Page 765 - War Conflict
2 Afghan generals fired, to stand trial over academy assault
Two Afghan generals and five other army officers have been fired and charged with negligence in connection with last week's deadly assault on a military academy in which 11 soldiers were killed, the Defence Ministry said today. Ministry spokesman Daulat Waziri told The Associated Press that the seven officers will be tried in a military court. He did not offer further details. Afghanistan's Islamic State affiliate claimed the January 29 attack in Kabul, which also wounded 16 soldiers. A suicide bomber struck the military unit guarding the academy, which set off a gunbattle. Two attackers were killed in the fighting, two blew themselves up and one was arrested. Separately, Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish said five civilians have been arrested in connection with a January 21 assault on the Intercontinental Hotel, which killed 44 people, including several foreigners, and a January 27 suicide bombing that killed 103 people. The suicide bombing occurred in an area ...
Indian Army begins UN Peacekeeping training in Myanmar
An Indian Army delegation in Naypyitaw on Monday began training the Myanmar armed forces for UN Peacekeeping operation, a statement said.At least 30 Myanmar Army personnel would be trained for 15 days to enhance their capacity towards undertaking United Nations assignments in near future, the Indian Army said in the statement.Such joint training events are seen as major initiatives, aimed at fostering better ties with neighbouring nations.The statement added that the Indian Army's rich experience as part of United Nations Force, spanning almost seven decades, and its professional approach in UN peacekeeping brings in quality and value to such training.
US launches new air attacks against Taliban
US bombers have struck multiple Taliban targets in a new air offensive over the past four days in far northeastern Afghanistan near the China and Tajikistan borders, the Southern Command said today. The strikes hit Taliban training facilities in Badakhshan province, "preventing the planning and rehearsal of terrorist acts," the Southern Command said in a statement. The bombing also destroyed vehicles that it said the Taliban took from the Afghan National Army and were turning into vehicle-born explosive devices. The strikes were carried out in part by a US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress, which dropped 24 guided munitions. The Southern Command, which oversees US military activities in the Middle East and Afghanistan, said it continues to carry out strikes against the Taliban and its support networks in Helmand Province in the south of the country as well. Strikes and raids by US and Afghan forces "have resulted in the removal of more than $30 million of Taliban revenue ...
US launches new air attacks against Taliban
US bombers have struck multiple Taliban targets in a new air offensive over the past four days in far northeastern Afghanistan near the China and Tajikistan borders, the Southern Command said today. The strikes hit Taliban training facilities in Badakhshan province, "preventing the planning and rehearsal of terrorist acts," the Southern Command said in a statement. The bombing also destroyed vehicles that it said the Taliban took from the Afghan National Army and were turning into vehicle-born explosive devices. The strikes were carried out in part by a US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress, which dropped 24 guided munitions. The Southern Command, which oversees US military activities in the Middle East and Afghanistan, said it continues to carry out strikes against the Taliban and its support networks in Helmand Province in the south of the country as well. Strikes and raids by US and Afghan forces "have resulted in the removal of more than $30 million of Taliban revenue ...
Dozens dead in regime strikes on Syria rebel enclave
Fresh regime strikes on a besieged rebel-held enclave near Damascus killed close to 70 civilians today despite mounting Western pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The bloodshed came a day after another 31 civilians were killed in Eastern Ghouta and as the United Nations pleaded for a truce in the seven-year-old war to allow for aid deliveries. Eastern Ghouta and Idlib, a northern province where violence also flared this week, are both so-called de- escalation zones under a deal last year intended to pave the way towards an end to the conflict. A UN-mandated committee however said the recent escalation in violence "made a mockery" of the deal, which has failed to stem the fighting as the Syrian government continues its nationwide military reconquest. The latest casualties in Ghouta came as Washington threatened military action over the reported use of chemical weapons in the enclave, which regime and allied forces have besieged since 2013. The death toll there .
SpaceX launches world's most powerful rocket toward Mars
The world's most powerful rocket, SpaceX's Falcon Heavy, blasted off today on its highly anticipated maiden test flight, carrying CEO Elon Musk's cherry red Tesla roadster to an orbit near Mars. Screams and cheers erupted at Cape Canaveral, Florida as the massive rocket fired its 27 engines and rumbled into the blue sky over the same NASA launchpad that served as a base for the US missions to Moon four decades ago.
Palestinian killed in clashes during Israeli raid: ministry
A Palestinian died today in clashes that broke out after Israeli forces raided a city in the northern West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said. In a statement the ministry announced one person had died and several dozen were wounded in widespread clashes in Nablus after the Israeli army entered the city. A medical source named the dead person as Khaled Tayeh, a man in his 20s who had been shot in the chest. The Israeli forces had apparently entered the city to search for a Palestinian who stabbed and killed an Israeli man near the major West Bank settlement of Ariel yesterday. The identity of the dead man did not match that of the suspect given by Israeli authorities as the stabber. Earlier today several hundred people gathered for the funeral of Itamar Ben Gal, the 29-year-old killed outside Ariel. Tensions have risen since US President Donald Trump's controversial recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. At least 22 Palestinians and two Israelis have died ...
IAF chief B S Dhanoa holds talks with French counterpart
Andre Lanata, chief of the French Air Force Staff, met his Indian counterpart Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa and discussed matters relating to inter-services cooperation, the French embassy here said today. Lante, on a four-day visit to India, also met Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat and Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra, the embassy said in a statement. Lanta arrived in India yesterday and will be here until February 8. He laid a wreath at India Gate to honour the fallen Indian soldiers in a battle in France during World War I. "The excellence of these meetings reaffirmed the close and long-standing ties between the Indian and French armed forces with regard to inter-services cooperation and sharing operational experiences," the statement quoted French envoy to India, Ambassador Alexandre Ziegler, as saying.
Israel kills Hamas member suspected of murdering rabbi
Israeli forces today shot dead a Hamas member suspected of killing a rabbi as two deadly attacks against Israeli settlers in a month increased tensions in the occupied West Bank. The Palestinian suspect in the murder of the rabbi on January 9 was shot dead in a pre-dawn raid hours after another Israeli was killed in a stabbing in the West Bank. Several hundred mourners attended the funeral today for Itamar Ben Gal, the 29-year-old man killed a day earlier who was also a rabbi. There was no indication of a direct link between the two attacks, with violence common in the West Bank between Palestinians and Israeli settlers or security forces. Islamist movement Hamas said the suspect killed overnight was a member of its armed wing. The 19-year-old believed to have committed yesterday's stabbing remained at large. "The security forces will catch whoever tries to attack Israeli citizens and we will deal with them to the fullest extent of the law," Israeli Prime Minister ...
5 Assam Rifles troopers injured in grenade attack
At least five troopers of Assam Rifles were injured today when suspected militants of an unidentified group hurled two hand grenades at their transit camp in West Imphal District, police said. The incident took place around 5:50 pm in Minuthong area, a senior police officer said, adding, the two medium-intensity blasts occurred within a span of two seconds. The troopers sustained splinter injuries and are reported to be out of danger, the officer said. Today's incident comes a day after two Assam Rifles jawans sustained splinter injuries when hand grenades were lobbed at them at the Imphal Polo Ground.
Lanka suspends diplomat in UK over throat-cutting gestures to
Sri Lanka today suspended Brigadier Priyanka Fernando, the country's Defence Attache to the UK, after he was filmed making "throat cutting gestures" to Tamils protesting outside its High Commission in London this week. The Foreign Ministry said that authorities have taken serious note of videos being circulated on social and web- based media of an alleged incident involving the Minister Counsellor (Defence) attached to the Sri Lanka High Commission in London behaving in an offensive manner. "In this connection, instructions have been sent to Sri Lankas High Commissioner in London today, 6 February 2018, to suspend the Minister Counsellor (Defence) from work, with immediate effect," the ministry said in a statement. It said authorities in Sri Lanka including the Sri Lanka Army will initiate inquiries on the incident immediately. British lawmakers Joan Ryan and Siobhain McDonagh had called on the British Foreign Secretary to "withdraw Brigadier Priyanka Fernandos diplomatic
9 Assam Rifles troopers injured in twin blasts in Manipur: Police
At least nine Assam Rifles troopers were injured, two of them critically, on Tuesday when two powerful bombs lobbed by unidentified persons inside their transit camp exploded here on Tuesday, police said.
Nine Assam Rifles soldiers injured in Imphal blast
Nine security personnel suffered injuries on Tuesday after two blasts reportedly occurred inside Assam Rifles Transit Camp near Khuman Lampak Main Stadium in Imphal West district.The injured soldiers were immediately admitted to a nearby hospital.An investigation has been initiated into the matter.
Patients, staff ran to safety during LeT attack: Eyewitnesses
It was a regular day at Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital (SMHS) this morning. Hundreds of patients and their family members were visiting Srinagar's main healthcare facility for treatment until it thundered with gunfires. Scared patients, their attendants and the hospital staff - everyone - jumped and ran cluelessly to safety. There was complete chaos at the hospital in Jammu and Kashmir's summer capital, according to eyewitnesses. A group of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists had just stormed the high-security hospital around 11.35 am. The attackers managed to free one of their accomplices - a 22- year-old Pakistani terrorist - and killed two policemen escorting him. Mohammed Naveed Jhutt, who was caught in Kulgam in south Kashmir in 2014, had complained of itchiness over the past few days to the medical staff at the Central Jail Srinagar after which he was referred to the hospital for suspected scabies. Jhutt had been referred to SHMS for specialised treatment, a ...
US expands airstrikes in Afghanistan to China border
The US has expanded its airstrikes against the Taliban to the northeastern Badakhshan province, bordering China and Tajikistan, aiming to reduce the areas under rebel influence, according to a US forces statement released on Tuesday.
Two policemen killed in Srinagar attack, LeT militant escapes (Third Lead)
In an audacious attack, gunmen attired in Pherans (Cloak) helped a Pakistani LeT militant escape by firing at the police party escorting him to hospital here on Tuesday, leaving two policemen dead.
Pak LeT terrorist escapes from hospital, two cops killed
A Pakistani terrorist in custody today staged a daring escape from the SMHS hospital here, killing two policemen with a pistol handed to him by his LeT accomplices who ambushed the police team escorting him, police said. The attack by the LeT to free "hardcore" Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Mohammed Naveed Jhatt took place around 11.35 am inside the busy SMHS hospital complex in a high security area of Jammu and Kashmir's summer capital. It ended with Head Constable Mushtaq Ahmad and Constable Babar Ahmad Khan being killed and the terrorists escaping into the narrow lanes of downtown Srinagar, a police official said. Jhatt, the 22-year-old LeT militant from Pakistan who was caught in Kulgam in south Kashmir in 2014, escaped with the assailants, police said. "It's a very unfortunate incident and the terrorists managed to free one of their hardcore accomplices. We have sounded a red alert to nab all those involved in this crime," said Director General of Police S P ...
Iraq publishes most wanted list headed by IS leader
Iraqi authorities today published a list of most wanted fugitives headed by elusive Islamic State group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and his number two. It was the second list Iraq had published this week of people wanted on suspicion of belonging to the Islamic State group, Al-Qaeda or the Baath Party of executed dictator Saddam Hussein. "They are more dangerous than those who appeared on the first list published on Sunday and they are wanted internationally whereas the others are wanted only by the Iraqi courts," a security official told AFP. The IS leader appears on the list under his real name Ibrahim Awad Ibrahim Ali al-Badri al-Samarrai. His deputy is listed as Abdel Rahman al-Qaduli rather than his nom de guerre Abu Alaa al-Afari. Seven other Iraqis are on the list as are five foreigners accused of IS membership -- two Saudis, a Jordanian, a Yemeni and a Qatari. Sunday's list contained the names of 60 wanted suspect, all but one of them Iraqis. It includes the name .
Polish president to sign controversial Holocaust bill
Poland's president said today he will sign into law a controversial proposal to outlaw blaming Poland as a nation for crimes committed by Nazi Germany during the Holocaust, despite strong criticism from Israel and the United States. But in an unusual move, President Andrzej Duda also said he will ask the country's constitutional court to evaluate the bill, theoretically opening the way for parliament to amend it. The law will impose prison terms of up to three years for falsely attributing the crimes of Nazi Germany to Poland. It has fueled a diplomatic crisis with Israel, which fears it will stifle discussion about the Holocaust and enable Poland to whitewash the role of Poles who killed or denounced Jews during the German occupation of Poland during World War II. The United States also strongly opposes the legislation, saying it could hurt Poland's strategic relations with Israel and the US. The US has also expressed concerns that the law could hurt freedom of ...
BSF recovers cache of arms near Indo-Pak border in Gurdaspur
Border Security Force (BSF) today recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition including three AK-47 rifles, two pistols, six hand grenades and 250 rounds near the Indo-Pak border at the Kassowal border outpost in Gurdaspur Sector. The arms and ammunition were kept in a white bag found buried under the soil, an official said. BSF troops found the bag with the help of a sniffer dog, he added. "We have recovered three AK-47 rifles along with six magazines, 150 rounds, two pistols along with two magazines, 100 rounds and six hand grenades at the border outpost Kassowal in Gurdaspur Sector," BSF DIG Rajesh Sharma said. The BSF troops noticed suspicious movement near the Indo-Pak border after which they launched a search operation. "During the search operation, a white bag, containing arms and ammunition which was buried under the soil was found," he said. The weapons will be handed over to the local police, he added.