Page 603 - War Conflict
US, Afghanistan launch air strikes as Taliban attack western city
US and Afghan aircraft today bombed Taliban positions in the western city of Farah after the insurgents launched a major attempt to capture the provincial capital, with fearful residents seeking shelter from explosions and gunfire. The attack -- the first major assault targeting a city since the Taliban launched their annual spring offensive -- began around midnight, with the militants capturing one urban district and parts of another, said local provincial council member Jamila Amini. "Heavy fighting continues inside the city and aircraft have just started bombarding Taliban positions," she told AFP earlier Tuesday from inside Farah. NATO's Resolute Support mission in Kabul tweeted that the Afghan army, supported by US airpower including A-10 Thunderbolts, was "on the offensive" and the city "remains under govt. control". Interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said the Afghan air force was also taking part in the fighting. "(The Taliban) will fail," he vowed. Police special forces .
Cleric eyes government as election upset rocks Iraq
Populist Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr on Tuesday eyed a broad coalition after appearing to deal a blow to both Iranian and American influence with a shock election triumph that has upended Iraqi politics. Counting was still ongoing three days after the first parliamentary poll since the defeat of the Islamic State group, but the fiery Shiite preacher's grouping was in the lead with 16 of 18 provinces tallied. Victory for the veteran nationalist's Marching Towards Reform alliance with Iraq's communists -- pitched an anti-corruption outsider force -- would be a slap in the face for Iraq's widely reviled ruling establishment. Sadr -- who has ruled himself out of becoming prime minister -- looks likely to be the key powerbroker and has already mooted a technocrat government of some dozen parties that bridge sectarian divides. But with his group set to be far from a majority in parliament, wrangling over any potential coalition should take months -- and there remain major obstacles ahead ...
Bahrain revokes citizenship of 115 people in mass trial
A Bahrain court today revoked the citizenship of 115 people at a mass terrorism trial, sentencing dozens to prison amid a years-long crackdown on all dissent in the island kingdom. Bahrain's Public Prosecution said the case involved a little-known militant group it identified as the "Zulfiqar Brigades," whose mass arrests authorities previously announced in 2016. Prosecutors said those accused built and detonated bombs, received weapons training and plotted to kill police officers in Bahrain, an island off the coast of Saudi Arabia in the Persian Gulf. A statement from prosecutors said 53 defendants received life sentences, while dozens of others faced prison time. It said 23 defendants were acquitted. Bahraini officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment for more information. Bahrain, a nation only some 760 square kilometers (290 square miles) in size, is home to some 1.4 million people. About half are Bahraini citizens, the majority of them Shiite. The island is ...
Three naxals arrested, two surrender in Chhattisgarh
Three naxals, one of them carrying a cash reward on his head, were arrested from two places in Chhattisgarh, while two other rebels surrendered in Bijapur district in the state today, police said. Two cadres identified as Kunjam Anda (35) and Hemla Lakhma (31) were arrested from the forest of Timapur village under Basaguda police station limits when a team of local police was out on area domination operation, Bijapur Superintendent of Police Mohit Garg told PTI. Cordex wire, electric wire, batteries, couple of detonators and Maoist literature were recovered from their possession, he said. Of them, Anda, who was active as a member of the military platoon no 10 of Maoists, was allegedly involved in the Burkapal attack in Sukma, wherein 25 CRPF personnel were killed in April last year, he said. "He was carrying a reward of Rs 2 lakh on his head," the SP said. "Besides, the duo was also allegedly among those who had attacked two policemen with sharp weapons and looted one ..
Policeman killed, another injured in Anantnag attack
One special police officer (SPO) was killed and a constable injured on Tuesday in a militant attack in Kashmir's Anantnag district, police said.
Police failed to contain Aurangabad riots: Senior cop
The police failed to prevent and contain the violence that was witnessed in Aurangabad last week, resulting in the death of two persons and injuries to 60 people, a top official of Maharashtra police admitted today. Additional Director General of Police Bipin Bihari, after reviewing the situation in the city located in the Marathwada region, said the police had failed to take action against the rioters. He said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed by Aurangabad's Acting Commissioner of Police Milind Bharambe to probe the role of the police officials during the riots. On May 11, Aurangabad, located about 350 kms from Mumbai, witnessed clashes between groups of two communities over illegal water connections. The violence left a 65-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy dead and around 60 others, including a dozen policemen, injured. Several shops and scores of vehicles were also torched. Bharambe will conduct an inquiry into the allegations against a city police ...
Armed men attack and loot monks
A group of armed men allegedly attacked Buddhist monks and looted their belongings here, police said today. According to the police, nearly six thieves barged into the Buddha Vihar library in Sankisa area yesterday night and attacked the monks before decamping with five mobile phones, one bike and Rs 40,000 cash. Bhante Chaitsik said that the thieves alleged that they were from the Uttar Pradesh Police. Later, they thrashed the monks and looted their belongings, the police said. The monks somehow managed to come out of the room and informed the UP Police about the incident. A case has been registered in this regard, Additional Superintendent of Police Tribhuwan Singh said.
Aurangabad riots: Munde seeks CM's resignation, judicial probe
NCP leader Dhanajay Munde today demanded Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's resignation for his "failure" to control the violence in Aurangabad that claimed two lives and left over 60 people injured. Munde, who is the Leader of Opposition in the state Legislative Council, also sought a judicial inquiry into the riots. He was speaking to reporters after visiting the violence-hit areas here. "This was not a clash between two communities. It was executed for extortion by one of the corporators of Aurangabad Municipal corporation," he claimed. He said two months back, the intelligence had given inputs about the possible violence in the city. "However, the police failed to act on those inputs. The officers who hid the information provided by the intelligence should be suspended. The chief minister should resign for his failure," he said. "It is shameful that the police were just mute spectators even as the hooligans were engaged in arson and stone-pelting. It is .
J&K: Terrorists attack police vehicle in Anantnag
Suspected terrorists on Tuesday fired upon a police vehicle, killing a Special Police Officer (SPO) at Pazalpora Arwani area of Bijbehara town in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district.SPO Bilal Ahmad, who was initially injured in the attack, later succumbed to his injuries.Further details are awaited.In a similar incident, a police personnel, Shamim Ahmad died on Friday after he was shot by the terrorists in Budgam.
BSF foils infiltration bid in J&K's Mangu Chak area
The Director General (DG) of Border Security Force (BSF) KK Sharma on Tuesday said that the infiltration bid, attempted by the terrorists on May 14 in the Mangu Chak area of Jammu district, was foiled.A Border Security Force soldier lost his life in a cross-border firing along the International Boundary (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba district on the intervening night of May 14 and 15, because of this infiltration bid."A BSF trooper was martyred yesterday," said KK Sharma."Few days ago, some terrorists might have crossed into India through a tunnel. Five militants were seen through High Sensitive Thermal Imaging (HSTI). Many terrorists waiting at launching pads in Pakistan to infiltrate into India," added Sharma.The firing began when troopers of Manguchack post, 173 Battalion BSF, noticed suspicious movements ahead of a fence, closer to IB, and fired few illumination rounds to clear visibility.The firing was immediately retaliated from where the movement was suspected.The BSF ...
Policeman killed in militant attack in Anantnag
A policeman was killed in a militant attack at Bijbehara town in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir today, an official said. "Militants fired at a police vehicle in Bijbehara and the cops retaliated. In the attack, one policeman sustained injuries," a police spokesman said. The injured policeman, identified as Bilal Ahmad, later succumbed to injuries, he said. The area has been cordoned off and a search operation underway to track down the assailants, he added.
Heavy fighting as Taliban attack western Afghan city
Afghan aircraft today bombed Taliban positions in the western city of Farah after the insurgents launched a major attempt to capture the provincial capital, with fearful residents seeking shelter from explosions and gunfire. The attack -- the first major assault targeting a city since the Taliban launched their annual spring offensive -- began around midnight, with the militants capturing one urban district and parts of another, said local provincial council member Jamila Amini. "Heavy fighting continues inside the city and aircraft have just started bombarding Taliban positions," she told AFP Tuesday from inside Farah. Afghan officials said police special forces from Kandahar and commandos from Herat had also been deployed. "(The Taliban) will fail," vowed interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish, who said both Afghan and foreign air forces were taking part in the fighting. There was no immediate confirmation from NATO's mission in Kabul. Defence ministry spokesman Mohammad ...
Suspected US airstrike kills 3 al-Qaeda operatives in Yemen
Yemeni tribal and security officials say a missile fired by a suspected US drone has killed three al-Qaeda militants who were driving in a vehicle in the country's south. They say the operatives were killed when an unmanned aircraft targeted their vehicle late Monday in the province of Shabwa. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak to the press. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, as the Yemen affiliate is known, has long been considered the global network's most dangerous branch, and has been implicated in a number of attempted attacks on the US homeland. Yemen was plunged into civil war more than three years ago. Al-Qaeda and an Islamic State affiliate have exploited the chaos to expand their presence.
Palestinian president in hospital for minor ear procedure
The Palestinian state news agency says the Palestinian president is in a hospital and set to undergo a minor ear operation. The Wafa agency says today that President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to be discharged from the Ramallah hospital later in the day. The 83-year-old Abbas has endured a series of recent health scares which have revived anxiety about a battle over who will succeed the Palestinian leader. Abbas, a heavy smoker, has a long history of health issues, ranging from heart troubles to a bout with prostate cancer a decade ago. Last summer, he underwent a health checkup at a Ramallah hospital and separately dispelled rumors he had suffered a stroke. Abbas insists he is fine, but potential successors are quietly jockeying for position.
14 killed in Afghanistan clashes
At least six Afghan security forces and eight Taliban militants were killed on Tuesday after heavy fighting broke out in the country's Farah city.
Officials: Taliban attacks Farah city in west Afghanistan
Afghan officials say Taliban insurgents have attacked Farah city, the capital of Farah province in western Afghanistan near the border with Iran, killing and wounding dozens of security forces. Fared Bakhtawer, head of the Farah provincial council, says several security checkpoints were overrun by Taliban fighters on Tuesday morning and that an intense gunbattle was ongoing in the city. Bakhtawer says up to 30 security forces were killed or wounded in the attacks. Mohammad Sarwar Osmani, a lawmaker form Farah province, also confirmed the Taliban attacks. Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, claimed responsibility. He said fighters launched attacks form multiple directions, after which they overran several checkpoints in the city. Farah also has border with Helmand province, where the Taliban controls several districts.
Palestinian baby dies from tear gas inhalation at Gaza protest: ministry
A Palestinian baby died as a result of inhaling tear gas during clashes along the Israel-Gaza border, the health ministry in the enclave announced today. Eight-month-old Leila al-Ghandour was exposed to the gas east of Gaza City during major protests yesterday, in which the health ministry said 58 Palestinians were killed most of them by sniper fire. It was not immediately clear how close to the border fence Ghandour and her family were. At least five protests sites have been established since demonstrations began on March 30, most of them with both frontline areas and places for families further back. Yesterday's protests were against the opening of the controversial US embassy to Israel in Jerusalem, which had angered Palestinians who see the eastern part of the city as their capital. Tens of thousands of Palestinians rallied near the border fence, with smaller numbers seeking to breach it. Israeli forces on the border used tear gas and sniper fire on the crowds.
Riot-hit Aurangabad tense, internet services restored
The situation in Maharashtra's riot-hit Aurangabad city today remained tense, but under control, four days after the violence claimed two lives and left over 60 people, including 12 policemen, injured. The police have registered six cases in which nearly 3,000 unidentified people were booked for offences like arson, rioting and damaging public property, an official said. Internet services were restored this morning and prohibitory orders clamped under Section 144 of the CrPC revoked in the central Maharashtra city, he said. Besides the local police, seven State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) battalions were deployed in the violence-affected areas, the official said. Additional Director General of Police Bipin Bihari, after reviewing the situation in the city, located in the Marathwada region, admitted that the police had failed to prevent and contain the spread of violence and to take action against the rioters. Acting Commissioner of Police Milind Bharambe will conduct an inquiry into ..
J-K: BSF soldier killed in cross-border firing in Samba
A Border Security Force soldier lost his life in a cross-border firing along the International Boundary (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba district on the intervening night of May 14 and 15.He was immediately evacuated and provided medical facilities but could not be saved.The firing began when troopers of Manguchack post, 173 Battalion BSF noticed suspicious movements ahead of a fence, closer to IB, and fired few illumination rounds to clear visibility.The firing was immediately retaliated from where the movement was suspected.The BSF troopers from nearby mounds further retaliated by firing.Complete area of operations is cordoned off, and firing has stopped for now.However, a search operation is underway.
North Korea to become nuclear weapons state: Former diplomat
The ultimate goal for North Korea is to become a nuclear weapons state, claims a former North Korean diplomat.As reported by the Yonhap news agency on Monday, Thae Yong-ho a former London-based North Korean diplomat expressed doubts over the possibility of a complete denuclearization of North Korea.While addressing a press conference, Thae said, "It is too early to predict (with one month left before the U.S.-North Korea summit), but I think the North will move toward sufficient, verifiable, irreversible dismantling, which is to sufficiently reduce threats from nuclear weapons, rather than seek complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement (CVID),"He further claimed that North Korea wishes to become a nuclear weapons state under the shield of officially being recognised as a denuclearised state.A move like denuclearisation would conflict the integral power structure of North Korea, Thae added.He further quoted a recent statement by North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un saying, ...