Page 762 - War Conflict
Army Chief reviews Eastern Command's operational preparedness
Army chief Bipin Rawat on Thursday visited the Eastern Army headquarters at Fort William her and reviewed the operational preparedness in view of the security situation in the eastern theatre, a defence official said.
Suicide attack kills one in Iraq's Ramadi
A suicide bombing killed one person in the western Iraqi city of Ramadi today, the first such attack since government forces retook it from jihadists, police and medics said. "A man driving a motorcycle blew himself up outside a police checkpoint," in Ramadi, a police captain said. A hospital source said one person was killed and 10 others were wounded. The Islamic State jihadist group captured Ramadi in May 2015 and government forces retook it in February 2016. There was no immediate claim of responsibility but most such attacks in Iraq are the work of IS jihadists. In December, the Iraqi government announced the "end of the war" against IS, which has been expelled from the Baghdad region and other urban areas it had seized in a sweeping 2014 offensive. Jihadist elements are still active in parts of the country.
China deploys Su-35 jets in SCS to counter US patrols
China has deployed the newly- acquired Russian made Su-35 fighter jets in its combat mission over the disputed South China Sea to challenge recurring US aerial and naval patrols asserting freedom of navigation and over-flight in region. The Chinese air force recently sent its Su-35 fighter jets to take part in a joint combat patrol over the South China Sea, the Chinese air force said in a statement. Th US military is periodically sending warships and air force jets to assert freedom of flights and navigation over the South China Sea as China claims most of it. Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims over the area. This is the first time the People's Liberation Army Air Force has made public the deployment of its Su-35s, introduced to China in late 2016, state-run People's Daily reported. The air force did not reveal when the patrol took place. The release said the multirole fighter jet's participation in combat exercises will help ...
Jail Superintendent suspended over Srinagar Hospital firing
Srinagar's Central Jail Superintendent, Hilal Ahmad Rather on Thursday was suspended from service and was asked to report to Director General (DG) of Prisons, following the incident at Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital (SMHS), in which two police personnel lost their lives and one terrorist escaped.According to officials, "the suspension of the Jail Superintendent, was taken up for his carelessness and dereliction of duty in the supervision and surveillance of hundreds of prisoners and under-trials, mostly locals and Pakistani militants, and others involved in stone-pelting and attacks on public property".Earlier in the day, two attackers and two over ground workers (OGW) have been arrested in connection with the attack on Srinagar's SMHS Hospital firing, which led to the escape of one detained Pakistani terrorist."SIT started probe and due to scientific evidence, we ascertained who or what were involved. They were identified, raids were conducted. We apprehended two militants by the .
'Naga army' not to disrupt state polls
The 'Naga army', an insurgent group in Nagaland, has said that it will not interfere in the ongoing election process in the state and will respect people's wish in this regard. Clarifying its January 30 call for "solution and not election", the group issued a statement yesterday saying it was responding to the wishes of the people. It said the wishes of the people are supreme and it will respect their decision. "The directive was also meant solely for the officers and personnel of the Naga army as a mechanism to control and discipling for non-interference in any electioneering matter/process. The Naga army will never use force or coercion to boycott election," it said. The elections to the 60-member Nagaland assembly will be held on February 27 for which civil society groups, some insurgent groups and several political parties have given a boycott call.
Paris attacks suspect refuses to attend trial
The sole surviving suspect from the 2015 Paris terror attacks refused to be present in the courtroom on Thursday for the second day of his trial in the Belgian city of Brussels.
Swayam Prakash Pani appointed IG Kashmir range
Swayam Prakash Pani was today appointed Inspector General (IG) of Police, Kashmir range, making him the youngest officer to hold the post, according to a Jammu and Kashmir government order. Pani, 41, replaces Muneer Khan, who was named Additional Director General of Police (Security), the government order said. Khan was promoted as the ADG last month and was awaiting a posting. Pani's name was cleared in a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, it said. Pani, who was serving as the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, South Kashmir Range, is a 2000 batch IPS officer. He is the youngest to be appointed IG, Kashmir range, officials said. Pani brings with him a range of expertise of serving in the Intelligence Bureau and National Investigation Agency. During his tenure as DIG, south Kashmir, many militant commanders were killed in encounters, officials said. All operations that Pani headed were meticulously planned, they said. While focusing on ...
Army chief reviews ops preparedness of Eastern Command
Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat today reviewed operational preparedness of the force at the Eastern Command Headquarters in Kolkata, a defence official said. Gen Rawat, on a day-long visit to the headquarter at Fort William, interacted with senior officers and reviewed their operational preparedness in view of the security situation in the eastern theatre, which witnessed a 73-day military standoff with China after its troops tried to build a road in Dokalam area claimed by Indian ally Bhutan. India feared the road, close to the "Chicken's Neck" corridor, would allow China to potentially cut off India's access to its northeastern states. The standoff began in June and ended on August 28 after Chinese troops agreed to stop building the road and both sides agreed on "expeditious disengagement" of personnel in Dokalam, according to the External Affairs Ministry. Gen Rawat, who was received by Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen Abhay Krishna, complimented all ranks of the command for .
Razzak, Taijul put Sri Lanka on a spin
Bangladesh spinners Abdur Razzak and Taijul Islam combined forces to leave Sri Lanka in trouble on 205-7 at tea on the opening day of the second Test in Dhaka today. The two left-arm spinners shared seven wickets between them to rock Sri Lanka's top and middle-order after skipper Dinesh Chandimal elected to bat first. Razzak, 35, stood out on his Test return to claim four wickets while his younger partner Taijul picked up three. Roshen Silva was batting on 45 at the break to offer some resistence in two dogged partnerships against a persistent Bangladesh bowling attack, as the hosts left Sri Lanka at 110 -6 shortly after lunch. Kusal Mendis scored 68 for Sri Lanka before he was the first man dismissed in the afternoon session at the hands of Razzak. Tajul bowled wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella in the next over before he broke a stubborn 52-run partnership between Dilruwan Perera and Silva. Perera made 31. Paceman Mustafizur Rahman removed debutant Akila ...
Four arrested for helping Pakistani terrorist escape from Kashmir hospital (Roundup)
Police on Thursday said it has arrested four Kashmiri militants who helped a Pakistani terrorist break free from a Srinagar hospital even as a special investigation team was formed to probe the "criminal conspiracy" behind the dramatic escape.
Woman killed in Pak shelling along LoC in Poonch
A 45-year-old woman was killed today in firing and shelling by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district. The Pakistani Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing from small arms, automatics and mortars from 1620 hours in the Krishnaghati sector along the LoC, a defence spokesman said. The Indian Army is retaliatingstrongly and effectively, he said. A police officer said that some mortar shells fell into the Balnoie hamlet along the LoC in the KG sector resulting in the death of a woman. She was identified as Zainab Bi, the officer said. With this death, 19 people, including 9 civilians, were killed and over 75 injured in Pak shelling this year.
Woman killed in Pakistan firing on LoC
A woman was killed on Thursday in Pakistan firing on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, police said.
Srinagar Hospital firing: 2 militants, 2 OGWs arrested
Two Kashmiri militants and two over ground workers (OGW) have been arrested in connection with the attack on Srinagar's Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital, which led to the escape of one detained Pakistani terrorist."SIT started probe and due to scientific evidence, we ascertained who or what were involved. They were identified, raids were conducted. We apprehended two militants by the name of Shakeel Ahmed Bhat and Tika Khan, both residents of Kakapora, Pulwama, and two OGWs by the name of Saeed Tajammul and Muhammad Shafi Vani, both from Kakapora, Pulwama," Jammu and Kashmir ADGP Muneer Khan told press here.The incident relates to the attack on February 6, when a group of militants opened fire at the police party that was escorting Pakistani terrorist Naveed Jatt along with six fellow prisoners, from the Central Jail, Srinagar to SMHS Hospital for their medical checkup.During the firing, two cops were killed, while Jatt managed to escape. Following this, an SIT was constituted to ...
North Korea holds military parade on eve of Olympics
North Korea staged a military parade in Pyongyang today to mark the 70th anniversary of its armed forces, putting its intercontinental ballistic missiles on show just a day before the Winter Olympics open in the South. The nuclear-armed North is on an Olympics-linked charm offensive -- sending a troupe of performers, hundreds of female cheerleaders, and the sister of leader Kim Jong Un to South Korea. But regiments of soldiers goose-stepped in formation through Kim Il Sung Square today, followed by trucks, artillery, tanks and finally four giant Hwasong-15 ICBMs -- as well as a band forming the Korean word for "Victory". Unlike the North's last parade in April 2017 state television did not show the event live, instead airing it hours later. Fireworks went off as leader Kim Jong Un took his place on the rostrum to watch the display, along with his wife Ri Sol Ju and the ceremonial head of state Kim Yong Nam -- who will head Pyongyang's delegation to the Olympics ...
Convictions upheld for Israelis in murder of Palestinian teen
Israel's supreme court today rejected an appeal by three members of a Jewish gang convicted of kidnapping, beating and burning alive a Palestinian teenager in 2014. The decision upholds life sentences for two of them and a 21-year jail term for the third over the chilling attack that was part of a spiral of violence ahead of the 2014 Gaza war. Israeli settler Yosef Haim Ben-David was convicted of leading the assault on Mohammed Abu Khdeir, 16, that shocked Israelis and Palestinians alike. The two others have not been named since they were minors -- 16 -- at the time of the crime. Ben-David, whose claim of insanity was rejected, was 31 when he was sentenced to life in May 2016. All three were present in the court today. Ben-David, appearing haggard in a prison uniform and with a scruffy beard, did not speak. Ben-David had previously claimed to be the "messiah," but judges ruled that he was mentally competent. They said that at the time of the killing he was "in full ...
International court opens initial probes into Philippines,
The prosecutor at the world's only permanent war crimes court said today she was opening initial probes into allegations that thousands of people have been killed during the "war on drugs" in the Philippines and into detentions and excessive state force during political upheavals in Venezuela. "Since 2016, I have closely followed the situations" in both the Philippines and Venezuela, prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said in a statement, and after "a careful, independent and impartial review... I have decided to open a preliminary examination into each situation.
Three ultras held in C'garh's Bijapur district
Three naxals, including a militia commander, were today arrested from Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Bijapur district, police said. The cadres were apprehended from Ketulnar village forest under Kutru police station limits when a joint team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and local police was out on a search operation, a senior police official told PTI. Of the arrested, Hadmo Podiyami (35 ) was active as a militia commander while Raju Tati (30) and Budhram Podiyam (35) as a militia member and DAKMS (Dandakaranya Adivasi Kisan Majdoor Sangthan- a frontal wing of Maoists) member, respectively, he said. The trio were allegedly involved in the killing of a police assistant constable Suklu Gota in Farsegarh area of the district last year, the official said. They were also wanted in cases related to loot, arson and the Arms Act, he said, adding that their interrogation was underway.
41 civilians killed in border firing in last 3 yrs in JK: Govt
As many as 41 civilians were killed in ceasefire violations by Pakistan while another 93 died in militancy related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir during the last three years, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said today. Overall, 134 civilians were killed and 477 injured in ceasefire violations and militancy related incidents in the state, she said. Replying to a question by BJP MLA Kuldeep Raj in the state Assembly, Mufti said 63 civilians were killed in ceasefire violations and militancy in 2017, 38 in 2015 and 33 in 2016. Giving further details, she said 187 civilians were injured in 2017 followed by 149 in 2016 and 141 in 2015.
Chhattisgarh: Encounter between CISF, Naxals ends
The encounter between the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel and Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada has ended.Following a belligerent attack from the CISF, the Naxals ran away towards the dense forest of Bijapur.CISF used bombs and hand grenades during the encounter.As of now, the situation is under control and an alert has been issued in the area.Earlier on Thursday, security forces had arrested a Naxal from the forest area of Bijapur's Basaguda. Detonator, wires and other equipment were also recovered from him.
Israel names new envoy to Jordan after diplomatic row resolved
Israel named a new ambassador to Jordan today, the foreign ministry announced, bringing to an end a months-long spat sparked by a deadly shooting. The foreign ministry named Amir Weissbrod as the new ambassador, the first since July when a security guard at the Israeli embassy in Amman shot dead two Jordanians after an alleged attack. Jordan and Egypt are the only two Arab nations with peace treaties with Israel.