Page 508 - War Conflict
Gunmen kill two policemen in Russia's troubled Dagestan
Unknown gunmen have shot dead two policemen in Russia's volatile Caucasus in the latest attack against local authorities, police said today. Assailants driving a Lada shot at a car carrying three traffic police outside the Dagestani town of Kizilyurt late Friday and fled, a police spokesman told AFP. "Two people died," he said, adding that a third policeman received no injuries. The spokesman said it was not immediately clear who was behind the attack, adding an operation was under way to catch the gunmen. Dagestan lies east of Chechnya where Russian authorities battled separatists in two brutal wars, first in 1994-1996 and then in 1999-2000. After the defeat of Chechen insurgents, Russian authorities have been locked in a simmering conflict with Islamist militants from across the North Caucasus that has killed scores of civilians and police. Islamist militants from Dagestan are known to have travelled to join the Islamic State group in Syria. In 2015, the group declared it had ...
Two CRPF troopers injured in J&K firing
Two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers were injured in firing by militants on Saturday in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district, police said.
Militants attack security forces party in J-K's Anantnag
Militants today attacked a team of security forces in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir by opening fire, but the attack was repulsed by them, police said. The militants attacked the security forces by opening fire upon them at the Bamzoo area of Mattan in south Kashmir district, a police official said. He said the attack was repulsed by the forces and there are no reports of injuries yet. The official said said a search operation has been launched to nab the attackers.
Militants abduct trainee cop in Kulgam
In yet another incident of militants targeting policemen and other personnel of the security forces, a trainee police constable was abducted from his home in south Kashmir's Kupwara district on Friday, the police said.
Rs 8.95 lakh cash looted from ATM in Hisar
Unidentified robbers allegedly looted Rs 8.95 lakh cash from an ATM of a public sector bank after injuring its security guard in Sector 16 here, police said today. The incident took place at around 3 am today, they said. The security guard, identified as Satbir Singh, was beaten up mercilessly with bricks by assailants and sustained serious injuries, they said. A scrutiny of the footage acquired from the ATM CCTV camera showed a masked man in a white shirt entering the ATM kiosk, the police said. The place where the incident took place is about 500 metres away from the police station. A probe into the matter is underway, the police added.
Police constable abducted by militants in J-K
A Jammu and Kashmir police constable, who was on leave, has been abducted by unknown militants from his residence in Kulgam district, a police official said today. Constable Saleem Shah was abducted from his residence in Mutalhama area of Kulgam in south Kashmir last night, he said. Security forces have launched a manhunt to trace the abducted policeman, the official said.
Army foils infiltration bid in J&K
An infiltration bid was foiled by the Indian Army on the Line of Control (LoC) on Saturday leading to a gunfight in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district, defence sources said.
Israel, Hamas agree on Gaza ceasefire
A day after an Israeli soldier was killed at the Gaza Strip, Israel and Hamas on Saturday announced a ceasefire ending hours-long Israeli strikes across the border.Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum took to his Twitter handle and said, "With Egyptian and UN efforts, [an agreement] was reached to return to the previous situation of a ceasefire between the occupation and Palestinian factions."Hamas is the Islamic militant group that controls Gaza and has been waging a war with Israel since its founding in 1987.On late Friday evening, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) announced that their soldier was killed after being shot at in the Gaza Strip, The Times of Israel reported."Today, an IDF combat soldier was killed during operational activity near the southern Gaza Strip. During the incident, a terrorist squad shot at IDF troops and the IDF soldier was severely injured. He later succumbed to his wounds," it said in a statement.Following this, the Israeli air force launched airstrikes at Hamas ...
One dead as new protests shake south Iraq, reach Baghdad
A man was killed TOday in a new day of protests in Iraq, a medical source said, as authorities struggle to contain social unrest which has reached the capital Baghdad. The latest death brings to nine the number of people killed in protests as Iraqis hit out at a litany of social and economic woes. The man killed was aged around 20 and died after being shot in the southern city of Diwaniyah, a medical source said, as hundreds of people gathered outside the local headquarters of an armed group. Shots were fired by a guard from the powerful Iranian-backed Badr organisation, the source added, asking not to be name. The unrest erupted in Basra province on July 8 when security forces opened fire, killing one person as protesters demanded jobs and basic services. Others killed during this month's protests were shot by unknown assailants. The Iraqi government has swiftly denounced "vandals" it accuses of infiltrating the protests. Earlier this week, authorities said more than 260 security ..
Pak troops kill IS-linked Mastung blast mastermind
Pakistani security forces today said they had killed the Islamic State-linked mastermind of last week's bloody suicide bombing that left 149 people dead in the restive Balochistan province. Those killed in the Mastung blast included an election candidate, creating a major threat for those involved in the general election to be held on July 25. Officials said that paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) tracked down Islamic State (IS) operative Hidayat Ullah in a house of village Darenjo in Kalat district. He offered resistance but was killed in the shootout, Kalat Deputy Commissioner Qaisar Khan said. A security official said that Ullah had aided the suicide bomber Hafeez Nawaz. A police probe revealed that Nawaz belonged to Thatta district of Sindh province. The security situation in the Balochistan has deteriorated ahead of polls. At least six people were injured today in a roadside bombing in Chaman area.
Knife attacker on Germany bus arrested, several injured
Several people were injured today in an attack by a man wielding a knife on a bus in northern Germany, officials said today, although his motive remained unclear. The packed bus was heading in the direction of Travemuende, a popular beach destination close to the city of Luebeck, when a man pulled a weapon on passengers, Luebeck chief prosecutor Ulla Hingst said. "The exact number of the injured is still unclear, there is one person who's seriously injured, but luckily no one was killed," she added. The bus driver had immediately stopped the vehicle, allowing passengers to escape. "The passengers jumped out of the bus and were screaming. It was terrible. Then the injured were brought out. The perpetrator had a kitchen knife," a witness who lives close to the scene, Lothar H., told the local daily, Luebecker Nachrichten. An unnamed female passenger on the bus said one of those injured had only just given up his seat to an elderly woman, "when the perpetrator stabbed him in the chest." .
Vietnam to deport US student over protest
A court in Vietnam has ordered the deportation of a US student arrested at a demonstration that turned violent.
SC reserves verdict on plea for larger bench to hear Ayodhya title suit
The Supreme Court on Friday reserved its order on a plea by Muslim litigants seeking that the hearing on the batch of petitions challenging the 2010 Allahabad High Court verdict directing the splitting of the disputed site at Ayodhya be heard by a larger bench.
Syria rebels begin leaving zone near Golan: State media
Hardline rebels and civilians began leaving a southwestern sliver of Syria near the Israeli-annexed Golan today under a surrender deal, state media, as the evacuations turned deadly with a car accident. The transfers come under a deal agreed this week between Russia and Syrian rebels in Quneitra province that will restore state control over the sensitive zone. Rebels will hand over territory they control in Quneitra and the neighbouring buffer zone with the Golan Heights. The deal also provides for the evacuation to northern Syria of any rebels and jihadist fighters who refuse to live under government control. Today afternoon, buses began taking civilians and armed fighters out of opposition-held territory through the town of Jaba, state television said. It said they would be taken north to Idlib which is under jihadist and rebel control. The channel earlier reported more than 50 buses were prepared to ferry people north. Vehicles had been arriving in Syria's south since yesterday, ...
Maharashtra govt announces Rs 21,222-crore special package for Vidarbha, Marathwada
The BJP-led Maharashtra government today announced a special package of Rs 21,222 crore for the underdeveloped Vidarbha and Marathwada regions of the state. The state's Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar told the Legislative Assembly that the government would also set up a special facility in Nagpur to monitor the implementation of the package. The focus would be on the development of industries, irrigation facilities, agriculture and tourism in these two regions, he said. As part of the package, a milk collection network and processing facilities would be created, Mungantiwar said, adding that a new government milk brand "Gondavana" would be created on the lines of the Mahananda brand. A plant will be set up in Gadchiroli district to manufacture products under the brand name. A "skill university" would be set up at Aurangabad, while hostels would be constructed in all 19 districts of Vidarbha and Marathwada, the finance minister said. A medical college would be set up on a ...
Unearthed explosives shifted to govt godown
In a relief to local residents, the huge cache of explosives and arms unearthed near here nearly a month ago was today shifted to a government explosives' godown in neighbouring Sivaganga district amid tight security, police said. The explosives, including land mines and grenades, were loaded in a vehicle in a day-long operation supervised by Ramanathapuram PrincipalDistrictandSessionsJudge A. Kayalvizhi, officials of the Petroleum and Explosives Organisation and police personnel. A court in Ramanathapuram had earlier this week allowed a police plea for shifting the explosives, recovered from the backyard of a house at Thangachimadam while digging for a septic tank on June 25. The explosives, kept near the site itself all these days, were shifted to Sivaganga, over 120 km from here, for safe keeping at the godown before being defused, police said. Earlier, a Deputy Controller of Explosives of the Petroleum and Explosives Organisation after inspecting the explosives had .
Macron security officer in custody over violent video
A security officer for French President Emmanuel Macron was taken into police custody on Friday and will be dismissed from his job after he was filmed hitting and stamping on a man at the edge of a Paris demonstration while dressed as a police officer.
Naxalite killed in Bihar
A naxalite was killed in an exchange of fire with the security forces in Bihar's Jamui district, police said. A CRPF Cobra battalion was carrying out combing operation in Bhelua jungle in the district when the naxalites fired at them, Superintendent of Police J Jalareddy said. The security forces returned the fire in which one naxalite was killed, the SP said, adding that one SLR rifle and four magazines were recovered from the possession of the deceased naxalite.
Hindus acted like Taliban during Babri Masjid demolition: Advocate Dhawan
Rajeev Dhawan, a lawyer of one of the Muslim parties on Friday observed that "Hindus acted like Taliban" on December 6, 1992, when Babri Masjid was demolished in Ayodhya.His statement comes during the hearing of the Ayodhya case in the Supreme Court."Hindus acted like Taliban on that day. Whatever happened on December 6 was an act of terrorism," he said.Earlier, Dhawan had courted controversy by comparing the destruction of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya to the destruction of Buddha statue at Bamiyan, Afghanistan, and told the apex court that "Hindu Taliban" had destroyed the Babri Masjid.In today's hearing, a lawyer complained to the Bench about how advocate Dhawan compared Hindus to the Taliban.To this, Dhawan said that he meant every word and December 1992 incident, was an instance of "Hindu terror".Dhawan further stated that the mosque was there since 1526 till it was destroyed in 1992, December 6."Was there a temple there then? I think, No. They (Hindus) were given the right to worship .
Youngest Battle of Britain pilot Geoffrey Wellum dies
Geoffrey Wellum, the youngest Spitfire pilot to fly in the Battle of Britain during the World War II, has died, a media report said today. The 96-year-old veteran airman and former squadron leader who was just 18 when he joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) in August 1939 died at his Cornwall home, the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust announced. Members of the charity's staff and volunteers had been "much saddened by the news," the Trust's secretary Patrick Tootal said. "Only this week Sqn Ldr Wellum had been talking enthusiastically about attending the Memorial Service at Westminster Abbey on September 16," Tootal added. One of the "Few", the decorated veteran airman was approaching his 97th birthday, 'Evening Standard' reported. Being the youngest Spitfire, Wellum went on to serve with 92 Squadron and his first missions included the "dogfights" above London and the Home Counties for which the battle became known. He was awarded the 'Distinguished Flying Cross' and was promoted to Flight