Page 617 - War Conflict
Army can't be blamed for radicalisation of Kashmiri youth: Nirmala
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said the armed forces should not be blamed for Kashmiri youths joining militants, indicating that there will be no relaxation in the government's tough policy on dealing with violent extremism.
See a positive change in Navy: Nirmala Sitharaman
Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said that the endeavours of the Indian Government to highlight the strengths of the Indian Navy have brought about a positive change.She said that she could see a positive energy in the Commanders because of the ways in which the Government of India has been highlighting the maritime strengths of the country. "Ït will be a force to reckon with in the India-Pacific Maritime area," she said.Addressing the Naval Commanders' Conference she said that the Conference began on a positive note and all the important issues concerning the Navy have been discussed."The Conference began very well. We have had a very pointed discussion on issues raised by the Commanders, and the Navy Chief. We will have a clear plan of the Navy," she said."A large part of the Navy's request between 2017 and 2018 have been taken to a logical conclusion. A fair deal of navy requests has been taken care of. Between 2018 and 2019, the request of the Navy, both short .
Death of tourist in Kashmir is unfortunate: J&K DGP
R. Thirumani of Chennai, who visited Kashmir as a tourist, died of injuries in a hospital in Srinagar on Monday.Thirumani was caught in clashes between security forces and stone-pelting protestors on Srinagar-Gulmarg Road near Narbal. The incident sparked outrage and raised questions on the safety and security of tourists in the valley.Speaking on the issue, Shesh Paul Vaid, J&K DGP, said, "Very unfortunate. This is the last thing we wanted Kashmir to see. People of Kashmir are known as good hosts. I request the civil society and all elders to identify such people and hand them over to Police."Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also condemned the killing of the tourist and said, though the Armed Forces cannot be held responsible for being firm with terrorists, it is extremely important to ensure safer movement of tourists to restore normalcy.Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti met the family members of tourist and offered her condolences and expressed grief over the ..
Death of tourist in Kashmir completely condemnable: Sitharaman
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today said the death of a tourist who was targeted by stone-pelters in Kashmir was "completely condemnable" and not "very conducive" for tourism in the Valley. The minister also said armed forces have to be firm with terrorists and described the Kashmir issue as "very sensitive" and nuanced. The death of R Thirumani, a 22-year-old resident of Chennai, in a stone-pelting incident near Narbal outside the outskirts of Kashmir yesterday was "absolutely unfortunate", Sitharaman said. The incident comes just as the tourist season in Kashmir begins to gather pace with the summer setting in in large parts of the country. "I don't know whether it (the incident) was inadvertent or (committed) knowingly but it is completely condemnable," the minister told reporters at an interaction here. "I am sure the chief minister (Mehbooba Mufti) herself is keen on getting more tourists to Kashmir because that will also help in restoring normalcy. So, if that has been a ..
Defence Minister condemns death of Chennai tourist in Kashmir
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman condemned the death of a tourist from Chennai in Kashmir and said that safer movement of tourists have to be ensured to restore normalcy.Nirmala Sitharam spoke on the issue on Tuesday, when she was addressing the Naval Commanders Conference at Sena Bhawan in New Delhi.She also said that the Armed Forces cannot be held responsible for being firm with terrorists."You can't question the Armed Forces if they are being too firm. They have to be firm with the terrorists.""Even Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said that she is keen on getting more tourists in Kashmir. If that has been the stated desire, for a stone pelting incident to have hurt and killed a tourist It certainly is not very conducive to the very rightful suggestion of the CM that we need more tourists," she added.The Defence Minister said that what happened to the tourist was absolutely unfortunate and cannot be accommodated. "I don't know whether it was inadvertent or advertent, but it is ...
Youth dies, civilian death toll in Shopian encounter rises to 6
The civilian death toll in Sunday's clashes between protestors and security forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir today climbed to six after a youth succumbed to injuries at a hospital here. Iqbal Bhat, who sustained a bullet injury in the abdomen, succumbed to injuries at SHMS Hospital here this morning, a police official said. He said the body of the deceased youth was taken by his relatives to his native Nagbal area of Shopian for last rites. Five civilians died on Sunday during clashes between protestors and security forces near an encounter site in Shopian while several others were injured. Five militants including top Hibzul Mujahideen commander Saddam Padder and Kashmir University professor Mohammad Rafi Bhat were killed in a gunbattle with security forces on Sunday.
Omar condemns tourist's killing, calls stone-pelters 'goons'
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah has condemned the killing of a tourist hailing from Tamil Nadu during stone pelting incident in Narbal area on Srinagar-Gulmarg road here. Omar also lashed out at the state government saying the PDP-BJP ruling alliance was a failure. "We've killed a tourist by throwing stones at the vehicle he was travelling in. Let's try and wrap our heads around the fact that we stoned a tourist, a guest, to death while we glorify these stone-pelters & their methods," Omar said in a series of tweets. A 22-year-old tourist, R Thirumani, from Chennai was critically injured in a stone pelting incident at Narbal yesterday morning. He was shifted to a hospital here for treatment but succumbed to injuries, police said. "This young man from Chennai died in my constituency & while I don't support these goons, their methods or their ideology, I'm deeply, deeply sorry that this happened at all & that too in an area I've been proud to represent .
Restrictions in parts of Srinagar for third day
Restrictions continued in parts of Srinagar for the third consecutive day today as the strike called by separatists entered its second day, bringing life in the Valley to a standstill. Restrictions under Section 144 CrPc continued in seven police station areas of the city here, a police official said. He said strict curbs have been imposed in police station areas of Nowhatta, Rainawari, Safakadal, MR Gunj and Khanyar, while partial restrictions were in force in Maisuma and Kralkhud areas. Restrictions have also been imposed in Pulwama and Shopian towns of south Kashmir while security forces have been deployed in strength across the valley for maintaining law and order, the official said. He said restrictions have been imposed as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order. Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), an amalgam of separatist groups spearheaded by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik, yesterday extended the strike for the second day as well ..
Five Taliban men held in Benazir killing case granted bail
A Pakistani high court has granted bail to five suspected Taliban and Al Qaeda militants arrested for their alleged role in the 2007 assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. Bhutto, who had served twice as prime minister in the 1990s, was killed in a gun and bomb attack in 2007 in Rawalpindi, the garrison city neighbouring the capital, after she finished addressing a political rally. Her assassination plunged the country into political chaos and spasms of violence. The government of former military ruler Pervez Musharraf blamed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Baituallah Mehsud for the attack. Mehsud had later denied the charges. However, police arrested Abdul Rashid, Aitzaz Shah, Rafaqat Hussain, Husnain Gul and Sher Zaman and claimed that they were active members of TTP for their alleged role in the killing. An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi acquitted the five in its verdict of August 31, 2017 but they were not set free due to alleged links with ...
Israeli soldier freed after serving manslaughter term
An Israeli soldier convicted of manslaughter for shooting dead a prone Palestinian assailant was freed from prison on today, the army said, after serving nine months behind bars. Elor Azaria was initially sentenced to 18 months in prison for the 2016 killing of Abdul Fatah al-Sharif in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron. Armed forces chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot later reduced the term by four months and in March a parole board ordered a further cut. The army had previously said that Azaria was due to be released on May 10. Israeli media said he was freed two days early from Tzrifim military prison, near Tel Aviv, to allow him to attend his brother's wedding. "I can confirm that he was released," an army spokseman told AFP on today. Prisoners in Israel often have their sentences cut by a third for good behaviour. Azaria, who was 19 at the time of the 2016 shooting, began serving his sentence on August 9. The shooting incident was caught on video by a human rights group and spread ..
Russians posed as IS hackers, threatened US military wives
Army wife Angela Ricketts was soaking in a bubble bath in her Colorado home, leafing through a memoir, when a message appeared on her iPhone from hackers threatening to slaughter her family. "Dear Angela!" the Facebook message read. "Bloody Valentine's Day!" "We know everything about you, your husband and your children," the message continued, claiming that the hackers operating under the flag of Islamic State militants had penetrated her computer and her phone. "We're much closer than you can even imagine." Ricketts was one of five military wives who received death threats from the self-styled CyberCaliphate on the morning of Feb. 10, 2015. The warnings led to days of anguished media coverage of Islamic State militants' online reach. Except it wasn't IS. The Associated Press has found evidence that the women were targeted not by jihadists but by the same Russian hacking group that intervened in the American election and exposed the emails of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign ...
Restrictions, shutdown continue in J&K
Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday continued restrictions in parts of Srinagar city and other places in the valley after separatists renewed their appeal for a protest shutdown.
Death toll in Nigeria twin suicide blasts rises to 58
The death toll in the last week's double twin suicide attack in Nigeria rose to 58, a government official said on Monday.The death toll is likely to rise as rescue operations are still on."More people are still being looked for. At the moment, the total number of corpses so far recovered is 58," Zubairu Mai Gwari, emir of the Birnin-Gwari Local Government, was quoted by Anadolu News Agency as saying.On Monday, the Nigerian government tightened security by deploying hundreds of soldiers in the town of Mubi in Adamawa State to prevent any untoward incidents.The bombing attacks took place near a mosque and a market in the town last Tuesday.The incident took place in the town of Mubi in Adamawa State at around 1 pm local time as worshippers amassed for afternoon prayers, CNN reported, police as saying."The first bomber went into the mosque while they were praying and detonated his explosives killing four people," a spokesman for the Adamawa State police, Othman Abubakar told CNN.The ...
J-K: Tourist from TN killed in stone pelting; CM says her head hangs in shame
A 22-year-old tourist from Tamil Nadu died here this evening when a mob went on the rampage near Narbal on the outskirts of the city, police said. R Thirumani, a resident of Chennai, suffered head injuries after being hit by a stone during the rampage in the morning, a police official said. The tourist was taken to the SKIMS hospital at Soura, where he succumbed to injuries, the official added. A case was registered and investigations have been taken up in the matter, the official said. On the killing of the tourist, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said, "My head hangs in shame." "It is very sad and heartbreaking", Mehbooba said after meeting family of tourist killed in Srinagar. Later, Opposition NC Working President Omar Abdullah said, "We've killed a tourist by throwing stones at the vehicle he was travelling in. Let's try and wrap our heads around the fact that we stoned a tourist, a guest, to death while we glorify these stone pelters & their methods." The ...
Pak Terrorist arrested by J-K Police
A Pakistani terrorist, who was absconding following an encounter with security forces earlier in March, was arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir Police on Sunday.On 20th March 2018, when the Kupwara Police, along with Army and Para Military Forces were carrying out a joint cordon and search operation, terrorists, hiding in the forest fired indiscriminately upon the security forces. During the exchange of fire, five unidentified foreign terrorists were killed. Three Army personnel and two Police personnel were martyred, while four security personnel were injured.The accused arrested, Zabiullah, a.k.a. Hamza, a 20-year-old Pakistan national, who had escaped from the spot of the encounter, was arrested by J and K Police on Sunday, following which he was produced before the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court in Jammu, where he was remanded for 10 days NIA custody.During initial questioning, Zabiullah revealed that he had come into India fully armed in March 2018, along with ...
NIA gets 10 day custody of Pakistani militant
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has got 10 days custody of Pakistani militant namely Zabiullah alias Hamza and is questioning him, officials said on Monday.
J-K: Tourist from TN hit in stone-pelting, dies
A tourist from Tamil Nadu, injured during clashes between protesters and security forces on the outskirts of the city here today, died at a hospital, police said. R Thirumani (22), resident of Chennai, suffered head injuries after being hit by a stone during clashes in Narbal area of the summer capital this morning, a police official said. Thirumani was taken to SKIMS hospital at Soura, where he succumbed to the injuries later, the official added. A case was registered and investigations have been taken up, the official said.
3rd edition of UNPCAP underway in Delhi
The third edition of the United Nations Peacekeeping Course for African Partners (UNPCAP) was inaugurated here today to build and enhance the capacity of the African Troop Contributing Countries to the UN. The UNPCAP sessions will be held from May 7-25. The course is conducted by the Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping in India (CUNPK) in partnership with the US, the Indian Army said in a statement. The first and second editions of the course were held in New Delhi in 2016 and 2017, respectively. "The inaugural session for this course was conducted on May 7 at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi. Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Ruchi Ghanashyam, chaired the inaugural session and welcomed the officers while briefing the audience on the commitment of India towards the UN," the statement said. Other eminent speakers included Director General Staff Duties Lt Gen Ajae Kumar Sharma and US Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster. "The course is aimed to build and enhance ...
Entered to attack security forces: LeT terrorist tells NIA
Arrested Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Zabiullah has told the NIA that he had entered India to carry out "large scale attacks" on security forces, National Investigation Agency said today in a statement. He told the agency during the questioning that he had come into India fully armed in March this year, along with five other LeT cadres to target security forces but before he could indulge in an attack, they were confronted by the forces in which members of his team were killed, the NIA said. "He managed to escape from encounter site," it said. 20-year-old Zabiullah, a resident of Bosan Road, Mehmood Kote in Multan, Pakistan, said he came "fully armed" in March this year with 22-year-old Darda of Lahore, 26-year-old Shuram of Multan, 20-year-old Faidullah of Gujrawalan, 19-year-old Ummar of Sindh, 19-year-old Kari of Peshawar, Pakistan. On March 20, during a joint cordon and search operation by the Kupwara police, Army and paramilitary forces, terrorists hiding in the forest fired ...
Swaraj seeks Afghan govt's help in securing release of 7 abducted Indians
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has requested the Afghan government to provide all possible help in freeing the seven Indian engineers abducted by Taliban militants in the restive northern Baghlan province. Swaraj, during a telephonic conversation with her Afghan counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani, conveyed India's concerns about the abducted Indians and requested him for help in tracing and freeing them, official sources said. They said the Afghan Foreign Minister assured Swaraj that his government would make all possible efforts to rescue the abducted Indian engineers. "Rabbani, in the conversation, assured the Indian External Affairs Minister that the Afghan security forces would not spare any efforts in rescuing and ensuring the security and safety of the engineers," the Afghan Foreign Ministry said in a statement. According to Afghan media reports, the engineers were abducted by the militants from near the Cheshma-e-Sher area in Baghlan yesterday. The Indian engineers of KEC .