Page 843 - War Conflict
Nine foreigners among Melbourne car attack injured
A man who mowed down 18 pedestrians in Melbourne, including an Indian, said he carried out the attack to avenge "mistreatment of Muslims", Australia said today, while stressing it had still found no link to any terrorist group. Three people remained critically ill in hospital after the Australian-Afghan driver ploughed through a busy downtown intersection in his car yesterday in what authorities said was a "deliberate act". The 32-year-old, who came to Australia as a refugee, has a history of drug abuse and mental problems and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull reiterated that officials had established no terrorism link "at this stage". "To be attacked like this, in the middle of one of our great cities, is a shocking event, a shocking crime," Turnbull said. "He has said, in a number of what the police are describing as utterings, that he attributed his actions to perceived mistreatment of Muslims. "But at this stage, because investigations are continuing, apart from that .
US airstrikes kill 3 Taliban militants in Afghanistan
At least three militants, belonging to the Taliban insurgent group, were killed in airstrikes carried out by the United States forces in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan.The Khaama Press quoted the provincial government as saying on Friday that the airstrikes were carried out in the vicinity of Ghani Khel district.In the airstrikes, several weapons, ammunition, and explosives were also destroyed, the statement added.Taliban has not commented on the airstrikes so far.Last Friday, a senior leader of the Taliban group was arrested and four Taliban insurgents were killed during a night raid conducted by the Afghan Special Forces in eastern Nangarhar province.The operation was conducted in the vicinity of the restive Khogyani district, reported Khaama Press, citing the provincial government media office as saying in a statement.
Suicide car bombing leaves six Afghan policemen dead
At least six policemen were killed and six others were injured in a suicide car bomb attack in Afghanistan's Kandahar province on Friday.Tolo News quoted Kandahar Police Chief Gen. Abdul Raziq as saying that the suicide attacker was driving a Humvee laden with explosives.The blast occurred near the entrance of the police headquarters in Maiwand.No group including Taliban has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.
Taliban kill at least six Afghan police in Humvee suicide
A suicide bomber drove an explosives-packed Humvee into a police compound in Afghanistan today, killing at least six officers and destroying a building, officials said. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the pre-dawn attack on the Maiwand district police headquarters in the southern province of Kandahar, the latest deadly assault by the insurgents, who have been increasingly targeting security installations. The vehicle was carrying an estimated 3,000 km of explosives, Maiwand district police chief Sultan Mohammad told AFP. It was not possible to verify his claim. If true, that would be roughly twice the number of explosives used in a massive truck bomb in Kabul that killed around 150 people in May. "We have six police officers martyred and five wounded," Mohammad said, adding the figures could change. Kandahar police spokesman Ghorzang Afridi confirmed the death toll. "All the victims were local policemen," Afridi told AFP. Those killed were new recruits. While ...
Anuk Arudpragasam wins Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize 2017
After winning The DSC Prize for South Asian Literature Sri Lankan writer Anuk Arudpragasam has won the Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize 2017 for his novel "The Story of a Brief Marriage".
8 killed in Taliban suicide attack on Afghan police station
At least eight people were killed and many others wounded after a Taliban suicide car bombing struck a district police station in Afghanistan's Kandahar province on Friday, the police said.
Dacoits loot gold & cash Rs 5 lakh from a house
Armed dacoits looted gold and Rs 5 lakh in cash from a house at Hisua bazaar in Bihar's Nawada district last night, police said today. Station House Officer (SHO) of Hisua police station, Rajdeo Sao said half a dozen armed dacoits barged into the house of Dharmendra Sao last night. The robbers held the family members captive at gunpoint and looted 200 grams gold worth Rs 5 lakh besides Rs 5 lakh in cash from the almirah, he said. Sao has filed a complaint at the Hisua police station about the dacoity in his house, the SHO said adding that police are conducting raids to nab the miscreants.
Support for terror outfits must be forced to stop: India at UN
Expressing concern over the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan, India in an apparent reference to Pakistan has said the support for terror groups like Taliban, the Haqqani network and LeT must be forced to stop. Terrorists continue to attack the most vulnerable, including the sick in hospitals, children in schools, devotees in mosques and even mourners at funerals. Terror groups have gained territory, Deputy Permanent Representative of India to UN, Tanmaya Lal said during an open debate of the Security Council on Afghanistan. "The support for terrorist organisations like the Taliban, the Haqqani Network, Daesh, Al Qaeda and its designated affiliates such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e- Mohammed from outside Afghanistan, must be forced to stop," Lal said. "All safe havens and sanctuaries available to such groups outside Afghan borders must end. Security Council has an important responsibility in this regard in our collective interest," Lal said. The ...
Taliban kill six Afghan police in Humvee suicide attack
A suicide bomber drove an explosives-packed Humvee into a police headquarters in Afghanistan today killing at least six officers and wounding four others, officials said. The Taliban claimed the pre-dawn attack in Maiwand district in the southern province of Kandahar in the latest deadly assault by the insurgents, who have been increasingly targeting security installations. Kandahar police spokesman Ghorzang Afridi said the assault killed six people and wounded four others. "All the victims were local policemen," Afridi told AFP. "The explosion was very loud and you could hear the sound of the blast miles away from the headquarters," a local police officer told AFP on the condition of anonymity. He put the death toll at eight with nine others wounded. "The eight policemen who were killed have been removed or pulled out from under the rubble, and there were other policemen who went missing following the attack," the officer said. The Taliban have stepped up attacks on ...
Indonesia boosts security for Christmas, New Year
Indonesia will deploy some 180,000 security personnel ahead of the Christmas and New Year holidays, authorities said today, following the arrests of more than a dozen suspected militants in the world's biggest Muslim-majority country. Thirteen suspected militants were arrested in separate, pre-emptive raids across the Southeast Asian nation earlier this month. Many of the suspects were proven to have links to the Islamic State group or had fought in Syria. Police spokesman Martinus Sitompul said no specific terror threats had been detected since the arrests, but security would be boosted to safeguard churches and public spaces between December 22 to January 2. "We will keep monitoring and stay alert," he said. About 70,000 people from other government agencies and civil society groups -- including the country's largest Islamic youth organisation -- would assist security personnel, Sitompul said. A sprawling archipelago of more than 250 million people, Indonesia has long .
Four terrorists gunned down in Balochistan
Four terrorists were gunned down by security forces in separate search operations conducted in the Sibbi and Turbat areas of Balochistan, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Friday.According to the ISPR, the Frontier Constabulary of Balochistan conducted a search operation in the northern mountainous areas of Sibbi on suspicion of the presence of terrorists after reports were received of threatening calls being made to locals.In an exchange of fire that followed, two terrorists were killed, reports Geo TV.In another operation in a remote area of Turbat, the security forces gunned down two terrorists who were hiding in a secret location, the ISPR statement added.Weapons and explosives were recovered from the site.
Trump has put Pak on notice for harbouring terrorists: Pence
US President Donald Trump has put Pakistan on notice for providing safe haven to the Taliban and other militant groups, Vice President Mike Pence has said, warning that the country has much to lose if it does not stop harbouring terrorists on its soil. Pence's remarks came during an unannounced trip to Afghanistan to assess ground realities in the war-torn country. During his visit yesterday, Pence held meetings with top Afghan leadership to hear from them the progress on the implementation of Trump's new South Asia Policy. Trump while announcing his South Asia Policy in August had criticised Pakistan for not doing enough to combat terrorism. "For too long Pakistan has provided safe haven to the Taliban and many terrorist organisations, but those days are over. President Trump has put Pakistan on notice," Pence told American troops at the Bagram airbase in Afghanistan. "As the President said, so I say now:Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with the US, and ...
Trump has put Pakistan on notice: Mike Pence
Outlining United States President Donald Trump's strategy in Afghanistan, Vice President Mike Pence has said that Pakistan has been providing a safe haven to the Taliban and many terrorist organisations for too long but now those days are over as President Trump has put Islamabad on notice."For too long Pakistan has provided safe haven to the Taliban and many terrorist organizations, but those days are over. President Trump has put Pakistan on notice," Pence told the U.S. troops during his surprise trip to Bagram Air Base on Thursday." As the President said, so I say now: Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with the United States, and Pakistan has much to lose by continuing to harbor criminals and terrorists," he added.The trip, planned in secret for safety reasons, comes four months after Trump unveiled a new strategy for Afghanistan and is also Pence's first visit to the region since taking office as the U.S. Vice President.He said that America is making "real progress" in ...
Hafiz Saeed spews venom against the US, Israel
Days after his release from house arrest, Hafiz Saeed, a UN-designated terrorist, has been issuing political comments and statements against the United States and Israel on the issues of Jerusalem and the future of the Palestine State.The co-founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba and the chief of Jama'at-ud-Da'wah recently reacted strongly to U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement to shift the American Embassy to Jerusalem, terming the decision pro-Zionist and anti-Muslim. He made these statements in both Lahore and Karachi.He warned President Trump that his recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel would evoke a strong reaction from the Muslim world and could possibly lead to a declaration of war across the Middle East.Saeed, who was released from house arrest on November 23, has led anti-US demonstrations at the Markaz al Qadsiya in Lahore and attended a Friday sermon at the Markaz Aqsa in Gujranwala.On December 12, in Karachi, he stated that member countries of the International ...
India slams UNSC's inability to confront terrorism in Afghanisataan
India has criticised the Security Council's impotency in confronting the terrorism threat in Afghanistan, which poses dangers beyond its borders.
US Vice President makes surprise visit to Afghanistan
US Vice President Mike Pence made a surprise visit to Afghanistan, where he has met with Afghan leaders and reviewed American troops deployed there.
US VP makes surprise visit to Afghanistan
United States Vice President Mike Pence has made an unannounced trip to Afghanistan to meet with Afghan leaders and visit US troops ahead of the Christmas holiday.Pence, who landed at Bagram Airfield under heavy security, told the troops that the United States is "making real progress" and they have "put the Taliban on the offensive.""I believe victory is closer than ever before. I believe with all my heart that Afghanistan will be free," Fox News reported, citing Pence, as saying.Pence also met Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani and CEO Dr. Adbullah Abdullah.His surprise visit comes four months after Trump outlined a new strategy to break the stalemate in America's longest war.
Putin, Merkel discuss situation in eastern Ukraine
The Kremlin says Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken to German Chancellor Angela Merkel to explain Russia's decision to withdraw its military observers from a joint group monitoring the truce in eastern Ukraine. Putin said the Russian move announced earlier this week had been prompted by "restrictions and provocations" by Ukrainian authorities that made it hard for Russian officers to perform their duties. Ukraine has criticised Moscow's decision, saying it could fuel hostilities. The Kremlin said Putin and Merkel agreed Thursday to consider possible steps to ensure the Russian monitors' return. It added that they also spoke in support of a planned prisoners' exchange and a truce for the holiday season. Fighting between Ukrainian troops and Russia-backed separatists has killed more than 10,000 since April 2014.
Italy's Defence Minister hails Niger peacekeeping mission
Rome, Dec 21 (IANS/AKI) Italy's nascent peacekeeping mission in Africa's Niger will soon be presented to parliament and will "contribute to creating a pillar of security in the Sahel region", Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti said on Thursday.
India allows Lankan pilgrims to travel via ferry for festival
India has agreed to facilitate the travel of Sri Lankan pilgrims to Chennai on a ferry to participate in the 'Aarudraa Dharshana Festival' in Tamil Nadu, the External Affairs Ministry said today. According to the ministry of external affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar, India was approached by Lord Shiva devotees in northern Sri Lanka, who had expressed a desire to visit the Thillai Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram to participate in the 'Maarkazhi Thiruvaathirai' (Aarudraa Dharshana Festival). The festival starts from December 24January 3, 2018. In response to the request, India has agreed to facilitate the travel of pilgrims on a ferry from Kankesanturai (near Jaffna) to Chennai. "We expect this will permit a large number of Sri Lankan Tamil pilgrims to undertake this important and auspicious pilgrimage," Kumar said. This is a major festival at a particularly sacred temple for both Indians and Sri Lankans.