Page 725 - War Conflict
Mehbooba should take legal action: Omar on Shopian firing
Opposition National Conference today demanded a probe into the killings in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district, saying these cannot be justified by labelling the deceased as overground workers of militant groups. "The Shopian incident is yet another stark reminder of the grave-and-rapidly deteriorating situation in the Valley," NC working president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah said. Omar said the varying accounts from Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and the security forces on last night's incident are unfortunate and further perpetuate the sense of distrust, disenchantment and alienation. Mehbooba has described the deceased as civilians and hence, being also the state's home minister, it is incumbent upon her to take stringent legal action based on the information she has, Omar said. "As the head of the Unified Command, her word has to be final, followed by visible and concrete action," he added. Meanwhile, an NC spokesperson demanded that the circumstances leading to ...
SC blocks further probe on Army officer by J&K Police
The Supreme Court on Monday restrained the Jammu and Kashmir Police from carrying out any investigation in pursuance to an FIR filed against Major Aditya Kumar following the death of three civilians as Army tried to disperse a stone-pelting mob in Shopian district.
Shopian firing: CM says civilians among those killed, Army makes counter-claim
The firing incident in Shopian that left six people, including two Lashkar-e-Taiba militants, dead has triggered a controversy with the Army claiming that the four killed apart from the ultras were also linked with militancy and the state government maintaining that they were "civilians". The incident took place in the Pahnoo area of Shopian in South Kashmir last night with the Army stating that its troops, who were on patrolling duty, were fired upon from occupants of two vehicles. In retaliatory fire, four people, including a Lashkar-e-Taiba militant Amir Ahmed Malik, were killed. Police recovered the body of another militant, identified as Ashiq Hussain Bhat of Lashkar-e-Taiba, seven kilometres from Pahnoo. A body of a civilian -- Gowhar Ahmed Lone of Chitragam in Shopian -- was also recovered from another vehicle near the firing incident. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said she was deeply distressed by the killing of "civilians" in "crossfire". "Deeply distressed by more deaths of .
Jaish terror group's chief architect killed by security forces
Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed suffered a major setback when its operational head Mufti Waqas, termed as chief architect of terror strike at Sunjawan Army camp, was gunned down by a joint team of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Army, officials said. Waqas alias Abu Arsalan was on radar of the state police after the February 10 terror attack on the Sunjawan camp in which six people, including father of a soldier and two junior commissioned officers were killed. Three militants were eliminated in retaliatory action. The state police had developed the intelligence about the militant and this afternoon a small team comprising its elite commandoes from Special Operations Group and Army personnel stormed a house in Hatwar area in Awantipur in South Kashmir. The entire operation was completed in 20 minutes, the police said, adding that several documents and other things were seized from the house. Waqas was constantly in touch with his Pakistani handlers on the day when the Army camp ..
Pak intruder killed near Indo-Pak border in Punjab
A 40-year-old Pakistani intruder was today shot dead by BSF troops near the Indo-Pak border in Punjab's Gurdaspur sector, an official of the force said. BSF troops noticed suspicious movement near the border fence at the Ghaniake Border Out Post, the official said. The Pakistani man crossed the border fence and entered Indian territory. BSF troops challenged him but he did not stop, he said. BSF personnel then opened fire and killed him, the official said. Pakistani Rangers has been contacted for handing over of the body, he said.
Indian-origin officer is new chief of Scotland Yard's counter-terrorism unit
Senior Indian-origin Scotland Yard officer Neil Basu has been appointed as the counter-terrorism chief, an official statement said today. Basu, currently the Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner, will be promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioner for Specialist Operations. He will take charge as the force's National Lead for Counter Terrorism (CT) and the Head of the Met Police's Specialist Operations following the resignation of incumbent Mark Rowley on March 21. Basu, whose father is of Indian origin, said It is a privilege to be asked to join the management board of the Met and to lead for CT policing at such a point in our history. It is both a challenge and a duty that I accept with humility and a sense of great purpose. I will lead to the best of my ability, the most extraordinary people I have ever worked with as they work night and day to counter terrorism, he said in a statement.
1st aid convoy enters Syria's Eastern Ghouta after intense bombing
A humanitarian aid convoy on Monday entered for the first time in over two weeks the besieged rebel-held area of Eastern Ghouta on the outskirts of Syria's capital, following intensified bombing by Syrian government forces that has killed over 700 people.
Army jawan killed in encounter with NSCN(I-M)
One riflemen of 13 Sikh Regiment was killed in an encounter with the NSCN-IM today at Khoupum area in Manipur's Noney district, police said. The incident took place this morning and additional security forces including the Army, Manipur police and Assam Rifles have rushed to Khoupum. A search operation was launched to nab the militants, the police added. NSCN(I-M) had signed the Framework Agreement on the longstanding Naga problem on August 3, 2015 with the Centre. It had signed a ceasefire with the Centre in 1997 which was extended indefinitely in 2007.
NDFB (S) militant killed in encounter
A member of the banned militant outfit NDFB (Songbijit) was killed in an encounter with security forces in lower Assam's Kokrajhar district early today, a senior police official said here. On a tip off about the presence of three-four members of the outfit in a jungle in Serfunguri area, a joint team of the Army and police reached there, Superintendent of Police Rajen Sing said. On seeing them, the militants started firing and the securitymen retaliated and in the shoot-out, one extremist was killed while the others managed to flee, he said. The deceased is yet to be identified. The SP said an AK series rifle, 16 rounds of ammunition, a mobile phone with a Bhutanese SIM, Rs 2,740 in cash, extortion notes and some medicines were recovered from the spot.
Top JeM commander wanted in Sunjuwan terror attack killed
A top militant commander said to be the mastermind of Sunjuwan army camp terror attack was on Monday killed in a gunfight with the security forces in south Kashmir's Pulwama district, police said.
China slashes 3 lakh troops; reduces PLA size to 2 million
China today said it has slashed three lakh troops, reducing the size of its 2.3-million People's Liberation Army (PLA) to just two-million-strong force, a move aimed at making the world's largest army a mightier force capable of winning modern wars. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang made the announcement in his annual work report to the National People's Congress (NPC). Li said the military had completed its goal of slashing three lakh troops, reducing the size of the 2.3 million PLA to just two-million-strong force. The PLA Daily, official newspaper of the Chinese military, said non-battle personnel were downsized. The troop cut was announced by President Xi Jinping in 2015. The PLA which was 4.5-million strong till 1980 was first resized to three million in 1985 and later to 2.3 million. PLA also announced last year that it would reduce its grounds troops to less than a million as part of Chinese military modernisation under which the navy has been given greater role to expand Chinas ...
Philippines military identifies new 'IS leader' in Southeast Asia
A sub-leader of the Islamic State-inspired Maute Group has taken over as the leader of the Islamic State in Southeast Asia, a Philippines military spokesman said on Monday.
All those killed in Shopian firing linked to militancy, says Army
All those killed in the shootout in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district were linked to militancy and the soldiers acted in self-defence, the Army said today. Recounting the events of the shootout, in which six people, including two militants, were killed last night, a defence spokesperson said soldiers deployed at the mobile vehicle check post (MVCP) in Trenz-Pinjoora road near Pahnoo village were fired upon by occupants in two speeding vehicles. At around 8 pm, two speeding vehicles were seen approaching the checkpoint from the direction of Trenz village, he said. The vehicles continued to move despite being signalled to stop by the troops. The soldiers flashed search lights towards the approaching vehicles, but the occupants opened heavy firing from both the vehicles, the spokesperson added. "Own troops, in self defence, responded to the same with fire. In the ensuing gun fight, one terrorist firing from one of the vehicles was hit and he fell off the vehicle. The vehicle veered .
China building helipads, other infra in Doklam area: Nirmala
Indian and Chinese troops have "redeployed" themselves away from the face-off site in Doklam, and China has undertaken construction of helipads, sentry posts and trenches for its army personnel there, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said today. "Post disengagement from the face-off in 2017, troops of both sides have redeployed themselves away from their respective positions at the face-off site. The strength of both sides have been reduced," she said replying to a question on the issue in Rajya Sabha. "In order to maintain these troops during the winter, People's Liberation Army (PLA) has undertaken construction of some infrastructure, including sentry posts, trenches and helipads," she said. Last week, junior Defence Minister Subhash Bhamre had said that the situation along India's border with China is "sensitive" and it has the potential to escalate. Sitharaman's reply today came in response to a question on whether satellite images have revealed that China has constructed seven
Iraq orders confiscation of assets of Saddam Hussein's relatives, aides
An Iraqi legal body on Monday ordered confiscation of assets of hundreds of relatives and cronies of former leader Saddam Hussein.
Kashmir on boil after six deaths in firing (Roundup)
Hundreds of people, including several gun-toting militants, attended the funeral of a slain Lashkar-e-Taiba commander in south Kashmir despite people's movement being restricted and internet curfew clamped across the Kashmir Valley on Monday, a day after four civilians and two insurgents were killed in a shootout with the Army.
Sri Lanka imposes curfew in city after clashes
The Sri Lankan police on Monday imposed curfew in Kandy city, which lies in the central hills of the island country, after clashes triggered by racial violence erupted between two groups.
Air chief underlines importance of synergy in three services
Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa today said past experiences have highlighted the need for "synergised use" of all three services of the Armed Forces. Dhanoa addressed the officers of the Tri-services of Indian Armed forces at the city-based College of Defence Management (CDM) here. "The wars fought by us and the peace-time operations for humanitarian aid and in response to disaster situations have emphasised the need for synergised use of all three services of the Indian Armed Forces," he was quoted as saying in a Defence press release. He explained the future road map of the Air Force towards greater "jointmanship", it said. Dhanoa also spoke about the high level of preparedness of the Air Force in terms of air assets and training of personnels, it said. Dhanoa advised the officers, as they get prepared to take on higher leadership roles after completing the Higher Defence Management Course, to leverage the joint training at CDM to build on relationships which can ...
PDP demands judicial probe into Shopian firing
Senior PDP leader and MLA Mohammad Yousuf Bhat today demanded a "judicial probe" into the firing incident in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district, saying the culprits should be booked and brought to justice. Six people, including two militants, were killed in the last night's shootout in Shopian's Pahnoo area. The Shopian MLA today took to the official PDP Twitter handle and said, "My solidarity and my sincere condolences go out to the bereaved families. I demand that a judicial enquiry be ordered to look into the circumstances under which such killings have taken place and the culprits of this heinous crime are booked and brought to justice swiftly". The PDP leader said no circumstances can justify the civilian killings. "When your heart bleeds and you are emotionally amputated, no condemnation is enough. I have no words to condemn these killings at Shopian. "No circumstances can justify these civilian killings which can further the tendency to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere," Bhat .
Security forces arrest NSCN(IM) cadre in Arunachal Pradesh
Security forces have arrested a cadre of banned National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah faction in Longding district of Arunachal Pradesh and seized arms and ammunition from his possession, a defence official said here today. Acting on specific intelligence inputs, the Assam Rifles launched a well-planned operation and apprehended Pujat Wangsu, a self-styled corporal of the outfit of the NSCN(IM), from Longding yesterday, Defence Spokesman Col Chiranjeet Konwer said in a statement. A pistol and ammunition along with cash was recovered from his possession, the spokesman said. During interrogation, the rebel confessed to have extorted money from local people, he said. Security forces have apprehended a number of cadres in the area in the past one month, the spokesman added.