Page 822 - War Conflict
U'khand: 2 killed, 2 injured in firing during 'Nagar Kirtan'
In a case of an alleged feud, two people were killed and two others were injured in the firing that took place during a 'Nagar Kirtan' organised here on Sunday.The incident took place during a peaceful gathering at a Gurdwara here in Udham Singh Nagar when a firing began that killed two and injured two.The two people, who have been grievously injured, were shifted to a hospital in the vicinity where they are undergoing treatment.Meanwhile, the police have begun their investigation.
Policeman killed by suspected Naxals in Bijapur in C'garh
A police jawan was today killed by suspected Naxals at a village market in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Bijapur district, police said. Assistant Constable Raju Lekam died after he was attacked with sharp-edged weapons by suspected rebels at the weekly market under Jangla police station limits this evening, a district police official told PTI. Lekam who was posted with Bhairamgarh police station of the district was absent from duty for the past couple of days, he said. The official added that on getting information a police team had rushed to the spot and further details were awaited from there.
Modi holds 'focussed discussions' with police, paramilitary brass
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday held "focussed discussions" regarding internal security with heads of state police and paramilitary forces here.
One dead, one hurt in blast outside Stockholm area metro
One person died and another was slightly hurt today in a blast outside a metro station in a Stockholm suburb, police said. A man in his 60s died after succumbing to injuries sustained when "according to witesses he picked up an object off the ground which promptly exploded," police spokesman Sven-Erik Olsson told AFP. He died in hospital, police said on their website. A woman aged 45 was also hurt, suffering facial injuries, police said. The bLast occurred mid-morning at the Varby gard station in Huddinge, a southern suburb of the Swedish capital. Police cordoned off the station and the square where the blast happened as the bomb squad moved in to investigate. The Expressen and Aftonbladet newspapers said the device was a hand grenade. "It is too early to say. Technicians are still working on it. Nothing indicates that the (injured) couple were targeted," said Olsson, adding there was nothing to suggest an act of terrorism.
Modi's call to Saudi King helped India's op 'Rahat' in Yemen:
One direct phone call from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Saudi King in 2015 turned out to be a decisive game changer and facilitated a massive evacuation of Indians and foreigners stranded in war-torn Yemen, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said today. 'Operation Rahat' was launched by Indian Armed Forces to evacuate more than 4,000 Indian citizens and other foreign nationals from Yemen during the 2015 military intervention by Saudi Arabia and its allies. The 11-day evacuation by sea started on April 1, 2015 from Aden port. Addressing the Indian diaspora at the ASEAN-India Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) here, Swaraj said that relentless Saudi bombing of Yemenese locations had made evacuation of Indian civilians next to impossible. She gave a blow-by-blow account of how the 'Operation Rahaat' in Yemen was successfully carried out. Swaraj said that she approached Modi and suggested that the excellent rapport he enjoyed with Saudi King (Salman) be put to good ...
Robbers looted man at gunpoint in Ghaziabad
Four robbers looted a businessman in Mohammadpur area of Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad on Sunday.The miscreants allegedly looted Rs 10,000 from the businessman at gunpoint.On the basis of tipoff, the police reached the spot to nab the robbers and also engaged in an encounter with them for more than an hour.However, after several hours of a search operation, the police could not nab the robbers and they managed to escape from the site.Meanwhile, Regional officer Rajkumar said that a case has been registered against unknown miscreants and investigation was launched to trace them.
Mathura railway police hands over terror suspect to ATS
The Government Railway Police (GRP) of Mathura on Sunday detained a suspicious person who was travelling in Shatabdi Express and handed him over to the anti-terrorism squad.The person was taken into custody after the train ticket examiner, who was present in the coach, observed him doing some suspicious activities.After interrogating the suspect for eight hours, the police found out that he was a resident of Anantnag area of Jammu and Kashmir and was carrying many Aadhaar cards and several documents.However, even after a detailed interrogation, the police couldn't get much out of him.The intelligence sources said that the person's activity was suspicious and he was possibly associated with some terrorist organisation.The investigation into the matter is underway.
Sudan seizes newspapers after bread price rise criticism
Sudanese security agents today seized all copies of six newspapers after they criticised the government over soaring bread prices that have almost doubled this week, editors said. Discontent has been simmering over the past few days as bread prices jumped on the back of a sharp rise in the cost of flour after a government decision to shift importing of wheat to private sector companies. Several newspapers have criticised the decision concerning wheat imports, while the country's opposition groups called for nationwide demonstrations against the price rise. Today, members of the powerful National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) confiscated entire print runs of Al- Tayar, Al-Mustagilla, Al-Karar, Al-Midan, Al-Assayha and Akhbar Al-Watan newspapers. Akhbar al-Watan and Al-Midan are mouthpieces of opposition Sudanese Congress Party and the Communist Party, while the other four newspapers are independent journals that often report criticism of the government. "No ...
Fresh response needed for changed strategy of terror outfits:
A day after four policemen were killed in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in Sopore, the BJP today said terrorist outfits had changed their strategy and a fresh response from intelligence agencies and security forces was needed to counter it. Party spokesperson Brigadier (retd) Anil Gupta said the last major IED attack on the Army in the valley took place in Narbal on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway in 2008. Repeated attempts were made but without much success. However, there have been indicators in the recent past which should have alerted police and intelligence agencies, he said. "There is an obvious design behind the changed strategy which does not augur well if not countered immediately and aggressively. "The choice of targets, use of IEDs and growing involvement of local youth are a cause of concern," he said in a statement issued here. He said the body of a Pakistani terrorist of Jaish-e- Mohammad (JeM) was found lying outside the Eidgah area in Tral in
Four persons injured in three blasts by Naxals in Chhattisgarh
Two District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel and two women were today injured when pressure bombs, laid by Naxals, went off at separate places in Chhattisgarhs insurgency-hit Bijapur district. A police official said that the four were injured in three separate incidents that happened at Gangaloor and Bhairamgarh, about 450 kilometres from here. Officials said that in the first incident, two women were left with splinter injuries when they stepped on a pressure improvised explosive device (IED) on the outskirts of their native Pusnar village. Security personnel brought the two women on a makeshift stretcher to Gangaloor for treatment from where they were being shifted to Raipur, said an official. In another incident, a DRG constable, Shankar Pulse, was injured in a blast near Burji village and he too was being airlifted to Raipur for treatment, the official added. The third incident saw DRG jawan Raju Kadti suffering minor injuries after a pressure bomb exploded in the ...
9 Taliban insurgents killed in Afghanistan
At least nine terrorists belonging to Afghanistan's Taliban were killed and 18 others were injured in an operation by the security forces of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) in southern Helmand province.The NDS said in a statement that the operation was launched in Garemsir district of the province to clear the insurgents. Three local Taliban commanders were also arrested, reported the Tolo News."The forces have also seized some weapons and explosives during the operation", the statement added.The Taliban hasn't commented on the incident so far.Yesterday, a key Taliban leader, who was leading the financial affairs and providing logistics for the militants, was killed in an airstrike in southern Helmand province.
BSF seizes 19kg heroin
In a major haul, the Border Security Force (BSF) has seized 19kg of heroin along the Indo-Pak border in the Gurdaspur sector today, an official said. BSF troops detected suspicious activity near the fence in the Adhian border outpost area early morning, he said, adding that the troopers challenged the smugglers, who did not pay heed to the warning. The BSF personnel then fired a few rounds, following which the smugglers escaped using the cover of darkness, the official said. A search operation was launched and 19 packets of heroin, weighing a kilogram each, were found from the area.
Israeli group faults response to crimes against Palestinians
An Israeli rights group says authorities only bring indictments in about one in 10 ideologically-motivated attacks by Israelis against Palestinians in the occupied territories. In an annual report published today, Yesh Din says it has monitored 225 investigation files since 2014. Of the 185 files processed, it says just 21 have resulted in indictments -- an 11.4 per cent rate. Though the figures mark an increase over previous years, the group says its findings still show that Israel "fails to fulfil its duty to guarantee the safety of the Palestinian public in the occupied territories." As a result, it says Palestinians have been increasingly refraining from turning to police. Yesh Din is often critical of Israeli authorities and government policies in the West Bank. Israeli police had no immediate comment.
Syrian forces eye rebel-held province after defeat of IS
Syrian government forces and allied militiamen are advancing on the largest remaining rebel-held territory in the country's north, forcing thousands of civilians to flee toward the border with Turkey in freezing winter temperatures. The offensive on Idlib -- a large province in northwestern Syria packed with civilians and dominated by al- Qaida-linked militants -- was expected after the defeat of the Islamic State group late last year. Last week, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the main military operations against IS in Syria have ended and signaled that the focus would shift to al-Qaida-linked militants. The Idlib offensive carries significant risks. The province bordering Turkey is home to an estimated 2 million Syrians, including tens of thousands of people who fled fighting elsewhere. A full-blown government offensive could cause large-scale destruction and massive displacement. Turkey, a supporter of the rebels, has deployed military observers in the ...
Modi in MP to attend police-paramilitary meet
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Sunday on a two-day-visit during which he will interact with the heads of police and paramilitary forces.
13 youths killed by 'armed elements' in south Senegal
Thirteen youths were killed by "armed elements" in the Casamance region of southern Senegal, an area ravaged by armed conflict for more than three decades, a security source said. "Armed elements attacked young people who were looking for wood in the Bayotte forest, in an area of the commune of Boutoupa. Thirteen were killed and two were able to escape," the source told AFP in regional capital Ziguinchor, confirming information from the Senegalese Press Agency (APS). "They would have passed the buffer zone separating the positions of the Senegalese army from those of the MFDC (Movement for Democratic Forces in Casamance), the armed independent rebellion," said APS, not citing a source. The MFDC, separatist rebels, began fighting for independence in December 1982, but have long ceased once frequent attacks on the Senegalese army, which retains a visible presence in the area. Nine other young people were badly injured during the attack and taken to the regional hospital in
Car bomb explodes in Libya
A car bomb has exploded on the outskirts of the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi."A car bomb exploded at around 10:45 a.m. (local time) near one of the main streets of Salouq in Benghazi without any casualties," a source of Benghazi security department told Xinhua.According to the source, the explosion carried out on Saturday was minor in nature."The car exploded near the house of Musa al-Nimr, an elderly residing in the eastern region," the source added.The Municipal Council of Salouq confirmed the bombing in a post on its official Facebook page.No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing so far.Libya has been plagued with insecurity, violence and political chaos, since the fall of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011 in a coup.
Taliban leader killed in Helmand
A key Taliban leader, who was leading the financial affairs and providing logistics for the militants, has been killed in an airstrike in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province.The Taliban leader was in contact with the group's leadership in Quetta and was arranging weapons and other military kits for the insurgents, reported Khaama Press, citing Helmand governor's office, as saying, in a statement.No comments have been received from the anti-government armed militant groups, including the Taliban insurgents by far.Earlier, in late December, at least 17 militants, belonging to the Taliban insurgent group, were killed, in a joint operation by the Afghan air forces and ground forces in southern Helmand province."The forces had also seized weapons during the operation," Provincial governor spokesperson Omar Zwak had said.
Dutch arrest eight protesters for attacking Iran embassy
Eight people have been detained in The Hague after they broke into the Iranian embassy and threw projectiles at the building, police said today. The suspects were arrested on Friday accused of a variety of offences including sedition, disrupting public order, attempted arson and unauthorised entry, police spokeswoman Hilda Vijverberg told AFP. Footage on public broadcaster NOS shows a group of men shouting "Death to the Islamic Republic" in Farsi, climbing the barrier into the embassy compound and hurling what were probably eggs or pebbles at the building. Dozens of protesters staged demonstrations in The Hague and Amsterdam against the Iranian regime on Tuesday. Iran itself has been rocked by days of opposition protests over the state of the economy and against the regime which left 21 people dead.
'No bar in condoling killing of local militants in Kashmir'
A senior leader of the ruling PDP today stoked a controversy by saying there was "no bar" in condoling the killing of local militants in Kashmir. "Whether it is a CRPF man... or a local militant, there is no bar on offering condolences. However, it depends on the security situation, sometimes we can go and sometimes not," PDP chief spokesperson, Rafi Ahmad Mir, told reporters here. Even before coming to power, the party had a policy of visiting the families of local militants who were killed in counter-insurgency operations by security forces, he said. "The PDP had a policy. Whenever a militant was killed, I used to visit (the family) to offer condolences, and at that time the PDP president would also visit," Mir said, adding that "whoever becomes a martyr is before God and I think we should not talk about that". Referring to today's IED blast in Sopore in which four police personnel were killed, the PDP chief spokesman said that whether a policeman gets killed or a local