Page 463 - War Conflict
Afghan forces free 149 hostages taken by Taliban in ambush
Afghan forces launched a lightning operation in northern Kunduz province today, rescuing 149 people, including women and children, abducted by the Taliban just hours earlier, officials said. By mid-afternoon, fighting was still underway in the area to free 21 remaining hostages, officials added. The operation was a boost for Afghan forces, which have struggled to contain a resurgent Taliban on battlefields across the country. On Monday morning, the Taliban ambushed a convoy of three buses travelling on a road in the Khan Abad district, and forced everyone to come with them, according to Nasrat Rahimi, deputy spokesman for the Interior Ministry. Rahimi said that after Afghan security forces freed 149, the insurgents were still holding 21 hostages from the buses. He added at least seven Taliban fighters have been killed in the fighting so far. The ambush came despite Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's announcement of a conditional cease-fire with the Taliban during the Muslim holiday of ...
Afghanistan awaits Taliban response to truce offer
Afghanistan today was awaiting the Taliban's response to President Ashraf Ghani's proposal for a three-month ceasefire, an offer welcomed by the United States and NATO after nearly 17 years of war. Ghani unveiled the offer during an Independence Day address late Sunday, saying police and troops would observe the truce from this week -- but only if the militants reciprocated. The move followed an extraordinarily violent week in Afghanistan that saw the Taliban storm the provincial capital of Ghazni -- just a two-hour drive from Kabul -- and press the fight against security forces across the country, with estimates suggesting hundreds of people may have been killed. It also came just hours after regional army spokesman Mohammad Hanif Rezaee said an airstrike against a Taliban convoy in the north of the country killed around 100 militant fighters. The president said his office had cleared "all obstacles" to peace with the announcement following consultations with religious scholars, ...
Egyptian army officer killed in Sinai roadside blast
An Egyptian army captain has been killed by an improvised explosive device blast in North Sinai during a campaign to eliminate jihadists, medics said today. The officer died yesterday evening after an explosion hit his vehicle west of the coastal city of El-Arish, a local medical source said. The Egyptian army has since February been conducting a major operation focused on the Sinai Peninsula to wipe out jihadists from the Islamic State group. The military says that over 250 suspected jihadists and at least 35 soldiers have been killed in its "Sinai 2018" operation. Jihadists launched an insurgency in Sinai after the 2013 military overthrow of Egypt's Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, who was forced out by the military in the face of mass protests against his rule.
SC to hear plea on AFSPA dilution on September 4
The Supreme Court will hear on September 4 a plea by a group of serving Army officers against the dilution of AFSPA that gives immunity to military personnel from prosecution for their actions in disturbed and insurgency-hit areas.
Afghan Taliban kidnap 170 passengers
Taliban militants on Monday kidnapped 170 passengers after they launched an ambush on three buses on the highway connecting Kunduz province to Takhar, police said.
Kanwar yatris clash with members of Muslim community in Sikar district
Tension prevailed when kanwar yatris clashed with members of the Muslim community in Fatehpur town of Sikar district here, police said today. Currently, section 144 of CrPC has been imposed in the town. The conflict began when a kanwar yatris' procession was passing by a mosque here yesterday evening. A group of Muslim youths demanded that the music be minimised, an official said. A heated argument broke out between the two group and it soon turned into a physical confrontation. Eight kanwariyas were injured and the police arrested three persons from the Muslim community, Sikar SP Pradeep Mohan Sharma said. Today, right wing groups held a sit-in protest at Bhoothnath temple here, demanding more arrests. The protestors pelted stones on police personnel. Some of the right wing activists started shutting the shops in the market area. The police resorted to cane charging, lobbing of tear gas shells and firing rubber bullets in the air to disperse the crowds and control the situation. ...
Shots fired at US embassy in Turkey
Several shots were fired at the US Embassy in the Turkish capital of Ankara on Monday but no casualties have been reported, police said.
Huge explosives haul in Jharkhand
A huge cache of explosives suspected to be meant for Maoist guerrillas was recovered from Jharkhand's Pakur district on Monday, police said.
Egypt officials: Car bomb kills officer, wounds 4 in Sinai
Egyptian security officials say a car bomb has targeted members of the security forces in the turbulent north of the Sinai Peninsula, killing a military officer. They say the blast, which took place yesterday on a road just south of the coastal city of el-Arish city, also wounded four conscripts. No one claimed responsibility for the attack, which bore all the hallmarks of Egypt's Islamic State affiliate, which is leading the insurgency in Sinai. The officials say Egyptian forces clashed with Islamic militants following the attack and killed some. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to talk to reporters. In February, Egypt launched a security operation against Islamic militants around the country, mainly in Sinai but also elsewhere.
Knifeman killed in Spain police station attack
A man armed with a knife was killed when he attacked a police station near the northeastern Spanish city of Barcelona today, police said. "A man armed with a knife entered the police station in Cornella to attack the officers. The attacker was shot," the Catalonia regional police said on Twitter. A police spokesman refused to comment on local media reports that the man was from Algeria and had shouted "Allahu akbar" (God is greatest) during the attack. The incident occurred days after the first anniversary of a deadly jihadist rampage in Catalonia. Sixteen people were killed on August 17, 2017 when a van drove into crowds on the popular Las Ramblas boulevard in the heart of Barcelona and in a knife attack in the nearby resort of Cambrils. The Islamic State (IS) group claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Afghan officials: Taliban take at least 100 people hostage
The Taliban ambushed a convoy of busses today on a road in northern Afghanistan and took more than 100 people hostage, including women and children, in the latest brazen assault by insurgents, provincial officials said. The ambush came despite Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's announcement of a conditional ceasefire with the Taliban during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha this week. The fate of the abducted in Kunduz province in an area that has recently fallen under Taliban control was not immediately known and there was no statement from the insurgents. The Taliban have resurged in recent years, seizing entire districts across Afghanistan and regularly carrying out large-scale bombings and attacks that have killed scores of people. According to Mohammad Yusouf Ayubi, the head of the provincial council in Kunduz, the insurgents stopped three busses on the road near Khan Abad district and forced the passengers to come with them. Ayubi said he believes the Taliban were looking for ...
Afghanistan waits for Taliban response to truce offer
Afghanistan was waiting today for a Taliban response to President Ashraf Ghani's suggestion of a three-month ceasefire, an offer welcomed by the United States and NATO after 17 years of war. Ghani unveiled the government's latest gambit during an Independence Day address late Sunday, saying security forces would observe the truce beginning this week -- but only if the Taliban reciprocated. The move followed an extraordinarily violent week in Afghanistan that saw that Taliban storm the provincial capital of Ghazni -- just a two hour drive from Kabul -- and press the fight against security forces across the country, resulting in hundreds of deaths. The president said his office had cleared "all obstacles" to peace with the announcement following consultations with religious scholars, political parties and civil society groups. The proposal was warmly greeted by both NATO and the US, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo calling on the Taliban to participate. The Taliban did not ...
US ready to facilitate, participate in dialogue between Kabul, Taliban
The US declared it is ready to support, facilitate and participate in direct negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban, on the occasion of the Afghan government's announcement on Sunday of a conditional three-month ceasefire with the Taliban.
Rajasthan: Anti-tank missile, guided bombs, successfully test fired
Indigenously designed and developed guided bombs Smart Anti Airfield Weapon (SAAW) and anti-tank guided missile Helina were successfully tested at separate firing ranges in Rajasthan.The SAAW, which was tested on Sunday at Chandan range was integrated with a live warhead and has destroyed the targets with high precision. The telemetry and tracking systems captured all the mission events. This weapon is capable of destroying a variety of ground targets using precision navigation. A total of three tests with different release conditions were conducted during August 16-18 and all the mission objectives have been achieved.The weapon has undergone eight developmental trials till date and performance of the system for different ranges under multiple launch conditions has been demonstrated. Senior officials from DRDO, HAL and Indian Air Force participated and witnessed the flight tests.While Helina missile was successfully flight tested from Army Helicopter in the ranges of Pokhran ...
Yemeni rebels hand 31 child soldiers to ICRC
Yemen's Houthi rebels on Sunday handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) 31 child soldiers whom the Houthis claimed to have been arrested during the battles, the Houthi-controlled state Saba news agency reported.
Indigenous chopper-mounted anti-tank missile successfully tested
The DRDO on Sunday successfully flight tested the indigenously developed HELINA (Helicopter-Launched Anti-Tank Guided Missile) system at Pokhran in Rajasthan, official sources said.
Security forces arrest 3 militants in Manipur
Security forces arrested three militants from different places in Manipur, police said today. Security forces arrested a cadre of proscribed outfit PLA in Thoubal district today, a release issued by the PRO of Manipur Police said. A cadre of PLA and a militant of the People Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) were arrested in Imphal East district yesterday, the release added.
Afghan president announces 3-month ceasefire with Taliban
Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday announced a conditional three-month ceasefire with the Taliban starting on Monday.
Afghanistan announces conditional ceasefire with Taliban
Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday evening announced a conditional ceasefire with the Taliban for a period of three months to mark the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday.The Afghan President made the announcement while addressing a select group of guests at an Independence Day event, reported the Tolo News.He said that the ceasefire would start on August 20 and would end on November 19, adding, the ceasefire would only be implemented if the Taliban respect it."We announce a ceasefire that would take effect from tomorrow, Monday, the day of Arafa, till the day of the birth of the prophet i.e., Milad-un-Nabi, (November 19) provided that the Taliban reciprocate," Ghani said.Earlier on June 7, Ghani had declared a unilateral ceasefire with the Taliban from June 11 to June 19 to mark Eid al-Fitr.Ever since the Islamist group was ousted from power in a U.S.-led military intervention in 2001, Afghanistan and the Taliban have been at the loggerheads.On August 13, Afghanistan confirmed that .
Afghan president offers Taliban new provisional ceasefire
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani declared a provisional three-month ceasefire with the Taliban in a televised broadcast today, but said the truce would hold only if the insurgents reciprocated. The announcement followed a bloody week of fighting across Afghanistan which saw the Taliban launch a massive assault against the provincial capital Ghazni -- just a two-hour drive from Kabul. Anticipation had been mounting ahead of Ghani's speech following mixed signals from the presidential palace over whether the government would offer a fresh ceasefire, following a brief truce earlier this year. "I once again announce a ceasefire from tomorrow until the prophet's birthday provided that the Taliban reciprocate," said Ghani, referring to the Prophet Mohammed's birthday which Afghanistan celebrates on November 21. The president's announcement was immediately welcomed in neighbouring Pakistan, which has long been accused of fostering links with the Taliban's leadership and providing sanctuary to ..