Terrorist Activities in Pakistan
Suicide Bombings/Attacks
Three Policemen, including a Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Hamid Shakil, were killed when a suicide bomber struck his motorcycle with the DIG’s vehicle on the Airport Road in Quetta on November 9, reports The News. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP)-Operation, Nasebullah con firmed that DIG Hamid Shakil and two Officers – his driver and an Assistant Sub-Inspector – were killed in the attack. The suicide attack targeted the vehicle of DIG during his morning commute. Four other Policemen were also injured in the explosion. Approximately 12 to 15kg of explosives were used in “the attack while a hand grenade in the hand of the suicide bomber that couldn’t explode was defused. Four vehicles were also damaged in the blast. Hours after the explosion, Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack.
Additional Inspector General (AIG) of Police, Muhammad Ashraf Noor was killed while seven other Policemen were injured, when a suicide bomber hit his motorbike into the vehicle carrying the AIG and other Personnel, near Zarghoni Mosque in the Hayatabad area between, Phase 1 and 2 in Peshawar District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on November 24, reports The Express Tribune.
Bomb/IED attacks
Abdul Razaq, a leader of the Awami National Party (ANP) and his brother were killed in a blast on October 26 in Hamai District of Balochistan, reports The News. Deputy Commissioner Abdul Salam Achakzai said explosive were apparently planted in the vehicle of the ANP leader Abdul Razaq and detonated with a remote control when the two brothers left their house in the morning.
Meanwhile, eight persons, including an on-duty traffic police constable and a child sustained injuries when unidentified militants threw a hand grenade at an office of Pak-News Agency in Turbat town of same District on October 26, reports Dawn.
At least five passengers were injured in a blast targeting Akbar Bugti Express passenger train in the Hirak area of Bolan District in Balochistan on October 27 reports Dawn. Bogie Number 9 was partially damaged from the impact of the blast, which rocked the entire area.
One Frontier Corps (FC) personnel was killed while another was injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast near the Gurguray check post in the Sarokai Tehsil (revenue unit) of South Waziristan Agency Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) on October 30 Reports Dawn. According to a political administration official in the area, the soldiers were on routine patrol when a hidden IED exploded near the Gurguray check post.
At least three Levies personnel were injured after their vehicle hit an improvised explosive device (IED in the Rashakai area of Khar tehsil (revenue unit) Bajaur Agency on October 31, Reports Pakistan Today. The vehicle was patrolling the Rashakai area for the security of a polio team when the IED planted at Janat Shah Dry Waterway [Khwar] hit the vehicle Polio teams were being provided with the security by the levies for a three-day campaign in the FATA that started on October 30.
A child was killed and another two were injured in a landmine explosion in Tiarza tehsil (revenue unit) of South Waziristan Agency on November 4, reports The Nation The Security Forces (SFs cordoned off the area after the explosion and started the investigation.
Two women were injured in a landmine explosion at Phelawagh sub-division of Dera Bugti District in Balochistan on November reports The Nation. The security Forces (SFs) cordoned off the area Terrorists carried out an explosion targeting a Health Department Team engaged in anti-polio vaccination at Jandol in Arif Kele area in Lower Dir District on November 7, reports The Nation. No casualty was reported.
Frontier Corps (FC) and Intelligence Agencies on November 9 foiled en explosion plot after they recovered explosives fitted to a motor cycle near the Pak-Afghan border in Zhob District, reports The News.
Four civilians and three Security Personnel were injured in an remote controlled explosion on Miryan Road in Bannu District on November 12, reports The Nation. The Security Forces (SFs) were heading from Bannu Cantonment to the Jani Khel semi-tribal area, when explosives planted on a motorcycle parked on Miryan Road exploded. The SFs injured were identified as Safeer, ljaz and Shabeer, who were rushed to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Bannu. The civilians injured were identified as Sher Amanullah Khan, Arab Deen, Sifatullah Khan and another unidentified aged man. The injured civilians were admitted to the District Headquarters Hospital. One of them is stated to be in critical condition. Later, SFs rushed and cordoned off the area and launched a search operation. It was reported that some suspects were arrested and shifted to an unknown location for further investigation.
The Security Forces defused an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by unidentified persons on Landi Kotal-Torkham Road in Khyber Agency on November 12, reports The Nation. Line Officer Landi Kotal, Tikka Khan Afridi said that the Frontier Corps (FC) Troops accompanied by the Khasadar and Levies Soldiers arrived in the area on a routine visit, upon noticing a concrete block, placed inside a makeshift security check post filled with explosives, the reinforcement along with Bomb Disposal Squad (BOS) rushed to the spot, suspended the highway for traffic and defused the bomb. Later SFs launched a search operation in the area and arrested thirteen persons under local responsibility clauses of Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR) and shifted them to cantonment for investigation.
Targetted Killings
Three persons, including two Policemen, were killed while another was injured when unidentified assailants opened fire at a patrolling Police party in Majoki area of Charsadda District on November 1, reports Pakistan Today. According to District Police Officer (DPO) Zahoor Afridi, Station House Officer (SHO) Ayub Khan and Constable Shah Hussain were killed near the Majoki area, and another Policeman was injured in the attack. One of the assailants was killed in retaliatory firing by Police, the DPO added.
Two Policemen were killed in an attack at a check post in the Mardan District, reports The Nation on November 6. Head Constable Farhad Ali and Constable Nawaz were on duty at the check post when unidentified assailants fired on them and then fled the scene. The Police cordoned off the area and a search operation was underway.
A Policeman was killed when unidentified armed militants attacked a check post in Kalat town of Kalat District on November 6, reports Daily Times. The militants fled the scene after retaliatory fire by Police.
Unidentified motorcycle borne assailants on November 11 killed two Pakistani employees of Turkish waste management company, Albayrak, and injured one other in the firing in Rawalpindi city, reports Daily Times.
Fifteen bullet-riddled bodies were discovered by the Levies Force personnel in the Gorak Area of Buleda Tehsil (Revenue Unit) in Kech District in Balochistan on November 15, reports Dawn. Makran Commissioner Bashir Ahmed Bangulzai said that all the victims purportedly belonged to various districts of Punjab, allegedly were en route to Iran through an infrequent route illegally, and received multiple bullets from a close range. Some of the victims were identified as Mohammad Hussain, Zulfiqar Ali, Khurram Shahzad, Azhar Waqis (Mandi Bahauddin), Ahsan Raza, Ghulam Rabbani (Gujranwala), Saifullah (Gujarat), Mohammad llyas (Daska) Tayyab Raza, Abdul Ghafoor and Zafiran Zahid (Sialkot).
Separately, Superintendent of ‘Police (SP) Muhammad llyas was killed in Nawan Killi area of Quetta on November 15 along with three family members, reports Dawn. A passer-by was also injured in the attack. According to Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Abdul Razzaq Cheema, the SP was killed when three armed men whose identity are yet to be ascertained, riding on a motorcycle intercepted his car and opened fire, killing him along with his wife, son, and granddaughter.
Five bullet-riddled bodies were discovered by Levies Force personnel in Tajaban area of Turbat Tehsil (Revenue Unit) in Kech District in Balochistan on November 18 morning, reports Dawn. Levies said that all the victims had received multiple bullet injuries and belonged to Punjab’s Gujrat District. The incident comes days after 15 bullet-riddled bodies were found in the same District on November 15. The victims were attempting to enter Iran on their way to Europe and belonged to various districts of Punjab. As SATP reported earlier, Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) had taken responsibility of the attack and an alleged BLF ‘commander’ involved in the incident was later killed during an intelligence-based operation by Frontier Constabulary (FC) on November 17.
Miscellaneous
Two militants, who attacked check posts from across the Pak Afghan border, were killed in a shootout with the Aman Lashkar (peace militia) in Zakha Khel area of Khyber Agency in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) on October 29, reports The News. Security sources said that the militants from across the border attacked check posts of Aman Lashkar. In retaliatory fire, two of the militants were killed while others managed to flee. The sources said that the terrorists used mortar shells and rocket launchers to attack the check posts.
The Police on October 29 claimed to have arrested four militants as they attempted to plant a bomb) on Shah Alam bridge in Peshawar, reports The News. The Counter-Terrorism Department said the suspects belonging to a banned organization had made the explosive device using two oil cans. Arms and ammunition were also recovered from the possession of the militants.
Two militants were killed in the Security Forces (SFs) operation in Jhao area of Awaran District in Balochistan in the night of October 29, reports Dawn. Official sources said that SFs launched a search operation in Jhao area on the bases of intelligence information. They cordoned off the area and launch search during that heavy exchange of fire took place between militant and SF personnel. As result of exchange of fire, two militant were killed. Security officials claimed destroying hideouts of the militant and recovered a cache quantity of arms and ammunition.
The Security Forces (SFs) foiled a terror bid, recovered arms and ammunitions in Kurram Agency which were later defused on November 1, reports The Nation. The SFs conducted a joint operation in rainwater nullah in Lower Kurram Agency. During the operation, four bombs and six landmines hidden in riverbed near a school building were recovered.
The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on November 1 arrested two militants and seized explosive material from their possession near the Central lmambargah (Shia place of worship) located in Fawara Chowk in Hafizabad city in Punjab, reports The News. According to CTD Hafizabad, the arrestees were identified as Niaz Wali son of Waheed Jan resident of Bajaur Agency and Muhammad Tayyab son of Abdul Sattar of Muzaffargarh.
Security Forces (SFs) conducted Information Based Operations (IBOs) in various parts of South Waziristan Agency and recovered a cache of arms, ammunition and explosives under ‘Operation Radd ul-Fassad (Operation Elimination of Discord)’ on November 1, reports Radio Pakistan.
At least two people were injured when a blast hit Zakhakhel Adda Rangra market in Landi Kotal, Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) on November 3, reports The Express Tribune. An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) remotely controlled and hidden in a plastic bag, went off in the car parking area of the market and partially damaged three vehicles that were parked nearby, while two civilians, Muhammad Rehman and Awwal Sher, were injured. Security Forces (SFs) have cordoned off the area and a search operation has been initiated.
Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a statement said that SFs recovered communication equipment and extremist literature during an intelligence based operations (IBO) con ducted in Mandi Khel near Dosaali in North Waziristan Agency on November 3, reports Dawn. During the operation, the security personnel recovered weapons and ammunition, including guns, mortar, rocket launchers, IEDs and explosives. This operation was conducted under the army’s on-going Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad (Operation Elimination of Discord).
Separately, Member National Assembly (MNA) Sajid Hussain Turi on November 3 said that a grand Jirga (Congregation of village elders) in Kurram region has decided to burn houses of those who pro vide shelter to militants or anti-state elements, reports Daily Times According to the MNA, some four local tribes after the Jira (public meeting) met the local administration and law enforcers and informed them about their decisions, tribes men held a separate meeting with Frontier Corps (FC) commandant and other sector commanders and informed them about the decisions adding that the tribes would extend full support to the security forces to maintain peace and those offerings shelter to militants or Afghans without valid documents, their houses will collectively be burned, and a fine of Rs.100,000 will be imposed Local tribes would help government keep a check on the border areas with Afghanistan to help stop any infiltration into the Kurram Agency.
A suspected militant was arrested and a large cache of weapons was recovered during an Intelligence-based operations (IBO) conducted by Frontier Corps (FC Balochistan and intelligence agencies in Zhob, Balochistan said a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on November 3, reports Dawn. According to the statement, the FC and intelligence agencies arrested a suspected Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) facilitator while con ducting an operation at a terrorist hideout in Zhob. The statement added that weapons, improvised explosive devices (IED), explosives and ammunition, suspected to be used in carrying out terrorist activities in Quetta were recovered from the terrorist hideout.
Meanwhile, Balochistan Home Minister Sarfaraz Bugti on November 3 said that the Balochistan Government has released women and children related to leaders of banned Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) from the custody of the FC, reported Daily Times. The women and the children included wife and daughter of BLF chief Dr. Allah Nazar, sister of Aslam, alias Acho, Commander of the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and wife of Dileep, another leading Commander of the BLF.
The Frontier Corps (FC) Balochistan and Intelligence Agencies on November 5 recovered 850 kilograms of black explosives, 252 grenades, 236 grenade fuses, ammunition for machine guns, a sniper rifle and maps of sensitive sites in an Intelligence Based Operation (IBO) under Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad (Operation Elimination of Discord) in Channah Nullah and Chatthar areas near Dera Murad Jamali in Nasirabad District, according to ISPR, reports The News.
The Special Police Unit (SPU) arrested three members of a banned (and defunct) outfit while they were distributing pamphlets of their organisation at railway crossing near Firdous Chowk in Peshawar on November 4, reports The Nation.
The arrested militants were identified as Irfanullah, son of Gul Meezan, resident of Landi Kotal in Khyber Agency of FATA Yousaf, son of Rahman, resident of Khurasan camp, Peshawar and lkramullah, son of Daud, resident of Afghanistan.
Security Forces (SFs) during the ongoing Operation Raad-ul-Fasaad (Operation Elimination of Discord) arrested three militants and recovered arms and ammunition from a car in the Darra Adam Khel town of Frontier Region Kohat on November 6, reports The News. The recoveries included Sub Machine Guns (SMGs), 30bore and 9 mm pistols, 12 bore repeaters and rifles of different calibers along with thousands of ammunition.
Meanwhile, the SFs also recovered 12.7 mm gun and RPG 7 along with ammunition boxes in another Intelligence-Based Operation (IBO) carried out in the Boya Ghundakai area of South Waziristan Agency in FATA on November 6, reports The Nation.
Karachi Police arrested three Islamic State (IS) militants from Ahsanabad area in the outskirts of the Karachi metropolis in Sindh on November 6, reports Dawn. The arrested militants were identified as Muhammad Umar, Khalid Minhas and Shakeel Ahmed. Officials recovered two 30-bore pistols, one 9mm pistol along with propaganda literature from the possession of the arrested militants. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Malir Rao Anwar, stated that Police conducted a raid at a house after receiving a tip from an intelligence agency. He also claimed that the suspects were planning to recruit young people for their militant group.
Five bombs were defused near the entrance of Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET) in Jamshoro District on November 8, by the Bomb Disposal Squad (BOS), reports The Nation. The bombs were locally made, weighing around 25 kilograms and had been developed in such a way, that a remote-controlled device could be fitted. The bombs contained ball bearing, nuts and bolts, and five pencil cells along with an orange fuse was recovered.
Separately, Rangers arrested four suspected Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) militants during segregated raids in Mominabad area of Orangi Town Neighbourhood in Karachi on November 8, reports The Express Tribune. The suspects were identified as Shahzad alias Kala, Haider Ali, Irfan alias Mamu and Zahid alias Waseem Anda. They were allegedly involved in several cases of terrorism, including attacks on polio teams.
Also, a cadre of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi (MQM-H) was arrested along with arms and ammunition during a raid conducted on a tip-off in the Landhi area in Karachi, on November 8, reports The Express Tribune. The suspect was identified as Shahid alias Gada. An unnamed spokesperson of the Rangers said that Gada was involved in various cases of crime, including murder.
At least five militants were killed and four others wounded as Security Forces (SFs) responded to an attack by terrorists on recently established Pakistan Army posts at the Pak-Afghan border in Rajgal area of Tirah Valley in Khyber Agency on November 9, reports The Nation. An Army Soldier was also killed during the incident.
Rangers foiled a suicide attack on the occasion of Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain at a security check point near Bab-e-Karbala lmambargah, in Rohri of Sukkar District in Sindh, by killing three militants including two would-be suicide bombers on November 10, reports The Nation. According to Sindh Rangers Spokesperson they had prior intelligence about possible militant activity in Karachi as well as rural Sindh on the occasion of Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain. The Troops deputed at security check point tried to stop the three suspected militants but they increased their speed to bypass the check post and two of them tried to explode their vests, but the Security Forces (SFs) responded timely and killed all the three militants after an exchange of fire. Later, the experts from the Bomb Disposal Squad (BOS) were called to defuse the confiscated vests.
Meanwhile, the Police arrested a militant of banned outfit and recovered hand grenades from his possession in Phuleli near Islamabad Railway crossing in Hyderabad District, Sindh on November 10, reports The Nation. The militant identified as, Siddique Soomro was allegedly planning to attack the rail ways installations. Two hand grenades recovered from his custody were later defused.
Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has arrested two militants in Peshawar on November 17, reports The Nation. Eight-kilo grams of explosives and a hand grenade were recovered from the arrested militants.
Taliban ‘commander’ Khan Daraz of the Hafiz Gui Bahadur outfit on November 17 surrendered to the Security Forces (SFs) in North Waziristan Agency (NWA) in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), reports Daily Times. Sources said that after the launch of Operation Zarb-e Azb (Operation “Sharp Strike”) in the North Waziristan, Daraz had shifted to Afghanistan.
Punjab Rangers arrested four suspected militants belonging to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in an Intelligence Based Operation (IBO) in Dera Ghazi Khan District in Punjab on November 17, reports The Express Tribune. The militants were allegedly involved in killing of Police officials in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab, said a statement issued by Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR). Automatic weapons including grenades were also recovered from the militants during the raid, which was conducted with the support of Intelligence Agencies. The raid was conducted as part of “Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad” (Operation Elimination of Discord).
Security Force (SF) personnel from various agencies, including the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Frontier Constabulary (FC), jointly conducted a sanitisation operation in Pashtunabad and surrounding areas in Quetta and recovered three weapons on November 19, reports Dawn. Brigadier Tasawar Sattar and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Cheema said the search operation had been conducted on intelligence inputs after dividing the area into four parts, adding that 1,068 SF personnel, including 277 Police Officials and 791 FC men, were taking part in the house to-house search. The operation was primarily conducted in the Pashtun living areas, adds The News.
Two militants and one Security Force (SF) trooper were killed while three other SF personnel were injured during an exchange of fire in the Buleda area of Turbat town in Kech District of Balochistan on November 21, reports Dawn.
Two separate teams of provincial Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) conducted Intelligence Based Operations (IBOs) in Gujranwala and Rawalpindi Districts of Punjab on November 21 and arrested four Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants, reports The Nation. The militants were identified as Muhammad Irfan who was arrested in Rawalpindi, and Abdul Wahab, Mudassar Nazir and Iqbal arrested in Gujranwala. CTD also recovered explosives and automatic weapons from the militants.
An Army Major was killed and one soldier was injured in an exchange of fire with Tehrik-e- Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants, when the Security Forces (SFs) conducted a raid at Musa Zai Mohllah in Kulachi area of Dera Ismail Khan (Dl Khan) City in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on November 22, reports The Express Tribune. According to reports, the Army, acting on a tip-off around midnight, had raided the house of ‘commander’ Zahir Shah of the TTP where he was present with his accomplices. Realising that the SFs were fast approaching, the militants fired from automatic weapons and lobbed hand-grenades resulting an exchange of fire in which the soldier was killed. The militants, however, managed to escape.
Police on November 23 arrested five alleged militants of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from Shabqadar area of Charsadda District along with cache of explosive and ammunition, reports The Express Tribune. Station House Officer (SHO) Shabqadar Police Station Muhammad Arif said the militants were planning an attack on vaccination teams during the on-going anti-polio drive in the area The five militants belonged to Bajaur Agency of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Police also recovered 40 kilograms of explosive, seven mortar shells, thee speaker magnets, two IEDs, 10 hand grenades, 13 detonators, and five remote control receivers with a 20-metre of cord from Wacha wala Graveyard of Subhan Khwar area on Peshawar-Shabqadar Road.
PAKISTAN
NACTA finalises a draft national narrative to counter extremism
National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA’S) National Coordinator (NC) Ihsan Ghani on October 30 said that the authority had finalised the draft of national narrative to counter extremist ideology and submitted it before the government “for final approval, reports Daily Times. NACTA has finalised the draft of national narrative after 18 months of hectic efforts with the consultation of academia, clerics and media, he said while talking to media persons after the closing ceremony of four-day ‘Training of Trainers: Creating Master Trainers among Women Police, programme organised by Individual and Pakistan. He said that the authority had submitted the final draft of national narrative to the Government for final approval.
Ihsan Ghani said that the Government had allocated adequate funds for NACTA and releasing it according to the requirements of the authority. About NACTA board of Governor meeting, he said that no meeting of the board of Governors was held so far but a request would soon be forwarded to the Prime Minister for the meeting. He said that that authority along with coordination of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) was working on the development of ‘National Terrorist Database’. The authority had started collection of data in this regard aimed at curbing movement of terrorists, he said.
Chinese couple abducted in Quetta, killed confirms FO
Foreign Office (FO) on October 30 confirmed the death of a Chinese couple who had been abducted on May 24 from the Jinnah Town area of Quetta, reports Daily Times. Islamic State (IS, also Daesh) claimed on June 8 that its fighters had kid napped and killed Chinese couple, Lee Zing Yang (24) and Meng Li Si (26). Now, FO said in a statement that the DNA tests had confirmed the death of two Chinese nationals. The Government will continue to conduct a thorough investigation and apprehend the perpetrators of this crime and to bring them to justice, FO further said in the statement.
Women with links to proscribed groups arrested in Balochistan
Law-enforcement agencies on October 30 arrested three women from Chaman border crossing in Killa Abdullah District of Balochistan, reports Pakistan Today. Security sources said that they belong to banned outfits. A spokesperson of Balochistan Government stated that the women had crossed from the Pak Afghan border town of Chaman illegally and that they had been arrested by Frontier Corps (FC). The spokesperson did not identify the women but he said that they had been found to belong to banned outfits as revealed by security officials’ investigations. According to initial investigation, the three women reached Chaman on a taxi from Quetta along with their accomplice and were arrested while they were trying to enter Afghanistan’s border town of Spin Boldak via Bab-e-Dosti (Friendship Gate) at the Chaman border crossing. The arrested people were shifted to Quetta for further interrogation.
However, the Baloch Human Rights Organisation (BHRO) has alleged that the arrested women were the wife and daughters of Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) chief Dr. Allah Nazar and relatives of another leader of the outfit. The BHRO held a protest outside Quetta Press Club on October 31 and demanded that the women should be released.
MQM Chief Altaf Hussain charged with funding terror, money laundering, says NIA charge sheet
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on October 31 submit ted an interim charge-sheet against Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Altaf (MQM-A) Chief Altaf Hussain before the administrative judge of the Anti Terrorism Courts (ATCs), accusing him of terror financing and money laundering, reports The Express Tribune. Investigating Officer (10) Mohammad Ali Abro filed the interim investigation report. He named the MQM founder as absconder. However, the charge-sheet does not mention the residential addresses of the absconding accused. The charge-sheet is also silent about the co-accused who are neither named in the charge-sheet nor shown as exonerated of charges. After admit ting the interim report, the administrative judge of the ATCs sent the case to ATC-II for formal trial. The FIA said the co-accused sent money to the MQM founder through the Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation (KKF), the party’s charity wing. It said the KKF was used as a source of illegal money transfer to Hussain, who also received Indian funding for financing terror in Karachi.
US shares names of 20 terror groups with Pakistan
The White House retains a list of 20 terrorist groups that the Donald Trump administration claims are operating in Pakistan and Afghanistan and is believed to have shared this list with Pakistani officials, The Dawn reported on November 2 quoting diplomatic sources. The sources, however, rejected the suggestion as incorrect that US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson gave a list of 75 terrorists to Pakistani officials when he visited Islamabad last week. The White House list, released on The Washington Post’s demand, includes three types of militants groups: those who launch attacks into Afghanistan, those who attack targets inside Pakistan and those who are focused on Kashmir. Top on the list is the Haqqani network which, the United States claims, has safe havens in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and uses them to launch attacks into Afghanistan. Other groups on the list are: Harkat-ul-Jihadi-i-lslami (HuJI), Jama’at-ul-Ahrar (JuA), Jama’at-ud-Dawa (JuD) al-Quran and Tariq Gidar Group, which is one of 13 Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) affiliates. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Commander Nazir Group, Indian Mujahideen (IM), Islamic Jihad Union (IJU), Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) ISIS-Khorasan, al Qaeda in the Indian Sub-Continent (AQIS) and the Turkistan Islamic Party Movement (TIPM) are also on the list.
COAS expresses concern as number of cases goes down at military courts
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has expressed concern over the lack of terrorism-related cases being transferred to military courts, reports The Express Tribune on November 3. He has informed the Prime Minister (PM) that the Government has not forwarded any cases to military courts since January this year. A source privy to the development told that Gen Qamar had written a demi official (DO) letter to explain the issue prior to it being referred officially and that after receiving the Army chief’s letter, PM Abbasi directed the interior ministry to expedite the process of transferring cases. In response the interior ministry informed the PM office that it had prepared recommendations for more than 90 cases to be transferred to military courts. The ministry has also informed the PM office that it will request formal approval to transfer the cases during the next meeting of the federal cabinet and was bound to submit the cases to the federal cabinet as the Supreme Court has defined the federal cabinet as the federal government for the purpose of case referrals.
NACTA reports decline in number of sectarian terrorism incidents
National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) has reported a decline in sectarian terrorism with only two such incidents during 2017 as compared to 185 in 2012 reports The Nation on November 5. During last seven years, total 676 incidents of sectarian terrorism were reported, of which 70 were recorded during 2011, 185 in 2012, 127 in 2013, 176 in 2014, 79 in 2015, 37 during 2016 and two such incidents in 2017 .
JuA faces split: report
‘Spokesman’ for the banned Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA), a breakaway faction of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Asad Mansoor, announced on November 8 that Mukarram alias Omar Khorasani and his followers had been “banished from the Jamaat”, reports Daily Times. He said a detailed ‘policy statement’ would be issued later, asking supporters not to take any sort of step, which could hurt their activities. JuA therefore faces a rift as Mukarram and his fighters are set to announce their own group. Mukarram was one of the close confidants of the JuA ‘chief’ Omar Khalid Khorasani. Mukarram, belongs to Pandeyali tehsil (revenue unit) in Mohmand Agency in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), was the main character behind the JuA’s activities with his position as head of the group’s intelligence unit. He was member of the group’s central ‘shura’ (or council). Some militant sources say that several ‘commanders’ are likely to join Mukaram. They include Jehad Yar Mehsud, ‘commander’ Muslim Yar Momand, ‘commander’ Rashid Mama, Saad alias Wuraf Khan ‘commander’ Imran and Salman.
Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal clarifies on National Identity Card issued to slain Taliban leader Mullah Mansoor
Interior Minister (IM) Ahsan Iqbal on November 8 informed Senate in a written reply that contrary to media reports that slain Afghan Taliban – leader Mullah Mansoor had been carrying a Pakistan passport and National Identity Card (NIC), the card had actually been issued to a man named Muhammad Wali, son of Shah Muhammad, reports Dawn. The IM added that a departmental inquiry against all National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) officials involved in issuing the fake NIC had been completed and at least three officials had been removed from service. The IM said cases have also been registered against the accused and judicial proceedings are ongoing in the case. Responding to the IM’s assurances, Senator Farhatullah Babar was dis satisfied that action had only been taken against lower-level NADRA employees. ‘This is not the solution to the problem,” he said, asking that the Government should investigate who gave the orders for the card to be issued, if it weren’t already doing so. The Senate was further told that a total of 65,003 ‘fake’ NICs had been found circulating in the country, of which Punjab accounted for 20,865 Sindh for 15,579 Balochistan for 11,859 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for 10,884 Fata for 3,834 Islamabad for 1,087 Azad Jammu and Kashmir for 832 and Gilgit Baltistan for only 63.
At least 10 persons, including an Army captain killed in a militant attack in FATA
Two soldiers and approximately eight to 10 militants were killed and several others sustained injuries in a skirmish after the militants attacked a check post along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, with heavy weapons, in the Mamond Tehsil (Revenue Unit) area of Bajaur Agency in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) on November 13, reports The Nation. Captain Junaid Hafeez and Sepoy Raham were killed in action whereas four other soldiers sustained injuries. Director-General (DG) Inter Services Public Relation (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor stated that Afghanistan’s failure to control its side of the border had made it easy for militants to launch such cross border attacks.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Army on November 13 asked Afghanistan and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO’s) Resolute Support Mission (RSM) to further eliminate terrorist sanctuaries on the Afghan side of the border, reports Dawn. “More efforts are required on Afghanistan side by all stakeholders. Lives of forces and citizens (are) equally precious on both sides of border. It now requires elimination of terrorist sanctuaries in Afghanistan and effective Afghan border security,” DG ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor said in a series of tweets posted on his official account. According to him there has been an increasing trend of cross border terrorist attacks on Pakistani posts from across Afghanistan. Almost 308 terrorist attacks have taken place this year. This is the highest number of attacks since 2012 when 324 attacks were reported. On an average there have been 248 attacks every year since 2012. About 29 soldiers have been martyred in the attacks over the past six years. Pakistan has 975 posts along the 2,600km border with Afghanistan, which is mostly porous. Afghanistan, meanwhile, has around 218 posts on its side and there are huge gaps in between the largest being 650km long on the southern side.
Taliban faction ‘imposes’ curbs on socio-cultural activities in Wana area of FATA, says report
A faction of the Taliban has reportedly made a comeback to Wana in South Waziristan Agency in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), under the name of a “Peace Committee” and has placed a ban on cultural and social activities and put restrictions on movement of women outside their homes without male members of their family, reports Dawn, on November 15. The “Peace Committee” has issued tough guide lines through pamphlets in Wana town and warned local people to abide by these rules or face repercussions. The committee has banned music, Athan, a traditional dance which is performed in wedding ceremonies or other fostive occasions, and use of narcotics. Salahuddin alias Ayubi, a successor of Mullah Muhammad Nazir, an influential Taliban leader, heads the committee. A leaflet issued by the “Peace Committee” claimed that Elders and Ulema of Karikot, Ghwa Khwa, Shaheen Warsak, Doog, Dabb Koat, Zari Noor and Sherna had agreed to these steps. A “Committee” comprising Elders and Ulema had been set up to ensure implementation of the ‘Code of Conduct’ and to identify violators of the guidelines. A local cleric, identified as Ameer Ainullah, has been appointed “Head of the Committee”.
Meanwhile, an official statement issued by the Local Administration said, “A few ‘criminal-minded’ people who were not representing the tribes or will of the people in Wana held a meeting to ban certain social activities.” “The Elders of the region called a Grand Jirga (Big congrega tion of local leaders) to deliberate on the threat and agreed not to allow such elements to harm the social fabric” the statement added.
BLF ‘commander’ Vounas Taukali allegedly involved in Turbat incident killed in Balochistan, says ISPR
Inter-Services Public Relation (ISPR) on November 17 said that Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) leader Younas Taukali was killed by Frontier Constabulary (FC) Balochistan near Alandur, Abdul Rehman village, Turbat District in Balochistan after FC conducted an Intelligence Based Operation (IBO), reports Pakistan Observer. Younas Taukali was as one of top 8 BLF ‘commanders’. SATP had earlier reported the killing 15 civilians belonging to Punjab on November 16. The BLF headed by Allah Nazar Baloch, had claimed responsibility for the killings, adds The Express Tribune. He was located based on intelligence 20 kms west of Bulada and 25 kms north of incident site from where the 15 bodies were recovered. He was also involved in laying Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) ambushing FC convoys and killing many civilians including killing of Rehmat Ullah Shohaz, execution of Ghulam Jan (Lala Nazir’s cousin), killing of Akram Hayathuk, killing of Habib Ullah son of Taher and execution of Saddam.
REGIONAL Bangladesh – Internal Dynamics
Three Neo-JMB militants arrested for plotting to carry out sabotage with aircraft
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in a drive on October 29 arrested three militants of Neo-Jama’at-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh (Neo-JMB) from Balabona village of Chapainawabganj District, reports The Daily Star. The arrestees are Mohammad Jenarul Islam alias Main (25), Mohammad Rasul Box (50) and Mohammad Islam (70). RAB also recovered a pistol, one magazine, three bullets, 1.1 kilogram explosive substances and three books on jihad from their possession.
Four JMP militants including one pilot arrested for plotting to carry out sabotage with aircraft
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on October 31 arrested four militants of Jama’at-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) including a pilot of Bangladesh’s national flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines for plotting to carry out sabotage with aircraft, reports New Age. “The arrested, Sabbir Emam, 31, first officer of Biman Bangladesh Airlines , who was arrested along with three others, was close aide to killed extremist Abdullah, and had plans to attack on the houses of government high-ups and take passengers hostage in Middle East,” RAB Director, Mufti Mahmud Khan, said . The other arrested are Sabbir’s mother Sultana Parvin, 55, their relative Asif-ur Rahman Asif, 25, and Mohammad Alam, 30, a tea vendor – all suspected JMB cadres, Mufti said.
JMB militant arrested in Mymensingh
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested a militant of Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) from Trishal area of Mymensingh District on November 2, reports The Daily Star. The arrestee is identified as Jahangir Alam alias Shrabon alias Abu Saam (24). RAB said Jahangir came here to recruit new members for JMB. They also seized some leaflets and books on jihad from his possession.
One killed in explosion while making bombs
A man was killed in an explosion allegedly while making bombs at Mordana Bamunpara village in Chapainawabganj District on November 3, reports Dhaka Tribune. The deceased was identified as Taifur Rahman (40). Police recovered bomb-making sub stances from the spot.
Ansar al Islam militant involved in murder of writer-blogger Avijit Roy arrested in Dhaka city
Abu Siddique Sohel alias Sakib alias Sajid (34), a militant of Ansar Al Islam was arrested on November 5 in connection with the murder of writer-blogger Avijit Roy in the Dhaka city’s Mohammadpur area on February 26, 2015, reports The Daily Star. In his statement recorded by Metropolitan Magistrate Ahsan Habib, Sakib said eight people participated in the operation. Four, including him, were following Avijit at the venue of Amar Ekushey Book Fair on February 26, 2015. Four others, who were outside the venue, took part in the killing mission. He claimed that he did not know much about the seven others.
Government shuts Lakehead Grammar school for patronizing militancy
Government on November 7 shut down Lakehead Grammar School for patronizing militancy, reports Dhaka Tribune. In a letter signed by the Education Ministry’s Joint Secretary Salma Jahan, the Ministry said the school had not taken approval from the Government and ordered the Dhaka District Administration to shut down the Lakehead Grammar School for patronizing militancy and involvement in ‘anti-liberation’ activities. According to the letter, the school was inspiring religious extremism building extremist organization s and carrying out activities against· the nation and its independence.
Two Ansar al Islam militants arrested
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB arrested two militants of Ansar al Islam from Narayanganj District’s Siddhirganj area and Dhaka city’s Rampura area on November 7, reports Dhaka Tribune. In Narayanganj District, RAB conduced a raid at Signboard area in Shiddhirganj and arrested Sayec Rayhan Kabir alias Rayhan (28 RAB recovered local weapons, jihadi books and leaflets from his possession. Another team of RAB carried out a drive in Dhaka city’s Rampura area and arrested Mohamad Fays Rahman alias Abu Dujana (29).
Biman copilot confesses to 9/11 style plot to attack Prime Minister’s residence
Biman Bangladesh Airlines copilot Sabbir Ahmed alias Amam Sabbir, has confessed to 9/11 style plot to attack Prime Minister Sheik Hasina’s residence, reports Dhaka Tribune on November 8. Sabbir had planned to crash an aircraft on the residence of Prime Minister in a similar manner to infamous terror attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York on September 11, 2001. Sabbir is a first officer of the national flag carrier arrested on October 31 for plotting to carry out sabotage with aircraft.
Militants are trying to reorganize: IGP
Inspector General of Police (IGP) AKM Shahid-ul Hoque while addressing a community policing gathering on terrorism and drug abuse at Shibganj Stadium in Chapainawabganj District as the chief guest on November 9 said that militants a are trying to reorganize, reports The Daily Star. “Militants are not that strong now. Although they are trying to reorganise, we have broken their strength,” he said. The IGP said most of the militant’s arrested across the country are from Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions. He also sought proactive help from common people as well as police, so anything bad can be checked before it occurs.
Six Neo-JMB militants arrested from different places
Police arrested six militants of Neo-Jama’at-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh (Neo-JMB) from Naogaon and Chapainawabganj Districts on November 16, reports The Daily Star. In Naogaon District, Police raided a house at Nawduli village in Atrai upazila (Sub District) and arrested Abdullah Aichan Kabiraj alias Rafique (41), Lulu Sarder alias Shahid (30), Masud Rana alias Hossain alias Atik (25), Abdur Razzak alias Masum alias Babul (25) and Moazzem Hossain Bullet (30). Police recovered two foreign made pistols, 13 rounds of bullets, electronic devices, explosives and grenade making materials from their possessions. In Chapainawabganj District, Police arrested Shamim Prakash alias Abdullah alias Abdur Rahim (27) from Gomostapur upazila. Police recovered one pistol, two magazines and eight rounds of bullets from his possession.
India – Internal Dynamics
DRG trooper injured in blast in Chhattisgarh
A District Reserve Guard (DRG) trooper was injured when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), planted by Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres, went off in Dantewada District on October 29, reports New Indian Express. The incident took place in the forest near Telam-Tetam village under Katekalyan Police Station limits when a joint team of state’s DRG and local Police was out on an anti Maoist operation, a Police official said. When the patrolling team was on a dirt track in the Letam Tetam forest, around 400 kilometres away from State capital, Raipur, the DRG jawan inadvertently stepped on the IED, leading to a blast.
NSCN-K accuses NIA for ‘perpetrating terror’ in Nagaland
Khaplang faction of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K) through its ‘Ministry of Information & Publicity (MIP)’ has accused the National Investigating Agency (NIA) of ‘perpetrating terror ism in Nagaland’ and warned that it would be ‘forced to ask every Indian people to leave Naga country’ if NIA continued with its policy, reports Nagaland Post on October 30. Stating this in a press note, MIP said NSCN-K had been maintaining maximum restraint regardless of the endless provocations of NIA, meant to force it to retaliate by committing terrorist activities. Those which NSCN-K has threatened to target included traders, business men or government servicemen etc. as agents, collaborators and sympathizers of NIA, who it said ‘must be evicted’ from Nagaland or face the same fate which the innocent Nagas are suffering in the hands of NIA and other inimical forces of India covertly or overtly operating in Naga country.
MIP further alleged that ‘NSCN workers are harassed, tortured, homes raided and money and properties stolen and damaged by Indian forces especially by the NIA.’ It also alleged that the Government of India had empowered NIA ‘with un-paralleled extra-constitutional and extra-judicial excessive terrorizing powers to harass, arrest, torture and imprison the Nagas far beyond the legal limits.’
Four cadres of the People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI), including ‘Area Commander’, Maina Gape, were killed in an encounter with Security Force (SF) personnel in Khunti District on October 31, reports India.com. Superintendent of Police (SP), Ashwini Kumar Sinha told that based on a tip-off that a group of PLFI cadres would arrive at Palsi village under Karra Police Station, a team of SF personnel were sent to arrest them. On seeing the SFs, the PLFI cadres started firing at them, prompting them to retaliate, SP, Sinha said. Four PLFI ultras were killed in the encounter and all the bodies have been recovered, he added. Four firearms including an INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) assault rifle, a .315 bore rifle and a country-made pistol were recovered from their possession. PLFI is a splinter group of the Communist Party of India-Maoist.
Police seize 560 cartridges meant for security forces in Bihar
A Special Task Force (STF) team seized 560 live cartridges of Self· Loading Rifle (SLR) meant for sup ply to Security Forces (SFs) from NH-31 near Srichandrapur village under Sahebpur Kamal Police Station area in Begusarai District on November 1, reports The Times of India. Three arms smugglers, Manchan Yadav (42), Arvind Mandal (45) and his son Bhrigu Mandal (22), were arrested with the ammunition, a bike, three cell phones and INR 5000. However, Shushil Singh, who had handed over the cartridges to the trio, managed to escape. Station House Officer (SHO) of the Sahebpur Kamal Police Station, Rajesh Kumar Yadav said the cartridges were manufactured at Indian Ordinance Factory and are supplied only to SFs. “Shushil had brought them from Odisha. It will be known only after his arrest that how he got the cartridges,” Yadav said adding that the consignment might have been sold to the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist). He further said Manchan used to purchase the smuggled cartridges at INR 300 per piece and later sold it to Arvind for INR 350. “Arvind used to sell them to Maoists for INR 400 per piece,” the SHO said and added that in 2015, Shushil and Manchan were arrested from Begusarai with more than 250 cartridges of INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) assault rifle.
Maoists set ablaze nine vehicles in protest of road construction in Rayagada of Odisha
The Communist Party of India Maoist cadres set ablaze nine vehicles kept in the contractor ‘s camp at Narengtola in Melakajoba village under Kalyansinghpur block in Rayagada District late on November 4, to protest the construction of a road in the region, reports Odisha Sun Times. According to reports, eight masked Maoists stormed into the camp, threatened the workers to leave the place and set ablaze the vehicles, including four tractors, four motorcycles; one Bolero SUV and a JCB. The Maoists committed the act as they were reportedly protesting the Gunduriguda-Lakhapadar road work under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).
SOG trooper injured in Maoist attack in Odisha
One Special Operations Group (SOG) trooper was injured by Communist Party of India-Maoist cadres in combing operation in Mahakhanda forest in Kantabanji in Balangir District on November 5, reports Odisha Sun Times. The Maoists attacked the SOG team while they were going from a combing operation in the region. There was an exchange of fire in which the trooper, identified as Chandrabhanu Bhoi, was hit by a bullet in the stomach.
Meanwhile, the Andhra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC) of the CPI-Maoist on November 5, claimed responsibility for the hijacking of a boat laden with ration for Border Security Force (BSF) personnel near Totapadar in the “cut-off” region of the Malkangiri District, reports The Pioneer. In a letter, the Maoists have mentioned that the loot was to protest the Andhra Pradesh Police’s arrest of three innocent villagers from Andarapalli Panchayat (village level local-self government institution) in the District in the name of Maoist cadres. Earlier, the Police used to stand by the people in difficult times, but now have changed their attitude and are least bothered about the vil lagers’ plight, alleged the Maoists in the letter.
Suspected IS operative arrested in Mumbai
The Uttar Pradesh Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) arrested one suspected Islamic State (IS) terrorist, identified as Abu Zaid (37) from the Mumbai Airport on November 4, soon after deboarding a flight from Riyadh, reports The Times of India. “Abu Zaid, suspected ISIS terrorist was arrested by the ATS team from Mumbai Airport yesterday (November 4) after he came from Saudi Arabia,” Additional Director General (ADG) – Law and order, Anand Kumar said. He said Zaid was residing in Riyadh and formed a social media group to allegedly radicalise youths and lure them to ISIS.
Abu Zaid of Azamgarh District of Uttar Pradesh, who had been staying in Riyadh for a year, allegedly used a highly-secure chat application Threema, for his conversations with his targets from western UP, Kumar said. “Threema” provides random IDs to users without asking them to provide a phone number or e-mail address. Abu Zaid was later brought to Lucknow on a transit remand. A police team was sent to Zaid’s house in Azamgarh.
Maoist posters extolling the Russian Revolution found in Telengana
Several posters extolling the Russian Revolution of 1917 have appeared in the name of Communist Party of India-Maoist along the Charla-Pusuguppa main road at Pujarigudem village in Charla Mandal (administrative sub division) of Bhadrachalam Agency in Bhadradri-Kothagudem District on November 5, reports The Hindu The posters, purportedly put up by the Maoists, contained slogans urging people to participate in the week-long centenary celebrations of the Russian Revolution from November 7-13 across the State sources said.
Meghalaya CM Mukul Sangma is in HNLC’s hit list
The Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) ‘publicity secretary’ Sairikupar Nongtraw stated that it was keeping a low profile as it was preparing implement its hit list that is topped by the incumbent Chief Minister (CM), Mukul Sangma, reports The Shillong Times on November 5. “The CM is also included into the top hit list. In case, if he loses the 2018 upcoming legislative assembly elections he shall become very vulnerable and it will be easy for us to hunt him do A person who gave us the hope of peace talks and cheated us does not deserve to live. He is a parasite to our ‘Jaidbynriew’,” Saifikupar Nongtraw stated. He also stated that many Khasi politicians who are the backstabbers of the ‘jaidbyn riew’ are in the hit list of the HNLC. He said the HNLC had tried to hunt down National People’s Party (NPP) leader HS Shylla but he escaped.
NIA to send team to Philippines to interrogate recruiter
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has decided to send a team to Manila in the Philippines to interrogate a notorious woman recruiter for the Islamic State (IS) terror group, Karen Aisha Hamidon, who radicalised several Indians in the last three years through social media, reports The Times of India on November 5. Sources said the NIA was already in touch with investigators in Manila following her arrest last month. A proposal for the planned visit would be sent soon through the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA). Officials feel Hamidon’s interrogation could pro vide crucial leads about other Indian ‘foreign fighters’ who may have joined IS since 2014 and more recruiters radicalising Indian youths through platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook etc. like WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook etc.
Hamidon, whose name is mentioned in two NIA charge sheets as an ‘online motivator’, was arrested by the Philippines’ National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). It was the NIA that first found out about her activities and informed the Filipino authorities last year. The development comes even as Hamidon reportedly claimed before the department of justice in Manila on November 3 that she was being ‘framed’. According to reports in Manila-based newspapers, Hamidon told reporters she was just a ‘blogger’ and a ‘Muslim missionary’ against whom false accusations had been levelled by Police.
Six Maoists killed in two separate encounters
At least six cadres of the Communist Party of India-Maoist, including a woman cadre, were killed by the Security Forces (SFs) in two simultaneous encounters that took place in the Abujhmadh area in Narayanpur District on November 7, reports The Hitavada. When the operations were undergoing near Dhurbeda in the morning, the SFs came under heavy fire from a group of armed Maoists, leading to strong retaliation by the SFs. After the encounter stopped, the SFs recovered a body of a woman Maoist along with weapons. Later in the afternoon, five Maoists were killed in another exchange of fire between SFs and Maoists near Pinka village. Two .303 rifle, five .315 bore rifles, one 12 bore gun and one pistol were recovered by the SFs in the two encounters.
State Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) (Anti-Naxal Operations), Durgesh Madhav Awasthi said, five Maoists were gunned down during an encounter at Pinka village, the woman Maoist was eliminated also in another encounter at Dhurbeda forests, both under restive Narayanpur District. Awasthi further informed the media persons that the SFs recovered nine weapons , including two .303 rifles and large number of Naxal [Left Wing Extremism (LWE)] materials and literatures during both these operations. Both the operations were taken place in the interiors of Abujhmadh area, considered Maoist hotbed, he added. The identity of the killed Maoists were yet to be established as the operation is sill still underway in the region and will conclude by tomorrow, he said.
Maoist posters on Russian Revolution in Odisha
Communist Party of India-Maoist posters resurfaced in Narayanpatna of Koraput District on November 7, with the Maoist cadres appealing people to participate in the week long centenary celebrations of the Russian Revolution from November 7-13 across the State, reports Odishatv. The posters have been put- up by Koraput-Srikakulam division of the CPI-Maoist at various places in Narayanpatna. They have called upon people to draw inspiration from Russia’s Bolshevik Revolution dating back to 1917 and strive to achieve the New Democratic Revolution in India. The rebel outfit has also asked all organised and unorganised labourers to launch a powerful agitation demanding eight hours work, minimum wages, social security and labour law. The posters also urged the people to protest the false arrests and encounters of people by the Police under the Naveen Patnaik Government. Similar posters were also found in Bandhugaon block of the District on November 3.
RPF trooper’s throat slit body found in Chhattisgarh
Two Railway Protection Force (RPF) jawans were attacked by a gang of suspected Communist Party of India-Maoist cadres at the Bacheli Railway station in Bastar District on November 8, reports India TV. According to reports, both the jawans were found with their throats slit. While one jawan succumbed at the station, another was rushed to a nearby hospital where his condition is said to be very critical. Police said that they suspect the hand of Maoists behind this heinous act.
Meanwhile, a jawan of the Special Task Force (STF) was injured in an encounter with the Maoists in Sukma District on November 8, reports India TV. The skirmish took place in the morning in a forest in Regargatta village of Sukma when a joint team of personnel from different Security Forces (SFs) was out in an anti-Maoist operation. The composite squad of STF, District Reserve Guard (DRG) and District Force was passing through the forest in Regargatta, when the SFs came under heavy fire from a group of Maoists, leading to an exchange of fire between the two sides. The Maoists, however, soon escaped into the dense forest and a constable of the STF sustained bullet injury in the incident.
Ten landmines unearthed in Telengana
Ten powerful landmines placed under a culvert by the Communist Party of India-Maoist cadres, were unearthed by the Police near Abbaigudem village in Venkatapur mandal (administrative sub-division) on the highway towards Bhadrachalam in Jayashankar Bhllpalpally District on November 6, reports The Hindu. According to information, each land mine weighing 500 kilograms and some gelatine sticks were planted by the Maoists near Abbaigudem village near Morlonigudem Gram Panchayat (village level local-self-government institution). Police found electric wire of 2.5-kilometres length meant for detonating the landmines. Two days ago, the Maoists had left. Some pamphlets at the same place.
Nothing wrong in raising demand for Khalistan, says SGPC president Kirpal Singh Badungar
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Kirpal Singh Badungar on November 9 said that “as per a Supreme Court [SC] ruling, there is nothing wrong in raising the demand for Khalistan”, a separate Sikh nation, and that “it is neither unconstitutional nor an offence”, reports Hindustan Times. He was talking to media persons in Amritsar in Punjab at Guru Ramdas Medical College where he attended a function along with Punjab’s Health Minister Brahm Mahindra. Badungar was replying to a question related to election of a Sikh as Mayor of Hoboken city in the United States (US) and reacting to alleged ‘labels such as terrorists and Khalistani attached with Sikhs.’
He was apparently referring to the SC verdict in a case about two men having shouted some slogans in Chandigarh after assassination of Indira Gandhi in Delhi in 1984. The court had held that mere shouting of slogans did not amount to sedition unless there was incitement to violence. When specifically asked to comment on some Sikh leaders living abroad being termed ‘Khalistanis’, he referred to movements going on in other parts of the world: “Irish people have been fighting against England. Similarly, we can consider the conflict between South Korea and North Korea. The conflict between Shia and Sunni Muslims in as many as 37 countries is another instance… This is not only an issue about Sikhs, but also of others.”
Four CRPF personnel injured in landmine blast Jharkhand Four Central Reserve Police
Force (CRPF) personnel were injured in a landmine blast triggered by the Communist Party of India Maoist cadres near Latu village in Latehar District on November 10, reports The Pioneer. “Four of our police personnel have been injured after a land mine was triggered while a patrolling party was walking through the Latu jungles during the ongoing anti-Maoist operation in the area,” said Latehar Superintendent of Police (SP), Dhananjay Kumar. The SP further informed that a joint team of State Police and CRPF were out for anti-Maoist operation and as soon as they reached near Latu village at 2:15 pm, Maoists triggered a land mine leaving four jawans injured. He also said that intensive search operation has been launched in the area to trace the culprits out. The CRPF personnel who got injured in the land mine blast were identified as Deputy Commandant HL Gangte, Radio Operator Nitish Pandey, Constable Deepak Singh and Gopaljee Yadav.
Two Assam Rifles troopers killed and six others injured in an IED blast triggered by PLA militants in Manipur
Two Assam Rifles (AR) troopers died and six were injured in a powerful improvised explosive device (IED explosion at Maha Mani village in Chandel District on November 13. reports The Telegraph. Two AR personnel, identified as riflemen Indra Singh and Sohan Lal, died on the spot. The six injured, identified as S. Sekhar, N. Shyamkumar, Tirendra Nath Das, Ram Govind Singh, Nirmal Roy and Lalnunpuia, were evacuated to the Army Hospital at Leimakhong, on the Imphal city’s outskirts , by helicopter. Revolutionary People’s Front (RPF), the ‘political wing’ of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has claimed responsibility for the attack. Source said that condition of one among the six injured is critical adds Epao.
GHSMC takes out a rally for the creation of a separate Garoland State curved out from Meghalaya
The Garo Hills State Movement Committee (GHSMC) took out a public rally in Tura on November 15 to press for their demand for a separate state to be carved out of Meghalaya, reports The Shillong Times. “The struggle for a Garoland state did not start in 1912 but has been a demand since the time of Late Sonaram Sangma, the first Garo political leader from the time of the British rule,” said Niman Ch Marak, ‘Chairman’ of the GHSMC which is leading the separate state demand . A supporter for the Gorkhaland state which is currently being demanded from West Bengal, Joydeep Chetry called on the people of Garo Hills to give their unflinching support for the Garoland demand. “Just as we are fighting for Gorkhaland, so too are the people of Garo Hills fighting for Garoland. We give our support for this movement,” said Chetry.
AQIS goes vernacular with Tamil, Hindi, Bengali online t exts to push their recruitment in India, says report
In the first organised campaign by a terrorist group to use the Internet to recruit support across India, Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS} has begun online distribution of Tamil, Bengali and Hindi translations of key jihadists, reports The Indian Express on November 17. The translations, obtained by The Indian Express, range from excerpts from magazines like al Risalah and Inspire, to ideological tracts by the jihadist leadership. The organisation’s vernacular push reflects the increasing reliance of the jihadist movement on recruits from States in the southern, western and eastern regions – a phenomenon which first became evident with the Indian Mujahideen (IM} which , from 2005 , carried out the most lethal urban terrorism campaign India has ever suffered.
For the most part, the translations appear to be targeting educated volunteers. The Tamil articles include one from issue 3 of al Risalah, aimed at doctors and engineers. “I ask you, Doctor: are your services not better spent in patching the leg of that child who lost his limb in a barrel bomb in Aleppo rather than prescribing medication for an lslamophobe with you in your country,” the article asks. “We use the excuse of being watched by the enemy of Allah and our passports being flagged,” the article goes on. “Do we not have trust in Allah? Did Prophet Muhammad not leave Mecca and migrate to Medina under the very eyes of the disbelievers?”. Another Tamil translation from al Risalah tells the story of an elderly man who volunteered to fight despite having only one eye. “If I am incapable of fighting, at least I will increase the number of the army and would guard your luggage,” he is claimed to have said.
In addition to speeches and messages from a Qaeda ‘chief Ayman al-Zawahiri , and his Uttar Pradesh born Karachi-trained subcontinent deputy Sami-ul-Haq, the Bengali-language material produced by al Qaeda includes subtitled videos, telling the stories of jihad its fighting in Syria and Somalia. Large numbers of Sami-ul-Haq ‘s speeches have been translated into Hindi, notably his call to target IAS and IPS officers. “This is an organisation which is aware that many young Muslims cannot read Urdu,” a police officer noted. “In earlier decades, material like this circulated clandestinely, through pamphlets and so on, but almost always in Urdu.”
Monthly Fatalities The following casualties, related to ongoing insurgencies and acts of terrorism occurred during the period Oct 26 to Nov 25, 2017:
| Civilian | Indian Security Personnel | Militant | Total | |
| Manipur | 04 | 03 | 02 | 09 |
| Nagaland | 03 | 00 | 01 | 04 |
| Left wing | 12 | 05 | 08 | 25 |
| TOTAL | 19 | 08 | 11 | 38 |
Nepal – Internal Dynamics
Left alliance posed serious threat to democracy as they seek to impose communist totalitarianism in country, says NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba
Nepali Congress (NC) President and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba addressing a function organized at the party’s headquarters in Sanepa on October 31 to unveil the party’s election manifesto said the left alliance forged by the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) and the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre (CPN-Maoist Centre) had posed serious threat to democracy as they seek to impose communist totalitarianism in the country, reports Republica. “The communist alliance is trying to undermine democracy. Democracy has given people all sorts of rights. But under communism people’s right to protest against injustice is usurped. There is not even right to cry in communism when there is injustice,” he said. Also speaking on the occasion, NC senior leader Ram Chandra Paudel said “NC will not allow any kind of instability, communism and autocracy in the country. NC is committed to fighting against these challenges.”
Killing of 38 people in Chitwan District on June 6, 2005 was biggest mistake committed by Maoists, says CPN-Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal
Communist Party of Nepal Maoist Centre (CPN-Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal addressing an election rally convened at Madi on November 4 said that the killing of 38 people in the detonation of a bomb against a moving bus at Badarmudhe in Madi, Chitwan District on June 6, 2005 was the biggest mistake committed by the Maoists during their 10-year insurgency, reports Republica. Dahal spent at least four hours at Basantapur Bazar. However, he didn’t visit Badarmudhe, the spot where the Maoists bombed the bus. He also did not meet the victims of the Badarmudhe attack. He said his party was ready to take action against anyone if the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) found them guilty in the incident.
Two bombs hurled at CPN-Maoist Centre leader’s car in Rukum District
Two bombs were hurled at the car in which Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre (CPN-Maoist Centre) leader and Minister without portfolio Janardan Sharma, who is the left alliance candidate from Rukum parliamentary constituency, was travelling at Chaurjahari Municipality in Rukum District on November 10, reports The Himalayan Times. Only one of the two bombs exploded without causing much damage. According to preliminary investigation of Police, Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party Nepal (CPN) cadres might have been involved in the act. Cadres of the party had hoisted a black banner at Sharma’s house a few days back.
CPN-Maoist Centre leader and supporters attacked in Rolpa District
Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre (CPN-Maoist Centre) leader and former Finance Minister Barshaman Pun, who is contesting parliamentary seat from Rolpa and his supporters were attacked again near Kewari Khola of Duikholi Rural Municipality in Rolpa District on November 12, a day after he escaped an explosion, reports The Himalayan Times. Unidentified gunmen fired four bullets on Pun and his supporters while they were on their way to address an election meet at Bagmara of Duikholi Rural Municipality. Attackers threw boulders down a cliff and halted Pun and his team. No damage was caused by firing.
Earlier, a vehicle carrying Barshaman Pun was attacked with Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in the jungle area of Madi Rural Municipality-1 of Rolpa District on November 11, reports The Himalayan Times. An IED exploded when the vehicle carrying Pun reached the Phedikhola near Bhittawa in the rural municipality. Leader Pun was returning after attending an election gathering in Sukidaha Rural Municipality. However, no damage and human casualties were reported.
Meanwhile, concerned over the series of poll violence, the Election Commission (EC) on November 12 directed the Ministry of Home Affairs and the security agencies to control incidents of violence in the run-up to the first phase of provincial and parliamentary polls slated for November 26, reports The Himalayan Times. “We held intensive discussions with all security agencies and directed them to deploy more security personnel and review their work plan,” Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Ayodhi Prasad Yadav told media persons after the meeting.
CPN-Maoist Centre leader escapes unhurt in IED attack in Gorkha District
Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre (CPN-Maoist Centre) leader and left alliance Gorkha-2 candidate for the parliamentary polls Narayan Kaji Shrestha escaped unhurt when an improvised explosive (IED) device went off at Sirdikhola of Gorkha District on November 16, reports The Himalayan Times. Front portion of the jeep he was in was damaged in the blast. Chief District Officer Jitendra Basnet said the blast occurred while Shrestha was 12 km from the spot where he was to address an election rally.
Five persons injured in IED blast in Nawakot district
Five persons were injured when an improvised explosive device (IED) went off targeting vehicles carrying former Minister and Nepali Congress (NC) leader Ram Sharan Mahat and his supporters at Dandagaun of Kakani Rural Municipality in Nuwakot District on November 17, reports The Himalayan Times. Mahat, NC parliamentary candidate from Nuwakot Constituency No 1, was on his way to Kakani to address an election rally when the IED exploded. Mahat’s vehicle was 500 metres away when a pressure cooker bomb exploded.
Meanwhile, an IED was hurled at vehicles carrying Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre (CPN-Maoist Centre) leaders Onsari Gharti Magar, Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Barshaman Pun near Satdobato in Rolpa District Municipality on November 17, reports The Himalayan Times. The bomb was hurled while left alliance leaders were on their way to address an election rally at District Headquarters Liwang.
Eight persons injured in blasts in different places
Eight persons including a minor were injured in a bomb blast targeting the election campaign of the left alliance near Radha-Krishna Temple of Chandrapur Municipality- 5 in Rautahat District on November 18, reports The Himalayan Times. Police suspected Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party Nepal (CPN) behind the incident. However, no one has claimed the responsibility for the blast.
Meanwhile, a Policeman was injured when a pressure cooker bomb went off targeting Nepali Congress (NC) senior leader Ram Chandra Paudel at Nepal Danda of Bhanu Municipality-10 in Tanahun District on November 18, reports The Himalayan Times. The NC senior leader was on his way to address a programme in Lamjung when the incident took place. Police are yet to know the cause and people involved in the attack.
Separately, a pressure cooker bomb ambushed targeting the candidate for the House of Representatives Bhumi Tripathi, chairperson of Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN UML) Dhading District in Damechaur-4 of Thakre Rural Municipality in Dhading District on November 19, reports The Himalayan Times. No one was injured in the incident.
Bomb explodes at Minister’s residence
A bomb was exploded on November 20 at the residence of Champadevi Khadka, Minister of Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation in Laligurans Chowk of Baglung District, reports Republica. Champadevi is the candidate for upcoming House of Representatives elections in Laligurans Chowk, Baglung-2. No human casualties have been reported from the incident. Police said the explosion was detonated to scare the candidate as the elections get near.
Sri Lanka – Internal Dynamics
All Parties Conference and All Religious Conference will be convened to discuss proposed new Constitution, says President Maithripala Sirisena
President Maithripala Sirisena speaking at the National Convention of activists of reconciliation societies and National Civil Society Federation, organized by the Ministry of National Co-existence Dialogue and Official Languages at the Sugathadasa Indoor stadium on October 30 said that an All Party Conference and an All Religious Conference will be convened to discuss the proposed new Constitution with an objective of dispelling some misconceptions within some quarters, reports Daily News. The President also said that a forum consisting of members of academic and the intelligentsia will also be called to discuss the proposed Constitution. “No issue can be solved when we are divided. Everyone has the right to work intelligently and find solutions to the country’s issues collectively,” President Sirisena said.
LTTE cadre sentenced to life imprisonment for killing Police Intelligence Unit Inspectors in 2003
Colombo High Court on November 1 sentenced Sellathurai Kirubakaran, a suspected Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadre to life imprisonment for the assassination of the Head of the Colombo-Dehiwala Police Intelligence Unit Inspector Sunil Thabrew on July 23, 2003, reports Colombo Page. It was reported at the time that suspect followed the Police officer when he returned to his barracks after visiting the Dehiwala police station and shot him. However, the counsel representing the accused requested the court to be lenient on his sentence since he was in remand for nearly 15 years.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe participating in the debate on the constitutional compilation council in Parliament on November 1 told several basic proposals that could be agreed upon by all parties is included in the interim report of the Steering Committee on the new constitution, reports Colombo Page. The Premier insisted that the government cannot do anything without the agreement of all parties. Everyone is agreeable to proposals to build Sri Lanka bringing peace and prosperity to all communities including Sinhalese. Tamil and Muslims while protecting the unitary state. The Premier called upon everyone to be united to intro duce the new constitution.
PM launches five year national action plan to protect and promote human rights
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe launched the five year national action plan to protect and promote human rights at a ceremony held at the parliamentary complex on November 1, reports Colombo Page. Speaking at the event, the Prime Minister said the time has come to reaffirm human rights in the country. He said the human rights were not respected and secured during the past regime. The National Action Plan for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights 2017-2021 documents goal-oriented activities in Human Rights arena, aimed to strengthen the national processes and mechanisms for the protection and promotion of human rights through substantial constitutional, legislative, policy and administrative frameworks. Sri Lanka on May 26, 2016, expanded its commitment to human rights by ratifying the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Constitutional Assembly (CA), Speaker Karu Jayasuriya on November 1 announced that he had decided to extend the duration of the debate on interim report of the steering committee due to the demand from a large number of MPs for additional time to express their views, reports Colombo Page. The assembly had previously allocated three days October 30, 31 and November 1 for the debate. The Speaker has extended the time by one day and accordingly, the CA continues the debate on November 2 as well.
LTTE cadre sentenced to life imprisonment for conspiring and abetting claymore explosion in 2008
Colombo High Court on November 8 sentenced a Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTIE} cadre for life imprisonment for conspiring and abetting to explode a claymore mine targeting a commuter bus at the Piliyandala bus stand in 2008, which killed 26 people and injured scores, reports Colombo Page. The accused S. Ananda Sudahar alias Lorence David Raja had been charged on 94 counts under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka, on November 8 responding to an Associated Press (AP) report which alleged that dozens of Tamil men were raped and tortured by the government, stressed that the Government of Sri Lanka does not condone or tolerate any form of torture, reports Colombo Page. In a letter to the Editor of New York Times, which published the AP article titled ‘Dozens of Men Describe Rape, Torture by Sri Lanka Government’, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Secretary Ambassador Prasad Kariyawasam said the National Unity Government (NUG) is firmly commit ted to uphold the rule of law.
No war hero will be subject to foreign tribunals
President Maithripala Sirisena, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, addressed a representative gathering of more than 350 Commanding Officers (Cos) at the Colombo Army Hospital auditorium on November 9 said that no war hero will be subject to foreign tribunals, reports Daily News. He said “As long as I remain the head of the country, I assure you that none of you would be allowed to testify before any war tribunals. Instead, such errant Army personnel, if any can be produced before Courts and tried according to the existing law of the country. Unlike the disgruntled politicians and some retired Army personnel allege saying that the War Heroes would be tried and punished, I, as the President of this country would not allow anyone be subjected to interrogations of foreign judges as such. Therefore you should not be misled by those baseless allegations and misleading statements.”
No one is held in secret custody: President
President Maithripala Sirisena while meeting the family members of the missing persons at the Presidential Secretariat on November 16 said no one is held in secret custody, reports Colombo Page. During this meeting, they presented their issues and demands to the President in detail. President Sirisena said that he has a clear understanding regarding the issues faced by each community in this country, and said that the Government including himself is committed to provide solutions to those issues in a very open and fair manner. The President expressing his views regarding the allegations made about some persons are being apprehended in Government’s detention centers, said that there is no such secrete detention centers for the present Government and no one is held in custody.
Meanwhile, leave of all Police officers attached to the Jaffna Police Station had been cancelled on November 15 until further notice due to suspicions that a clash could break out during Mahaviru Day celebrations in Jaffna, reports Daily Mirror. The Police media division said the order had been issued by Northern Province Senior DIG Roshan Fernando. GIG Fernando said the decision was taken as the commemoration of Mahaviru Day in Jaffna falls on November 27.
INTERNATIONAL
UK blames N Korea for cyber attack
Britain on Friday, Oct 27 blamed North Korea for a ransomware attack this year that a new report revealed affected a third of English hospitals and could have been pre vented with “basic” IT security.
Britain’s National Audit Office revealed the attack had hit NHS England particularly hard, forcing the cancellation of some 19,500 medical appointments. Computers at 81 hospital groups across England were affected – a third of the total number of 236.
Some 600 general practitioners were also affected. The facilities affected were running computer systems – the majority Windows 7 – that had not been updated to secure them against attacks, the NAO said. “It was a relatively unsophisticated attack and could have been prevented by the NHS following basic IT security best practice,” NAO chief Amy as Morse said. “There are more sophisticated cyber threats out there than Wanna Cry so the Department of Health and the NHS need to get their act together to ensure the NHS is better protected against future attacks,” he said.
The report revealed that there had been multiple warnings ahead of the attack about the weakness of IT security in the NHS but that recommendations for security updates were not respected.
N Korea N-arm use would meet ‘massive military response’: Mattis
US Secretary of Defence Jim Mattis warned on Saturday, Oct 28 that North Korea would face a “massive military response” if Pyongyang ever used its nuclear weapons.
“Make no mistake – any attack on the United States or our allies will be defeated,” he said at a press conference on his trip to Seoul. “Any use of nuclear weapons by the North will be met with a massive military response, effective and overwhelming.”
Tensions have been running high on the Korean peninsula, with the North conducting its sixth nuclear test last month and test launching multiple missiles capable of reaching the US mainland.
The North’s ruler Kim Jong-Un and US President Donald Trump have also traded verbal threats of war and personal insults that have sparked global alarm.
Mattis maintained that diplomacy remained a “preferred course of action” to solve the current crisis but stressed, “our diplomats are most effective when backed by credible military force”. He urged Pyongyang to “harbour no illusion”, saying the isolated state is militarily “over matched” by the US and South Korea – a key ally of Washington that hosts 28,500 US troops.
Trump’s recent remark that “only one thing will work” with the North fuelled concerns of a potential conflict on the divided peninsula where the 1950-53 Korean War had left millions dead.
Humanitarian conditions in Yemen ‘shocking’: UN
UN aid chief Mark Lowcock on Saturday, Oct 28 voiced alarm at the “shocking” humanitarian conditions in conflict-hit Yemen and called on warring parties to respect international law. Concluding a five-day mission, his first to Yemen, the UN head of humanitarian affairs and emergency relief said the war in the impoverished Arab nation should end through a political process.
“I came to Yemen to better understand the deteriorating humanitarian crisis, including the fastest-growing cholera epidemic the world has ever seen, the world’s largest food insecurity and conditions of widespread population dis placement,” Lowcock said. “It’s been shocking to see the terrible impact of this man-made conflict,” he told reporters before leaving Sanaa. The UN calls on all parties… to uphold the highest standards of international humanitarian law and respect human rights with respect to everyone including detainees and journalists ,” he added.
Lowcock is scheduled to speak at a one-day high level meeting on the humanitarian response to the Yemen crisis in Riyadh on Sunday.
Lowcock said he saw severely malnourished children, visited hospitals with barely any electricity and water and met health workers who have not been paid for months.
The United Nations is providing direct assistance to seven million Yemenis, but the programme needs to do more and it requires more support, he said.
Since 2014, a rebel alliance of Iran-backed Huthi militias and forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh have fought the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi for control of the impoverished country.
A Saudi-led military coalition intervened in Yemen in support of the Hadi government in March 2015. The UN has described Yemen as the world’s number one humanitarian crisis.
Somalia sacks security chiefs
The death toll from a deadly weekend attack on a hotel in Mogadishu has risen to 27, the Somali government said Sunday, Oct 29 announcing the dismissal of the country’s police and intelligence chiefs. The move came after Al Qaeda aligned Shabaab gunmen staged coordinated bomb attacks outside a hotel in the north of the Somali capital on Saturday before Storming the building.
The latest toll was given by Security Minister Mohamed Abukar lslow at a cabinet meeting at which ministers approved the dismissal of intelligence agency boss Abdillahi Mohamed Sanbalooshe and police chief Abdihakim Dahir Said.
The two were “fired for the purpose of serious accountability”, said a statement read by Information Minister Abdirahman Omar Osman after the meeting. The sackings come two weeks after Somalia suffered its deadliest-ever terrorist attack in which at least 358 people were killed in a huge truck bombing in Mogadishu.
Iran to continue developing ballistic missiles
Iran’s president on Sunday, Oct 29 said his country would continue building weapons including developing missiles as the United States prepares new sanctions over its ballistic missile programme.
Signed by Iran, Germany, Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, the landmark accord saw economic sanctions on Iran lifted in exchange for Tehran curbing its nuclear activities.
“We have built missiles, we are building some and will continue to do so because it does not violate any international regulations – not even the UN Security Council’s Resolution 2231” endorsing the deal, Rouhani said.
Under Resolution 2231, Tehran is “called upon” to refrain from carrying out launches of missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons. Iran says all of its missiles are designed to carry conventional warheads only.
But the United States and France say the missile launches do not com ply with the UN resolution. This month, US President Donald Trump said a “total termination” of the nuclear deal remained possible, after refusing to certify the 2015 accord and leaving its fate to the US Congress.
Turkey arrests IS suspects
Turkish police on Sunday, Oct 29 rounded up dozens of Islamic State suspects including Syrian nationals in a security sweep on the country’s national day holiday, local media reported. Twenty-two suspects were arrested in the eastern province of Erzurum including alleged senior members of the Jihadist group, and 39 suspects in the northwestern Bursa province, the official Anadolu news agency reported, citing security sources.
The suspects included two Azerbaijanis and 28 Syrians, it added. The operation comes a day after police arrested 49 alleged IS members in Ankara – some of whom were suspected of planning an attack on Republic Day on Sunday.
Turkey has been hit by a series of attacks blamed on IS jihadists over the past two years, including a New Year attack this year on an elite Istanbul nightclub during which 39 people were killed by an IS gunman. There has been a lull in attacks since, but tensions remain high and Turkish police launch raids almost daily against suspected IS cells across the country.
Qatar accuses ‘blockade countries’ of wanting regime change
Qatar’s emir in an interview airing on Sunday, Oct 29 accused Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies of seeking to topple his government with its nearly five month old political and economic embargo of the tiny Gulf state.
“They want a regime change. It’s… so obvious,” Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani told CBS’ 60 Minutes. “History as well tells us, teaches us they tried to do that before, in 1996 after my father became the emir. So, and they made it also so obvious in the last couple of weeks.”
The Gulf crisis erupted June 5 when Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, imposing economic sanctions as it accused the emirate of supporting terrorism and of becoming too close with rival Iran.
Riyadh and its allies closed land and maritime borders, suspended air links and expelled Qatari citizens. Doha denies the charges. “They don’t like our independence, the way how we are thinking, our vision for the region,” Sheikh Tamim said Sunday. “We want freedom of speech for the people of the region. And they’re not happy with that. And so they think that this is a threat to them.”
29 killed in Yemen
A Saudi-led coalition air strike killed 29 people at a crowded market place in the heartland of the Iran backed Huthi rebels in northern Yemen on Wednesday, Nov 1 Huthi health authorities said.
The coalition, which has faced repeated international criticism over civilian casualties, did not immediately confirm or deny that it was behind the attack in Saada governorate. Residents at the scene picked through the remnants of stalls, some still shouldering, reduced to spindly metal frames and scattered wreckage, AFP photos showed.
The charred bodies of the victims, many of their faces disfigured beyond recognition, were laid on white body bags for families to identify in the courtyard of a hospital morgue. The health service said 29 people were killed and 17 others wounded, while the Huthi-run Saba news agency gave a lower toll of 21 dead, all of them civilians.
Saba accused the Saudi-led coalition of carrying out the raid in the Sahar district. The alliance did not respond to requests for comment on whether its forces carried out the strike. But it enforces an air blockade on rebel-held territory and is the only force whose warplanes are known to operate in Yemen’s north along the Saudi border.
The United Nations blacklisted the coalition in October for killing and maiming children, drawing fresh calls from rights groups to step up pressure on Riyadh over the conflict. The coalition was briefly included on the annual list of shame last year before a threat by Saudi Arabia to cut off its funding to UN programmes forced a reversal.
Libyan coastguard rescues nearly 300 migrants at sea
Libya’s coastguard has rescued nearly 300 migrants including dozens of women and children from unseaworthy boats as they tried to reach Europe, a navy official said on Wednesday, Nov 1.
The 299 migrants, who included 40 women and 19 children, were picked up early on Tuesday in Mediterranean waters off the western city of Zliten, navy spokesman General Ayub Kacem said. The migrants, of different African nationalities, were plucked from two rubber dinghies without engines and brought back to the Tripoli naval base, he said. They were given food and medical attention before being transferred to a detention centre, Kacem added. Since the 2011 uprising that top pled longtime dictator Moamer Qadhafi, chaos-hit Libya has become a key point of departure for migrants heading to Europe.
Last month forces loyal to Libya’s UN-backed unity government ousted a militia controlling the trafficking from the western city of Sabratha. The United Nations last month said Libyan authorities were holding more than 14,500 migrants who had previously been kept captive by smugglers in farms, houses and warehouses in and around the coastal city.
Bomb attack kills nine in Syria Golan Heights village
Terrorists launched an assault on Friday, Nov 3 on a government held village in Syria’s Golan Heights, killing at least nine people in a car bomb, and clashing with regime troops, state media said. The. attack hit the village of Hader, populated by members of the Druze majority, which lies near the disengagement line that divides the Syrian-controlled part of the Golan from that occupied by Israel.
The fighting prompted concern from Druze residents of the Israel loccupled Golan Heights, and a statement from the Israeli army, which pledged to “prevent Hader from being harmed or occupied”. The assault began when a suicide car bomb attacked the outskirts of the village, Syrian state media said.
The agency said the toll was expected to rise because a number of those wounded In the bombing were in serious condition and the ongoing migrants, of different African nationalities, were plucked from two rubber dinghies without engines and brought back to the Tripoli naval base, he said. They were given food and medical attention before being transferred to a detention Centre, Kacem added. Since the 2011 uprising that top pled longtime dictator Moamer Qadhafi, chaos-hit Libya has become a key point of departure for migrants heading to Europe.
Last month forces loyal to Libya’s UN-backed unity government ousted a militia controlling the trafficking from the western city of Sabratha. The United Nations last month said Libyan authorities were holding more than 14,500 migrants who had previously been kept captive by smugglers in farms, houses and warehouses in and around the coastal city.
Bomb attack kills nine in Syria Golan Heights village
Terrorists launched an assault on Friday, Nov 3 on a government held village in Syria ‘s Golan Heights, killing at least nine people in a car bomb, and clashing with regime troops, state media said. The attack hit the village of Hader, populated by members of the Druze majority, which lies near the disengagement line that divides the Syrian-controlled part of the Golan from that occupied by Israel.
The fighting prompted concern from Druze residents of the Israel occupied Golan Heights, and a statement from the Israeli army, which pledged to “prevent Hader from being harmed or occupied”. The assault began when a suicide car bomb attacked the outskirts of the village, Syrian state media said.
The agency said the toll was expected to rise because a number of those wounded In the bombing were in serious condition and the ongoing assault on the town made it difficult to remove the injured to safety.
Sana did not provide details on the identity of the victims. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, said the clashes that followed the blast killed several forces on both sides.
Iran threat forcing Mideast-Israel alliances: Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday, Nov 3 that the threat posed by Iran to its Middle Eastern neighbours was driving them into hitherto unthinkable alliances with the Jewish state. “Iran is devouring one nation after the other,” Netanyahu said at Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs think-tank in London. “It is doing so either by direct conquest or by using proxy. They took over Lebanon, Yemen… they try to do the same thing with Iraq, in Syria.” “The good news is that the other guys are getting together with Israel as never before. It is something that I would have never expected in my lifetime.”
He said Israel was working “very hard” to establish an effective alliance with “the modern states” to condemn and counter Iranian aggression. “I think that actually has a great promise of peace” for the region, he said.
He said the Middle East was witnessing “the emergence of a battle between the lslamists and the modernists”, provoking a “new alliance between Israel and Islamic states”. Israel has long viewed Iran as Its number one enemy, while Arab nations such as Saudi Arabia are regional rivals of the country.
He demanded tough sanctions be put In place and Inspections of Iranian military sites. Turning to relations with Washington, he said ties were stronger since the election of President Donald Trump.
He said he had “very strong” disagreements with trump’s predecessor Barrack Obama, saying the former US president saw Iran as part of the solution to problems in the Middle East, while he saw it as the main problem.
Gunman shoots dead 20 worshippers at Texas church
A gunman shot dead at least 20 worshippers during Sunday (Nov 5) morning services at a Baptist church in Texas, news media reported. The gunman was killed after a short chase, CNN reported, quoting a sheriff’s office spokesman in Guadalupe County. It was unclear whether the shooter died from a police bullet or at his own hand.
The worshippers were killed at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, a small rural community about 50 kilometers Southeast of San Antonio, reports said. Wilson County Commissioner Albert Gamez Jr. said there were multiple fatalities and multiple people wounded, but he could not officially confirm the number.
With details rapidly unfolding, some unnamed officials were quoted in media reports citing tolls as high as 27 dead and 20 or more wounded. The shooter reportedly walked Into the church shortly before noon – at a morning service that witnesses said was normally attended by some 50 people and opened fire. A two-year-old was among the wounded, the Dallas Morning News website reported.
Bomb threats force evacuation of Moscow’s Bolshoi theatre
Bomb threats forced thou sands of people to evacuate Moscow’s Bolshoi theatre, Metropol hotel, GUM department store on the Red Square and other public places on Sunday, Nov 5 local media reported.
A spate of anonymous phone calls have caused disruption at shopping centres, train stations and public buildings across Russia in the past two months. The calls have so far proved to be false alarms and there have been no claims of responsibility.
RIA news agency, citing a source in the police, reported that as many as 5,000 people were evacuated from GUM and Metropol hotel. TASS and RIA, also quoting police sources, said the Bolshoi theatre was also evacuated.
A Reuters witness said police had cordoned off premises of Bolshoi and GUM. Tass said the evacuation was announced from Bolshoi before a performance was due to start at 1600 GMT.
Alexander Bortnikov, the head of the FSB security service said last month the authorities knew the identities of those responsible, saying they four Russian citizens based abroad with “accomplices” inside Russia.
Yemen rebels threaten to attack Saudi, UAE portsand airports
Rebels in Yemen threatened on Tuesday, Nov 7 to attack ports and air ports in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, raising the stakes in a flare-up between Riyadh and Tehran.
The threat came hours after Saudi Arabia’s powerful crown prince accused Iran of “direct military aggression” through its support for the rebels – a claim Tehra n rejected as “contrary to reality”.
The soaring tensions between the key oil producers saw crude trading at close to two-year highs on Tuesday and spooked Gulf markets. The rebels already showed on Saturday that despite a more than two-year Saudi-led bombing campaign, they retain missiles capable of striking targets deep inside the kingdom.
A rebel missile was intercepted and destroyed near Riyadh international airport the first to reach the Saudi capital with smouldering debris inside the perimeter under scoring the growing fallout for Saudi Arabia from its involvement in neighboring Yemen.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE are the two major powers in a coalition that has been fighting against the Yemeni rebels since 2015 in support of the internationally recognised government.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif retorted that “the allegations by Saudi officials were contrary to reality”, a foreign ministry spokesman said.
201 people held in Saudi anti-graft swoop
Saudi Arabia said on Thursday, Nov 9 that 201 people are being held for questioning over an estimated $100 billion in embezzlement and corruption, after the biggest purge of the kingdom’s elite in its modern his tory. Princes, ministers and a billionaire business tycoon were among dozens of high-profile figures arrested or sacked last weekend, as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman consolidates power. The purge comes amid heightened regional tensions, with Saudi Arabia and Iran facing off over a missile attack from Yemen and a potential political crisis in Lebanon after Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s shock resignation announced from Riyadh.
Authorities have frozen the bank accounts of the accused and warned that assets related to the alleged corruption cases would be seized as state property, as the government appears set to widen the crackdown. “The potential scale of corrupt practices which have been uncovered is very large,” the ministry said. “Based on our investigations over the past three years, we estimate that at least USO $100 billion has been misused through systematic corruption and embezzlement over several decades.”
High-profile figures, including billionaire tycoon Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, were arrested or sacked in the weekend crackdown -just after an anti-graft commission headed by the crown prince was established.
Prince Mohammed, the son of 81-year-old King Salman, is already seen as the country’s de facto ruler control ling all the major levers of government. With the purge, which analysts describe as a bold but risky power play, the crown prince has centralised power to a degree that is unprecedented in recent Saudi history.
Nine killed in Egypt attack
Suspected militants shot dead at least nine truck drivers in Egypt’s Sinai region late on Thursday, Nov 9 when they targeted a transport convoy, setting the vehicles on fire, medical and security sources said on Friday.
Egypt’s security forces have since 2014 been battling an Islamic State affiliate in northern Sinai, where militants have mostly hit police and soldiers but also occasionally targeted infrastructure and businesses.
Two security sources in al-Arish the area capital, said armed men attacked the convoy, which was carrying coal to a cement factory. The bodies of the truck drivers, all shot to death, were taken to the morgue of Suez public hospital, four medical sources said.
A military spokesman said there was no official statement. An interior ministry official did not respond to a request for information. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.
Iran provided capability for missile attacks from Yemen
Iran has provided the capability for ballistic missile attacks launched from Yemen, a senior US Air Force official said on Friday, Nov 10. Jeffrey Harrigian, commander for southwest Asia at the US Air Forces Central Command, also told reporters while on a visit to Dubai that it was important to find diplomatic solutions to tensions surrounding Lebanon instead of going to war.
“What we have seen, clearly from the results of the ballistic missile attacks, that there have been Iranian markings on those missiles, that’s been demonstrated,” Harrigian said. “To me that connects the dots to Iran in terms of who’s providing those missiles and that capability.”
Saudi Arabia, part of a coalition carrying out bombings of the Iran allied armed Houthi movement in Yemen, has frequently intercepted missiles fired from its neighbour. Early this month, Saudi air defence forces intercepted a ballistic missile fired from Yemen over the capital Riyadh, state news agencies reported.
Mass graves holding ‘400 IS victims’ found in Iraq
Mass graves containing at least 400 suspected Islamic State group victims have been found near the former jihadist bastion of Hawija in northern Iraq, the regional governor said on Saturday, Nov 11. The string of grisly discoveries was made at a military base around three kilometres from the city that the jihadists “turned into an execution ground”, Kirkuk governor Rakan Said said.
IS was forced out of Hawija 240 kilometres north of Baghdad by Iraqi forces in October in a sweeping offensive that has seen the group lose the vast bulk of territory it seized in 2014.
As government troops have advanced across Iraq they have uncovered dozens of mass graves holding hundreds of bodies in areas that fell under the Jihadists’ brutal rule. The burial pits near Hawija were discovered “thanks to witness accounts from local residents” given to the Iraqi military, General Mortada al-Luwaibi said.
Saad Abbas, a farmer from the area, told AFP that during the three years of IS control the group’s fighters could be seen “driving around in cars with their prisoners”. “They would shoot them and then throw them to the ground or burn their bodies,” Abbas said.
Troops systematically gang-raped Rohingya women: UN
Myanmar soldiers “systematically targeted” Rohingya women for gang-rape during violence against the minority Muslim community which triggered an exodus to Bangladesh, an UN special envoy said on Sunday, Nov 12.
Pramila Patten, a special representative of the UN Secretary General on sexual violence in conflict, made the comments after visiting Bangladesh’s southeastern district of Cox’s Bazar where some 610,000 Rohingya have taken refuge in the last ten weeks. Many of these atrocities “could be crimes against humanity”, she said. “I heard horrific stories of rape and gang-rape, with many of the women and girls who died as a result of the rape,” Patten told reporters in Dhaka. “My observations point to a pattern of wide spread atrocities, including sexual violence against Rohingya women and girls who have been systematically targeted on account of their ethnicity and religion.”
The sexual violence in Myanmar’s northern state of Rakhine was “commanded, orchestrated and perpetrated by the armed forces of Myanmar”, she said. “The forms of sexual violence we consistently heard about from survivors include gang-rape by multiple soldiers, forced public nudity and humiliation and sexual slavery in military captivity.”
Deadly raids by Rohingya militants on Myanmar police posts on August 25 sparked ferocious reprisals against the community by the military in the mainly Buddhist nation. The special representative said others involved in the sexual violence include Myanmar border police and militias composed of Buddhists and other ethnic groups in Rakhine.
Refugees are still streaming across the border from Rakhine into Bangladesh, where hundreds of thousands have settled in squalid camps. The UN now estimates the majority of the Rohingya once living in Rakhine – previously estimated at around one million have fled a campaign of violence it has likened to ethnic cleansing.
Air raids kill 21 civilians in Aleppo
At least 21 civilians, including five children, were killed on Monday, Nov 13 in air strikes on Syria’s northern Aleppo province, despite a “de-escalation zone” in place there, a monitor said.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it was not immediately clear whether the strikes on the rebel-held town of Atareb had been carried out by Syrian warplanes, or those of Damascus’s ally Russia. The monitor said three strikes hit the town’s market, adding that the overall toll was expected to rise because dozens of people had been wounded or were still missing after the attack. Atareb is in the west of Aleppo province, in an area that is part of a “de-escalation zone” agreed under a deal earlier this year between Syria’s allies Russia and Iran, and rebel backer Turkey. The zone mostly covers neighbouring ldlib province, which is largely held by opposition forces and a jihadist group formerly affiliated with al-Qaeda.
In a new report entitled “We leave or we die,” Amnesty examines four so-called “reconciliation” agreements between the Syrian government and the armed opposition that were preceded by sieges and unlawful bombardments that forced civilians to live in dire conditions and caused wide spread displacements.
Turkey detains 136 for suspected ties to coup plotters
Turkey detained 136 people, including former police, teachers and soldiers, in four separate operations on Thursday, Nov 16 over suspected links to last year’s attempted military coup, the state-run Anadolu news agency said.
Authorities detained 60 former security officials in the operation centered in the capital Ankara and spread over 30 provinces, Anadolu said.
In a separate operation that began on Wednesday and centered on Diyarbakir and spread over 26 other provinces, 55 soldiers were detained, Anadolu said. Officials were still searching for one more suspect.
Six others were detained in the northern provinces of Samsun and Karabuk, as well as 15 teachers in Ankara, Anadolu said. The suspects were alleged to be using the encrypted messaging app, Bylock, which the government says was used by the network of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.
Ankara blames Gulen, for orchestrating the failed coup in July 2016. Gulen has denied involvement and denounced the putsch. More than 50,000 people, including police, military personnel and civil servants, have been jailed pending trial in the aftermath of the July 2016 coup.
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 *
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, especially 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 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.
