Page 441 - War Conflict
Body of Assam Rifles jawan flown to Odisha for last rites
The body of an Assam Rifles jawan who was killed in an encounter with militants in Manipur's Chandel district was on Sunday sent to his native village in Odisha from here, AR sources said. The jawan Champeswar Mahakud was killed on Friday when militants belonging to proscribed Manipur-based outfit People's Liberation Army and Manipur Naga People's Front attacked ab Assam Rifles team in Chandel district. A wreath laying ceremony was held at premises of Imphal Airport where Major General KP Singh, Head of Assam Rifles in Manipur laid a wreath at the coffin of Mahakud. Mahakud is a native of Dhaurakhaman village in Sambalpur district of Odisha and is survived by wife and a seven-year-old daughter, said an AR officer.
Two killed in suicide bomb attack on Kabul commemorations
A suicide bomber on a motorbike blew himself up near a convoy of gunmen commemorating the death anniversary of a famed resistance leader in Kabul on Sunday, killing at least two people, officials said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest deadly attack in the Afghan capital that comes days after a double bombing at a wrestling club killed at least 26 people. Kabul police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai said two people were killed and nine wounded in the explosion that happened near the centre of the Afghan capital. Health ministry spokesman Waheed Majroh said one person had been killed and two wounded in the blast. Afghan officials often give conflicting figures for the number of casualties in the immediate aftermath of an attack. Afghan security forces said earlier they had shot dead a man who had been planning to blow himself up near supporters of Ahmad Shah Massoud. The Tajik commander led resistance to the Soviet occupation in the 1980s and to the 1996-2001 ...
Suicide bomber attacks Kabul resistance leader commemorations
A suicide bomber on a motorbike blew himself up near a convoy of gunmen commemorating the death anniversary of a famed resistance leader in Kabul on Sunday, wounding at least two people, officials said. The militant targeted the group of vehicles in the centre of the Afghan capital, Kabul police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai told AFP, adding there were no reports of fatalities. The interior ministry confirmed the casualty toll. But health ministry spokesman Waheed Majroh said one person had been killed and two wounded. Afghan security forces had earlier shot dead a man they said had been planning to blow himself up near supporters of Ahmad Shah Massoud. The Tajik commander led resistance to the Soviet occupation in the 1980s and to the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. The attack came as convoys of gun-wielding men terrorised Kabul as they commemorated the 17th anniversary of Massoud's death.
Afghanistan: 20 security personnel killed in Taliban attack
As many as 20 Afghan security personnel were killed in an attack by the Taliban in Afghanistan's northern Baghlan province, local officials said on Sunday.The attack occurred in Baghlan-e-Markazi district of the province on Saturday after a group of Taliban militants stormed the army and police check posts and inflicted casualties, TOLOnews reported.A security source said that the Taliban has captured five army and eight police check posts. Meanwhile, the group confirmed the attack on the check posts and said that it killed dozens of security personnel.Clashes between the group and the security forces are common in the war-torn country.On September 5, the Taliban had set ablaze the bodies of at least eight policemen who were killed in an attack in the northeastern province of Takhar.
Army recalibrating counter-insurgency strategy in Manipur, other NE states
The Army is seriously considering recalibrating its counter-insurgency strategy in the militancy-hit North East in the wake of an "over cautious" approach being adopted by its field units in the region following the Supreme Court's strict orders to the CBI to ensure thorough probe into the alleged extra-judicial killings in Manipur, military sources said. They said the Army headquarters was "deeply worried" over the rising casualty figures on the part of the Army in Manipur as well as a marked slowdown in the intensity of its operations against militants in the state, where over 10 major militant groups are active. The top brass of the Army held a detailed deliberation last month to look at recalibration of operations since there appears to be a "manifested caution" being exercised because of the directives of the court on AFSPA-related cases, the sources said. The Supreme Court has passed a number of orders to the CBI in the last few months directing the central probe agency to ...
North Korea stages military parade sans missiles
On the 70th anniversary of its founding, North Korea on Sunday staged a grand military procession, but did not showcase its intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), which was a regular feature in previous marches.The massive procession saw a beeline of military vehicles and soldiers marching past North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the Kim Il Sung Square, located in the heart of Pyongyang, amid huge cheers from the crowd. The soldiers wore uniforms from different periods of North Korea's history, from 1948 till the present day, CNN reported.Kim oversaw the parade from a balcony in Kim Il Sung Square and was accompanied by other senior officials, including the special envoy sent by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Li Zhanshu. The two leaders raised their arms in jubilation at the end of the event.Interestingly, the North Korean leader did not address after the parade ended, with the country's ceremonial head of state, Kim Yong-nam, taking the stage instead, in what was a break from ...
Terrorists 'shelf life' reduced in Kashmir with over 360 killed in two years: CRPF DG
Back-to-back operations by security forces in the Kashmir valley has reduced the "shelf life" of terrorists and over 360 were killed in less than two years, CRPF Director General (DG) Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar has said. In an interview to PTI, he said as figures show an increase in the number of local youths joining terror groups in the valley, security forces are reaching out to young men through all possible ways to stop them from taking up arms. Bhatnagar said keeping in mind the security challenges, the CRPF has "increased the protection level" of its troops operating in Jammu and Kashmir by inducting full-body protectors, bullet proof vehicles and special armoured 'interception vehicles' to enable personnel to operate in life threatening situations. "The terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir... Some of them are from outside and there are also the misguided youth (locals) who join terror groups. It is quite a mix. The numbers go up and down but if you were to look at the length, the time for .
Attack on checkpoint in western Afghanistan kills 9
An Afghan official says insurgents have attacked a checkpoint in the western Herat province, killing at least nine Afghan security forces and wounding another six. Gelani Farhad, the provincial governor's spokesman, says the attack late Saturday ignited a gunbattle in which around 10 insurgents were killed and five wounded. He says the attack was likely carried out by the Taliban, who are active in the district and frequently target security forces and government officials. Afghan forces have struggled to combat both the Taliban and an Islamic State affiliate since the US and NATO formally ended their combat mission in 2014.
15 killed, 190 wounded in protests in Iraq's Basra
The Iraqi Ministry of Health has said 15 people have been killed and 190 others wounded since violent protests against worsening living conditions broke out in Basra several days ago.
Boko Haram captures Nigerian town after troop attack
Boko Haram jihadists were in control of a town in northeast Nigeria on Saturday after sacking a military base, in the latest attack that raises questions about claims they are weakened to the point of defeat. Local officials and security sources said scores of fighters believed to be loyal to a Boko Haram faction backed by the Islamic State group overran troops in Gudumbali. At least eight civilians were believed to have been killed, while thousands of others fled to neighbouring towns. Gudumbali, in the Guzamala area of Borno state, is Boko Haram's first major seizure in two years and comes after a series of recent attacks on troops. The authorities and the military have been encouraging people displaced by violence in the long-running conflict to return to Guzamala, insisting it is safe to do so. But aid agencies say minimum levels of basic services, including shelter, civilian infrastructure and security are still lacking. President Muhammadu Buhari, a former army general, was ...
Iraq PM urged to quit as key ally deserts him over unrest
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi faced calls to resign Saturday as his alliance with a populist cleric who won May elections crumbled over deadly unrest shaking the country's south. The two leading groups in parliament called on Abadi to step down, after lawmakers held an emergency meeting on the public anger boiling over in the southern city of Basra. "We demand the government apologise to the people and resign immediately," said Hassan al-Aqouli, spokesman for the list of Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr that won the most seats in the election. The announcement dealt a severe blow to Abadi's hopes of holding onto his post through a bloc -- described as the biggest in parliament -- unveiled just days earlier with Sadr and more than a dozen other groups. Ahmed al-Assadi, spokesman for the second-largest list in parliament, the Conquest Alliance, condemned "the government's failure to resolve the crisis in Basra", where 12 protesters were killed this week in clashes with security ...
Israel pays homage to India soldiers who died for liberating Haifa
Israel paid homage to Indian soldiers who laid down their lives in liberating Haifa from the Turks 100 years ago with an Army contingent from Jaipur-based 61 Cavalry participating in the events in that country, Army said Saturday. A nine men Indian Army contingent from the 61 Cavalry participated in the Haifa Day celebrations at Haifa in Israel to pay tributes to the Indian soldiers. The contingent has returned to India. "Besides the senior civil and military officers of Israel and local dignitaries of Haifa, the Indian Ambassador to Israel and the Defence Attache, the Mayor of Haifa, Yona Yahav, was also present for all the functions in Israel," a defence spokesperson said here Saturday. "The gallant actions of Indian soldiers were praised during the events in Israel. The Indian contingent returned to India on Saturday. The next leg of celebrations will take place in Jaipur on September 22," Spokesperson Colonel Sombit Ghosh said. A mounted cavalry force comprising of the Jodhpur ...
Unidentified gunmen shot dead 'IS-JK' militant in Srinagar
A militant, apparently belonging to Islamic State in Jammu and Kashmir (IS-JK), was shot dead by unidentified gunmen here in the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, police said. "An Individual was today killed when he was fired upon in Hazratbal area of Srinagar district. A pistol was also recovered from the spot. Consequently he was identified as Asif Nazir Dar, a resident of Panzgam area of Awantipora (in south Kashmir's Pulwama district)," a police spokesman said. He said the Dar was active since January 2017. "Initially he had joined the proscribed terror outfit HM (Hizbul Mujahideen) but later got associated with the Eisa Fazili group of terrorists," the spokesman said. He said police have registered a case in this regard and the investigation has been initiated. The body has been handed over to the legal heirs after completion of legal formalities, the spokesman said. Eisa Fazili alias Eisa Roohullah al Kashmiri, a son of a Kashmir University employee, hailed from ..
Unidentified person shot dead by terrorists in J-K's Hazratbal
An unidentified person has been shot dead by terrorists near Naseem Bagh area of Hazratbal in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar.Giving out more details about the incident, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of the area, Imtiaz Ismail Parray, told ANI that they are trying to ascertain the identity of the victim.He further revealed that they have recovered a pistol and ammunition from the trousers of the deceased."We are trying to ascertain the identity of the victim. We have recovered a pistol and ammunition from the trousers of the deceased. We are ascertaining the facts," Parray said.The police have cordoned off the area to nab the attackers.This is the second such attack of the day. Earlier, a Hurriyat activist was shot dead by the militants in Sopore region of the state.
Youth killed by gunmen in Srinagar was active militant
The Jammu and Kashmir Police said on Saturday that the youth killed by unidentified gunmen on Saturday in Hazratbal area of Srinagar city was an active militant of the Islamic State.
Suspected militants shot at, injure woman in J-K's Pulwama
Suspected militants Saturday night shot at and injured a woman in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said. Unidentified militants fired upon a woman, Simran Jan, at Murran Chowk in the south Kashmir district, a police official said. He said Jan works at a beauty parlour in the area. She was taken to a hospital where from she was referred to the Bone and Joint hospital here for specialised treatment, the official said.
4 arrested for looting Rs 38 lakh from bank van in Punjab
The Punjab Police Saturday claimed to have arrested four people who were allegedly involved in looting Rs 38 lakh from a van of a bank here last month, an official said. Inspector General Police (Border Range Amritsar) S P Parmar said the police have recovered Rs 30 lakh cash, two cars, two automatic pistols, one rifle from their possession. Those arrested were identified as Davinder Singh, Sultan Singh, Palwinder Singh and Beant Singh whereas one of their accomplices Harpreet Singh was yet to be held, said Parmar. A group of armed men had looted Rs 38 lakh from the van here on August 23 at Nangal Pannua village. The accused persons threw chilli powder in the eyes of the driver and decamped with the money.
India, England cricket teams unite to unveil Khadi poppy in UK
The Indian and England cricket teams have united to recognise the role of Indian soldiers during the First World War as part of a British armed forces charity's movement, with the two squad captains, Virat Kohli and Joe Root, wearing a unique poppy made out of Khadi. Khadi is the handwoven cotton closely associated with Mahatma Gandhi and India's freedom struggle. Kohli and Root on Friday became the first to wear a unique Khadi poppy. Initiated by Indian-origin peer Lord Jitesh Gadhia and commissioned especially by the Royal British Legion charity to mark the Centenary of the end of the First World War, the red cloth poppy is identical to the traditional British symbol of remembrance of the war dead. The two teams are currently playing their final Test match at the Oval in London, "The Khadi poppy is a hugely symbolic and highly appropriate gesture to recognise the outsized contribution of Indian soldiers during World War I," Lord Gadhia said in a statement. "It will also send an ...
Two IED recovered on outskirts of Ranchi
Two improvised explosive device bombs were recovered on outskirts of Ranchi on Saturday, police said.
18 dead as Syria Kurds clash with regime forces
Clashes between Kurdish forces and regime fighters in the divided northeastern city of Qamishli killed 18 combatants Saturday, the Kurdish forces and a war monitor said. The rare flare-up in the Kurdish-majority city near the Turkish border saw 11 regime fighters and seven Kurds killed, the Kurdish security forces known as Asayesh said in a statement. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, reported the same death toll for the fighting near a Kurdish checkpoint in the city. The Asayesh said a regime "patrol opened fire on our forces with light and medium weapons, causing our forces to respond to this violation, which killed 11 regime fighters... and seven of our comrades". The Observatory said the shootout started when Asayesh members at the checkpoint asked regime fighters aboard a patrol vehicle to step out but they refused. "When they did not comply, the shooting started on the car," Observatory chief Rami Abdelrahman said, and the clashes escalated ...