Page 630 - War Conflict
Nigeria blasts kill 24: Reports
At least 24 people were killed on Tuesday in a double suicide attack on a mosque and a market in northeast Nigeria.The death toll is likely to increase.The incident took place in the town of Mubi in Adamawa State at around 1pm local time as worshippers amassed for afternoon prayers, CNN reported, police as saying.No terror outfit or group has claimed the responsibility for the attack. However, the Islamist militant group Boko Haram has launched previous attacks in Mubi, according to the reports."The first bomber went into the mosque while they were praying and detonated his explosives killing four people," spokesman for the Adamawa State police, Othman Abubakar told CNN.The second bomber who was a few hundred meters afar detonated his device as well, as worshippers fled the mosque, which claimed another 20 lives.The bombings come just a day after suicide bombers killed four people in Maiduguri, Borno State.It is pertinent to mention that this also came a day after Nigeria's President
At least 16 killed in C.African flare-up
At least 16 people were killed and nearly a hundred wounded today in clashes between militia and security forces in the capital of the Central African Republic, sources said. The UN mission MINUSCA said it stepped up patrols after the fighting erupted in Bangui's mainly Muslim PK5 district -- an area that has become a flashpoint in a country weakened by sectarian violence and dogged by militia rule. Security sources in PK5 said a shootout started after men in a militia group which is led by an individual calling himself Force rammed through a roadblock. Hospital sources said at least 16 people died, including a priest and a child, while 96 people were being treated for wounds. The priest was named as Toungoumale Baba, who died in the nearby district of Fatima, a church source said earlier. There were no immediate details about the circumstances of his death. As hostile crowds gathered at various points in the city, UN mission MINUSCA said it sent patrols "to secure the [PK5] zone and .
Army's 'Vijay Prahar' exercise underway in Rajasthan
Over 20,000 troops of the strike formations of the Army's South Western Command are engaged in the "Vijay Prahar" exercise to fine-tune the Army's jointmanship with the Indian Air Force (IAF) near Suratgarh in Rajasthan. The exercise is being held in the wake of the IAF testing its might in the "Gagan Shakti" exercise in the western sector of Rajasthan, which shares an over-1,000-kms border with Pakistan. During the exercise, the formations are practising and operationalising certain concepts of operating in the network-centric environment, integrated employment of modern-day sensors with the weapon platforms, employment of attack helicopters in the air cavalry role and a bold offensive of application of the Special Forces. The exercise that began a couple of weeks ago will conclude on May 9 and Army chief General Bipin Rawat and other senior officers are likely to witness the final phase. "Strike formations of the command are going through the exercise in the Mahajan area, near ...
More than 60 killed in NE Nigeria suicide blasts
Suicide bombers killed more than 60 people at a mosque and a market in northeast Nigeria on Tuesday, in a twin attack bearing the hallmarks of Boko Haram and a day after US President Donald Trump pledged greater support to fight the Islamist militants. The blasts, said to have been carried out by young boys, happened shortly after 1:00 pm (1200 GMT) in Mubi, some 200 kilometres (125 miles) from the Adamawa state capital, Yola. Imam Garki, from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), said a joint assessment with the police and Red Cross found that 26 people were killed and 56 were injured, 11 of them critically. They were transferred to the Federal Medical Centre in Yola for treatment. But a medical source at the Mubi General Hospital said they had received 37 bodies, while a rescue worker involved in the relief operation said he counted 42 dead and 68 injured. "These I saw with my own eyes. We were counting as they were being taken," said Sani Kakale. Two local residents who
More than 60 killed in northeast Nigeria suicide blasts: residents
More than 60 people were killed in twin suicide bombings in Mubi, northeast Nigeria, today, two local residents who attended funerals of the victims told AFP. One, Muhammad Hamidu, said: "I took part in the burial of 68 people. More bodies were being brought by families of the victims." Another, Abdullahi Labaran, said: "We left 73 freshly dug graves where each victim was buried.
NATO mission to continue till Taliban driven to political settlement: Mattis
The NATO mission to Afghanistan would continue till the time the Taliban are driven to a political settlement, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said today. In a brief interaction with reporters, Mattis said the Pentagon never promised things would be getting better in Afghanistan anytime soon. "I don't know that's been the message from this building, I would not subscribe to that," he said in response to a question. "We said last August NATO is going to hold the line, we knew there would be tough fighting going forward. The murder of journalists and other innocent people is a great testimony to what it is we stand for and more importantly what we stand against," he said. His comments come a day after a double suicide blast in Kabul killed 25 people, including an AFP photographer and at least eight other journalists. The Afghan military is being made more capable, Mattis said, adding that more of the forces are special forces, advised and assisted, accompanied by NATO mentors and these .
Indian, Chinese troops meet to mark Labour Day
Indian and Chinese armies held a special border personnel meeting in Leh's Chushul sector to mark the Labour Day.In this regard, a cultural programme was organised wherein families of troops of both sides took part in.According to an official statement, the meeting was organised to build trust between the two armies deployed on the border.Also, sweets were exchanged at Wacha border post in Arunachal Pradesh.
Gandhidham tense over FB post on Maheshwari community head
Tension gripped Gandhidham city in Gujarat's Kutch district today after members of the Maheshwari community resorted to stone pelting over a social media post which they claimed has portrayed their religious head Dhani Matand Dev in derogatory manner, police said. As the word spread, members of the community gathered at Oslo Circle in the city and placed burning tyres on road. They also stopped vehicles entering Kutch and hurled stones, prompting the police to baton charge the mob and lob tear gas shells, said a police official. The community members were demanding action against those who uploaded the "offensive" post on Facebook. "As the mob suddenly started pelting stones, police resorted to baton charge and lobbed around ten tear gas shells to disperse them," the official said, adding that around ten police personnel were injured in the incident while some police vehicles were also damaged. The situation is under control now, he said, adding that nobody is detained so
Police seize hand grenade from cable TV office
The police today seized a hand grenade from the office of a local cable television network here today, police said. The employees of the cable TV network found the grenade in the office located at Paona Bazar here and informed the police. Bomb squad personnel went there and removed the hand grenade from there, police said. It was not known who kept the hand grenade there and for what purpose.
6 dead in new fighting in Central African Republic's capital
The aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres says six people are dead and more than 50 others are wounded after fighting resumed in Central African Republic's capital. The group says the wounded sustained gunshot wounds during Tuesday's violence in the PK5 and Fatima neighbourhoods. Anne-Marie Boyeldieu, the head of the aid group's mission in Central African Republic, calls on residents to respect the work of medical staff "regardless of their background, religious or political affiliations." Anger has been high among some Bangui residents after the UN peacekeeping mission and local security forces launched a joint operation in the largely Muslim neighborhood of PK5 in early April to arrest armed criminal groups. The corpses of 17 civilians were laid out in front of the UN peacekeeping offices in protest shortly afterward.
Airstrikes kill 23 in IS-held territory in Syria
Airstrikes killed at least 23 civilians on Tuesday in one of the last pockets of Islamic State-controlled territory in Syria, according to Syrian state media and an opposition-linked monitoring group, as US-backed forces in the area announced they have resumed their campaign against the extremists. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it was not clear if the airstrikes in the Hassakeh province were carried out by the US-led coalition or the Iraqi air force. It said the strikes killed 10 children, six women and seven elderly people. The state-run Syrian News Agency said 25 civilians were killed in the airstrikes south of the town of Shadadi, blaming the US-led coalition. The strikes took place in an area where the U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces are battling IS. Lelwa Abdullah, an SDF spokeswoman in the adjacent Deir el-Zour province, said Tuesday the final phase of a large operation against IS in eastern Syria has begun. She said the SDF will
Twin blasts at mosque in northern Nigeria kill at least 24
A pair of explosions killed at least 24 worshippers at a mosque in northeastern Nigeria, with many of the victims caught in the second blast while trying to flee, police said today. The attack in Mubi town came a day after President Muhammadu Buhari met with US President Donald Trump at the White House and discussed the threat from the Nigeria-based Boko Haram extremist group. Its fighters were quickly blamed for today's blasts. This is the second time in six months that dozens have been killed in an attack on a Mubi mosque. In November, a teenage suicide bomber attacked worshippers as they gathered for morning prayers, killing at least 50 people in one of the region's deadliest assaults in years. "As I am talking to you now, 24 persons are confirmed dead and the scene is cordoned off by anti-bomb squads and other security personnel," said Adamawa state police spokesman Othman Abubakar. One resident, Isa Danladi, said he had been about to leave his house near the mosque when he heard .
At least 24 killed in NE Nigeria blasts: police
Two dozen people were killed in suicide bomb attacks at a mosque and market in the northeastern Nigerian town of Mubi today, police told AFP giving a provisional toll, but others gave a higher figure. "For now (the death toll) is 24," said Adamawa state police spokesman Othman Abubakar. However, rescue worker Sani Kakale said: "In my presence, 42 dead bodies were taken to hospital and 68 injured.
Afghan security forces shrinking sharply: US watchdog
The strength of the Afghan security forces has declined sharply over the last year, a US government watchdog has said amid reports of desertions and high casualty rates.
Afghan airstrike on Taliban kills 6 civilians
An Afghan official says an airstrike targeting Taliban fighters has killed six civilians in the southern Helmand province. Mir Ahmad, a provincial council member in Helmand, says two other civilians were wounded in the airstrike by the Afghan air force yesterday in the Nad Ali district. He says the strike killed around a dozen Taliban insurgents. Omar Zwak, spokesman for the provincial governor, confirmed the airstrike but said all the killed and wounded were Taliban members. Elsewhere in Helmand province, a roadside bomb struck a vehicle in the Gareshk district, killing at least three civilians, according to the district chief, Mohammad Saleem Roodi. Thousands of mourners have attended a memorial ceremony for AFP's chief photographer in Afghanistan who was killed along with eight other reporters in a double suicide bombing by the Islamic State group in Kabul the previous day. Relatives, friends and government officials all gathered to pay tribute to Shah Maria and extend condolences .
Taliban attacks in Kabul aim to grab global attention: Mattis
The Taliban and its affiliated groups are carrying out major terrorist attacks inside the Afghan capital to grab international media attention ahead of an election in October, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said. A double suicide blast in Kabul killed 25 people yesterday including an AFP photographer and at least eight other journalists. "We anticipated that they would do their best to try to bring bombs right into Kabul. They want them reported," Mattis said here. "They need international media to, basically, broadcast this going on so they can undercut through those kinds of attacks, what's obviously setting them on their backfoot diplomatically, militarily. So it's been anticipated," he said. Asserting that there have been a number of attacks that have been stopped, he regretted that the terrorist groups have gotten through on a few occasions, and in some cases they are targeting the locations where voting will either be going on or registration for polls is being ...
Central Command celebrates its 55th Raising Day
The Indian Army's city-headquartered Central Command celebrated its 55th Raising Day on Tuesday, a defence official said.
Security forces seize IED, gun
Security forces today seized an improvised explosive device (IED), a gun and wires from Dhelkahi hills in Bihar's Aurangabad district, police said. Acting on a tip off that Maoists had hidden some explosive materials and arms in Dhelkahi hills, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and police personnel carried out a search operation in the area, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Rajesh Kumar Singh said. The team found a 2 kg IED, a gun and wire to detonate bombs from the hill, the ASP said. The Maoists had hidden the explosives material with a view to detonating the bomb when securitymen would cross the area, Singh said.
Mehbooba condemns killing of 3 youths in Baramulla
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today condemned the killing of three youths by Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT) militants last night at the Old Baramulla town in Jammu and Kashmir. The deceased -- Asif Ahmad Sheikh, Haseeb Ahmad Khan and Mohmmad Asgar -- all in their early 20s, were residents of Kakkar Hamam in Baramulla, police said. The chief minister said she was pained to see young boys getting killed in an unending cycle of violence which, she reiterated, ought to be put to an end. Mufti extended sympathies to bereaved families.
20,000 Indian soldiers sharpen military manoeuvres near Pakistan border
Over 20,000 soldiers from the strike formations of the Indian Army have been engaging in a military drill near the border with Pakistan in Rajasthan.