

Jharkhand Minister on dharna against arrest of Hindus over communal clashes

Jharkhand Urban Development Minister C.P. Singh on Wednesday launched an indefinite fast at Kotwali Police Station here to protest against the arrest of five persons of the majority community over communal clashes.

Two BSF personnel among three dead in highway accident in JK: police

Two Border Security Force (BSF) personnel were among three killed Wednesday when a truck carrying the jawans plunged into a gorge along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, police said. The private truck, hired by the BSF, was part of a convoy carrying personnel to Kashmir reportedly for deployment in connection with the upcoming municipal and panchayat polls, a police officer said. The accident occurred around 2.10 pm when the driver lost control over the vehicle which rolled down into an over 150-feet-deep gorge, he said. Civilian volunteers along with police and BSF personnel immediately launched a rescue operation, the officer said. After hectic efforts, the bodies of two BSF personnel, Ajit Singh and Atma Singh of 89th battalion, were retrieved from the mangled truck. The driver, Balbir Singh of Simbal area of Jammu, was rescued in a critical condition but succumbed while being shifted to a hospital, he said.

ICC opens probe into Myanmar's treatment of Rohingyas

The International Criminal Court has opened a preliminary examination into Myanmar's alleged crimes against its Rohingya Muslim minority, including killings, sexual violence and forced deportations.

Malaysia's anti-graft agency arrests former leader Najib Razak over USD 628 mn scandal

Malaysia's anti-graft agency said it arrested former Prime Minister Najib Razak on Wednesday over the multimillion-dollar looting of a state investment fund and that he will face further charges in court. The agency said Najib was detained at its office and will be taken to court on Thursday to face the charges. Najib was earlier charged with multiple counts of criminal breach of trust, corruption and money laundering over the scandal at the 1MDB state fund. He has pleaded not guilty. Those charges involve the transfer of 42 million ringgit ($10.3 million) into his bank accounts from SRC International, a former unit of the 1MDB fund that international investigators say was looted of billions by Najib's associates. Najib set up 1MDB when he took power in 2009 for the stated purpose of promoting economic development, but the fund amassed billions in debts and is being investigated in the US and several other countries for alleged cross-border embezzlement and money laundering. After ...

UP ATS arrests BSF jawan on charge of sharing info with ISI

The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has arrested a BSF jawan from Noida on the charge of sharing vital information with Pakistan ISI agents, state police chief O P Singh said here on Wednesday. Achutanand Misra, hailing from Rewa in Madhya Pradesh, was "honey-trapped" into sharing information about unit operational details, police academy and training centre by a woman who claimed to be a defence reporter, the Director General of Police (DGP) said. Misra was interrogated by ATS and BSF officials for two days in Noida near Delhi and, prima facie, there is enough evidence to prove that he has committed crime under the Official Secrets Act, Singh said. Misra, who was recruited in the Border Security Force (BSF) in 2006, had come into contact with the woman in 2016 and after sometime, he started sharing information about unit location, details of ammunition and pictures of the BSF camp, he said. Later, he started WhatsApp chat with a phone number registered in Pakistan and the ...

Afghan Shiites brace for attacks ahead of Ashura holy day

A series of devastating suicide attacks on Afghanistan's minority Shiite community has fuelled fears of more violence ahead of Ashura, one of the Muslim sect's holiest days, and prompted calls for civilians to arm themselves. The religious holiday, which falls on Thursday, has become a major target for the Islamic State group since it emerged in the region in 2014 and began assaulting Shiites in overwhelmingly Sunni Afghanistan. Sunni extremists, like IS, consider Shiites apostates, and have carried out deadly attacks on the sect across the region, massacring hundreds. The violence has escalated in recent weeks, with more than 60 people killed in suicide bombings at a wrestling club and an education centre in a heavily Shiite-populated neighbourhood of Kabul. Burqa-clad suicide bombers also struck a Shiite mosque in the eastern city of Gardez last month, killing at least 35 people. IS claimed responsibility for those attacks. "We are in constant fear, day and night," Ahmad Zia Ahmadi

7 Afghan family members killed as mortar shell hits house

Seven members of a family were killed and another was wounded following a mortar landing on a house in Afghanistan's southern province of Uruzgan, an official said Tuesday.

Terrorists hurl grenade at CRPF camp in J-K's Pulwama

Terrorists hurled a grenade followed by heavy firing at a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) police combine camp located near railway station Kakapora in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district.The security personnel also retaliated and forced the terrorists to flee from the spot. No losses of lives or injuries have been reported till now.In a similar incident, a CRPF personnel had sustained bullet injury on September 18 in an exchange of fire following a grenade attack at the CRPF camp in Newa area of Pulwama district.The valley has been witnessing a surge in encounter incidents since the past few months.

Pakistani security forces foil major terror bid in Balochistan

Pakistani security forces foiled a major terrorist bid in Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province and recovered huge cache of arms and ammunition during an operation, officials said on Tuesday.

Trump releases strategy to defend against biological threats

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday released a new strategy to protect against the increasing biological threats, which he said has great potential to disrupt the economy and cause lasting damage to the people's health and the country. The National Biodefence Strategy builds on lessons learned from the past biological incidents, such as the 2001 anthrax attacks, the 2009 influenza pandemic and the 2014 West Africa Ebola epidemic to develop a more resilient and effective biodefense enterprise, Trump said. Biological threats emanate from many sources, and they know no borders, he said. "They have great potential to disrupt the economy, exact a toll on human life, and tear at the very fabric of society, Trump said, asserting that his administration will take steps to improve the understanding of the risks posed by biological threats and to respond to them effectively and efficiently. As per the new strategy, Secretary of Health and Human Services serves as the Federal lead in its ...

BSF Jawan killed in firing by Pakistan forces: officials

A BSF patrolling party was early Tuesday fired upon by forces from across the Pakistan border in which one jawan was killed, the frontier guarding force said. The head constable rank jawan was suspected to have been hit by a fatal sniper shot from across the border when troops were clearing the tall 'sarkanda' grass in front of their border post in the RS Pora area in the Ramgarh sector, at about 1040 am, officials said. The body of the head constable rank jawan was recovered by a Border Security Force (BSF) search party "late evening" after over six hours as troops waited for sunset, and to "sanitise the body for possible booby traps" that may have been planted by the enemy, they said. "A BSF party which was on domination patrolling ahead of the fence was fired upon. BSF troops immediately took position and retaliated but the enemy bullets hit a jawan. The area on Pak side has a protective bundh close to IB," the force said in a statement. It added that the Indian side area is ...

Six arrested, over a dozen stolen bikes recovered in Noida

The Gautam Buddh Nagar police claimed to have busted a gang of robbers active in the National Capital Region (NCR) after arresting six people and recovering over a dozen stolen motorcycles from them on Tuesday. The arrests were made under the ongoing 'Operation Black Eye' of the district police targeting robbers, chain snatchers and dacoits, Superintendent of Police (City) Arun Kumar Singh said. Those arrested have been identified as Chand Mohammad, Prem Shankar, Sabi Haider, Deepak Thapa, Raghav Kumar and Suneel Balmiki, he said. "Sector 20 police station succeeded in arresting the six men during a checking at the Rajnigandha Chowk in the heart of the city around 3 am. "The accused led the police team to 12 stolen motorcycles, including a couple of high-end bikes, and one scooter. Three stolen mobile phones, including an iPhone, and three country-made pistols were also seized from them," Singh told reporters. Among the stolen motorcycles that have been recovered, five were found to ..

BSF trooper killed in Pakistani firing

A Border Security Force (BSF) trooper was killed on Tuesday in ceasefire violation by Pakistan Rangers in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba district.

Missing BSF jawan found dead along Pakistan border in Jammu

A BSF jawan, who went missing from a forward area along the Indo-Pak international border in Jammu early Tuesday, was found dead, officials said. They said the head constable rank jawan is suspected to have been hit by a fatal sniper shot from across the border when troops were clearing the tall 'sarkanda' grass ahead of their border post in the RS Pora area. "The body of the jawan has been found by a search party. It is suspected that he was shot with a precise aim by the Pakistani side when they were clearing the area near the fence," a senior official said.