Page 471 - War Conflict
Taliban capture northern Afghan base, kill at least 14 soldiers: Officials
Taliban fighters overran a northern Afghan army base, officials said today, killing at least 14 soldiers with dozens feared captured and others said to have fled in the latest blow to the country's security forces. Militants gained control of the base in Ghormach district of volatile Faryab province after days of heavy fighting, according to army spokesman for northern Afghanistan Mohammad Hanif Rezaee, adding that 100 soldiers were on the base when it was first attacked Sunday. "It is a tragedy that the base fell to the enemy. Some soldiers were killed, some captured and some fled to nearby hills," Rezaee told AFP. Faryab MP Hashim Otaq said that 14 soldiers were killed and about 40 others were captured by Taliban fighters in the base, known as Chenaya. The Taliban victory in Faryab comes days after militants launched a brazen attack on the southeastern Afghan city of Ghazni late Thursday, some two hours drive from the capital Kabul. Tahir Rehmani -- head of Faryab's provincial ...
Civilian casualty fears rising in embattled Afghan city
Fears were growing of civilian casualties as Afghan security forces backed by US airpower struggled to push the Taliban out of embattled Ghazni city, with reports of scores dead five days after fighting erupted. Officials have said Ghazni, a strategic provincial capital two hours from Kabul, remains in government hands and that security forces are conducting a clearing operation. But residents told AFP the insurgents remained in the streets, burning buildings and targeting civilians. The United Nations said unverified reports put civilian casualties at more than 100 since the Taliban entered the city late Thursday, with residents also at risk from several days of US airstrikes. An MP from Ghazni, Shah Gul Rezaye, said today that some parts of the city had been cleared. But in others "the Taliban have positioned their fighters in high buildings shooting at security forces from there," he added. Communication networks remained largely down, making any information difficult to ...
40 children killed in Yemen bus strike: new Red Cross toll
Forty children were among 51 people killed in a Saudi-led coalition air strike on a bus in rebel-held northern Yemen, the Red Cross said in a new toll today. Fifty-six children were also among the 79 people wounded in the Thursday strike on Saada province, a rebel stronghold that borders Saudi Arabia, the International Committee of the Red Cross said.
Beijing: Anti-China forces are criticising Uighur crackdown
China blamed "anti-China forces" today for the growing criticism of Beijing's policies in a far western region where large groups of ethnic Uighurs are being detained in internment camps. Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said anti-China forces had made "false accusations against China for political purposes" after a UN human rights committee raised concern over reported mass detentions of ethnic Uighurs. He also said a few foreign media outlets misrepresented the committee's discussions and were smearing China's anti-terror and crime-fighting measures in Xinjiang. In Xinjiang, authorities responding to sporadic violent attacks by Muslim separatists have imposed a heavy security crackdown and detained an estimated hundreds of thousands of members of the Uighur and Kazakh Muslim minorities in indoctrination camps. Former detainees have provided The Associated Press among the first accounts of life inside these camps in which they were forced to denounce Islam and profess loyalty to ...
Pakistan celebrates Independence Day with patriotic zeal, fervour
People all across Pakistan on Tuesday celebrated the country's 72nd Independence Day with traditional zeal and fervour.
Sri Lanka gets $39 million military funding from US
In a move to counter China's increasing influence on Sri Lanka, the United States has announced that it would grant the Indian ocean island a $39 million to boost its maritime security."We look forward to discussing with the government of Sri Lanka how this contribution can support our Bay of Bengal initiative and Sri Lanka's humanitarian assistance and disaster response priorities," the South China Morning Post quoted the US embassy in Colombo as saying.China, which is the world's second-largest economy, has raised its investments in major ports in Sri Lanka, which is also a key in its ambitious infrastructure initiative-- 'Belt and Road'.Interestingly, the Hambantota port, which is considered the world's busiest east-west shipping route, also gave China a strong foothold in a region which was long dominated by India.However, United States' military funding to Sri Lanka is subjected to an approval from the Congress."We look forward to discussing with the government of Sri Lanka how ..
Sri Lanka gets US military funding as China vies for influence
The United States announced today it would grant Sri Lanka USD 39 million to boost maritime security as China develops its strategic hold on the Indian Ocean island. The State Department will provide the funds as "foreign military financing", pending congressional approval, the US embassy in Colombo said. "We look forward to discussing with the government of Sri Lanka how this contribution can support our Bay of Bengal initiative and Sri Lanka's humanitarian assistance and disaster response priorities," it said. It comes as China, the world's second-largest economy, increases investment in ports and other building projects in Sri Lanka -- a key link in its ambitious "Belt and Road" infrastructure initiative. Last week, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka announced it had secured a USD 1 billion Chinese loan as the island develops closer relations with Beijing. The US had stopped arms sales to Sri Lanka during the height of the island's Tamil separatist war that ended in 2009. The global ...
Protests at funeral for Yemeni children killed in coalition strike
Thousands of Yemenis vented anger against Riyadh and Washington today as they took part in a mass funeral for children killed in an air strike by the Saudi-led coalition. At least 29 children were among those killed in the air raid Thursday on a bus in a crowded market in Dahyan, Saada province, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross. The mass funeral was held in Saada city, a stronghold of the Iran-backed Huthi rebels, with images broadcast by the rebels' Al-Masirah television. Around 50 vehicles brought coffins into a large square in the city. The coffins were covered with green drapes and portraits of the victims were lined up on the ground, where relatives cried over them and the Islamic prayer for the dead was recited. Mourners raised pictures of the children and shouted slogans against Saudi Arabia and its ally and key arms supplier, the United States. "America kills Yemeni children," read several banners. The Saudi-led coalition has taken part in Yemen's ...
Israel detains prominent Jewish-American critic at airport
A prominent Jewish-American commentator who has been critical of Israel says he was detained by Israeli airport authorities and interrogated about his political views before he was allowed to enter the country. Peter Beinart, a contributor to The Atlantic and a CNN commentator, said he was pulled aside when he arrived with his family on Sunday to attend a relative's bat mitzvah. He says he was sent to a small room where a security official asked about his political activities and past participation in a nonviolent West Bank protest. He says he was freed over an hour later after calling an Israeli attorney. "The conversation was depressing but not frightening," he told The Forward. "Israel, like America, is getting uglier." The prime minister's office called the incident an "administrative mistake.
Priest, associate found dead under mysterious circumstances
Mystery shrouded over the brutal killing of a priest and his associate, whose bodies were recovered from the temple premises today, in Bijouli village in the Pali Mukimpur area, about 30 kms from here. The bodies were found in the morning on the roof of a building inside the temple compound. The duo were sleeping there during the night, police said. The priest, identified as Kaalidas (75), and his associate, Sonpal, were battered to death by sticks and a farmer, Mahinder, whose fields are adjoining the temple compound, who was also sleeping on the same spot, was also critically injured in the attack. He has been admitted to the Jawarlal Nehru Medical College where his condition is serious, police said. As news of the incident broke, hundreds of villagers gathered at the spot demanding arrest of those involved in the act. Police said it was probing to the matter.
Army exhibition begins in Jaipur
The Indian Army on Monday began its two-day 'Know Your Army' exhibition two days ahead of the Independence Day.
Bihar: RSLP leader shot dead
Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) leader Manish Sahani on Monday was shot dead inside his office premises in the Jandaha area in Bihar's Vaishali district.Two people on a motorcycle killed Sahani and fled the spot. However, details of the killers are yet to be confirmed.Triggered by the same, supporters of Sahani protested outside the Jandaha police station. However, the protest took a turn for the worse after Sahani's supporters started pelting stones at the police station, forcing the police to open aerial firing.At least 10 people were reportedly injured in the police firing and were later taken to a nearby hospital.In the wake of the incident, Union Minister and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) leader Upendra Kushwaha criticised Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and questioned how the killers fled the spot, despite a police station being in the vicinity.Expressing his dismay over Sahni's demise, Kushwaha also questioned Nitish's silence in a series of tweets..
J-K: Infiltration bid foiled, 1 jawan killed
An Indian Army soldier, Pushpendra Singh, was killed after an infiltration bid was foiled by the armed forces in Tangdhar Sector along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara District."Chinar Corps Cadre and all ranks salute the supreme sacrifice of Sepoy Pushpendra Singh, who laid down his life in foiling infiltration bid in Tangdhar Sector on August 13, 2018, and offer condolences to the family," read a post on the Twitter handle of Chinar Corps of the Indian Army.On August 7, four Army personnel, including a Major, lost their lives while foiling an infiltration bid in north Kashmir's Gurez Sector.The deceased were identified as Major KP Rane, hawaldars Jamie Singh and Vikramjeet and rifleman Mandeep.There were eight terrorists who tried to infiltrate, of which the Army killed four terrorists, while the rest escaped. The terrorists fired at the soldiers near the 36 Rashtriya Rifles post at Govind Nallah along the LoC.
Jawan killed as Army foils infiltration bid along LoC
A jawan was killed as the Army today foiled an infiltration bid by militants in the Tangdhar sector of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said. In a separate incident, another soldier was killed in a blast in Uri sector last evening, they said. An Army official said Sepoy Pushpendra Singh laid down his life while foiling an infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Tangdhar. A wreath laying ceremony will be held for Sepoy Pushpendra Singh at the Badamibagh Army headquarters here tomorrow, the official said. In another incident, a jawan -- Kuldeep Singh Rawat of 4 Garhwal rifles, was killed in the Uri sector yesterday in a blast, a police official said. It was not immediately clear as to how the blasts took place, he added. Earlier, an official had said that Pushpendra Singh had also lost his life in a blast.
Two jawans killed in blasts along LoC: official
Two Army jawans were killed in separate incidents along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir over the past 24 hours, an official said here today. Sepoy Pushpendra Kumar was critically injured in a blast near the LOC in Kupwara district yesterday, a police official said. Kumar, who belonged to the 20 Jatregiment, succumbed to injuries, he added. In another blast in Uri sector yesterday, Kuldeep Singh Rawat of 4 Garhwal rifles, was killed, the official said. It was not immediately clear as to how the blasts took place, he added.
Pak Navy's maritime security ship 'Kashmir' visits Lanka
Pakistan Navy's sophisticated maritime security ship 'Kashmir' arrived today in Sri Lanka on a four-day goodwill visit, the second port call by a Pakistani naval vessel in less than three months. Captain Azhar Mahmood, commanding officer of the Pakistan Maritime Security Ship (PMSS) Kashmir, called on the Commander of the Sri Lankan Navy Vice Admiral Sirimevan Ranasinghe at the Naval Headquarters, the Sri Lankan Navy said in a statement. The Commanding Officer of PMSS Kashmir and Sri Lanka Navy Chief shared views on matters of bilateral importance. The Defence Advisor of the High Commission of Pakistan in Sri Lanka, Colonel Sajjad Ali was also present on this occasion, the statement said. During their stay at Colombo, the officers and men of the ship will take part in various professional activities with Sri Lankan Navy. Pakistan Navy ships frequently pay port calls to Sri Lanka, as both countries enjoy warm diplomatic and strong military ties, the Pakistan High Commission said in a ..
Two ISIS suspects sent to 11-day NIA remand
The NIA Court on Monday sent the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) suspect youths - Mohammed Abdullah Basith (24) and Mohammed Abdul Qhadeer (19) - to 11-day National Investigation Agency (NIA) remand.NIA had sought 15 days remand for the two suspects, who were arrested from Hyderabad on Sunday for allegedly planning acts of terror on the instructions of ISIS, a proscribed terrorist organisation.The accused, Basith and Qhadeer, came under the radar of the security agency after it received information from a reliable source that they were associated with a group of three youths, who were arrested from Maharashtra's Nagpur airport two years back for allegedly training people to carry out terrorist attacks.The NIA also conducted raids at seven places on August 6 in Hyderabad. A lot of incriminating material was recovered and seized. The same was later sent to CFSL Hyderabad for analysis and data extraction.In 2016, NIA arrested Sheikh Azhar ul Islam, Mohammed Farhan Shaikh and Adnan
Ghazni attack: 70 policemen killed in three days
Afghanistan's Interior Ministry on Monday confirmed that 70 police officers have been killed ever since the Taliban launched an attack in Afghanistan's Ghazni city on August 10.The terrorist group said that it entered the city from "different sides". The clashes between the Taliban and government forces are still going on.Afghan Interior Minister Wais Barmak said that the process of recovering the bodies is underway and assured that all steps were being taken to bring the situation in Ghazni city under total control, TOLOnews reported.According to Sputnik, over 100 people were killed and 133 injured in the siege. Of the deceased, at least 90 were either military or law enforcement personnel, while civilians accounted for 13 of the deaths.Officials confirmed that the Taliban set many Independent Election Commission (IEC) offices ablaze and blocked the Kabul-Kandahar Highway. Foreign troops have extended assistance along with air support to flush out the terrorists from the city.The IEC
Over 300 killed in Ghazni city fighting: Afghan Defence Minister
Over 300 people, including 100 government troops and 30 civilians, have been killed in the intense fighting between Taliban militants and the security forces in Afghanistan's Ghazni city, the country's Defence Minister Tariq Shah Bahrami said on Monday.
Arms, ammunition recovered from 3 terror suspects: ATS
The Maharashtra police today claimed to have recovered 5 more country-made pistols and a large quantity of ammunition besides other material in the probe following the arrest of three men, including one belonging to a right-wing group, on terror charges. Earlier, 11 country-made pistols with magazines, an airgun, 10 pistol barrels, 6 pistol magazines, 6 partially- made pistol bodies, three partially-made magazines and several parts of firearms were recovered, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of the Maharashtra police had said on Saturday last. With this, the number of pistols recovered so far in connection with the alleged terror plot has gone up to 16. The ATS had on August 10 arrested 40-year-old Vaibhav Raut (40), who ran 'Hindu Govansh Raksha Samiti', a little- known pro-cow protection outfit, in Nallasopara area. After Raut's arrested, the ATS had nabbed Sharad Kalaskar (25) and Sudhanwa Gondhalekar (39) in the raids in the Palghar and Pune districts, the police had ...