Bomb Attacks
Nine volunteers of Zakhakhel tribal lashkar (militia) were killed and six others injured when a bomb concealed in a donkey cart exploded near a watermill in Mastak bazaar of Khyber Agency in FATA on November 13, reports Dawn. No group claimed responsibility for the blast. The Zakhakhel tribal lashkar and the Mangal Bagh-led Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) are at loggerheads since April 2011.
At least seven persons, including five terrorists and two Policemen, were killed in a blast in a hi-roof van of suspected terrorists at Sea View at Clifton in Karachi on November 16, reports Daily Times. According to reports, two Police Constables were patrolling on a motorbike when they spotted a suspicious hi-roof van. They tried to stop the van, on which the suspects sped away toward the dead-end of lover’s point situated adjacent to the Village Restaurant. When the Policemen came near the vehicle, one of the suspects inside blew himself up. Resultantly, all five suspects inside the vehicle died instantly, while the Constables sustained injury. They succumbed to their injuries later. Deputy Inspector General (DIG, South) Commander Shaukat confirmed the death of five terrorists in the blast. He said that two of the bodies were completely dismembered due to the intensity of explosion, adding that a heavy cache of sophisticated weapons was recovered from the van including a suicide jacket, Kalashnikovs, detonators, night goggles, torches, a ladies wig and a first aid box.
At least one Policeman was killed in a blast that occurred outside the Government girls’ high school in Shahdand Baba area of Mardan District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on November 21, reports The News. In the incident, eight others – three Policemen and five civilians – also got injured.
Twelve persons, five women and two children among them, were injured in a bomb attack on a passenger bus near Durrani village in the lower Kurram Agency on November 24, reports Dawn. Officials said the coach was going to Peshawar from Parachinar when a remote-controlled device went off near Durrani village. Sources said that six suspects had been arrested in the case.
Targetted Killings
A constable of the Levies Force, identified as Lal Mohammad, was shot dead near Goth Bachal in Gandawah area of Jhal Magsi District on November 11, reported Dawn.
A prayer leader, identified as Maulana Abdullah Haqqani, was shot dead while his companion sustained serious injuries when unidentified militants opened fire on them while going to a mosque to offer prayer in Shaidu area of Nowshera District on November 19, reported Dawn.
Two people, including a Policeman, were killed in separate incidents of violence in different parts of Karachi on November 20, reports Daily Times. A Policeman, identified as Sanaullah Niazi, was killed at Essa Nagri within the remit of Aziz Bhatti Police Station.
Separately, a dead body of a man, identified as Nasrullah, bearing torture marks was found near power plant along the National Highway within the remit of Steel Town Police Station in Karachi.
Two bullet-riddled dead bodies of missing persons were found from Kalag Kulanch area of Pasni in Gwadar District on November 20, reports Daily Times. The dead bodies were identified as Mula Abdul Khaliq 33, a resident of Palari area Jiwani tehsil (revenue unit) of Gwadar District and Zahid Hussain Dashti, a resident of Zarainn Bug area of Dasht in Mastung District.
A prayer leader, identified as Maulana Fazizullah, was shot dead by unidentified armed militants near Moti Raam Road area in Quetta while returning home after evening prayers in Jamia Masjid on November 22, reports Daily Times.
An activist of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ), identified as Qari Zafar, was shot dead at his house in Wahid Colony in Karachi. ASWJ spokesman, Maulana Taj Hanfi said Zafar was unit in-charge of party’s Wahid Colony area and it was the part of series of target killings of their activists and leaders.
Two people were shot dead by unidentified militants in Jutial area of Gilgit District on November 23, reported Dawn. One of the victims was identified as Tahir. Police said that Tahir was resident of Astor District.
Ambush
At least 14 personnel of the Frontier Corps, including a Major, identified as Muhammad Amir Shahzad, were killed and 16 others got injured when their convoy was attacked by a group of Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) militants near a coalfield in Bahlol Basti and Kingari area of Musakhel District on November 21, reports Daily Times. The BLA claimed the responsibility for the attack and further claimed that BLA attackers also took away the arms of the Frontier Corps soldiers. According to the Frontier Corps spokesperson, a Frontier Corps unit was sent to Kingari and Bahlol Basti in Musa Khel on the request of local people for providing adequate security cover to the coalmine project. Some armed militants opened fire on the convoy, killing 14 personnel, including a major, and injuring few others, he added.
Miscellaneous
Two militants were killed and a Policeman sustained injury in an encounter near Mamrez Police post at Telaband in Peshawar on November 17, reports Dawn. A spokesman for Peshawar Police said that militants attacked a patrolling party of Badhber Police Station near Mamrez Police post and two militants were shot dead in retaliatory firing. Station House Officer Khushdil Khan sustained minor injuries. Sources said that one of the killed militants was identified as Nawab, an Afghan national. Police also recovered two Kalashnikovs, four hand grenades and six magazines from the killed militants.
22 militants were killed and 10 others injured during the fighting with Security Forces in Ghaljo and Sheena Warai areas of Upper tehsil (revenue unit) in Orakzai Agency on November 17, reports Dawn.
Two Security Force personnel were killed and three others were injured in a landmine blast in Janu Berri area of Dera Bugti District on November 19, reports Daily Times. According to the Levies sources, a vehicle of the SF was patrolling the area when it hit the landmine. Resultantly, two SFs were killed on the spot and three others were injured.
At least 10 militants were killed and several others injured as helicopter gunships pounded hideouts of militants for hours on November 19 in Adokhel, Mir Kalamkhel, Jabba, Sama Bazaar and Mamozai areas of Upper Kurram Agency, reports Dawn. The shelling was so intense at times that people started leaving their areas. Several hideouts were destroyed and a militant training centre was also razed.
Elsewhere in the Agency, unidentified armed men shot dead two suspected militants in Akkakhel area of Bara tehsil (revenue unit). The suspected militants were riding a motorcycle when they were attacked by the gunmen. The attackers managed to escape after the incident.
Separately, unidentified militants set three NATO containers carrying goods for NATO forces stationed in Afghanistan on fire on Sibi Road in Dasht area of Mastung District. As a result, all the containers and cargo were destroyed. No group claimed responsibility for the attack.
At least 10 militants were killed and four others were injured during an operation when Security Forces shelled the hideouts of terrorists in Mamozai, Addu Khail and Mir Khail areas of Orakzai Agency on November 20, reports Daily Times. Sources said that during a search operation in the Tasa locality of Orakzai Agency, some militants offered resistance and opened fire on SFs, injuring a soldier.
Security Forces backed by gunship helicopters pounded militants’ hideouts on November 21, killing 11 Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants and injuring 25 others in central tehsil (revenue unit) of Kurram Agency, reports Daily Times.
Meanwhile, gunship choppers targeted militants’ positions near the Afghan border in the upper Orakzai Agency and killed 10 militants and destroyed five hideouts.
Police foiled a terror activity plan for coming Muharram as they arrested a terrorist, identified as Haseeb Ullah alias Asif Ullah, from North Nazimabad, Karachi on Nov 22. According to Police, the alleged Afghan Taliban militant hailed from Afghanistan and had planned a terror activity during Muharram days. Police also claimed to have recovered a TT pistol and a commando jacket from his possession.
Meanwhile, Law Enforcement Agencies (LEA) arrested nine suspects and recovered weapons from their possession. LEAs arrested four suspects over July 16, 2011 target killing of Pakistan International Airlines Collective Bargaining Agent President Amir Shah. The suspects were taken into custody during separate raids and were shifted to undisclosed location for further questioning. The suspects include Sajjad, Ahmed Ali, Bilal Gotia and Shareef.
A trooper and a lashkar (tribal militia) were killed when militants attacked a check post in Qambar Abad locality of Bara subdivision in Khyber Agency on November 22, reports Dawn. Sources said that at least nine persons were arrested when Security Forces conducted a search operation in the area after the incident.
PAKISTAN
One ‘most wanted’ LeJ militant arrested in Punjab
Police claimed to have arrested a wanted terror suspect, Qari Gul Mohammad, allegedly involved in the February 26, 2002, terrorist attack on Shah-e-Najaf Imambargah in Khyaban-e-Sir Syed area of Rawalpindi on November 10, reports Dawn. The government had announced PNR 200,000 head money for the arrest of Qari Gul Mohammad who had links with Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ). Besides Gul Mohammad, four other terror suspects have been on the Government’s wanted list in the same case as 14 suspects had already been captured and they are being tried.
Three TTP ‘commanders’ among 17 terrorists arrested in Punjab
Around 17 suspected terrorists, including three Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ‘commanders’ were arrested on November 16 from Lahore, Multan and Okara Districts, reported Express Tribune. Several mobile phones and laptops were seized from these suspects. The TTP ‘commanders’ include Qari Muhammad Ashraf, Dr Abdul Khaliq and Mohammad Sarfraz. Sources said that the arrested TTP ‘commanders’ previously belonged to Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.
Al Qaeda ‘commander’ blew himself up in Karachi
A Yemeni national and an alleged al Qaeda ‘commander’ Abdul Moeedul Islam blew himself up with a Russian made hand grenade during a raid by paramilitary soldiers in Rao Israr Apartments of Gulistan-e-Jauhar area in Karachi on November 18 reported The News. At the time of the incident his four children and wife Humaira were also present and sustained injuries, adds Daily Times. A senior intelligence source claimed that the militant had been operating the al Qaeda network in Pakistan. He carried head money of PKR 150 million. According to Intelligence sources, major terrorist attacks were carried out on Moeed’s directives. He had come to Pakistan 13 to 15 years ago. He was trained in militant camps in Afghanistan and later appointed as al Qaeda ‘commander’ in Pakistan. Earlier, he studied in a local madrassa (religious seminary) in the SITE area of Karachi. Sensitive documents, cell phones, laptops and computers were found during a search of the flat.
Two members of a peace committee killed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
The dead bodies of a member of a peace committee and his companion, abducted by militants on November 13, were found in the market of Pasni under Badhber Police Station, the suburban area of Peshawar on November 22, reports Dawn. Sources said that peace volunteer, identified as Shamsur Rehman, was slaughtered while his companion Wazir Khan was shot dead. The deceased were residents of Tela Band village in Badhber.
Sunni Tehreek (ST) voices serious concerns over appointment of Sherry Rehman as Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US
The Sunni Tehreek (ST) expressed serious concerns over the appointment of Sherry Rehman as Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US, reported Express Tribune. Speaking to Pakistan Press International (PPI), Central leader of the ST Shahid Ghauri said Rehman was already following “policies of the US and the Jewish lobby as she tried to abolish the country’s blasphemy laws.” “We are not satisfied with Sherry Rehman’s appointment because she is not fair with Islam or the country,” he said. The ST leader urged the Government to appoint an ambassador who is loyal to the country and Islam. A petition has been filed by Fahim Akhtar Gill, a businessman, in the Multan Bench of the Lahore High Court against the appointment of Rehman as Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US.
TTP spokesman denies cease-fire
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesman on November 23 refuted claims by other ‘commanders’ that the outfit had agreed to a cease-fire and exploratory peace talks with the Government, raising the prospect that TTP is splitting into factions, reported Express Tribune. TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan backed up his claim by pointing to an attack on a Police Station in Dera Ismail Khan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on November 23 that killed two officers and injured seven others.
REGIONAL
Bangladesh – Internal Dynamics
PBCP ‘regional leader’ arrested in Pabna District
Detective Branch Police arrested a ‘regional leader’ of outlawed Purbo Banglar Communist Party, identified as Mohammad Manik Khan from Hadal village in Faridpur sub-district of Pabna District on October 30, reports Daily Star. Police also recovered a revolver, a sharp weapon and bullets from his possession.
JeI leader arrested in Rajshahi District
On November 14, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members arrested a local leader of Bangladesh Jamaat-e Islami (JeI), the parent party of Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS) in a case filed in connection with issuing threats to kill Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, reports Daily Star. Mohammad Obaidullah (38) publicity secretary of Rajshahi District unit of JeI, was arrested from Bangalpara area in Bagmara sub-district of Rajshahi District.
PBCP-Red Flag militant killed in Tangail District
A Purbo Banglar Communist Party-Red Flag militant, identified as Mobarak Hossain was allegedly killed by party rivals in at Beel Muril Guchhagram in Sadar sub-district of Tangail District on November 15, reports Daily Star.
Police arrested a suspected leader of PBCP-Red Flag, identified as Atabul Islam in Bheramara sub-district in Kushtia District on November 16, reports our correspondent. Police later recovered a light gun, two bombs and a bullet from the arrestee’s possession.
Meanwhile, Police recovered four bombs from near the Ansar camp in Songkorpur area in Jessore town in Jessore District.
India and Bangladesh to sign Extradition Treaty by December end
India and Bangladesh will sign a formal Extradition Treaty by the end of December 2011 or early January 2012, reports IBN Live. According to reports, jailed United Liberation Front of Asom ‘general secretary’ Anup Chetia is likely to be the first person to be handed over, once the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty for Transfer of Sentenced Prisoners (extradition treaty) is signed. The two countries will issue a statement on November 21 at the talks between Indian Home Secretary R.K.Singh and his Bangladeshi counterpart Monzur Hossain.
Two cadres of Gono Mukti Fouz arrested in Kushtia District
Police arrested two cadres of the banned Gono Mukti Fouz (GMF), identified as Sohel Ahmed and Zakir Hossan were arrested with arms and ammunition at Baradi on the outskirts of Kushtia town in Kushtia District on November 19, reports Daily Star. One LG, three bullets and six bombs were also recovered by the Police.
Meanwhile, members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) seized two pistols and five bullets from a house in Hakimpur sub-district of Dinajpur District on November 20.
JMB militant arrested in Rangpur
A suspected cadre of banned outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh was arrested by the Police at Tambulpur Masterpara village in Rangpur District on November 20, Daily Star reported. The arrestee was identified as Saiful Islam. Police said that Saiful, a teacher of Shibdebchar High School, was involved in regrouping the JMB cadres and sympathisers in the area. Police also seized a number of books on jihad and bomb-making materials from the arrestee.
Spiritual leaders with militant links will be singled out, says Government
Daily Star reports that State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Shahjahan Miah said on November 23 that the Government had taken an initiative to find out imams (leaders of Islamic worship services in Mosques) and muajjins (the mosque official leading the call to prayer) who have ‘connection’ with militant organisations and Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh (the parent political party of the Islami Chhatra Shibir). Replying to ruling Awami League lawmakers’ queries, the state minister said the Government would find out such persons at different mosques in the country.
India – Internal Dynamics
GNLA militants kill four Policemen and a civilian in Meghalaya
The Shillong Times reports that 12 to 15 heavily armed Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) militants ambushed a Police patrol at sides at Nengpatchi village, 4 kilometers from Dobu towards Darugre Police station of Rongjeng in East Garo Hills District killing four Policemen and a civilian driver before decamping with five automatic rifles on October 31. Two other Police personnel survived the attack with bullet injuries. The deceased policemen are identified as N R Marak, Probinson Sangma, Victor Marak and E Sangma. Two Police personnel who survived the attack have been identified as Peter Sangma and D Sangma. The driver is yet to be identified. Six Policemen were travelling on a private vehicle on patrol duty when they came under attack. The militant group was allegedly led by GNLA ‘central area commander’ Rakkam Marak and former Police constable Savio Ch Marak, the ‘area commander’ of West Khasi Hills.
IRB officer injured in an ambush by suspected NSCN-IM militants in Manipur
The Sangai Express reports that minister in-charge of youth affairs and sport and Education Minister DD Thaisii escape unhurt while one India Reserve Battalion (IRB) jamadar (Sub-Inspector), who was escorting him, suffered splinter injuries in an ambush by some unidentified persons in Senapati District on November 12. The ambush took place when DD Thaisii was on his way from Imphal to his native village Purul. Four Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were recovered from the ambush site on November 13. Police suspect National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah cadres to be behind the attack, adds The Telegraph.
Maoists kill two Trinamool Congress workers in West Bengal
The Indian Express reports that four days after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a public rally at Balarampur in Purulia District, urging people to resist the Communist Party of India-Maoist, an armed Maoist squad raided a village in the area late in the evening of November 14 and shot dead a 63-year-old retired school teacher Ajit Singh Sardar and his 22-year-old son Baku. Both the victims were supporters of Trinamool Congress (TMC). Within hours, an angry Chief Minister directed the Joint Security Forces to immediately resume operations to counter the Maoists in the area. Further, Banerjee said the security agencies had been asked to step up operations against underground Maoist outfits operating from Kolkata hideouts and their support bases in the city. She said her Government was ready with a blueprint for action against certain NGOs that were actually aiding and abating Maoists. “A number of Jadavpur University professors are also involved,” she said.
Two CISF personnel killed in Chhattisgarh
Two troopers of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) were killed as Communist Party of India- Maoist cadres attacked the mining facility of National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) in Dantewada District on November 16, Business Standard reports. Only two troopers were present in the post when the incident took place and the Maoists carried away their weapons after killing them.
Central Government to induct 7,000 more troopers in Maoist affected areas
The Times of India reports that as the Communist Party of India-Maoist threat has put on hold development works in several areas across the country, the Centre has sanctioned seven Battalions of ‘specialized’ force, who will execute basic infrastructure projects, including construction of roads, under their protection. States will soon start the process of raising the ‘force’. The new force – called Specialized India Reserve Battalions (SIRBs) – will have two components. While one unit will have engineers and technical staff, another will consist of security personnel. Out of seven SIRBs, two have been sanctioned for Chhattisgarh, while, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and Maharashtra will raise one Battalion each over the next three months. The States will try to recruit as many tribals as possible for raising the new force, mainly in security wing.
Three militants killed in Arunachal Pradesh
Security Forces busted a hideout and killed three militants of the United Liberation Front of Asom in the Namsai Reserve Forest area in Lohit District, reports The Assam Tribune. Two of the three militants were identified as Kapil Bora and Ramen Gogoi while the third remains unidentified. SFs recovered one AK 47 rifle and grenades during the operation.
Maoist bid to seek safe haven in Myanmar failed
The Times of India reports that a plan by the Communist Party of India-Maoist leaders to use its connections with Peoples Liberation Army of Manipur to get sanctuary in Myanmar has come to naught because of reservations of the insurgent leaders from the northeast, according to an Imphal-based defence source. PLA militants in Manipur have revealed this to Security Forces, he says. According to the source, Maoist leaders had requested PLA to arrange this shelter in the middle of 2011, soon after they started feeling the heat of stepped-up pressure of joint operations against Maoists in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand as well as West Bengal. Leaders of National Socialist Council of Nagaland- Khaplang did not favour this idea. NSCN-K leaders have reasoned that the presence of Maoists in Myanmar would be revealed in no time because the features of CPI-Maoist members would not match with that of members of northeastern rebel groups taking shelter there.
Bullet-proof posts for securing NMDC mining sites in Chhattisgarh
Business Standard reports that as part of making adequate security arrangement in the mines operated by National Mining Development Corporation (NMDC), the high-rise posts for keeping vigil in the mining site will be made bullet-proof, an NMDC official said. The decision was taken in wake of Communist Party of India-Maoist cadres killing two Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) troopers on November 16.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata warns against glorifying Maoists
The Hindu reports that the West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee on November 21 warned organisations glorifying the Communist Party of India-Maoist that the Government would take action against them anytime as there are provisions in Central Acts that empower the Government to act against persons seeking to glorify Maoists or any other rebel group. She was reacting to a press conference held by the Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR) and 21 other organisations, against what they described as the government’s moves to change a meeting venue fixed by them. Also sharing the dais and the concern of the organisers on this issue, was social rights activist Mahasweta Devi who was one of her supporters.
Maoists kill two persons in Jharkhand
The Times of India reports that Communist Party of India-Maoist cadres killed two brothers, Kodai Kera and Kot Kera, in West Singhbhum District on November 24, suspecting them to be Police informers. Their bodies were found on the main street connecting Chakradharpur to Sonua block (administrative unit). The two were residents of Chakradharpur village.
| Monthly Fatalities The following deaths, related to ongoing insurgencies and acts of terrorism, occurred during the period Oct 25 to Nov 25, 2011: | ||||
| Civilians | Indian Security Personnel | Militant | Total | |
| Assam | 10 | 00 | 04 | 14 |
| Manipur | 04 | 00 | 05 | 09 |
| Maharashtra | 01 | 00 | 01 | 02 |
| Meghalaya | 02 | 04 | 00 | 06 |
| Nagaland | 03 | 00 | 00 | 03 |
| Left-wing | 14 | 06 | 09 | 29 |
| Total | 34 | 10 | 19 | 63 |
Nepal – Internal Dynamics
Four persons injured as UCPN-M and RJM clash in Arghakhanchi District
Four persons were injured after cadres of Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist and Rastriya Jana Morcha (RJM) clashed at Hile in Argha Village Development Committee-8 (VDC-8) on October 30, reports inseconline.org. While three of the injured belonged to RJM, one belonged to UCPN-M. According to RJM District chairperson Jhabi Thapa, UCPN-M cadres led by Bal Krishna Paudel attacked and injured RJM cadres. However, UCPN-M District secretary Thakur Kumar BK said that RJM cadres attacked UCPN-M cadres with intention to disrupt their deusi bhailo program as a ‘minor dispute’ between the two sides could not reach a compromise despite their effort.
Nepal Army defuses bomb in Salyan District
Nepal Army defused a bomb found nearby bus park in Khalanga Village Development Committee-2 (VDC-2) on November 12, reports inseconline.org. Kumar Ghaite Thapa, claiming himself to the ‘chairperson’ of Janamukti Morcha Nepal, an underground outfit, claimed responsibility for planting the bomb.
Meanwhile, Kirant Janabadi Workers Party (KJWP) on November 12 urged the Nepal Government to make whereabouts of its former central chairperson Bibas Bidrohi Kiranti public. The group which has been carrying out armed activities in hills of eastern region also called on national and international human rights organizations to conduct a fair investigation into his disappearance. Issuing a press statement on November 11, the group also expressed readiness to hold talks with the Government as per their previous four-point agreement of July 1. Though the KJWP claims that Bidrohi was made to disappear on April 9, Police say that he died at Pangcha VDC on April 9.
Pressure cooker bomb diffused in Dang District
Nepal Army diffused a pressure cooker bomb planted at the house of Padam Yogi, of Uchanibu of Satbariya Village Development Committee -3 (VDC-3) on November 14, reports inseconline.org. Police said the bomb was kept at the main gate of Yogi’s house in the night of November 13. Yogi is the principal of Rapti Secondary School in Satbariya. A pamphlet with the signature of Bhagat Singh, military commander of the Janatantrik Terai Madhesh Mukti Party (JTMMP-Bhagat), was found near the site.
Bhattarai Government’s days numbered, says CPN-UML chairman Jhala Nath Khanal
Nepal News reports that Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) chairman Jhala Nath Khanal on November 17 claimed that the collation Government led by Baburam Bhattarai will fall soon. Khanal added that internal dispute of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist will create hurdle in the implementation of the 7-point deal signed among the major political parties.
Separately, senior Nepali Congress (NC) leader Arjun Narsingh KC said that though the implementation of seven-point agreement is a prerequisite to take the ongoing peace process to a successful conclusion, the recent stance and activities of the coalition Government and the party that heads it – UCPN-M – has raised doubts over whether the deal will actually be implemented, reports Nepal News.
Terai-based armed outfit SJTMM agrees to handover its weapons to Government
On November 24, Samyukta Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (SJTMM), an armed outfit active in Terai, agreed to hand over its weapons to the Government, reports Nepal News. The group agreed to handover the weapons by December 24 during the talks with a team of the representatives of the Government led by Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Satya Pahadi, the ministry said. Similarly, the Government has agreed to release the cadres of the Morcha who have been taken into the custody and serving jail term. Both of the sides agreed to hold further discussions for determining the procedure to implement the agreement, said the ministry. SJTMM chairman Sanjaya Kumar Gupta alias Kautilya had led SJTMM team.
Sri Lanka – Internal Dynamics
Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa focuses on maritime security in Indian Ocean
Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, while delivering the keynote address at the Galle Dialogue 2011, Sri Lanka’s International Maritime Security Conference on November 14 called for a coordinated international effort to uphold maritime security in the Indian Ocean region and greater cooperation between the maritime powers, Colombo Page reported. Rajapaksa, inter alia alluded to the threat posed by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean the smuggling of arms and ammunition earlier undertaken by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam militants.
Former Army commander Fonseka sentenced
A three-member trial-at-bar of the Colombo High Court that heard the controversial ‘White Flag’ case against the former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka, on November 18 found him guilty of the charges and sentenced to 3 years in prison along with a fine of LKR 5000 imposed upon him, Colombo Page reported. The former Army Commander was accused of three counts including inciting violence. In an interview given to the English weekly Sunday Leader, he had alleged that Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa had ordered to shoot the cadres of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam surrendering with white flags during the final stages of the war. The Colombo High Court trial-at-bar comprising judges Deepali Wijesundera, W.M.P.B. Warawewa and M. Zurfick Razeen delivered the verdict.
Nation needs no external solutions for post conflict reconciliation, says Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa
Defence and Urban Development Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa on November 23 said that Sri Lanka as a sovereign nation did not need external guidance to achieve post conflict reconciliation which would be achieved through an organic, local effort consistent with national values, and not based on external ideals imposed by others, Daily News reported. “It is evident that cultural norms differ from country to country. People living in the United States of America, or Australia, or Canada, or the United Kingdom, or any other country, have no proper understanding of the ground situation in Sri Lanka nor do they understand our current cultural context. It is not for outsiders to impose their values or their judgments on Sri Lanka. Sri Lankans who suffered from the war for 30 years and who are now reaping the rewards of peace will find solutions to our national issues. But outsiders have no idea about the post war situation in Sri Lanka,” the Defence and Urban Development Secretary was quoted saying.
INTERNATIONAL
Ban concerned over deadly Gaza violence
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed deep concern at the escalation of violence and bloodshed in both southern Israel and the Gaza Strip that has reportedly left around a dozen people dead. In a statement issued by his spokesperson on Oct 30, Ban condemned rocket fire launched from inside Gaza, which has killed an Israeli civilian in the country’s south, and called for its complete cessation. He also urged Israel to “exercise maximum” restraint after the country’s military forces reportedly killed 10 alleged militants in Gaza. “He hopes that the parties will fully respect the calm as brokered by Egypt,” the statement noted, referring to a reported ceasefire organized by Egypt. Ban added that the Office of the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, headed by Robert Serry.
Syria refutes UN nuclear chief’s reactor claim
Syria’s United Nations ambassador refuted on Nov 4 a claim by the head of the U.N. nuclear agency that a building destroyed by Israeli warplanes in the Syrian desert in 2007 was very likely the covert site of a nuclear reactor. Bashar Ja’afari told the U.N. General Assembly that most findings of the International Atomic Energy Agency under the current director-general, Yukiya Amano, relied on imagery and analysis presented by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. He said this made Syria question the credibility of the information and corroborating documents, since the United States “pursues a political agenda inimical to the interests of my country.” Ja’afari said Amano’s information “lacked credibility” and ran counter to previous IAEA assessments. He said Amano’s predecessor as IAEA chief, Mohamed alBaradei, had not reached a definitive conclusion about the bombed site, and he asked why the U.S. refused to provide the IAEA with satellite photos of the bombed area for six weeks after the Israeli attack.
Syria allowed IAEA inspectors to visit the bombed site in 2008, but it has refused to allow nuclear inspectors new access.—INP
Yemen army ‘kills 5 Qaeda suspects’
Five Al-Qaeda suspects were killed in artillery shelling by Yemen’s army in the country’s restive southern city of Zinjibar, officials said on Saturday, Nov 12. “The army’s 25th Mechanised Brigade fired artillery shells late Friday at an area in Zinjibar’s east killing five Al-Qaeda militants,” an army official told AFP. A local official in the nearby town of Jaar, an Al-Qaeda stronghold, confirmed the bodies of “five Al-Qaeda militants” were brought to the town from Zinjibar.
Tribesmen and Yemen’s army have been battling militants from the “Partisans of Sharia (Islamic law)” who are believed to be close to Al-Qaeda in the country’s southern and eastern regions. Yemen has been gripped by violence as the government in Sanaa has become weakened by anti-regime protests that have rocked the country since January.
Iran warns US, Israel against potential strike
Iran “will respond with full force” to any attack — or even any threat of military action — the country’s supreme leader said on Thursday, after Israel warned the world must act to prevent Tehran getting nuclear weapons. Iran “will respond with full force to any aggression or even threats in a way that will demolish the aggressors from within,” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told students at a Tehran military college, according to his official website. Khamenei said the message was directed at Iran’s enemies, “especially America and its stooges and the Zionist regime (Israel).
“The supreme leader’s forceful language followed threats last week from Israel that air strikes could be in the offing against Iran’s nuclear sites. Israeli President Shimon Peres said last weekend that such action was becoming “more and more likely.”Rhetoric between Iran and its two principal foes, Israel and the United States, has risen since the release Tuesday of a UN report saying there was “credible” evidence suggesting Iran’s atomic programme was being used to research putting nuclear warheads in ballistic missiles .Iran, which has long denied any military thrust to its nuclear programme, responded to the report by saying it would not budge “an iota” from its atomic course and asserted its could confront any attack.
EU condemns bloodshed in Egypt
The European Union’s on Sunday, Nov 20 condemned the bloodshed in Egypt, where security forces killed at least seven people as they cleared protesters from Cairo’s Tahrir Square. “I am extremely concerned at the riots and violent clashes witnessed in Egypt, notably in Tahrir square over the weekend,” the EU’s foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said in a statement.
“I deplore the loss of life and the many injuries and express my solidarity with the families of the victims. I urge calm and restraint and condemn the use of violence in the strongest terms,” she added.
Security forces killed at least seven people in Tahrir Square Sunday, casting a dark shadow over Egypt’s first elections since Hosni Mubarak’s downfall, due on November 28.
Police and military forces used batons, tear gas and birdshot to clear the central square of thousands of protesters who are demanding that the ruling military cede power to a civilian authority. —APP
New sanctions Iran to review IAEA cooperation
Iranian lawmakers were Tuesday (Nov22) to review cooperation with the UN atomic energy watchdog, the day after the United States and allies slapped new sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear programme.
The meeting of parliament’s national security and foreign policy commission was to follow a regular weekly briefing of foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast expected to address the fresh sanctions.
The United States, Britain and Canada on Monday announced they were taking moves to further isolate Iran’s central bank and other financial instituions in order to add pressure on Tehran on its atomic activities. France said it, too, was “in favour of new unprecedented sanctions.”
The coordinated, unilateral sanctions were being imposed on the basis of a November 8 report by the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency that said there was “credible” evidence Iran appeared to be pursuing nuclear weapons research.
Iran has slammed the report as “baseless” and accused IAEA chief Yukiya Amano of pro-US bias. It has reiterated that its nuclear programme is exclusively for peaceful, civilian uses.—APP.
| Current Threat Levels : | ||
| City/Region | Threat Level | |
| Islamabad | Level 2 | ** |
| Karachi | Level 2 | ** |
| Lahore | Level 2 | ** |
| Punjab | Level 2 | ** |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | Level 3 | *** |
| Peshawar | Level 2 | ** |
| Quetta | Level 2 | ** |
| Upper Balochistan | Level 3 | *** |
| Lower Balochistan | Level 2 | ** |
| Upper/ Rural Sindh | Level 2 | ** |
| Gilgit and Northern Areas | Level 3 | *** |
| Tribal Areas, Close to Afghan Border | Level 3 | *** |
| Index to Threat Level Perceptions | |
| Threat Level 1 Indicates there is no threat to foreigners although there may be isolated incidents involving petty crime. No security precautions are required | * |
| Threat Level 2 Indicates there is no specific threat to foreigners; however because of the overall general law & order situation, some security precautions are advised if traveling. | ** |
| Threat Level 3 Indicates that law and order situation is cause for concern and travel should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. Level dictates that foreigners should rehearse plans for evacuation. | *** |
| Threat Level 4 Indicates complete breakdown of civil administration and law & order leading to anarchy. All foreigners advised to remain indoors and confined to their own city. Families and staff not required to be evacuated retaining only a skeleton staff. | **** |
| Threat Level 5 Indicates complete breakdown of law and order, enemy action/hostilities, invasion /occupation by enemy. | ***** |
