Page 818 - War Conflict
IS cells operate in Kabul under noses of Afghan and US forces
Middle-class Afghans turned jihadists have assisted the Islamic State group's expansion from its stronghold in Afghanistan's restive east to Kabul, analysts say, helping to make the capital one of the deadliest places in the country. IS has claimed nearly 20 attacks across Kabul in 18 months, with cells including students, professors and shopkeepers evading Afghan and US security forces to bring carnage to the highly fortified city. It is an alarming development for Kabul's war-weary civilians and beleaguered security forces, who are already struggling to beat back the resurgent Taliban, as well as the US counter-terrorism mission in Afghanistan. "This is not just a group that has a rural bastion in eastern Afghanistan - it is staging high casualty, high visibility attacks in the nation's capital and I think that's something to be worried about," said analyst Michael Kugelman of the Wilson Center in Washington. The Islamic State-Khorasan Province (IS-K), the Middle East
Yemen's Houthis warn of cutting off shipping line
Yemen's Houthi rebels warned of cutting off the Red Sea shipping line if the Saudi-led coalition forces keep advancing towards the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah, the media reported on Wednesday.
Egypt jails 268 over 2013 violent pro-Morsi sit-in
An Egyptian court on Tuesday handed 268 supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi up to 25-year jail terms over a violent pro-Morsi sit-in following his removal in July 2013.
Two teenage girl 'bombers' shot dead in Nigeria
Two teenage girls wearing explosive vests were shot dead by soldiers in a town in north eastern Nigeria just days after a blast killed 14 worshippers, militia sources told AFP today. Soldiers patrolling the town of Gamboru opened fire after the two girls, strapped with explosives, refused to remove the vests in the early hours of the morning. A third girl was arrested. "Three teenage suicide bombers were found by soldiers and two of them were killed while the third was arrested with her explosive belt," said Umar Kachalla, a civilian militiaman in the town close to the Cameroon border. "Two of the girls who were walking together were asked to remove their vests but they refused and were shot dead by troops," he added. Soldiers spotted the third girl after she abandoned her explosive vest in a nearby empty building, said another militiaman Shehu Mada. The attempted bombing comes as Nigeria has launched a major offensive against Boko Haram following an escalation in ...
Israeli shot near West Bank settlement dies
An Israeli civilian died of wounds in a gun attack on his car near a settlement in the north of the occupied West Bank, the army said today. The man died in hospital following the shooting near Havat Gilad, east of the Palestinian city of Nablus, the army said, without specifying if he was a settler. Before being taken to hospital, the man was able to call for help on his phone, according to public radio, which aired the recording. "I was shot near Havat Gilad," the man said, before collapsing. The station said the man was in his 30s and lived in the settlement. Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said in a statement that he was confident the "security forces will track down the perpetrators and bring them to justice". About 400,000 Israelis live in settlements in the West Bank, a Palestinian territory occupied by Israel for 50 years. The settlements are deemed illegal under international law and widely seen as a main obstacle to peace. Fourteen Palestinians have been killed ..
Nigeria plans mass burial for 71 killed in herdsmen's attacks
Nigeria on Tuesday commenced a three-day mourning ahead of the mass burial of 71 people killed in violence allegedly perpetrated by herdsmen in the north-central state of Benue.
Airstrikes kill 3 IS terrorists in Afghanistan
At least three terrorists belonging to the Islamic State (IS) group have been killed in airstrikes carried out in eastern Kunar province of Afghanistan.The Khaama Press quoted the 201st Silab Corps in the East as saying that the airstrikes were carried out on Monday in the vicinity of Suki district.Several weapons belonging to the terrorists were also destroyed in the airstrike, according to the Silab Corps.IS has not commented on the incident so far.Earlier this week, at least 20 militants affiliated with the IS were killed in an airstrike in the Laghman province.
Chinese troop's presence continues near Doklam
Despite extreme cold conditions, Chinese troops continue to be present close to the Doklam plateau, though the numbers have gone down over last couple of months, informed sources said on Tuesday.
Italy to send more troops to Libya, take part in Nato mission to Tunisia
Rome, Jan 9 (IANS/AKI) Italy will send 100 more soldiers and nearly 30 extra vehicles to Libya to help train and support the conflict-wracked North African country's security forces, and will take part in a Nato mission in neighbouring Tunisia, media reports said on Tuesday.
Suicide bomber kills 6 near Pak's Balochistan Assembly
A suicide bomber today blew himself up near Pakistan's Balochistan Assembly, killing six persons including four policemen and injuring 18 others, hours after provincial Chief Minister resigned from his post due to political instability. According to initial inputs, the suicide bomber on a bike hit a Frontier Constabulary truck in Quetta's Zarghoon road in the high-security Red Zone, around 300 metres from the provincial Assembly building and chief minister secretariat. The banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack. Inspector General of Police (IGP) Balochistan Moazzam Ansari said that the attack killed four policemen and two civilians. About 18 people including seven policemen were also injured who were shifted to various hospitals of the city, police said. "It is a clear act of terrorism but we are still trying to determine whether it was a suicide bomb attack," a senior police official said. A special session of the Assembly had been
1 Hizb terrorist killed in encounter in south Kashmir
A Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist was killed while five other militants were believed to have escaped during an encounter with security forces in south Kashmir's Anantnag district, officials said. A 22-year-old man was also killed when security forces allegedly fired upon stone-pelting protesters in the native village of the slain militant in Kulgam district. The body of the militant, identified as Farhan Ahmad Wani, was handed over to his parents for burial in Khudwani village on the border of Kulgam and Shopian where villagers were already agitating over the death of a person killed in a road accident involving a para-military vehicle. Wani's death agitated the crowd further and it started pelting stones at a nearby Army camp, officials said. They said that the Army started firing in the air initially but had to aim at the crowd when jawans claimed to have been fired upon from the other side, the officials said. Two persons received bullet injuries with one of them ...
Two militants, civilian killed in J&K
Two militants were killed on Tuesday in a gunfight with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district, triggering street protests in Kulgam to which one of the militants belonged resulting in the death of a civilian, police said.
JVM leader shot dead
Suspected Maoists have dragged a Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) leader out of his house in Hazaribag district and shot him dead, the police said today. The 65-year-old JVM leader Yugal Rana was killed as he had helped the police in arresting two Maoists, said notes left by the red rebels at the spot. Rana, a resident of Gondalpura in Barkagaon police station, was the president of JVM's Gondalpura panchayat committee. Four armed suspected Maoists forcefully took him out of his house yesterday night saying his presence was needed in a panchayat committee meeting and gunned him down near a jungle some distance away, Superintendent of Police Anoop Birtheray said. The Maoists also threatened his family members, who were following them, with dire consequences if they inform the police about the killing, he said. A massive search operation has been launched to track down the killers.
NHM employees baton charged, tear-gassed during rally in Jammu
The Jammu and Kashmir Police today baton charged and tear gassed hundreds of employees of the National Health Mission (NHM), including women, protesting here in support of their demands, including regularisation of their jobs. More than 11,000 NHM employees have been on strike since December 20 in support of their various demands. Today, nearly 300 of them took out a rally in the city, but they were stopped by the police when they tried to march towards the secretariat - the seat of the Jammu and Kashmir government. The police said they had to use force to disperse the rally after the employees refused to vacate the area. However, NHM employees association spokesperson Faizan A Tramboo accused the police of using force without provocation. "Dozens of our colleagues were injured in the police action and many of them have suffered fractures. A pregnant woman suffered miscarriage," Tramboo claimed. He said the employees were peacefully marching towards the secretariat when ..
1 Hizb militant killed in encounter with security forces
A Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist was killed while five other militants were believed to have escaped during an encounter in South Kashmir's Anantnag district, officials said. The body of the militant, identified as Farhan Ahmad Wani, was handed over to his parents for burial in Khudwani village on the border of Kulgam and Shopian where villagers were already agitating over the death of a person killed in a road accident involving a para-military vehicle. Wani's death agitated the crowd further and it started pelting stones at a nearby Army camp, officials said. They said the Army started firing in the air initially but had to aim at the crowd when jawans claimed to have been fired upon from the other side, the officials said. Two persons received bullet injuries with one of them succumbing to his injuries at the hospital, they said. The deceased has been identified as 22-year-old Khalid Dar. Giving details of the encounter, the officials said that there was an intelligence ..
Video of Indian, Chinese troops shaking hands appears
A video today surfaced of troops from India and China shaking hands apparently to resolve a dispute at Tuting in Arunachal Pradesh where Chinese teams had attempted to build a road on the Indian side of the border. Though the veracity of the video could not be ascertained, official sources said it appeared to be genuine. In the video, an Indian officer is seen talking to Chinese military personnel to resolve the issue. After a brief conversation, the two personnel, accompanied by their respective colleagues, were seen shaking hands. On December 28, Indian troops had foiled attempts by Chinese road building teams to build a track around one kiolometre inside Indian territory in Tuting, government sources had said. They had said that the civilian teams went back when confronted by the Indian troops, but left behind two excavators and some other equipment. Yesterday, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat had said Indian and Chinese troops had resolved the issue.
Indian Navy fully capable to deal with any threat: Sitharaman
The Indian Navy is fully capable of defending the nation against any form of threat, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today said after witnessing a show of its operational might off the western coast of India. More than 10 warships from the Indian Navy including the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, three submarines and various naval aircraft participated in the show. The Navy said Sitharaman "presided over" complex naval operations including air interceptions, missile, gun and rocket firings, ship-to-ship replenishment, night flying and antisubmarine operations during the two-day-long show which began yesterday. The western fleet of the Navy undertook the manoeuvres off the western seaboard of India to showcase operational excellence and combat capabilities. The defence minister initially embarked INS Kolkata, the first of the indigenously built Kolkata Class destroyers and then spent the night at sea on-board aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya. "To assess the ...
Ten injured in Quetta blast
At least 10 people were injured after an explosion occurred at the Zarghoon Road in Quetta, on Tuesday evening.According to Dawn, the explosion occurred near the GPO Chowk in the vicinity of the Balochistan Assembly.The police officials are reportedly treating the incident as an act of terrorism. The police personnel have cordoned off the area.The injured were rushed to the hospital for medical assistance.There was a heavy police presence in the area at the time of the blast as a session of the Balochistan Assembly attended by almost all its members had then concluded.Earlier today, Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri had resigned prior to a no-confidence motion being taken up against him in the provincial assembly.
6 killed in explosion near Balochistan Assembly
At least six persons, including four police personnel, were killed on Tuesday in an explosion near the Balochistan Assembly building in Pakistan's Quetta city.
Lt Gen takes over charge of Spear Corps
Lieutenant General Gopal R today took over the reins of the Spear Corps, one of the largest and operationally most active corps of the Army. He took over charge of the Spear Corps from General Officer Commanding Lt Gen Anil Chauhan who proceeded on to his new posting in the Army Headquarters, New Delhi, a defence release here tonight. Spear Corps also known as 3 Corps Rangapahar in Dimapur district of Nagaland. An Infantry Officer from the Eighth Gorkha Rifles of the Army, Lt Gen Gopal R has extensive operational experience including that in the North East, the release said. The new GOC has had an illustrious career encompassing several command, staff and instructional appointments including those of commanding an Infantry Battalion on the Siachen Glacier, A Mountain Brigade and an Assam Rifles Range in South Assam, the release said. He is also one of the founding members of the team which established the Defence Command and Staff College at Botswana.