Page 697 - War Conflict
GSL hands over patrol vessel to Sri Lanka
The state-run Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) has delivered an advanced offshore patrol vessel to the Sri Lankan Navy. The defence ministry here said the vessel will be the largest and the most advanced ship in the Sri Lankan Navy fleet. "This state-ofthe-art and largest ship in the Sri Lanka Naval fleet will help meet the increasing requirement of the Sri Lanka Navy for undertaking policing and patrolling of its vast Exclusive Economic Zone," said Rear Admiral (Rtd) Shekhar Mital, Chairman and Managing Director of GSL. The ship was handed over yesterday at a ceremony at Vaddem in Vasco da Gama.
Police probes suspicious vehicle at London shopping centre
Special officers of Soctland Yard were checking a suspicious vehicle in the parking lot of a shopping centre in west London today, the Bristish Police said. "Police are currently dealing with a suspicious vehicle in the car park at Westfield London Shopping Centre in White City. Specialist officers are on scene, and the vehicle is being assessed," the Met Police said in a statement. It further said that roads have been closed and the area had been cordoned off to keep people away while the vehicle was being assessed. The police was called in to the shopping centre, which is the largest malls in Europe, at 10.30 am local time. As soon as the news of the hostage situation at a French supermarket came in, in which at least two persons are feared killed as a gunman claiming allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group was holding around eight hostages at the Super U store in the town of Trebes, in the south west of France. Shortly beforehand, an armed man shot and injured a ...
Lt Gen Bhatt chairs security meet at North Kashmir
Chinar Corps Commander Lieutenant General AK Bhatt on Friday chaired a meeting in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday in order to review the security situation at Pohrupet area in Baramullah district.The aim of the review was to strengthen the synergy among all agencies engaged in counter terror operations.The meeting was attended by senior officials of Army and Police apart from the field commanders from both the forces.Earlier on February 10, Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS) Lieutenant General Sarath Chand visited the valley to review the situation.During his visit he interacted with the stationed troops and emphasised on the need for undertaking relentless intelligence based operations to sustain pressure on the terrorist groups and maintain a high degree of vigil along the Line of Control (LoC) to eliminate any infiltration bid.
Two dead as suspected IS gunman takes hostages in France
At least two people were killed after a gunman claiming allegiance to the Islamic State group opened fire and took hostages at a supermarket in southwest France today. A security source said the two were killed in the attack at a Super U store in the town of Trebes. Armed police were also responding to the earlier shooting of a policeman in the town of Carcassonne, 15 minutes drive away, which took place at around 11 am (1000 GMT). It was unclear if the two incidents were linked. In Trebes, a picturesque medieval town of around 5,000 people, the man "entered the Super U supermarket at around 11.15 am and shots were heard," a source told AFP on condition of anonymity. A witness reported he shouted "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest) before going into the premises, the source added. The gunman claimed allegiance to the Islamic State group, the local prosecutor's office said, and the incident was being treated as a terror attack. Local authorities tweeted that the area around the ...
Five Naxals, one sympathiser arrested from C'garh's Bijapur
Five Naxals and a Maoist sympathiser were today arrested from Chhattisgarhs Bijapur district, police said. The six were arrested from Basaguda area by a joint team of the CRPFs 168th battalion and local police, Bijapur Superintendent of Police Mohit Garg told PTI. "After receiving a tip-off that a group of ultras were trying to block Sarkeguda-Tarrem road by felling electric poles, security forces rushed to the spot forcing the Naxals to flee. However security forces gave chase and managed to arrest five Naxals and one supporter," he said. The five Naxals have been identified as Oyam Dasru, Kovasi Vella, Oyam Deva, Muchaki Mangu, Punem Sannu and the supporter as Tarachand Nayak, he said. Couple of detonators, detonating cord, batteries, material used in making explosives and other items were recovered from them, Garg informed. "Their interrogation is underway," he said.
At least one feared dead in French hostage-taking: police
At least one person was feared dead after a gunman claiming allegiance to the Islamic State group fired shots in a hostage-taking at a supermarket in southwest France today, police said. "We unfortunately presume one person has been killed, but we cannot bring a doctor on site to check," Jean-Valery Lettermann, the regional police chief, said of the attack at a Super U store in Trebes, near Carcassonne. French prosecutors were treating the incident as a terror attack.
Two militants arrested in Arunachal Pradesh
Security forces in Arunachal Pradesh have apprehended two militants - one each of NSCN (IM) and NSCN (R) - in the past 48 hours, Defence Spokesman Col Chiranjeet Konwer said today. The Assam Rifles, during an operation yesterday at Sonking Village under Jairampur sub-division of the district, arrested one NSCN (IM) corporal, who has been identified as Ngshingbam Nalung, he said. "During interrogation, Nalung admitted that he was a self-styled corporal in the NSCN (IM), and a part of a larger group of cadres, led by Major Damting Tangkhul." The security personnel also busted a hideout of the outfit, which consisted of 10 temporary huts, near Sonking village. "We got information that NSCN (IM) Major Damting Tangkhul, along with his cadres, were trying to terrorize people and extort money in Sonking and Kharsang areas. The Jairampur Battalion of the Assam Rifles swiftly launched an operation and surrounded the hideout," Konwer explained. The rebels have been using the ...
Survey for tunnel under SGNP approved, Assembly told
The Maharashtra State Wildlife Board (MSWB)has given its nod for a survey for the construction of anunderground tunnel across the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) in north Mumbai. Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, in a written reply to a question by Sanjay Potnis (Shiv Sena), told the Legislative Assembly that the Board gave the approval for the geo-technical survey on January 31 this year. The proposed tunnel under the SGNP will connect the western suburb of Borivili with neighbouring Thane. "The proposalhas been approved, and necessary procedure is being worked out," the minister said.
Hostages taken at French supermarket
An armed man took several people hostage at a supermarket in a southern French town and also shot a policeman on Friday.
Suspected IS gunman takes hostages in France
A gunman claiming allegiance to the Islamic State group fired shots and took hostages at a supermarket in southwestern France today, a local prosecutor said. Security forces were responding to two separate incidents, one at a supermarket in the town of Trebes and the second, a 15-minute drive away, in the town of Carcassonne where a policeman was shot. It was unclear if the two incidents were linked. In Trebes, the man "entered the Super U supermarket at around 11.15 am and shots were heard," a security source told AFP on condition of anonymity. The gunman claimed allegiance to the Islamic State group, the local prosecutor's office said. Local authorities tweeted that the area was off-limits to the public. If the link to Islamic State is confirmed, the attack would be the first major incident since the election of centrist President Emmanuel Macron in May last year. The shootings come with France still on high alert after a string of jihadist attacks since 2015, starting in January ...
Kupwara encounter: cache of arms, ammunition recovered
A huge cache of arms, ammunition and other miscellaneous items have been recovered after an encounter broke out between terrorists and security forces in Kupwara district's Halmatpora village."In Kupwara's encounter, five terrorists, who were killed were of foreign origin. The operation was at the controlling stage while searches are being conducted at some places," Kashmir Inspector General of Police (IGP) S.P. Pani said on Thursday.On March 21, at least five terrorists and five security personnel were killed in north Kashmir's Kupwara district.The encounter site is about 8 km from Kupwara town and Halmatpora is the last village before the LoC, which is 20-25 km away from the spot.
Russian strikes kill 37 civilians in Ghouta's Arbin: monitor
Russian air strikes killed 37 civilians in the Arbin area of the shrinking rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus overnight, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said today. "Russian air strikes and incendiary weapons killed the civilians in a basement from burning or suffocation" late on Thursday before a ceasefire came into effect in the area, Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said. Russia has denied being directly involved in air strikes on Eastern Ghouta. The Britain-based Observatory says it relies on flight patterns, aircraft involved and ammunition used to determine who carries them out.
First rebels leave Syria enclave under Russian-brokered deal
A Syrian rebel group in Eastern Ghouta announced a ceasefire from midnight today, a spokesman said, after fighters and their families left under a Russian-brokered evacuation deal that is the first for the shrinking opposition enclave outside Damascus. The evacuees were bussed out in the direction of the northwestern province of Idlib, after hours of waiting in a buffer zone for a green light to enter regime-held territory. In Idlib -- the last province in Syria beyond government control -- an air raid on a market killed 28 civilians, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The evacuation agreement, announced on Wednesday and brokered by regime ally Russia, could empty one of three rebel-held pockets in Ghouta as government troops seek to secure the nearby capital. It could also further isolate the rebel groups that control the remaining two pockets of Ghouta and piles pressure on them to accept similar deals. It came as a spokesman for the Faylaq al-Rahman rebel group in the ...
Russia arming Afghan Taliban: US general
General John Nicholson, the head of the US forces in Afghanistan, has claimed that Russia is supporting and supplying arms to the Afghan Taliban.
Syrian rebel group in Ghouta enclave announces ceasefire
A Syrian rebel group, which still controls a pocket of the Ghouta enclave in the east, today announced a ceasefire from midnight to allow negotiations with the regime's ally Russia, a spokesman for the faction said. The announcement came after air raids targeted the part of southern Ghouta under the control of the Faylaq al-Rahman rebel group.
Ahmednagar blast case transferred to state ATS
Maharashtra's Director General of Police Satish Mathur on Thursday transferred the Ahmednagar blast case to State Anti Terror Squad for further investigation.On March 21 at least two persons were injured after a parcel exploded inside a courier shop in Ahmednagar, which was meant to be delivered to Sanjay Nahar, who runs an NGO named Sarhad for Kashmiri students studying in Pune.The courier package, which exploded, consisted of a speaker and a pipe, which had some white powder.
Maoist couple carrying Rs 40 lakh reward arrested
A Maoist couple carrying a total reward of Rs 40 lakh on their heads were arrested here, police said today. Jharkhand government had declared rewards of Rs 25 lakh and Rs 15 lakh on the heads of Sonua Tudu and his wife Mugli Murmu respectively. Senior superintendent of police Manoj Ratan Chothe said the couple were arrested when they were at a fertility clinic here two days ago. Mugli Murmu is two months pregnant. The couple was wanted in seven states -- Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the SSP said. The two were residents of Maniyadih area of Dhanbad district but they had played major roles in setting up the Maoist organization and violence in Saranda area of Chaibasa and West Singhbhum and Bundu area of Ranchi. There are 22 cases against Sonua Tudu and 3 cases against his wife in different police stations, Chothe said. "Since both of them were involved in several incidents in Chaibasa, Dhanbad police hand over them to .
Army finds 14 smoke grenades during sanitisation op on J&K highway
The Army today conducted a sanitisation operation on the Jammu-Srinagar Highway using its bomb disposal and dog squads after observing suspicious material lying on it and recovered 14 smoke grenades in Rambad district. "The Army, during the opening of the highway, observed some suspicious material near the Shaitani Nala in Banihal belt today. Dog squads and bomb disposal squads were called in. Fourteen smoke Grenades and four Anti Riots Stinger Grenades were found," defence spokesman said. He said traffic on the highway was stopped for the brief period during the operation. The spokesman said the smoke grenades were vintage in nature and bore markings of TSU, BSF, Tekanpur. The nearby areas were also searched, although no further explosives or otherwise were found. Later the grenades were handed over to the police, he said.
Rajnath for special mechanism to reduce recruitment delays in paramilitary
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday called for initiation of special mechanisms for reducing delays and fast-tracking recruitment process in the paramilitary forces.
'1,432 bullet proof vets for cops failed test to withstand SLR
The Maharashtra government today conceded in the Legislative Council that 1,432 bullet proof jackets out of the 4,614 such vests procured by Mumbai Police in the wake of the 26/11 attacks have failed to withstand bullets of certain guns and would be replaced. Replying to a written question by Congress MLC Anant Gadgil, Minister of State for Home Ranjit Patil said the 1,432 jackets would be replaced in the next three months. Gadgil stated that out of the 5,000 bullet-proof vests required for the Mumbai Police post the terror strikes, a total of 4,614 jackets were made available. However, 1,432 bullet-proof jackets out of the 4,614 failed the durability test. "A bullet proof jacket should withstand bullets of all kinds of guns. However the 1,432 jackets failed to withstand bullets fired from SLR/MP5/INSA 505 guns," stated Gadgil. "Are terrorists going to inform us about the guns they would be carrying during the attacks?" Gadgil asked. Additional DGP (Procurement and ...