Page 670 - War Conflict
Life returns to normal in most parts of Kashmir after three-day shutdown
Life returned to normal in most parts of Kashmir today, with school and colleges resuming classes, after three days of shutdown and restrictions imposed by authorities in the wake of protests over the killings in Sunday's encounters. Business establishments, shops, schools and colleges opened in most parts of the Valley after remaining closed for three days due to a strike called by the separatists and the restrictions, officials said. The strike was called by the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), they said. However, the officials said some parts of Shopian district observed a shutdown and restrictions continued in Kulgam district as a precautionary measure. The curbs were imposed to prevent protests against the killing of 13 militants in three encounters on Sunday and the death of four civilians in the aftermath of the encounters, the official said. Three soldiers were also killed in in the operations in Shopian and Anantnag districts of Jammu and Kashmir. Separatists had called for
Odisha: Ops against Maoists in Koraput's forests halted for 7 days
Operations against Maoists in forest areas of Odisha's Koraput district will be temporarily halted from today to facilitate them to surrender, Superintendent of Police (SP), Kanwar Vishal Singh said. Combing and all forms counter-insurgency operations both by state and central forces will remain suspended only in the district's dense forests for a week, he said. However, the SP said operations along roads in rural areas will continue during the period. "The decision has been taken to facilitate the Maoists to surrender and join mainstream," he said. "We appeal to misguided youths to lay down their arms and be a part in nation building. The Maoists who surrender will be provided all facilities as per the Odisha government's surrender policy," Singh said. Security forces have intensified combing operations in places near roads in Maoist-hit areas and around camps set up for deployment of the forces, he said, adding that vulnerable areas were being closely monitored. Shortly after the ...
TN fishermen injured in attack by Lankan navy personnel
Five Tamil Nadu fishermen from Nagapattinam district were injured in an attack by Sri Lankan navy personnel off the Vedaranyam coast, a Fisheries Department official said. The fishermen from Nagore in Nagapattinam district sustained injuries in the attack late on Wednesday night, Fisheries Department Assistant Director K Gangadharan said. He said the fishermen were attacked when they were fishing near Thopputhrai, 32 nautical miles from here. The Lankan Navy men snatched the fish catch and GPS equipment and also snapped the fishing nets, Ramesh, one of the injured fishermen alleged. The injured fishermen, who returned to the shore early today, have been admitted to Nagapattinam General Hospital. Gangadharan, who visited the fishermen in hospital, said a complaint has been lodged with the Coastal Security Group police and fisheries department officials.
Normalcy in Srinagar but north Kashmir tense
Normalcy returned to Srinagar on Thursday after days of shutdown and protests but high tension prevailed in north Kashmir's Ganderbal district where a youth was killed in police firing, authorities said.
Militants abduct civilian in J&K
Militants abducted a civilian from Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district, police said on Thursday.
Wreath-laying ceremony held for jawans killed in Anantnag attack
Wreath-laying ceremony was conducted on Wednesday for the two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel who were killed when their vehicle met with an accident after being attacked in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir.The ceremony was held for Nisar Ahmad Wani and Reyaz Ahmad Zargar of 164 Battalion in District Police Lines (DPL) Anantnag.The last rites of the CRPF personnel, whose mortal remains were handed over to their family members, would be conducted shortly.Yesterday, the CRPF vehicle came under stone pelting by the locals in Hillar Arhama village of Kokernag in Anantnag district. After the attack, the driver lost control and the uncontrolled truck hit the motorcycle of CRPF personnel, which was moving ahead of the truck.In the same incident, three CRPF personnel were also injured.Kashmir Zone police tweeted, "Our heartfelt condolences for CRPF men Riyaz Ahmed Wani and Nissar Ahmed Wani whom we lost in the Kokernag incident today. Police have registered case and ...
Test samples' results of UK spy attack expected next week:OPCW
Results of test samples collected from a former Russian spy and his daughter, exposed to a nerve-agent in the UK, are expected to be received by early next week, the head of international chemical weapons watchdog has said. The samples were collected from Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, who have been hospitalised since when they were found on a public bench in the English city of Salisbury in early March, after reported exposure to a toxic chemical. The UN will produce its report after the test samples will be received, Ahmet Uzumcu, Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) told the body's Executive Council. "Once the results of the analyses of the samples are received, the Secretariat will produce a report on the basis of these results and will transmit a copy of this report to the United Kingdom," Uzumcu said. "The UK has expressed its wish to be as transparent as possible and has already indicated its preference for disclosure of ..
Police kill unarmed man in New York, mistaking pipe for gun
New York police shot dead an African American man in Brooklyn after mistaking a piece of pipe he was holding for a gun. The shooting -- which followed a similar incident that sparked protests in Sacramento and which came on the 50th anniversary of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr's assassination -- is the latest in a string of killings by police that have sparked a nationwide debate on violence by law enforcement. The shooting occurred shortly before 5:00 pm in Crown Heights, a predominantly black neighborhood in the heart of Brooklyn. Officers responded after receiving three 911 emergency calls saying a man was pointing an "object that appears to be a gun" at people on the street, said Terence Monahan, Chief of Department for the New York police. When police approached, the man "took a two-handed shooting stance and pointed an object at the approaching officers," Monahan said. Four officers fired 10 shots at the man, who was pronounced dead at a hospital. The object the man ...
Sudan repatriates seven female 'IS members' from Libya
Sudanese security agents today brought home from Libya seven Sudanese women who they said were members of the jihadist Islamic State group. The seven women, dressed in traditional Sudanese clothes and wearing headscarves, were shown to journalists at Khartoum airport where they were welcomed by their relatives amid chants of "Allahu Akbar". Three children were also brought along with the women, an AFP correspondent reported. The group, which included twin sisters, had arrived from the Libyan city of Misrata, security officials said. "The seven women were members of Da'esh and some had even participated in fighting on the battlefield," Brigadier Tijani Ibrahim of Sudan's powerful National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) told AFP using the Arabic acronym for IS. The women had gone to Libya in 2014 and 2015 to join the jihadist group, Ibrahim told reporters, as the women stood in a line against a wall with their heads bowed. "Thanks to Allah, we have returned to our country," ...
Estonia calls for deployment of US troops, Patriot missiles
Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid called for US Patriot missiles and troops to be deployed to her small Baltic state Wednesday, telling AFP it was necessary to make deterrence "believable" for Russia. In an interview coinciding with her visit to the White House, the conservative leader said the deployment of American materiel and personnel would bolster existing NATO troop deployments -- launched in response to Russia's more bellicose posture. "We want to be sure that both NATO's territory and NATO soldiers are well protected," she said. "We need to make sure that there is the air defence and the air support for these forces, in case that is necessary. We need our deterrence to be believable." Kaljulaid said the proposed deployments had not come up on Tuesday in conversation with President Donald Trump -- who is notoriously prickly about the use of US military assets abroad -- but talks between the two governments were ongoing. "We are past the stage in our relations that you come ..
Russia loses vote to join spy poisoning probe; next stop UN
The international chemical weapons watchdog has rejected Russia's call for a joint investigation with Britain of the nerve-agent poisonings of an ex-spy and his daughter in England. But Russia said the number of countries that abstained from the vote suggested many have doubts about Britain's allegations that Moscow was behind the attack and now plans to take its denials of involvement to the UN Security Council. Britain said Russia's proposal for a joint investigation received only six votes at a special session of the executive council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. The council has representatives from 41 countries. Russia requested the session in The Hague, Netherlands, to push its repeated rejection of Britain's claim that Moscow orchestrated the poisonings of Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia. The British government has invited experts from OPCW to help identify the substance that sickened the Skripals on March 4. "The purpose of Russia's ...
US to sell European allies USD 4.7bn in military aircraft
The United States today approved USD 4.7 billion in deals for American firms to sell jet fighters to Slovakia, military helicopters to Spain and armed drones to Britain. All three countries are NATO members, and the sale of F-16 fighters to Slovakia will enable it to retire its Russian-built MiG-29s and build a fleet to work with its Western allies. US President Donald Trump has called on all NATO members to increase their defence spending and thus better distribute the burden of paying for the alliance's collective security. The total coast of Slovakia's package -- 14 jets plus spare parts, air-to-air missiles, guided bombs and US contractors to train local crews -- will come to USD 2.91 billion. "Slovakia's current fighters are not interoperable with US forces or regional allies," the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency said, in a statement. "Purchase of the F-16V will provide Slovakia with fourth-generation fighter aircraft capability that is interoperable with the United States
Ex-spy poisoning row: OPCW rejects Russia's plea seeking fresh probe
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on Thursday rejected Russia's plea seeking a new joint investigation into the case of poisoning of ex-Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.Reportedly, Russia had earlier accused the United Kingdom of blocking its access to the investigation conducted by the OPCW. It then presented a proposal to OPCW to initiate a new investigation which was backed by five other countries including China, Azerbaijan, Sudan, Algeria and Iran.15 other OPCW members voted against the motion while 17 members abstained themselves from the voting process.As per the media reports, after the voting procedure ended, Russia's representative denied its involvement in the incident and termed it as a terrorist attack. The Russian representatives also criticised the United States and the European Union for taking sides with the United Kingdom.Earlier on Wednesday, the head of the British military facility, probing the case said it has "not ..
Soldier killed, 2 terrorists neutralised in Balochistan
A soldier was killed and two terrorists were eliminated in Balochistan in an intelligence-based search operation carried out by the Frontier Corps Balochistan. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the operation was carried out yesterday in Pinsin Kaur, Dasht, Turbat and Dera Bugti areas in the province. The ISPR, which is the military's media wing, said a large cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from hideouts which were raided. The operation was carried out two days after the Islamic State claimed responsibility that its militants had attacked a rickshaw in Quetta city and killed four members of a Christian family. Meanwhile in other media reports, six suspected terrorists and an alleged suicide bomber were arrested during a operation in Lahore by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB). The arrested terrorists were identified as Islam-ul-Haq, Jahangir Shah, Imran, Waqar and Aleem, whereas Luqman was the suspected bomber. CTD
US: World 'far more dangerous' due to chemical weapons
US Ambassador Nikki Haley warned today that the UN's failure to hold Syria accountable for its use of chemical weapons because of Russia's opposition has made the world "a far more dangerous place." She told the Security Council that its lack of action on Syria has led others to take notice, pointing to the use of nerve agents against North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's half-brother in Malaysia and the poisoning of a former spy and his daughter in England. "This reveals a dangerous trend," she said, urging a renewed commitment by the Security Council to end the use of chemical weapons in Syria and elsewhere in the world. The council met on the first anniversary of a chemical attack using sarin nerve gas on the Syrian rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun that killed about 100 people. In a joint statement marking Wednesday's anniversary, the U.S., Britain, France and Germany criticized Russia for vetoing the extension of the expert body from the U.N. and the Organization for the Prohibition
Par panel voices concern over repeated arrests of Indian fishermen by Lanka
A Parliamentary panel today expressed concerns over the repeated arrests of Indian fishermen by Sri Lankan authorities. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs also voiced concerns over the growing proximity between Sri Lanka and China. "During the meeting, few members raised concerns over the repeated arrests of fishermen from Tamil Nadu and the harassment they are being subjected to by the Sri Lankan authorities," one of the committee members said. A panel member, belonging to the AIADMK, demanded the review of the marine boundary agreements between the two countries. The agenda of the committee, which was briefed by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale, was India-Sri Lanka relations -- trade and security, including the fishermen issue. The panel is headed by Congress Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor. According to one of the members, Tharoor expressed his concern about the growing proximity between Sri Lanka and China and its impact on India.
CRPF vehicle attacked in J-K, two jawans killed
Two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed on Wednesday when their vehicle met with an accident after being attacked in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir.The CRPF vehicle came under stone pelting by the locals in Hillar Arhama village of Kokernag in Anantnag district. After the attack, the driver lost control and uncontrolled truck hit the motorcycle of CRPF personnel, which was moving ahead of the truck. The deceased have been identified as Riyaz Ahmed Wani and Nissar Ahmed Wani of 164 Battalion. In the same incident, three CRPF personnel were also injured.Kashmir Zone police tweeted, "Our heartfelt condolences for CRPF men Riyaz Ahmed Wani and Nissar Ahmed Wani whom we lost in the Kokernag incident today. Police have registered case and investigation on @JmuKmrPolice (sic)"The injured has been shifted to the hospital for further treatment.More details are awaited.
Two CRPF troopers killed in J&K accident
Two CRPF troopers were killed and two other security men injured on Wednesday when their vehicle overturned during stone-pelting in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district, police said.
24-year-old Maoist arrested
A 24-year-old Maoist suspected to be involved in the killing of a home-guard and two others, besides other offences, was today arrested near here, police said. Chintapalle DSP P Anil said Sanjeev alias Lungara was a dalam member and had joined the left wing extremist group as a village militia member in 2013. Sanjeev, dalam member of Korukonda Area Committee, , was arrested at Chintapalle, he said. He is suspected to be involved in over six offences including the killing of Gemmili Sanjeeva Rao, whom the Maoists branded as police informer, in 2014, a home-guard by triggering a landmine at Rallagedda area in May2017 and a trader at Korukonda the same year, police said.
2 CRPF men mowed down by force vehicle amid stone pelting
Two CRPF jawans were mowed down by a para-military force vehicle when its driver lost control due to stone pelting at Hiller area in Kokernag of South Kashmir, police said tonight. The unfortunate incident took place this evening when CRPF troops were withdrawing after a day-long law and order duty in the area. According to the police, the driver of the CRPF armoured vehicle was pelted stones in the area, 85 kms from here, during the withdrawal operation in the evening. The driver, identified as Roop Singh, lost control of the vehicle and hit a motorcycle on which two CRPF jawans -- Riyaz Ahmed Wani and Nissar Ahmed Wani -- were riding. They were rushed to a hospital where they were declared brought dead. The driver of the armoured vehicle has been hit in his head and has been rushed to an Army hospital in Srinagar. Reinforcement was rushed to the spot to maintain law and order, officials said.