Terrorist Activities in Pakistan
Suicide Bombings/Attacks
At least two persons were injured in a blast near a mosque in Shafi Town area of Rahim Yar Khan District in Punjab on December 30, reports Dawn. Rescue officials said there were two attackers, a man and a burqa-clad individual. The burqa-clad attacker allegedly blew themselves up while the other fled. Local Police sources told Dawn the burqa-clad attacker was a man who succumbed to his injuries after attempting to carry out a suicide attack. Deputy Superintendent Police (DSP) Chaudhry Ashraf also said the explosion was a suicide attack. He said two people were injured in the attack.
Bomb/IED Blasts
Six Frontier Constabulary (FC) officials were injured after their vehicle came under attack near Western Bypass in Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, on January 2, reports Daily Times. The personnel were en route to firing range of the training camp when terrorists attacked the van with a remote-controlled bomb. According to the Bomb Disposal Squad, eight to ten Kg explosives were used in the bombing.
Frontier Constabulary (FC) neutralised a 10 kilograms bomb in the Chithar area of Nasirabad District on January 5, reports Daily Times.
As many as six Frontier Constabulary (FC) officials were critically injured after their vehicle came under attack near Western Bypass in Quetta on January 9, reports Daily Times. The personnel were en route to firing range of the training camp when terrorists attacked the van with a remote-controlled bomb. According to the Bomb Disposal Squad, eight to ten Kilogram explosives were used in the bombing.
The Bomb Disposal Squad (BDU) neutralised a 10 kilograms bomb in Karkhano Market of Peshawar on January 9, reports Daily Times. Police said it was a remote-controlled device.
Twenty people were killed and more than 50 others were injured in a bomb blast at the Sabzi Mandi (vegetable market) area of Parachinar in Kurram Agency in the morning of January, reports Dawn. A statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the improvised explosive device (IED) blast took place at 08:50am. Government official Shahid Khan said the explosion took place when the market was crowded with retailers buying fruits and vegetables. No group has claimed responsibility for the blast as yet. The next day the death toll rose to 45 as some of the critically injured breathed their last.
Targetted Killings
Three persons, including a Sub-Inspector, were killed in firing incidents at various parts of Karachi, on January 4. A Sub-Inspector of Police Iqbal Mehmood, probing some targeted killing cases was shot dead and two others injured when unidentified assailants opened fire at them on main Rashid Minhas Road in Gulistan-e-Jauhar Town of Karachi, reports Dawn. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sharah-e-Faisal Ali Anwar Soomro said that assailants were chasing SI Iqbal Mehmood who was riding a bike along with his friend Waseem. As they disembarked from their motorbike to purchase some items from a vendor near Lal Flats, gunmen travelling in a car opened fire on them and fled.
Meanwhile, one persons, identified as Rizwan, who worked as a Police informer against drug peddlers, was shot dead in a firing incident in Korangi Industrial Area under Korangi Town of Karachi, reports The News. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Nauman Siddiqui said that the Police had arrested the killer and recovered weapons from him.
Separately, a civilian was shot dead in a target-killing incident at Jamshed Road near Pardah Park in Jamshed Town area of Karachi, reports The News.
Unidentified militants shot dead two people in Jinnah Town of Quetta on January 5, reports Daily Times. According to Police, both victims were going somewhere when the assailants riding a motorcycle opened fire on them. Both the men died on the spot.
Unidentified assailants shot and injured five Hazara Shias in a suspected sectarian attack community on Spiny Road in the Qila Mubarak area of Quetta on January 6, reports Dawn. Deputy Inspector General of (DIG), Quetta, Razzak Cheema said that the incident is a targeted attack when five individuals were travelling in a taxi.
At least one civilian was killed and two Policemen injured in two separate attacks in North Nazimabad area of Karachi on January 6, reports Dawn. Police constable Muhammad Iqbal was injured when unidentified assailants lobbed a hand grenade at Taimuria Police Station in North Nazimabad. Later, 25-year-old Ali Imran was shot dead when unidentified assailants opened fire at Five Star Chowrangi in the same area. Bashir, a traffic police official, was also injured in the firing incident.
Unidentified assailants on January 10 killed a Police constable, Khalid Shaikh (30), near his house on Jamshed Road in the Soldier Bazaar area of Karachi, reports The News.
Unidentified militants on January 16 killed two Police officials in different areas of Quetta, reports Dawn. Militants opened fire at a Police constable in the Killi Deba area of Quetta, killing him on the spot. In another incident, militants opened fire near the Passport Office area and killed another Police official on duty. The attackers managed to escape from the scene in both cases, with Police officials terming the incidents as acts of target killings.
Police on January 19 recovered four dead bodies from an empty plot in Steel Town area of Karachi, reports The News. Malir Town Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rao Anwar claimed that the four victims had been shot to death adding that the corpses bore torture marks.
Two Security Force (SF) personnel were killed on January 19 after unidentified militants opened fire on them in Kohlu area of Balochistan, reports Daily Times. The deceased were identified as constable Shero and Khawand Bukhsh. The militants managed to flee the scene.
Unidentified assailants opened fire and killed two persons in Satellite Town area of Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, on January 22, reports Dawn. Police officials said the gunmen were on a motorcycle when they opened fire and critically injured two tribal locals. The injured were rushed to the Civil Hospital in Quetta but they succumbed to their injuries.
A Shia man, Mohammed Kazim Raza (39), was gunned down in suspected sectarian attack in Gulistan-e-Jauhar area of Karachi on the night of January 24, reports Dawn. “It appeared to be a targeted killing incident linked with sectarianism,” said Superintendent Police Dr. Fahad Ahmed.
Miscellaneous
One suspected militant was killed and 19 others were arrested during a search operation conducted by Security Forces (SFs) in Kohlu District of Balochistan Province on December 31, reports Dawn. According to official sources, the Frontier Corps (FC) personnel, acting on a tip-off about the presence of suspected militants in the Jannat Ali area, launched the search operation. During the operation a gun battle ensued, resulting in the death of one suspect and arrest of 19 others. Four submachine guns, two rifles and six motorcycles were recovered from the hideout.
Police on January 1 arrested at least three terrorists and seized explosives from their custody during an action in SITE Town area of Karachi, reports The News. The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of West Zone, Nasir Aftab said in a joint action, launched by Police and personnel of an intelligence agency, three terrorists affiliated to a banned outfit were apprehended and recovered explosive material and detonators from their possession.
The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) officials of Hazara Division arrested two Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists, Muhammad Nawaz alias Abrash and Azizullah alias Hazaza, from Batagaram District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on January 3, reports Dawn. Both the terrorists are said to have received militant training in Kunar area in Afghanistan. Nawaz and Azizullah were involved in a number of terrorism incidents in the past and were also found plotting an attack in the Batagaram region at the time of their arrest. CTD officials said the two men revealed major terrorism plots in Batagaram District during their initial interrogation. A video clip of District Police Officer (DPO) Batagaram was also recovered from their possession.
At least four suspected militants were killed during an exchange of fire with Security Forces (SFs) in Uch and other areas of Naseerabad District in Balochistan on January 6, reports Dawn. A security officer said that SFs conducted a search operation in Uch and other areas of Naseerabad District. Five militants were also arrested. Moreover, nine sanctuaries of militants were demolished by security personnel.
The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) killed six suspected terrorists during an encounter on Faisalabad Bypass Road in Faisalabad District of Punjab on January 7, reports Daily Times. According to CTD Sheikhupura sources, the CTD Lahore on January 6 arrested two terrorists identified as Saadullah Khan and Jahanzeb Khan allegedly involved in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park Lahore suicide blast. As per the details, the CTD Lahore team was taking the arrested terrorists to Kot Pindi Daas to arrest other terrorists when their alleged accomplices attacked the team and got released Saadullah Khan and Jahanzeb Khan. The incident led to a cross firing between Police party and suspected terrorists. Resultantly, six terrorists were killed while three others managed to escape. The CTD also recovered three motorcycles, Kalashnikovs, pistol, bullets and a huge cache of explosives and hand grenades from them.
Bannu Special Police Unit arrested three suspected Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists from the Chando Khel area of Lakki Marwat District on January 9, reports Daily Times. Police recovered a Kalashnikov rifle, three grenades, an anti-personnel mine, explosives and 30 bore pistols. The arrested militants were involved in target killing, extortion and attacking law enforcers. The arrested persons also stole the rifle of police official Ali Badshah after killing him.
Army and Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) carried out joint combing operations in Shaheen town, Warsak Road, Dalazak and Pakka Ghulam areas of Peshawar in the evening of January 15, reports The News. According to Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), during the combing operation 58 suspects were apprehended including five Afghan nationals. Huge cache of arms, ammunition and drugs were recovered during the operation.
The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel shot dead four suspected militants belonging to a banned outfit near the Sheikhupura Bypass in Sheikhupura District in the wee hours of January 18, reports The News. CTD officials claimed that they had been tipped off by intelligence sources regarding the presence of the suspected terrorists. Upon reaching the place, an armed conflict initiated between the CTD officials and the suspected militants. Four alleged terrorists were gunned down by CTD while three managed to flee. Police managed to recover arms, ammunition and explosive material from the suspected militants.
At least eight security personnel were injured when their convoy comes under militant ambush in Gichak area of Panjgur District in Balochistan on January 23, reports Dawn. “The security personnel were moving through the district’s mountainous Gichak area to conduct a raid against miscreants when they were fired upon,” said a security official. No arrests were reported after the incident. There was no claim of responsibility for the attack.
The Police on January 23 recovered two suicide jackets from Abu Bakar mosque under the Paharipura Police Station, on the outskirt of Peshawar, reports Dawn. However, no arrests were made. An official at the Paharipura Police Station said that acting on a tip-off Police personnel checked Abu Bakar mosque near Benazir Hospital along the motorway. He said the cops recovered two suicide jackets containing about five kilogramme explosives from the room of the prayer leader of the mosque. However, the prayer leader was not present in the room at the time of the raid.
The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) arrested two Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) militants during raided on a house on Airport Road near railway line in Bahawalpur District of Punjab January 23, reports Dawn. Explosive material and two live grenades were recovered from their possession.
PAKISTAN
Hundreds of target killers arrested in 2016 from Karachi
The Sindh Rangers report issued on December 29 claimed that a total of 446 target killers were arrested in 2016, mostly belonging to the ‘militant wings’ of different political groups, reports Dawn. According to the report, which is focused on the ongoing Karachi operation, Sindh Rangers conducted 1,992 operations across the city over the year through which more than 2,847 suspected criminals were taken into custody. A break-up of the numbers shows that of the 446 target killers arrested by the Rangers, 348 belonged to various political groups, 87 had links to Lyari gangs, while 11 were affiliated with different sectarian groups.
The report said 26 criminals involved in kidnapping for ransom were also apprehended, and 13 of their abductees were safely brought back. In the report, the Rangers also claimed that murders and targeted killings in the city hit an all-time low in the year, with 87 people falling victim compared to 199 in the preceding year. About weaponry recovered during the year, the report says that at least 1,845 arms, including machine guns, light machine guns, sub-machine guns, rocket launchers, detonators, pistols/revolvers and explosives, were confiscated in the year. A total of 194,579 rounds of ammunition of different calibers were also recovered, it said.
Pakistan has defeated terrorism, now in consolidation phase, says COAS General Qamar Bajwa
The Chief of Armed Staff (CoAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on December 29 stated that Pakistan has successfully defeated terrorism and is now in consolidation phase, reports Dawn. He was speaking after inspecting a Pakistan-Jordan joint military exercise, “Fajr-ul-Sharq 1”, near Attock, according to a statement released by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). ‘Fajr-ul-Sharq 1’ is a two-week joint counterterrorism training program that seeks to share the experiences of both armies. General Bajwa said that the nature and character of war has changed, with direct conflict now becoming a less preferred means of waging war. “Pakistan’s armed forces are fully trained and ready for response to [the] full spectrum [of] threats, [and] our achievements in counter terrorism operations are being taken as successful case studies,” he said.
Indian move to ban “terror” bodies in Pakistan rejected by UNSC
Foreign Office Spokesman Muhammad Nafees Zakaria said on Sunday, Jan 1 that the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) had rejected a politically-motivated proposal by India seeking sanctions against Pakistan over terrorism.
The UN Security Council’s 1267 Sanctions Committee related to Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaeda had rejected the politically-motivated proposal by India, the FO spokesperson said. Replete with frivolous information and baseless allegations, the Indian proposal had no merit and was aimed at advancing its narrow national agenda, the spokesperson added.
In a statement in Islamabad, the Foreign Office spokesman said Pakistan had made significant contribution and rendered enormous sacrifices in success of international community’s efforts against terrorism. Commenting on media reports about the failure of Indian move in the UN Security Council’s 1267 Sanctions Committee, he said the committee related to ISIS and al-Qaeda had rejected a politically-motivated proposal by India.
Nafees Zakaria said India had deployed terrorism as an instrument of state policy and had itself been involved in perpetrating, sponsoring, supporting and financing terrorism. He said Pakistan had been a direct victim of India’s state-sponsored terrorism and confessions of RAW agent Kulbhushan Yadhav about his involvement in terrorist activities in Pakistan proved this fact.
Zakaria said that Indian statements were an attempt to divert the attention of the international community from the grave violations of human rights and state-sponsored terrorism perpetrated by the Indian occupying forces in the Indian-Held Kashmir (IHK).
The Foreign Office spokesman said that the dismissal of this proposal was also a rejection of the Indian attempts to politicise and undermine the work of this important committee of the Security Council. With such duplicitous behaviour and blood on its hands, India has little credibility on counter-terrorism, the spokesman said.
Violence in Pakistan drops significantly in 2016, says CRSS report
Deaths linked to violence in the country decreased significantly in 2016, dropping 45 percent compared with the previous year, Daily Times reported on January 4 quoting Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) report. Some 2,610 people lost their lives due to violence during the period compared with 4,647 in 2015. “There was nearly a 45 percent reduction in the number of violence-related fatalities in 2016, which continued the trend of reduction from 2014,” the report said. “In fact, since 2014, there has been an overall reduction of nearly 66 percent.” December was the least violent month for the country during the year. Two provinces – Punjab and Balochistan – had a marginal increase in violence during 2016. Balochistan suffered the most fatalities as violence-related deaths rose from 719 in 2015 to 798 last year, an upsurge of nearly 10 percent, followed by Punjab, which lost 424 people during 2016 – the highest number of fatalities in the province during the last four years. Both provinces were the targets of suicide attacks that increased the casualty count. Balochistan had three suicide attacks, leaving 186 dead, while Punjab had one suicide attack at a park crowded with families on Easter Sunday, killing 75, including many children.
‘AQIS, LeJ sleeper cells targeting cops in Karachi’, says Sindh CTD Transnational Terrorism Intelligence Group in-charge Raja Umer Khattab
The Sindh Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Transnational Terrorism Intelligence Group in-charge Raja Umer Khattab said on January 8 that there might be surge in sectarian violence in city if LEAs don’t chalk out a strategy to clamp down on sleeper cells, reports The News. The sleeper cells of al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) are believed to be involved in the recent attacks on Policemen and there might be a surge in sectarian violence in the coming days, Raja Umer Khattab said. “In the past AQIS has used homemade bombs containing ball bearings in the Taimuria Police Station a Russian-made grenade was used, something that is new,” Raja Umer Khattab added. “AQIS primarily used handmade bombs. They had started off by making ball bombs and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). The use of a grenade now suggests that sleeper cells of these terrorist outfits are now active and their members possess new kinds of weapons and explosives,” Raja Umer Khattab added further.
Karachi still has 60 hot spots of street crimes: CPLC
The Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) in its report, on January 9, has identified sixty ‘hot spots’ in Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh, where the street criminals operate the most and incidents of snatchings take place, reports Daily Times. These areas including Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC), Tariq Road, Sakhi Hassan, Hassan Square, Bahadurabad, Aisha Manzil and the NIPA Chowrangi which are high-risk areas and even some areas in city’s posh localities such as Defence and Clifton make it to the list. The CPLC report further states that in 2016, 19,336 incidents of mobile snatching were reported which is an increase of 38 percent as compared to 2015. “Besides mobile snatching, around 22,358 motorcycles were snatched, which is 24 percent more as compared to 2015,” stated the report. However, CPLC has claimed that car theft and its snatching incidents have reduced substantially in Karachi during 2016. All this is despite the passage of more than three years of Karachi operation, which is claimed to be successful by the Rangers and the provincial government adds the news report.
Journalist shot dead in Balochistan
Unidentified assailants shot dead a journalist, Muhammad Jan (37), in Kalat town of same District in Balochistan on January 12-night, reports Daily Times. Muhammad Jan, who worked for local Urdu language daily newspaper ‘Qudrat’, was shot dead while he was on his way home on a motorcycle. “Two attackers on motorcycle opened fire on him, using a pistol and killing him on the spot,” Senior Police Officer Muhammad Ali said.
Pakistan rejects allegation of terror havens in FATA
The Foreign Office (FO) on January 13 rejected allegations of terrorist safe havens in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), saying Pakistan does not allow its territory to be used for attacks against any other country, reports Daily Times. Responding to queries during the weekly news briefing, FO Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said Afghanistan was infested with a number of terrorist organisations due to its instability. This, he added, created space for terrorist elements such as Haqqani network’s leadership, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Daesh, and al Qaeda, among other terrorist organisations. “It is, therefore, not appropriate to blame others for the adversities due to the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan. The oft repeated claims regarding safe havens are, therefore, more of rhetoric than anything else,” the spokesperson maintained.
PPP to oppose military courts tooth and nail
The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has decided to oppose the reconstitution of military courts tooth and nail. “In principle, there is a consensus within the party that the PPP will not support the proposal for the reconstitution of military courts,” sources in the PPP told the News.
Even former president and President Pakistan People’s Party-Parliamentarians (PPP) Asif Ali Zardari has directed PPP leaders to oppose the reconstitution of military courts and take a hard stance in the upcoming meeting of the heads of the parliamentary committee, which was summoned by the Speaker National Assembly on January 17.
Prior to the January 17 meeting, in which the government will present the performance report of the military courts, the PPP has also decided to hold the session of the opposition parties to take a joint stance on the issue.
In the meeting of the heads of the parliamentary parties of the National Assembly that was chaired by Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, the PPP had also expressed its strong reservations on the issue of reconstitution of the military courts and took the position that the government had failed to implement the National Action Plan.
Three Policemen injured in the attack on convoy of Qatari prince in Musakhel
Three Policemen were injured when unidentified militants attacked the convoy of a Qatari prince in Musakhel District of Balochistan in the evening of January 15, reports Dawn. Security sources said that the militants opened indiscriminate fire on the convoy, as a result of which District Police Officer Majeed Dasti and two other security officials received bullet wounds. The Qatari prince remained unharmed in the attack, said Senior District Administration official Mohammad Yasir.
Foreign agencies funding groups to destabilise country, Senate told
The Senate (The upper house of Parliament) was told on January 19 that certain foreign intelligence agencies funded [militant] groups in Pakistan to destabilise it, reports Dawn. Answering a question about major sources of funding being used in acts of terrorism in the country, Minister of State for Interior Baleegh-ur-Rahman said it was difficult to pinpoint with 100 percent accuracy the sources of terrorism funding. But some of the generally perceived sources include extortion and funding by foreign intelligence agencies. He said that militants were known to extort money from drug dealers and producers operating in the areas straddling the Pakistan-Afghan border. Giving details of the investigations being conducted to collect information about terrorism funding, he said 844 such cases were under investigation, including 498 registered under the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 230 under anti-money laundering law and 116 cases of suspicious transactions reported by the financial monitoring unit of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).
Pakistan test fires 2200 km range Ababeel missile
Pakistan on Tuesday, Jan 24 conducted the first successful test flight of surface-to-surface ballistic missile, Ababeel, which has a maximum range of 2,200 kilometers, says an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release.
The missile is capable of delivering multiple warheads, using Multiple Independent Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology. The test flight was aimed at validating various design and technical parameters of the weapon system.
Ababeel is capable of carrying nuclear warheads and has the capability to engage multiple targets with high precision, defeating the enemy’s hostile radars. Development of Ababeel Weapon System is aimed at ensuring survivability of Pakistan’s ballistic missiles in the growing regional Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) environment. This will further reinforce deterrence.
The CJCSC, COAS, CNS and CAS have congratulated the scientists and engineers on successful conduct of the missile test. The president and prime minister conveyed their appreciation to the team engaged and the armed forces of Pakistan on this landmark achievement.
REGIONAL
Bangladesh – Internal Dynamics
Five JMB militants arrested in Dhaka
Police on December 27 arrested five militants of Jama’at-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) who were allegedly collecting explosives to carry out attacks in Dhaka city during New Year celebrations, reports The Daily Star. The arrestees are Mohamad Riaz alias Engineer alias Rakib, Mohamad Abubin Sayem alias Bappi alias Opu, Kazi Abdullah Al Osman alias Ahsan, Mohamad Sohag alias Chairman and Mohamad Mamun alias Himel. Police recovered 30kg of liquid and powder explosive and bomb-making materials from their possession.
Meanwhile, Investigators on December 28 said that New JMB is gaining strength with the aid of old JMB, reports Dhaka Tribune. Investigators said that for New JMB, many of whose members have been named by the Islamic State (IS) as their operatives in Bangladesh, the old group is a major source of strength. A majority of New JMB leaders and experts come from the old JMB.
US embassy warns US citizens of potential extremist violence in Bangladesh
United States (US) Embassy in Dhaka city on December 29 warned US citizens of potential extremist violence in Bangladesh, reports The Independent. “US citizens should take stringent security measures and be alert to local security developments during the holiday season. There is an ongoing potential for extremist violence in Bangladesh. The Travel Warning of July 10, 2016 is still in effect and the terrorist threat remains credible,” the security message stated.
Awami League MP killed in Gaibandha district
Manzur-ul-Islam Liton, ruling Awami League (AL) Member of Parliament (MP) of Gaibandha-1 constituency, was killed after unidentified armed men opened fire on him inside his home at Sundarganj upazila of Gaibandha District on December 31, reports The Daily Star. Four men stormed the MP’s home in Bamondanga area around 6:00pm and shot him when he was in his guest room. Police could not immediately give any specific reason behind the attack.
AL’s general secretary Obaidul Quader on January 1 said religious extremist forces might be behind the killing of Manzurul Islam Liton, reports New Age. “We initially assume that religious extremist forces might be responsible and they must pay highly for the killing,” he said.
Two Neo-JMB leaders killed in gunfight in Dhaka
Two Neo Jama’at-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) leaders were killed in a gunfight with Police in Dhaka city on January 6, reports The Daily Star. They are Nurul Islam Marzan, who allegedly coordinated the Gulshan café attack, and Saddam Hossain alias Rahul, who led Neo JMB activities in northern region. Police said that Marzan was next in the rank to top Neo JMB coordinator Tamim Ahmed Chowdhury while Saddam was wanted in at least 10 murder cases, including that for the killing of Japanese national Kunio Hoshi in Rangpur District. Police recovered a pistol, three bullets and a knife from the spot.
Home Minister Asad-uz-zaman Khan Kamal while talking to newsmen at his Dhanmondi residence in Dhaka city on January 6 said that none of the militants would be spared, reports The Independent. He said, “Saddam was involved in the killings of northern part of the country. Marzan was one of the masterminds who led the killings. Marzan has been killed. No one will be spared like him.” The militants are already cornered due to the recent raids at militant hideouts across the country, he added.
IG proposes to establish de-radicalization and rehabilitation centers in Jail to prevent motivating prisoners to join militancy
The Inspector General of Police (IGP) AKM Shahid-ul Hoque January 7 proposed to establish de-radicalization and rehabilitation centers in Jail to prevent them from motivating prisoners to join militancy, reports The Daily Star. “As the militants are highly motivated, they try to create or recruit followers wherever they stay. So I feel the necessity of establishing the centre under the jail authority or other government bodies so that they can turn back to a normal life,” he said.
JMB militant arrested with arms and ammunition in Natore
Police on January 13 arrested a militant of Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) from his Pabnapara home in Natore District while planning to carry out subversive activities, reports The Daily Star. The arrestee is Fazl-ur-Rahman Taher alias Raj (23). Police recovered four pistols, six magazines, 17 bullets, six knives, six straight razors and some bomb-making materials from the house.
Mainul Islam is trying to reorganize New JMB, say Investigators
Investigators said that New Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) leader Mainul Islam alias Abu Musa, who is believed to be the new operational chief, is trying to reorganize the militant outfit, reports Dhaka Tribune on January 13. Investigators said they had information that although the groups are trying to reorganize themselves, they are yet to unite under one network. Besides, the leaders of the groups are in stray condition. “Musa is currently working to reconnect all of them and was also working on recruiting new members, especially for the operational cell”, informed an Investigator.
BCL leader hacked in Mymenshing
Unidentified assailants hacked Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) secretary of Phulbaria upazila (sub-district) unit in Mymensingh District on January 14, reports The Daily Star. The victim was identified as Sarwar Hossain (27), son of Abdur Rashid of Bhalukjan village. Rifat Khan Rajib, Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of Phulbaria Police Station, said a group of five to six miscreants hacked Sarwar indiscriminately at upazila headquarters around 6:00pm, leaving him critically injured. The miscreants fled immediately, he said.
PBCP ‘regional commander’ killed
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on January 16 killed Abd-ur Razzak (42) ‘regional leader’ of Purbo Bangla Communist Party (PBCP) in an encounter in Bilshalangi village of Pabna District, reports Dhaka Tribune. Three RAB members suffered minor injuries during the operation. RAB recovered a pistol, several rounds, as well as a number of sharp weapons from Razzak.
HRW urges govt to disband RAB
Human Rights Watch (HRW) on January 19 urged the Government to disband Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), reports The Daily Star. The HRW said, for years, RAB has been deployed by successive Governments not only to fight crime, but often as an “in-house death squad”, leaving a string of extrajudicial killings often referred to as crossfire deaths, torture, disappearances, and arbitrary arrests in their wake. The HRW urged the Government following the Narayanganj seven-murder verdict.
On January 16, a Narayanganj court sentenced 26 people, including 16 former RAB members, to death for their role in killing seven people including Narayanganj City Corporation panel mayor Nazrul Islam and senior lawyer Chandan Sarker in 2014. Besides, nine other ex-RAB members were sentenced to different prison terms.
India – Internal Dynamics
Blast reported in Nagaland
A blast took place on December 26 at Akhegwo near Meluri in Phek District when troops of Assam Riles (AR) were on a routine patrol, reports the Nagaland Post. However no casualty was reported and no one had claimed responsibility for the blast so far.
Two injured in bomb explosion in Nagaland
Two persons, identified as Along Konyak (21) and Ringdhar Girisa (27) were injured when unidentified assailants detonated a crude bomb along the National Highway-29 (NH-29) near New Dhansiri Bridge in Dimapur District, on December 28, reports the Nagaland Post. Police disclosed that the ‘handmade’ crude explosive device was made out of gelatin sticks and packed with shrapnel, designed for maximum damage. Altogether four vehicles, including Nagaland Congress General Secretary (GS), Roland Lotha’s vehicle, were also damaged in the blast. Police also recovered nails from the site and also from the vehicles.
Maoists eyeing Edamalakudy in Kerala
As per the direction of Idukki Superintendent of Police (SP), A V George, the Idukki Special Branch submitted a detailed report about the presence of the Communist Party of India- Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres at Edamalakudy in Idukki District, reports Times of India on December 31. The report points out that the Government should take necessary steps against intervention of the middlemen in the area. Some organizations are prompting tribals to hold protests against the Government. Some of the groups have already opened Facebook pages and were posting messages to encourage protests against the State Government. The report adds that the Government should assure all types of developmental activities at Edamalakudy, it should take steps to encourage agricultural development of the area, water stability and better treatment facility. The report has already been forwarded to the State Police Chief for further action.
Maoists take control of forest land in Kerala
Police have received evidence that the Communist Party of India (CPI-Maoist), with the support of tribal people, took control of forest land, along Kerala and Tamil Nadu border, by cutting down hundreds of trees, reports Times of India on January 3. A series of video clip, released by Police, show that the armed CPI-Maoist and tribal people are jointly removing trees in forest and installing CPI-Maoist flag in the area. Police suspect that the area shown in the video is Agali forest region of Palakkad District. According to Police, the visuals were recovered from the digital documents that were seized after the recent Police encounter with CPI-Maoist in Nilambur forest in which two CPI-Maoist leaders, Kuppu Devaraj and Ajitha, were killed. Police has also released a note, recovered from the encounter site, which says that the CPI-Maoist were encouraging tribal people living in Kerala-Tamil Nadu border area to encroach 120 acres of forestland. According to Police sources, this method of encroaching land by destroying forestland and establishing a circle of tribal area is being followed by CPI-Maoist groups in their strong holds.
One civilian and an AR trooper killed in an encounter in Manipur
One civilian, identified as Athari Samson (54) and an Assam Rifles (AR) trooper, identified as Bhupal Singh (42) were killed in an encounter with suspected militants at Khunthak village of Kasom Khullen sub-division in Kamjong District on January 2 morning, reports The Sangai Express. Troops of 27 AR were going on foot for an operation when they were attacked by militants who opened indiscriminate fire at around 10.30 am. The AR troops too retaliated. The encounter left one AR trooper and another man dead.
Meanwhile, at least 14 people were injured when Police resorted to force while dispersing a mob picketing Manipur Government offices in Senapati District headquarters on January 3, reports The Morung Express. The incident occurred when about 300 people gathered and marched towards the barricades put up across the road leading to the Senapati District Administration Office before being stopped by security personnel. Under the aegis of United Naga Council (UNC), the picketing of Manipur Government Offices in Naga Districts began from midnight of December 31.
4 DRG jawans injured in gun battle with Maoists in Chhattisgarh
4 District Reserve Group (DRG) jawan was injured in an exchange of fire with Communist Party of India-Maoist cadres in Bijapur District on January 3, reports Business Standard. The incident occurred in evening in Basaguda Police Station area when a joint team of Security Forces (SFs) was out on an anti-Naxal [Left Wing extremism (LWE)] operation, a senior Police official said. A composite squad of DRG, Special Task Force (STF) and CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) had launched the operation to the interiors of Basaguda, around 450 kilometres away from Raipur, he said. While the SFs were cordoning off a forested patch close to Tarrem area, they came under heavy fire from a group of ultras that led to the gun-battle, he said. “Four DRG jawans sustained bullet injuries on his leg in the incident. However, ultras soon escaped from the spot,” he added.
ISIS ‘coming soon’ messages on temples walls in Himachal Pradesh, says report
The slogans ‘ISIS coming soon’ were found painted on Mata Mansa Devi temple walls in Dharampur town of Solan District in Himachal Pradesh located on the Kalka-Shmla highway on January 2, reports India Today. A case has been registered by the local Police against unidentified persons. The IB officials visited the spot and were keeping an eye on the possible ISIS sympathiser in the area. The slogans painted in red colour, possibly with the help of a stencil, have been blackened by the local police following the panic spread by the writings. Confirming the development, Superintendent of Police, Solan, Anjum Ara, who also visited the spot, said the Police was investigating the case and will soon arrest the people involved in the mischief. “I cannot reveal the information at this stage as it is very sensitive. A forensic examination had been conducted and the report is awaited. The investigation is on,” Anjum Ara told. Sources said the intelligence agencies were keeping an eye on migrant labourers besides suspicious people. Dharampur is surrounded by sensitive Army cantonments and the authorities do not want to take any chances.
State govt is fortifying 24 Police Stations in Telangana
The Police Department is fortifying 24 Police Stations in the areas affected by Naxalism [(Left Wing Extremism (LWEs)] in Telangana, reports The Hand India on January 5. The Government machinery in Telangana, particularly the Police Department, is anticipating trouble from the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres in the coming days. New state-of-the-art Police Stations is being constructed at a total cost of INR 500 million. Each of these 24 Police Stations will have impenetrable fencing and reinforced sentry points, both at the entry point and on the rooftop, where armed Police personnel would keep guard round the clock, sources said. Although the CPI-Maoist are considered to be in hibernation in Telangana, the outfit operating from the jungles of Chhattisgarh and Odisha has been on the lookout for recruits, taking advantage of any dissent among some sections of people. The dissent is growing by the day, paving way for revival of the Maoist movement in the State, the sources told The Hans India. Further, the Government is developing two state-of-the-art Police Training Centers – one in Karimnagar District at a cost of INR 480 million and the other one at Medchal in Medchal–Malkajgiri District, at a cost of INR 300 million where Police recruits would be trained to be battle-ready. Also, the Government is raising two Indian Reserve Battalions (IRBs) in the State, the sources said. This being so, recruitment has slowly begun among CPI-Maoist circles. The recruits are being trained in what is considered a safe bastion: Chhattisgarh. This time, the CPI- Maoist cadres will have good firepower, since they are getting the support of Coordination Committee of Maoist Parties and Organisations of South Asia (CCOMPOSA), sources said. Even as the hush-hush efforts of the State Police and the Government to fortify its ranks and Police Stations is on, Director-General of Police (DGP), Anurag Sharma recently said that they would not allow the Maoists to make a comeback in the State.
Maoists kill three members of New Sastra People’s Morcha in Jharkhand
Three members of New Sastra People’s Morcha (New SPM) were allegedly killed by the Communist Party of India-Maoist cadres at Pathal village in Chatra District on January 4, reports The Times of India. The bodies were found near the Gaya-Chatra border by their family on January 5. Police said the two men, identified as Sanjay Singh Bhokta and Vijay Singh Bhokta, were abducted from their house. A First Information Report (FIR) was filed in at Rajpur Police Station. Chatra, Superintendent of Police (SP), Anjani Jha said, “Family members knew Sanjay and his friend went missing at night but didn’t go out looking for them because they were scared. Two men finally mustered the courage to search for the duo at 2 AM.” The SP said that a CPI-Maoist poster, in which the murderers claim to represent the banned Left Wing Extremist (LWE) faction, was found on the site of the incident. A total of four shots were fired, two on each of the victims, Jha added.
Intelligence agencies pick up chatter about new radical group: report
Intelligence agencies are weighing inputs indicating the radical elements within the proscribed Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) are forging links with similarly minded groups within the recently banned Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) and may lead to the birth of a new radical outfit, reports The New Indian Express on January 5. Such inputs, described by sources as “very disturbing”, have been pouring in for more than a month ever since the Central Government banned IRF led by controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik. The Intelligence Bureau (IB) is likely to issue a note to State intelligence agencies regarding these developments shortly. Top sources disclosed that over the past couple of months, person-to-person contact and group interactions between members of the banned groups have been taking place lately. ‘’Similar inputs have been coming from certain areas that are known to be breeding grounds for militants in different states. Some political parties, which used to sympathise with SIMI, are now sympathising with IRF too,’’ said one senior official.
NSCN-IM threat over fencing of Myanmar border in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram
In a statement, the Isak-Muivah faction of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) strongly objected to India’s decision to fence the borders between Myanmar and Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram on January 6, reports the Nagaland Post. In the statement, NSCN-IM said that such ‘artificial boundary fencing imposed upon the Naga people’ was against the will of the people and was gross violation of human rights. Other Naga groups like, Naga National Council (NNC) and Eastern Naga Development Organization (ENDO) were also against the fencing.
Village chief and church leader killed in Manipur
The dead bodies of the abducted civilians identified as, the village chief of N-Gamnom village S Otkhomang (57) and church chairman Tilpao Haokip (51) were found on January 8 in Nungkham Gamnom Village in Manipur’s newly-created Tengnoupal District, reports the Nagaland Post. Earlier, on January 6, these two civilians were abducted by some unidentified assailants and they were taken toward Indo-Myanmar border. According to the sources, the assailants also fired some rounds while taking away the duo.
Terror outfit opens recruiting offices
International radical outfit Street Daawah has opened offices in Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai to recruit non-Muslims, including those from the IT hubs in these cities, for enlisting them into suicide missions, New Indian Express reports on January 8. The outfit had begun its operations in the UK and Australia in 2012 following which a number of youths were radicalised with presentation of concocted forms of Islam. In the wake of the outfit’s activities, a few Indians, including Indian- origin British national Siddarth Dhar, joined the Islamic State (IS). Dhar is also believed to be the new Jihadi John, a masked executioner for the IS whose videos relating to mass executions have been released by the Caliphate-seeking terror outfit after the liquidation of the original Jihadi John whose real name was Mohammad Emwazi, a British origin IS executioner.
Many of the Street Daawah cadres have been known to have either joined the IS ranks or emerged as suicide bombers for them. As many as 25 suicide bombings have been committed globally by the Street Daawah cadres during the last few years.
Top intelligence sources said the outfit has not registered itself as a voluntary organisation in India so far but has started functioning from these cities. According to the Street Daawah concept, only non-Muslims are targeted and subsequently influenced to accept radical form of Islam. Upon radicalisation, the cadres continue to retain their non-Muslim names in their passport so as to evade any suspicion by the law enforcement agencies.
Apart from recruiting non-Muslims for suicide bombing missions, the outfit also targets maulanas for preaching their version of the misinterpreted Islamic concepts and further increase the recruitment base of the outfit. The concept of Street Daawah derives its origin from its movement in UK and Australia after which a number of its cadres had joined IS and carried out suicide bombings in different parts of Europe. Recruits are randomly selected by Street Daawah operators who collect data like mobile/ phone numbers, residential and e-mail addresses of the targeted youth. The outfit’s recruiters then radicalise them through their concocted Islamic literature and psychological brainwashing over a period of time.
Four Maoists and one trooper killed in Chhattisgarh
Five Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres were killed in two separate exchanges of fire during an operation launched by Chhattisgarh Police in Narayanpur and Kanker District on January 10, reports The Indian Express. Around 400 Policemen entered the jungles in an area that is home to CPI-Maoist military company number two. D M Awasthi, Special Director General, anti-Maoist operations, said, “The operation was launched on a specific intelligence input about the presence of CPI-Maoist cadres in the area. In the first exchange of fire in the morning in Irpenar, four CPI-Maoist cadres were killed”, adding one trooper was also killed. He further added, “This indicates that these could be senior cadre.” The slain Maoists were identified as Tirupati, ‘Divisional Commander’, East Bastar division; Ratna Markam, ‘medical in-charge’, ‘company number 6’; Shyamu Yadav of ‘company number 6’ and Mangalram Salam, a Jan militia member from Irpenar.
Indian soldier kills four officers
A paramilitary soldier from one of India’s elite security units shot dead four of his senior officers on Thursday, Jan 12 in an apparent row over leave, police said. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) soldier fired indiscriminately at the officers at the barracks in Aurangabad district in eastern India’s Bihar state before trying to flee.
“Three died on the spot while one injured officer succumbed to his injuries at a hospital,” Satya Prakash, Aurangabad police chief, told AFP. “He shot 32 rounds before he was overpowered by his colleagues and is suspected to be suffering from some mental illness.”
Prakash said the dispute appeared to be over leave.
All the victims were unarmed and were off-duty when the incident took place at a thermal power plant where they were stationed.
The CISF guards the country’s most vital civil and government installations including airports, atomic plants and government buildings.
India’s security forces have historically had a high incidence of suicides and killings linked to long hours, poor working conditions and inadequate time off. In 2014, a soldier killed five colleagues before shooting himself in occupied Kashmir after a superior denied him leave.
US seeks safe environment for its nationals in Odisha
The United States of America sought a safe and secure environment for its nationals visiting Odisha in view of the rampant Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadre’s activities, reports Odisha TV on January 20. The issue was raised by Consul General Katherine B Hadda at the US Consulate in Hyderabad when she met Odisha’s Director General of Police (DGP) K B Singh. Two AR personnel killed in militant attack in Assam
Two Assam Rifles (AR) personnel and several others were injured when suspected militants attacked an AR vehicle escorting tourists in Tinsukia District on January 22, reports The Times of India. Militants lobbed several grenades targeting the vehicle at Jagun 12th Mile Barabasti on National Highway-53 bordering the District in the run up to Republic Day, a defence spokesman said. The AR vehicle and three vehicles of tourists returning from the Pangsau festival have been damaged in grenade explosions, the spokesman added. The Pangsau Festival is held along the Indo-Myanmar border in the area.
Monthly Fatalities
The following deaths, related to ongoing insurgencies and acts of terrorism occurred during period to Dec 26, 2016 to Jan 25, 2017:
| Civilian | Indian Security Personnel | Militant | Total | |
| Assam | 04 | 02 | 00 | 06 |
| Manipur | 06 | 01 | 03 | 10 |
| Meghalaya | 01 | 00 | 01 | 02 |
| Left wing | 16 | 01 | 08 | 25 |
| Total | 27 | 04 | 12 | 43 |
Nepal – Internal Dynamics
CPN -Maoist Center Chairman asks all Maoist forces and leaders to come together to safeguard achievements of armed conflict
Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre (CPN-Maoist Center) Chairman and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal launching a book on the life of late Maoist leader Bhakti Prasad Pandey in Kathmandu on December 26 asked all Maoist forces and leaders to come together to safeguard achievements of the armed conflict, reports The Himalayan Times. Dahal said “The people’s war brought the republicanism. Also, there was the Constitution. We achieved federalism, inclusiveness and secularism. But, now attempts are being made if these achievements can be subverted after seeking Maoist forces becoming weaker. We were yet to bear the responsibility of Constitution implementation. We could achieve a common conclusion through discussions.”
Nepal failed to ensure accountability for human rights abuses during decade-long Maoist war, says HRW
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said Nepal failed to ensure accountability for human rights abuses during the decade-long Maoist war, reports The Himalayan Times on January 13. “Nepal made little concrete progress on justice for serious abuses committed by both sides during its civil war that ended in 2006,” the report said, adding that efforts to ensure prosecutions in civilian courts for serious human rights and humanitarian law violations during the conflict remain stalled. It further claimed that efforts to enforce rights or provide justice for wartime abuses were stalled due to violent protests in the Tarai in the wake of promulgation of the new constitution in September 2015.
One person injured in police firing
A protestor Binod Pathak was injured in Police firing to take the situation under control that went tense after the locals clashed with Police over the report of the Local Bodies Restructuring Commission (LBRC) in Nuwakot District on January 20, reports Republica. Over 500 cadres from Nepali Congress (NC), Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre (CPN-Maoist Center) and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) demonstrated in front of district headquarters Bidur, demanding that Likhu Village Development Committee (VDC) be created as a separate village council.
Sri-Lanka – Internal Dynamics
I have no confidence in CTF on Reconciliation Mechanisms appointed by Prime Minister, says Justice Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe
Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe on January 6 said that I have no confidence in the Consultation Task Force (CTF) on Reconciliation Mechanisms appointed by the Prime Minister, reports Daily Mirror. He said the CTF, which recommended the inclusion of at least one international judge on every bench set up to hear allegations of war crimes and the violation of human rights that had taken place during the final stages of the armed conflict in Sri Lanka. The Minister said some of the members of the CTF Committee were representatives of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO). “No one is complaining about the independence of the judiciary anymore. We have reconciliation and peace processes in place. This report, at this juncture, is totally unwarranted. Therefore, we don’t have to follow these recommendations by the CTF,” he told.
Meanwhile, addressing a hurriedly called press conference at the President’s House, State Minister of Finance Lakshman Yapa Abeywardene on January 6 said that President Maithripala Sirisena categorically ruled out the participation of foreign judges to hear or inquire into war crime allegations, reports Daily Mirror. He said only logistical and IT assistance would be obtained to expedite the judicial process, when the judicial mechanism was set up to probe the alleged crimes.
No foreign judges would join investigations on war crime allegations and human right violations, says Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne
Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne said that no foreign judges would join the investigations on war crime allegations and human right violations, reports Daily News on January 10. Deciding on the participation of foreign judges with the investigations on Sri Lanka’s war crime allegations and human right violations is a sovereign right of the Sri Lankan Government and will be decided by the Sri Lankan Government, Senaratne said.
HRW urges Govt to adopt recommendations of CTF on including foreign judges in domestic mechanism
Human Rights Watch (HRW) on January 10 urged the Sri Lankan Government to adopt recommendations of the Consultation Task Force (CTF) on including foreign judges in a domestic mechanism on accountability as stated in the consensus resolution the country sponsored with the United Nations Human Right Council (UNHRC), reports Colombo Page. “The task force report is remarkably comprehensive and clear in setting out the concerns and needs expressed by Sri Lankans across all communities on the transitional justice process. The government should now own the report’s recommendations and set out a framework for putting them into action, in line with its pledges at the Human Rights Council,” said Brad Adams, Asia director.
EU proposes GSP+ trade concessions to Sri Lanka
European Commission on January 11 proposed Generalized System of Preferences Plus (GSP+) trade concessions to Sri Lanka in exchange of the Government’s commitment to ratify 27 international conventions on human rights, labor conditions, protection of the environment and good governance, reports Daily News. In a statement the European Commission said, “The European Commission today proposed that a significant part of the remaining import duties on Sri Lankan products should be removed by the European Union in exchange for country’s commitment to ratify and effectively implement 27 international conventions on human rights, labour conditions, protection of the environment and good governance. These one-way trade preferences would consist of the full removal of duties on 66% of tariff lines, covering a wide array of products including textiles and fisheries.” GSP+ preferences can make a significant contribution to Sri Lanka’s economic development by increasing exports to the European Union market.
Govt will never advocate federalism or division of country on federal lines: President Sirisena
President Maithripala Sirisena addressing a gathering in the Galle District on January 14 said that the Government will never advocate federalism or division of the country on federal lines, reports Daily News. Recalling that a certain print media institution misinterpreted the Generalized System of Preferences Plus (GSP+) facility regained by the country alleging that the GSP + was given as an incentive to create a federal system of Government, President said “This is a completely baseless allegation as the government would never condone federalism. Such misleading news items were quite regrettable.” He said the Government’s objective was to strengthen the Provincial Council system by sharing powers with them.
Meanwhile, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) threatened to quit Constitution-making process if more devolution not considered, reports Colombo Page on January 15. TNA senior leader Dharmalingam Siddharthan has said “If the Government abandoned the idea of finding a solution for the National question, we won’t be part of the Constitution making process and we would be compelled to leave it.”
LTTE fundraiser loses battle to stay in Canada as Federal Court upholds deportation order
An alleged fundraiser for Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has lost his battle to stay in Canada as Federal Court upheld deportation order, reports Colombo Page on January 17. The Federal Court upheld the deportation of Manickavasagam Suresh on the grounds he was a member of a terrorist organization and that he was complicit in war crimes and crimes against humanity. The evidence “adequately supported” the Immigration and Refugee Board’s finding that Suresh was a member of the LTTE, Justice Richard Mosley wrote in his ruling.
In 1990, Suresh was allegedly sent to Toronto by the LTTE to help run the group’s front organization, a Toronto-based non-profit organization called the World Tamil Movement (WTM), serving as its coordinator. But he was arrested in 1995 as a security risk. Since his arrest in Toronto in 1995, Suresh has appealed court’s ruling to stop his deportation.
INTERNATIONAL
21 civilians ‘executed’ by rebels in Aleppo
Syrian authorities have accused rebel fighters of executing 21 civilians, including women and children, at close range as they quit second city Aleppo last week, state media reported. The bodies were found in two neighbourhoods in east Aleppo, state news agency Sana said late on Sunday, Dec 25.
The head of Aleppo’s forensic unit Zaher Hajjo told Sana that “21 corpses of civilian victims, including five children and four women, killed by terrorist groups” were examined. “The bodies were found in prisons run by the terrorist groups in Sukkari and al-Kalasseh, and they were found to have been executed by gunshot at very close range,” Hajjo was quoted as saying.
Under a landmark deal brokered by regime ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey, 35,000 rebels and civilians left the former opposition stronghold of east Aleppo last week. Days before the evacuations began, the UN said it had received credible reports of at least 82 civilians, including 11 women and 13 children, being executed by pro-government forces in Aleppo.
On Monday, Dec 26 a Russian defence ministry spokesman said “dozens of Syrians” were summarily executed in east Aleppo by rebels. He said most had been killed by gunshot wounds to the head and many bodies “were not whole,” and that thorough investigations would force opposition backers in the West to “recognise their responsibility for the cruelty” of rebels. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed that bodies had been found in east Aleppo’s streets, but could not specify how they had been killed. World powers have been fiercely divided over Syria’s conflict since it first erupted in March 2011, with Russia firmly backing Assad and Gulf powers and much of the West supporting the opposition. The high-profile battle for Aleppo, in particular, has sparked accusations by Western powers that Russia and the government were committing war crimes.
Russia’s military reported finding the tortured bodies of civilians in mass graves in Syria’s Aleppo, allegedly left there by rebel groups. Troops found dozens of bodies, many shot in the head and showing signs of abuse and mutilation, Defence Ministry spokesperson Major General Igor Konashenkov said.
Over 2,000 Saudi Jihadists abroad
More than 2,000 Saudis are fighting abroad with jihadist groups, with over 70 percent of them in Syria, the kingdom’s interior ministry was reported as saying on Monday, Dec 26.
“The number of Saudis proven to be in conflict areas is 2,093,” interior ministry spokesman General Mansour al-Turki told daily newspaper Al-Hayat. He said that 1,540 of them were in Syria, where jihadists have flocked since the Islamic State group seized control of vast areas in mid-2014.
Another 147 were in Yemen, which is the base of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, considered by Washington as the most dangerous affiliate of the global terror network. Another 31 were believed to be in Afghanistan, Turki said.
Only five were believed to be in neighbouring Iraq, where IS also seized significant territory in 2014. Turki said 73 Saudis had also been detained abroad “on charges related to acts of terrorism.”
40 killed in Yemen anti-rebel offensive
At least 28 Huthi insurgents and 12 Yemeni soldiers were killed on Tuesday, Dec 27 in the southern province of Shabwa as government forces pushed to capture a rebel enclave, military officials said.
The fighting flared when forces loyal to President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi attacked rebels in Bayhan district, on the border between Shabwa and Marib provinces. Bayhan is the only part of Shabwa province still controlled by the Iran-backed rebels after government forces supported by the Saudi-led Arab coalition last year expelled them from five southern provinces.
“The death toll of the Huthis has reached 28 while 12 soldiers of the legitimate forces were killed,” a military official said.
Military officials said government forces backed by coalition warplanes drove the rebels out of several positions in the area, adding that 14 insurgents were also captured. The Yemen conflict has killed some 7,000 people since the Saudi-led intervention in March 2015, according to the United Nations.
The coalition began the military campaign against the rebels after they closed in on Hadi in his refuge in the southern city of Aden, forcing him to flee to Riyadh.
Canada bans IM and AQIS
Two anti-India terror organisations, Indian Mujahideen (IM) and al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) have been added to Canada’s list of proscribed groups on December 28. Both groups were designated as terrorist entities under Canada’s Criminal Code. The announcement was made by public safety and emergency preparedness minister Ralph Goodale. In a statement, the nodal department Public Safety Canada said the IM had “organised training in Pakistan with militant Islamist groups such as Lashkar-e-Tayyiba [LeT] a listed entity under the Criminal Code”.
Following the listing, Canada will act against groups or individuals funding or associating with these two terror organisations. The statement said, “The Criminal Code mandates potentially severe penalties for persons and organisations that deal in the property or finances of a listed entity.
The statement added: “The IM’s stated goal is to carry out terrorist actions against non-Muslims for their oppression of Muslims. The group’s primary method of attack is multiple coordinated bombings in crowded areas against economic and civilian targets to maximise terror and casualties.” Describing the IM as “a Sunni Islamist militant group, consisting primarily of former members of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI)”, the agency noted it “is best understood as a label for a relatively amorphous, decentralised network that operates through a number of modules across India”.
Oman joins Saudi ‘anti-terror’ coalition
Oman, which generally stays neutral in the face of regional disputes, has joined a Saudi-led military coalition aimed at “fighting terrorism”, official media in Riyadh said on Thursday, Dec 29.
The Gulf sultanate, which maintains good ties with rival powerhouses Iran and Saudi Arabia, becomes the 41st nation in the alliance announced last year by the Saudi defence minister, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The official SPA agency said Mohammed received a message from his Omani counterpart praising Saudi efforts in showing “leadership in the Islamic military coalition in fighting terrorism”.
Oman is one of the few Arab states not to have joined a Saudi-led military coalition battling rebels in Yemen and has hosted several rounds of talks aimed at ending the conflict raging there since March 2015.
Little information has been provided on the anti-extremist alliance since Riyadh announced its formation in December 2015.
‘Terrorism is biggest test for Germany’
Islamist terrorism is the biggest test facing Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday, Dec 31 in a New Year’s address to the nation, and vowed to introduce laws that improve security after a deadly attack before Christmas in Berlin. Merkel, seeking a fourth term as chancellor in 2017, described 2016 as a year that gave many the impression that the world had “turned upside down”.
She urged Germans to shun populism and said Germany should take a leading role in addressing the many challenges facing the European Union. “Many attach to 2016 the feeling that the world had turned upside down or that what for long had been held as an achievement is now being questioned.
Liberals across the Atlantic have hailed Merkel as an anchor of stability and reason in a year that saw Donald Trump elected as US president, Britain vote to leave the EU and US-Russia relations deteriorate to Cold War levels.
In her address, Merkel compared Brexit to a “deep incision” and said that even though the EU was “slow and arduous”, its member states should focus on common interests that transcend national benefits.
“And, yes, Europe should focus on what can really be better than the national state,” Merkel said. “But we Germans should never be led to believe that each could have a better future by going it alone.
29 killed in Baghdad blasts
Two bombs exploded at a busy market in central Baghdad on Saturday, Dec 31 killing at least 29 people and wounding more than 50, police and medics said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but Islamic State regularly attacks civilians in the Iraqi capital. Police said the blasts went off near car parts shops in Sinak neighbourhood during the morning rush.
One of them was triggered by a suicide bomber, the other was a planted explosive, an Interior Ministry official told Reuters. Civilians picked through the debris of the explosions including a food cart torn apart by the blast as medics carried off the casualties.
Islamic State has lost much of the northern and western territory it seized in 2014 and is now resisting an Iraqi offensive on the northern city of Mosul, the ultra-hardline group’s last major stronghold in the country.
Iraqi forces faced fierce resistance from the militants in southern Mosul on Friday, while troops in the city’s east and north cleared areas they had recaptured a day earlier.
39 killed in Istanbul nightclub attack
Thirty-nine people, including 15 foreigners, were killed on Sunday, Jan 1, 2017 when a gunman went on a rampage at an exclusive nightclub here where revellers were celebrating the New Year.
As police launched a dragnet for the assailant, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the carnage sought to sow chaos and undermine peace, but that Turkey would never bow to the threat.
The shooting spree at the waterside Reina nightclub was unleashed when 2017 was just 75 minutes old in Turkey. The assailant shot dead a policeman and a civilian at the club entrance and then went on the rampage inside where up to 700 people were ringing in the New Year.
Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said the attacker had escaped and was now the target of a major manhunt, expressing hope the suspect “would be captured soon”. He said of 20 victims identified so far, 15 were foreigners and five were Turks. Another 65 people were being treated in hospital.
Soylu said the gunman had arrived with a gun concealed underneath an overcoat but subsequently exited the venue wearing a different garment.
No-one has yet claimed responsibility for the bloodshed.
Armed men attack Bahrain jail, policeman killed
Armed men on Sunday, Jan 1 attacked a prison in Bahrain where convicted over anti-government protests are held, killing one policeman and allowing inmates to escape, the interior ministry said.
The security forces launched a manhunt for the attackers and the escaped prisoners, the ministry said on Twitter. The attack took place at Jaw prison south of the capital Manama, it said, but did not give more details on the number of attackers or escapees.
The tiny but strategic Gulf state has been rocked by unrest since its authorities crushed protests in 2011 demanding a constitutional monarchy and an elected prime minister. Hundreds have been arrested and many have faced trials over their role in the demonstrations.
Police on Sunday set up or reinforced roadblocks near villages outside the capital, witnesses said. Despite the crackdown, protesters have frequently clashed with security forces in these villages.
Baghdad suicide car bomb blast kills 32
A suicide car bomb attack in a densely-populated neighbourhood of Baghdad on Monday, Jan 2 killed at least 32 people and left dozens wounded, police and hospital officials said. Many of the victims were daily labourers waiting for jobs at an intersection in Sadr City in the northeast of the capital that has been repeatedly targeted.
There was no immediate claim for Monday’s suicide blast but the Islamic State militants group has claimed all such attacks recently, including the double bombing on New Year’s Eve. The caliphate IS proclaimed in 2014 is shrinking steadily and jihadist fighters are defending Mosul, their last major urban stronghold in Iraq.
Observers have voiced fears that the group, once it definitively loses its status as a land-holding force, could increasingly revert to targeting civilians in Iraq’s cities.
ISIS regularly targets civilian areas of the Iraqi capital, even after losing most of the northern and western territory it seized in 2014. US-backed Iraqi forces are fighting to drive ISIS out of the northern city of Mosul, the group’s last major stronghold in the country, but they are facing fierce resistance.
Al Qaeda kill 16 Yemeni soldiers
Sixteen Yemeni pro-government fighters were killed on Tuesday, Jan 3 in separate clashes with Huthi rebels and al-Qaeda fighters in the south of the war-torn country, military sources and officials said.
Meanwhile, in the neighbouring province of Shabwa, five pro-Hadi fighters including an officer were killed along with nine Huthi rebels near the town of Baihan, loyalist military sources said.
Baihan is held by the Shiite Huthis and their allies, supporters of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Al-Qaeda and the rival Islamic State group have taken advantage of chaos in Yemen to reinforce their presence in the Arabian Peninsula country.
US puts bin Laden’s son on terror blacklist
The United States added Hamza bin Laden, son and would-be heir of the late global Jihadist leader Osama bin Laden, to its terrorist blacklist on Thursday, Jan 5. Hamza, who is in his mid-twenties, has become active as an al-Qaeda propagandist since his father’s death at the hands of US Special Forces on May 2, 2011.
According to letters found in the Navy SEAL raid on Osama’s hideout in Pakistan, Hamza wrote to the Saudi-born Al-Qaeda leader asking to be trained to follow him. A CIA analyst who examined the letters told AFP that, in July 2009, when Hamza wrote to his father’s Abbottabad hideout, they had not seen each other for eight years. But the elder bin Laden was making plans to send for his son, who was at the time under house arrest in Iran, and planned to groom him to become al-Qaeda’s leader.
Since bin Laden’s death, his Egyptian deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri has taken up the reins of the organization, but Hamza has also issued audio messages to supporters.
Last year, the fifth anniversary of the death of the man who ordered the 9/11 attacks on the United States, experts began to note the young heir’s increasing prominence in the movement.
The US Treasury sanctions list estimates that Hamza was born in 1989 in the Saudi city of Jeddah. His mother was Khairiah Sabar, one of bin Laden senior’s three wives.
The State Department order names Hamza bin Laden as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” and freezes any assets he may hold in areas under US jurisdiction.
Car bomb kills two in Turkey
A car bombing blamed on Kurdish militants rocked the Turkish city of Izmir on Thursday, Jan 5 killing at least two people and triggering a deadly shootout, as authorities chased the fugitive killer behind the New Year attack in Istanbul.
Turkey is on edge after the shooting rampage at the Reina nightclub unleashed shortly after revellers rang in 2017 which killed 39 people and was claimed by the Islamic State group.
A top official said the gunman may be a Turkic Uighur and several people of Uighur origin were arrested earlier on Thursday.
Just four days after the nightclub carnage, a car bomb exploded outside a courthouse in the Aegean city of Izmir on Thursday afternoon, with authorities blaming the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
State-run Anadolu news agency said a policeman and a court worker, reportedly a bailiff, were killed.
Florida gunman says CIA forced him to fight for IS
Esteban Santiago, the 26-year-old New Jersey-born Iraq veteran accused of executing five people and wounding eight others at a Florida airport on Friday afternoon (Jan 6), claimed that the CIA was forcing him to watch the IS videos and fight for the terrorist outfit.
The young veteran boarded a plane in Anchorage and transferred in Minneapolis for a flight to Fort Lauderdale, where he arrived at around noon. Santiago then went to get his checked bag, removed his handgun and took it to the bathroom, where he apparently loaded the weapon. He then stepped into the baggage claim area and began shooting indiscriminately, reportedly without uttering a word. Five people were killed and eight wounded by gunfire. The panic led to as many as 40 people being injured with bruises and broken bones. After he ran out of bullets, he got on the ground and waited for police to arrest him.
Officials say they have “not ruled out terrorism” as a possible motive for the shooting.
Santiago was not harmed during his arrest after the shooting in Florida, and no law enforcement officers fired any shots, Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said. Investigators believe he acted alone, Israel said. According to law enforcement officials, Santiago was found with an active military ID and was an American citizen.
AP notes that according to a military spokeswoman Santiago received a general discharge from the Alaska Army National Guard last year for unsatisfactory performance.
Two terrorists killed in Riyadh
Two “dangerous terrorists” were killed in a Saudi security operation in the capital Riyadh on Saturday, Jan 7 the Saudi state news agency SPA reported, citing an Interior Ministry spokesman. The agency said a security officer was also wounded in the operation in the al-Yasmin neighbourhood in northern Riyadh.
Saudi media identified one of the two militants as Taye´ al-Say´ari and said he was being sought as an expert in making explosive belts used by militants in suicide attacks.
Palestinian plows truck into Israeli soldiers, four dead
A Palestinian rammed a truck into a group of Israeli soldiers visiting a popular tourist spot in Jerusalem on Sunday, Jan 8 killing four and wounding 17 others, authorities said. The driver was also killed at the location overlooking holy sites such as the Dome of the Rock and providing one of the most spectacular views of Jerusalem.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu alleged the attacker “supported” the Islamic State (IS) group, though he provided no details on what led to the finding.
Chaos broke out at the scene when the truck ploughed through the crowd, with hundreds of soldiers having arrived there as part of a tour for troops about the history of Jerusalem. After claims from some that soldiers were slow to react, Israel’s military distributed a video of one of its troops saying he shot after realising it was not an accident.
Fawzi Barhum, a spokesman for Islamist movement Hamas which runs the Gaza Strip, called the attack “heroic and brave”. Palestinian security officials said the driver was a Palestinian in his late 20s from the east Jerusalem neighbourhood of Jabal Mukaber, located close to the scene. Palestinian media named him as Fadi Al-Qanbar.
Suicide bombers kill 18 in Baghdad
Suicide bombings at two Baghdad markets killed at least 18 people on Sunday, Jan 8 the latest attacks to hit the capital as Iraqi forces battle the Islamic State group in Mosul.
Iraqi forces have pushed IS out of much of the territory the group once held, but a wave of recent bombings have highlighted the danger the jihadists pose to civilians even as they lose ground.
Sunday’s first attack took place at Jamila, the main wholesale vegetable market in Baghdad’s Sadr City, a vast, mostly Shiite neighbourhood in the northeast of the capital that has been targeted repeatedly.
The second attack saw a suicide bomber detonate explosives at a market in the Baladiyat area of east Baghdad, killing at least six people and wounding at least 16, officials said.
IS issued an online statement claiming the Jamila attack, saying it targeted members of Iraq’s majority, whom the jihadists consider heretics.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the Baladiyat bombing, but it had the hallmarks of an attack carried out by IS.
Yemen war claims lives of 1400 children: UN
Nearly 1,400 children have been killed, hundreds more injured and many schools closed by the war in Yemen, the UN children’s fund said on Wednesday, Jan 11.
“Attacks on civilian areas continue to kill and injure scores of children in Yemen,” said UNICEF’s representative in Yemen, Meritxell Relano. “Instead of learning, children are witnessing death, war and destruction,” she added, warning that the actual casualty toll was likely to be much higher than the verified figures.
More than 7,300 people have been killed in Yemen since a Saudi-led coalition intervened against Iran-backed Huthi rebels in March 2015 in support of the government.
Relano called on all parties in the conflict to protect children and stop attacks on schools.
The plea follows a coalition air strike near a school in rebel-held northern Yemen on Jan 10 that medics and a local official said killed five people, including two children. Unicef said that it had confirmed the death of one child in the strike.
Islam could wipe out European society, fears Austrian leader
The head of Austria’s far-right Freedom Party (FPO) on Saturday, Jan 14 called for a law banning “Islam” and Muslim symbols, comparable to an existing law banning Nazi symbols, saying Islam could wipe out European society. Austria needs “a law which prohibits Islam”, Heinz Christian Strache told several thousand supporters at the party’s new year meeting in Salzburg.
“Let us put an end to this policy of Islamisation. Otherwise, we the Austrians, we the Europeans will come to an abrupt end,” Strache said, in an apparent reference to the course pursued by the coalition government.
The junior coalition party OVP called on Wednesday for halving the number of asylum applications accepted this year to around 17,000. Strache responded by saying: “We need zero and minus immigration. Any law against extreme elements of Islam should be similar to the law Austria introduced after WW2 banning the Nazi Party and Nazi symbols, a party spokesman said when asked for clarification.
The Freedom Party’s anti-Muslim message has been well-received by a large minority of Austria’s electorate. Its presidential candidate Norbert Hofer was defeated in a run-off vote last month but gained 47 percent support.
The party, which has long called for a ban on face veils, also called for changing the way refugees are taken care of.
40 dead in battle for Yemen port
Fighting for a key port city on Yemen’s Red Sea coast has left at least 40 rebel and pro-government fighters dead, military officials said on Tuesday, Jan 24.
Loyalist forces said Monday they had captured the port of Mokha, almost three weeks into an offensive to oust Huthi insurgents and their allies from Yemen’s southwestern coast. But they exchanged fire overnight with rebels still holed up in the port on Mokha’s southwestern edge. Clashes continued on Tuesday on the southern and eastern outskirts of the city.
Rebel snipers were reported to have slowed the loyalist advance.
Forces supporting President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, launched a vast offensive on January 7 to retake the coastline overlooking the Bab al-Mandab strait.
The strait is a strategically vital maritime route connecting the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.
Military sources said fighter jets and Apache attack helicopters from the coalition have been pounding the Iran-backed rebels and their allies.
Current Threat Levels
City/Region Threat Level
Islamabad Level 2 **
Karachi Level 2 **
Lahore Level 2 **
Punjab Level 2 **
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Level 3 **
Peshawar Level 2 **
Quetta Level 2 ***
Upper Balochistan Level 3 ***
Lower Balochistan Level 2 **
Upper/ Rural Sindh Level 2 **
Gilgit and Northern areas Level 3 **
Tribal areas, close
to Afghan border Level 3 ***
Index to Threat Level References
Threat Level 1 *
No threat to foreigners although there may be isolated incidents involving petty crime. No security precautions are required.
Threat Level 2 **
No specific threat to foreigners, however because of the overall general law & order situation, some security precautions are advised, especially if traveling.
Threat Level 3 ***
Indicates that law and order situation is cause for concern and travel should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. Foreigners should rehearse plans for evacuation.
Threat Level 4 ****
Indicates complete breakdown of civil administration and law and order leading to possible anarchy. All foreigners 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.
