Page 512 - War Conflict
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 ...
Religion not a criteria for recruitment in paramilitary forces: MHA
The home ministry today said for recruitment in central paramilitary forces religion is not a criteria. The ministry's assertion came after AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi accused the Centre of neglecting Muslims and demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi tell how many of them got government jobs, including in central paramilitary forces. "Religion is not a criteria for recruitment in paramilitary forces. There is no room for any religion in the recruitment process," a home ministry spokesperson said. At a press conference in Hyderabad, Owaisi asked, "In the last four years, under central sector, whether banks, whether railways, central paramilitary forces... How many recruitments of minorities have taken place?" Central paramilitary forces -- the CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP, SSB, NSG and Assam Rifles -- function under the home ministry. The total strength of these forces is around 10 lakh personnel.
Air strikes kill 15 civilians in southern Syria: Monitor
Air strikes today killed more than a dozen civilians in parts of Syria's south near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, a war monitor said. The Damascus regime has been pounding the southwestern province of Quneitra since Sunday in a bid to retake it from rebels, after winning back most of the neighbouring governorate of Daraa in less than a month. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said air strikes killed 14 civilians in the village of Ain al-Tina on Quneitra's border with Daraa this morning. "They were all displaced from other areas. They included five children and three women," Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. It was not immediately clear whether the strikes were carried out by the regime or its Russian ally, the Britain-based monitor said. The monitor determines who carried out strikes based on the type of aircraft and munitions used, locations and flight patterns. The civilians had reportedly been taking shelter in a large building in Ain al-Tina. Activists shared ..
Protect chemical weapons ban, watchdog's chief pleads
The outgoing head of the world's chemical arms watchdog has urged nations not to sacrifice a century of hard-fought efforts to banish toxic weapons for the sake of short-term political disputes. Speaking exclusively to AFP just days before he steps down and with a team of inspectors on the ground in Britain to probe a suspected nerve agent attack, Ahmet Uzumcu called on members of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to overcome bitter divisions. The Chemical Weapons Convention banning the use, production and stockpiling of arms such as mustard gas, which crept across the battlefields of World War I or enveloped the Kurdish town of Halabja in 1988, came into force in 1997. Today "in order to reach this stage to develop such a regime, the international community spent more than 100 years," stressed Uzumcu. "It will be really unfortunate if we make it a victim to short-sighted political interests." When the seasoned Turkish diplomat took over as the OPCW's ...
Over 3,000 gun licenses purportedly issued in army personnel name during J-K posting under ATS scanner
Over 3,000 gun licenses issued in the purported name of army personnel during their stint in Jammu and Kashmir are under the scanner of Rajasthan's Anti-Terror Squad(ATS) which has asked the army to verify the names following suspected involvement of a gang to procure them illegally, police officials said today. The case dates back to November last year when the Rajasthan police's ATS carried out an operation codenamed "Jubaida" and arrested 52 people so far for their alleged involvement in getting gun licenses issued from various districts of J and K under suspicious circumstances. The licenses included 3,367 in the purported name of army personnel, the officials said. After unravelling the entire conspiracy, the officials of the ATS found that such licenses were issued by the Deputy Commissioners of the districts over the past one decade and no records were allegedly maintained for the same, they said. Letters were written in this connection to the Army, Indian Air Force, Navy, ...
EU security chief: 'Far too much' online extremist content
The European Union's security chief has urged the bloc's 28 members to work together to combat illegal extremist content on the internet, saying there is "far too much" of it online. Security Commissioner Julian King says each attack in Europe over the last year "had a link with online terrorist content". He said today that all EU members need to coordinate actions to prevent content from shifting from one country to another. King also said that the terror threat across Europe "remains very high" and isn't "going away anytime soon". He said despite progress in beating back groups in Syria and Iraq that were behind or encouraged attacks, this shouldn't lead Europeans into a "false sense of security". King was speaking after talks with Cypriot Justice Minister Ionas Nicolaou.
2 PML-N candidates narrowly escape assassination attempt in Pak
A father-son duo, both PML-N candidates for the July 25 elections, have narrowly escaped an assassination attempt after unidentified gunmen opened fire on their car when they were returning from an election rally in Pakistan's Punjab province, according to a media report. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Sheikh Aftab Ahmed and his son Sheikh Salman were returning home from an election rally when their vehicle came under attack by gunmen in Attock's Kamra last night, Geo News reported. Ahmed, a former federal minister, is running for a seat in parliament, while his son Shaikh Salman is a PML-N candidate for Punjab assembly. Attock District Police said that they have discovered three bullet holes on the vehicle. An investigation team has been constituted to probe the attack, the report said. The attack came hours after senior leader of the Awami National Party, Daud Achakzai, survived an assassination attempt when militants opened fire on him during a meeting with his party ..
Maratha soldiers to summit Mount Kun in Kargil to celebrate glorious past
The Indian Army's Maratha Light Infantry Regiment is undertaking a mountaineering expedition to the 7077-meter high Mount Kun in Kargil to celebrate 250 years of its raising.
Palestinian dies after being shot in Gaza clashes: ministry
A Palestinian has died days after being shot by Israeli forces in clashes along the Gaza border, the enclave's health ministry said today. Sari al-Shobaki had been transferred to Jerusalem for treatment after being shot several days ago east of Gaza City, the ministry in the Hamas-run territory said. A ministry spokesman said the 23-year-old died at the St Joseph Hospital in Jerusalem. There was no immediate confirmation from the hospital. At least 144 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since protests and clashes broke out along the border on March 30. No Israelis have been killed. Israel says its use of live fire is necessary to defend its borders and stop infiltrations. Critics accuse it of disproportionate force against protesters.
Air strikes kill seven civilians in southern Syria: Monitor
Air strikes today killed seven civilians in a sensitive southwestern province of Syria bordering the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, a war monitor said. The Damascus regime has been pounding Quneitra since Sunday in a bid to retake the southwestern province from rebels, after winning back most of the neighbouring governorate of Daraa in less than a month. "Six civilians including two women and three children were killed in air strikes near Ain al-Tina" on Quneitra's border with Daraa province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. It was not immediately clear whether the strikes were carried out by the regime or its Russian ally, the Britain-based monitor said. The monitor determines who carried out strikes based on the type of aircraft and munitions used, locations and flight patterns. In the west of the adjacent province of Daraa, Russian air raids killed one civilian near the village of Al-Aliya, it said. "Since Tuesday morning, heavy Russian air strikes and barrel bombs ...
2 Pak soldiers killed in IED blast
Two Pakistani soldiers were killed in a powerful roadside bomb attack targeting a vehicle of security forces in northwest Pakistan today. The IED bomb hit the vehicle while the security forces were on routine patrolling. In the blast, two security personnel, including a Sepoy and an Havaldar were killed, officials said. Security forces rushed to the site and conducted search operation in the area to nab the attackers.
Indonesia police shoot dead 11 petty criminals in Asian Games crackdown
Indonesian police have shot and killed 11 suspected small-time criminals and wounded dozens more in a crackdown before it hosts the Asian Games next month, authorities said today. Some 52 suspects have been shot after resisting arrest in the capital Jakarta since the start of July, with 11 dying of their wounds, police said. "They were endangering the public because they resisted arrest," said Jakarta police spokesman Argo Yuwono. More than 2,000 suspected criminals have been arrested in the past few weeks, he added. Hundreds of extra officers are on patrol in Jakarta before it hosts the August 18-September 2 event along with Palembang city on Sumatra island. Security is a major concern at the Games which come a few months after fatal attacks in Indonesia's second-biggest city Surabaya reignited concerns about Islamist militants. Indonesia's anti-terrorism squad has arrested some 200 terror suspects since the May attacks, according to the national police chief. Three terror suspects ..
Official: 54 released from Taliban prison in Afghanistan
An Afghan official says at least 54 people, including security personnel and civilians, have been released from a Taliban prison in southern Helmand province. Omar Zwak, spokesman for the provincial governor, said today the prisoners were freed after a commando unit raided the prison late last night in Musa Qala district. Zwak said there were 32 civilians, 16 police, four soldiers and two military doctors who had been locked up by the insurgents. He said security forces were still securing the area. The Taliban did not immediately comment on the raid, but the insurgents are in control of the majority of the districts in Helmand, where they have increased their attacks against provincial officials and security forces.
Pidilite strengthens international presence; unveils adhesive manufacturing plant in Srilanka
Pidilite Lanka Pvt. Ltd., a JV between Pidilite and Macbertan Pvt. Ltd. strengthening its presence, unveiled a new state-of-the-art adhesive manufacturing plant in Polgahawela in North Western Province of Sri Lanka.Pidilite Lanka Pvt. Ltd. has earmarked over Rs. 200 million as an investment towards the plant. Spread over four acres, the plant will further strengthen Pidilite's position in the adhesive market in Sri Lanka and enhance its market share. This will be an environment-friendly plant with zero-discharge.Pidilite, one of Asia's leading adhesive and construction chemical companies began its journey in Sri Lanka 10 years ago and today, Sri Lanka is one of Pidilite's key global contributors."Our strong user-connect and deep market understanding enabled us to identify market gaps and offer unique, need-based solutions. The new facility is a testament to our commitment to Sri Lankan market. The plant will initially manufacture adhesives, under the household brand Fevicol® and ...
Officials: In policy shift, US open to meeting with Taliban
The United States is open to holding direct talks with the Taliban to encourage negotiations between the militant group and the Afghan government to end 17 years of war, US officials said. That marks a tactical shift by the Trump administration, which has previously only appeared willing to participate in discussions with the Taliban if those talks also involve the Afghan government. The US officials yesterday said that Afghan-to-Afghan negotiation remains the goal of any engagement with the militants. The officials were not authorized to speak to media and requested anonymity. The Taliban have long refused direct talks with the Afghan government, demanding instead to negotiate with Washington. The militants have persisted in that stance despite Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's unilateral extension of a holiday cease-fire last month in hopes of encouraging the militants to come to the bargaining table. With the Taliban continuing to mount deadly attacks, Ghani ordered government forces
Hawala trader held
A man allegedly involved in hawala trade was today held with unaccounted currency of different countries at the airport here. Following a tip off, a team of Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) caught Anil Jain and recovered currencies of Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar. "Cumulative value of the foreign currency in Indian rupees is around 46 lakh. The currencies are unaccounted and he has been handed over to custom officials at the airport for further action," Additional Director General, ATS, Umesh Mishra told PTI. He said the accused is involved in hawala trade.
One more batch of Amarnath pilgrims leaves Jammu
The 17th batch of Amarnath pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp here today for the holy cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas, police said. The footfall of pilgrims at the shrine located at an altitude of 3,880 metres was expected to cross the two-lakh mark today, they added. "A total of 2,201 pilgrims, including 544 women and 149 sadhus, left for Kashmir from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in a convoy of 74 vehicles, under tight security arrangements, in the wee hours today," a police official said. He added that this was the 17th batch of pilgrims to leave the Bhagwati Nagar base camp, taking the total number of "yatris" undertaking the pilgrimage under security arrangements to 63,314. Till last evening, 1,97,442 pilgrims had paid obeisance at the cave shrine, officials said. Among the pilgrims in the latest batch, 1,344, including 238 women and 149 sadhus, would reach Pahalgam to take the 36-km traditional route to the cave shrine, while 857, including 306 women, would ...