Page 734 - War Conflict
NIA registers case in fidayeen attack on CRPF centre in J-K
The NIA has registered a case in connection with the fidayeen attack on a CRPF group centre at Awantipura in Jammu and Kashmir in which five CRPF personnel were killed. The case has been registered following a directive of the Home Ministry, an official release said. It was registered under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Ranbir Penal Code and the Arms Act, it said. On the intervening night of December 30-31 in 2017, a group of heavily armed terrorists attacked the CRPF group centre at Awantipura in Pulwama district killing five personnel of the force. Three terrorists were also killed in retaliatory action by the CRPF.
Lt Gen Anbu visits LoC, reviews security situation
Amid heightened tension along the Line of Control (LoC), Northern Army commander Lt Gen D Anbu today visited Kashmir and reviewed the security situation in the Valley, a defense spokesman said. He visited forward areas in Kupwara and Baramulla districts and was briefed by the commanders on ground regarding the operational preparedness, the spokesman said. "The northern Army commander visited the valley to review the prevailing security situation amidst heightened tensions along the Line of Control, the spokesman said here. Lt Gen D Anbu was accompanied by Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen A K Bhatt. "The Army commander was appreciative of the measures and standard operating procedures instituted by the units and formations to fight against the infiltration bids and ceasefire violations," the spokesman added. Commending the troops for their dedication to duty and high standards of professionalism, Lt Gen D Anbu asked them to continue strict vigil to thwart any nefarious designs of inimical
15 dead in fresh violence in DR Congo's troubled Kasai: local leader
Fourteen suspected militiamen and one soldier have been killed in a resurgence of violence in DR Congo's troubled Kasai region, a local leader said today. "Kamwina Nsapu militiamen arrived in the administrative centre of Lombelu (on Monday) and made a surprise attack on an army combat patrol," Andre Kapiola, Lombelu sector chief in Kasai Central, told AFP. Violence in Kasai first erupted after a tribal chieftain known as the Kamwina Nsapu, who rebelled against the regime of President Joseph Kabila, was killed in August 2016.
Kremlin says Syria truce will depend on Eastern Ghouta fighters
The Kremlin today said the future of Syria's ceasefire will depend on the actions of fighters in Eastern Ghouta, after the Russian military accused them of violating a "humanitarian pause" called by Moscow. "It will depend on how the terrorist groups behave, whether they will open fire, whether provocations from them will continue," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists when asked whether the current daily five-hour pause in fighting will increase. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered a daily "pause" from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm to evacuate civilians from the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta, outside Damascus, following a UN Security Council weekend vote to approve a 30-day truce. But the United Nations said today that fighting raged on in the area, making relief operations impossible. Despite the fighting, the levels of violence were significantly lower than at any point since February 18, when the regime began its assault in the region. Moscow, which calls ...
Former SP MLA, 5 others, held for alleged involvement in arms smuggling
A former Samajwadi Party MLA, Rakesh Singh, was arrested today for allegedly being involved in illegal smuggling of foreign-made arms, the Uttar Pradesh Police Special Task Force (STF) claimed. Based on the information provided by the former lawmaker, five persons, part of an arms smuggling syndicate, were also arrested, the STF claimed. The police is now probing the source of the seized foreign-made weapons, the kind of which are also used by para military forces, officials said. "Former SP MLA from Chhara constituency in Aligarh, Rakesh Singh, was arrested today in Aligarh with a made in Brazil Taurus .9 mm pistol and on information provided by him five persons were arrested from Lucknow," IG, STF, Amitabh Yash said here. During interrogation the former MLA accepted his involvement in arms smuggling, Yash said adding that the five others, Ishan Chowdhury, Mohd Anis, Subur Anwar, Wasim Ahmad and Nagendra Pratap Singh, were arrested from the Malhaur locality in Chinhat area here. The .
Hambantota port won't be used as military base:Lankan official
The strategic Hambantota port will not be used as a military base and Sri Lanka will not engage in any activities in its harbours and waters which may harm India's security interests, a top defence official from the island nation today said. In December last, Sri Lanka had handed over the control of the southern sea port of Hambantota to China on a 99-year lease, triggering concern here over Beijing's efforts to expand influence in the region. In an address at a conference here, Sri Lanka's Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Ravindra C Wijegunaratne also invited Indian companies to invest in the industrial areas of the Hambantota port. "There had been this widespread claim about the port being earmarked to be used as a military base. I can assure you madam (Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman) in this forum, that no action, whatsoever will be taken in our harbour or in our waters that jeopardises India's security concerns," he said. Wijegunaratne made the remarks in the presence of ...
Ex-Sri Lankan prez Rajapaksa in Tirumala to worship at Lord
Former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa today arrived here to worship at the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara at nearby Tirumala. Rajapaksa, who had visited the temple several times in the past, arrived here this evening and later reached the Tirumala hills where he would stay overnight, temple sources said. He would pay his obeisance to the presiding deity of Lord Venkateswara tomorrow morning, they told PTI. Tight security has been put in place on the hills for Rajapaksa's visit, which comes amid a political crisis in Sri Lanka following the local council elections in which his party SLPP registered a landslide victory. SLPP swept the local elections, seen as a referendum on the ruling alliance led by President Maithripala Sirisena, prompting Rajapaksa to demand a snap general election. Incidentally, the Sri Lankan leader had last visited the temple on December 10, 2014, a day after filing his nomination papers for the then presidential elections, seeking a
Fresh clashes in Syria's Eastern Ghouta breach Russian-backed truce
The morning calm that prevailed in a rebel-held enclave near Damascus as a Russian-backed ceasefire came into force on Tuesday following days of relentless bombardment by the Syrian government has been interrupted by fresh rocket fire and airstrikes, the UN and activists said.
Ram Madhav, Tripura BJP in-charge get VIP security cover
BJP general secretary Ram Madhav and its Tripura in-charge Sunil Deodhar have been accorded VIP security cover of central paramilitary commandos in view of threats from insurgents during the polls. Officials said the two BJP leaders have been provided the cover after central security agencies assessed possible threats to the two, especially during the ongoing election period. The Union home ministry, they said, recently sanctioned a Y+ cover for Madhav and an X category security umbrella for Deodhar. The CRPF has been tasked to secure the two every time they travel in any of the seven northeastern states, they said. Madhav is also the general secretary in-charge of the party in the North-east. They said while a team of about 8-10 armed commandos have taken over the task of securing Madhav, another contingent of about 5-7 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force has been deployed with Deodhar. The VIP security cover, they said, is on a temporary basis and for a few months and may .
Nigeria's military says it rescues 1,100 from Boko Haram
Nigeria's military says it has rescued more than 1,100 people, including women and children, who had been held by Boko Haram extremists in different parts of the Lake Chad region near Cameroon. Today's announcement comes more than a week after Boko Haram abducted 110 girls from their school in Dapchi in Yobe state. The extremist group has abducted thousands of people over the years. Operation spokesman Col Onyema Nwachukwu says soldiers killed at least 35 Boko Haram fighters during the raids on Monday in the northern fringes of the Lake Chad islands and the Sambisa region. He says troops also seized a large arms cache. Nigeria's government's is under growing public pressure to respond to the Dapchi mass abduction and prove its repeated claims that Boko Haram has been defeated.
Afghan Taliban agrees to hold talks with US
The Afghan Taliban on Monday agreed to hold direct talks with the United States to achieve a "peaceful solution" to end the Afghanistan conflict.In a written statement, the Taliban cited remarks by Alice Wells, the US deputy assistant secretary for South and Central Asia, regarding "keeping the doors of dialogue open for the Taliban.""The Political Office of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan [Taliban] calls on American officials to talk directly to the Political Office of Islamic Emirate regarding a peaceful solution to the Afghan quandary," the statement said."The Taliban also urged the US to accept the legitimate demands of the Afghan people and forward its own concerns and requests for discussion to the Islamic Emirate through a peaceful channel," the statement added.The Taliban underscored that the conflict in Afghanistan could not be solved militarily and that it wanted the US forces and its allies to withdraw from the war-torn country, TOLOnews reported."America must henceforth
UK foiled 4 far-right terror plots last year: Official
Britain foiled four far-right terrorist plots last year as the threat from extremist right-wing groups became more active in the country, the UK's counter-terrorism chief has revealed. Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley used his pre-retirement speech last evening to warn against the growing threat from such terror groups. "The rightwing threat was not previously organised. Every now and then there's been an individual motivated by that rhetoric who has committed a terrorist act but we've not had an organised rightwing threat like we do now," he said. Rowley, the UK's national lead on counter-terrorism policing who is set to retire in two weeks, was addressing the annual Colin Cramphorn memorial lecture in central London. In his speech, he drew many comparisons between Islamist and far-right groups and figures, such as Islamic State (ISIS) and National Action. "Ironically, while Islamist and extreme rightwing ideologies may appear to be at opposing ends of the argument it
No presence of IS in Kashmir: MHA
The Centre today sought to downplay the issue of presence of dreaded terror group IS in Jammu and Kashmir saying it has no existence in the Valley. There is no physical infrastructure or manpower of the IS in the Valley. It does not exist in the Valley, a Home Ministry spokesperson said here. The central government's assertion came after the terrorist group claimed responsibility for the killing of a policeman, Farooq Ahmad Yatoo, in Jammu-Kashmir on Sunday. Another official said Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba could be behind the attack on the policeman, and Esha Fazali, a local militant who first joined the Hizbul Mujahideen and later shifted his allegiance to LeT, has emerged as the prime suspect. However, Jammu and Kashmir DGP SP Vaid has said in Srinagar that it was now clear that ISIS had carried out the attack and it is "indeed a worrying sign". In November 2017, there were reports that the global terror organisation was involved in an encounter with security forces
Indo-Pak shelling will stop only when two nations start thinking of peace: Farooq
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah today said that exchange of firing and shelling between armies of India and Pakistan will continue unless the two nations start thinking of peace. He was reacting to a question about continuance of ceasefire violations and heavy shelling by Pakistani troops along LoC targeting civilians and schools in Rajouri and Poonch districts. If they (both the nations) don't think of peace, the firing will not stop, neither from our side nor from their side, the National Conference chief told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.
Can't comment about IS claim unless attackers caught: J&K Police
Jammu and Kashmir Police chief S. P. Vaid said on Tuesday that unless the attackers are caught nothing can be said about the Islamic State's claim on the recent Srinagar attack.
Afghan Taliban calls for direct talks with US
The Taliban has called for direct talks with the US to find a "peaceful solution" to the conflict in Afghanistan, in an apparent policy reversal after months of escalating attacks. Civilian casualties surged in recent months as militants from the Taliban, as well as Islamic State group, unleashed a wave of bloodshed in urban areas and on security forces in response to a new open-ended military policy by US President Donald Trump. In a statement posted last night, the Taliban said it "calls on American officials to talk directly to the Political Office of Islamic Emirate regarding a peaceful solution to the Afghan quandary", using its official name. There has been no response to the offer from US officials, who have historically insisted any talks must include the Afghan government in Kabul. The call for talks comes a day before the second round of a regional peace conference in Kabul, where representatives from 25 countries will discuss counter-terrorism and conflict resolution ...
Naxal carrying Rs 3 lakh reward held in Chhattisgarh
A Naxal, carrying a reward of Rs 3 lakh on his head, was today arrested in Chhattisgarh's Kondagaon district, a police official said. The cadre, identified as Sukul Mandavi alias Ramdhar (28), was apprehended from a forest near Tumdiwal Kotmeta village when a joint team of various security forces was out on a search operation, Kondagaon's Additional Superintendent of Police Maheshwar Nag told PTI. The personnel belonging to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police's 41st battalion, the District Reserve Guard and local police were involved in the operation, he said. Mandavi, active as a local organisation squad member, was wanted in at least 16 Naxal-related incidents, including attempt to murder, arson and attacks on policemen, Nag added.
Naxals torch nine tractors in Bastar district
Nine tractors engaged in a road construction work were allegedly set ablaze by Naxals in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Bastar district, police said today. Noone was injured in the incident that occurred last night at Amlidhar Ghati under Mardumpolice station limits, a senior police official told PTI. He said a road was being constructed between Kaknar and Barsoor villages, located around 450 kms away from the capital, under the Pradhan Mantry Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY). "As per preliminary information, a group of armed ultras reached the construction site at Amlidhar Ghati and torchednine tractors parked there," he said, adding that Maoists also threatened workers to stay away from the construction works before fleeing. A police team was rushed to the spot this morning, the official said, adding that a combing operation is underway.
Hambantota port not being used as military base: Sri Lankan army chief
Sri Lankan army chief Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne on Tuesday clarified that the claims about the Hambantota port in southern Sri Lanka being utilised as a foreign military base was false.Speaking at the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2018 at the Manekshaw Centre here, Admiral Wijegunaratne said, "There had been a widespread claim about Hambantota port being earmarked to be used as a military base. I can assure that no action will be taken in our harbours and waters which would jeopardise India's security concerns."China recently opened its foreign military base in Djibouti in western Africa to strengthen its maritime presence in the region in July last year. The facility comprises of a large helicopter base, a naval port and a huge accommodation for nearly 10,000 Chinese troops.It is also reportedly planning to establish a second base in the Gwadar Port in Balochistan in Pakistan, where the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project is being built.The Sri .
Singapore wants communications blackout at terror attack sites
Singapore today proposed expanding police powers so they can block all communications from the scene of a terror attack to avoid jeopardising security operations, amid fears militants may target the city-state. The interior ministry, which supported a bill in parliament putting forward the measure, said live broadcasts of attacks in other parts of the world had unwittingly revealed police positions and other tactical details. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said an attack on the wealthy island, home to thousands of multinational corporations, is not a matter of if but when. Fears have been heightened by support for the Islamic State (IS) group in Muslim-majority neighbours of the financial hub. In 2016 police foiled a plot to fire a rocket at Singapore from an Indonesian island. The bill authorises police to stop everyone in the vicinity of an incident from taking photos and video or transmitting them. It also bans the sending of text and audio messages about security operations ...