Page 511 - War Conflict

100 terrorists, 43 security personnel killed in J-K in 6 months

Hundred militants and 43 security personnel were killed in Jammu and Kashmir in the first six months of this year, Union Minister Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said today. Ahir, the minister of state for home, said 16 civilians were also killed during this period, which saw 256 incidents of violence. He was replying to a written question in Rajya Sabha. In 2017, 342 incidents of violence were reported in the state, in which 213 terrorists were gunned down. A total of 80 security personnel and 40 civilians were killed last year, Ahir said. As many as 82 security personnel, 15 civilians and 150 terrorists were killed in the state in 2016, which witnessed 322 cases of terrorist violence, he said.

Master blaster extends birthday wishes to Mandela

Legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar wished late former South African President Nelson Mandela on what would have been his 100th birthday here on Wednesday.The 45-year-old took to his twitter account and shared a photograph where he is shaking hand with the iconic figure."Remembering @NelsonMandela on his 100th birthday. I was extremely fortunate enough to have met him early on in my life. So much to learn, so much to get inspired from. #Madiba100," Tendulkar captioned the picture.Mandela, who was a symbol of anti-apartheid activism in South Africa, passed away on December 13, 2013 after battling a recurring lung infection. He was 95.

Woman Naxal gunned down in Chhattisgarh

A woman Naxal was gunned down in an encounter with the security forces in Manpur area of Chhattisgarh on Wednesday.Jarina Potai, who had a reward of Rs 5 Lakhs on her head, had been active in Manpur sub-division of Rajnandgaon district since 2005.As many as 16 offences, including attacks on police teams, were registered against her at various police stations in Manpur sub-division.The security personnel seized a 12 bore gun and other Naxal-related material from her possession.The encounter took place around 8.30 am in a forest near Kondal hills when the security personnel were out on an anti-Maoist operation in the region.

IS beheads Taliban commander in Afghanistan

Militants loyal to the Islamic State captured and beheaded a senior commander of the rival Taliban on Wednesday amid fierce fighting between the two groups in Afghanistan's Jawzjan province, a government spokesman said.

IS militants behead Taliban commander in Afghanistan: Official

Militants loyal to the Islamic State (IS) terror group captured and beheaded a senior commander of the rival Taliban on Wednesday amid fierce fighting continuing between the two groups in Afghanistan Jawzjan province, a government spokesman said.

Air strikes kill 12 civilians in south Syria rebel holdout: Monitor

Unidentified air strikes have killed 12 civilians in a rebel-held pocket of southern Syria as regime ally Russia presses talks for Damascus to retake the area, a monitor said today. The deadly strikes late yesterday hit Nawa, the last town under rebel control in the southern province of Daraa, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The Britain-based monitor said it could not determine whether the strikes on the town in the west of the province were carried out by the regime or its Russian ally. The regime has in less than a month retaken more than 90 per cent of Daraa province, which borders Jordan and was the cradle of Syria's ill-fated 2011 uprising. But opposition fighters in Nawa -- where tens of thousands of people live -- have resisted. After regime forces launched a ferocious offensive on June 19, Russia pressured rebels to hand over eastern parts of the province in early July, and the provincial capital last week. Other towns in the west of the province have also joined

Ortega's forces besiege Nicaragua opposition stronghold

Forces loyal to Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega staged an organised attack on an opposition stronghold as international calls mounted for an end to months of deadly violence in the Central American country. The offensive on the city of Masaya came on the heels of a bloody siege of student protesters holed up in a church in the capital Managua on the weekend, suggesting Ortega was intensifying the use of lethal force to quell dissent. His government says it is carrying out a "liberation" of towns and cities where protesters have been active. Police and masked paramilitary units toting assault rifles yesterday sealed off all roads leading to Masaya's flashpoint neighborhood of Monimbo, from which gunfire could be heard. Videos posted on social media showed rebels inside Monimbo firing back, some with homemade mortars. The head of the Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights, Vilma Nunez, said at least two people were killed -- an adult woman and a police officer. State media confirmed the

Yemen rebel leader willing to give UN control of key port

Yemen's Huthi rebel chief says he is ready to hand over control of the key port of Hodeida to the United Nations if the Saudi-led coalition backing pro-government troops halts its offensive, a French newspaper reported. "We told the UN envoy, Martin Griffiths, that we are not rejecting the role of supervision and logistics that the UN wants to hold in the port, but on the condition that the aggression against Hodeida stops," Abdel Malek al-Huthi said in an interview with Le Figaro published online late yesterday. War-ravaged Yemen imports 90 per cent of its food, 70 per cent of which pass through Hodeida's docks and the fighting has raised UN fears of a humanitarian catastrophe in a country already teetering on the brink of famine. The Red Sea port has been controlled by the rebels since 2014, when they drove the government out of the capital Sanaa and much of the country. Earlier this year, the Saudi-led coalition imposed a near-total blockade on the port alleging it was being used ..

Two Koreans unite for table tennis event

In a rare show of unity, two mixed doubles teams consisting players from South and North Korea have booked their places in the round-of-16 of an international table tennis event here.According to Yonhap, the two mixed doubles teams of Choe Il (North Korea)-Yoo Eun-chong (South Korea) and Jang Woo-jin (South Korea)-Cha Hyo-sim (North Korea) qualified for the last-16 of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Tour event in South Korea's Daejeon city.Choe and Yoo defeated Alvaro Robles and Galia Dvorak of Spain 3-2, while Jang and Cha moved on to the last-16 after their Mongolian opponents, Battumur Baatar and Delgermaa Mergen withdrew from the event.In addition to the mixed doubles pairs, the Koreas will also field one joint team each in men's and women's doubles event.This comes at a time after North Korea and South Korea agreed to hold a family reunion event by mid-August this year, as decided by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in ...

Russia, Tajikistan hold anti-Taliban drills near Afghan border

Russia and Tajikistan today began joint military exercises near the Tajik-Afghan border to prepare to ward off potential Taliban attacks. More than 10,000 troops, mostly Tajik reservists, will take part in the first such drills in the area by the ex-Soviet allies, Tajikistan's defence ministry said. Combined forces will practice "eliminating terrorists who broke through" from Afghanistan in an imagined incursion, it said. Some 400 soldiers and 80 pieces of Russian military equipment were deployed from a military base in Tajikistan for exercises due to last until Friday, the Russian army said. The drills will take place just over the border from the Afghan province of Badakhshan. Russia and Tajikistan have intensified military cooperation since US-led forces began withdrawing from Afghanistan in large numbers in 2014. This is the first time they have held exercises in the sometimes restive Tajik province of Gorno-Badakhshan, where clashes between government and rebel forces took place

Afghan officials: IS bomber kills 20, Taliban kill 9 police

An Islamic State suicide bomber killed 20 people in northern Afghanistan today, including a Taliban commander, while in southern Helmand province, a government commando unit freed 54 people from a Taliban-run jail, officials said. In southern Kandahar province, the Taliban attacked a police checkpoint in Arghistan district late last night, killing nine policemen and wounding seven, according to Daud Ahmadi, the spokesman for the provincial governor. Zia Durrani, the provincial police spokesman, said 25 Taliban fighters were killed and 15 were wounded in the ensuing battle in Arghistan, a violate districts close to the Pakistani border. Afghanistan has faced intense attacks by both the Taliban and the country's Islamic State affiliate recently, even as Washington considers a Taliban demand for direct talks in hopes of jump-starting a negotiated end to what is now the longest military engagement by US forces. A Taliban official in Qatar, where the Taliban maintain an unofficial office, .

2 killed, 4 injured in blast during bomb making

Two persons were killed and four others injured in an explosion while making bombs in an area near the international land port at Mahadipur in Malda district today, police said. A group of men were making bombs near the Bhagirathi river in Kaliachak police station area when the blast took place. One died on the spot and the other on way to hospital, police said. The injured were admitted to the Malda Medical College and Hospital in a critical condition.

Pak files counter-memorial on Jadhav's case in ICJ

Pakistan today filed its second written reply to India in the ICJ on the conviction of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav who was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on January 23 gave a timeline to both Pakistan and India for filing another round of memorials in the case. Foreign Office Director General for India Dr. Fareeha Bugti submitted the reply today, Radio Pakistan reported, quoting the Foreign Office spokesperson. Pakistan in its rejoinder, gave detailed answers to India's submissions to the international court, the spokesperson said, adding that Pakistan also responded to Indian objections in over 400 pages reply. Pakistan's counter-memorial was in response to pleadings filed by India in the Hague-based ICJ on April 17. The ICJ will now fix the matter for hearing. India had moved the ICJ in May last year after Jadhav, 48, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges

Rohingya want to return to Myanmar as citizens: UN

Myanmar's Rohingya refugees have told a UN envoy who visited their camp in Bangladesh this week that they will return home if it is safe and if they are granted citizenship rights, a UN statement said today. UN envoy for Myanmar, Christine Schraner Burgener, met the Muslim Rohingya in Cox's Bazar during a three-day visit to Bangladesh from July 14 to 16, just weeks after holding talks with Myanmar's leaders on the refugee crisis. The envoy "heard from the people accounts of unimaginable atrocities committed in Rakhine State," said a UN statement. "Despite these serious violations of human rights, they expressed to the envoy their hope to return home if security could be guaranteed and citizenship could be provided," it added. More than 7,00,000 ethnic Rohingya have fled an offensive by Myanmar troops launched nearly a year ago in reprisal for attacks on border posts by Rohingya rebels. UN rights officials have documented allegations of mass killings, rape and torching of villages at ..

Owaisi dares PM to reveal number of Muslims in central

Accusing the Centre of neglecting Muslims, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi today dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reveal the number of members from this community recruited in the central armed police forces in the last four years. Owaisi's challenge drew a sharp response from the Union Home ministry which said religion is not a "criteria" for recruitment in the central paramilitary forces. Union Minority Affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi also slammed Owaisi for his remarks on lack of representation of Muslims in the paramilitary forces, saying counting the number of soldiers on the basis of religion was the result of a "distorted secular mindset". Owaisi said despite the prime minister's 15-Point Programme expressly stating that all efforts would be made to increase the share of the minorities in central government jobs, little was done about it. The BJP-led NDA government came to power in May 2014, "CRPF, CISF, ITPB, they all come under central government. You (the BJP) have ..

N Korea to return remains of US soldiers killed in Korean War

North Korea has agreed to return the mortal remains of 55 American soldiers who were killed during the 1950-53 Korean War, according to a US military newspaper report.An official from the 'Stars & Stripes' newspaper said that Pyongyang has given the green signal to Washington D.C. to fly out the mortal remains of the American soldiers from the country by next week, which would be the first repatriation since 2007, Yonhap News Agency reported.The details emerged after officials from both countries held working-level talks at Panmunjom in the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), which serves as the de facto border between North Korea and South Korea.Major General Michael Minihan, chief of staff for the US-led UN Command, led the US side and the North Korea's delegation reportedly included a two-star general.The official was quoted by Stars & Stripes saying that a delegation from the US was expected to receive the remains in North Korea and fly them out on July 27, either to Osan Air Base ..

J&K: Detonators recovered from Pulwama house

In a joint search operation of the Rashtriya Rifles, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and police on Tuesday, detonators and other paraphernalia were recovered from a house in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district.The search operation was conducted after security forces received a tip-off about the presence of three terrorists in the house.The owner of the house has been detained.More details are awaited.This comes after terrorists hurled a grenade at a joint camp of the CRPF in the district last week.The attack at the camp which comprises a battalion of 180 security forces took place in Tral area of Pulwama.No casualties or damages were reported.

Officials: 30 civilians dead in recent clashes in Yemen city

Heavy fighting over the last two weeks along Yemen's western coast between pro-government forces, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, and Shiite rebels has killed at least 30 civilians, including women and children, officials and witnesses said today. Government forces have been trying to seize rebel-held areas along the western coast, including the port city of Hodeida, while the Saudi-led coalition has been targeting the rebels, known as Houthis, with airstrikes. The fighting has been concentrated over the past two weeks in al-Tuhyta district, south of Hodeida, a vital lifeline for Yemen's aid-dependent population. The coalition launched an offensive to retake the city in June. Along with over 30 killed, fighting and airstrikes as well as land mines have wounded 57 civilians since the beginning of July, health and security officials said. Last Tuesday, an airstrike by the Saudi-led coalition killed the eight-member family of Abdallah Kassem. They were driving south of al-Tuhyta when .

IS suicide bomber kills 20 in Afghanistan: Officials

An Islamic State suicide bomber today killed 20 people in northern Afghanistan, including a Taliban commander, while in southern Helmand province a government commando unit freed 54 people from a Taliban jail, according to officials. The stepped up activity in Afghanistan comes as Washington considers a Taliban demand for direct talks in hopes of jump-starting a negotiated end to what is now the longest military engagement by US forces. A Taliban official in the Middle Eastern State of Qatar where the Islamic insurgency maintains an unofficial office told The Associated Press they wanted direct talks and were ready to put troop withdrawal as well as any outstanding concerns the US might have on the table but so far no official request to open negotiations has come from Washington. Speaking on condition he not be identified because he is not authorised to speak to the media, he said de-listing Taliban leaders from US and UN watch lists and recognising their office in Doha, the Qatar ...

Police thwart BJP leaders attempt to march to CM's office

Police today foiled attempts by BJP leaders to "lay siege" to the Pragathi Bhavan, the official residence complex-cum-camp office of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, protesting Swami Paripoornananda's externment. Several of them were taken into 'preventive' custody, police said. Among those taken into 'perventive' custody were BJP state president and MLA K Laxman and legislators G Kishan Reddy and Chintala Ramachandra Reddy. BJP MLC Ramchander Rao and MLA Raja Singh were also prevented from proceeding towards Pragathi Bhavan, they said. The Telangana BJP had given a call for 'Chalo Pragathi Bhavan' and wanted to submit a memorandum to the chief minister. "The BJP leaders and their followers were stopped by police when they were planning to proceed towards Pragathi Bhavan as part of their plan to lay siege to it. There was no permission to hold any protests (rallies) and keeping in mind law and order, disturbance to traffic they were taken into preventive ...