Page 641 - War Conflict
Militants gun down Congress leader in J&K's Pulwama
A local Congress leader was killed and two policemen injured in a militant attack in south Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district today, officials said. Three persons were injured in firing by militants near the Rajpora Chowk in Pulwama district, a police official said. One of the injured, a political activist identified as Ghulam Nabi Patel, resident of Shadimarg area, succumbed to injuries while being taken to a hospital, he added. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti condemned the killing. "Heartfelt condolences to the family of senior Congress leader G N Patel who was killed by militants today in Rajpora. Such cowardly acts achieve nothing but leave one more family devastated," she tweeted. The other two injured both policemen - were being treated upon at a hospital and their condition was said to be stable, according to the police official. Security forces have cordoned off the area and a hunt has been launched to nab the attackers, he said.
UN peacebuilding does not represent even 1% of peacekeeping budget: India
India has said that the UN's peacebuilding work lacks adequate funding and highlighted that it does not represent even 1 per cent of the organisation's peacekeeping budget. Gitesh Sarma, Additional Secretary at the Ministry of External Affairs, said sustaining peace required a comprehensive understanding of both challenges and opportunities, as well as serious international efforts to ensure greater peace and prosperity. "Concrete action would also require a much greater commitment and longer-term political engagement and investment, including financial contributions to activities that helped build and sustain peace," Sarma said. "While peacekeeping had been largely successful in containing inter-state conflict, it faced limitations in tackling intra-State conflicts," Sarma said in a statement. "The funds available for the United Nations peacebuilding work did not represent even 1 per cent of the Organisation's peacekeeping budget," he said, calling for a serious examination of the ..
Congress leader shot dead in J&K
A Congress leader was killed and his two security guards injured in a militant attack on Tuesday in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, police said.
Militants gun down political activist in J&K's Pulwama
A political activist was killed and two policemen injured in a militant attack in south Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district today, an official said. Three persons were injured in firing by militants near the Rajpora Chowk in Pulwama district, a police official said. He said one of the injured, a political activist identified as Ghulam Nabi, resident of Shadimarg area, succumbed to injuries while being taken to a hospital. The other two injured both policemen - were being treated upon at a hospital and their condition was stated to be stable, he said. Security forces have cordoned off the area and a hunt has been launched to nab the attackers, the official said.
PDP activist shot dead in J&K
An activist of Jammu and Kashmir's ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was killed and his two security guards injured in a militant attack on Tuesday in Pulwama district, police said.
J-K political activist killed, 2 cops injured in firing by militants
A political activist was killed and two police personnel were injured today in a militant attack in south Kashmir's Pulwama district, police said. The militants opened fire near the Rajpora Chowk in Pulwama in which three persons were injured, a police official said. He said one of the injured was political activist Ghulam Nabi, a resident of Shadimarg area, who succumbed to injuries while being taken to a hospital. The official said both the injured policemen are being treated at the hospital and their condition is stated to be stable. The security forces have cordoned off the area and a search has been launched to nab the attackers, the official said.
Tributes paid to Army jawan killed in Tral encounter
The Army today paid floral tributes to Sepoy Ajay Kumar, who was killed during an encounter with militants in Tral area of south Kashmir. The Army paid befitting tribute to late Sepoy Ajay Kumar who attained martyrdom during counter-terrorist operations in Tral, an Army spokesman said in a statement. He said General Officer Commanding of Chinar Corps Lt. Gen A K Bhatt led all ranks in paying homage to the jawan on behalf of the nation in a solemn ceremony at Badamibagh Cantonment here. "In a show of solidarity, representatives from other security agencies also joined in paying their last respects to the martyr, the spokesman said. Kumar sustained bullet injury during the fierce operation in Laam forest in Tral in Pulwama district. He was provided immediate first-aid and evacuated to the 92 Base Hospital, but died later. Four militants were killed in the encounter, in which a policeman also lost his life. Kumar (25) had joined the Army in 2013. He belonged to Panjola village in Sirmaur
Syria regime retakes new region near Damascus: state media
Syria's regime retook control of Eastern Qalamun today after the last rebels and civilians were bussed out of the region near Damascus under an evacuation deal, state media said. Rebels started leaving Eastern Qalamun on Saturday under an agreement between the opposition fighters and the Russia-backed regime. It is the latest in a series of deals for areas previously held by rebels near Damascus as President Bashar al-Assad's regime seeks to seal its grip on the capital. "The operation to bring terrorists with their families out of the areas of Eastern Qalamun has ended and the region is free of terrorism," state television said, using its usual term for rebels. The evacuation deal included the areas of Al-Ruhayba, Jayrud and Al-Nasiriya in Eastern Qalamoun. State television said regime security forces had entered the town of Al-Ruhayba -- some 60 kilometres northeast of Damascus -- today after the last rebels had departed. It broadcast images of Syrians waving the country's red, ...
Australians commemorate 103rd anniversary of WWI battle
Australians gathered around the country, on a Turkish coast and in a French town Wednesday to commemorate the moment when Australian and New Zealand Army Corps troops waded ashore at the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey 103 years ago in their first major battle of World War I. Because extremists have targeted annual ANZAC Day ceremonies in the past, concrete barriers were placed around the service in downtown Sydney to protect those who gathered at Martin Place. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, his French counterpart Edouard Philippe and the heir to the British throne, Prince Charles, will mark ANZAC Day in France with a service that also commemorates the 100th anniversary of Australian troops taking the town of Villers-Bretonneux from the Germans. Villers-Bretonneux is now home to the main Australian Memorial of the Western Front. At Villers-Bretonneux, Turnbull and Philippe on Tuesday unveiled a memorial plaque at the new Sir John Monash Centre museum which is named after the ...
Taliban rejects Afghan government's peace offer, announces spring offensive
The Taliban on Wednesday announced the start of the new spring offensive, rejecting a proposal for dialogue from the Afghan government, describing it as an attempt to "cheat and conspire".
Afghan Taliban announce fresh offensive in apparent snub to peace efforts
The Taliban launched their annual spring offensive today, in an apparent rejection of calls for the militants to take up the Afghan government's offer of peace talks. Operation Al Khandaq -- named after a famous seventh century battle in Medina in which Muslim fighters defeated "infidel" invaders -- will target US forces and "their intelligence agents" as well as their "internal supporters", a Taliban statement said. The Taliban said the offensive was partly a response to US President Donald Trump's new strategy for Afghanistan announced last August, which gave US forces more leeway to go after insurgents. The annual spring offensive traditionally marks the start of the so-called fighting season, though this winter the Taliban continued to battle Afghan and US forces. The group also launched a series of devastating attacks in the Afghan capital Kabul, killing and wounding hundreds of civilians. Al Khandaq will mainly focus on "crushing, killing and capturing American invaders and ...
Russia says expects to sign deal with India on S-400 missiles sale: Ifax
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia said on Wednesday that it expected to sign a deal with India this year on the sale of S-400 surface-to-air missiles, the Interfax news agency reported.
Security forces nab NSCN(IM) and NSCN(K) cadre in Arunachal
Security forces have nabbed two militants of different factions of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland during separate operations in Arunachal Pradesh, a defence spokesman said. Arms and ammunition were found from their possession and the cadre confessed their plans of extortion from the locals, the spokesman said. The Assam Rifles personnel nabbed NSCN(IM) cadre Wangphai Wangsu from Longding district yesterday and NSCN (K) militant Wangphiak Lowang from Muktwa village in Tirap district on Monday. Wangsu was apprehended during an operation in Longphong area of Longding district, the defence spokesman Col Chiranjeet Konwer said. Arms and ammunition were recovered from his possession. During interrogation the cadre confessed that he was trying to carry out extortion from locals and businessmen of Longphong area, the spokesman said. The cadre was recruited by the banned outfit in 2015 and was wanted by the police in connection with extortion. Based on specific ...
Two police officers, civilian shot in Dallas, suspect on the run
Two police officers were shot and critically wounded outside a home improvement store in the US state of Texas, police said. The suspect, identified by police as 29-year-old Armando Luis Juarez, is still at large. Police said he may have fled in a white pickup truck. A civilian was also shot and the incident sparked a manhunt, police said. The incident began yesterday when an off-duty officer at the Home Depot called to request backup officers for an arrest. The two officers who responded to the call were wounded, police chief Rene Hall said. A civilian who was working as a loss prevention officer at the store was also injured, police said. The three injured were being treated at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, police chief Rene Hall told reporters. She declined to give their names or more details about their condition. The suspect is considered dangerous, Hall said, adding it is unclear, "how he was able to get a gun and shoot all three of the victims". Earlier yesterday, Dallas .
9 injured in clash over harassment of women
At least nine people were injured in a clash between two groups after a few women were allegedly harassed during a marriage function at Miranpur town here, a police official said today. According to him, the women were allegedly harassed by Imran and Amir Azam last night. Their family members confronted the accused, and a clash ensued, the official said. The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital.
Pak may soon have world's third largest nuke stockpile
Pakistan is well on its way to amassing the world's third largest nuclear weapons stockpile and its decision to deploy low-yield (5 to 10 kiloton) battlefield weapons, represents a dangerous new strategy that could have a telling impact on South Asia's future stability, claims a military history and world affairs expert.In an article written for the www.military.com website, Joseph V. Micallef, a best-selling military history and world affairs author and a keynote speaker, warns that if Islamabad continues in this vein, there is every possibility of nuclear device or devices falling into the hands of militant jihadist organisations, both in Pakistan and in other parts of the world.In his article, Micallef says, "Pakistan's past ties to militant jihadist groups like the Afghan Taliban, Tehreek-e-Jihad Islami, Jaish-e-Muhammad, Lashkar-e-Taiba or Hizbul Mujahideen, to name a few, and the emergence of al-Qaida affiliated Ansar Ghawzat-Ul-Hind, have added an additional element of conflict
UN peacebuilding efforts held back by lack of funding: India
The UN's peacebuilding efforts are struggling due to a lack of political will to back them up with sufficient funds, India has told a high-level meeting here.
Won't let their sacrifice go in vain: 74th Battalion Commandant on Sukma martyrs
Commemorating the first death anniversary of the 25 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans, who lost their lives in a Naxal attack in Sukma's Burkapal, the Commandant CRPF, 74th Battalion, Parveen Kumar, pledged to not let their sacrifice go in vain."On first death anniversary of 25 CRPF jawans who lost their lives in Sukma's Burkapal last year we have determined that we will not allow their sacrifice to go in vain," said Kumar.On April 24th, 2017, in what turned out to be one of the deadliest attacks on security forces, nearly 300 Naxals ambushed a CRPF patrol belonging to the 74th battalion, claiming 25 lives and injuring a further 6.
Centre's AFSPA move evokes mixed response in Arunachal, Meghalaya
The Centre's decision to withdraw AFSPA from Meghalaya and parts of Arunachal Pradesh has evoked mixed response from the political parties of the two states. In Arunachal Pradesh, the ruling BJP maintained a cautious stance on the issue, while the Congress sought total withdrawal of the "draconian law" from the state. The areas of the state that come under the controversial Act have been reduced from 16 police stations, bordering Assam, to eight police stations, besides Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts. State Congress president Takam Sanjoy said the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, which empowers security forces to conduct operations and arrest individuals without prior notice, is "not relevant" in a peaceful state like Arunachal Pradesh. "When the Centre can lift the Act from (entire) Meghalaya, why not in Arunachal Pradesh? There are no records of terrorist activities in the state over the past several years. There are other laws to deal with such activities and AFSPA would
Meghalaya welcomes Centre's move to repeal AFSPA
The Centre's decision to repeal AFSPA from Meghalaya was today unanimously welcomed by political parties, students' organisations and church leaders of the state. Meghalaya home minister James K Sangma said he was grateful to the Union government for considering the state's request of revoking the The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act from the state. "We are thankful to the Centre for responding to the Meghalaya government's request for denotification of AFSPA in the Garo Hills areas, adjoining Assam," he told PTI, adding militancy has been "by and large contained" in the state and this was made possible by the Meghalaya police. A home ministry official had yesterday said the Centre has revoked AFSPA, which empowers security forces to conduct operations and arrest individuals without prior notice, from the entire state of Meghalaya and parts of Arunachal Pradesh, with effect from March 31. Lauding the Centre's move, the Congress credited the erstwhile Mukul Sangma-led government for ..