Page 468 - War Conflict
25 killed, 35 injured in suicide attack in Kabul
At least 25 were killed and 35 injured after a suspected suicide bomber blew himself up in front of an educational centre in Dasht-e-Barchi in the west of the Afghan capital Kabul on WednesdayThe blast occurred at a time when classes were being conducted, reported Tolo News.The security forces have sealed off the place and the injured have been shifted to the city hospital.The Taliban has not yet taken responsibility for the blast.Further details are awaited.More than 100 people were killed and 133 injured as hundreds of Taliban militants launched an attack in Afghanistan's city of Ghazni since August 10. The clashes are still going on.Afghanistan has been in a political turmoil state for years. Taliban insurgency in the state has caused the country to become unstable.
At least 25 killed in Kabul suicide attack: officials
At least 25 people were killed when a suicide attacker struck an education centre in a minority Shiite area of western Kabul today, officials said, the latest assault in Afghanistan's war-weary capital. "We can confirm the attack was caused by a suicide bomber on foot. The bomber detonated himself inside the education centre," police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai said. The spokesmen for the interior ministry and health ministries confirmed that at least 25 people were killed and 35 injured. There was no immediately claim of responsibility for the attack. The Taliban quickly denied they were involved. Afghanistan has been reeling from a recent upsurge in militant violence, including a massive, days-long Taliban onslaught on the eastern city of Ghazni. Analysts have said the assault on Ghazni was a military and psychological victory against the government in Kabul, proving the insurgents have the strength to strike a strategically vital city near the capital at will and remain entrenched .
Govt succeeded in bringing Delhi to northeast's doorstep in 4 years: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today that there was a time when the northeast felt that Delhi was "distant", but within the last four years the government had succeeded in bringing the national capital to its doorstep. The prime minister, in his Independence Day speech, also said Tripura, Meghalaya and many districts of Arunachal Pradesh have been liberated from the Armed Forces (Special Power) Act (AFSPA) due to the efforts of security forces, endeavours of state governments, and the implementation of developmental schemes by the Centre and states. Modi pointed out that several districts of Arunachal Pradesh have been freed from this act, with only a few left. The AFSPA empowers security forces to conduct operations, arrest anyone, anywhere without prior notice. Modi, in his speech, said the impression of the Northeast has changed now and it was visible with the achievements on the sports field. He said news coming from the northeast was about violence earlier, but now it was ...
16 Afghan security forces members killed in Taliban attack
At least 16 members of the Afghan security forces have been killed and another 19 reported missing after the Taliban attacked a police checkpost in the country's Baghlan province, officials said on Wednesday.
Militants attack army camp in Manipur, no casualty
Unidentified militants today attacked an army camp in Manipur's Churachandpur district near the Indo-Myanmar international border, a police officer said. The militants triggered two lathode shells towards the 'B' Company camp of 6 Sikhli near Teigotang village under Singngat police station at about 5.15 am, and the security forces also retaliated, the officer said. There is no report of any casualty, he added.
Ex-Lankan prez Rajapaksa to record statement in scribe's abduction case
Sri Lanka's former president Mahinda Rajapaksa will be questioned by the police in connection with a probe into the alleged abduction and assault of a journalist 10 years ago, a top police official said today. Keith Noyahr, a journalist with The Nation newspaper, was abducted by unknown men in May 2008. He was released next day allegedly after being tortured. Following his disappearance, it is said that Rajapaksa's intervention was sought to save Noyahr's life. "A team of crime investigation officers will meet Rajapaksa on August 17 (Friday) to record his statement," police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said. Rajapaksa was the president at the time. The police has recorded statements from the parliament Speaker Karu Jayasuriya and Rajapaksa's brother Gotabhaya, who was a senior defense ministry bureaucrat at the time. Jayasuriya, the then minister, had reportedly alerted Rajapaksa on the abduction. Six senior military officials, including the then Director of Military Intelligence, were .
Soldier injured in infiltration bid on LoC
An Indian Army soldier was injured on Wednesday on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district where an infiltration bid was foiled.
Women recruited in armed forces under SSC to get permanent commission
Women officers recruited under the short service commission in the armed forces will get opportunity for permanent employment like their male counterparts, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced today in his Independence Day address. The prime minister, however, did not give any indication whether permanent commissioning of women will pave the way for their entry into the combat positions in the Army and the Navy. The Indian Air Force has already allowed women fighter pilots. Till now, women officers, who had joined the armed forces as part of the Short Service Commission (SSC), were not allowed to seek permanent commissioning. "Women officers of Short Service Commission in the armed forces would now be eligible for permanent commission through a transparent selection process like their male counterparts," the prime minister said in his address from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Official sources said government is likely to come out with a comprehensive policy on permanent ...
Jawan injured as Army foils infiltration bid along LoC in Rajouri
The Army foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district today, an official said. An Army jawan was injured in the counter-insurgency operation. At about 5.15 am,Armypersonnel noticed movement along the Line of Control (LoC) in Naushera Sector, the defence public relations officer said. On being challenged, the armed intruders opened fire, he said, adding that our troops responded with retaliatory fire in equal measure. Pakistan Army posts provided cover fire to the intruder, the PRO said. In the ensuing exchange of fire, an army personnel sustained injuries and was evacuated for medical treatment. The jawan's condition is stable. The search and sanitisation operations were going on when the last report came in. The White Knight Corps is keeping a constant vigil along the LoC. Pakistan continues its nefarious activities along the LoC, they continue to vitiate the atmosphere both along the border and the hinterland, the PRO said.
Two ITBP jawans injured in IED blast in C'garh on I-Day
Two jawans of the ITBP were injured today when a pressure bomb laid by naxals exploded in Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon district, police said. The incident took place near Mistri village when a team of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) was out on a search operation in view of the Independence Day celebrations, Rajnandgaon Superintendent of Police Kamlochan Kashyap told PTI. While the patrolling team was cordoning off a forest near the village, located around 150 km from here, a jawan came in contact with a pressure improvised explosive device (IED) planted by Maoists, he said. He said the IED exploded, causing minor splinter injuries to two constables of the ITBP's 44th battalion. Reinforcement was rushed to the spot and the injured were brought to a hospital in Mohla where they were provided preliminary treatment. The injured were being shifted to Rajnandgaon, he said, adding a combing operation was underway in the area.
Israel reopens key Gaza crossing
Israel on Wednesday reopened the key Kerem Shalom crossing with Gaza, which had remained closed to commercial imports and exports for over a month.
Sound system malfunctions during I-Day celebrations in Srinagar
The main state-organised Independence Day function in Jammu and Kashmir was hampered today due to a malfunctioning sound system, officials said. The event was held at Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium in Srinagar and presided over by Governor N N Vohra. The audio system started to malfunction during the 'bhangra performance' by the jawans of paramilitary forces. As the audio system could not be repaired, the other cultural performances had to be cancelled. A senior official said the cause of the malfunctioning was being investigated and action will be taken if any official is found guilty of dereliction of duty.
Modi says women officers to get permanent commission in defence forces
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said women officers in India's defence forces would now have the option to take up permanent commission through the Short Service Commission.
Shutdown in Kashmir valley
The Kashmir valley witnessed a complete shutdown on Wednesday following a strike call given by separatists. Shutters of all shops and business houses remained down as traffic too remained off roads.In a statement, the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) protested against the rights of the Kashmiri people being "trampled". The statement said: "New Delhi is muzzling the voices of freedom in Kashmir and people, especially the youth, are being selectively killed every alternate day."The JRL warned that on the day of the Independence Day celebrations, the resistance leadership would either be caged or placed in various jails "to crush the dissent, and the entire Valley will turn into a military fortress for the day and people's right to live too will be snatched."Meanwhile, a large number of police and paramilitary forces have been deployed at major intersections to prevent any incident during the celebrations. Security personnel are guarding barricades at the entry and exit points of ...
Sudanese-origin British citizen named in car crash outside UK Parliament: reports
British citizen of Sudanese origin Salih Khater was driving the car that injured three persons in a terror attack outside the UK's Parliament, government sources said today. The 29-year-old, who has studied electrical engineering in Sudan, lived in Birmingham's Sparkhill district. He describes himself as a shop manager. He was held on suspicion of terrorism by Scotland Yard's Counter-Terrorism Command after the crash yesterday. Khater, a British citizen originally from Sudan, continues to be questioned at a south London police station as searches are undertaken at three addresses in Birmingham and Nottingham as part of the investigation. It has emerged that he spent 90 minutes trawling the area around the Houses of Parliament before speeding into the barriers, having travelled up from Birmingham, 200 kms from here, overnight on Monday. The suspect, who is yet to be officially named by police, had studied at Sudan University of Science and Technology, according to his Facebook ...
Uttarakhand has taken tough stand against corruption: CM
The BJP government in Uttarakhand has taken a tough stand against corruption to ensure a transformation in the state's culture, Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said on Wednesday.
Patriotic fervour marks I-Day fete in Karnataka
Patriotic fervour, gaiety and the spirit of freedom marked the 72nd Independence Day celebrations across Karnataka on Wednesday.
Hawaii marker to honor hundreds of WWII prisoners of war
US Army Air Corps veteran Daniel Crowley endured more than three years of slave labour while being held prisoner by Japan during World War II. This week, the 96-year-old is in Hawaii to participate in a dedication that honours about 400 Allied prisoners killed when a Japanese ship transporting them to Japan from the Philippines was sunk by US forces unaware they were on board. The men are in 20 separate graves marked as "unknowns" in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, which is located inside an extinct volcanic crater also known as Punchbowl. Today, Crowley will help dedicate a memorial stone for the prisoners at the cemetery in Honolulu. "These are men from the United States Armed Forces who were ignominiously thrown in a pit without marking by the country, our country," Crowley said. "It was a sad thing that they were never recognized before they were buried together in a mixed-up grave with no marker." The men were on board the Japanese freighter Enoura Maru in what is .
We've brought northeast India closer to Delhi: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said efforts made by his government have brought the people of northeast India closer to Delhi and the region was witnessing multi-faceted development.
Afghan officials: Taliban attack in north kills 30 troops
A Taliban assault on two adjacent checkpoints in northern Afghanistan killed at least 30 soldiers and police, officials said Wednesday, as life gradually returned to normal in parts of the eastern city of Ghazni after a massive insurgent attack last week, with sporadic gunbattles still underway in some neighborhoods. Mohammad Safdar Mohseni, the head of the provincial council in the northern Baghlan province, said the insurgents set fire to the checkpoints after the attack late last night in the Baghlan-I Markazi district. Dilawar Aymaq, a parliamentarian from Baghlan, confirmed the attack, which targeted a military checkpoint and another manned by the so-called local police, militias recruited and paid by the Interior Ministry. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack. Meanwhile, Afghans emerged from their homes and some shops reopened in Ghazni, where the Taliban launched a coordinated offensive last Friday, overwhelming the city's defenses and ...