Page 835 - War Conflict

Islamic State kills 41 in attack on Afghan cultural center

An Islamic State suicide bomber struck a Shiite cultural center in Kabul today, killing at least 41 people and underscoring the extremist group's growing reach in Afghanistan even as its self-styled caliphate in Iraq and Syria has been dismantled. The attack may have targeted the pro-Iran Afghan Voice news agency housed in the two-story building. The Sunni extremists of IS view Shiite Muslims as apostates and have repeatedly attacked Afghanistan's Shiite minority and targets linked to neighboring Iran. The attack wounded more than 80 people, many of whom suffered severe burns. Local Shiite leader Abdul Hussain Ramazandada said the bomber slipped into an academic seminar at the center and blew himself up among the participants. More bombs went off just outside the center as people fled. The IS-linked Aamaq news agency said four bombs were used in the assault, one strapped to the suicide attacker. It said the center was funded by Iran and used to propagate Shiite ...

Tension in Sikar after road accident

Tension erupted in the city when a state roadways bus hit a motorcycle leaving the rider critically injured. Angry residents damaged some vehicles, promoting the police to lob teargas shells. Police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the mob and detained more than 30 people. The injured biker was rushed to SMS Hospital in Jaipur in a critical condition. "The bus hit the motorcycle leaving its driver injured. A mob gathered at the place and damaged some vehicles," police said. The situation in the area is tensed but under control, they said.

120 Rajasthan villages to face severe water shortage as body

Nearly 120 villages in this district will face severe water shortage in the coming few days as a body was found stuck in a filter plant in village Dantiwara here, an official said. Considering the sentiments of the people and public- interest, the department has decided to empty the plant that holds about 10 lakh litres of water into the open fields in the area, he said. Since the body was found stuck in the plant, it was decided to clean the plant before restoring the water supply to 120 villages in Bilara and Pipar sub-divisions, he added. "The body was stuck in the plant for quite some time and might have contaminated the water meant for drinking. So we have decided to empty the entire plant reservoir, clean it and refill it for supply," the official said. The deceased was identified as Jagdish Nayak (35) of Sangaria in Jodhpur who was missing since December 11. According to the SHO (Dangiawas) Suresh Choudhary, Nayak was attendant at an oil tanker and had left home on

Renowned Israeli writer Ronit Matalon dies at 58

Renowned novelist Ronit Matalon, known for her explorations of Israeli society, died today at the age of 58 after battling cancer, media reports and officials said. President Reuven Rivlin mourned her death and called her a "marvellous author whose original and determined voice contributed to Israeli culture". Matalon's work has been translated into several languages, including English and French. Born in Israel in 1959 to a family of Egyptian origin, she worked as a journalist for Israeli newspaper Haaretz and was also known for her criticism of her country's occupation of the West Bank. She won a number of awards, including Israel's prestigious Bernstein Prize in 2009 for her novel "The Sound of Our Steps". The semi-autobiographical book told of the difficulties of a Jewish family from Egypt seeking to integrate into Israeli society. In 2016, she received criticism from the right in Israel when she criticised the occupation in an interview with French newspaper Le ...

Soldier among seven killed in DRCongo clashes

A soldier and six Mai-Mai militiamen died in clashes today in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo near the Ugandan border, the Congolese army said. Since the beginning of 2017, Mai-Mai militias have regularly attacked Congolese army positions in the region. The lastest clashes between government forces and the militia began at around 8am, local residents in Kasindi, in North Kivu province, said. Kasindi houses one of the main customs posts in the eastern DRC and which processes a large flow of merchandise from Uganda. "We regret the death of a soldier, three others are wounded, six militia have been killed and three others captured," said a regional spokesperson for the military, Lieutenant Jules Tshikudi. "Calm has been restored after several hours of fighting with heavy and light weapons," he said. "The army is in control of the situation." DR Congo's huge eastern region has long been plagued by violence, but fighting between government soldiers and militia ...

Pakistan condemns Kabul cultural centre attack

Pakistan on Thursday strongly condemned the suicide terror attack on a cultural centre in Afghan capital Kabul which claimed 41 lives and injured over 80.

Three LeT militants held in J&K

Three militants of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror outfit were arrested in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district on Thursday, police said here.

16 Naxals apprehended in 2017 by Vizag Rural Police

The Visakhapatnam Rural Police today said it has arrested 16 Naxals in 2017 as compared to nine in the previous year. Superintendent of Police Rahul Dev Sharma said 16 Maoists, 36 militia members and 117 sympathisers were arrested in 2017 as against 61 arrests in 2016, which included 9 Maoists and 37 militia members. Similarly, 29 Maoists and 33 militia members surrendered before police in 2017 as against 10 Maoists and 23 militia members who surrendered in 2016, the officer added.

Pak violates ceasefire in J-K's Poonch

Pakistan on Thursday violated ceasefire in Poonch's Khari Karmara in Jammu and Kashmir."Firing of small arms had started since 4 am today and a heavy shelling took place around 3:40 pm. Schools were open till then and the students are trapped there. Their parents are panicking. All the neighbouring areas have caught fire and there is a lot of smoke," Manendra Singh, a local, told ANI.The Pakistan troops fired mortars, automatics and small arms, wherein, the Indian side retaliated effectively.According to reports, there was no damage on the Indian side.Earlier on Wednesday, the Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation along the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera's Khori Baba area of Jammu and Kashmir.According to reports, Pakistani troops resorted to mortar shelling and small arms fire on forward Indian positions.The ceasefire violation by Pakistan comes nearly after 36 hours after the Indian Army killed three Pakistani soldiers in a cross-LoC strike on Monday evening

Three soldiers killed in central Mali mine blast

Three soldiers were killed in central Mali today by a mine blast as they hunted for suspected jihadist fighters, the army announced in a statement. "In their pursuit of the terrorists, the FAMa (Malian armed forces) were victims of a mine explosion," the army said. "The incident took place... in the Bulkessy (Mopti) sector on the border with Burkina Faso." "The casualty toll is three dead and three wounded," added the statement, without giving any further details. On December 21, the army in the large northwest African nation, mostly desert, announced the killing of five armed Islamic extremists and the death of a soldier when troops fought off an attack near Niono in the centre. In March and April 2012, jihadist groups linked to al- Qaeda seized control of the arid north of Mali, including celebrated ancient cities such as Gao and Timbuktu, centres of trans-Saharan trade and learning. The extremists were largely driven out in a French-led military operation launched in .

41 killed in IS attack on Afghan cultural centre (Third Lead)

At least 41 people were killed and over 80 injured here on Thursday in a suicide attack on a cultural centre of the Shia minority, which houses a madrasa, a mosque and an office of an Afghan news agency, authorities said. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.

Give families access to Reuters journalists: Myanmar rights body

The Myanmar Human Rights Commission on Thursday urged the authorities to allow the families to visit the two Reuters' journalists arrested for allegedly breaching the country's Official Secrets Act.According to the Myanmar Times, the National Human Rights Commission (MNHRC) also urged authorities to respect the rights due to the arrested reporters and allow them access to legal assistance.Reuters' journalists, 31-year-old U Wa Lone, and 27-year-old U Kyaw Soe Oo, were arrested on December 12 while reporting on development in northern Rakhine State, where a Rohingya crisis is festering.Since their arrest, the Myanmar police has not allowed lawyers or family members to visit them.MNHRC spokesperson U Yu Lwin Aung confirmed that they have received many letters from many media organisations, including the Myanmar Press Council and family members of the arrested journalists."MNHRC will send to the President Office and other related authorities the statement," he said.On Wednesday, a ...

SSB nabs 'hardcore' Maoist from Ranchi

The Sashastra Seema Bal(SSB) on Thursday said it has apprehended a "hardcore" Maoist in a joint operation with police in Ranchi.

Army chief in Nagaland

Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat on Thursday arrived here to review the security situation in poll-bound Nagaland.

Army Chief on two-day visit of Nagaland, Manipur & Assam

Chief of Army Staff, Gen Bipin Rawat arrived in Dimapur today on a two-day official visit to three North East states - Nagaland, Manipur and Assam, to get first hand information about the security situation in the region. On arrival at Dimapur Airport, Rawat was appraised of the operations of Spear Corps along the Line of Actual Control as well as counter insurgency operations in Nagaland by General Officer Commanding Spear Corps, Lt Gen Anil Chauhan. The Spear Corps besides undertaking extensive counter insurgency operations in the three North East states is also responsible for conduct of operations along the line of actual control in Arunachal Pradesh, stated a release issued by PRO Defence Col C Konwer. Rawat is being accompanied by General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Command, Lt Gen Abhay Krishna. The Army chief also called on Nagaland Chief Minister T R Zeliang at his private residence in Dimapur, wherein issues concerning the prevailing security situation .

Kabul blast: Afghan President orders thorough probe

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani has ordered authorities to investigate Thursday's serial blasts that claimed 40 lives.The Afghan Presidential Palace in a statement on Twitter said, "Terrorist groups and their backers must know that the Afghan people are united and stand firm to any plot carried out by their enemies; these heinous attacks will not break the resolve of the Afghan people.""The Afghan government reiterates that it is firmly committed to dismantle and eliminate terrorism; the Afghan Security Forces are on the front lines to safeguard their country and people," the statement added.The suicide bomber detonated his explosives at the gate of the Tebyan center in the PD6 area of Kabul.The death toll is expected to rise as some of those injured are critical.The Taliban has denied any role in the attack.Meanwhile, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has condemned the attack."UNAMA condemns today's attack on civilians in #Kabul. Preliminary reports ...

IS claims Kabul bombings: propaganda agency

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at a Shiite cultural centre in Afghanistan's capital Kabul today that killed about 40 people. The extremist group said it targeted the centre with three bombs followed by a suicide bombing, in a statement on its propaganda outlet Amaq.

$100 bn needed to rebuild Iraq, says Baghdad

Local leaders in Mosul say that amount is needed to rehabilitate their city alone

Turkey: 38 Islamic State group suspects detained in raids

Turkey's state-run news agency says anti-terrorism police have detained 38 suspected Islamic State group militants in the northwestern province of Bursa. Anadolu Agency says the suspects, including several Syrian nationals, were apprehended in simultaneous raids of homes early Thursday. The agency reports that police broke down doors with battering rams. Turkey has suffered a series of deadly attacks blamed on IS militants, including a New Year's attack at an Istanbul nightclub by a gunman that killed 39 people. The country is stepping up security measures ahead of the new year. Authorities have canceled several large-scale New Year's Eve street celebrations in Istanbul.

12 more patients evacuated from Syria rebel enclave

A second batch of sick Syrian civilians, most of them children, left the besieged rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta, aid officials said today, but hundreds of critical patients remained trapped. Four evacuations took place on Tuesday and another group of 12 made it out late Wednesday, but a top humanitarian envoy questioned a deal under which medical emergencies are used as bargaining chips. A total of 29 emergency medical cases are expected to be evacuated under a deal with the government that saw rebels release several men, including workers detained during fierce clashes with the army in March. The numbers are still a far cry from the nearly 500 patients in the Damascus suburb the UN said weeks ago would die if they did not urgently receive better treatment. "Yesterday we evacuated 12 patients together with their family members, the majority of them are children," International Committee of the Red Cross spokeswoman Ingy Sedky said. "Most of them suffer from cancer, ...