Page 666 - War Conflict
3 Afghan National Police soldiers killed in blast
At least three Afghan National Police (ANP) soldiers were killed and one wounded in two separate incidents of military clashes and an explosion at Afghan provinces.As per a security official named Safar Mohammad, one soldier was killed in a clash that took place with the Taliban militant group on the Dawlat Abad-Qaramqol highway in the Qaramqol district, reported by the Tolo News.Further in a separate incident, two officials of Afghan National Army including Qaramqol's district deputy director of the criminal department were killed and a soldier was wounded in a roadside bomb in Qaramqol district.Earlier today, a blast took place near a mosque in the Herat province claiming lives of six people including four children.
Indonesian militant given 9 years jail for inciting attacks
An Indonesian court sentenced an Islamic militant to nine years in prison today for masterminding a double suicide bombing last year that targeted police at a bus terminal in Jakarta. Kiki Muhammad Iqbal, 38, was among six suspected militants who were arrested days after the attack, in which two bombers blew themselves up, killing three policemen and themselves. The attack also wounded 12 people, both police and civilians. The suspects were believed to be members of Jemaah Anshorut Daulah, a network of about two dozen Indonesian extremist groups that formed in 2015 and pledges allegiance to Islamic State group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The network, which the United States has designated a terrorist grouping, has been implicated in a number of attacks in Indonesia over the past year. A panel of three judges at North Jakarta District Court ruled that Iqbal had organized and incited others to launch the suicide attacks through his jihadist sermons at a mosque in Bandung, the capital ..
US confirms top IS commander in Afghanistan killed in airstrike
US Forces confirmed today they had killed a top Islamic State commander in Afghanistan in an airstrike, describing the leader as "key" to foreign fighters entering the country's north. Qari Hikmatullah -- also spelled Hekmat -- and his bodyguard were killed in the northern province of Faryab on Thursday, US Forces-Afghanistan said in a statement. The airstrike happened in Bal Chiragh district, the statement said. That borders Darzab district in Jowzjan province, which Afghan officials on Saturday had given as the location of the airstrike. Some had also said the incident happened on Friday. Hikmatullah was a "native Uzbek" who previously belonged to other militant groups, including the Taliban, before joining IS's local franchise in northern Afghanistan, US Forces said. The group has established a stronghold in Jowzjan after coming under intense pressure in the eastern province of Nangarhar. Afghanistan's defence ministry said on Saturday that Hikmatullah was involved in or ...
China wary as Japan unveils first marine unit since WW II
China today reacted warily to Japan establishing a new amphibious special unit, saying Tokyo's military moves were being followed closely by its Asian neighbours "for historical reasons." Japan and China have a long history of territorial disputes over islands in the East China Sea, in particular a rocky, uninhabited island chain known as the Diaoyu Islands in Beijing and the Senkaku in Tokyo. The Japanese Self Defense Force debuted their newly formed Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade (ARDB) on Saturday, at a military display near Sasebo, on the southwestern tip of Kyushu Island. About 1,500 members of the new unit conducted a public exercise, camouflaged with khaki stripes, imitating recapturing a Japanese island from an invading army. The unit gives Japan its first marine troops since World War II. In an editorial, Chinese state media tabloid Global Times said Asia needed to watch Japan's "militarism revival." "Some question if the Japanese government may consider using ...
Defence Ministry inks Rs 639 crore BPJ contract
The Defence Ministry today signed a contract with a defence firm for procurement of 1.86 lakh bullet proof jackets for the Army at a cost of Rs 639 crore. In a statement, the ministry said the contract was finalised after "successful" field evaluation trials. The contract has been bagged by indigenous defence manufacturer SMPP Pvt Ltd. "A major contract through capital procurement route, for procurement of 1,86,138 Bullet Proof Jackets (BPJs) has been signed," it said. It said the new BPJs will provide "360 degree protection" to the soldier in combat, including from hard "steel core" bullets. "These bulletproof jackets will have 'boron carbide ceramic' which is the lightest material for ballistic protection. This makes SMPP BPJs the best of the class and will be able to provide ballistic protection at the lowest possible weight," Chairman and Managing Director of SMPP S C Kansal said. The company said the size of the contract is Rs 639 crore. The Defence Ministry said the new BPJs ...
'I don't rule anything out': Mattis on taking action in Syria
US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis today pointed toward Russia's role in a suspected poison gas attack on the Syrian rebel-held town of Douma, and said he would not rule out a military response. Russia was supposed to guarantee the disposal of Syria's stockpile of chemical weapons in September 2013, but President Bashar al-Assad's regime is suspected of conducting repeated gas attacks since then. "The first thing we have to look at is why are chemical weapons still being used at all when Russia was the framework guarantor of removing all the chemical weapons," Mattis said at the Pentagon in a meeting with his Qatari counterpart. "Working with our allies and our partners from NATO to Qatar and elsewhere, we are going to address this issue ... I don't rule out anything right now." Syria has been accused multiple times of using toxic weapons including sarin gas in the country's seven-year war, which has killed more than 350,000 people. Backed by Moscow, Assad has waged a seven-week assault .
Indonesia suicide bomb mastermind jailed for nine years
The convicted mastermind of a deadly twin bombing in Jakarta last year claimed by the Islamic State group was sentenced to nine years in prison today. Kiki Muhamad Iqbal, 38, was found guilty of organising the suicide attacks that killed three policemen and injured a dozen others at a busy bus station in the sprawling capital. Ahmad Sukri and Ikhwan Nur Salam, who blew themselves up in the huge explosions in May 2017, said in court they attended a mosque where Iqbal gave fiery sermons calling on Muslims to "die as martyrs". "(The defendant has been) proven, legally and convincingly, of committing the crime of plotting and mobilising others to commit a criminal act of terrorism," presiding judge Purwanto told the North Jakarta court. It was less than the 12-year jail term that prosecutors had demanded. Iqbal, who was arrested two weeks after the bombings, pleaded not guilty and said he had no knowledge that the two men would carry out an attack. He had already served time in jail after
Mali army kills 14 suspected jihadists attempting escape
Several Fulani civic associations say that Mali's army has killed 14 Fulani civilians who had been arrested and detained by the military in the country's central west region. Abdul Aziz Diallo, president of the Peulh Tabital Pulaaku Association, alleged today that the army killings happened on Friday. Mali's army said Saturday that 14 suspected extremists were killed when they allegedly attempted to escape detention. Mali's minister of defense yesterday said the deaths will be investigated. Residents in Nielbel said that soldiers came to the market Thursday and arrested 14 people who were later taken to Dioura. Since 2015, mainly Fulani jihadist groups linked to al-Qaida have been attacking the Malian army. However, several human rights associations have accused the Malian army of serious human rights violations against civilians.
Palestinian teen threatened during interrogation: Father
The Palestinian father of a 17-year-old activist jailed for slapping and shoving a heavily armed Israeli soldier said on Monday that his daughter was psychologically and physically threatened by Israeli interrogators.
Truck drivers put up blockade in Malda
A group of truck drivers today put up a road blockade on NH-34 in Malda district in protest against assault of one of them by extortionists, and attacked policemen when they reached there to lift the blockade, police said. The police baton-charged them and used teargas shells to disperse the truck drivers and cleaners who blockaded the Sustani More crossing for around an hour. Police said extortionists assaulted one of the truck drivers late last night at Mahadipur land port bordering Bangladesh and rumours were spread that he died. Enraged, other drives and cleaners came to Sustani More, around 7 km away, and squatted there blocking traffic movement on NH-34. When policemen reached there to lift the blockade, they pelted stones on them forcing the men in uniform to retreat for the time being. Police said a larger contingent then went there and used batons and tear gas shells to disperse the picketers.
Russia warns against snap judgments on alleged Syria chemical attack
The Kremlin today warned against jumping to conclusions over a suspected poison gas attack on the Syrian rebel-held town of Douma, after Moscow said its experts had found no traces of chemical weapons. "It's necessary to examine very carefully what happened in Douma. And it goes without saying that without this information, making any deductions is wrong and dangerous," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists. He said that it was too early to judge because "no one has exhaustive information" and no investigation has been carried out, although Russia has already sent military experts to the scene. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said earlier today that Russian specialists had found no trace of a chemical attack on Douma, after allegations from the international community. "Our military specialists have visited this place... and they did not find any trace of chlorine or any other chemical substance used against civilians," he said. Peskov suggested that the attack could
UN troops attacked in CAfrican capital after security sweep
United Nations troops came under attack overnight in the heart of the capital of the Central African Republic (CAR), a UN spokesman said today. The incident occurred shortly after UN peacekeepers and CAR troops launched an operation targeting armed groups in a flashpoint district of Bangui. At least two people were killed and dozens wounded during the joint operation, according to UN and medical sources. Hours later, UN troops were attacked in the institutional district of Bangui, near the presidential palace, in the first such incident since President Faustin-Archange Touadera was elected in 2016. "There was an attack lasting about half an hour, which singled out MINUSCA," the mission's spokesman, Vladimir Monteiro, told AFP. "We are checking who was behind the attack. We returned fire and sent reinforcements. The attack was not directed against a CAR institution." The assailants came by motorbike and in a fake UN vehicle, a local resident said. "There was an exchange of fire between
China bans export of 32 items to North Korea
In a bid to avert the production of Weapons of Mass Destruction, China on Monday banned the exports of 32 items to North Korea.Beijing's commerce ministry said in a statement "The dual-use items are mostly equipment, software and technologies. They include particle accelerators and centrifuges" reported by the Yonhap News Agency.The export ban is conducted under Resolution 2375 as adopted by the United Nations Security Council in September in the wake of the North's sixth nuclear test.China's move comes after the surprise visit of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un to China in March.It had been speculated that Beijing might be easing up on the sanctions imposed upon Pyongyang.China has been termed as the closest ally and the biggest trade partner of North Korea.
NATO says US airstrike kills senior Islamic State commander
NATO says a US airstrike in northern Afghanistan has killed a senior Islamic State commander. A statement issued today says Qari Hikmatullah, a former leader of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, was killed in the northern Faryab province by the airstrike on Friday. It says one of his bodyguards was also killed. Hikmatullah, a native Uzbek, had also previously fought with the Taliban, before joining the local IS affiliate. The IS affiliate named Mawlavi Habibul Rahman, another Uzbek, to be his successor. Afghan forces have struggled to combat the Taliban and IS, both of which have expanded their footprints in recent years. The US and NATO formally concluded their combat mission at the end of 2014, shifting to a training and counterterrorism role.
Bijapur firing: Two security personnel killed, five injured
Two security personnel have been killed and five others were injured in an exchange of fire between Naxals and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur on Monday.The firing took place in the forest area between Mahadev Ghati and Chinnabodkel in Bijapur."Two security personnel are killed and five others have been injured in IED attack on police party vehicle near Bijapur's Kutru," DM Awasthi, Special Director General of Police (DG), anti-naxal operations.As per reports, the CRPF troops, along with Chhattisgarh police, were out for area domination when two improvised explosive device (IED) blasts occurred, followed by a brief exchange of fire.Earlier in the day, during the operations conducted by the CRPF troops and police personnel, a live IED was found which was diffused immediately by the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS).On a related note, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Bijapur on April 14.
China backs probe into suspected Syria chemical attack
China said today that it supports an investigation into a suspected chemical attack on the Syrian rebel-held town of Douma that has provoked global outrage. US President Donald Trump and French counterpart Emmanuel Macron have vowed a strong response to the suspected poison gas attack, which left dozens dead, and the UN Security Council was expected to discuss the crisis later today. "We resolutely oppose the use of chemical weapons by any country, any organisation, any person, for any reason, under any circumstances," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters during a regular press briefing. "China supports conducting a comprehensive, objective and just investigation into the relevant incident, whose results can stand the tests of history and an examination of the facts, and will bring the responsible party to justice under the law," he said. Geng said the UN Security Council and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons should continue their role ..
Bijapur firing: Troops uncover live IED during search ops
Following the exchange of fire between Maoists and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel earlier today, the latter have uncovered a live improvised explosive device (IED) here during search operations.During the operations conducted by the CRPF troops and police personnel, a live IED was found, which was diffused immediately by the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS).Meanwhile, two personnel sustained minor splinter injuries, and were immediately shifted to a district hospital here for treatment.Earlier in the day, an exchange of fire took place in the forest area between Mahadev Ghati and Chinnabodkel in Bijapur between Maoists and troops of the CRPF's 85 Battalion.As per reports, the CRPF troops, along with Chhattisgarh police, were out for area domination when two improvised explosive device (IED) blasts occurred, followed by a brief exchange of fire.On a related note, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Bijapur on April 14.
DCM Shriram Industries launches Light Bullet Proof Vehicle 'ZEBU'
To be displayed at DEFEXPO 2018 at Chennai
11 SPs transferred in J&K
In a minor reshuffle, 11 Superintendents of Police (SPs) including three traffic police officers in Jammu and Kashmir were transferred today. Senior Superintendent of Police (Traffic, City) Jammu Nisha Nathyal, SSP (Traffic, Rural) Kashmir Aijaz Ahmed Bhat, Additional SP (Traffic, Srinagar) Muzaffar Ahmed Shah and SP Traffic Rural Jammu Shaheen Wahid were posted in Battalions as commandants and deputy commandants. Nisha Nathyal was transferred and posted as commandant 10th battalion of Indian Reserve Police (IRP), while Aijaz Ahmed Bhat was posted as Commandant 13th battalion of IRP, the transfer order said. Muzaffar Hussain Shah was posted as SP Traffic Rural Kashmir, while SP Traffic Rural Jammu Shaheen Wahid was posted as Deputy Commandant of 24th battalion of IRP, it said. Additional SP of Ramban Mushtaq Ahmed has been posted as SP Traffic rural Jammu, while Deputy Commandant of 16th battalion of IRP Mubashir Hussain has been posted as Additional SP Traffic Srinagar city, the ...
Chhattisgarh: CRPF, Maoists exchange fire in Bijapur
Nearly five days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Bijapur, an exchange of fire took place between Maoists and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel here on Monday.The exchange of fire took place in the forest area between Mahadev Ghati and Chinnabodkel in Bijapur between Maoists and troops of the CRPF's 85 Battalion.As per reports, the CRPF troops, along with Chhattisgarh police, were out for area domination when two improvised explosive device (IED) blasts occurred, followed by a brief exchange of fire.However, no loss of life or casualty was reported.Today's exchange of fire comes less than ten days after a security force personnel was injured in an IED blast here in Chinnakorepal village of the district.As per statistics, as many as 47 security personnel have been killed in Chhattisgarh's Naxal-affected Bastar region since 2005.Among the major incidents in which insurgents targeted the anti-mine vehicles include the killing of 22 CRPF jawans in September