Page 489 - War Conflict

Indonesia beefs up security ahead of Asian Games

Indonesia will deploy tens of thousands of security personnel to prevent street crime and potential terrorist attacks during this month's Asian Games, police said today. Some 40,000 troops and police officers will deployed in the capital Jakarta and Palembang in Sumatra, which are co-hosting the August 18 to September 2 Games. Another 10,000 police officers will be on standby in Jakarta, while hundreds of CCTV surveillance cameras have been installed inside and outside sports venues. "Preparations are going well and we are ready to safeguard the Asian Games," national police spokesman Yusri Yunus told AFP. Security would be tightened at public places including airports, malls, hotels and tourist spots, he added. Terrorism, street crime and Jakarta's notorious traffic congestion are top priorities for the Games, national police chief Tito Karnavian said earlier this week. Indonesia suffered its most deadly terror attack in more than 10 years in May when suicide bombers killed 13 people

Burqa-clad suicide bombers kill at least 29 inside Afghan Shiite mosque

Burqa-clad suicide bombers struck a Shiite mosque in eastern Afghanistan today as it was crowded with worshippers for weekly prayers, killing at least 29 people and wounding more than 80 in the latest attack on the minority. Officials said they feared the death toll could rise after the assault, the latest targeting civilians who have borne the brunt of the violence in Afghanistan's long conflict. "Two suicide explosions happened during Friday prayers in the Khwaja Hasan area of Gardez," said Abdullah Hasrat, spokesman for Paktia province near the Pakistan border. He told AFP the toll had risen to 29 killed and 81 wounded, with children among the victims. The bombers wore "women's clothing", he said, and shot first at the mosque's security guards before opening fire on worshippers then detonating their explosives. Provincial police chief General Raz Mohammad Mandozai confirmed the incident, and that the pair were wearing burqas to hide their explosives and weapons. Local resident ...

New 'wave' of cholera cases likely to hit Yemen: UN

Yemen is likely to be struck by another "major wave" of cholera cases, the World Health Organization said today, as it called for a three-day truce to allow vaccinations. The warning came a day after a deadly airstrike on the country's largest hospital in the rebel-held port city of Hodeida, where WHO staff were preparing the cholera vaccination drive at the time of the attack. "We have had two major waves of cholera epidemics in recent years and unfortunately the trend that we have seen in recent days to weeks suggests that we may be on the cusp of the third major wave," WHO's emergency response director, Peter Salama, told reporters in Geneva. "We are calling on all parties to the conflict to act in accordance with international humanitarian law and to respect the request of the international community for three full days of tranquility to lay down arms and to allow us to vaccinate the civilian population," he added. Yemen, described by the UN as the world's worst humanitarian ...

NDFB militant killed in Meghalaya gunbattle

A member of National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) was killed in an encounter with police this morning in Meghalaya's East Garo Hills (EGH) district, a senior officer said. Around 6 am, a team of police officers raided Tarasin village in Songsak police station area of the district, having received information about the movement of militants in the region, Superintendent of Police Ringrang TG Momin said. "Based on the tip-off that some NDFB members and local miscreants have gathered at Tarasin village, an operation was launched early today to arrest them. On seeing a police team approaching, the militants opened fired, leading to an exchange of fire between the two sides," Momin said. While most of them managed to flee, one militant, identified as Koma Boro, was killed in the exchange, the SP said, adding that a rifle and a magazine were seized from the possession of the deceased. "The blood trails at the site of encounter also suggests that more militants might ...

35 killed in Afghan Shia mosque attack

At least 35 people were killed and more than 70 others wounded after two explosions ripped through a Shia mosque in Afghanistan's Gardez city on Friday, the media reported.

Zimbabwe riot police break up opposition press conference: AFP

Zimbabwean riot police entered a Harare hotel today to break up a press conference by opposition leader Nelson Chamisa, who has rejected election results announced in the early hours of the morning. The police, carrying shields and teargas cannisters, prevented the event from starting at the Bronte Hotel in the capital, AFP reporters witnessed.

NDFB militant killed in Meghalaya

A National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) militant was gunned down on Friday by security forces in Meghalaya's East Garo Hills district, police said.

US Army Lt. Gen. calls on Eastern Command GOC-in-C

Signifying the growing strategic partnership between two leading armies of the world, Lt. Gen. Bryan P. Fenton, Deputy Commander, US-Indo Pacific Command, called on Lt. Gen. Abhay Krishna, GOC-in-C, Eastern Command, at its headquarters in Fort William here on Friday, an official said.

Dy Commander US-Indo Pacific Command calls on Lt Gen Krishna

Lt Gen Bryan P Fenton, Deputy Commander, US-Indo Pacific Command, today called on Lieutenant General Abhay Krishna, GOC-in C Eastern Command here today, as part of his three-day visit to India. The two dignitaries held meaningful discussions on various important regional and global security related issues concerning the two countries, a Defence spokesman said. Leading a five-member US delegation, Lt Gen Fenton visited the Eastern Command headquarter at Fort William here. The visit of the senior US Army officer to the Eastern Command signifies the growing strategic partnership between the two leading armies of the world, who are also important partners in bilateral training, spokesman Wing Commander S S Birdi said. The meeting was aimed at further strengthening defence cooperation existing between the two nations to fight unitedly in the global war on terrorism, he said.

Teen hit by bullet in Kupwara

A teenager was hit by a bullet during clashes between civilian protesters and security forces on Friday in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district.

German court rejects case of Holocaust-denying 'Nazi grandma'

Germany's jailed "Nazi grandma" Ursula Haverbeck, 89, today lost a challenge before the country's highest court, which reaffirmed that constitutional free speech guarantees do not cover Holocaust denial. Haverbeck started her latest prison term in May for insisting that Nazi Germany's mass murder of millions of Jews and others was "only a belief" and that Auschwitz was "not historically proven" to have been a death camp. German law makes it illegal to deny the genocide committed by Adolf Hitler's regime, which in the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp in occupied Poland alone claimed some 1.1 million lives, mostly of European Jews. Holocaust denial and other forms of incitement to hatred against segments of the population carry up to five years in prison, while the use of Nazi symbols such as swastikas is also banned. The Constitutional Court ruled that "punishment for denying the National Socialist genocide is fundamentally compatible with Article 5 (1) of the Basic Law," which guarantees ...

Twin suicide blasts kill at least 20 inside Afghan Shiite mosque

Twin suicide blasts struck a Shiite mosque in eastern Afghanistan today as it was crowded with worshippers for weekly prayers, killing at least 20 people and wounding dozens in the latest attack on the minority. Officials have said they fear the death toll could rise after the assault, the latest targeting civilians who have borne the brunt of the violence in Afghanistan's long conflict. "Two suicide explosions happened during Friday prayers in the Khwaja Hasan area of Gardez," said Abdullah Hasrat, spokesman for Paktia province near the Pakistan border. Provincial police chief General Raz Mohammad Mandozai also confirmed the presence of two suicide bombers, adding that the assailants also opened fire on the crowd before detonating explosives. He said at least 20 people had been killed and around 50 others injured. Other officials said as many as 25 people had died. Gardez public health department chief Wilayat Khan Ahmadzai said that more than 70 people in total had been killed and .

At least 20 killed in Afghan Shiite mosque attack: officials

At least 20 people were killed and dozens more wounded in a suicide attack on a Shiite mosque in eastern Afghanistan today, officials said, warning that the toll could rise. "We have 20 people killed and around 50 others were wounded," General Raz Mohammad Mandozai, provincial police chief of Paktia province, near the Pakistan border, told AFP. A second official said there were at least 70 dead and wounded in the attack.

15 killed as explosions rock mosque in Afghanistan

At least 15 people were killed and more than 50 others wounded after two explosions ripped through a mosque in Afghanistan's Gardez city on Friday.

Anantnag: 2 CRPF personnel injured in grenade attack

Two security personnel suffered minor injuries on Friday after terrorists hurled grenade on the CRPF party deployed at State Bank of India branch at Lal Chowk in Anantnag district.The area has been cordoned off and the injured have been rushed to the hospital.Earlier today, in another attack, terrorists barged into a branch of the Jammu and Kashmir Bank in Karpan area of Shopian district and looted cash.They also snatched away a 12 bore rifle from the private security guard deputed at the branch. Police investigation into the matter is underway.The incident of terrorist attack is on a rise in the state. Earlier on August 2, terrorists snatched away a 12 bore rifle from a security guard posted at the Jammu and Kashmir Bank in Anantnag's Brakpora area. A similar incident was also reported in Kulgam district on August 1.On July 31, around three to four terrorists opened fire at security forces deployed at the Kandahar general road in Maidanpora in Kupwara district. The terrorists also ...

Militants loot bank, snatch rifle from security guard in J-K

Militants today snatched the rifle from a security guard and looted cash from a private bank in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said. The militants barged into Jammu and Kashmir Bank's branch at Kapran in the south Kashmir district this afternoon, a police spokesman said. He said the ultras looted some cash from the branch and also snatched a 12-bore rifle from the guard employed there. A police party has reached the spot and further details were awaited, the spokesman said.

5 Naxals arrested in Latehar

Five Naxals were arrested in the Latehar district of Jharkhand for conspiring to set trucks in the area on fire and murdering the truck drivers.Associated with People's Liberation Front of India (PLFI), the rebels were previously wanted in several cases including vandalism.Prashant Anand, Superintendent of Police, Latehar said, "We arrested five naxals associated with the terrorist outfit PLFI and they are accused of vandalism, firing, and looting. Kargil Yadav is their head and they work at his commands."Police also recovered weapons, posters, mobile phones and cash from them.

Trooper, policeman injured in attack on CRPF picket

A CRPF trooper and a policeman were injured on Friday when militants attacked a security picket in Anantnag town in Jammu and Kashmir.

2 militants, a soldier killed in J&K encounter

Two militants and a soldier were killed today in an encounter at Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir, a police official said. The encounter began after the militants opened fire on security forces during a cordon and search operation in Dursoo village, Rafiabad area, the official said. He said the search operation was launched after specific information was received about presence of militants in the area. Director General of Police S P Vaid said the bodies of the two militants have been recovered. An Army official said a soldier also died during the gunbattle.

One naxal killed, two policemen injured in C'garh encounter

One naxal was killed and two policemen were injured in an encounter between security personnel and ultras at a weekly market in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district today, police said. The skirmish took place around 11.30 am in Basaguda village, located around 450 kms away from the capital Raipur. It happened when a police team was patrolling the area to ensure protection to the weekly market held today, Bijapur Superintendent of Police Mohit Garg told PTI. "As per the preliminary information, a group of 15 to 20 naxalites, dressed as civilians, opened fire on two jawans and also attacked them with sharp weapons in a bid to kill them and loot their weapons, like in the previous attacks committed by ultras during the weekly markets," he said. Two assistant constables belonging to District Force, identified as Punem Shankar and Umant Rao Durgam, sustained injuries in the attack. Naxals tried to escape with their weapons, but could not do so due to heavy retaliatory action by ..