Page 449 - War Conflict
Big crackdown against Maoists' 'overground' supporters planned; forces nab 500 in CG
A first-time concerted crackdown has been launched against 'overground' Maoist supporters in various states and about 500 such people have been apprehended by the security forces in Chhattisgarh alone over the last one year, the chief of country's lead anti-Naxal operations force, the CRPF, has said. CRPF Director General R R Bhatnagar told PTI in an interview that this fresh action is being undertaken by them in coordination with state police forces with an aim to deny 'space' to the Left Wing Extremists and to counter them beyond the field operations. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has deployed close to a lakh armed personnel and a heavy assortment of weapons and gadgets to tackle the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) in various states of the country. "We are now going to the villages and we are trying to see that action is taken against their (Maoists) overground supporters and workers, 'jan militia' and other people who give them the intelligence and local support. "We are ...
One dead in Philippine blast
One person has been killed and 15 others injured after a bomb exploded in the Philippine city of Isulan, army said.
Massive search operation on in J&K's Pulwama
Security forces started a massive search operation on Monday in around two dozen villages of Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, police said.
Baghdad 'astonished' by report of Iran moving missiles to Iraq (Lead,correcting para 4)
Iraq's Foreign Ministry has said it was "astonished" by a report that Iran had moved ballistic missiles to armed groups in Iraq.
400 inmates escape from prison in Libya's Tripoli
Four hundred inmates of Ain Zara prison in the Libyan capital Tripoli on Sunday escaped as clashes between government forces and militias intensified, according to the Judicial Police Department of Libya's Ministry of Justice.
Baghdad 'astonished' by report of Iran moving missiles to Iraq
Iraq's Foreign Ministry on Sunday said it was "astonished" by a report that Iran had moved ballistic missiles to armed groups in Iraq.
6 dead in Somalia car bombing
At least six people died while 15 others were left injured in a car bombing incident in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu on Sunday.The spokesperson for Mogadishu, Salah Hassan Omar said that the local government offices were the target of the bombing, CNN reported.Col. Aden Dahir of the Somalia military said that at least three soldiers, who attempted to stop the vehicle, were among the deceased.The attack occurred at around 9 AM local time. Terrorist group Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack through Andalus Radio, its media channel.The explosion wrecked a government building, while a mosque and several other buildings in the proximity were also damaged."We heard a huge explosion as the students were in their morning class. The whole area was devastated by the car bomb," said Abdisalam Hassan Abdi, a teacher at a nearby madrassa who was injured in the blast.
Reuters reporters face verdict in Myanmar 'state secrets' case
Two Reuters journalists accused of breaching Myanmar's state secrets law during their reporting of a massacre of Rohingya face a court ruling Monday that could see them jailed for up to 14 years. The case has outraged the international community for attacking media freedom and has intensified the glare on Myanmar security forces over its crackdown on the Muslim minority in Rakhine state. Army-led "clearance operations" last year drove 700,000 Rohingya into Bangladesh, carrying with them widespread accounts of atrocities -- rape, murder and arson -- by Myanmar security forces. Reporters Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, have been held in Yangon's Insein prison since their arrest in December. They say they were invited to dinner by police who handed them documents before the pair were arrested as they left the restaurant for possessing classified material. The duo, both Myanmar nationals, were charged with violating the Official Secrets Act, a draconian British colonial-era law which ...
Afghanistan: 2 IED explosions rock Kandahar City
At least seven police officials were wounded in two Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blasts in Afghanistan's Kandahar city on Sunday.The IED was placed inside an electrical box, reported TOLO News.An official of the Afghan National Police (ANP) was among the wounded in the first explosion in the city's PD14. Around six other policemen, who were responding to the first blast, got injured in the second explosion.The provincial governor's spokesperson said that the exact number of injured people was not confirmed yet.No group has taken the responsibility for the explosion so far.
Hundreds escape prison near Libya's Tripoli: police
Some 400 detainees escaped after a riot on Sunday at a prison in the southern suburbs of the Libyan capital Tripoli, theatre of a week of deadly battles, the police said. "The detainees were able to force open the doors and leave" as fighting between rival militias raged near the prison of Ain Zara, the police said in a statement, without specifying what crimes the escapees had committed.
Norway police probe disappearance of WikiLeaks associate
Norwegian police on Sunday said they were investigating the disappearance of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's associate Arjen Kamphuis, a cyber security expert, who was last seen in northern Norway. "We have started an investigation," police spokesman Tommy Bech told AFP, adding that so far they had no clue about the Dutch citizen's whereabouts. The police "would not speculate about what may have happened to him," Bech said. WikiLeaks tweeted on Saturday about Kamphuis's "strange disappearance", saying he had been missing since August 20 when he left his hotel in the northern Norwegian town of Bodo. It added that Kamphuis had a ticket for a flight departing on August 22 from Trondheim, a city located more than 700 kilometres (435 miles) south of Bodo. "The train between the two takes (approximately) 10 hours," suggesting he disappeared either in Bodo, Trondheim or on the train, WikiLeaks said, triggering numerous conspiracy theories on Twitter. Assange has been holed up at ...
C'garh police trying to implicate me in false case: Soni Sori
Aam Aadmi Party leader and tribal activist Soni Sori Sunday accused the Chhattisgarh police of trying to implicate her in a "false" case in connection with an encounter on August 6 in which 15 naxals were killed. She said she did not know the person from Sukma district who has file a complaint to the police against her in this matter. A senior Sukma police official told PTI that Sodi Hadma, a resident of Nulkatong village, close to the site of the August 6 encounter, has filed a complaint with Konta police station that Sori and a few others had come there to provoke residents. In his complaint made on August 24, Hadma alleged Sori and a few others had visited Nulkatong, as part of an AAP fact-finding team, and provoked villagers to give statements against the police. The police official said no FIR was registered on Hadma's complaint but Sori was called to Konta police station for questioning. Speaking at a press conference in Raipur Sunday, Sori called it a conspiracy by the ...
India, Bangladesh to discuss cross-border crimes
Attacks on the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel and cross-border crimes will be on the agenda of talks between Bangladeshi and Indian frontier forces when they meet for the 47th bi-annual conference between from Monday onwards.
Rifleman Shive Kumar cremated with full military honours
The mortal remains of Rifleman Shive Kumar, killed in an encounter with terrorists in north Kashmir's Bandipora district, were consigned to flames with full military honours at his native village in Kishtwar district Sunday. The mortal remains of the martyred soldier were brought to his native village Kurur-Palmar in Kishtwar in a helicopter on Sunday. His last rites were carried out with full military honours, a defence spokesman said. Kumar, 32, of 31 Rashtriya Rifles (commando) had sustained bullet injuries during the fierce operation in Bandipora's Danna forests. He was provided immediate first aid and evacuated to 92 Base Hospital but he succumbed to injuries, an official said. Three militants were killed in the gun battle. Military and civil officials paid their homage to the slain soldier by laying wreaths. A wreath was also laid on the behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, the spokesman said. A large number of people gathered on the site to pay their respects to the departed ...
5 held in TN for 'plotting' to eliminate leaders of Hindu
Five people were arrested here Sunday for allegedly conspiring to eliminate a few leaders of Hindu outfits, police said. Acting on a tip off, the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of the police have detained four people who arrived here from Chennai, yesterday. Another person who had come to receive them was also picked up for questioning, they said. Stating that all four had come to attend a marriage, police said interrogation revealed that they had conspired to eliminate Arjun Sampath of Hindu Makkal Katchi and Hindu Munnani leader Mookambikai Mani among some others. All the five were booked under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and conspiracy. They were arrested and lodged in Central jail here. Security has been provided for the leaders.
Laxmanananda Saraswati's death anniv held amid tight security
The tenth death anniversary of slain Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Laxmanananda Saraswati was observed amid tight security and high alert in Odisha's sensitive Kandhamal district on Sunday, police said. Elaborate security arrangements were made in the entire district since Saturday, Kandhamal Superintendent of Police Pratik Singh said. About 20 platoons (each platoon comprises around 30 personnel) of armed forces were deployed in sensitive places including the ashrams at Jalespeta and Chakapad founded by the slain VHP leader, he said. Saraswati and his four disciples were killed by armed assailants at his ashram at Jalespeta when the inmates were busy celebrating Janmastami on the night of August 23, 2008. In the aftermath of Saraswati's killing, Kandhamal and neighbouring areas were rocked by widespread violence and riots. Many places of worship and prayer halls and houses were damaged and torched during the riots which claimed the lives of several people. The ...
Death toll reaches 7 in Somalia blast
The death toll in the suicide car bomb blast in Somalia's Mogadishu reached seven on Sunday, police said.
US commando takes helm of forces in Afghanistan
General Scott Miller took command of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan on Sunday, as worsening violence erodes hopes for peace in the war-torn country. Miller, who has commanded special operations units in Afghanistan since 2013, succeeds General John Nicholson, who is rotating out of the post after more than two years. The handover comes at a sensitive time in the 17-year war that has seen little progress by Afghan or US forces against the Taliban, Afghanistan's largest militant group. Afghan and international players have been ratcheting up efforts to hold peace talks with the Taliban, which was toppled from power by US-led forces in 2001. An unprecedented ceasefire in June followed by talks between US officials and Taliban representatives in Qatar in July fuelled hopes that negotiations could bring an end to the fighting. But a recent spate of attacks by Taliban and the smaller but potent Islamic State group that left hundreds of security forces and civilians dead has almost ...
Army pays tributes to soldier killed in Bandipora encounter
Army on Sunday paid tributes to Sepoy Shive Kumar who was killed in a gun battle with militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district. Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen A K Bhatt led all ranks in paying homage to Kumar, who laid down his life during the encounter on Saturday. Three militants were killed in the operation. Representatives from other security agencies also joined in to pay their last respects to the martyr, an army official said. Kumar (32) sustained bullet injuries during the fierce operation in Bandipora's Danna forests. He was provided immediate first aid and evacuated to 92 Base Hospital but he succumbed to injuries, the official added. He had joined the Army in 2005 and hailed from village Karoor of Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district. He is survived by his wife, three children and parents. "The mortal remains of the martyr were flown for last rites to his native place, where he would be laid to rest with full military honours," the official said, adding that the .
Sitharaman becomes 1st Defence Minister to visit Balbir Forward Post
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, along with Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, on Sunday visited the Balbir Forward Post in Jammu and Kashmir and met troops of the 28th Infantry Division. She became the first Defence Minister ever to visit the post.Sitharaman also held discussions with Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik at the Raj Bhavan in Srinagar. She was received by the Governor on her arrival. The Defence Minister extended her warm greetings to Malik on his appointment as the state governor, an official statement read.The two also discussed several important inter-related issues concerning the effective management of internal and external security, particularly in the context of increasing attempts at infiltration and the ongoing anti-terrorist operations.Sitharaman and Malik also held detailed discussions on the urban local bodies and panchayat elections, which will be conducted in the months of October to December this year. They also underscored the crucial need for ..