Bomb Blasts
Eleven persons were killed and 23 others injured when an explosive-laden pick-up went off in a market in Salarzai tehsil (revenue unit) of Bajaur Agency, reports Dawn. At least 20 shops, five houses and several vehicles were destroyed as the bomb ripped through the busy market owned by former Member of National Assembly (MNA) Shahabuddin Khan who is chief of the Salarzai Qaumi Laskhar (com-munity militia). Bajaur Levies officials said that Lashkar’s leaders, who were in the area at the time of the incident, could be the target of the attack but they narrowly escaped. No eminent leader of the lashkar was killed or injured. The victims were common people who were purchasing items of daily use for Iftar and Sehri. Bajaur Political Agent Sayed Abdul Jabar Shah held militants responsible for the attack. However, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan spokesman, Ihsanullah Ihsan, in a call to reporters said, The TTP has no concern with the blast and it has never attacked common people and public places.”
At least 14 persons were killed while seven others injured in a land-mine blast in the Tooba Achakzai area near the Pak-Afghan border in the border town of Chaman in Balochistan on July 28, reports The News. According to sources, the land-mine exploded when a tractor trolley drove over it in the Tooba Achakzai area. Three women and two children were among those killed.
At least eight persons were killed and 22 others injured in a bomb blast during a political rally organised by the Awami National Party (ANP) in Kuchlak area of Quetta on July 28, reports Dawn. The rally was in its first 15 minutes when a cycle parked behind the stage exploded.
At least eight persons were injured when unidentified persons hurled a hand grenade at Picture House Cinema in the jurisdiction of Khan Raziq Police Station in Peshawar on July 29, reports The Nation. Sources said that a show was under way at Picture House Cinema when unidentified persons threw a hand grenade at the inner portion of the cinema, which resulted in injuring of eight persons. It is worth mentioning here that some years back this cinema was attacked by a suicide bomber, in which several persons had been killed and a dozen others were injured. Meanwhile, unidentified militants blew up part of a hotel near Kohat bus terminal, reports Dawn. However, no damage to human life was reported in the attack. An official of Bana Mani Police Station said an explosive device planted at Grace Hotel caused the explosion at around 12.15pm.
Unidentified assailants on Aug 24 hurled a hand grenade at Haft Zahoor Hotel situated in Facieer Colony, in Karachi, leaving five men injured, reports Daily Times. An officer, quoting the eyewitnesses. informed that the assailants appeared to be of Baloch descent adding that the incident might be linked to an extortion demand.
Targeted Killings
Four persons, including an extortionist, were killed in separate acts of violence in Karachi on July 27. reports Daily Times.
At least four people including a Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) official, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) activist and MQM supporter were shot dead in separate incidents of target killing in Karachi on July 28, reports The Nation.
Balochistan Levies recovered a bullet-riddled body in the Dasht area of Mastung District in Balochistan on July 28, reports Daily Times. The deceased was identified as Buland Khan, a resident of Sariab area in Quetta. According to sources, Khan went missing some five days ago
Five people were killed in separate incidents of violence and targeted killings in Karachi on July 29 reports The Nation.
One Hafiz Ghulam Haider, hailing from Sheikh Wasil area in Mastung District, was shot dead by unidentified assailants on a motor-cycle at Sariab area of Quetta on July 29, reports Dawn. Separately, a person, identified as Muhammad lqbal, was shot dead near Government Degree Collage in Sariab Road area when unidentified armed assailants, riding a motor-bike, opened fire on him. Further, the bullet-riddled body of a man wanted by Police was found from the Salehabad area of Khuzdar, reports Daily Times.
Three more people were killed in the ongoing violence in different parts of Karachi on Aug 1, reports The Nation.
At least five persons including two workers of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and a Policeman were shot dead in a spate of target killings in different parts of Karachi, reports The Nation.
Awami National Party (ANP) District President, Khan Gul Bhattani, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in the limits of Shaheed Murid Akbar Police Station on Aug 3, reports Daily Times. The attackers ambushed the vehicle of Bhattani and injured him critically. Later, he succumbed to the wounds. The assailants managed to escape from the scene.
At least three persons, including a local government assistant director, were shot dead in a sectarian attack on July 4 in Kuchlak, some 25 kilometres from Quetta, reports Daily Times.
Eight persons, including a Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi (MQM-H) cadre, were killed in separate incidents of target killing in Karachi on July 5, reports Daily Times.
Unidentified assailants riding a motorbike opened indiscriminate fire on a man identified as Siddiqullah, at Baloch Khan Chowk of Pakhtoonabad area of Quetta on July 5, reports Daily Times. Resultantly, he sustained critical injuries and succumbed to his injuries in hospital. Police said the deceased was an Afghan national and a rickshaw driver by profession. However, motive behind his killing was yet to be ascertained. Meanwhile, a man, identified as Abdul Malik Abro, was killed when identified armed men opened fire on him in Faizabad area of Sariab Road of Quetta while he was sitting in his shop.
Five persons, including a Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) activist and a Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) worker, were killed in separate acts of target killing in Karachi on July 8, reports Daily Times.
Unidentified armed persons shot dead an assistant Sub-Inspector of Police on Charsadda Road in the limits of Khazana Police Station in Peshawar on July 8, reports Dawn. ASI Mir Afzal Khan, posted in Bhana Mari Police Station, was travelling in his Suzuki van along with his two children when assailants attacked him. He was killed on the spot. The driver of the slain police official was also injured in the attack. However, both of his sons remained unhurt in the incident.
At least five persons, including two activists of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), a worker of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and a Rangers official were killed in separate acts of violence in Karachi on July 15, reports Daily Times. Two men, identified as Usman Baloch and Akbar Baloch, were shot dead at Pir Mehfooz Road, within the limits of Malir City Police Station. One them was a PPP activist.
At least seven persons, including a criminal, an activist of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Awami National Party (ANP) and Jama’at-e-Islami (Jel), were killed in separate acts of target killing in Karachi on July 17, reports Daily Times. An activist of MQM, identified as Aqeel (27), was shot dead in Qaimkhani Colony, within the precincts of Baldia Police Station.
Eleven more persons, including a Policeman and a former Sunni Tehreek (ST) cadre, were killed in sep-arate incidents of target killing in the Provincial capital of Sindh, Karachi, on July 18, reports The News.
At least 11 persons, including two Policemen, Jama’at Ulema-e-Islam-Faz1 (JUI-F) leader and a State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) employee, were killed in separate incidents of violence in Karachi on July 19, reports Daily Times. Two Policemen, Munir and Abdul Hafeez, were killed at Albela Chowk, Soldier Bazaar within the limits of Soldier Bazaar Police Station during their routine patrol.
At least eight security personnel were killed and three others were injured on Aug 21 in an attack on the Pakistan Coast Guards camp in Pishukan coastal settlement, some 40 kilometres from the port city of Gwadar in Gwadar District, reports Daily Times. The Baloch Liberation Front claimed responsibility for the attack.
Separately, unidentified armed militants blew up one-and-a half-foot portion of the railway track in Sariab area of Quetta. However, no loss of life was reported.
One dead body, identified as that of Samad Bilal, was found from Nigorsharif area of Gwadar District on August 24, reported Daily Times. Levies Force sources said the victim had been missing since some three days ago from the Pishokan area.
Separately, Police found an unidentified body from Dasht area of Mastung District.
At least seven people were injured in multiple grenade attacks in different areas of Quetta on August 25, reported Dawn. Three grenade explosions took place in Kali Barat area of Quetta. Sources said that three houses situated in the same lane were targeted in the attack. Three people including a woman were injured in the attack.
Separately, another explosion near Quetta’s Ayub stadium injured four people.
In addition, one Frontier Corps (FC) official and three passersby were injured when a bomb exploded on the railway tracks near Chaman Phattak of Quetta, suspending the railway services in the area, report-ed The Express Tribune.
Elsewhere, unidentified armed militants shot and injured a doctor, identified as Dotor lqbal in Turbat District, reported Daily Times.
At least seven persons, including a Shia Policeman, a Shia activist of Majlis Wandat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) and two Lyari gangsters, were killed in separate incidents of target killing and violence in Karachi on August 25, reported Daily Times. A brother of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) worker, identified as Shahzad Ali (25), was killed at Nappier Road within the precincts of Nappier Police Station. Police officials said Ali’s brother Abid is a local leader of the MQM.
Miscellaneous
One militant ‘commander’ was killed during an encounter in Mashugagar area on the outskirts of Peshawar on July 26, reports Dawn. The slain commander was identified as Umer, a commander of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan in Khyber Agency. An official said that a Police party was sent to the area when they got information about presence of four militants there. The militants tried to escape in a motorcar when the law enforcers approached the area, he added. The official said that upon seeing the police party, the militants left the motorcar and opened firing on law enforcers with automatic weapons. During the encounter, he said, one militant was killed while his three accomplices managed to escape.
Seven militants were killed by Security Forces (SFs) in Janduli and Bootakhel villages of Dabori area in Orakzai Agency on July 27, reports Dawn. Sources said SFs targeted four militant hideouts with heavy artillery and killed seven militants. One sepoy Abdul Malik was injured after a landmine exploded near a convoy of SFs in Gall village of Dabori area. Sources said SFs cordoned off the area after the explosion and began a search and clear operation.
Separately, at least four Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) militants were killed and four others critically injured when a blast ripped through an LI hideout in the Akkakhel area of Bara tehsil (revenue unit) in Khyber Agency. The blast completely destroyed the compound containing the hideout, Nasir added.
Meanwhile, the death toll in Bajaur Agency’s Salarzai tehsil car bomb blast increased to *15 as four more injuries succumbed to their injuries.
Meanwhile, a US drone strike targeting a militant compound in the Shawal area, some 50 kilometres southwest of Miranshah, the main town of North Waziristan Agency, killed at least five militants. All those killed were fighters linked with Hafiz GuI Bahadur faction of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
A senior Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan ‘commander’, Umar, was killed during a Police encounter in Mashugagar area in the outskirts of Peshawar on July 26, reports The Nation. Sources said the incident occurred when Police flagged down a vehicle carrying some suspected per-sons. Instead of stopping the vehicle, militants tried to manage their escape and opened fire on Police team. Retaliating to the firing, police also opened fire and killed a militant identified as Umar on the spot, while three militants managed to escape. Police also recovered a hand grenade, pistol and cartridges from the possession of the slain commander.
An operation to clear militants from Batwar area of Bajaur Agency on July 27 left 36 dead including three soldiers and two members of a government supported peace committee, reports Dawn. Security Forces (SFs) launched the operation to clear the Batwar area, which lies in along the Af-Pak border, of militants who had crossed over from the neighbouring Kunar province of Afghanistan. “During the clash, 31 militants were killed while three security force personnel embraced shahadat (martyrdom),” a senior official of the paramilitary Frontier Corps told AFP. “Two members of the peace committee also embraced shahadat while five security personnel got injured,” he said. Most of the area has now been cleared of militants, but the operation still continues to flush out the remaining militants, another official said.
Separately, eight militants were killed and two security personnel suffered injuries in a clash in Masozai area of Kurram Agency. Sources said that a group of militants attacked a check post in Masozai with heavy weapons and injured two security men. Security forces killed eight militants and injured several others in retaliatory action.
A Policeman and a private security guard were killed when unidentified assailants opened fire on a patrolling squad at Civil Colony on Kohat Road in Peshawar on July 27, reports Dawn. An official at the Bala Mani Police Station said the Policeman Kaleem Khan along with a colleague was on a patrol duty that armed men attacked them, killing Kaleem on the spot. The official said a security guard in the area was critically injured in the firing incident. However, he succumbed to his wounds. His name could not be ascertained.
A man was shot dead by unidentified assailants in the Faizabad area of Sariab in Quetta on Aug 2, reports Daily Times. The assailants managed to flee the crime scene. Police said Hassan was attacked when he was on his way home. In another incident, Police recovered a body near Pero Bridge from Dera Murad Jamali tehsil (revenue unit) of Naseerabad and moved it to a nearby hospital, where the victim was identified as Noruz Bugti. Meanwhile, a Balochistan Levies officer was killed and another injured in an incident of shooting at the Jewa Intersection in Surab area of Kalat District.
Militants on Aug 12 shot dead nine Police and prison staff and wounded three others after storming a building in Ichhra in Lahore in Punjab where they were sleeping, Police said, according to The News. The attackers arrived on motorbikes and targeted a building in the densely populated area of Ichhra, where up to 35 Police and prison staff were living, mostly officers from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who were in Lahore for training.
Eleven militants were killed on Aug 12 in fighting with Security Forces (SFs) after dozens of militants, who allegedly crossed from Afghanistan into Pakistan, attacked Katkot village in the Mamond area of Bajaur Agency, reports Daly Times. Unnamed local military officials said the militants took up positions in the Katkot village, and retreated after Pakistani forces brought in reinforcements. The militants who staged the cross-border attack appeared to be targeting members of an anti-Taliban militia in Katkot village.
The Balochistan Levies on Aug 12 found the bodies of seven coal miners who were abducted on July 7, in the Degari area, some 28 kilometres from Quetta, reports Daily Times. The miners were abducted in the Sorange area, 25 kilometres from Quetta. The victims worked at a private coal mining company, the United Minerals. They were residents of Swat and Dir Districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The provincial chief inspector of mines, Iftikhar Ahmed, confirmed the incident, adding that some passersby had spotted the bodies and informed the Balochistan Levies. The bullet-rid-dled bodies were found dumped on a roadside in the hills of Degari coalmine fields. Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) ‘spokesman’ Jihand Baloch had claimed respon-sibility for the abduction of the miners. According to sources, a written message found from the bodies said that those coming to Balochistan from other areas to work at mines or other such places would meet the same fate.
Six bombs were recovered near the Borstal Jail in the Faisalabad city of Punjab on Aug 13, reports Daily Times. According to Police, six handmade toy bombs packed in a shopping bag were found on a road-side around 100 yards from the Borstal Jail. The Bomb Disposal Squad defused the devices. Madina Town Poiice superintendent said the bombs contained six kilogrammes of explosive material. He said it could be a terrorism plot to target the nearby Borstal Jail or Police investigation cell, which was foiled.
Army and Police commandos on Aug 16 foiled an attack by burqa (veil)-clad Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan militants who planned to take over a Police Station in Bannu city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), reports Daily Times. Two TTP militants were killed and at least 10 security personnel were injured in the incident. Both the attackers were killed in the clash that lasted for more than three hours, District Police Officer (DPO) Waqar Ahmed said.
TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan told reporters by telephone that the attackers wore suicide vests and one of them blew himself up while the other was killed in the gun battle.
At least five militants were killed in a clash with Security Forces (SFs) when they attacked a Frontier Constabulary (FC) checkpost in Dhand area of Thall tehsil (revenue unit) of Hangu District on Aug 17, reports The Nation. According to security sources, militants fired two missiles on a FC checkpost located in Dhand area partially damaging it. The FC troops retaliated and killing five militants. Later, a search operation was launched in the area to nab the fleeing militants but no arrest could be made.
At least 28 militants and four members of the Salarzai Qaumi Lashkar were killed and 10 militants and four security personnel injured as the fighting continued for the second day on August 25 along the border area of Batwar in Bajaur Agency of Federally Administered Tribal Areas, reported Dawn. The militants from across the Afghan border entered again the Pakistani area and attacked the border village of the Salarzai tribe in Batwar. Also, at least 15 militants were arrested and several hideouts and posts of the militants were destroyed during the retaliatory attack.
Separately, seven persons belonging to one family were killed and eight others, including women and children, were injured when two mortar shells hit a house in Qambarkhel area of Bara region in Khyber Agency reported Daily Times. A security official said the militants had used the deadly mortar shells to target the Security Forces (SFs) but one or more such shells strayed and hit innocent civilians. According to media reports, the Bara region is witnessing deadly clashes between the government forces and members of private militia Lashkar-e-Islam (LI), as hundreds of thou- ands of civilians have been forced to leave their homes for safer places while many have taken shelter at the government-run camp outside Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
PAKISTAN
Pakistan, US sign Nato convoys deal ISI chief begins US visit today
Pakistan on July 31 signed a deal with the United States governing arrangements for Nato convoys travelling to Afghanistan, seeking to draw a line under a seven-month border blockade. Islamabad agreed to reopen land routes for Nato goods on July 3 after ordering the longest border closure of the 10-year war in neighbouring Afghanistan in protest at botched US air raids that killed 24 Pakistani troops.
The agreement is part of efforts by the “war on terror” allies to patch up their fractious relationship, which plunged into crisis last year over the US raid that killed Osama bin Laden hiding in Pakistan and the air strikes. It comes just one day before the head of Pakistani intelligence, Lieutenant General Zaheer uldslam, begins a three-day visit to Washington for talks with the head of the CIA, which has been interpreted as another sign of a gradual rapprochement.
Under the agreement inked in Rawalpindi, the home of Pakistan’s powerful military, the United States will release $1.1 billion under the Coalition Support Fund to reimburse the troubled nation for fighting militants within its borders. Officials at the ceremony gave no details of the Memorandum of Understanding or MoU, nor did they release a copy at a news conference.
14 militant groups active in Balochistan: Malik
Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said that about 14 organizations are active in Balochistan in order to destabilize Pakistan. While giving his policy. statement in the Senate on Aug 3 the interior minister said that militants are igniting sectarian riots. Firstly, the militants are trained, and then they are given targets to hit. Rehman Malik said anti Pakistan training camps are working in Kandhar.
While raising issue of Barhamdagh Bugti, he said that Bugti is dwelling in posh area of Switzerland for his merriments while setting aside the genuine issues of motherland. He said that the BLA is active for his killing mission. It is being funded by foreign hands.
Malik said that Pakistan is con-fronted by a large number of enemies, adding that the world community doesn’t like to see Pakistan as an atomic power. He said there are 24 training camps in Kandhar where terrorists are trained. In the same way, there are a large number of training camps from Zhob to Chaman where Tehreek e Taliban is getting training. Interior minister said that BRAK’s 400 activists are busy in destructive activities. It should be made clear that from where these elements are getting arms ammunition for their vested interests, he argued.
5 terrorists held, explosives seized
City Police Officer (CPO) Aamir Zulifqar said on Aug 4 that police have apprehended five terrorists and recovered weapons and explosives. Addressing a press conference, CPO Aamir Zulifqar said that working on a tip-off, police along with intelligence forces raided and arrested five terrorists of Tehreek-e-Taliban Rana Afzal alias Noor Khan group.
The arrested were identified as Rana Muhammad Abdullah, Muhammad Suleman alias Qari Sahib, Muhammad Younis, Aqib Ali alias Usman and Muhammad Tahir. The CPO said that Rana Afzal group was involved in heinous terrorist activities including attacks on 15 Centre Lahore, Sri Lankan cricket team, PAF bus Sargodha, PTS Sargodha and other incidents. He said the terrorists had planned to attack army, police, sensitive institutions and public gatherings. Aamir Zulifqar said that the terrorists were also planning to attack religious leaders, abductions for ransom.
Four kidnapped NGO workers released
Four workers of the Balochistan Rural Support Programme (BRSP) who had been kidnapped from Pishin in December last year were released by their captors on Sunday, Aug 5. The workers were taken to the federal capital after being released from Waziristan Agency. They were then brought to Quetta where there were a large number of relatives and friends waiting their arrival.
One of the released hostages said that the kidnappers had kept them confined to one room through-out their ordeal. Six officials of the BRSP were kidnapped by a group of armed men on Dec 13 from the Barshor area of Pishin district when they were returning to Quetta after inspecting a health project.
The kidnappers’ group had demanded Rs230 million as ransom for their release and also the release of their associates who were jailed by authorities. Details were not immediately available as to which demands of the captors had been met. Two officials were killed after the demands of the cap-tors were not met.
Four killed, 10 injured in Quetta blast
At least four persons were killed and 10 others injured when an explosive laden vehicle parked in a residential house exploded in Quetta on August 5. According to details, an explosive-laden car parked in a house owned by Dr Azam Mengal located in Faizabad area of Quetta exploded due to unknown reasons. As a result of blast a portion of the house along with three cars were completely destroyed. Surrounding buildings were also dam-aged due to intensity of blast.
Four persons were killed due to the blast while 10 others sustained injuries. The injured persons were shifted to Civil Hospital by police and rescue teams. Among the 10 injured, two women and two children are reported to be in critical condition. The police collected the evidences from the scene of the blast and started the investigations.
US regrets Salala incident, says US Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter
The United States (US) Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter on Aug 20 said US regrets the Salala check post incident and intends to expand ties with Pakistan in diverse fields, reports Dawn. Talking to a private TV news channel, Munter said US is serious about expanding business and social sec-tor ties with Pakistan. He said that several issues regarding NATO sup-ply resumption with Pakistan have been settled. Both sides agree that the NATO supply issue was not handled properly, he said adding there is need for a political decision to end the deadlock. Munter said restoration of NATO supply to Afghanistan was also in the interest of Pakistan.
Meanwhile, the US urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to respect each other’s sovereignty while fighting against terrorist. The US pushed for greater cooperation between Afghanistan, Pakistan and NATO forces while tackling with extremist militants, after an attack by Afghan militants at a border checkpost in Pakistan’s Dir area left several Pakistani soldiers dead. The US State Department acknowledged that while dealing with terrorists, tensions exist on both sides. US State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said in a statement that regional safety and sovereignty must be respected in order to deal with cross-border terrorism.
North Waziristan Agency Political Agent asks tribals not to leave their area
Ruling out any possibility of mili-tary operation in North Waziristan Agency, the political administration has urged tribal people to stop vacating their houses and migrating to other places, reports Dawn. Political Agent Siraj Ahmed Khan assured members of a tribal jirga here at a meeting at his office that there was no chance of military operation in Waziristan. The political agent termed reports about possible military operation in the region mere rumours. He urged tribal people not to pay heed to such rumours. Mr Khan said that Government would keep in mind ground realities before taking such a decision. He denied receiving any directives from the Government in that regard and ruled out any possibility of operation in the near future.
Pakistan warns against attacks from Afghan side
Pakistan told the UN Security Council on Aug 26 that it had acted with restraint to a recent cross-border attack by Taliban that killed 17 Pakistani soldiers, but warned against recurrence of such provocations from the Afghan side, reports Daily Times. “Preventing recurrence of such incidents is absolutely imperative – and safe havens in Afghanistan of such people must be dissuaded,” Ambassador Abdullah Hussain Haroon, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN, said of the attack that took place on June 24 in Upper Dir District. “It is a grave incident, which unfortunately is not unprecedented,” he told the 15-nation council, which debated the situation in Afghanistan. Ambassador Haroon, describing great costs to Pakistan in dealing with security challenges and refugees emanating from the Afghan situation, expressed deep concern over provocations from Afghan areas with sizable Afghan forces and international presence.
Eight bullet-riddled bodies found in FATA
Eight bullet-riddled bodies were found in different areas of Bara tehsil (revenue unit) in Khyber Agency of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) on June 29, reports The News. The sources said that five bodies were dumped on roadside in Karigar Garhi adjacent to Al-Haj Market in Bara tehsil where a day earlier a vehicle of Security Forces (SFs) was targeted by militants with an improvised explosive device (IED). The local sources said that the slain were not associated with the militants and were killed when the SFs opened fire following the IED attack a day earlier. However, when contacted, a senior security official rejected the allegation saying that innocent people were being killed by the militants. “We are here to protect the innocent people against terrorists and militants,” he said, requesting not to be named, adding, “The militants spread the propaganda blaming the security forces for killing of the innocent people”.
In addition, three more bodies had also been found in Qamberabad area of Bara tehsil.
TTP ‘spokesman’ among 34 militants killed in three days long clash along Pak-Afghan border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan ‘spokesman’ Mullah Mansoor was among 34 militants killed in clashes with Security Forces (SFs) since last three days (June 29-July 1) along Pak-Afghan border in Upper Dir District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, reports Daily Times. According to a private TV channel, Mansoor was among 34 terrorists killed in fighting with SFs in Upper Dir two days back. Official sources have also confirmed the death. Mansoor belonged to the Khaal area of Dir and was ‘spokesman’ and important ‘comman-der’ of the TTP. Skirmishes between SFs and militants have been going on for the last three days on Pak-Afghan border in Lower Dir, wherein some 34 terrorists have been killed.
180 fell victim to Karachi violence in June, says report
Daily Times report on July 2 said that in the unending incidents of bloodshed, 180 innocent people lost their lives during the month of June and many were injured in Karachi, as target killers have a free hand to strike at the place of their liking. A significant number among them were first kidnapped, tortured and then their body bags were thrown on roads. According to reports in the first ten days of June, 63 people were shot, including 32 who were kid-napped, tortured and then shot dead. From June 11 to 20, another 72 people lost their lives, including 27, who were kidnapped. In the last ten days of June, the situation did not change and 45 more citizens were killed. Dead bodies of seven members of banned organisations were recovered from Memon Goth, Gadap and Manghopir area. Eight policemen also lost their lives during the month including a traffic police constable
Former President Pervez Musharraf fears military coup
Claiming that Pakistan was being run to the ground, the country’s former President General (Retired) Pervez Musharraf has not ruled out a fresh military takeover of the Pakistan, reports Pakistan Observer. “The state is being run to the ground at the moment, and people are again running to the military to save the country,” Musharraf told a gathering in Aspen in Colorado in the US. While he maintained that Pakistan’s Constitution was “sacrosanct”, the former dictator also questioned: “Should we save the country, and do something unconstitutional or uphold the Constitution of the country, and let the state go down?” Vowing to return home on his “own accord”, Musharraf shrugged off calls in his country for Interpol to arrest him saying he was prepared to risk arrest by returning for elections, which he claimed would be held this year.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to build underground jail for Taliban prisoners
After much deliberation after the April 15 Bannu jailbreak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa authorities on July 3 decided to build an underground jail to hold terrorism suspects now incarcerated throughout the province, Central Asia Online quoting Dawn reported. Officials have begun practical work and preparation of the underground facility, PC-I. Suspected militants will be detained in a separate jail at the Peshawar Central Jail until the new jail is built. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has allocated PKR 213.5m (USD 2.3 million) in fiscal 2012-2013 (July 1-June 30) for building the underground jail, where it intends to hold only Taliban or other terrorism suspects. They plan to try more than 3,000 suspected militants there after completing construction.
Punjab CM’s chief security officer injured in blast
The chief security officer of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Major (retd) Muaaz, was injured as a-explosive device went off near h.s house in Karim Block area of lqba Town in Lahore in the night of July 4 reports Daily Times. Sources sac Major (retd) Muaaz was leaving his house in Karim Block vehicle when a device dropped from beneath the vehicle. His neighbour said that a minor servant picked up the device and gave it to Muaaz’s sister, who called him (Muaaz) on the phone and said that some part of his car had fallen down. On his return, Muaaz was given the device, which exploded when he dropped the bomb while he was examining it. He received injuries on his legs and back, while his car and another vehicle parked in the street near his house were damaged.
Five militants and a soldier killed as infiltration bid foiled in KP
Army soldiers killed five militants attempting to infiltrate to Pakistan side of border at Maskini Darra area of Lower Dir District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the night of August 23, reports Dawn. Sources said the militants belonging to the Hafiz Kochwan group of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan sneaked into the villages of Ankal Sar and Maskini Darra from Afghanistan and fired rockets on check-posts. Security Forces (SFs) retaliated with heavy gunfire and killed five militants. The gunbattle continued for more than three hours during which attackers took away the bodies of their comrades, sources said.
Further, a youth was severely injured after being struck by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Gul Imam area of Tank District on August 24, reports Daily Times. According to sources the 21-year-old victim, Muhammad Ilyas, was working in his field when he stepped on an IED, which’ went off with a loud noise leaving him critically injured.
Attack on Army leaves eight personnel dead in Punjab
Unidentified militants killed eight security personnel at an Army camp near Wazirabad town in Gujranwala District of Punjab on July 9, officials said, hours after a protest march of the Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC) passed through the area, reports Daily Times. The encampment was attacked from a bridge over the river Chenab. Hours earlier, thousands from the DPC coalition of right-wing groups crossed the bridge on a “long march” from Lahore to Islamabad to protest against the reopening of NATO supply routes to Afghanistan. At least seven security personnel, including a police official, embraced martyrdom and five others were injured due to firing by unidentified assailants near Wazirabad,” the military said in a statement. However, he number of dead reached eight .when one of the injured soldiers succumbed to his injuries. A military rescue party had camped by the chenab to look for the body of a pilot rissing in a helicopter crash in May, le statement said, and the camp Came under attack from a bridge.
Meanwhile, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the killings. The TTP spokesman said the Punjab chapter of the outfit had carried out the attack. They would continue such attacks in the future also, particular in Punjab, he added.
Beheaded bodies of two abducted Shias found in Quetta
Two bodies, including that of an iambargah leader, were recovered Mian Gundi area, an outskirt of Quetta, the provincial capital of BIochistan, on July 11, according to Daily Times. The bodies were identified as those of Satellite Town imambargah leader Mulana Nour Ali .our and Syed Haseeb Abad Zaidi, a resident of Sirki Road Quetta. A slip was found from one of the body in which Lashker-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) claimed the responsibility of the killings. “They were slaughtered and beheaded in a brutal manner,” hospital sources said adding that their ages were around 28 to 30. The relatives of Haseeb told the media that he had been abducted from Satellite Town some 19 days earlier. They said the abductors had initially demanded a ransom amount of PKR 1.9 million, which they increased by another million upon receiving the PKR 1.5 million.
Son of a tribal leader shot dead in KP
Unidentified militants shot dead one Faisal, the son of a tribal elder Malik Hussain in an ambush in Mohallah Al-Shiravi in Hangu city of Hangu District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on August 25, reported Dawn. Sources said that he might have been killed by militants as the tribal elder supported military operation, launched in Orakzai Agency of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) against the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
Separately, In Nowshera, an alleged ‘commander’ of TTP, Mohammad Farooq Mehsud, was arrested during a joint raid on a mosque in Kheshgi area of Nowshera District. Mehsud had come to Kheshgi to meet Maulvi Abdul Qadeer, the prayer leader of the mosque. Soon the Maulvi and his children were arrested. But later, they were released.
Balochistan Government decides to start operation against militants and criminals
The Nation reported that Balochistan Government on July 15 during a high-level meeting decided to start operation against militants and criminals involved in kidnapping-forransom, target killing and other crimes. Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Khan Raisani also decided to eliminate dens of violence breeders and bring them to justice by utilising all available resources as directed by the Supreme Court. The meeting thoroughly discussed the overall law and order situation of the province, particularly terrorism in Quetta, kidnapping-for-ransom and other anti-social activities and approved a strategy to tackle these.
It was also decided that coordination between the departments would be improved to promote confidence building. The meeting observed that Police force would be boosted and decided that latest training would be given to Police force and latest weapons would be provided to Police on priority basis. The participants of the meeting decided that 100 cameras would be installed at different secret places in Quetta and Police would be provided soon with GSM Locator to locate the criminal hideouts. The meeting further decided to improve internal and external security of the province and in this regard it decided to take joint steps by the departments concerned. The Law enforcement agencies were directed to increase the number of their personnel in city as well to enhance patrolling to prevent criminals’ escape after any crime. It was also decided that mining sector and other development activities would never be allowed to be affected by terrorist activities and complete protection would be provided to the people, working in different sectors.
REGIONAL
Bangladesh —Internal Dynamics
Bangladesh and India giving final shape to Extradition Treaty
Bangladesh and India are in the process of giving a final shape to theextradition treaty between the two countries, Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Md Mijarul Quayes said on July 26, reports Outlook India. For giving a final shape to the extradition treaty, the Foreign Ministry of the respective countries are now exchanging drafts for making a clean text of the treaty, after which the treaty is likely to be signed. The two countries recently signed an ‘Agreement of Return on Sentenced Persons’ under which a sentenced person of the neighbouring country can return to his/her own country and serve the remaining period of the sentence in the jail of that country.
Two regional leaders of GMF arrested in Jhenidah
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) personnel arrested two ‘regional leaders’ of outlawed Gono Mukti Fauj (GMF) at Hudaputia village in Sadar sub-District of Jhenidah District on July 26, reports The Daily Star. The arrestees are identified as Zillur Rahman and Hanif Biswas of the village. The RAB team also recovered a foreign made rifle and a light gun (LG) from their possession.
One HuT cadre arrested in Chittagong
The police arrested an alleged cadre of banned Islamist organisa-tion Hizb-ut-Tahrir (HuT) at Andarkillah in Chittagong City on July 27, reports The New Age. The Police said a group of HuT cadres was distributing leaflets among the devotees in front of Andarkillah Mosque after jumaa prayers. The police arrested one of them identified as Hossain Karim, while rest of them managed to escape.
NE terror outfits moving to Myanmar following crackdown in Bangladesh says Assam Rifles IG Satish Dua
Terrorist outfits of the northeastem region have shifted their bases to neighbouring Myanmar following crackdown by the Bangladesh Security Forces said Inspector General of Assam Rifles (IG-AR), Satish Dua said in Agartala, reports Hindustan Times on July 27. IG-AR, Dua said, “Several terrorist groups of the northeast India have been shifting their camps to Myanmar after the Bangladesh Security Forces continued their crackdown against them. All the central and state security forces have been asked by the union home ministry to maintain a strict vigil about the movement of the militants in the northeastern region.” Regarding Tripura IG-AR said, “Separatist outfits have been trying to strengthen their groups in Tripura. They are now try-ing to be pro-active ahead of the next year’s assembly polls,” he said. Dua warned, “The security forces, including the central forces, are also getting ready to retaliate in a befitting way.”
Two JMB cadres arrested in Rajshahi District
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) personnel arrested two cadres of the outlawed Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) from the villages in Bagmara sub-District of Rajshahi on July 28, reports The New Age. The arrested were identified as Abdul Mannan and Azadul Islam. The RAB personnel told that some cases were lodged against them with Bagmara Police Station on charge of massive extortion in 2009. Subsequently, on issuing arrest war-rant they fled away from the area. After returning back to the area they have started extortion again.
PCJSS reformist faction leader shot at and injured in Khagrachari District
A gang of 5-6 masked armed men of Santu Larma faction of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS-Santu Larma) allegedly opened fire on a leader of the rival M.N Larma faction of PCJSS (PCJSS-M.N Larma) in Rubber Bagan area of Dighinala sub district of Khagrachari District on June 30 leaving him seriously injured, reports Daily Star. The leader was identifiett as Preeti Khisha Chakma (40) ‘gen-eral secretary’ of PCJSS Marung union unit. President of PCJSS-M.N Larma Dighinala unit, Pritimoy Chakma, alleged that Preeti Khisha was shot at around 5.00pm while he was returning home from party meeting held in Marung Bazar area. However, press secretary of PCJSS- Santu Larma, Sajib Chakma, refuted the allegation against his partymen and said that the incident might be a sequel to internal feud in the rival faction.
PBCP militant arrested in Pabna District
Security Forces arrested a ‘regional leader’ of Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP) at Kodimbogid village in Atghoria sub-district in Pabna District on Aug 3, reports Daily Star. The arrested militants have been identified as, Jalem Uddin.
Militants hurl bomb at Jessore regional passport office
Unidentified militants on July 12 hurled several home-made bombs on the Jessore regional passport office premises in Jessore District, reports The New Age. No casualties were reported in the incident.
Meanwhile, the Police recovered 12 live bombs from near a food godown in Bejpara area and Shashthitala Para PTI road area in the Jessore District on July 12. reports The Daily Star. Police said. following a confessional statement by listed criminal Shuvo Rahman, they recovered eight bombs from the food godown area and four bombs from a coconut garden in Shashthitala Para area.
Two bombs recovered in Jhenidah District
Security Forces recovered two powerful bombs from Water Development Board (WDB) office area of the Jhenidah District town on July 17, reports Daily Star.
Two HT cadres arrested in Bagerhat District
Two cadres of Islamist outfit Hizb-ut Tawhid (HT) were arrested from in front of Daratana Bridge toll plaza in the Bagerhat District on July 18, reports The Daily Star. The arrestees were identified as Mohibul Islam (22) and Shawkat Molla (50). Abu Zihad Fakhrul Khan, Inspector of Bagerhat Model Police Station, said a team of patrol police arrested the duo from the area while distributing leaflets and jihadi books.
Meanwhile, according to a report by the US Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, two Bangladeshi banks, the Islami Bank Bangladesh (IBBL) and Social Islami Bank (SIBL), have alleged links with terrorist financing. Taking advantage of the weak internal governance of the US branch of HSBC, the two banks have allegedly been routing funds to different international networks suspected to have terrorist links. HSBC’s Financial Intelligence Group provided infor-mation that the chief of a Bangladeshi Islamist terrorist outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) Shaikh Abdur Rahman maintained accounts with IBBL.
Four JMB militants arrested in Dhaka
Security Forces (SFs) arrested four suspected members of the banned Jama’atul Mujahedeen Bangladesh (JMB) along with books on militancy from Sector-10 of Uttara in Dhaka city on July 19, Daily Star. The four militants were identified as Shamsul Huda, an ehsar (full-time member), Fatik alias Badsha alias Abdullah, Badrul alias Badar alias Badal, both gayeri ehsar (part-time members), and Abu Bakkar, an active member.
RAB arrests 17 HuT cadres from different parts of Dhaka
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) personnel in separate drives arrested 17 members of banned militant outfit Hizb-ut-Tahrir (HuT) from dif-ferent parts of Dhaka on July 19 and 20, reports The Daily Star. A team of RAB -1 conducted a drive in Nikunja Boro Masjid of Khilkhet on July 20 and arrested nine members of the outfit. The arrestees were found to be holding anti-government rally and distributing leaflets containing anti-state statement among people of the area during the drive. In another raid at Gandaria, RAB -10 personnel arrested four operatives of the outlawed party while they were holding an anti-government rally. On July 19, a team of RAB -2 conducted a drive at New Market area and arrested Dr Md Manirul Hague (27). Following information extracted from Manirul, RAB offi-cials raided Mohammadpur and Dhanmondi areas and captured three operatives of the outfit. The elite force recovered a large number of jihadi books, magazines, leaflets, a laptop and a personal computer from their possession.
Two JMB militants arrested from different places
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on July 23 arrested Mahtab Khamaru (45), a key leader of outlawed militant group Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), from Talgharia village in Bagmara sub-District of Rajshahi District, reports The Daily Star. Khamaru was a regional commander and the second-in-command of JMB in 2004, when its leader Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai was operating in the region. In a separate incident, the Police arrested one cadre of JMB from Nejampur station area in Nachole sub-District of Chapainawabganj District on July 23. The arrestee was identified as, Abdul Gofur (55), son of late Mokbul Hossain of the area.
BNP leader shot dead in Rajbari district
A local Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader was shot dead by unidentified militants in Rajbari District town on August 24, reports The New Age. The victim was identified as SM Shamsul Alam Babul, son of Abdul Hamid of Binodpur area of the town. He was also a former convener of district unit of BNP’s youth front Juba Dal.
India —Internal Dynamics
Maoist leader arrested in Kolkata
Mohan Vishwakarma, a senior member of the Central Technical Committee and Technical Research and Arms Manufacturing (TRAM) unit of the Communist Party of India-Maoist was arrested by the Special Task Force (STF) personnel of Kolkata Police from Watgunge Police Station area in south Kolkata early on July 26, reported The Hindu. Huge quantities of grenade manufacturing materials, including 83 pieces of spare parts of grenade, were seized from him, Joint Commissioner of Police (STF) Rajiv Mishra said. Vishwakarma hails from Imamganj area in Gaya District of Bihar and has been residing in the city for quite some time, he added. STF sources confirmed that Vishwakarma, used to take arms and ammunition to Jharkhand via Kolkata. He and his associates were also involved in procurement, manufacture and supply of improvised hand grenades, rocket launchers and fire arms. According to the Police, the committee helps in arranging and developing weapons and explosives for the outfit.
West Bengal gets state of the art hovercraft to upgrade maritime security
The Coast Guard Region (North East) in Kolkata has inducted a latest model of Air Cushion Vessel (ACV) or hovercraft to be based at Haldia on July 26, reports The Times of India. According to a senior official, the ACV (H-188) will enhance operational capability and allow the Coast Guard to maintain its effective presence in the Sundarban area of West Bengal and adjoining coastal areas of the state. This induction is part of the Coast Guard’s expansion plan to expand and modernize its fleet. The hovercraft will be commanded by Commandant D Dinakaran, a spe-cialist in information technology. H-188 will have a complement of two officers and 11 enrolled personnel.
Maoists kill former ward member in Odisha
A former ward member was killed by suspected Communist Party of lndia-Maoistcadres in Gumudaguoda village under Bandhugaon Police limits in Koraput District of Odisha on July 27, reports The Times of India. The Maoists had killed Pidika Sarbo (55) suspecting him to be a Police informer, according to the Police. A Maoist letter left at the spot reads that Pidika was punished as he was cheating people in the area by working as a Police informer and being involved in liquor trade.
SPO killed in Malmangiri District in Odisha
A Special Police Officer (SPO) was killed and another injured in a Communist Party of India-Maoist attack in Malkangiri District on July 29, reported The Telegraph. Police said a group of Maoists fired at the two SPOs while they were on patrolling duty at a local market at Padia under Kalimela Police Station, about 70 kilometres from Malkangiri town on the second of the Martyrs’ Week [July 28-August 3] being observed by the Maoists. The SPOs retaliated, leading to an exchange of fire in which SPO Ajit Sodi was killed while his colleague Lachhman Madkami was critically injured. Both these SPOs were from villages near Padia.
PLFI cadres kill three persons including live-in couple in Jharkhand
Cadres of the Peoples’ Liberation Front of India (PLFI), a breakaway faction of the Communist Party of India-Maoist killed an unmarried couple for maintaining a live-in relationship in Atheldih village in Khunti District in the night of August 5, reports The Times of India. The victims were identifies as Sanjay Purty and ltwari Oriya. “We are trying to know whether PLFI had given any warning to the couple’s parents or not,” said Khunti Superintendent of Police (SP) M Tamilvanan. It might also be that Purty had refused to join their ranks or had done some-thing against PLFI’s interests. Meanwhile, the PLFI cadres also allegedly killed one of their colleagues who apparently opposed this sort of moral policing. “A body has been recovered from a nearby jungle,” said an officer at Murmu police station. The body is yet to be identified.
Maoist movement could spread, says former Army chief General (Retd) V K Singh
Addressing a seminar in Patna on August 7, former Army chief General (Retd) V K Singh said the Maoist movement could spread throughout the country if remedial measures were not taken to address the root cause behind its growth, reports Business Standard. Singh said there were political rea-sons and lack of governance, particularly in the rural areas, due to which poverty and backwardness prevailed providing a breeding ground for Maoists
NTRO was missing from Government’s initial bid to block inflammatory web content, claims report
National Technical Research Organization (NTRO) was completely absent from Government’s bid to block fake and inflammatory messages spreading across the internet that contributed to violence and exodus of thousands of people, reports The Times of India on August 18. NTRO is supposed to counter such cyber crises. On August 14, the Centre had issued a nation-wide alert about safety of northeast origin people, and by August 17, it had imposed stiff restrictions on SMSs and MMSs over mobile phones. On August 18, the Union Home Ministry (UHM) had forwarded the first list of Inter-net sites and Uniform Resource Locator (URLs) to be blocked. It was only by August 17 evening that NTRO was brought on board for Internet monitoring and related actions. There were 75 websites and URLs on the first list given to CERT-IN (Computer Emergency Response Team-India) for blocking. Almost all of them were identified by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and some probably by the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW). Not one of them was provided by NTRO. Once NTRO resources were mobilized on August 17, there was a sudden jump in the number of suspect sites and URLs identified by the Government.
Two civilians killed in Assam
Security Forces (SFs) recovered the bodies of Hatigaon-Belpara Lower Primary School headmaster Kameswar Rabha and Goalpara District All Rabha Student Union’s (ARSU) executive member Sharit Rabha from the Thanti Hill area near Kachumari village under Krishnai Police Station of Goalpara, reports The Telegraph. The duo was abducted by suspected Garo National Liberation Army militants on May 13, 2011. The Police, however, had been maintaining that the duo was abducted by a gang of armed men.
Police constable killed by Maoists in Chhattisgarh
Suspected Communist Party of India-Maoist cadres killed a 25-year-old trainee Police constable in a crowded market place at Bhansi town in Dantewada District of Chhattisgarh on Aug 3, reports postjagran.com. Jaikumar Mandavi was shot in the back by suspected Maoists, dressed as locals, in the village when he was returning home after buying grocery with his father, Superintendent of Police (SP, Dantewada) Narendra Khare said. Mandavi was undergoing training at Bastar District’s head-quarter at Jagdalpur and had come to his hometown three days ago on leave, the SP said.
More than 20 Police weapons missing in Nagaland, says report
Nagaland Post reports on Aug 4 that a high level Police team led by Inspector General of Police, (Crime) detected loss of more than 20 rifles that included 16 Self Loading Rifles (SLRs) and five .303 from the Police Kote (armory) in Zunheboto during the last week of June, 2012. A Policeman in the rank of Sub Inspector (SI) was arrested in Dimapur on June 30 and after inter-rogation by the Zunheboto Police, was taken back to Zunheboto for further investigation. It may recalled that two SLRs, recovered from an injured and another slain cadre by Police, were traced to the Police armoury, after a clash between National Socialist Council of Nagaland-khaplang and NSCN-Khole-Kitovi in Zhekiye village under Zunheboto District on June 19. Earlier, in April, one Superintendent of Police (SP), two Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASI) and one Armed Branch Sub-Inspector (ABSI) of Wokha Police were suspended as suspects in the loss of ammunition. Another Police constable was arrested on May 30 after a huge cache of ammunition was seized from his house in Chumukedima which were believed to be on transit to be sold to one militant faction. Meanwhile, State Director General of Police, O.Alem had directed a high level Police team to conduct verification of various armouries in the State.
115 designated NE terror groups high on IB radar, says report
Kanglaonline reports that out of the 115 terrorist organisations of Northeast (NE), there are many who have been fighting for a ‘homeland’, while there are many more who have been fuelling the fire from across the borders. Intelligence Bureau (IB) officials point out that they suspect that terrorist groups from Bangladesh funded by the Pakistan establishment are looking to strike.
The intelligence that has been received so far is not pertaining to terror strikes. It clearly states that the infiltration which had come down a great deal is likely to go up and many outfits will be strengthened with the help of the local population who claim to be affected by the recent turn of events. The IB and the Police are however not tracking only those groups which enjoy patronage from outside. “We are also keeping a close watch on some groups within and do not want peace to be disturbed, as this will lead to more disturbances funded from across the border,” said an official.
Maoist trade unions quietly setting up base in Tamil Nadu factories, says report
Industry in Tamil Nadu is trying to come to grips with a startling internal discovery that ‘fringe militant trade unions’ – code phrase for cadres of the Communist Party of India-Maoist have incognito established a foothold in key industrial belts in a state far removed from the heartland of Maoist extremism, reports The Economic Times. In recent weeks, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Employers’ Federation of Southern India have, in closed-door meetings, discussed how to deal with this problem, two senior members of the associations told Economic Times on condition of anonymity. The CII’s sub-committee on human relations and industrial relations itself is said to have held at least three meetings in this regard.
A member of the CII said the issue came to light when a number of small and medium companies started getting suspicious about the entry of new labour groups in their plants and decided to investigate.
Naxal violence has claimed 244 lives in the first six months of 2012, says report
In the first six months of this year [2012], Naxals [Left-Wing Extremists] have killed as many as 82 Security Force personnel, while losing only 48 of their cadres, reports The Indian Express. Naxal violence has claimed 244 lives in the first six months, including those of civilians who get dubbed as Police informers. The figure includes the recent deaths in the encounters that happened in Bijapur. The total number of deaths is only slightly better than in the same period last year [2011] when 301 people had lost their lives, according to the latest official data. And while Chhattisgarh remains the main battlefield, Naxal groups are enhancing their presence and influence in Odisha and Jharkhand, an official assessment says. The total number of casualties in Chhattisgarh, 211 in the first six months, has actually declined as com-pared to the same period last year, when it was 243, but both Jharkhand and Orissa saw more deaths.
Civilian killed in Meghalaya
The Shillong Times reports that the Garo National Liberation Army militants dumped the body of a villager after executing them close to a Police camp in East Garo Hills District in the night of July 13. The GNLA militants tortured to death the unidentified villager in Dobu killing with a blunt weapon and then left the body with its hands tied behind close to a police anti dacoity camp.
Maoists haVe labs to test weapons, says report
It has been revealed during investigations by the National Investigation Agency and other Central intelligence agencies following the arrest of Sadnala Ramakrishna alias RK, the head of the technical committee the Communist Party of India-Maoist that Maoists have now developed a fully hi-tech weapons testing laboratory, reports Deccan Chronicle. Intelligence agencies have information that the Maoists have two fully developed weapons testing labs operational in Chhattisgarh, where they have been putting to test their sophisticated weapons like rocket launchers, claymore mines and a range of booby traps. Though Security agencies have launched a massive hunt to track the exact location of these two laboratories, it is suspected that they are situated deep inside the thick forests in the Abujmaad area.
Maoist dump unearthed in Rayagada District in Odisha
The Security Forces (SFs) unearthed a Communist Party of India-Maoist arms and explosives dump during a raid on a Maoist hide-out in the forested area in Rayagada District of Odisha on July 17, reported The Hindu. According to the District Police, the dump was located inside Sapalguda forest under Chandrapur Police Station limits in the border of Rayagada and Gajapati Districts, following information given by ‘deputy commander’ of CPI-Maoist, Ramesh Tama alias Dasarath, who was arrested along with two other Maoists in Koraput District on July 11. Police sources said that the hidden explosives and arms were intended to tar-get the SFs in future. The recovery came before the Maoist’s call for martyrs’ week from July 28. Usually the Maoists resort to blasts and other acts of violence during the period. The arms and explosives seized from the spot included six landmines, one country made revolver, 10 rounds of 8mm ammunitions, and electronic detonators.
Two PLFI cadres lynched to death in Jharkhand
Two cadres of the People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI), a breakaway faction of the Communist Party of India-Maoist, were lynched by residents of Siyang village under Sisai Police Station in Gumla District of Jharkhand on July 19, reported The Times of India. The slain cadres have been identified as Indrajeet Oraon of Dahutoli and Rama Oraon from Shivnathpur village. Rama Oraon started off as a Maoist but joined PLFI later. Both were acting under Sukra Oraon of the same outfit, Officer-in-Charge of Sisai Police Station Kuldeep Ram said.
Three persons injured in bomb blast in Manipur
Kanglaonline reports that three persons, including two women, were injured in a bomb explosion at Mayotang in Ukhrul District at 7.50pm on July 18. The explosion took place at the residence of one TS Boonson who works as a village level worker at Ukhrul Block Developemnt Office (BDO). The injured persons were identified as Boonson’s mother Ruth, his brother Terek and sister-in-law Chaini. Meanwhile, a hand grenade was recovered at a drain near the residence of a retired Police inspector, identified as Okram Shamungou, of Kwakeithel Laishram Leikai in Imphal West District at around 10 am on July 19. Police bomb experts later detonated the grenade safely.
Seven more killed in fresh violence in Assam
At least seven persons were killed in fresh violence in lower Assam’s Chirang District On August 25 taking the toll to 87 since ethnic trouble erupted last month, reported The Times of India. The seven were stabbed to death at around 5:30 pm at Chaoudharipara at Bijni in the District, Assam Inspector General of Police (IGP-Law and Order) L R Bishnoi told the media. Additional Security Forces were rushed to the spot and the area sealed, Bishnoi added. The attacks came on a day when Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister R Ashoka urged Northeast professionals and students, who had fled the southern state, to return and assured protection and job guarantee.
Thousands continue fleeing Indian cities on attacks rumours
The exodus of people from India’s north-eastern states living in the southern cities continues with more migrant workers fleeing Bangalore and Chennai, reports say. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has appealed for calm and said peace “must be maintained at any cost”. Officials have blamed the mass exodus on “rumour mongering”. Correspondents say the rumours of attacks are linked to clashes in the north-eastern Assam state last month.
More than 300,000 people fled after fighting between indigenous Bodo tribes and Muslim settlers in Assam. Fresh violence between the two sides was reported on Aug 14 when a mob burnt down a bus and a road bridge, reports say. At least nine people were reported to be injured in clashes. The main railway station in Bangalore was flooded with migrant workers from north-eastern states for a second successive day on Aug 14 with over 7,000 people boarding four trains to the north-east. Around 4,000 fled on Wednesday, a senior police officer in the city told the BBC.
There are 250,000 people from the north-east living and working in Bangalore, which is often referred to as the Silicon Valley of India. Many of them are students, security guards and workers in the hospitality sector.
The rumours of attacks have spread to neigh bouring Chennai city in Tamil Nadu state, and western Pune city in Maharashtra, reports say. Nearly 3,000 workers and students from north-east – mostly from Assam -living in Chennai arrived at the railway station to board to special trains to take them home, one report said.
| Monthly Fatalities The following deaths, related to ongoing insurgencies and acts of terrorism, occurred during the period July 26 to August 25, 2012: |
| Civilians | Indian Security Personnel | Militant | Total | |
| Assam | 02 | 01 | 05 | 08 |
| Manipur | 02 | 00 | 06 | 08 |
| Meghalaya | 01 | 00 | 00 | 01 |
| Nagaland | 01 | 00 | 06 | 07 |
| Tripura | 01 | 00 | 00 | 01 |
| Left-wing | 14 | 11 | 30 | 55 |
| Total | 21 | 12 | 47 | 80 |
Nepal —Internal Dynamics
“China concerned over foreign interference in Nepal” says Mohan Vaidya PTI reports that China is concerned over the growing “foreign interference” in Nepal in the pretext of adopting federalism in the country. Mohan Vaidya, ‘chairman’ of Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist [CPN-Maoist], a breakaway faction of Unified Communist Party of Nepal —Maoist], who has just returned from a goodwill visit to China, said, “The Chinese leaders have expressed concern over the increasing foreign interference in Nepal in the pretext of federating the states.
NC and CPN-UML soften their position on the issue of PLA’s integration in Nepal Army
Nepali Congress (NC) and Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) leaders on June 29 said that they are ready to attend a meeting of the prime minister-led Special Committee for the Integration, Supervision and Rehabilitation of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in Nepal Army. NC leader Minendra Rijal said “We were never against attending a meeting of the Special Committee. We have stressed that the prime minister must reach out to parties and create an environment of trust”. Similarly, CPN-UML leader Bhim Rawal said there should be political consensus among the parties on the structure of the general directorate and ranks to be conferred on the combatants at the top level before the commit-tee meeting is held. The Nepal Army is all set to start groundwork for the selection next week.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the newly-formed Communist Party of Nepal- Maoist (CPN-M), Mohan Baidhya, on June 29 urged the party cadres to take the breakaway from the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist as a natural process. He said formation of the revolutionary party was a must to pave a way to the current political transition.
Chitwan District paralysed by warring Maoist parties
Daily life was adversely affected in Chitwan District on July 2 due to a day-long bandh (general shutdown strike) imposed by the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist, reports Nepal News. UCPN-M enforced the bandh protesting against the clash that occurred between its cadres and that of the breakaway party, Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-Maoist, Baidya), in Chitwan over the issue of party office on June 30. At least ten persons were injured, from both sides, when dispute over the ownership of the party office located at Krishna Nagar turned into a violent confrontation.
Separately, the dispute between the rival Maoist parties over the ownership of party offices seemed far from over with the vice chairman of the breakaway CPN-Maoist, C.P Gajurel, on July 2 demanding that his party also wanted its share in the central office of the UCPN -M located at Peris Danda in Koteshwor.
Prime Minister consults Janajati leaders on identity-based federalism
Prime Minister (PM) Baburam Bhattarai on July 4 met with Janajati (indigenous) leaders of various political parties who have been demanding identity-based federalism, reports Nepal News. PM Bhattarai called the Janjati leaders at a time when the latter are said to have agreed on the formation of a cross-party joint front to press for identity based federal-itm. More than 30 Janajati leaders including Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) vice chairman Ashok Rai, UML polit-buro member Prithivi Subba Gurung, DB Lama, Malla K. Sundar, chairman of Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) Raj Kumar Lekhi, former chairman of NEFIN Dr Om Gurung, former minister Rakam Chemjong, Minak Lal Shrestha, Indra Kumar Gurung Pari Thapa.
Baidya describes his party as ‘third force’
Chairman of the newly formed Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist, Mohan Baidya (CPN-Maoist, Mohan Baidya) has described his party as the “third force”, claiming that it was capable of leading the nation, reports Nepal News. Speaking during a book launch in the capital on July 7, Baidya said his party emerged as the third force in order to give an outlet to the political deadlock. He, however, did not explain on what basis his party could claim third position.
MJF affiliated trade union leader shot dead
Unidentified assailants on August 24, killed ‘General secretary’ of the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF)-affiliated Factory Workers Union (FWU), Rama Shankar Mandal in Birgunj, area of Parsa District, reports Nepal News.
Meanwhile, Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) leader, K.P Sharma Oli said that the opposition parties will not wait more than a week for the Unified Communist Party of Nepal —Maoist government to do some-thing to reach political consensus. He warned that the government would be brought down through agitation if it failed to arrive at a consensus by August 30.
Federal Democratic Republican Alliance (FDRA) of the ruling parties led by UCPN-Maoist has decided to organise a broad debate with all the political parties and representatives of the civil society on September 4.
Sri Lanka —Internal Dynamics
LTTE remnants mobilizing funds in Europe
Swiss Director of Prosecutions revealed on June 6 that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam had taken fraudulently substantial funds as loans from financial institutions on the basis of false documents, reports Lank Web. It was also revealed that these funds were channelled to LTTE for purchase of arms through S. Ramachandran, a leader in the LTTE overseas front. The Swiss investigators had proceeded to Netherlands to question S. Ramachandran. Similarly, the Netherland’s intelligence services have collected information going up to 6000 giga bites. It was made clear that the new fund raising was to finance the activities of some of the LTTE fighting cadres still hiding in Sri Lanka. Ramachandran had been controlling a fund Euro 136 millions. The Netherland’s intelligence agencies have found out the names of the banks where the money had been deposited. It was found that Ramachandran had even fraudulently taken $104000- from two leading Swiss banks .At present 12 leading Tamil Tigers are in custody and the authorities have confirmed that they have enough evidence to prove their acts of fraud. The Netherland’s intelligence agents have now discovered that a new fund has been set up to start a new war in Sri Lanka. Ramachandran had purchased gold from some of the funds and exported to a number of countries to sell through their agents.
Muslims in SL protest in support of govt minister and justice to Muslim IDPs
Hundreds of Muslims in Sri Lanka took to the streets on July 27 in the capital Colombo to express support to the government minister who has been ordered to appear before courts for allegedly threatening a judge and demand justice to the Muslim IDPs in the country, reports Colombo Page. Thousands of Muslims in many other parts of the country also protested in their local areas following Friday (July 27) Jumma prayers to support the Industries and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiyutheen.
In response to a contempt of court case filed by a group of seven lawyers on July 26 over the Minister’s alleged attempt to thwart the course of justice by intimidating a Magistrate and trying to revoke the magistrate’s ruling, the Appeals Court ordered the Minister to personally appear before the court on the 5th of September to show cause why he should not be punished for contempt of court. The Minister is accused of challenging the Mannar magistrate for issuing an order pre-venting Muslim fishermen from rights to a fisheries harbor in Mannar. The protesters in the capital shouting slogans and holding placards walked to the President’s office after Friday (July 27) prayers and handed over a petition to President Mahinda Rajapaksa in support of the Minister. The protesting Muslims said there is a considerable number of displaced Muslims in the Northern Province and that the issues faced by them need to be addressed.
International LTTE network behind Vavuniya Prison unrest, says Prison Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera
The recent unrest in the Vavuniya Prison in Northern Sri Lanka is a well-planned conspiracy of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam’s international network, Prisons and Rehabilitation Minister, Chandrasiri Gajadeera said on July 3, Colombo Page reported. He noted that the LTTE suspects at the prison have had in their possession satellite mobile phones and various communication equipment and added that some of the suspects transferred to Colombo following the incident were prepared to confess to that effect.
Trouble erupted at the Vavuniya Prison, last week, when Police tried to take a suspect, who is a former LTTE leader, away under a court order to hand over to the Terrorism Investigation Department and the inmates started protesting. In the ensuing disturbance the former LTTE suspects took three prison officials hostage and held them until a combined Police, Army and Special Task Force (STF) operation them a day later. Accordingly, 28 LTTE detainees were transferred to the Mahara Prison in Gampaha District and four detainees injured during the rescue operation were sent for treatment at the Ragama Hospital in Colombo. The Commanding Officer of the STF, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Chandrasiri Ranawaka, told the state-run radio that in the search operations carried out in the prison after the incident, 54 satellite mobile phones, additional batteries, SIM cards and various other communication equipment were discovered. Ranawaka revealed that about 28 LTTE prisoners, detained in the Vavuniya prison, had satellite phones to pass information to the Tamil Diaspora abroad. “We also recovered Rs 23,047, iron bars, knives and four radios. They also had large stock of food items, including biscuits, chocolates and noodles,” an unnamed senior Police official told The Island newspaper.
TNA demands pardon for LTTE detainees
The leader Tamil party Tamil National Alliance (TNA) R. Sampanthan making a special statement in the parliament on July 6 urged the government to pardon all the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam detainees, who he described as political prisoners, without prosecuting them, according to Colombo Page. The TNA leader told the parliament that the government had failed to expedite the judicial process with regard to the prosecution of these despite assurances to do so. “If the legal proceedings could not be initiated against those who are kept in detention, why not release them under an amnesty? Tamil political detainees are being tortured and this raises serious human right concerns,” he said.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa calls on diplomats to counter threats from pro-LTTE Diaspora
President Mahinda Rajapaksa on July 7 said that despite the country having a concise foreign policy the threat of the pro-Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eealm Diaspora in the West remains to be a massive challenge and asked the country’s diplomatic envoys to counter them, according to Colombo Page. The President said the Sri Lankan diplomats in overseas missions, especially in countries where, the pro-LTTE Diaspora is active, to be aware of the relentless campaign carried out by them to dis-credit Sri Lanka. He noted that the Diaspora interact with policy makers, media and non-governmental organizations in those countries to carry out their misinformation campaigns and asked the diplomats to launch suit-able campaigns to effectively counter the adverse publicity created by the LTTE elements against Sri Lanka. President Rajapaksa noted that the aim of the government was to fortify national security both domestically and internationally while also achieving the required financial goals.
Army strength in Jaffna is 10,000, say Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya
Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya on July 11 categorically denied the statement that there is an Army strength of one to five civilians in the Jaffna peninsula and stated that there was a population of half a million in Jaffna while the strength of the army was 10,000, according to Daily News. He added that the Army remaining in Jaffna is confined to barracks. He also stated that the Army will attend to the matters relating to reconciliation, reconstruction etc according to the needs of society.
Two former LTTE cadres arrested along with LTTE war video in Trincomalee District
A memory card containing a six minute LTTE war video was seized and two suspected former LTTE cadres were arrested by the Muthur Police in Trincomalee District, according to Daily Mirror. The memory card was seized while the suspects were watching the video. In addition to the memory card the suspects had in their possession cash to the value SLR 50,000. The arrested were residents from the Pathanapuram area in Muthur.’
Mobile phones inpossession of LTTE detainees recovered in Colombo prison
Sri Lankan prison authorities at the Magazine prison in Colombo on July 12 recovered 32 mobile phones in the possession of Liberation Tigers of Tail Eelam detainees at the prison, reported Colombo Page. According to the Ministry of Rehabilitation & Prison reforms, five amongst the 32 recovered mobiles were sophisticated in nature. The mobile phones had been concealed within the premise of the prison complex. The officials suspect that the suspects may have used those phones to communicate and maintain contacts with foreign media. As reported earlier, during the June hostage rescue attempt at the Vavuniya Prison, the authorities found 43 mobile phones, some of which were satellite phones.
Recent unrest in Vavuniya Prison was a conspiracy with links to the LTTE, says Police
Police have gathered information that the recent unrest in the Vavuniya Prison was a conspiracy with links to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam’s international network and it was the same evil forces that tried to mask the particular incident by Vavuniya prison inmates, as a humanitarian act, Police Media spokesman SP Ajith Rohana in a special press release announced on July 17, according to Daily News.
As reported earlier, the incident occurred when three prison officials were held hostage for 19 hours by inmates during a protest by prisoners at the Vavuniya remand prison against the transfer of a suspected LTTE prisoner to another location. The suspect who was a former LTTE leader was being transferred on a court order to be handed over to the Terrorism Investigation Unit. The suspect Nadaraja Saravanabawan alias Seettu was directly involved in terrorist attacks carried out by LTTE. The Police Spokesman revealed that Nadaraja was involved in bombing a vehicle bearing number 58-9203, on May 27, 2006, in Wipattu Reserve killing seven civilians. The suspect was also responsible for setting up a clay-more mine on December 23, 2005, targeting a bus that was transporting Navy personnel. 13 Navy personnel died and another four were injured in the incident. In addition to that, he is alleged to have been responsible for a number of terrorist activities where innocent civilians and soldiers were killed and injured.
Former LTTE leader of Batticaloa arrested at Colombo airport
Sri Lanka Police on Aug 20 arrested Sinnatambi Pathmanathan, a former Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam leader for the Batticaloa area in the Eastern province, at the Colombo airport upon his return to Sri Lanka, Colombo Page reported. Police Media spokesman Superintendent of Police Ajith Rohana said that Pathmanathan was, arrested by the Terrorism Investigation Bureau when he returned to Sri Lanka after staying abroad. Pathmanathan had fled the country in 2002, Hiru FM reported. He had reportedly led several terrorist attacks in the East.
INTERNATIONAL
TV journalist killed
Iraqi officials say a local journalist has been shot dead by gunmen who broke into his house in the country’s north. A police officer said on July 31 that the 29-year-old TV presenter, Ghazwan Anas, was having his Iftar the evening meal that breaks the dawn-to-dusk fast during the holy month of Ramadan when the gunmen broke into the family’s home Monday night in the city of Mosul. His mother and wife were wounded in the attack. A health official confirmed the causalities. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the subject.
Iraq opens all borders for Syrian refugees
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has told Iraq’s border officials on July 31 to allow Syrian refugees into the county, a senior border commander said. The order came 30 minutes ago,” General Issam Yassim told Reuters at Iraq’s southern Al-Waleed border crossing with Syria.
Somali leaders pass constitution as bombers attack
Somali leaders voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday, Aug 1 to adopt a new constitution that contains new individual rights and sets the country on a course for a more powerful and representative government. The vote came after two thunderous blasts at the gates of the meeting site from a failed suicide attack.
The 825 Somali leaders who debated the constitution for a week approved the document with 621 for, 13 against and 11 abstentions. The constitution, some eight years in the making, makes it clear that Islamic law is the basis for So malia’s legal foundation. No religion other than Islam can be propagated in the country and all laws must be compliant with Shariah — Islamic law.
Iran bank chief calls sanctions akin to ‘war’
Iran’s central bank chief says tightening of Western sanctions is equal to a “military war” that requires new tactics to overcome economic pressures on Tehran. The official IRNA news agency quotes Mahm oud Bahmani as saying that sanctions are “no less than a military war” and that Iran must respond with its own economic countermeasures. Tuesday’s (July 30) report gave no details, but says a special head-quarters has been set up to fight back against the sanctions that have targeted Iran’s vital oil exports and its access to international banking systems.
President Mahmoud Ahmad inejad called the sanctions “political warfare.” The West and its allies worry Iran could eventually produce nuclear weapons.
Fierce Battle in Syria
Syrian combat aircraft and artillery pounded Aleppo late into the night on Aug 1 as the army battled for control of the country’s biggest city, where rebel fighters said troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad had been forced to retreat. During the day on Wednesday large clouds of black smoke rose into the sky after attack helicopters turned their machineguns on eastern districts for the first time in the latest fighting and a MiG warplane later strafed the same area. After night-fall, Reuters journalists in Aleppo heard loud explosions somewhere near the city. At least 10 volleys of shells lit up the night sky and drowned out the sound of the Islamic call to prayer. Carloads of rebel fighters shouting “God is great” sped off towards the fighting. The battle for Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, has become a crucial test for both sides in the 16-month-old rebellion. Neither Assad’s forces nor the rag-tag rebels can afford to lose if they hope to prevail in the wider struggle for Syria. Syria’s civil war has entered a far more violent phase since July 18 when a bomb killed four top members of President Bashar al-Assad’s inner circle. Serious fighting reached Aleppo over the past week and rebels also launched an assault on the capital Damascus in July but were repulsed.
Rohingyas persecuted after Myanmar crackdown: HRW
Myanmar security forces killed, raped or carried out mass arrests of Rohingya Muslims after deadly sec-tarian riots in the northeast in June, a rights group said on Wednesday, Aug 1 adding the authorities had done little to prevent the initial unrest. Aid workers were blocked and in some cases arrested, and Rohingyas bore the brunt of a government crackdown in Rakhine state after a week of arson and machete attack by both ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingyas, New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report.
Based on 57 interviews with Rakhines and Rohingyas, the report seeks to shed light on a conflict that exposed deep-rooted communal animosity and put the spotlight on promises by the civilian government in office since 2011 to protect human rights after decades of brutal army rule.
Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin said on Monday the authorities had exercised “maximum restraint” in restoring law and order and that the rioting was not fuelled by religious persecution. He rejected what he said were attempts to “politicise and internationalise the situation as a religious issue”, adding that the government was eager to promote “racial harmony among different nationalities”. In veiled criticism of the United States and European Union, which praised the government for its handling of the unrest, Adams said the international community had been “blinded by a romantic narrative of sweeping change” in Myanmar.
The former Burma has a diverse ethnic and religious make-up, but the Rohingya Muslims are not included by the government. There are at least 800,000 Rohingyas in the country but they are not recognised as one of its ethnic groups.—AP
Eight killed in checkpoints attack
Three attacks on separate checkpoints north of Baghdad on Thursday, Aug 2 killed eight people, including four policemen and three anti-Qaeda militiamen, Iraqi officials said. Unknown gunmen killed four policemen in an attack on a checkpoint on a road near Tikrit, 160 kilometres (100 miles) north of Baghdad, a Tikrit police officer and a medic from the town’s hospital said. Three anti-Qaeda Sahwa militiamen were killed by a bomb placed in a caravan at a checkpoint near Balad, 70 kilometres (43 miles) north of the Iraqi capital, a police officer and a medic from Balad said. And gunmen attacked an army checkpoint in Dujail, 60 kilometres (37.5 miles) north of Baghdad, killing a soldier and kidnapping four others, an Iraqi army officer said.
The latest violence comes a day after official figures put the number of people killed in attacks in July at 325, the highest monthly death toll since August 2010.
Uzbekistan bans foreign military bases
Uzbekistan is moving to ban foreign military bases on its territory, local media reported, ending speculation it could allow the United States to reopen a base for operations in neighbouring Afghanistan. However, some analysts said the ban might not prevent military cooperation with the United States, which could still use Uzbek facilities for special-forces operations to attack the Afghan Taliban.
The ban is part of a major foreign-policy document proposed by President Islam Karimov, which was approved by the lower house of parliament this week. It was the first such document since Uzbekistan’s independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, and the Senate is expected to pass it this month. Uzbekistan, a mainly Muslim Central Asian nation, evicted a U.S. military air base from Karshi-Khanabad as ties with Washington and the European Union soured following the government’s suppression of an uprising in the town of Andizhan in May 2005.
47 Iranians kidnapped outside Damascus
Gunmen snatche d 47 Iranian pilgrims just outside Damascus on Aug 4 in a brazen attack that revealed the growing instability at the centre of President Bashar Assad’s power. The abduction came as Syrian troops moved to crush one of the last rebel-domi-nated neighbour hoods in the capital, shelling the area heavily. No group immediately claimed responsibility, although Iranian state media blamed the rebels fighting the Assad regime. The pil-grims were on a bus taking them from the suburb of Sayeda Zeinab, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) south of Damascus, to the airport to return home when they were kidnapped, according to the Iranian state news agency, IRNA.
Mainly Shia Iran is a close ally of the beleaguered Syrian government, which is dominated by the Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shiasm. Syria has long welcomed Iranian pilgrims visiting the ornate gold-domed shrine of Sayeda Zeinab, the Prophet Muhammad’s granddaughter; up to 700,000 pilgrims used to come every year, IRNA said, although the number has fallen precipitously since the 17-month uprising that has killed an estimated 19,000. Late Saturday, Iran’s semiofficial Fars news agency announced that Syrian forces had freed the hostages, but cited no source. There was no confirmation from the Syrians. Still, the kidnapping underscores the inability of the regime, which is fighting rebels in all the major cities of the country, to even control the immediate environs of the capital city.
Yemen suicide bomber kills 35, hurts dozens
A suicide bomber struck at a wake in Yemen’s southern city of Jaar overnight on Aug 5, killing at least 35 people and wounding dozens more including the leader of a local group fighting al Qaeda-linked militants, officials and medics said on Aug 6. The bomber appeared to have been targeting the commander of the Popular Committees, a group of tribal fighters that fought alongside the Yemeni army during an offensive against Ansar al-Sharia militants in the region. The government had hailed the campaign then as a major victory in June. The leader of a committee of local residents fighting al Qaeda, Abdul Latif Al Sayed, was injured and taken to hospital, local officials said. Two of his brothers were also killed in the attack.
The attack highlighted the enduring threat of Islamist militancy in Yemen and may alarm the United States and Saudi Arabia, which increasingly view the impoverished state as a front line in their war on al Qaeda and its affiliates. Ansar al-Sharia (Partisans of Islamic Law) seized several towns in Abyan last year, establishing a foothold there while then-President Ali Abdullah Saleh was grappling with mass protests that eventually toppled him. The United States supported the military campaign that drove the Islamist fighters from their strong-holds in June, but residents and analysts say the militants are sim-ply lying low and waiting for a chance to regroup.
Sikh temple shooting situation under control
Senior US officials told President Barack Obama that the situation at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin was “under control” after a shooting ram-page there on Aug 5 and the killing by police of the lone gunman. Obama was briefed by counterterrorism adviser John Brennan, FBI director Bob Mueller and White House Chief of Staff Jack Lew.
He later called Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, Oak Creek Mayor Steve Scaffidi and the trustee of the Sikh temple, Charanjeet Singh, to express condolences for the lives lost, the White House said. “He directed that the federal government assist as appropriate in the investigation into the shooting,” the White House said. “The president said that he wanted to make sure that as we denounce this senseless act of violence we also underscore how much our country has been enriched by our Sikh community.”
New sanctions on Syria
The Obama administration is readying new sanctions on Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime and its allies as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton heads to Turkey for weekend talks with top Turkish officials and Syrian opposition activists. Senior U.S. officials traveling with Clinton as she wraps up a nine-nation Africa tour in Ghana and Benin before flying to Turkey on Friday said the fresh sanctions aimed at hastening Assad’s ouster were imminent. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to pre-view the move. The sanctions are expected to complement existing penalties, which have targeted Assad’s inner circle, including his entire Cabinet, along with Iranian individuals and entities that have been providing support to the regime. They come as Clinton pre-pares for Saturday’s discussions in Istanbul that will focus on forming a “common operational picture” with the Turks and Syrians to guide a democratic transition in post-Assad Syria, the officials said. Clinton will also boost humanitarian relief to tens of thou-sands of Syrians fleeing the country, they said. In Istanbul, Clinton is also expected to announce an additional $5.5 million in U.S. humanitarian aid.♦
| 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 Singh | 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. | ***** |
