Page 530 - War Conflict
India ready to discuss running of loss-making airport as a joint venture: Sri Lankan minister
An Indian delegation is here to discuss a possible joint venture to operate Sri Lanka's loss-making Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport in Hambantota, the government said today. The USD 210 million facility, 241km south-east of Sri Lanka's capital city, Colombo, is dubbed the "world's emptiest airport" due to a lack of flights. The only international flight operating from there was halted in May due to recurrent losses and flight safety issues. Sri Lankan Deputy Minister of Transport Ashok Abeysinghe stated this in Parliament while answering an Opposition query on whether the Mattala airport, which was funded by China, would be sold outright. Abeysinghe said India has expressed willingness to operate the airport as a Sri Lanka-India joint venture. "Despite making losses the airport would never be sold," he said. Mattala airport, named after former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, was a China-supported infrastructure project in his home district of Hambantota. The airport was ...
Afghan warlord's arrest sparks violent protests
The arrest of a powerful warlord in northern Afghanistan sparked violent protests today that officials said left at least one person dead and several wounded. Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Maimanah, the capital of Faryab province, for a second day to demand the release of Nezamuddin Qaisari, a commander of a pro-government militia and a district police chief. Qaisari was arrested Monday after he allegedly threatened to kill people at a provincial security meeting. Qaisari "insulted all the participants of the meeting, calling them traitors and also threatening to kill them all," according to a statement issued by Shaheen 209 Corps, which hosted the meeting. Shaheen 209 Corps covers northern Afghanistan. Qaisari is also the provincial representative of fellow ethnic Uzbek warlord, Afghan Vice President Abdul Rashid Dostum, who fled to Turkey last year after he was accused of being involved in the rape and torture of a political rival. "We want the government to pave
Three killed in communal clash in MP's Panna
Three persons were killed and one was seriously injured in a clash between two communities in Madhya Pradesh's Panna district on Wednesday, police said.
Jharkhand warns against violence during Thursday's shutdown
The Jharkhand government on Wednesday warned of strict action against anyone found indulging in violence during a united opposition shutdown called on Thursday to protest an amendment in the Land Acquisition Act 2013.
4 policemen suspended over lynching of anti-rumour campaigner
Four police personnel were today suspended in connection with the lynching of a person hired by the Tripura government to spread awareness against rumour-mongering last month, a senior police official said. The four were an assistant sub-inspector and a constable of the state police, and two Riflemen of the Tripura State Rifles, IG (Law and Order) K V Sreejesh said. "These police personnel were there in the area for some other purpose. We have suspended them because a departmental inquiry has been initiated against them regarding their roles on that day," Sreejesh said. Whether there had been lapses on their part would be known after the inquiry is complete, he told reporters. Sukanta Chakrabarty (33) was lynched by a mob suspecting him of being a child-lifter at Kalachhara in South Tripura district on June 28. He was a member of a team set up by the state Information and Culture Affairs Department which was campaigning against rumour-mongering. Investigation was on to ...
UN envoy holds 'fruitful' talks with Yemen rebel chief
The UN envoy for Yemen today said he had held "fruitful" talks with rebel leader Abdulmalik al-Huthi in his bid to avert all-out fighting for the strategic port city of Hodeida. "I'm greatly reassured by the messages I have received, which have been positive and constructive," Martin Griffiths told reporters at Sanaa airport after two days of talks in the rebel-held capital. "I'm especially thankful to Abdul Malik al-Huthi, whom I met yesterday, for his support and the fruitful discussion we held." Griffiths said he would brief the UN Security Council tomorrow on his latest talks in Yemen, where a brutal war between the rebels and the Gulf Arab-backed government threatens to engulf Hodeida, the entry point for desperately needed humanitarian aid. In the coming days, the UN envoy is to meet President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, whose loyalists have reached the southern outskirts of the Red Sea port city with support from Emirati troops. "All parties have not only underscored their strong ..
2 Maoists killed in Chhattisgarh
Two Maoists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Narayanpur district of Chhattisgarh.The encounter broke out in the forest area of Balebeda village in the district.One naxal has been identified as Kishore, the section commander of Military Company No. 05, while the identity of the other is yet to be ascertained.The District Reserve Guard (DRG) also seized two weapons, bags and other daily-use material from the spot.More details are awaited.In a separate incident in the district earlier today, the special task force retaliated strongly to naxals who opened fire at the security forces in the forest area of Jedda village.Following the retaliatory firing the Naxals fled from the spot.The police seized bags, camp sheets, medical kits and other daily-use materials.
NSCN(IM) camps busted in Arunachal
In a major blow to NSCN(IM), security forces in Arunachal Pradesh busted three major camps of the outfit during a joint operation in Arunachal Pradesh's Changlang district, Defence sources said today. A joint team of Assam Rifles and Army under the DAO division conducted successful operations at Motongsa village under Jairampur sub-division in Changlang district resulting in destruction of three camps and a logistic dump of the outfit yesterday, Kohima-based Defence Spokesman Colonel Chiranjeet Konwer said in a statement here. The security forces had launched the operation after receiving specific intelligence about presence of the outfit's cadres attempting to extort people in and around the village, he said. There was, hoever, no report of any casualty or arrest. A massive search operation is in progress to locate and neutralize the fleeing cadres from the camps, the spokesman said. The three camps were being used by the outfit as a base for operations by the outfit, .
US official reminds Gen Bajwa of Pak's commitment to eliminate all terror groups on its soil
A top US official has met with Pakistan's powerful Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and reminded him about Islamabad's commitment to eliminate all terrorist groups present within its borders. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells visited Islamabad this week and met with Pakistan's top civil and military leadership and exchanged views on issues of mutual interest, regional security and cooperation between the two countries. Besides Gen Bajwa, she also met with Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar, Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, Chief of General Staff Lt Gen Bilal Akbar and business leaders and ambassadors of other nations in Islamabad. During her meetings, Wells reminded the Pakistani leaders of their commitment to take action against all terrorist groups on its territory. "Wells discussed Pakistan's stated commitment to eliminating all terrorist groups present within its borders, as well as our shared interest in building economic
India to discuss Lanka airport joint venture
An Indian delegation is here to discuss a possible joint venture to operate the loss-making Mattala international airport in southern Sri Lanka, the government said today. Sri Lankan Deputy Minister of Transport Ashok Abeysinghe stated this in parliament while answering an opposition query on whether the Mattala airport would be sold outright. Abeysinghe said India has expressed willingness to operate the airport as a Sri Lanka-India joint venture. Despite making losses the airport would never be sold, he said. Mattala airport, named after former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, was a China-supported infrastructure project in his home district of Hambantota. The USD 210 million facility is dubbed the world's emptiest airport due to a lack of flights. The only international flight operating from there was halted in May due to recurrent losses and flight safety issues. The government in 2017 invited investors to turn the airport into a profit-sharing joint venture. However no proposals were
Iraq launches major anti-IS operation after killings
Iraqi forces launched a major operation against remnants of the Islamic State group today following public anger over the jihadists' murder of a group of abducted civilians. Dubbed "Vengeance for the Martyrs", the operation will see army, special forces, police and Kurdish peshmerga fighters hunting down IS cells in the centre of the country, Iraq's Joint Operations Command (JOC) said in a statement. It comes after the bodies of eight IS captives were found late last month along a highway north of Baghdad. Some of the abductees had appeared in a video in which IS threatened to execute them unless Baghdad released female prisoners. The JOC statement said army, federal police, special forces, peshmerga fighters and the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force had launched "a vast operation to clear out the region east of the Diyala-Kirkuk" highway. The operation was being supported by the Iraqi air force and the US-led coalition that intervened against IS in Iraq and Syria after the ...
6 Pakistani security personnel killed, 2 injured in rocket attacks in Balochistan
Six Pakistani security personnel were killed and two others critically injured in rocket attacks by militants in the troubled Balochistan province, officials said today. The incident took place on Monday in a mountainous region 30 kilometres from Mashkay area of Awaran district when the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) members were sweeping the area for mines and explosives. The militants used rockets to fire on the team from the mountains and in the explosions six members of the BDS were killed, while two others sustained severe injuries, a senior official of the local administration said. Attacks on the security forces and installations by militants and separatists in the remote areas of Balochistan are common even as people in the province are trying to weather violence and terror-related incidents since the last few years.
US seeks to revoke American citizenship of Indian-origin man convicted of terrorism
The US has filed a lawsuit in a federal court in the Northern District of Illinois seeking to revoke the American citizenship of a 37-year-old Indian-origin man convicted of terrorism. In 2009, Khaleel Ahmed pleaded guilty to charges of providing material support to terrorists through his efforts to travel abroad in order to murder or maim US military forces in Iraq or Afghanistan. He was sentenced to eight years and four months of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release in 2010. "Civil denaturalisation is one important tool in our anti-terrorism efforts. We will continue to zealously seek out and prosecute individuals like Mr. Ahmed," acting Associate Attorney General Jesse Panuccio said after filing a lawsuit to denaturalise Ahmed in a court in the Northern District of Illinois yesterday. Ahmed obtained US citizenship in 2004. The civil denaturalisation complaint alleges that Ahmed concealed and affirmatively misrepresented his criminal conduct throughout his ...
One death reported in latest Nicaraguan violence
Truckloads of police and pro-government gunmen have rolled into a town in northern Nicaragua, clearing an opposition roadblock in clashes that left one person reported dead. The new violence came as investigators from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights began a probe into months of violence which has killed more than 200 people. A statement from the commission yesterday said it had a mandate of six months and has been tasked with "supporting the investigations of the violent acts that have taken place in the country since April 18, in the framework of the social protests." The government incursion took place in La Trinidad, 125 km north of the capital Managua. State media said a riot police officer died. Several demonstrators were wounded, human rights activists said. Local people said police surrounded a church in which priests and parishioners were holed up, and were still there as of last night. Police and paramilitary forces also took up positions inside a cultural ...
11 killed in airstrike at wedding party in Yemen
An airstrike by the Saudi-led coalition hit a wedding party in Yemen's northern province of Saada on Tuesday, Killing 11 civilians and wounding 11 others, a local security official said.
US seeks to denaturalise Indian-origin man convicted of terrorism
The Donald Trump Administration has filed a lawsuit seeking to revoke American citizenship of an Indian native convicted of terrorism. Khaleel Ahmed (37) was sentenced to eight years and four months of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release in 2010. "Civil denaturalization is one important tool in our anti-terrorism efforts. We will continue to zealously seek out and prosecute individuals like Mr. Ahmed," acting Associate Attorney General Jesse Panuccio said after filing a lawsuit to denaturalise Ahmed in a federal court in the Northern District of Illinois yesterday. Ahmed had obtained US citizenship in 2004. The civil denaturalisation complaint alleges that Ahmed concealed and affirmatively misrepresented his criminal conduct throughout his naturalisation proceedings, and that his application would have been denied had immigration authorities known about his provision of material support to terrorists. "The United States will never be a safe haven for those ...
International rights experts begin probing Nicaraguan violence
Investigators from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights began a probe into months of violence in Nicaragua which has killed at least 220 people. "Our commitment is to the victims...regardless of who the perpetrators are," said Italian human rights expert Amerigo Incalcaterra. A statement from the commission yesterday said it had a mandate of six months and has been tasked with "supporting the investigations of the violent acts that have taken place in the country since April 18, in the framework of the social protests." "The group shall have guarantees of autonomy and independence, as well as access to investigation and security files in order to carry out its work," it said. The Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights (CENIDH) has reported at least 220 people dead, saying it was investigating whether around a dozen more deaths were linked to the violence. Riot police and armed paramilitaries surrounded an area in the town of La Trinidad, north of Managua, on Tuesday, witnesses ...
UN Security Council to hold emergency Syria talks
The United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting Thursday to discuss the Syrian army's Russia-backed offensive against rebel groups that has forced some 300,000 people to flee, diplomats said. Sweden, which holds the rotating Security Council presidency, requested the meeting along with Kuwait, Swedish diplomats said yesterday. The United Nations estimates that between 270,000 and 330,000 Syrians have fled since June 19 the ongoing bombings in the southwestern province of Daraa.
Guterres appoints Uruguayan to head UN military observers in India, Pakistan
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced on Tuesday the appointment of Major General Jose Eladio Alcain of Uruguay as head of mission and chief military observer for the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP).
Decision on housing for military personnel with handicapped kids delegated
The Defence Ministry has decided to decentralise the powers for priority allotment of married accommodation to the personnel having handicapped children to the local military authorities, an official statement said on Tuesday.