Page 657 - War Conflict
IAF conducts long range bombing exercise
The Indian Air Force on Saturday conducted long range bombing exercise as a part its biggest ever its biggest combat drill Gagan Shakti, 2018.The Indian Air Force is showcasing its reach and preparedness in this drill, which started from April 10 and will continue till April 23.On Friday, the bombers exercised long range bombing operations where the aircraft got airborne from Kalaikonda and exercised bombing over the area of Lakshadweep and returned back.In between the air refuellers refuelled the bombers for their long reach and again did the refuelling on the way back.It shows the preparedness to respond and reach over the Indian Ocean region in case of any contingency.Indian Air Force is doing it biggest ever exercise Gagan Shakti 2018, and has mobilised more than 1100 combat, transport and rotary wing (helicopter) aircraft in order to practice the real time scenario of Combat with the enemy encompassing along Pakistan border in the Western areas and along China border in the ...
Blasts shake Damascus as US and allies launch Syria strikes
The United States, Britain and France carried out a wave of pre-dawn strikes against Syria's regime today in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack, lighting up the sky of Damascus as explosions shook the city. Branding last week's alleged gas attack the "crimes of a monster", US President Donald Trump announced the action against President Bashar al-Assad's regime in a White House address, defying fierce warnings from Damascus ally Russia. A few minutes later, an AFP correspondent in Damascus heard a series of huge blasts and residents rushed to their balconies. For around 45 minutes, explosions echoed and the sound of warplanes roared over the city, as flashes flared in the distance. When dawn broke, plumes of smoke could be seen rising from the city's north and east. In the biggest foreign military action so far against Syria's regime, Western officials said a barrage of cruise and air-to-land missiles hit what they said were sites linked to chemical weapons ...
Iraq election campaigning begins amid controversy
Campaigning began today for Iraqi parliamentary elections with some candidates embroiled in controversy after aides pulled down pictures of fighters killed in combat with jihadists and replaced them with their own posters. Around 7,000 candidates have registered to stand in the May 12 poll, with 329 parliamentary seats up for grabs. As the clock struck midnight yesterday, volunteer workers spread across the country to put up posters of the candidates, AFP reporters said. "At midnight sharp, they began pulling down pictures of the martyrs and replaced them with posters of the thieves," said Baghdad resident Settar Tourki. Martyrs refer to the thousands of government forces and allied militiamen killed fighting to push back the Islamic State group after the jihadists launched a sweeping offensive in 2014. Pictures of these forces killed in combat dot the streets of Baghdad and major cities and towns. Social media users cried foul as pictures of politicians, referred to by some in Iraq ..
UN Security Council to meet over Syria strikes
The UN Security Council will meet today at Russia's request to discuss air strikes launched by the United States, France and Britain on Syria in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will brief the council during the public meeting scheduled for 1500 GMT, a UN official said. Guterres said in a statement earlier that all countries should "show restraint in these dangerous circumstances and to avoid any acts that could escalate the situation and worsen the suffering of the Syrian people." Western officials said a barrage of cruise and air-to-land missiles hit what they said were sites linked to chemical weapons development. The one-night operation hit three targets: a scientific research facility in the Damascus area, a chemical weapons storage site west of the city of Homs and a command post near Homs, the US military said. Russia has warned that any military action against Syria would be in violation of international law as it was carried .
India to host India-Wiesbaden Conference on April 16-17
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in cooperation with Germany and the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) will host the India-Wiesbaden Conference 2018 in the national capital on April 16-17.Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) will be the industry partner for the event.The title of the Conference is 'Securing Global Supply Chains through Government-Industry Partnerships towards Effective Implementation of UNSC Resolution 1540'.Representatives from the 39 countries, as well as experts from the UNSC 1540 Committee and UN Office for Disarmament Affairs in New York, will be participating in the two-day conference.The conference provides an opportunity to participants to share experiences on their export control systems and to identify legal and technical assistance, action plans and challenges in the national implementation of UNSC 1540.The UN Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004) establishes legally binding obligations on all States to .
Phagwara remains tense after clash over Ambedkar poster
Punjab Police on Saturday remained on high alert in Phagwara town following a clash between the Hindu and Dalit groups over a poster of Babasaheb B.R. Ambedkar.
Officials: 4 kids, 2 police killed in Afghan attacks
An Afghan official says that at least four young children have been killed after a rocket fired by an insurgent hit their house in southern Helmand province. Omar Zwak, spokesman for the provincial governor in Helmand, said today that another child was wounded in late last night's attack in Nad Ali district. No one claimed responsibility for the attack, but Taliban insurgents are active and in control of most of Helmand districts. In a separate report, at least two police officers were killed after insurgents attacked their check point in western Farah province, said Mohammad Naser Mehri, spokesman for the provincial governor in Farah. Two other policemen were wounded in the attack place last night near Farah city, the capital of the province, Mehri said.
Joint strikes on Syria violate UN charter: China
China on Saturday criticized the joint attack carried out by the US, the UK and France in Syria and said it violated the UN Charter, complicating further the conflict's solution.
158 recruits pass out from Mahar Regiment Centre in MP's Sagar
The oath of affirmation was administered to 158 young soldiers who passed out of the Mahar Regiment Centre here after a rigorous military course of 34 weeks, Army officials said today. They were administered the oath at the Passing Out ceremony yesterday by the Centre's officiating commandant, Colonel Brajesh Singh, who asked the young soldiers to perform selfless service and to be prepared to meet existing operational challenges, an Army release stated today. The Colonel recounted the contribution of gallant and brave Mahar soldiers who achieved martyrdom in the service of the nation. The release informed that the recruits were presented with medals for excelling in various fields including drill, physical training, firing among others. The "Gaurav Padak" was also presented to the proud parents of young soldiers in the presence of army personnel, civil dignitaries and students of local schools attending the parade, the release said. The Mahars have a long tradition of ..
Russia, Syria slam US, allies for 'exacerbating humanitarian catastrophe'
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday slammed the US and its allies for carrying out a military strike on Syria, saying that Washington was "increasingly exacerbating the humanitarian catastrophe in Syria" as he called for an immediate UN Security Council meeting to discuss the "aggressive action".
'Large part' of Syria chemical arsenal destroyed: France
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said today that missile strikes carried out overnight in Syria by Britain, France and the US had destroyed a "large part" of the Damascus government's stocks of chemical weapons. "A large part of its chemical arsenal has been destroyed," Le Drian told BFM television. "A lot has been destroyed in last night's strikes." He also said France had "solid intelligence" that the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was behind the gas attack in the rebel-held city of Douma last weekend, which monitors say killed at least 40 people. "On the question of chemical weapons, there is a red line that must not be crossed, and if it should be crossed again, there will be another intervention," Le Drian said. "But I think the lesson has been learned.
Theresa May declares Syria air strikes successful
Air strikes by Britain, France and the United States in Syria sent a "clear message" against the use of chemical weapons, British Prime Minister Theresa May said today and declared the action as successful. The British Prime Minister told reporters at a Downing Street press conference on Saturday that the coordinated strikes to degrade the Bashar al-Assad led Syrian regime's chemical weapons capability involved four Royal Air Force (RAF) Tornado GR 4s. "This collective action sends a clear message that the international community will not stand by and tolerate the use of chemical weapons," she said. The tornadoes launched storm shadow missiles at a military facility some 15 miles west of Homs, where the Assad regime was assessed to have kept chemical weapons in breach of Syria's obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention. "While the full assessment of the strike is ongoing, we are confident of its success it was a limited, targeted and effective strike with clear boundaries ...
Germany backs 'necessary and appropriate' strikes in Syria: Merkel
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said today the air strikes against the Syrian regime were "necessary and appropriate" after the suspected chemical weapons attacks that killed dozens in Douma. "We support the fact that our US, British and French allies ... assumed their responsibilities. The military intervention was necessary and appropriate," Merkel said in a statement. "Everything leads us to believe that (Assad) bears responsibility" for the Douma attack, Merkel said. The chancellor on Thursday had ruled out Germany joining any military action against Syria. Today she said it appeared likely that the Syrian regime "had used chemical weapons against its own people on several occasions in the past". Merkel added: "A century after the end of World War I... we must fight against the erosion of the (international) convention on chemical weapons". "Germany will undertake, in a determined way, diplomatic efforts to support this," Merkel said.
South Africa bids farewell to Winnie Madikizela-Mandela
Millions of South Africans were saying goodbye to anti-apartheid icon Winnie Madikizela-Mandela as her emotionally charged official funeral began today in Soweto, where she lived until her death on April 2 at 81. Thousands of mourners packed a 40,000-seat stadium to bid farewell to the powerful figure who will be buried as a national hero, after lively debate over how she should be remembered. Often called the "Mother of the Nation" and "Mama Winnie," Madikizela-Mandela fought to keep South Africa's anti-apartheid struggle in the international spotlight while her husband, Nelson Mandela, was imprisoned. Condolences have poured in from around the world in remembrance of one of the 20th century's most prominent political activists. Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, who attended the funeral, said on Friday that Madikizela-Mandela was responsible for making the anti-apartheid movement "a global struggle." "She never stopped fighting. She never stopped serving," he told reporters. "She ...
Egypt army says 27 jihadists killed in Sinai operation
Egypt's military said today that 27 jihadists were killed over the last few days in a sweeping operation in the Sinai to quash extremists based in the peninsula. Six of the jihadists were killed by aerial bombardment on their hideouts while 12 died in a shoot out with police forces, the military said in a statement. It did not say how the other nine were killed. Security forces also arrested 114 suspects and found and destroyed a training camp which included a shooting range, an obstacle course and an underground conference room, it said. The military did not say whether any of the security forces were killed in the last few days. More than 100 jihadists and at least 22 soldiers have been killed in the wider-ranging operation launched on February 9, according to army figures. Security forces have sought to quell attacks by an Egyptian jihadist group that later declared allegiance to the Islamic State group (IS) since the military ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, ...
Egypt extends its state of emergency for 3 months
President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has extended a state of emergency in Egypt for another three months. The decree says the armed forces and police should take all necessary measures "to confront the threats and funding of terrorism and maintain security throughout the country." It was published Saturday in the official gazette. The state of emergency has been in place since April 2017 after bombings struck two Coptic Christian churches on Palm Sunday, later claimed by the extremist Islamic State group. In February, Egypt began a wide-scale anti-militant operation mainly in the restive Sinai Peninsula, the epicenter of a years-long Islamic insurgency. It involves land, sea and air forces and covers parts of Egypt's Nile Delta and the Western Desert, along the porous border with Libya.
Canada backs Western strikes on Syria: PM
Canadian Prime Minister Justin has expressed his support for punitive strikes carried out by the US, Britain and France against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime. "Canada supports the decision by the United States, the United Kingdom, and France to take action to degrade the Assad regime's ability to launch chemical weapons attacks against its own people," Trudeau said in a statement Friday. The strikes came after an alleged chemical weapons attack on the rebel-held town of Douma that killed more than 40 people, according to medics and rescuers. General Joe Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the strikes hit targets related to Syria's chemical weapons program -- a scientific research center near Damascus, a weapons storage facility west of Homs, and a third location nearby containing a command post and an equipment storage facility.
4 injured in clash between two groups in Phagwara
Four persons were injured in a clash between two groups that took place last night over the installation of a board and renaming of a 'chowk' (roundabout) here, police said today. Several vehicles were also damaged during the clashes as members of both the groups pelted stones at each other, they said. The incident took place when members of a group allegedly installed a board carrying a picture of B R Ambedkar at 'Gol Chowk' here on the national highway one. They also tried to rename it 'Savidhan Chowk'. However, the members of another group objected to it that led to a clash between both the groups, police said. Jimmy, son of Inderjit Karwal, Vice President Shiv Sena Bal Thackeray were among those who were injured. Punjab Shiv Sena Vice President Rajesh Palta was allegedly thrashed by members of the opposite group. Some shots were also fired during the clash, police said. Police personnel brought the situation under control. Meanwhile, tension prevailed in the city today following ..
Pakistan violates ceasefire in J-K's Rajouri
Pakistani troops today violated the ceasefire by resorting to unprovoked and indiscriminate firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, prompting retaliation from this side, officials said. A defence spokesperson said there was no report of any casualty in the skirmishes, which continued for several hours. Pakistani troops started the unprovoked and indiscriminate firing from across the border in Nowshera sector around 8.30 am, the spokesperson said. A police official said the Bhawani area was targeted by the Pakistani troops with small and medium weapons and mortar guns, causing panic among the residents. There has been spurt in the ceasefire violations along the LoC and the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir this year, resulting in the death of 29 persons, including 15 security personnel, in over 650 such incidents.
Nine militants dead, 5 wounded in premature blast in Afghanistan
At least nine militants have been killed and five others wounded after an explosive device exploded prematurely in a Taliban commander's house in Afghanistan's Dand-e-Shahabuddin area of Baghlan province.Several Taliban insurgents had gathered inside the house of Taliban leader Gul Ahmad in Wardak village, when the incident took place, Khaama Press, reported, citing the Afghan military, as saying.The Afghan military has confirmed the figures of dead and wounded.According to the report, the anti-government armed militant groups often use explosive materials for the roadside and car bombings to target the government staff and security personnel.However, in majority of these incidents civilians are targeted, a few casualties are incurred on the security personnel and in some cases the militants are themselves blown away, ending up either dead or wounded.