Page 451 - War Conflict
Boko Haram kills at least 30 Nigerian soldiers: military sources
At least 30 Nigerian soldiers were killed in combat with Boko Haram jihadists who overran a military base in the northeast near the border with Niger, two military sources told AFP on Saturday. Scores of jihadists in trucks stormed the base at Zari village in northern Borno state late Thursday and briefly seized it after a fierce battle in which 30 soldiers were killed, they said.
Heroin worth Rs 9 crore seized in Jammu
Heroin worth Rs 9 crore was recovered from two smugglers on Saturday by the sleuths of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in Jammu, police said.
Kremlin warns Ukraine rebel's murder could derail peace process
The Kremlin warned on Saturday that the assassination of east Ukraine's main separatist leader was a provocation that would undermine the long-stalled Western-brokered peace deal and fuel tensions in the smouldering conflict. Alexander Zakharchenko, the 42-year-old chief of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, was killed in a bombing at a cafe in Donetsk in broad daylight Friday, becoming the four-year conflict's most prominent victim from the Moscow-backed side. His bodyguard was also killed and 12 more people were injured. Moscow and rebel authorities have pointed the finger at Kiev, while Ukraine links the bombing to internal feuding and Russia's desire to control the territory. Observers have expressed fears that the high-profile killing could fan the flames of a conflict that has been half-forgotten by the West amid crises elsewhere. Officials led by President Vladimir Putin's spokesman said the former mine electrician's murder would further derail the Ukraine peace ...
Myanmar releases 75 more child soldiers: UNICEF
Myanmar's military has released 75 child soldiers, a UN agency said, its first discharge this year as part of a gradual process to end decades of forced recruitment of underage fighters. There are no concrete figures on how many children are still among the estimated 500,000 troops that serve in Myanmar's military, or the ethnic rebel armies that it battles in the country's border regions. The state's army -- also referred to as the "Tatmadaw" -- has released 924 children and young people from its ranks since signing a deal with the United Nations in 2012, according to Friday's statement released by UN child protection agency UNICEF. The child soldiers released will have to attend reintegration programmes to return them to civilian life, a process that will contribute to "bringing lasting peace in Myanmar as productive citizens", the statement added. Friday's ceremony was attended by the discharged children and young people, with the youngest ex-soldier being 14 years old. UN Myanmar .
East Ukraine mourns rebel leader after blast
Rebel authorities in east Ukraine have detained several suspects and declared three days of mourning after the assassination of top separatist leader Alexander Zakharchenko. The 42-year-old head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic was blown up at a cafe in the rebel-controlled city in broad daylight on Friday, becoming the four-year conflict's most prominent victim from the Moscow-backed side. Zakharchenko's bodyguard was also killed and 12 more people injured, said the official website of the region. "Several people have been already detained" as a result of an operation to find those responsible for Zakharchenko's murder, the acting head of the region Dmitry Trapeznikov told reporters late Friday. He added that security had been strengthened and the borders shut, meaning no-one can cross into Kiev-controlled territory or neighbouring Russia. Moscow and rebel authorities have pointed the finger at Kiev. Trapeznikov said the detained helped confirmed that the blast was ..
Palestinians condemn US ending funding for UN refugee agency
A spokesman for the Palestinian president says the American decision to cut funding for the UN agency aiding Palestinian refugees is "an attack on the rights of the Palestinian people." Mahmoud Abbas' spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudeneh, says Saturday the move does "not serve peace but rather strengthens terrorism in the region." The US supplies nearly 30 per cent of the total budget of the UN Relief and Works Agency, or UNRWA, and had been demanding it carry out significant reforms. The decision cuts nearly USD 300 million of planned support. UNRWA was established after Israel's 1948 War of Independence to singularly aid some 700,000 Palestinians who fled or were forced from their homes and later their millions of descendants too. Israel has long argued the agency merely perpetuates the refugee crisis.
Security forces kill IS leader in central Iraq
Iraqi security forces on Saturday killed a prominent local Islamic State (IS) leader in Iraq's central province of Salahudin, a provincial police source said.
Three jawans injured in IED blast in Chhattisgarh
Three District Reserve Guard (DRG) jawans were injured in an IED blast triggered allegedly by Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Saturday, police said. The incident took place at around 12:30 pm in Rabdipara village under Phulbagdi police station area when a team of the DRG staff was out on an anti-Naxal operation, a senior police official told PTI over phone. When the patrolling team reached Rabdipara, around 500km from the state capital Raipur, ultras triggered an improvised explosive device (IED) that left three jawans injured, he said. On being alerted about the incident, reinforcement was rushed to the blast spot and efforts were on evacuate the injured to Sukma town, the official said. The DRG is a special anti-Naxal police force deployed in the insurgency-hit districts of the state.
Ukraine rebel's murder a 'provocation' against peace: Kremlin
The murder of east Ukraine's main separatist leader is a provocation that will undermine a Western-brokered peace agreement, Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman said Saturday. "This is no doubt a provocation," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, Russian news agencies reported. "(Alexander) Zakharchenko's death will certainly lead to increased tensions in the region" and undermine the so-called Minsk agreements brokered by France and Germany in 2015. The 42-year-old head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic was killed in a bombing at a cafe in the rebel-controlled city of Donetsk on Friday, becoming the four-year conflict's most prominent victim from the Moscow-backed side. Other Russian officials were also quick to stress that Zakharchenko's assassination was a huge blow to efforts to settle the Ukraine crisis. "What happened today puts a big question mark over the entire process," Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in televised .
Airstrikes kill 2 Taliban commanders in Afghanistan
Two Taliban senior commanders were killed when military aircraft targeted the militants' hideout outside Qalat city, the capital of the southern Zabul province, provincial police chief Mohammad Mustafa Mayar said.
Gunmen kill 6, kidnap couple in Philippines
Six villagers were killed by unidentified gunmen, who also abducted a Filipino couple in a Philippine town, police said on Saturday.
Balochistan's resources belong to Baloch people: BNC
"Balochistan's resources belong to Baloch people and Pakistan and China have no right to loot, plunder and exploit the Balochistan's resources against the will and consent of Baloch people", said Dr. Wahid Baloch, the president of Balochistan National Congress (BNC), in a statement.Balochistan, an independent state, was forcefully occupied in 1948 by Pakistan's army and annexed into Pakistan against the Baloch people's will and mandate, said BNC in a press release.Since then, Pakistan's occupying forces have been busy looting and plundering Balochistan's rich natural resources at gunpoint and now Chinese have also joined in to exploit and rob Balochistan.According to the release, "We ask the world community to stop Pakistan and China from looting and plundering the Balochistan's resources until Balochistan's status as an independent and Free State is restored and Baloch people are able to decide how to use their natural resources for their own benefit and uplifting."Pakistan and China
Tiger Hill hero takes charge of Ladakh's defence
New Delhi [India], Aug 31 (ANI): Kargil war hero Lieutenant General YK Joshi, who led the capture of Tiger Hill as the Commanding Officer of the 13th Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, took charge of the Indian Army's 14 corps, entrusted with the defences of Ladakh which includes Kargil.Lt Gen Joshi has been appointed the General Officer Commanding of the 'Fire and Fury' Corps, and assumed command of the battalion as its 17th Corps Cdr, from Lt Gen SK Upadhya.Lt Gen Joshi has commanded a Brigade and a Division in this sector, in addition to taking command of his unit at Dras during Operation VIJAY in 1999. Prior to assuming the appointment of GOC of the Corps, he tenanted the appointment of Director General, Infantry. On taking over, he exhorted all ranks to continue discharging their duties with same commitment and zeal.During the Kargil war, the then Colonel Joshi led the 13th Battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles to launch four successful attacks, including the one to Pt 4875 which is ..
Defence Ministry begins process for Army's much-needed Assault Rifles
New Delhi [India], August 31 (ANI): The Ministry of Defence has come out with the Request for Information (RFI) Assault Rifles which is being placed to add push to the indigenization process. The whole process will be under the 'Buy and Make (Indian)' with 'Buy' component being kept nil.The Army is looking to replace around 8 lakh Insas Rifles which are produced by the Ordinance Factory Board. The RFI being issued is for 6, 50,000 rifles which will become the frontline personal weapon system of the important infantry soldier of the Indian Army.Infantry takes on the enemy from the front. The Indian Army has around 400 units of infantry serving in the most difficult parts which also included the significant part of the unit strengths of the Rashtriya Rifles units entrusted with the counter-terrorism operations in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.In order to fulfil the needs of Assault Rifles, 72, 400 units of such rifles are being procured through the Fast Track Procedure from the ...
Blast kills top Ukraine rebel leader
An explosion at a cafe has killed Alexander Zakharchenko, the leader of the Russian-backed separatists in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, sources in the rebel administration there said.
All 11 abducted kin of J&K policemen released after Hizb militant's father freed (Roundup)
The three-day face-off between security forces and militants in Jammu and Kashmir ended on Friday as police released a Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander's father and militants freed all 11 relatives of policemen they had abducted in retaliation.
East Ukraine separatist leader killed in blast
The main separatist leader in eastern Ukraine was killed in a bomb blast in the centre of rebel hub Donetsk on Friday, his spokeswoman said, the most prominent rebel victim in the four-year conflict. "The head of the DNR (Donetsk People's Republic), Alexander Zakharchenko, has died as the result of a terrorist attack today," Zakharchenko's spokeswoman Alena Volynets told AFP. The official website of the DNR said an explosion went off in the "Separ" cafe at 1430 GMT, which it said injured three others. An AFP journalist at the scene said police had cordoned off the block where the blast occurred. Businessman-turned-warlord Zakharchenko, who commanded rebels fighting Ukrainian government forces in the mining and industrial town of Donetsk, was elected first president of the unrecognised republic in 2014. He said at the time his ambition was to build "a new state". Zakharchenko, who died aged 42, is the most prominent victim in a series of killings of separatist politicians and ...
Rajasthan: Curfew relaxed for 12 hours in Malpura town
Curfew was relaxed today for 12 hours in violence-hit Malpura town of Rajasthan's Tonk district as no untoward incident was reported, police said. It will, however, remain in force during night, they said. Curfew was relaxed today from 7 am to 7 pm, SHO of Malpura police station, Navneet Bihari Vyas, said. The law and order situation is gradually getting normal but night curfew will continue as a precautionary measure, he added. Vyas said 41 people have been arrested so far. Curfew was imposed in Malpura after members of a minority community pelted stones at kanwariyas, injuring 15 of them, on Thursday. The attack was followed by arson in which a vehicle was torched, forcing the authorities to impose Section 144 of the CrPC which prohibits assembly of more than four people in an area.
All 11 relatives of policemen released
All the 11 family members of policemen abducted by militants during the last three days from south Kashmir were released unharmed on Friday, police said.
Abducted kin of Kashmiri cops released
Terrorists have released the relatives of policemen whom they had abducted from various places in south Kashmir, official sources said today. At least eight people, whose relatives were working in the Jammu and Kashmir Police, were abducted last night by terrorists. The sources said all those abducted had been released. However, a senior police official said they had to check whether those abducted had returned home. Unconfirmed reports said the total number of kidnapped kin of policemen was 11. Former Jammu and Kashmir chief ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah had condemned the abductions. Officials said at least eight people were picked up by militants from Shopian, Kulgam, Anantnag and Awantipora. "Some incidents of abduction have come to the notice of police in South Kashmir. We are ascertaining details and circumstances. In due course it shall be placed in public domain," a police spokesman had earlier said. The militants' action came on a day when the NIA arrested the ...