Page 840 - War Conflict

Over 80 lakh pilgrims visited Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine this yr

The number of pilgrims visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir crossed 80 lakh, over three lakh devotees more than the last two years. As many as 77,76,604 pilgrims had visited the cave shrine in 2015 and 77,23,721 pilgrims in 2016, a spokesperson of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) said in a statement here. He said the number of pilgrims visiting the cave shrine during this year crossed 80 lakh yesterday, thereby registering an increase of around three lakh pilgrims from the last two years.

Indian commandos kill 3 Pakistani soldiers in cross-LoC 'tit-for-tat' raid (Roundup)

In a "tit-for-tat" operation, five highly-trained Indian Army commandos went some 300 meters across the LoC and killed at least three Pakistani soldiers, two days after four Indian Army men, including a Major, were shot dead in a surprise attack by Pakistan, sources said on Tuesday.

US airstrike kills 15 IS militants in Afghanistan

At least 15 militants belonging to the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group were killed in a drone strike by the United States forces in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan.The Khaama Press quoted the provincial government media office, as saying, in a statement that the airstrike was carried out in the Bandar area of Achin district, in which 15 IS militants were killed and their weapons, ammunition, and explosives were destroyed in the airstrike.Meanwhile, two more IS militants were killed in a separate operation in Haska Mina district, the statement added.No group has commented on the incident so far.Earlier this week, at least three Taliban militants were killed in airstrikes carried out by the US forces in the same province.

JeM commander Noor Mohammad Tantray killed in encounter in J-K

Terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed suffered a major blow today when its top commander Noor Mohammad Tantray, considered the brains behind the terror outfit's revival in the Valley, was killed in South Kashmir, police said. Two of his accomplices, believed to be foreign terrorists, managed to escape under the cover of darkness when the encounter broke out at Samboora village in Pulwama district, they said, adding that the two would be tracked down soon. According to Director General of Police S P Vaid, the militants had gathered in the area and were planning to carry out an attack on a convoy of security personnel. There was input about presence of two to three terrorists near the national highway who were "planning to attack convoy", the DGP tweeted. Terming the killing of 47-year-old Tantray as a "significant development", the police said the terrorist was wanted in various terror incidents earlier this year, including a suicide attack at the BSF camp at Srinagar airport, .

India will continue to take on Pak in future: J-K Dy CM

Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh on Tuesday said that India will continue to take "strong revenge in coming times" from Pakistan.Singh's statement has come after the Indian Army crossed over the Line of Control (LoC) to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and killed three Pakistani troops in retaliation to an earlier ceasefire violation.Speaking to ANI, Singh said Pakistan should be ready to face the consequences, if it dares to do such an act."Befitting replies are being given to Pakistan. Whenever they dare to do such acts, they are forced to face its consequences. They took life of four of our soldiers and in response, we took our revenge and will continue taking strong revenge in coming times," he added.Earlier in the day, the Jammu and Kashmir Police on Tuesday said that elimination of most wanted Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist Noor Mohammad Tantray was a success for the security forces and a major setback for the terrorist group."We had information that JeM ...

IS militants kill Taliban commander

The Islamic State (IS) militants have killed a local Taliban commander, identified as Katib, in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province.Two other Taliban group members, apparently fighters of Katib, were also killed by the IS militants, reported Khaama Press, citing the provincial government media office, as saying, in a statement.Katib, who was originally a resident of Afghan's eastern Laghman province, was operating in the Taliban ranks in the Nangarhar province.Both the IS and the Taliban have not commented on it so far.

Morocco gains significantly in crackdown on terror cells

Morocco dismantled nine terror cells during 2017 -- a significant decrease in the number of busted terror cells compared to the last few years.

Jaish terror mastermind killed in Kashmir

Called 'merchant of death' by a special court in Delhi, Tantray was believed to be the brains behind several terror strikes

Islamic State group releases 1st video of Somalia fighters

A group that monitors extremist organisations says the Islamic State group has posted what is thought to be the first video from IS-affiliated fighters in Somalia. The video posted online yesterday calls on supporters to "hunt down" what it calls nonbelievers and attack churches and markets. The SITE Intelligence Group says the video urges supporters to take advantage of people's "drunkenness" over the holiday season to attack. The United States last month launched its first drone strikes against Islamic State group-affiliated fighters in Somalia. The Horn of Africa nation has a small but growing presence of the fighters, many of them defectors from the al- Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group. The fighters are based in northern Somalia's rural Puntland. Experts warn their numbers could grow as IS fighters flee Syria and Iraq.

Israeli court extends detention of Palestinian teen icon

An Israeli military court has extended the detention of a Palestinian teen who has become a national hero after she was filmed kicking and slapping Israeli soldiers. Ahed Tamimi, a blonde 17-year-old firebrand from the West Bank village of Nebi Saleh, was arrested last week by Israeli troops and faces charges of attacking soldiers. An Israeli military court on Monday extended Tamimi's detention, along with those of her mother and cousin, for four days for questioning. Tamimi was filmed earlier this month outside her family home shouting, pushing, kicking and slapping Israeli soldiers, who fended off the blows without retaliating. Palestinians are celebrating her as an icon of a new generation of resistance to Israeli occupation, while the soldiers' restraint stirred uproar over what some perceive as the army's humiliation.

Pulwama encounter a setback for JeM: J-K Police

The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Tuesday said that elimination of most wanted Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist Noor Mohammad Tantray was a success for the security forces and a major setback for the terrorist group.Speaking to ANI, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Muneer Khan confirmed that one AK-56, pistol and some magazines were recovered from Noor's possession and two Jawans were injured during the course of the operation."We had information that JeM cadres were planning an attack on security forces vehicles on the national highway. This information was developed further and it was in this course that we came to know of the presence of a most wanted JeM terrorist, who was the mastermind of almost all attacks carried out by JeM, was hiding in Samboora. The encounter continued till early morning, and one JeM cadre was identified as Noor Mohammad Tantray. One AK-56, pistol and magazines were recovered from his possession," he said.IGP Khan further said that the operation that began ..

11 IS militants killed in Afghanistan

At least 11 militants belonging to the so-called Islamic State (IS) terrorist group were killed in an Afghan airstrike in the country's east.The Tolo News, on Tuesday, quoted the Ministry of Interior's statement that the strike was conducted in Achin district of Nangarhar province.Weapons stocked in the hideout were also destroyed in the airstrike, the statement added.IS has not commented on the incident so far.Earlier on Sunday, several IS militants were killed in an operation carried out by the Afghan security forces in eastern Nangarhar province.A heroin factory was also destroyed in that raid.

UNGA urges Myanmar to end military action against Rohingyas

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has urged Myanmar to end the military campaign against Muslim Rohingyas.According to the The Daily Star, the resolution forwarded by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was adopted by a vote of 122 to 10 with 24 abstentions on Sunday.China and Russia along with some regional countries opposed the resolution, but despite their rejection, the resolution also called on U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres to assign a special envoy to the country.Yesterday, Bangladesh Health Minister Mohammed Nasim said Rohingya refugees would return to their homeland as soon as the international community and the U.N. pressured Myanmar into repatriating them.Myanmar and Bangladesh had earlier this month formed Joint Working Group (JWG) to handle the repatriation of Rohingya refugees.The crucial JWG with 15 each from Bangladesh and Myanmar will oversee the repatriation of over 600,000 Rohingya refugees who have taken shelter in Bangladesh to escape ..

Wanted JeM terrorist Noor Mohammad Tantray killed in encounter

In a major blow to the Jaish-e- Mohammad, Noor Mohammad Tantray, considered the brain behind the terror outfit's revival in the Valley, was killed in an encounter at Samboora area in South Kashmir's Pulwama district, police said today. The body of 47-year-old Tantray was recovered this morning after an encounter broke out in Pulwama during the night. He was wanted in various terror incidents earlier this year, including a suicide attack at the BSF camp at Srinagar airport. Terming his killing as a "significant breakthrough", the police said that a crack team of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, acting on a specific input, cordoned off a cluster of houses at Samboora which resulted in a fierce gun battle leading to the elimination of the top JeM commander. Tantray was a convict in a case registered in 2003 in Delhi and was serving his sentence at Central Jail, Srinagar, until he was out on parole in 2015. Consequently, he remained in Tral at South Kashmir and became a major .

J&K: One terrorist killed in Pulwama encounter

One terrorist was killed in an ongoing encounter between the security forces and terrorists here on Tuesday.The encounter, reportedly, began in Karnabal Samboora area of south Kashmir's Pulwama district between the militants and the security forces on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday.Two more terrorists are believed to be trapped in the area.Jammu and Kashmir Police, 110 Battalion Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and 50 RR (Rashtriya Rifles) have been deployed at the site, where the encounter is underway.The search operations are currently on.

Nigerian army thwarts Boko Haram attack on Maiduguri

Boko Haram jihadists made a failed Christmas Day attempt to attack Nigeria's major northeast city of Maiduguri as they were pushed out by Nigerian soldiers after a prolonged gun battle, military and militia sources told AFP. The jihadists in "several" pickup trucks opened fire on a military checkpoint on the Molai outskirts of the city at around 5:30 pm today, triggering a gun fight that lasted for more than an hour. "The terrorists came in several pickups and engaged troops at Molai who fought and repelled the attack with aerial support," said a senior military officer in Maiduguri. "It was clear they wanted to overrun the checkpoint and enter the city to cause mayhem," said the military officer who requested anonymity. The gunmen used the cover of a convoy of civilian vehicles under military escort returning from the town of Damboa, 90 kilometres away, to launch the attack, said Ibrahim Liman, a militia leader assisting the Nigerian army in fighting the ...

32 Killed in Saudi coalition airstrikes in Yemen

At least 32 people, including women and children, were killed Monday in airstrikes carried out by the Saudi-led Arab coalition near the Yemeni capital and in the provinces of al-Hudaydah and Damar.

11 killed in Arab coalition airstrike near Sanaa

At least 11 people, including two minors, were killed and four others were injured on Monday in an aerial bombing carried out by the Saudi-led Arab coalition west of the Yemeni capital, eyewitnesses told Efe.

Mah: Major Moharkar's body consigned to flames at his village

The last rites of Major Prafulla Moharkar, who was killed in a cross-border firing in Jammu and Kashmir two days ago, were performed with full military honours at his village in Maharashtra's Bhandara district. The mortal remains of Moharkar were consigned to flames early today morning at Pavni, his native village, in the presence of his father Ambadas Moharkar. Gun salutes by the Army and state police were given during the last rites. State minister Rajkumar Badole and former MP Nana Patole were among those who were present, alongwith thousands of local people. Local markets remained closed during the day as a mark of respect for the martyred solider. Major Moharkar (32), Lance Naik Gurmail Singh (34), Lance Naik Kuldeep Singh (30) and Sepoy Pargat Singh (30) were killed in a cross-border firing by Pakistani troops along the LoC in Keri sector of Rajouri district on Saturday.

Sri Lanka grants amnesty to 526 inmates on Christmas

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena granted amnesty to 526 inmates on Monday on the occasion of Christmas, an official said.