Bomb/IED attacks

Five people, including two children, were injured in a bomb blast took place near a bus terminal on Mall Road in Chaman town of Qila Abdullah District in Baluchistan on March 4, reports Dawn. Official sources said that a motorbike loaded with explosives was parked near the bus terminal in Chaman when it went off. A senior police officer said that windowpanes of sever­ al nearby shops and buildings were smashed due the impact of blast. A least three vehicles, including a bus, were also damaged.

A Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express escaped a big disaster as an explosion took place on tracks near Dera Murad Jamali town in Naseer a bad District on March 4, reports Dawn. Four bogies of Jaffar Express were derailed due to the impact of the blast which damaged a big portion of the track. Over 300 feet long track was badly damaged in the blast. No casualty was reported.

Four Defence Service Guard (DSG) personnel were killed while two local employees were injured in the aftermath of an explosion in a gas pipeline in the gas rich Sui area of the province by the Salach Liberation Tigers (BLT) militants on March 8, reports Business Standard.

Two persons were killed and nine others injured in the Chatkan area of Panjgur District in Balochistan on March 14 after an improvised explosive device (IED) concealed in a motorbike exploded, reports The Express Tribune. According to the Police, unidentified militants parked an IED-fitted motor­ bike inside a garage at Chatkan Bazaar, which exploded with a huge bang, killing two people and injuring nine others. “The gas cylinder inside the motor workshop also exploded along with the IED engulfing the whole garage in flames due to presence of petrol,” said Panjgur District Police Officer (DPO) Jameel Ahmed.

A bomb explosion aboard a moving train killed at least five passengers and wounded seven others near Shaheed Aziz Billo checkpost in Naseerabad District of Balochistan on March 17, reports Daily Times. Official Abdullah Jamali said the bomb went off in one of the cars of a Quetta-bound Jaffar Express which damaged five cars of the train No one claimed responsibility for the blast.

Earlier on March 16, the Security Forces (SFs) foiled a bid to target train, recovered and defused explosives planted by track in Dera murad jamali town of Naseer a bad district, reports Daily Times. unidentified militants had planted two-kilogram explosives with the railway track near main bus terminal in Dera Murad Jamali. The SFs recovered and defused the explosives aimed at targeting Jaffar Express preventing causalities and property damages.

At least three persons, including two Policemen, were injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion near a police vehicle in Parowa area of Dera Ismail Khan District on March 18, reports Dawn. The police van was on a routine patrol in Parowa area, which bor­ders Dera Ghazi Khan, when the bomb planted on a bicycle went off , Dera Ismail Khan District Police Office (DPO) Saleem Riaz said. As a result of the blast, two Police offi­cials including a sub-inspector and a passer-by sustained injuries. DPO Riaz said eight kilogram’s of explosives had been used in the IED that targeted the Police vehicle. A man and his six-year-old daughter were injured in a landmine explosion in Soya tehsil (revenue unit) of North Waziristan District on March 24, reports Dawn. Officials said that Gui Dada and his daughter, Salma Bibi, were walking near Norra Manza checkpost when a landmine went off.

Targetted Killings

A Policeman, identified as Jehangir, was killed by unidentified militants during combing operation in Hijrat Colony under Civil Lines Police Station of Karachi on March 3, reports Pakistan Observer.

A Brohi folk singer was shot at by unknown assailants in Pir ­Jhalwan area of the Khuzdar district on March 11. Armed men riding a motorcycle opened fire at Ghulam Muhammad Saqib near the Pir­ Jhalwan Bus Stop injuring him seri­ously. On receipt of information, the police reached the spot and shifted the singer to the District Headquarters Hospital. He was later referred to a Karachi hospital in view of his critical condition .

One Doctor, Professor Dr. Awliya Jan Wazir was killed by extortionist in Zangal Khel area of Kohat District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on March 14, reports The Express Tribune. According to a police report, slain Professor Dr. Awliya Jan Wazir of North Waziristan’s Shawal tehsil (revenue unit) was an eye specialist at the Kohat Hospital. Alongside, he ran a private clinic in the District.

A Police Constable of Counter­ Terrorism Department (CTD), identi­fied as Arab Khan, was killed when unidentified assailants opened fire on him in Muddy area in Kulachi tehsil (revenue division) of Dera Ismail Khan District on March 15, reports The News International. The sources said Khan was on his way home after offering Friday prayers when unidentified motorcyclists opened fire on him, killing him on the spot. The killers however, escaped.

Unidentified motorcycle borne gunmen on March 22 targeting Mufti Taqi Usmani opened fire on two vehicles at NIPA Chowrangi area of the City, killing two of his guards, reports Daily Times. One of the two guards was a Sindh Police official and the other belonging to a private company, Mufti Usmani later told a private TV channel that he was trav­eling with his wife and two grand­ sons, who remained unhurt. He fur­ther said the motorcyclists fired from the back at the vehicle and then went forward and again fired.

Police on March 24 recovered three bullet-riddled bodies in Zadin area under Rakhni tehsil (revenue unit) in Barkhan District of Balochistan, reports The Express Tribune. Haji Muhammad Zamri, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) of Barkhan, confirmed the incident, saying that the bodies were found from Zadin area and all the victims had been shot dead with multiple bullet. The bodies were identified as Elam Deen, Nizam-ud­-Din and Raza Khan, all were resi­dents of Dera Ismail Khan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Miscellaneous

Peshawar High Court judge Justice Mohammad Ayub was left wounded after he was shot at by a group of unidentified assailants in the Phase 5 area of Hayatabad in Peshawar in the morning of February 28, reports The News. Justice Mohammad Ayub Khan was appointed as the judge of Peshawar High Court in 2017. Before his elevation, he served as judge of accountability court in Peshawar.

The Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) on March 8 arrested eight suspects during raids in different parts of Karachi, reports The News. According to a spokesperson for the Rangers, Ali Asghar Bajrani was arrested in Malir town for his involvement in various extortion cases, kidnapping for ransom, blackmailing and aerial firing. During raids in Sacchal and Saudabad, Umer Farooq, Arbaz Zubair, Khaliq, Ali Ahmed alias Raza and Aslam alias Mali were appre­hended for being involved in various street crime cases, robberies and lifting motorcycles. Moreover, Rashid alias Chatta and Zubair Jahanzaib alias Bari, affiliated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement­ London (MQM-L), were arrested in Nazimabad for their alleged involvement in various criminal cases. The Rangers personnel also claimed to have seized arms and ammunition from the suspects.

Separately, the Anti Violent Crime Cell (AVCC) of the Karachi Police on March 8 arrested a sus­pected target killer allegedly involved in various cases of target killings, including the assassination of Jamia Binoria Uloomia vice-pres­ident Mufti Abdul Majeed Deenpuri and other Policemen in different part of Karachi, reports The News.

The Government of Sindh on March 8 took control of five more reli­gious seminaries in Karachi as part of a crackdown on banned outfits under the National Action Plan (NAP), reports Daily Times. Provincial Auqaf Department took administrative control of Madrassah Riaz-ul-Janna in North Karachi, Jama’at-ul-Aman and Huzaifa bin Eman in North Nazimabad, Madrassah Ma’az bin Jabal in Landhi and Jamia Masjid Hunain in Quaidabad. The provincial authorities have taken over more than 10 seminaries and mosques in the city in last three days.

As many as 44 militants belong­ing to various parts of Balochistan surrendered before the Government during a surrendered ceremony held at the Frontier Corps (FC) Balochistan Nushki headquarters in Nushki District on March 7, reports The Express Tribune. Welcoming the step of the former militants, Frontier Corps (FC) Balochistan Commandant Colonel Azhar Ali said that a part of the Peaceful Balochistan package, so far many anti-state elements have laid down their arms and now they have to play their significant role for the development, betterment and pros­perity of the country. PKR 1.25 mil­lion was distributed among those who laid down weapons.

The Police on March 12 arrested 54 suspects during a search operation in the sensitive areas in the lim­its of the Hayatabad and East Cantonment Police Stations in Peshawar, reports The News. A spokesman for the Police said that a search and strike operation was conducted for the security of sensi­tive buildings in the limits of the Hayatabad and East Cantonment police stations. The official said 54 suspects were taken into custody whose record would be verified through the sensitive agencies.

The Sindh Rangers on March 15, arrested five suspects, including Lyari gangsters, during raids in dif­ferent parts of Karachi, reports The News. According to a Rangers spokesman, three persons, Abdul Aziz, Majid and Sohail alias Akram alias Sunny were arrested in Lyari and Garden. They were earlier associated with the Ghaffar Zikri gang, but now they were working with the Shiraz Zikri gang. A hand grenade, a detonator, a Kalashnikov, a 9mm pistol, bullets, Avon launcher with four Avon bombs were recovered from the suspects. The suspects were active in Kharadar, Ali Muhammad Lane, Lea Market, Kalri, Bihar Colony and other areas of Lyari.

Moreover, Adeel Ali Soomro and Furqan Shah were apprehended in the Sir Syed area for being involved in attempt to murder and dacoity cases. The soldiers have seized weapons and recovered looted valuables from the suspects. They were handed over to police for legal proceedings .

At least six Levies Force person­nel were killed in a terrorist attack on the Levies check post at Lal Khatai in Sanjawi area of Ziarat District on March 21 reports The Nation. According to Deputy Commissioner Ziarat, Levies force personnel were performing duty when terrorists opened fire at their check post at Lal Khatai.

A gas pipeline was damaged o March 23 in an explosion in Pir Koh area of Dera Bugti District reports The Express Tribune. As per local administration, unidentified miscreants planted an explosive device near the gas pipeline and later det­onated it by remote control. A size­ able portion of the pipeline was damaged in the blast.

Meanwhile, the law enforcement agencies foiled a terror bid by recov­ering a remote-controlled explosive device planted in the farmlands near Essa Nagri area of Brewery Road in Quetta on March 24, reports The Express Tribune. The Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) reached to the site and diffuse the bomb suc­cessfully, the BDS officials confirmed that the explosives were up to three kilograms in weight filled with nails to maximise the damage on explosion.

PAKISTAN

Daesh chief of Sindh-Balochistan chapter killed along with his deputy in Police encounter in Balochistan

The Daesh/ Islamic State (IS) chief of Sindh-Balochistan chapter, Molvi Abdullah Brohi and his deputy Hafeez Brohi, were killed in an encounter by the Shikarpur Police (Sindh) in Sibi District of Balochistan on February 28, reports Daily Times. Sajjad Ameer Sadozai, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shikarpur told the media persons during press confer­ence held at his office that Molvi Abdullah Brohi and Hafeez Brohi, the Ameer (chief) and Naib Ameer (Deputy chief) of Daish Sindh and Balochistan chapter, respectively, were involved in plotting and carry­ing out many suicide attacks, remote control blasts and IDE blasts in Sindh and Balochistan. SSP sajjad Ameer Sadozai claimed that police have recovered four hand grenades, two kalashnikovs and two TT pistol from their possession. Sindh government had placed bounty amount PKR 10 million on hafeez brohi while PRK five million bounty amount has been announced for molvi Abdullah brohi, SSP said.

Share evidence against Masood Azhar acceptable to Pakistan’s courts, says Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on March 1 said that if India has “solid evidence” regarding Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar ‘s involvement in the Pulwama attack, it should share that with Pakistan “so we can convince the judiciary and the people”, reports Dawn. The Foreign Minister made these remarks during an interview with CNN journalist Christiane Amanpour regarding Pakistan’s ongoing tensions with India, which was sparked by the Pulwama incident and has since led to armed conflict at the Line of Control (LoC). Qureshi was asked how he would respond to Indian concerns regarding Jaish-e­ Muhammad (JeM).

“My message to the Indians is that this is a new government that has a new mindset. We want to live in peace. We have a people-centric agenda. We want to concentrate on fixing the economy. We want to improve governance and eradicate corruption in Pakistan. That’s the mandate given to us. “We want to see peace and reconciliation in Pakistan and the region. The west­ ern front is consuming us; we do not want [escalation on the] eastern front. The policy of our government is that we will not allow our soil to be used by any organisation or individual for terrorism against anyone, and that includes India.”

Qureshi was asked what he thought of India’s desire to have the JeM’s head’s name on the interna­tional terrorist list. “We will be open to any step that leads to de-escalation. If they have good, solid evidence, please sit and talk, initiate a dialogue and we will show reasonableness.”

When asked if Azhar was present in Pakistan and would the govern­ment go after him, Qureshi replied: “He is in Pakistan, according to my information. He is very unwell, to the extent that he cannot leave his house.” He urged India to share with Pakistan any evidence that “is acceptable to the courts of Pakistan”.

Government issues order to seize assets of all banned outfits

Government on March 4 promulgated a law to streamline the proce­dure for the implementation of the UN sanctions against individuals and organisations, amid mounting pressure from the global community to rein in the terror groups operating on its soil and curb their financing, reports Daily Times. The Foreign Office said that the Government issued the UN Security Council (Freezing and Seizure) Order, 2019 in accordance with the provisions of Pakistan’s United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Act, 1948. “The objective of the UNSC (Freezing and Seizure) Order 2019 is to streamline the procedure for imple­mentation of Security Council Sanctions against designated indi­viduals and entities,” it said in a statement. Interpreting the order, Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said it means that the government has taken over the control of assets and properties of all banned outfits operating in the country. “(From now onwards), all kinds of assets and properties of all (banned) organisations will be in the government’s control,” he said. He added that the Government will now also seize the charity wings and ambulances of such banned outfits .

JuD, FIF, and JeM seminaries, other assets confiscated in Punjab

At least two seminaries and property belonging to proscribed Jama’at-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Falah­-i-lnsaniyat (FIF) were taken over by the Government in a fresh crackdown launched by the law enforcement agencies under the National Action Plan (NAP) on March 5, reports Dawn. Major actions were taken in Chakwal and Attack Districts after the additional chief secretary of Punjab in a meet­ing with commissioners and divi­sional police heads via a video link directed the officials concerned to take over the property. In a subse­quent operation , the seminaries of JuD situated in Chakwal Madrassa Khalid Bin Waleed in the Talagang area and Madrassa Darus Salam on Chakwal’s Railway Road along with their staff were placed at the disposal of Auqaf (endowment) department. Following the Punjab government directives, administrators were appointed at the seminaries to take over their control.

According to sources, three properties owned by the JuD and FIF were spotted in Attack District during a fresh survey conducted by a divisional intelligence committee on February 27. Subsequently, the management and operational con­trol of the properties were taken over by the District administration of Attack. They were Madrassa and Masjid Musab Bin Umair in Peoples Colony, Attack. It was an under-con­struction structure spread over 13- anal area and its monthly expendi­tures were Rs60,000. It was taken over by the chief executive officer of the Attack District education author­ity. An ambulance of FIF with a monthly running expenditure of PKR 48,000 was taken over by the district emergency office, Rescue 1122, Attock. Besides, Hasanabdal assistant commissioner confiscated a 17-marla plot of the organisation on Ahmed Din Khan Road and a Passo car bearing a registration plate of Islamabad with monthly expenditure of Rs18,000.

Further, the Punjab Government also took over the administrative control of Al-Noor Masjid and sealed a religious seminary adjacent to the mosque in Sialkot District, reports Dawn. A team of local officials along with a large contingent of Police, led by Assistant Commissioner Waqar Akbar Cheema, sealed Madrassah Abdullah Bin Mubarak and took over administrative control of Masjid Al-Noor in Mundeyki Goraya village near Daska. Both establishments were said to be the local headquar­ters of Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM). The local administration of Daska also fixed banners on the gates of the mosque and seminary mention­ing taking over of their official con­trol by the Punjab Government. Sialkot District Peace Committee Chairman Hafiz Muhammad Asghar and Auqaf department Administrator Shahid Hameed Virk were also present on the occasion.

Crackdown on banned outfits in line with NAP, says ISPR DG Major General Asif Ghafoor

Pakistan Army on March 5 maintained that the recent crack­ down on banned outfits is not due to any external pressure, and that the action is being taken as part of the National Action Plan (NAP) for­mulated and endorsed by all major political parties and the military leadership back in 2014, reports Daily Times. “These actions are not being taken under any pressure but NAP, which is being implemented since 2014 when there was neither FATF nor Pulwama incident,” Inter­ Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Asif Ghafoor said in an interview with a private TV channel. He said the decision to ban Jamaat-ud­ Dawa (JuD) and Falah-e-lnsaniat Foundation (FIF) was also taken in January, weeks before the Pulwama incident took place. “So, recent actions are in line with the state’s policy being pursued rigor­ously since 2014 and have nothing to do with any outside influence,” he reiterated.

Alleged facilitator of PSP office attack arrested in Karachi

During a joint operation Security Forces (SFs) on March 6 arrested a suspected target killer involved in carrying out an attack on an office of the Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) in the Rizvia area of Liaquatabad Town in Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh, reports The News. According to a spokesperson for the Pakistan Rangers (Sindh), a member of a tar­ get killer gang, Ghufran Ahmed, associated with the Saleem Belgium group of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-London (MQM-L), was allegedly involved in the recent wave of terrorism and targeted killings in Karachi. During the initial probe, the suspect revealed that he was a facil­itator in an attack on an office of the PSP in the Rizvia area on December 23, 2018 and also conducted recon­ naissance on the instructions of the ringleader Asif Pasha alias Major. In the attack, Azhar and Naeem alias Mullah of the PSP were killed while Fahad and Yasir wounded. Eight of the suspect’s team members had been arrested by Rangers on February 25.

Pakistan’s land won’t be used for outside terrorism, says Prime Minister lmran Khan

Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on March 8 stressed that his Government will not let any armed groups function in Pakistan and is committed to implementing the National Action Plan (NAP) in letter and spirit, reports Daily Times. “This government will not allow Pakistan’s land to be used for any kind of out­ side terrorism,” Khan said while addressing a rally in Tharparkar. “We will not allow any militant group to function in our country now,” he said, adding that there is a huge desire to build a peaceful and stable Pakistan. “God willing, you will see that a new era is emerging,” he added. “After becoming the prime minister, in my first conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we talked about growing poverty in the South Asian region and how Pakistan and India should try and resolve their issues,” the prime minister said while speaking about the recent unrest between Pakistan and India. “But I did not know that as soon as their election campaign began, their pur­pose was to gain votes by spreading hate,” he lamented.

PM lmran Khan approves CPEC-style security force, incentives to spur investment in petroleum exploration

Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on March 11 gave a go-ahead for the creation of a dedicated Security Force (SF) for petroleum exploration on the pattern of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) security arrangement in order to offer lucra­tive incentives for enhanced produc­tion of domestic oil and gas resources, reports Dawn. While pre­siding over a meeting of the energy sector, the PM also approved a pro­posal of the Petroleum Division to shift the existing exploration and development policy from ‘approval regime’ to ‘information regime’ pro­viding greater freedom to oil and gas companies in operations beyond discovery stage. On top of PM also agreed to allow mid-tier exploration and production firms to enter exploration sector besides reducing timelines and stages for processing and approvals for all investors to push for aggressive search and development of local hydrocarbon reserves.

Pakistan and Iran should prioritise counter-terrorism collaboration, states Ambassador Honardoost

“Iran and Pakistan are victims of terrorism. This concern should be at the top of the agenda of negotiations and consultations between the rele­vant authorities,” Iran’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Mehdi Honardoost, said on March 16, reports Daily Times. He also referenced to the terror attack on Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps in the Sistan­ Baluchistan province as well as the abduction of border guards in October, 2018 and other terrorist activities as he called for counter-ter­rorism cooperation to be prioritised in the Pak-Iran bilateral agenda.

Ambassador Honardoost said that the “hand of a third party” was evident in these incidents, further adding that it was “not easy with brotherly and friendly ties between Pakistan and Iran” and was also involved with patronising “extrem­ism and terrorism”. However, he expressed confidence in the two coun­tries to foil the sinister designs of “the third party” together. Touching upon the recent conversation between Prime Minister Imran Khan and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Honardoost asserted that the two leaders had reaffirmed their pledge to cooperate for border security.

Pakistan to fence border with Iran

Pakistan is going to fence its bor­der with neighboring Iran in an attempt to stop militants’ cross-bor­der movement and smuggling.

Speaking at a seminar in Quetta on March 18, Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa, commander of the army’s southern command, said the fencing would start from next week, which would help contain terrorism and smuggling, a TV channel reported.

Lt-Gen Bajwa said the fencing of the border would also improve economy and legal trade between the two neighbor countries.

Defeating terror needs regional cooperation: Qureshi

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi says instead of unwarranted criticism and rhetoric, the regional countries should develop cooperative approaches to counter terrorism, as it is a global problem requiring concert­ed global efforts to get defeated.

Talking to the Global Times on March 21 during his recent visit to Beijing to co-chair the China­ Pakistan Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue, he said only through dialogue and constructive engagement could we defeat this scourge throughout South Asia.

Responding to a question about the agenda of China-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue, Qureshi said he co-chaired with State Councilor Wang Yi the inaugural meeting of Strategic Dialogue following a decision of the political leadership of both countries in November 2018 to elevate the dia­logue to foreign ministers level.

Qureshi said this platform would serve as an opportunity to further consolidate our time-tested all­ weather strategic cooperative part­nership and reiterate our commitment to building closer China­ Pakistan community of shared future in the new era. Commenting on significance of the strategic dia­logue, he said recent developments in South Asia were well-known to the world.

About Prime Minister Imran Khan’s forthcoming visit to China to attend the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, he said at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, PM Khan would attend the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in April 2019 .

“PM Imran Khan is expected to hold meetings with the Chinese leadership on the sidelines of the Forum. More details will be released in due course,” he added. To a question about Saudi Arabia ‘s pledge of $20 investment in Pakistan, he said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia were brotherly coun­tries and old friends. “Prime Minister Imran Khan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman” have carved a new vision for future development of bilateral relations.

“Saudi Arabia’s Vision for 2030″ to become an investment power­ house and global hub connecting three continents, Asia, Europe and Africa fits neatly with Pakistan’s own vision of a regional trading hub and connectivity corridor,” he added.

Bangladesh – Internal Dynamics

‘Trainer of JMB female members’ arrested in Dhaka

Rapid Action battalion (RAB) has arrested a militant, Bappi Sarkar (24), allegedly involved with the banned militant outfit Jama’at-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) from Farmgate area of the city on February 28, reports Dhaka Tribune. The man, identified, is a trainer of JMB’s female wing, RAB said. RAB says the man has been involved in militancy for seven or eight years.

HUJl-B now raising funds through robbery, says Detectives of Dhaka Police

Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) on March 4 said militant outfit Harkat­ ul-Jihad Bangladesh (HUJi-B) had been engaged in fund collection through robbery to reorganise itself and free a death row inmate either by ambushing a prison van or attacking a jail, reports Daily Star on March 5.

As part of its plan, the outfit joined hands with a robbery gang more than one and a half years ago. It supplied arms to robbers and took 30 percent of looted money in return, said Abdul Baten, additional commissioner of the Detective Branch of DMP. Abdul Baten was speaking at a press briefing at the DMP media Centre, hours after the arrests of two HUJl-B leaders (‘Hafiz’ alias ‘Khalid’ and Mamun-ur-Rashid alias Bachchu Molla) and 12 members of the robbery gang in the capital’s Jatrabari and Rampura areas on March 3. Police also recovered an AK-22 rifle, two pis­tols, 10 kg gun powder, Bangladesh Taka 3.5 lakh and some local sharp weapons and equipment from their possession. ‘The gang has so far amassed around Bangladesh Taka 5 core by committing at least nine robberies in different districts. The militant outfit took 30 percent of the money,” Baten said. The HUJl-B also uses the looted money for collecting arms and ammunition, fight­ing legal battles in courts for its leaders and supporting the families of HUJl-B men now in jail, according to DMP sleuths.

UPDF leader killed in Rangamati District

A leader of the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF) was allegedly killed by a group of unidentified assailants in Baghaichhari Upazila (sub­ District) of Rangamati District in Chittagong Division of Bangladesh on March 7, reports The Daily Star. The victim identified as Uday Bikash Chakma alias Sikke Ohan (45), of Bongoltoli union in the Upazila, was the organiser of Bongoltoli union unit UPDF. According to Police, a group of criminals opened fire on the UPDF leader when he was having tea at a local tea stall in Horengatoli area, leaving him dead on the spot. However, in a statement UPDF Rangamati unit Organiser Sochol Chakma alleged that MN Larma faction of Parbatya Chattogram Jana Samhati Samity (PCJSS-MN Larma), was involved in the killing.

Two ABT militants arrested in Narsingdi

Two suspected Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) militants were arrested on March 16 from Palash area of Narsingdi District, reports Dhaka Tribune. The arrestees were identified as Shihab Uddin alias Sourav and Rashed-ul-alias Rashed.

Seven people killed in an ambush in Rangamati

On March 18, at least seven people, including two polling offi­cials and four Ansar personnel were killed and at least 20 were wounded in an ambush by uniden­tified assailants at Noymile area in Baghaichhari Upazila (sub­ District) in Rangamati District, reports New age. The fatalities were identified as Amir Ali, Abu Tyab, Jahan-ara Begum Mihir Kanti Dutta, Bilkis Akter and Al-amin. Dhaka Tribune further adds that District Superintendent of Police (SP) Alamgir Kabir stated that eleven of the injured had sus­tained gunshot injuries and were critical. No individual or group has claimed credit for the attack yet.

According to Additional Deputy Commissioner (DC) SM Shafi Kamal the polling centres where the victim election officials carried out their duties were situated at Baghaihat and Baghaichhari.

Three JMB militants arrested in Chapai Nawabganj District Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested three militants of Jama’at-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) at Chotigram village in Chapai Nawabganj District of Rajshahi Division on March 19, reports The Daily Star. The arrestees are Harun-ur-Rashid (48) Abd-ur-Rahman (56) and Golam Azam (39) Rab raided a guava orchard in the area and arrested the trio when they were holding a clandestine meeting there. The elite force also recovered six books on jihad from their possession.

Seven militants arrested with huge arms and ammunition in Lalmonirhat District

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested seven militants with huge arms and ammunition in different overnight raids in Lalmonirhat District of Rangpur Division on March 21, reports New Age.

A special operational team of RAB raided a tin-shed room in vil­lage Mushrat Modati of Lalmonirhat and arrested five Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) operatives. The arrested were identified as regional coordinator of ABT Hasan Ali alias Lal, its central Shura mem­ber Asmat Ali alias Laltu, members of its extremist wing Shafi-ul-Islam Saddam, Abu Nayeem Mister, and Ali Hossain. The elite force also recovered two foreign pistols, two magazines, four bullets, explosives and devices for making bombs, books and leaflets propagating extremism and four mobile phones from them.

In an identical raid, the RAB arrested two Jama’at-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh operatives in a road­ side area in village Rasulganj Sahebdanga of Lalmonirhat in possession of books and leaflets propa­gating extremism on March 2.2. The arrested JMB operatives were iden­tified as Tamiz-ul-Islam, and Sunnai Islam Sunna.

India-Internal Dynamics

Pro-Khalistan slogans appear in Punjab

Pro-Khalistan slogans were painted on the walls of Ridhi Sidhi Colony and on a mile stone in Alamgarh in Ferozpur District on February 27, reports The Tribune. Police was notified after public noticed ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ and “Referendum 2020” slogans.

Naga civil organisations boycott meeting with RN Ravi

Dissenting the failure of Government of India (Gol) to sign an agreement with National Socialist Council of Nagaland­ lsaak Muivah and Naga National Political Group (NNPG), Naga Hoho decided to boycott meeting with RN Ravi chief interlocutor of peace talks, reports The Sangai Express on February 28. Naga Hoho is the apex body of naga tribes. Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) also boycotted the sched­uled meeting with RN Ravi. Naga Mothers’ Association (NMA) and the United Naga Council (UNC) also had decided to stay away from the meeting with RN Ravi. New Indian Express further adds that Naga Hoho President Chuba Ozukum stated that ‘In our previ­ous meetings, he (Ravi) had always told us that the peace talks covered all points and that there will be a comprehensive solution. He had also said that the talks were in a very advanced stage. However, the much-desired solu­tion continues to elude the Nagas. Their (Centre’s) behaviour speaks volumes of their insincerity and the lack of political will towards solving the problem. So, we didn’t find any reason to meet him’.

Two powerful can bombs recovered from a forest in Jharkhand

The Giridih Police in a joint oper­ation with the 154^th Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) recovered two powerful can bombs following a raid conducted on a Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) bunker near Dhibra forest area under Dumari Police Station in Giridih District of Jharkhand on March 1, reports The Pioneer. According to Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Dumari, Niraj Kumar, while conducting search operations at Dhibra, the team raid­ed a small artificial bunker of a Maoists located village near Dhibra and recovered two 10 kg powerful can bombs and others materials. The can bombs were about to blast but fortunately, there were detected and defused in time by anti-bomb squad. The items indicated that they were kept there only a few days ago, he added. However, no arrest could be made as the cane bombs and other explosives found dumped, said Kumar.

Maoist posters surface near Niyamgiri in Odisha

Communist Party of India-Maoist posters were found posted at some places of Kalyansinghpur Block (administrative unit) in Rayagada District of Odisha on February 28, protesting against the Government ‘s alleged attempt to suppress the “Save Niyamgiri” cam­paign, reports The Pioneer. The posters were reportedly put up by

the Baghuna Divisional Committee of the CPI-Maoist. While two posters were found near the Panchayat (village level local self­ Government institution) office, two others were seen put up near the Anganwadi center in Parasol. Urging local intellectuals and nature lovers to join their protest to save Niyamgiri, the Maoists have called upon the people not to get misguid­ed by the false promises made by the Government. In the posters the Maoists have also compared Government’s plan to hand over Niyamgiri to Sterlite and OMC as sheer fascism. Besides, the posters have also raised the issue of setting up Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp in Trilochanpur despite opposition from people.

PLFI threatens to blow up Ekangar Sarai Police Station in Bihar

The People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI), a splinter group of the Communist Party of India-Maoist, allegedly threatened to blow up the Ekangar Sarai Police Station in Nalanda District of Bihar on February 26, reports The Times of India. A purported hand-written pamphlet with red ink and ‘PLFI zindabad’ heading was found past­ed on the wall of a shop at Ekangar Sarai Railway Station. It stated that if Ekangar Sarai Police Station doesn’t stop harassing PLFI mem­bers at Ekangar Sarai Bazaar, then they would blow up the Police Station by detonating a bomb. Ekangar Sarai Station House Officer (SHO) Vivek Raj said that he had not seen the pamphlet, however, the authenticity of the purported pamphlet will be verified before initi­ating any action in this regard. He also denied any information about PLFI cadres residing at Ekangar Sarai Bazar. He asked the residents not to become panicky.

Maoists urge women to fight for their rights

The Communist Party of India­ Maoist Charla-Sabari Area Committee in Bhadradri­ Kothagudem District of Telangana has called upon women to fight against ‘oppression’ unleashed by imperialist, feudal and patriarchal forces against women and end unabated ‘gender-based violence’ in society, reports The Hindu on March 4. A statement purportedly issued by the ‘Area Committee Secretary’ Sharada said women’s emancipation and gender equality can be achieved only through social change and the New Democratic Revolution. She alleged that the rul­ing classes have reduced the International Women’s Day celebra­tions to mere conduct of Rangoli and other competitions and have restrained women from fighting for their rights. She expressed serious concern over the unabated instances of violence against women in various parts of the coun­try, she further alleged that the State and Central governments have failed in curbing crimes against women and children. She exhorted women to draw inspiration from the great women activists on the occa­sion of the ensuing International Women’s Day and wage a relent­ less fight to end all forms of gender­ based violence in society.

JMB militant arrested in Tripura

Police on March 5 arrested a Jamat-ul-Mujahideen- Bangladesh (JMB) militant Nazir Sheikh, a resi­dent of Murshidabad District of West Bengal, from West Tripura District, reports The Shillong Times. Tripura Director General of Police A. K. Shukla said that militant undertook training in making Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and was an expert. The DGP said during the visit of the Dalai Lama at Bodh Gaya on January 19, 2018, three IEDs were recovered from there and the explosives were linked to the JMB.

India’s divisive policies marginalising Muslims, other minorities: UN HR chief

United Nations Human Rights chief Michelle Bachelet on March 7 warned India that its “divisive poli­cies” have extensively marginalised Muslims and other minorities in the country. “India’s narrow political agendas are marginalising Muslims and other minorities in an already unequal society,” she said in her annual report to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. “I fear that these divisive policies will not only harm many individuals, but also undermine the success of India’s economic growth story.”

“We are receiving reports that indicate increasing harassment and targeting of minorities in particular, Muslims and people from historically disadvantaged and marginalised groups, such as Dalits and Adivasis,” she said in her annual report.

Expressing concern over the ongoing tensions in the Indian­ occupied Kashmir, she said her office was ready to investigate the situation on the ground. “I remain concerned about the ongoing ten­sions in occupied Kashmir, as shelling and firing on both sides of Line of Control continue to con­ tribute to loss of life and displace­ment,” Bachelet said.

A day earlier, UN Secretary­ General Antonio Guterres reiterated his call to Pakistan and India to “de­ escalate the tensions” between them as the situation in the region continues to pose threat to peace and security. “We are fully aware of the situation,” Guterres s spokesman Stephane Dujarnc said. adding that the UN chief was in touch with both sides at various lev­els to “express his concern and the need to do as much as anyone can to de-escalate the tensions.”

Huge quantity of ammunition, explosives seized in Jharkhand

Security Forces (SFs) recovered a huge quantity of ammunition and explosives suspected to be hidden by the Communist Party of India­ Maoist cadres from a village in Dumka District of Jharkhand on March 12, reports Mid-Day. A total of 804 live cartridges of 7.62 bore rifle, 593 cartridges of .303 rifle, six magazines of a carbine, a walkie­ talkie and 800 kilograms of explo­sives were seized from Suklatola village inside a forest area under Kathikund Police Station limits in the District. The explosives hidden in a container were meant to target security personnel, Superintendent of Police (SP), Y S Ramesh said. Naxal [Left Wing Extremism, LWE] literatures and diaries were also recovered from the spot, SP added.

Hindu Extremist group used Indian Mujahideen’s manuals on explosives

Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) charge sheet has revealed that Sanatan Sanstha a Hindu extremist group had used lit­erature on explosives from Indian Mujahideen (IM), reports Mumbai Mirror. The 6,800-page ATS charge sheet claims that the accused made a group to create a ‘Hindu Rashtra’, as mentioned in Sanatan Sanstha’s book and their motive was purport­edly to “threaten those who speak, write against Hindu religion and crit­icise Hindu religion. According to the charge sheet one of the major tasks of this group, as per the ATS, was bombing the location of the popular ‘Sunburn’ festival in Pune. In the charge sheet, the ATS has mentioned yet-undisclosed details of the Sunburn plot and has claimed to have recovered handwritten doc­uments from accused Sharad Kalaskar in coded language. “The documents show that before the 2017 ‘Sunburn’ festival, a two-day workshop was conducted in a farm­ house at Mulsi village near Pune by two Bengali speaking persons. In the documents, the bomb making procedure was jotted down in Kalaskar’s own handwriting.

CRPF trooper killed in a Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh

Communist Party of India-Maoist cadres ambushed a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) patrol party killing a trooper and injuring six others in Kondapara forest region under Aranpur Police Station limits in Dantewada District of Chhattisgarh on March 18, reports The Times of India. According to sources, a team from 231 Battalion was conducting a search operation around noon in Aranpur when Maoists ambushed them with an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast and a hail of bullets. The encounter took place near Kondapara and Kamalpur CRPF posts, Dantewada Superintendent of Police (SP), Abhishek Pallava said. The slain CRPF trooper was identified as Head constable Sashikant Tiwari, and the injured were identified as Praveen Kumar Singh, G Muthu Krishnan, Hari Krishnan, Sumit Kumar, Jitendra Singh Tomar and Pandav Kumar. Maoists have called for a boycott of the Lok Sabha (Lower House of the Indian Parliament) elections and have strung up banners warning people not to vote. Dantewada District falls under the Bastar Lok Sabha constituency, which will go to the polls on April 11 in the first phase of General Elections. Chhattisgarh has 11 Lok Sabha seats and they will vote in three phases on April 11, 18 and 23.

Nepal-Internal Dynamics

Dang Police arrested three leaders of Chand outfit for extortion

The District Police arrested three ‘district leaders’ of the Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist-Netra (CPN-Moist-Netra) from Tulsipur in Dang District on March 5, reports The Himalayan Times. The leaders arrest comes at a time when the government has launched a crackdown on Chand­-led party leaders following the det­onation of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) near the gate of Ncell head office in Nakkhu, Lalitpur, in which one per­ son was killed and two others sus­tained injuries on February 22 . According to the District Police Office, Dang, Chand-led party’s district party office member Pradip Oli, district secretariat member Ishwari Pandey and district party member Rudra Oli have been arrested as part of the investiga­tion following the spike in inci­dents of forceful donations and violence in the district. The trio were arrested as they were attending a programme organised by the party in Tulsipur to felicitate the family members of martyrs and disappeared in the conflict.

Earlier, South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP) had reported that one person among the three people who were critically injured when an unidentified group detonated a bomb with the intention of blowing off the Ncell mobile tower at Nakkhu, Lalitpur on February 22 night, succumbed to his injuries.

Monthly Fatalities

The following casualties, related to ongoing insurgencies and acts of terrorism occurred during the period Mar 26,2019 to Apr 25,2019:

Manipur	Civilian	Indian Security Personnel	Militant	Total
Arunachal P	02	00	02	04
Left Wing	22	01	07	30
Total	24	01	09	34

Bomb detonated at Bharatpur ward office in Chitwan District A powerful cylinder bomb was

detonated at the office of Bharatpur Metropolis-5, Torikhet Chitwan District on March 13, reports My Republica. According to Superintendent of Police (SP), Sushil Singh Rathore, also the Chief of District Police Office, Chitwan, the explosion smashed window screens of the ward office and destroyed official documents. The incident took place when there was massive mobilization of Police in the District. Police detained six persons immediately following the incident on charge of their involve­ment in the explosion. The Police has speculated Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal (CPN-Netra)’s involvement in the blast incident.

Army personnel defuses IED at Syuchatar

A team of Nepal Army person­nel, on March 10, defused an impro­ vised explosive device planted at Kamal Pokhari of Syuchatar in Nagarjun Municipality-10, reports The Kathmandu Post. According to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Hobindra Bogati, spokesper­son for the Metropolitan Police Range, Kathmandu, locals had informed Police after they saw a suspicious object that looked like a partly buried pressure cooker at around 1Oam. “The pressure cooker contained explosives. However, it was defused by the Nepal Army before it could explode and cause any harm,” Bogati said.

IED blast in Nawalparasi District

An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) went off in front of Department of Forests Division Office main gate in Kawasoti along the Mahendra Highway in Nawalparasi/ Nawalpur District of Gandaki province in Nepal on March 14, reports The Himalayan Times. However, no casualties were reported in the socket bomb explosion, District Police Office (DPO) informed. Earlier, an IED was discovered at Jay Shree bridge in Gaidakot along the highway locals on the eve of the Banda (general shutdown strike) enforced by Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-Maoist-Chand) on March 14.

Meanwhile, a passenger bus carrying a wedding procession was set ablaze in Badaipur of Kailali District by cadres of CPN­ Maoist-Chand on March 14, reports The Himalayan Times. The bus (Ma 1 Kha 441) was set on fire after the passengers were taken out of the vehicle and was com­pletely damaged in the arson inci­dent. Three persons were taken under Police custody while they were trying to stop vehicles that were plying the Godavari road sec­tion of Bhimdatta Highway, which connects the hilly Districts to Taraiin Far-West Province, informed Superintendent of Police (SP), Abhushan Timilsena, at Kailali District Police Office.

Surrender arms or face action, PM tells CPN-Maoist-Chand

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, on March 24, warned Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-Maoist-Chand) to surrender its weapons or get pre­ pared for more crackdowns, reports My Republica. During an address to the parliament, PM Oli said that the Government has been waiting for the former rebel party to give up weapons within the given deadline which expires next week. Failing to do so, he said, would result in fur­ther crackdown. “We have given an ultimatum to submit the weapons. The government knows how to take hold of the weapons if our calls are ignored,” Oli told parliament.

Sri Lanka-Internal Dynamic

Counter Terrorism Bill repressive, if enacted, says SLPP

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) said that the Counter Terrorism Bill, if enacted, would be repressive of all the institutions, the trade unions and the media, reports Daily Mirror on February 28. SLPP Chairman Prof. G.L. Peiris said that it was a bizarre piece of legislation seeking to terrorise all the institu­tions under the pretext of countering terrorism. He said Section 3(C) of the Bill seeks to define any damage to the Government properties and facilities as acts of terrorism. He said the present Government even charged some protesters including a few MPs (Members of Parliament) for causing damage to the tar on the road by burning an effigy during a protest in Hambantota.

One person arrested in connection with grenades found in Vavuniya in Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan Police on March 1 arrested another man in relation to the finding of a bag in Vavuniya this January, which reportedly contained four hand grenades and a pistol, from Mannar in Mannar District of Northern Province, reports Tamil Guardian. The bag, which also contained two mobile phones, was found during an extensive search operation by Sri Lanka’s Special Task Force (STF). A few days later Police arrested a former Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadre from Vavuniya in Northern Province, accusing him of being the owner of two mobile phones.

Police claimed the search opera­tion followed a tip off regarding a suspect in the area, who reportedly escaped after throwing his bag into the bushes. The bag contained a pistol, four hand grenades, two mobile phones and bullets, the Police said.

Sri Lanka to unearth details about country’s largest mass grave in Mannar, says report

Official results of tests to find out more details about the bodies found in Sri Lanka’s biggest mass grave in Mannar in Northern Province are expected to be revealed soon, reports Colombo Page on March 6. The remains of more than 300 people were dis­ covered in March 2018, in Mannar, a town in Mannar District of Northern Province. With hundreds still missing after the end of the civil war, the discovery of the mass grave has led to hope and despair among the families of the missing, but investigators are first attempt­ing to determine if the grave is related to the war and not to a nat­ural disaster or crime.

Sri Lanka U-turns on war crimes probe

Sri Lanka’s president went back on March 4 on pledges to investi­gate war-time atrocities, saying he did not want to “re-open old wounds” but sparked a rift with his cohabitation government.

Sri Lankan government troops were accused of killing at least 40 ,000 ethnic Tamil civilians in the final months of the island’s 37 year guerrilla war that ended in May 2009 .

President Maithripala Sirisena said he will formally ask the United Nations Human Rights Council to reconsider a 2015 resolution which called for credible investigations into alleged atrocities.

“It is a decade since we have established peace in this country,” Sirisena told reporters at his official residence in Colombo. “I want to tell them (the UN) not to pressure us.” “What I want to tell them is don’t dig the past and re-open old wounds. Let us forget the past and ensure that we all live in peace.”

Within hours of his remarks, Sirisena’s cohabitation government sought to distance itself from his stance and said the administration of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will remain engaged with the UN on war crimes.

The foreign ministry, which is under the prime minister, said it will back a resolution at the UN Human Rights Council on March 20 seeking a further two-year extension for Sri Lanka to deliver on promises of accountability.

“A further extension of two years through a co-sponsored roll-over resolution accordingly needs to be viewed in this backdrop,” the foreign ministry said in a statement. Sirisena and his government have been at loggerheads since he sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on October 26 and called a fresh election, sparking a major political crisis.

But the Supreme Court held that the president’s action was illegal and restored the status quo. Exactly two years ago, Sirisena bought two years from the UN rights body after a previous deadline ended without any progress in bringing war crimi­nals to justice.

A UN Human Rights Council res­olution in October 2015 granted Sri Lanka 18 months to establish a credible investigation. The two-year extension expires this month with no results. Sirisena said he will send three of his senior party members to the UNHRC sessions in Geneva this month to plead on his behalf.

“I hope they (the UN) will respond positively,” Sirisena said. The Sri Lankan government is set to send its own delegation in addition to the team of Sirisena. Despite pre­vious pledges to the UN, Sirisena has not set up any investigation.

Top UN diplomats had expressed concern over “worryingly slow” progress by Colombo. Over 100,000 people were killed in Sri Lanka’s 37 year old Tamil separatist war. Sirisena, a member of the majority Sinhalese community, received the support of the Tamil minority after promising accounta­bility for excesses carried out by the largely Sinhalese military. The UN has acknowledged that Colombo made some positive advances on constitutional and legal reforms, lim­ited land restitution and symbolic gestures towards reconciliation.

President Maithripala Sirisena and PM Ranil Wickremesinghe dispute over war crime probes, says report

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on March 7 appeared to be on collision course with President Maithripala Sirisena over Sri Lanka’s commitment to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)on war-time atrocities against Tamils as he reiterated the Government’s commitment to imple­menting the UN resolution, reports Colombo Page. The Prime Minister’s Office in a joint statement with the Foreign Ministry on March 7 said Sri Lanka will continue to demonstrate its commitment and determination towards a steady and long-lasting rec­onciliation process through a co­ sponsored resolution. It said the Government will seek an extension of the timeline of the UHRC resolution 30/1 of October 1, 2015, through a co­ sponsored roll-over resolution at the ongoing 40th session of the UNHRC.

The statement stands in contrast with President Sirisena’s comments on March 6 that he would send his own team to the UNHRC session later this month to seek a reprieve. He said the UN must allow Sri Lanka to resolve its own issues without digging into past.

UNHRC tells Sri Lanka to establish a hybrid court for war crimes allegations

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) again requested Sri Lanka to establish a hybrid court consisting of interna­tional judges, lawyers and investi­gators to probe war crimes allega­tions and crimes against humanity, reports Colombo Page on March 11. The Annual Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on Sri Lanka presented to the UNHRC at its 40th session in Geneva by United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) Michelle Bachelet last week recommended the Government to Adopt legislation establishing a hybrid court to inves­ tigate allegations of violations and abuses of international human rights law and violations of interna­tional humanitarian law.

The High Commissioner in her report on “Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka” recommended the Government to prepare a compre­hensive strategy on transitional justice, with a time-bound plan to implement the pending commit­ments made within the context of Human Rights Council resolution 30/1 and the recommendations made in the present and previous reports of the High Commissioner submitted to the Council. With regard to legislation and justice, the High Commissioner recom­mended that the Government promptly investigate and prosecute all allegations of torture and other gross human rights violations, and give the highest priority to long­ standing emblematic cases so as to regain public confidence in the justice system.

Torture and other cruel punishment employed in Sri Lanka although prohibited by law, says US human rights report

The United States (US) State Department’s Human Rights Report for 2018 which released on March 13 said that although the constitution and law prohibit Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, authori­ties reportedly employed them in Sri Lanka, reports Colombo Page. Sri Lanka’s military and police harassed civilians with impunity although civil­ian authorities generally maintained control over the security forces, the report said. It added that the Government is yet to implement a mechanism to hold accountable gov­ernment security personnel accused of crimes during the civil war.

During the year, however, the Government took steps to investi­gate, prosecute, and punish some officials who committed human rights abuses, the report noted. Human rights issues included unlawful killings; torture, notably sexual abuse; arbitrary detention by govern­ ment forces; website blocking; vio­lence against lesbian, gay bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) persons and criminalization of same­ sex sexual activity; and corruption. The US State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor published its 43^rd annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2018 and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on March 13 released the report to the public.

Excavations of Mannar mass grave halted for three months

The Chief Investigating officer and Senior Judicial Medical Officer, Dr. Shaminda Rajapakse said that a decision has been taken to halt the excavations of the Mannar mass grave in Northern Province for three months, reports Colombo Page on March 24. The decision has been reached at a discussion held into late March 22 on the next steps to be taken regarding further excavations after carbon dating studies found that the bone samples obtained from the human skeletal remains were found to be belonged to a time period between 1499 and 1720 A.D.

INTERNATIONAL

Israel’s ex-minister sentenced to 11 years for spying for Iran

An Israeli ex-minister was sentenced to 11 years in prison on Tuesday, Feb 26 for spying for his country’s main enemy Iran, with prosecutors saying the plea bargain was necessary to avoid revealing secret information.

Gonen Segev, who served as energy and infrastructure minister from 1995 to 1996, had previously agreed to a plea bargain on charges of serious espionage and transfer of information to the enemy.

Court hearings were held in secret due to the nature of the case. Little was revealed of the motives of the 63 year old, who was already disgraced after having been convict­ed for drug smuggling and attempt­ed credit card fraud.

Prosecutor Geula Cohen con­ firmed to journalists outside the Jerusalem district court that the judge had accepted the plea bargain and issued the sentence. She added that “an Israeli who spied for Iran in Africa and who ends up in prison in Israel is an important victory.” Segev’s lawyer Moshe Mazor said his client had expressed regret for his actions. “We think that the verdict conforms with his actions and has not been lightened as much as some have written,” he told journalists.

His lawyers had previously said a charge of treason had been dropped as part of the deal. The Shin Bet domestic security service previously accused him of providing Iran with “information related to the energy market, security sites in Israel, buildings and officials in polit­ical and security bodies, and more.” The crimes occurred while he was living in Nigeria between 2012 and his arrest at Israel’s Ben Gurion airport in May 2018, according to Shin Bet. It said Segev had been in contact with Iranian embassy offi­cials in Nigeria and he later visited the Islamic republic for meetings with his intelligence handlers.

Trump’s ex-lawyer brands president ‘conman’ and ‘racist’

Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen turned on his former boss in a dramatic congres­sional appearance Thursday, Feb 28calling the US president a con­ man and inveterate liar who engaged in possibly illegal conduct while in office. Cohen told the House Oversight Committee that Trump directed him last year to lie about hush payments made to a porn actress to silence her claims of an affair with Trump.

And Cohen asserted that person­ al lawyers for Trump and his family reviewed his written testimony to Congress in 2017 in which he lied about a Moscow real estate deal that was negotiated through the 2016 presidential race. Cohen, who worked for Trump for over a decade as his lawyer and vice president in the Trump Organization, was sen­tenced in December to three years in prison for the hush payments and lies to Congress both of which he said were to protect Trump as well as for tax evasion.

Myanmar officer’s wife killed by pipe bomb in latest Rakhine violence

The wife of a Myanmar military officer was killed by a pipe bomb as they moved into a new home in northern Rakhine state, the army said on Friday, March 01 as the body count in the troubled region rises with landmines and assassinations.

More than 740,000 Rohingya Muslims fled the state after an army crackdown in 2017 but security forces have turned their attention to a well-armed rebel group claiming to represent ethnic Rakhine Buddhists.

The Arakan Army (AA) has killed police and soldiers from Myanmar’s powerful military and is believed to be behind attacks tar­geting officials and security forces. A homemade pipe bomb filled with steel balls went off in the house of a newlywed major on February 26 in Buthidaung township as he and his wife were unloading furniture to move in.

She “died of wounds at the scene”, the statement said, adding that a vehicle delivering the furniture had been stopped along the way and searched by “six armed group members” in civilian clothes.

Iran says UK Hezbollah ban wrong, irresponsible

Iran condemned Britain’s deci­sion to outlaw the political wing of Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement on Saturday, Mar 2 describing it as “wrong and irresponsible.”

Britain said on Monday it would seek to make membership of the movement or inviting support for it a crime.

The decision followed outrage over the display of the Hezbollah flag, which features a Kalashnikov assault rifle, at pro-Palestinian demonstrations in London.

“Iran considers Hezbollah a legit­imate and legal force which plays an effective and undeniable role in helping its country’s political stability and safeguarding its security,” the foreign ministry said on its website. “It considers the decision to place Hezbollah on a terrorism blacklist to be wrong and irresponsible and one which will not contribute to the sta­bility and security of Lebanon.”

Hezbollah was established in 1982 during the Lebanese civil war and fought a 2006 war with Israel. It is also a major force in the country’s politics, holding three cabinet posts. Britain blacklisted Hezbollah’s military wing in 2008 but had until now made no move against its political wing.

Britain’s decision drew swift praise from both Israel and the United States.

Britain said on Monday it planned to ban all wings of Hezbollah, which Washington deems a terrorist organ­isation because of its influence in the Middle East.

US, S Korea to ‘discontinue’ major military exercise

The US military and South Korea are planning to “discontinue” annual large-scale military exercises as President Donald Trump pursues efforts to improve ties with North Korea, a US official told AFP on Friday, Mar 01.

The comment from the official, who spoke on condition of anonymi­ty, came shortly after the conclusion of Trump’s second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Hanoi, which ended without a for­ mal agreement but with both sides suggesting they will keep talking.

In South Korea, a government official suggested the drills would be downgraded rather than scrapped entirely.

The two sides are still discussing the wording of a joint statement that is expected to be released in the coming days, the official added.

NBC News first reported that the Foal Eagle drills which usually take place in the spring would be scrapped, citing two unnamed US defense officials.

Foal Eagle is the biggest of the regular joint exercises held by the allies, and has always infuriated Pyongyang, which condemned it as preparations for invasion. In the past, it has involved 200,000 South Korean forces and some 30,000 US soldiers.

Australia to bar visitors with violence convictions

Visitors who have been convicted of violence against women and chil­dren will be kicked out or barred from entering Australia, Immigration Minister David Coleman said on Sunday, March 03 as Canberra steps up its crackdown on foreign criminals. The new laws, which came into force on Thursday, build on existing legislation requiring visitor visas to be cancelled if the holder has been sentenced to 12 months or more in jail. “Australia has no tolerance for domestic violence perpetrators,” Coleman said in a statement, adding that no minimum sentence threshold was required.

“If you’ve been convicted of a violent crime against women or children, you are not welcome in this country.” Canberra has in the past denied visas to American R&B singer Chris Brown and boxing star Floyd Mayweather following their domestic violence convictions.

New Zealand has previously expressed frustration with Canberra’s law on deporting convicts, which has seen Kiwi-born criminals sent back home after serving their jail terms even though some have spent most of their lives in Australia.

Qaeda-linked Syrian group kills 21 soldiers

A Syrian Jihadist group linked to Al-Qaeda killed 21 regime and allied forces on Sunday, March 03 near ldlib province, in one of the dead­liest breaches of a six month old truce deal, a monitor said.

“At dawn, 21 fighters from the regime forces or allied militia were killed in an attack by Ansar al-Tawhid Jihadists,” the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. “Five jihadists were also killed,” Rami Abdel Rahman, the director of the Britain­ based monitoring group, said.

Ansar al-Tawhid has ties to the larger Hurras-al-Deen group, which is also active in the area. Both are considered semi-officials franchises of Al-Qaeda in Syria. The area of ldlib and small parts of the adjacent provinces of Hama and Aleppo are mostly controlled by the rival Hayat Tahrir al-Sham organisation.

HTS is led by fighters who former­ly belonged to Al-Qaeda’s ex-affiliate in Syria. Sunday’s deadly attack was carried out against regime positions in the village of Masasna, in the north of Hama province, the Observatory said. The government assault on the last major bastion of forces opposed to President Bashar al-Assad’s rule has indeed been held off but the deal’s provisions have not been implemented and the de facto truce looks shakier than ever.

China suspects detained Canadian of spying

China suspects detained former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig of spying and stealing state secrets, state media reported on Monday, March 04 turning up the heat in a diplomatic row between Beijing and Ottawa as a top Huawei executive faces possible extradition.

Another Canadian in Chinese detention businessman Michael Spavor was one of Kovrig’s main sources of intelligence, the official Xinhua news agency reported, cit­ing authorities.

The pair were detained in December in what observers see as retaliation just days after Canada arrested Chinese telecom giant Huawei’s chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, at the request of the United States.

Chinese authorities had previ­ously said the two Canadian men were under investigation on suspi­cion of endangering national securi­ty. Spying charges could expose them to tough prison sentences.

Kovrig, who now works for the International Crisis Group think tank, had often entered China using a non-diplomatic passport and business visas and has been gathering intelligence since 2017, Xinhua said.

Three ‘explosive devices’ found in London

British counter terrorism officers are investigating three “small impro­vised explosive devices” believed capable of starting small fires that were found in separate locations in London on Tuesday, March 05.

The suspicious packages con­taining padded envelopes were found at an office block next to Heathrow Airport, the post room at Waterloo station, and at offices near London City Airport n the east of the capital, according to Scotland Yard.

“The packages all A4-sized white postal bags containing yellow Jiffy bags have been assessed by specialist officers to be small impro­vised explosive devices,” London’s Metropolitan Police said in a state­ment. Irish police later said they were “assisting the Metropolitan police with their enquiries”, as Sky News reported that the packages had Irish stamps on them. The item sent to the Compass Centre, close to Heathrow ‘s north runway, was opened by staff resulting in “part of the package burning”, although there were no injuries and flights were not affected, according to police.

“These devices, at this early stage of the investigation, appear capable of igniting an initially small fire when opened,” it added, noting they were treating the incidents as “a linked series”. Officers were called to the Compass Centre at 9:55am local time, and two hours later the alarm was raised at Waterloo Station in central London.

The package was also not opened and flights continued to operate as normal. “The Met Police has issued advice to transport hubs across London to be vigilant for and report suspicious packages to police,” the force added.

Russian lslamist charged with bomb plot in Germany

German prosecutors have formally charged a Russian lslamist and acquaintance of Berlin Christmas market attacker Anis Amri with plotting an explosives attack, prosecutors said on Tuesday, March 05.

The suspect, identified as Magomed-Ali C., 31, had planned an attack with Tunisian Amri, who went on to kill 12 people in his 2016 truck rampage at the market, and French jihadist Clement Baur.

Magomed-Ali C. who accord­ing to news site Zeit Online hails from the Russian Caucasus repub­lic of Dagestan had allegedly kept TATP, a volatile explosive dubbed “mother of Satan”, in a Berlin flat in October 2016 .

The Russian national was arrested in August 2018 and for­mally charged on February 25 this year with preparing a serious act of subversive violence, prosecu­tors said in a statement. His joint plan with Baur, who has been jailed in France, had allegedly been to carry out “an lslamist attack in Germany to kill or maim as many people as possible” in order “to create a climate of fear and uncertainty”.

The Russian who had come to Germany as an asylum seeker in 2011, already a militant lslamist is believed to have first met Baur in Belgium in 2013. By 2015, Magomed-Ali C. allegedly wanted to join the Islamic State group in Syria but was barred from leaving Germany after police in June alert­ed the immigration department.

US deploys THAAD missile defence

The United States has deployed its advanced THAAD missile defence system temporarily to Israel for a joint military exercise, the first of its kind, officials said on Monday, March 11.

The two countries confirmed the deployment, with Israel’s military stressing it was “not related to any specific current event” It is the first such exercise in Israel, although the two allies hold regular joint war games. No dates have been announced for the manoeuvres .

Israel has its own missile defence system, but the exercise aims in part to examine how to incorporate THAAD so that “we are ready for any challenges in the future”, military spokesman Jonathan Conricus said.

It will also allow the US military to practice the rapid deployment of THAAD across the globe, officials said. “We see this as an opportunity to practice the integration of advanced American air defence systems into the Israeli air force air defence array,” Conricus told jour­nalists. Components and personnel have come from the United States and Italy, Conricus said. The THAAD will be deployed in southern Israel, but officials declined to say specifically where and for how long.

Israel’s enemies in the region include Iran and Lebanon’s Tehran­ backed Hezbollah, both of which are supporting President Bashar al­ Assad in neighbouring Syria. THAAD is capable of destroying short, medi­um and intermediate-range missiles.

In 2017, the US government approved its sale to Saudi Arabia, providing Riyadh with state-of the­ art capabilities that could thwart an Iranian rocket attack. It had already been supplied to Saudi Arabia’s neighbours Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

More surrenders from IS Syria bastion as end nears

Kurdish-led forces said on Tuesday, March 12 more people were surrendering from the Islamic State group’s last scrap of territory in Syria, after overnight air raids and shelling ravaged Jihadist outposts.

A ragged tent encampment in the eastern Syrian village of Baghouz is all that remains of a once-sprawling IS “caliphate” declared in 2014 across large swaths of Syria and neighbouring Iraq.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces have been try­ing to crush holdout IS fighters for weeks but the mass outpouring of men, women and children from the riverside hamlet has bogged down their advance.

Backed by the US-led coalition, the SDF renewed their assault on Sunday after warning remaining IS fighters that the time for surrendering was up. Airstrikes and shelling have pummelled Baghouz for two nights in a row, killing scores of fighters and prompting hundreds of jihadists and their relatives to surrender.

The frontline was quiet on Tuesday morning, hours after the airstrikes and rocket attacks on Monday night engulfed the last IS pocket in flames. The commander said the SDF had slowed its offen­sive after daybreak to allow for Jihadists and their relatives to turn themselves in.

Beyond the frontline, warplanes were heard rumbling overhead, as the crackle of gunfire rang from the outskirts of the IS encampment. On a hilltop overlooking the embattled village on Monday night, an AFP correspondent saw a blaze rav­aging the riverside encampment.

Since December, almost 59,000 people have left the last IS redoubt, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, around a tenth of them sus­pected Jihadist fighters. The United Nations said the numbers from Baghouz arriving in one Kurdish-run camp further north for the displaced were smaller than in previous weeks.

It said they were reaching the camp in a worse state than before. The UN’s food agency said it is con­cerned about their wellbeing. “On Sunday night more than 3,000 peo­ple, mostly women and children in a poor state, reached the camp, bringing the population there to over 65,000,” the WFP said.

“WFP is deeply concerned about the welfare of tens of thousands of people recently arriving at the Al-Hol camp,” it said Tuesday. Around 113 people two-thirds of them chil­dren under five have died en route to the camp or shortly aft arriving since December, the UN’s humanitarian coordination officer OCHA says.

British police get £100m to tackle knife crime surge

Britain’s finance minister or Wednesday, March13 announced more money for police forces to tackle the knife crime “epidemic” following a spate of teenage stab­bing murders.

An extra £100 million ($130 mil­ lion, 115 million euros) is being made available over the next year in England to cover the costs of police overtime spent tackling the issue, and to fund new Violent Crime Reduction Units.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond made the announcement in his Spring Statement budget update in parlia­ment. Stabbings have been in the spotlight following a string of fatal attacks in recent weeks.

On Thursday, a teenager became the 17^th person knifed to death in London alone in 2019. Debate has raged over whether police have the resources available and the right tactics in place to com­ bat the problem.

Government figures showed ear­lier this year that the number of fatal stabbings in England and Wales had risen to its highest level since records started more than 70 years ago. Official statistics showed there were 285 homicides where the method of killing was by a knife or sharp instrument in the 12 months up to March 2018.

Eight dead in Brazil school shooting

Two assailants opened fire on Wednesday, March 13 in a school near Sao Paulo, Brazil, killing eight people and wounding 15 others, state military police said. The two shooters committed suicide after the rampage at the school in Suzo, a community near Sao Paulo, the police said.

51 Muslims slain in NZ terror blitz

One of the right-wing extremists, who called Muslims terrorists , com­ mitted terrorism against Muslims in otherwise peaceful New Zealand. Armed with semi-automatic weapons, the terrorist rampaged through two mosques in the quiet New Zealand city of Christchurch during afternoon prayers Friday, March 15 killing 51 worshippers and wounding dozens more.

The attacker live-streamed footage of him going room to room, victim to victim, shooting the wound­ed from close range as they strug­gled to crawl away. A 28 year old Australian-born man has been arrested and charged with murder. He allegedly published a racist “manifesto” on social media before the attack, featuring conspiracy the­ories about Europeans being dis­ placed, and details of two years of preparation and radicalisation lead­ing up to the shootings .

His two targets were the Masjid al Noor mosque, where 41 people died, and a second, smaller mosque in the suburb of Linwood, where seven more died. The remaining victims succumbed in hospital.

In addition to the footage which AFP has verified, but is not distributing a number of pictures were posted to a social media account showing a semi-automatic weapon covered in the names of historical figures, many of whom were involved in the killing of Muslims. The attack has shocked New Zealanders, who are used to seeing around 50 murders a year in the entire country of 4.8 million and pride themselves on living in a secure and welcoming place.

A solemn New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the deadly mosque shootings in Christchurch had plunged the country into one of its “darkest days”. Her comments were echoed by the leader of the opposition Simon Bridges. “We stand with and support the New Zealand Islamic community,” he said. “No one in this country should live in fear, no matter their race or religion, their politics or their beliefs.”

Iran blames ‘Western hypocrisy’

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif blamed “Western hypocrisy” for the attacks on two mosques in New Zealand that killed at least 49 worshippers and wounded dozens during Friday prayers on March 15.

“Western hypocrisy of defending demonisation of Muslims as ‘free­dom of expression’ must end,” Zarif tweeted. “Impunity in Western ‘democracies’ to promote bigotry leads to this,” the tweet read.

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi earli­er “strongly condemned the inhu­man and savage” attacks and urged New Zealand’s government to punish “the perpetrators with­ out any reservations”.

370,000 dead: Syria’s war in numbers

The Syrian conflict, which entered its ninth year on Friday, March 15 has ravaged the lives of millions of people since it started in 2011 with the brutal repression of antigovernment protests. Here are some figures:

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which has a vast network of sources across Syria, says it has recorded the deaths of more than 370,000 people since unprecedented protests began on March 15, 2011.

Those killed have included 112,623 civilians , of whom 21,000 were children and 13,000 women. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) 2.9 million people are living with a per­manent disability.

A study conducted by French group Handicap International in 2017 and 2018 says that more than three fifths of Syrian refugee families include a disabled person. According to the US non-governmental organi­sation CARE, the conflict has caused the biggest population displacement since World War 11.

The fighting has pushed close to 13 million more than half the country’s pre-war population of 23 million from their homes, accord­ing to the United Nations. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says 6.2 million people have been displaced within Syria itself since 2011, while 5.6 million people are refugees in the region.

Yemen rebels warn they could target Riyadh, Abu Dhabi

Yemen’s Huthi rebels warned on Saturday, March 16 they could launch attacks against the capitals of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, who lead a military coalition against them. The threat came as the United Nations was trying to salvage a truce deal in Yemen, seen as crucial to diplo­matic efforts to end the country’s four-year war.

The Iran-linked Huthi rebels have targeted Saudi border towns and Riyadh with ballistic missiles and also claimed drone attacks on the airports of Abu Dhabi and Dubai during the course of the conflict. Saudi Arabia has said the missiles were all intercepted by its air force, with one civilian reported killed by falling shrapnel, while the UAE has denied the alleged drone attacks.

Saudi Arabia and its military a lies joined the Yemeni govern­ment’s war against the Iran-linked Huthis in March 2015, triggering what the UN calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Some 10 million Yemenis face mass starvation, according to the UN.

Both sides to the conflict stand accused of acts that could amount to war crimes. The World Health Organization estimates nearly 10,000 people have been killed in Yemen since March 2015, when Saudi Arabia and its allies joined the government’s war against the Huthis.

Other rights groups estimate the toll could be much higher.

Dissident group behind raid on Madrid’s NK Embassy

A shadowy dissident group dedi­cated to overthrowing Kim Jong Un was behind a raid on Madrid’s North Korean embassy last month, the Washington Post has reported, offer­ing the latest explanation for the mysterious event. Ten men burst into the diplomatic mission on February 22, roughing up employees before making off with documents and com­puters in two embassy vehicles they later abandoned, just days before a high-stakes nuclear summit between North Korean leader Kim and US President Donald Trump that ulti­mately failed to reach an accord.

Speculation over the identity and motive of the assailants has swirled in the Spanish media, with a report in the El Pais daily this week citing the country’s intelligence agency as saying at least two of them were linked to the CIA.

The Post however reported on Friday, Mar 15 that the operation was carried out by a group called the “Cheollima Civil Defence” (CCD), a secretive organization committed to overthrowing the Kim dynasty.

Quoting people it said were familiar with the planning and exe­cution of the mission, the newspaper said the group did not act in coordination with any governments, and that US agencies would have been particularly reluctant to be involved given the sensitive timing.

The CCD organization first emerged in 2017 when it posted an online video of kim Jong Un’s nephew, saying it had guaranteed his safety after his father, Kim’s half­ brother, was killed after being smeared with nerve agent in Kuala Lumpur airport in February that year.

Last month the group declared itself as a government in exile for the North called “Free Joseon” Joseon is an old name for Korea.

Trump slammed for ‘silence’ on white supremacist threat

Democrats led by an Arab American lawmaker attacked President Donald Trump’s “silence” on the rise of white supremacy Sunday as reaction to the New Zealand mosque massacre spilled into a heated US debate over reli­gious and racial bigotry.

With controversy swirling over Trump’s tepid response to the mas­sacre, White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney was forced to deny any affinity between the president’s anti-immigration rhetoric and the accused Christchurch shooter’s extremist views.

“The president is not a white supremacist,” Mulvaney said in an interview with Fox News Sunday, March 17. But on a separate Sunday talk show, Rashida Tlaib, a Democrat from Detroit and one of the first two Muslim women ever elected to the US Congress, charged that the pres­ident’s failure to speak out forcefully against white supremacy was mak­ing the country less safe.

“Trump is the most powerful man in the world right now,” she said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “He, from the Oval Office, from that power position, can be able to send a signal very loud and clear.”

But in comments to reporters in the Oval Office, he dismissed con­cerns that white nationalism repre­sented a growing danger around the world. “I don’t really. I think it’s a small group of people that have very, very serious problems , I guess,” Trump said.

Gunmen storm Mali army camp

At least eight people were killed on Sunday, March 17 in a raid by suspected Jihadists on an army camp in central Mali, military and security sources said, warning the toll could rise.

Driving cars and motorbikes, the attackers stormed Dioura army camp in the Mopti region at dawn, leaving “many soldiers dead or missing”, a military source said. Separately a Malian security source spoke of “a heavy toll of at least eight dead”. “There are dead soldiers, others are missing and still others are wound­ed,” he said, but could not confirm reports from local villagers” That up to 15 troops had died.

A second military source said the troops had tried to fight off the attack­ers. “Our men responded. I saw at least four bodies on the ground. We don’t have an exact toll yet but there is a lot of damage,” he said.

Yemenis score legal win in Germany over US drone strikes

Germany must ensure that the United States respects international laws when deploying drones over Yemen, a German court ruled on Tuesday, March 19 in what amount­ed to a partial victory for three Yemeni plaintiffs.

The trio had turned to the court after losing close relatives to a drone attack in 2012 in Hadramaut province. Pointing to the signifi­cance of the US airbase in the German town of Ramstein for drone deployments in Yemen, they took their case to Germany, seeking to make Berlin stop Washington from using the base in such unmanned missions.

On Tuesday, the court rejected their call for the German govern­ment to outlaw the involvement of Ramstein in drone attacks on Yemen. At the same time, the court ordered Berlin to take “appropriate measures to ascertain if the use by the US of the Ramstein airbase in armed drone deployments at the residence of the plaintiff in Yemen complies with international laws”.

“If necessary, Berlin would have to work with the US towards compli­ance with international laws,” the court said in a statement, stressing that Germany has a responsibility to protect lives.

The court said there was “clear factual evidence” showing that the US was using Ramstein base in drone missions in Yemen that “at least partially violated international law”. As such, “the plaintiffs’ right to life is unlawfully endangered”, it said.

Andreas Schueller of the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights which backs the plaintiffs, said the ruling was an “important step towards placing lim­its on the drone programme as car­ried out via Ramstein”.

“Germany must now face up to its responsibility for these strikes,” he said. The US is supporting a Saudi-led coalition fighting against Iran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen . Besides intelligence sup­ port, Washington has been supply­ing bombs and other weapons to the coalition.

NZ bans assault weapons

New Zealand is banning the sale of assault rifles and semi-automatic weapons with almost immediate effect, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Thursday, March 21 rapidly making good on a pledge to tighten the country’s gun laws. The move comes less than a week after a white supremacist rampaged through two mosques killing 50 peo­ple as they prayed, sparking global revulsion and national outrage.

Ardern added that high-capacity magazines and devices similar to bump stocks which can make rifles fire faster will also be outlawed.

Legislation enacting the restric­tion will be introduced in parliament when it meets in early April, but an interim measure means a ban on new purchases has for practical purposes already been enacted.

Reaction in the still-shocked country was positive.

For a second straight day, hun­dreds of mourners gathered under grey skies in the shattered city to lay to rest more of the dead, including a local convert to Islam and an elder­ly man who died trying to greet his white supremacist killer.

Amid the prayers and sobs there were Muslims, non-Muslims, schoolchildren and even at one point a phalanx of bikers.

Shabaab raid kills 11 in Somalia

An attack involving gunmen and bomb blasts on a complex housing government ministries in Somalia’s capital killed at least 11 people on Saturday, March 23 including the deputy labour minister, officials said. Claimed by the Al-Shabaab lslamist group, the assault was a sign of the insurgency ‘s continued ability to strike at the heart of Somalia ‘s gov­ernment, despite years of foreign military support for Mogadishu.

The fighting began with two blasts at the gates of the complex housing the labour and works min­istries. Police say at least four gun­ men then stormed the buildings, leading to a shootout as officers rushed to confront the attackers.

Senator llyas Ali Hassan con­ firmed that Saqar Ibrahim Abdalla , the deputy minister for labour and social affairs, was also killed.

Police official Ibrahim Mohamed said all the gunmen were killed. Attacks that combine bombings with gunmen have become a specialty of the al-Qaeda linked group, which is running an armed insurrection against what it sees as heretic and foreign influence in Somalia.

The group emerged from Islamic Courts that once controlled central and southern Somalia and are vari­ously estimated to number between 5,000 and 9,000 men.

Among Al-Shabaab’s adver­saries is the US military, which has killed over 800 peoples in airstrikes targeting the insurgents over the last two years.

Three IS men blow themselves up in Iraq

Three suspected Islamic State group suicide bombers blew themselves up on Sunday, March 24 in northern Iraq, the army said, a day after the Jihadists “caliphate” was wiped out in neighbouring Syria. Army spokesman Yahya Rassoul said the incident took place in a region near the Syrian border, where Jihadist sleeper cells are believed to be present. He said the sus­pects died as troops surrounded them but there were no casualties among government forces. Local officials said the suspects were killed as they were trying to attack troops in the village of Qayrawan, south of the mountainous region of Sinjar which borders Syria.

Fighters of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces on Saturday pronounced the death of the nearly five year old IS “caliphate” which once stretched across a vast swathe of Syria and Iraq. Their victory was hailed as a major landmark in the battle against the Jihadists but there have also been numerous calls for “vigilance” with many saying the fight is far from over.

139 die in Mali massacre as UN delegation visits country

More than 139 people were killed in an attack on a Fulani village in central Mali on Saturday, March 23 the United Nations said, as a del­egation visited the country.

Survivors accused traditional Dagon hunters of carrying out the deadly raid in Ogossagou , accord­ing to Boubacar Kane, the gover­ers the village. A security source told AFP the victims were shot or hacked to death with machetes. The attack was launched at dawn on Saturday in the village near the border with Burkina Faso, said several sources. The district has been the scene of frequent inter­ communal violence.

Two witnesses questioned sepa­rately by AFP said hunters had burned down nearly all the huts in the village. Guterres’s spokesman said the UN mission in Mali, MINUSMA, provided air support to deter further attacks and assisted with the evacuation of the injured.

The massacre took place as a delegation from the United Nations Security Council visited the Sahel region to assess the jihadist threat there. Earlier the UN said the visiting ambassadors from the Security Council coun­tries met on Saturday with Mali’s Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga and discussed with him the volatile situation in the Centre of the country.

While local attacks are fuelled by accusations of grazing cattle on Dogan land and disputes over access to land and water, the area is also troubled by Jihadist influ­ence. In the past four years, jihadist fighters have emerged as a threat in central Mali. A group led by radical lslamist preacher Amadou Koufa has recruited mainly from the Muslim Fulani community.

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. 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.