Page 591 - War Conflict
2 Palestinians wounded in Gaza border clashes die
Two Palestinians wounded in clashes with Israeli troops on the Gaza border died today of their wounds, Palestinian health officials in Gaza and the West Bank said. The health ministry in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip said that Ahmed Qutoosh, 23, was shot by soldiers "several days ago" east of Bureij, in the central Gaza Strip, without giving further details. In the West Bank city of Hebron, medical officials told AFP that 21-year-old Mohanad Abu Tahun had been wounded in the Gaza clashes and transferred to the city's Al-Ahli Hospital yesterday. They did not say on which date he was shot. He was one of many Gaza casualties moved out of the coastal territory for treatment after the bloody border clashes left hospitals there overwhelmed. Violence peaked on May 14, with at least 62 Palestinians killed by Israeli gunfire when thousands of Palestinians protested as the US officially moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Tensions between Israel and Gaza have spiralled since March 30, ...
Virendra appointed new DG of West Bengal police
The West Bengal government has appointed Virendra as the new director-general of police, replacing current DGP Surajit Kar Purkayastha, who would be retiring on May 31, a notification issued late last night said. Virendra was posted as the DG (security). Ajay Kumar Nand, who was IGP Counter Insurgency Force (CIF), will be the Director, security, replacing SN Gupta, it said. Gupta was made the new ADG CIF with additional charges of ADG, establishment, the notification said. According to a senior official at the secretariat, a new post -- advisor (security) -- has been created to accommodate Purkayastha. "Kar Purkayastha is highly experienced and the chief minister prefers him and wants to utilise him in security-related issues. He will likely be advising to the chief minister on security-related issues," he said. Incidentally, Purkayastha was the first DGP in the state who was given an extension after his official retirement in 2016.
Grenade attacks in Jammu, Srinagar; 3 cops injured
Three police personnel, including an SHO, were injured in a grenade attack by suspected militants at a bus stand in Jammu tonight, while a similar attack took place at a CRPF camp in Srinagar in which no one was injured, police officials said. There was a grenade attack in the bus stand area tonight (by suspected militants). The grenade was thrown at a police vehicle, Jammu Senior Superintendent of Police Vivek Gupta told PTI. He said three police personnel were injured in the attack. Two of them have been hospitalised, while the SHO received minor injuries, Gupta said. According to eyewitnesses, they were waiting for their bus to leave for New Delhi when a sudden blast took place and they ran for cover. The police vehicle was probably the target but the grenade missed it and exploded near the vehicle, the witnesses said. Soon a number of people gathered at the bus stand area and raised anti-Pakistan slogans. The area has been cordoned off and searches launched to track down the ...
Women can play important role in peace talks: Journalist
Women can play a crucial role in peace talks and governments should co-opt them in peace bodies to cash in on their intrinsic qualities, said journalist and author Rashmi Saksena on Thursday.
Grenade attacks in Jammu, Srinagar; 2 cops injured
Two police personnel were injured in a grenade attack by suspected militants at the bus stand in Jammu tonight, while a similar attack took place at a CRPF camp in Srinagar in which no one was injured, police officials said. There was a grenade attack in the bus stand area tonight (by suspected militants), Jammu Senior Superintendent of Police Vivek Gupta told PTI. He said two police personnel were injured in the attack. They have been hospitalised. The area has been cordonned off and searches launched to track down the suspected militants, the SSP said. It is after a long time that a grenade attack has taken place in Jammu. Meanwhile in Srinagar, militants tonight hurled a grenade towards the CRPF camp but there was no loss of life, police said. Militants lobbed a grenade on the CRPF camp at Braripora in Nawakadal area of the city, a police official said. He said there was no loss of life due to the explosion. Further details were awaited, the official said.
Army chief reviews security situation in Kashmir valley
Army chief General Bipin Rawat reviewed the prevailing security situation in Kashmir today, a defence official said. The Chief of Army Staff, Gen Bipin Rawat, visited the Kashmir Valley to review the prevailing security situation in the hinterland, Srinagar-based defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said in a statement here. Kalia said the Army chief was accompanied by Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen A K Bhatt. Rawat visited formation headquarters and units where he was briefed by the commanders on the ground about the operational preparedness, the spokesman said. He said the Army chief was appreciative of the measures and standard operating procedures instituted by the units, and formations to meet the challenges posed by the inimical elements. Commending the performance of the troops in the recent successful operations, the Army chief stressed the need to maintain the extra vigil to defeat the evil designs of hostile forces and assured his full support to further strengthen the security
Japan's prime minister heads to Russia for talks with Putin
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe headed to Russia today for talks with President Vladimir Putin in hopes of making progress on joint economic projects on disputed islands as a step toward resolving a decades-old territorial row. Abe said he hoped to talk "heart-to-heart" with Putin on Saturday to achieve progress on the island issue and eventually sign a peace treaty. Abe also plans to reaffirm Russia's cooperation in efforts to rid North Korea of nuclear weapons. Abe has been pushing for a way forward in the territorial dispute that centers on four southern Kuril islands, which Japan calls the Northern Territories. The Soviet Union took the islands in the closing days of World War II, expelling 17,000 Japanese to nearby Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japan's four main islands. The row has kept the two countries from signing a peace treaty formally ending their World War II hostilities. Japan is seeking to implement joint business projects on the Kuril Islands as a way to gain ...
Army seeks Arunachal govt's help in counter-insurgency ops
General officer Commanding (GoC) of 2 Mountain Division, Major General Gajinder Singh today sought the intervention of Arunachal Pradesh government in facilitating coordination between the state police, central para-military forces and the army in counter-insurgency operations along the inter-state boundary, an official communique said. Maj Gen Singh, who heads the Division based at Dinjan in Assams Tinsukia district bordering Arunachal Pradesh, held a meeting here with Chief Minister Pema Khandu during the day and discussed issues related to army presence and its activities in the eastern parts of the state, it said. He said intelligence sharing and logistic support from the state machinery is of utmost necessity for successful operations for tackling cross-border insurgency. The GoC assured the chief minister that the Army is committed to welfare and safety of civilians during operations and is ready to lend its assistance for welfare measures through medical camps, ..
Three dreaded Maoists surrender in Maharashtra
A month after the country's biggest security operations that saw 40 Maoists killed, three dreaded rebels, including a woman, with a collective reward of Rs 800,000 on their head, surrendered before the Maharashtra Police here on Thursday, an official said.
Top army official seeks Arunachal govt help for border ops
A top army official today sought the intervention of Arunachal Pradesh government in facilitating coordination between state police officers and military personnel along the interstate border, especially during anti-insurgency operations, an official release said. During a meeting with Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Major General Gajinder Singh, the General-Officer-Commanding (GoC) of 2 Mountain Division, said intelligence sharing and logistics support from the state machinery were necessary to tackle cross-border insurgency. Singh, who heads the infantry based at Dinjan in Assam's Tinsukia district, also discussed with the chief minister army presence and its activities along the interstate border, the release said. He pledged Army's commitment towards safety and welfare of common people. The security personnel were more than willing to help the civilians by organising medical camps and pre-recruitment trainings, the GoC said. The CM, on his part, assured Singh ..
3 kg heroin seized in Punjab
Three kg of heroin was today seized in a joint search operation by the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Counter Intelligence wing of the Punjab Police here. The seizure of the narcotic drug took place at K P Jattan border out post in the Gurdaspur sector, an official release issued by the BSF said. BSF official said a special joint search operation was launched by the BSF troops and the Punjab Police in the area. During search, the search party recovered a tractor battery filled with three packets (about three kg) of contraband buried in the field between international boundary and border security fence, the release said.
Moscow says no Russian missile involved in MH17 plane crash
Moscow today rejected an international investigation that found a Russian missile downed flight MH17 over Ukraine in 2014, saying no such weapon had ever crossed the Russian-Ukrainian border. "Not a single anti-aircraft missile system from the Russian Federation has ever crossed the Russia-Ukraine border," the defence ministry said in a statement carried by news agencies.
CRPF trooper killed, another injured in Chhattisgarh
A CRPF trooper was killed and another injured when Maoists triggered a powerful blast targeted at security personnel in a forested area of Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, officials said.
Rohingyas and their sympathisers should leave, says Katiyar after Priyanka Chopra's visit to B'Desh camp
Rohingyas should not live in India and neither should those who sympathise with them, BJP leader Vinay Katiyar said today, days after Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra visited Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. The actor, a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, visited the refugee camps in Cox's Bazar on Monday and described the crisis as "horrific". The 35-year-old actor also urged people to help the affected children. VIPs should not visit there (Rohingya refugee camps). This sends out a wrong message... Priyanka ji should not have gone there. These people (VIPs) should avoid going there. Rohingya Muslims should not live here and nor should those who sympathise with them, Katiyar said. He added that Rohingya Muslims had killed thousands of Hindus and humiliated their daughters so they should be sent out of the country. According to the United Nations, nearly 300,000 Rohingya Muslims fled Myanmar's Rakhine state to go to Bangladesh after a fresh wave of violence erupted when militants ...
Russia cracks down on opposition activists after protests
Russian authorities have detained several members of jailed opposition politician Alexei Navalny's team for organising protests ahead of President Vladimir Putin's fourth inauguration. The crackdown comes after Navalny himself was sentenced to 30 days behind bars last week. He is due to be released the day before the FIFA World Cup begins in Russia. Today police detained Navalny's lawyer Ivan Zdhanov outside his office, the head of the opposition politician's Moscow headquarters Leonid Volkov said on Twitter. Volkov said Zhdanov faces 10 days in jail for calling for unsanctioned protests on social media. "They have found yet another 'organiser of a rally through a retweet'. It seems they have decided to lock everyone up," Volkov wrote on Twitter. Zhdanov's arrest comes a day after a Moscow court sentenced Navalny's spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh to 25 days in jail. Tweeting from court, Yarmysh said the sentencing was based on a tweet. "25 days under arrest is nothing when you know you are .
Controversial Sri Lanka monk found guilty of intimidation
A Sri Lanka court today found a radical Buddhist monk guilty of criminal intimidation, the first time the notorious extremist has faced the prospect of jail. Galagodaatte Gnanasara, who has been accused of hate crimes against Muslims, was convicted of two counts of harassing and intimidating a woman whose husband was abducted in 2010 by state forces. A magistrate in Homagama town released the firebrand monk on bail pending his sentencing on June 14. Each count carries a maximum jail term of two years and an unspecified fine, or both. The court held that Gnanasar used abusive language and insulted Sandya Eknaligoda, whose cartoonist husband was abducted by military intelligence in 2010. Eknaligoda has campaigned to find out what happened to her husband, whose cartoons lampooned former strongman president Mahinda Rajapakse. Several members of military intelligence were arrested in connection with his disappearance but all have since been released on bail. Gnanasar had accused Eknaligoda
Russian military missile brought down MH17, say investigators
The missile that brought down a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet over eastern Ukraine in 2014, killing all 298 people on board, belonged to the Russian military, Dutch investigators said on Thursday.
Afghan official: Taliban kill 3 troops in northern province
An Afghan official says the Taliban have attacked a military outpost in northern Faryab province, killing three soldiers and wounding six. Regional army spokesman Mohammad Anif Rezai says the attack took place in Shirin Tagab district early today. He says reinforcement were sent but were unable to reach the site because of land mines and Taliban ambushes along the way. Rezai says intense fighting is still underway and that the government has ordered 40 commandos airlifted to help the soldiers at the outpost. He says that so far, five insurgents have been killed in the fighting and seven wounded. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but the Taliban have lately stepped up their assaults on Afghan troops and government officials as part of their spring offensive.
Naxal carrying Rs 1 lakh bounty arrested in Kondagaon
A Naxal with a reward of Rs 1lakh on his head was arrested in Chhattisgarh's Kondagaon district on Thursday.The naxal has been accused of murders and loots.Earlier in May 11, a Naxal with a bounty of Rs 5 lakh on his head was killed in an encounter with Chhattisgarh police in Gariyaband's Darripara.In May 3, a Maoist, carrying a Rs 5 lakh bounty on his head, was killed in an encounter with the security personnel in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district.
Huge cache of arms, ammunition seized in Meghalaya
A massive stockpile of arms and ammunition were seized by the Meghalaya police in the East Garo Hills district.The arms were discovered on Wednesday near the Simsang River and were reportedly left behind by GNLA chief Sohan D Shira. The arms that were recovered included a one 303 light machine gun, 2 AK rifles, 1 H and K rifle, 4 SBML barrels, 5 UBGL shells, 2 rockets (RPG), one 9mm magazine, one 9mm carbine, 5 AK rifle magazines, one remote control, one signal booster, 30 AK rifle bullets, 8 pistols, 2 kg of gelatin (Gelignite) sticks, 66 electronic detonators, and 7 cleaning rods.The police along with the help of villagers carried out search operations in the forests bordering Dorengkigre and Bawegre located across the river, 15 km from the district headquarters Williamnagar."Some of the weapons were simply stashed in the bushes while others were buried in the ground. Villagers also joined in the search operation and some of the places where the weapons were concealed were revealed .