Page 427 - War Conflict

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.

No proposal before me on troops cut in Indian Army: Nirmala Sitharaman

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Tuesday said the government was not considering any proposal to downsize the Indian Army. She, however, said a government-appointed committee had recommended steps to make the Army a lean and powerful machine and Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat has been holding deliberations with his top commanders on it. "There is no such proposal before me to cut troop-level in the Army," she said in reply to a question during an interactive session at the Indian Women Press Corps (IWPC). Gen. Bipin Rawat last week held detailed deliberations with top commanders of the force on ways to make the Army "leaner and meaner" which included carrying out an extensive organisational restructuring and downsizing of the force. There have been indications that the Army may cut over 1,00,000 troops over the next five years as part of restructuring process. The current strength of the force is around 1.3 million personnel. Following reports of troops cut, the Congress had come down

Afghan intelligence detains 26 IS members

Afghanistan's intelligence agency on Tuesday announced the arrest of 26 alleged members of the Islamic State terror group who were planning attacks in the capital during the upcoming festival of Muharram.

Bomb attacks in Iraq kill 6 policemen

At least six police officers were killed on Tuesday and eight were wounded in two bomb attacks in Iraq's Saladin province, a day after government forces launched an operation against militants in the area, officials said.

UNSC fails to cripple Taliban's drug trade: India

India has slammed the UN Security Council for failing to cripple the Taliban's roaring drug trade, saying the terror outfit gets significant support from criminal networks operating drug cartels and stealing Afghanistan's natural resources. India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin said at a Security Council debate on Afghanistan Monday that the Secretary General's current report also fails to address this very key issue in an adequate matter. He expressed concern that while a Security Council resolution adopted earlier this year to extend the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) does focus on linkages between extremism, terrorism, drug production and illegal exploitation of natural resources of Afghanistan, it falls short of expectations in striving to cripple the Taliban's drug trade. India called for crippling the illicit drug trade which provides financial sustenance to terror outfits like the Taliban and the ...

Army pays tributes to Lance Naik Malik

The Army Tuesday paid tributes to Lance Naik Mukhtar Ahmad Malik, who was killed by militants inside his house in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir. Malik was on leave at his native village in Kulgam district to perform the last rites of his son, who was killed in an accident a few days ago, when a group of terrorists barged into his house on Monday. "In a solemn ceremony at Badamibagh Cantonment, Corps Commander Lt Gen A K Bhatt and all ranks paid homage to the martyr Mukhtar Ahmad Malik on behalf of a proud nation. Representatives from other security agencies also joined in paying their last respects to the martyr," an Army official said. "Late Lance Naik Mukhtar Ahmad Malik bravely resisted the attack by the terrorists but was overpowered and killed by them," the official said. The 43-year-old Malik had joined the Army in 2004. He is survived by his wife and two children. "The mortal remains of the martyr were flown for last rites to his native place, where he was laid to rest ..

Yemen rebels accuse Saudi, allies of targeting food warehouses

Yemen's Huthi rebels accused the government and its Saudi-led allies on Tuesday of deliberately targeting food warehouses in Hodeida as they resumed an offensive on the rebel-held port city after an 11-week pause. "International food supply warehouses were targeted in Hodeida (late on Monday), a clear sign that there is a plan by the United States, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and their allies to make warehouses and densely populated neighbourhoods legitimate targets of their terrorist operations," the head of the rebels' Supreme Revolutionary Council, Mohammed Ali al-Huthi, said. There was no immediate confirmation that any aid warehouses had been hit from the World Food Programme or other UN agencies battling the threat of famine hanging over millions of Yemenis. WFP spokesman Herve Verhoosel declined to comment on the Huthi statement. The Red Sea port of Hodeida is a vital lifeline for aid shipments to Yemen and the WFP has previously warned that any major fighting could halt food ...

UN report details continued abuses against Rohingyas

A UN fact-finding mission published on Tuesday the most extensive report till date on the continued persecution of the Muslim minority Rohingyas in Myanmar since 2011 in the states of Kachin, Shan and Rakhine.

Maoists shot dead SSB personnel in Bihar

Maoists shot dead a Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel in his residence at Pandethika in Jamui district, the police said Tuesday. Sikandar Yadav (30), who came to his native village to celebrate his daughter's birthday, was dragged out of his house by the rebels before killing him on Monday. About 20-25 Maoists came to the village to kill Yadav and fled into a nearby jungle after executing their plan, the police said. Deputy Superintendent of Police Ram Pukar Singh along with additional forces reached the village after getting the information.

Maoist escapes from police custody, 7 cops suspended in Odisha

A Maoist, who was arrested in May this year, escaped from the premises of a court in Odisha's Nuapada district, police said Tuesday. As a result, seven police personnel were suspended for negligence, the police said. The incident happened on Monday when Manoj Madkami, the Maoist, was being taken back to jail after he was produced before a court, Nuapada Superintendent of Police (SP) Smit P Parmar told PTI over phone. He pushed the police personnel escorting him and escaped after scaling the boundary wall of the court Monday afternoon, the SP said. After preliminary inquiry, the seven police personnel, including two assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs), have been placed under suspension for dereliction of duty in connection with the incident, the SP said. An intensive search operation has been launched and special teams have been formed to track the Maoist and nab him, the SP said. He said an inquiry has also been initiated to ascertain the circumstances that led to Madkami's .

Afghan official: 9 local policemen die in 'insider' attack

An Afghan official says at least nine members of the local police force were killed when another policeman opened fire and shot them at a checkpoint in northern Balkh province, the latest in so-called "insider" attacks in Afghanistan. Mohammadudin Khanjer, a police official in the district of Char Boldak, says one policeman was wounded and three others were missing after the late Monday shooting. Khanjer says the attacker was a policeman from another checkpoint in the same district who fled the scene, apparently to join the Taliban. He says the shooter also seized all weapons from the checkpoint. The Taliban haven't comment on the attack in Char Boldak but insurgents are active in the district and often attack Afghan security forces.