Combined effort of PATHFINDER GROUP Task Force)
Bombs Blasts/IEDs
Fifteen persons, including two Frontier Corps (FC) personnel, were injured in a grenade attack on a vehicle of the FC personnel in Surab town in Kalat District in Balochistan on December 29, reports Dawn. Police said that two suspects riding a motorcycle hurled a hand grenade at the FC vehicle parked in the city area of Surab and escaped from the scene. “
At least four persons were injured in a blast near a passenger bus on Sariab Road of Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, on January 16, reports ARY News. An official of the bomb disposal squad said that it was a home-mad device packed with five-kilogram explosive material.
Four members of Sibi Scouts, a wing of the Frontier Corps’ North Wing, were killed and five others injured when their vehicle hit a landmine in Sangaan area of Sibi District on January 20, reports Dawn. Officials said the incident took place in Sangaan area where Sibi Scouts personnel were busy in clearing the area for establishing a new check-post
Targetted Killings
Unidentified gunmen shot dead a young doctor in North Waziristan District late on January 15, reports Dawn. District Police officer Shafiullah Gandapur said that Dr Waliullah, an assistant professor of pathology at the Gaju Khan Medical College in Swabi, was shot dead near Ipi village on the Mirali Bypass Road.
Two people, including a former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Nazim (Organizer), Qamar Khan, were shot dead when his vehicle came under attack by unidentified assailants near a private hospital on Mardan Road in Swabi District on January 17, reports Samaa TV. A passerby was also among the dead.
Miscellaneous
Seven soldiers of Frontier Corps (FC) laid down their lives during an exchange of fire that ensued when armed terrorists attacked their check-post located in the Sharig area of Harnai District in Balochistan on December 27, reports The Tribune. The military’s media wing said after the attack, the security force launched a large-scale search and clearance operation.
A suspected militant, identified as Luqman Khan (32) who had been missing since last one year was found dead near Sawan Mor off the Northern Bypass in outskirts of Karachi on January 4, reports Dawn. Police sources said that the deceased had been missing since 2019 from Pirabad area of Orangi Town, Karachi. The family had lodged his missing/kidnapping report at Pirabad Police Station in the same year.
A Frontier Corps (FC) soldier, Sepoy Fazal Wahid, died when terrorists from inside Afghanistan fired across the international border at a military checkpost in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Mohmand District on January 6, reports tribune.com.pk. Pakistan has consistently been raising the issue with the Afghan authorities for effective border management on their side of the border to check the cross-border terrorist incidents.
Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Sargodha arrested seven terrorists along with arms and explosive material from Girot in Khushab District, Dawn reports on January 8. The CTD team arrested Amir Baz, Shahid, Musharraf Abbas, Bawaji and Adeel Abbas and two others linked with Sipah-i-Muhammad (SMP). The team claimed recovery of a Kalashnikov with heavy quantity of bullets, 3kg explosive material and detonators.
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on January 7, acquitted Lyari gangster Uzair Baloch in two criminal cases for want of evidence, reports Daily Times. The court accepted an application moved by the accused seeking his acquittal in the two cases related to attempt to murder and Police encounter registered at Kalakot and Chakiwara Police Stations. The court exonerated him from all charges in these two cases after the prosecution side failed to produce any evidence against him. Uzair has been accused of committing 198 murders during the Lyari gang war. He was arrested by the Rangers on January 30, 2016. In April 2017, his custody was handed over to the Pakistan Army after he was accused of espionage. The Army handed him over to the Police on April 6, 2020 after three years
The Dir Scouts wing 185 on January 8, recovered a large quantity of ammunition from Jabagai Qandhaari village in Jandool area of Lower Dir District, reports thenews.com.pk. The official sources said security officials carried out an operation on a tip-off from the intelligence agencies and recovered six rocket propeller, one mortar shells, two hand grenades, explosives one Kg, over 338, rounds 455, and four fuses.
Security Forces have recovered explosives, bomb, Improvised Explosive Device (IED) making gadgets, Daesh posters and other weapons in Arakhi Killay in Orakzai District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) official sources said on January 3, reports thenews.com.pk. The sources added that the seized explosives and weapons included 854-kilogram explosives, 436 cartridges of different bores, 344 detonators, a 100-metre safety fuse cord, 87 metres prima cord, two metre IED wire, nine hand-grenades, six remote sets, five landmines, two wireless sets, one SMG machine and 13 pamphlets attributed to Daesh.
The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of the Punjab Police on January 11 arrested two militants from Dera Ghazi Khan District, reports ARY News. According to the CTD, acting on a tip-off, the law enforcement team raided their hideout and arrested both of them.
Three Army soldiers and two terrorists were killed in an exchange of fire with militants in North Waziristan District on January 14, reports Dawn. Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement that the Security Forces (SFs) carried out two separate intelligence-based operations (IBOs) on terrorist hideouts in North Waziristan. Two terrorists “including an IED (improvised explosive device) expert” were killed in the raids. During an exchange of fire with the militants, three soldiers were killed.
Two militants were killed while another was injured during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Nargosa area of South Waziristan District on January 18, reports Dawn. The killed terrorists were active members of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Sajna group and were improvised explosive device (IED) experts, terrorist trainers, motivators, and were involved in attacks on security forces.
The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of Sindh Police on January 18 arrested a student of Karachi’s Nadirshaw Edulji Dinshaw (NED) University of Engineering and Technology over charges of “international terror financing”, reports Dawn. According to DIG Omar Hamid, the held suspect is a final year student at the university. “He was involved in sending money to families of militants linked with the global [militant] Islamic State group in Syria,” said the officer. According to the CTD, Khalid used to provide cash to an associate, named Zia, in Hyderabad, who converted it into dollars before sending it to Syria. He has sent over PKR one million so far, added Hamid.
The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on January 18 arrested a suspected Sindhudesh Liberation Army (SRA) cadre, identified as Ali aka Sunni, allegedly involved in bomb attacks on Rangers from the near Safora roundabout in Sacchal area of Karachi, reports ARY News.. A weapon was also recovered from his possession during his arrest.
PAKISTAN
Sindh Government not to free main Daniel Pearl murder case accused, says report
The provincial government will not release the four accused in Daniel Pearl murder case in view of a Supreme Court order, The Tribune reports on December 27. Sources told that the Sindh government believes that the Supreme Court’s (SC) September 28, 2020 order with regard to Daniel Pearl case accused is still in the field. A three-judge bench led by Justice Mushir Alam on September 28 noted that till the next date of hearing, the respondents Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, Fahad Nasim Ahmed, Syed Salman Saqib and Sheikh Adil – shall not be released.
Prayer leader jailed for 25 years in JuD fund collection case
An Anti-terrorism Court on December 28, sentenced Ghulam Rasool Rabbani, the prayer leader of a mosque located on Superhighway in Karachi (Sindh) to over 25 years in prison for raising funds for the outlawed Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), reports Dawn. The court also ordered the provincial education department to take over and forfeit the mosque/seminary in Malir used by JuD for generating money to fund terrorist activities across the country. The court also imposed a fine of PKR 2.2 million on him. According to the prosecution, the Counter-Terrorism Department on November 11, initiated investigation against Rabbani, who belonged to the JuD and was involved in collecting funds for Madrasa/Masjid Harmain Shareefain located in Jamali Goth along the Superhighway in Malir. The prosecution alleged that such money was used for terrorist activities all over the country, financial assistance was provided to terrorists and such act fell within the ambit of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.
JUI-F leaders among 31 arrested over Hindu shrine attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Police arrested 31 persons including district leaders of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) in Karak District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on December 31, 2020, for vandalising and demolishing the shrine of a Hindu saint in Teri area of the district, reports Dawn. Police officials said, JUI-F senior leader Rehmat Salam Khattak was also among the arrested persons. He was arrested from his residence in Chokara area in Takht-i-Nusrati Tehsil (revenue unit). He served as provincial general secretary of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) before joining JUI-F.
On January 8, Police arrested another accused, Maulana Faizullah who was picked during a raid on his house, taking the tally of arrested people to 112, out of the 400 nominated in the FIR. The Police officials said Maulana Faizullah had been accused of instigating the people at a meeting before the attack.
TTP and its affiliates continue to regroup in erstwhile FATA in 2020, according to PIPS reports
A security report for 2020 released by Pakistan institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) on January 2, said while the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and affiliates continued to regroup in erstwhile FATA, Sindhi and Baloch insurgent groups have also intensified attacks, reports Dawn. The report stated that though terrorism was no longer an epidemic in Pakistan, the country faced a more severe challenge of religious extremism. The TTP and its affiliates remained the major actors of instability in Pakistan in the year 2020 which perpetrated a combined total of 67 terrorist attacks or about 46 per cent of the total reported attacks in 2020, mainly in erstwhile FATA. While six Baloch insurgent groups were found active in Balochistan, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) were the two major groups which carried out 24 attacks out of the total 34 perpetrated by the Baloch insurgents. Meanwhile, Sindhi nationalist groups perpetrated 10 terrorist attacks in Sindh, including eight by Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army.
LeT ‘comander’ Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi awarded 15-year jail for financing terrorism
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on January 8, awarded 15-year jail term to Lashkar-e-Toiba ‘commander’, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi over charges of terrorism and terror financing, reports thenews.com.pk. ATC Judge Aijaz Ahmad Butter also imposed PKR 300,000 fine on the convict. In case of default on payment of the fine, the convict would have to undergo further imprisonment. The verdict also directed the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) to arrest the co-accused in the case, Abu Anas Mohsin and produce him in the court. The CTD had booked Lakhvi in case no 26/20, registered at the CTD Lahore station under three different charges of Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA). Lakhvi was accused of running a medical dispensary to collect and disburse funds for financing terrorism. The court awarded five-year jail term to Lakhvi on each charge. Furthermore, it has been learnt that Lakhvi will be shifted to Central Jail Adiala to serve his sentence. The CTD arrested Lakhvi from Lahore on January 2. The CTD, after the arrest, issued a statement saying that Lakhvi was running a dispensary in Lahore as a front for financing militant activities.
Karachi court indicts five suspected BLA militants in Chinese consulate attack
An anti-terrorism court in Karachi on January 11 indicted five militants in the 2018 attack on the Chinese Consulate, report Samaa TV. In a hearing, the court ruled that the men were from the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). The suspects, on the other hand, denied any involvement in the attack. The court has issued notices to the witnesses and the investigating officer and instructed them to be present at the next hearing. The suspects have been identified as Ahmed, Nadir, Ali Ahmed, Abdul Latif and Aslam. On November 23, 2018, two police officers and two civilians, a father and son, were killed in firing outside the Chinese Consulate in Karachi’s Clifton. Three attackers were killed in the crossfire. The BLA claimed responsibility for the attack.
No organised terrorist infrastructure exists in Pakistan today, says ISPR DG Major General Babar Iftikhar
The Director General (DG) of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Babar Iftikhar on January 11 said that no organised terrorist infrastructure exists in Pakistan today as the country fought successfully against the internal and external security challenges, reports ARY News. Major General Babar Iftikhar said that he is holding the press conference to highlight the latest situation of the country’s security. He said that in 2020, locust invasion and coronavirus pandemic have created difficulties alongside security challenges to the country. He said that the state, national institutions, armed forces and the nation become united to coup with the challenges. The DG ISPR said that the overall security situation of the country has improved and comprehensive steps were taken to secure borders with Afghanistan and Iran.
Iftikhar said that the country has always spotted facts regarding internal and external threats besides timely responding it. Following the efforts, no organised terrorist infrastructure exists in Pakistan today. 371,000 operations had been conducted in the last three years under Radd-ul-Fasaad and the armed forces had successfully eliminated the illegal arms and ammunition. The tribal areas are now a part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province and the rate of the terrorist incident was reduced up to 45 per cent in 2020 as compared to the last year. “Security institutions have foiled more than 50 per cent of terrorist incidents. In 2013, Karachi was standing at the sixth number in crime index which is now 103.”
He detailed that border-fencing along 2,611-kilometre long Pakistan-Afghanistan border will be completed by the mid-2021, whereas, 37 per cent work on border fencing along Pakistan-Iran border so far which will be completed within one year. Iftikhar said that the number of ceasefire violations (CFVs) by India recorded highest in 2019 up to 3,097 times on eastern border especially the Line of Control (LoC), as well as making a failed act of aggression against Pakistan in February 2019.
Large-scale operation against terrorists commenced in Balochistan, says Balochistan Home Minister Mir Ziaullah Langove
Balochistan Home Minister Mir Ziaullah Langove on January 11 said that a large-scale operation against terrorists has been commenced in Balochistan, reports ARY News. Mir Ziaullah Langove chaired a meeting on law and order situation where the participants reviewed an investigation report regarding the Mach massacre besides discussing the future strategy and recommendations. “A large-scale operation has been commenced against terrorists as the enemies of the country are behind the latest wave of terrorism,” said the Minister. He said that the anti-state elements wanted to divide the nation on sectarian and ethnic basis besides carrying out terrorist activities in an organised way.
Afghanistan – Internal Dynamics
First VP Amrullah Saleh blames Taliban for maintaining ties with Al Qaeda
On December 27, First Vice President (VP) Amrullah Saleh said that the Taliban still maintains ties with al Qaeda and that their separation “is harder than desalination”, reports Tolo News. First VP Amrullah Saleh wrote on his Twitter account that Afghan Security Forces killed three al-Qaeda members in a Taliban compound in southern Afghanistan ten months after the Taliban committed to separate itself from the network as part of their deal with the United States. However, Mawlawi Abdul Hakim Sharaee, a member of the Taliban’s leadership council, said that the group will not allow any foreign fighters to use Afghanistan’s soil against any other country.
Taliban’s war has no Islamic basis, say clerics in Herat Province
On December 29, Religious scholars and influential clerics from Herat said that the Taliban’s narrative of establishing an Islamic political system in Afghanistan should not obstruct the peace process in the country, reports Tolo News. Mawlavi Khudadad Saleh, the head of the Herat clerical council, rejected the Taliban’s ‘unilateral’ stance about the establishment of an Islamic system in the country, suggesting that only Afghanistan’s scholars can decide about such a system.“Shia has the right, Sunni has the right, Hindu has the right to live in Afghanistan, all layers of the society should be considered in talks. We do not talk about an imposed Islam; we talk about the Islam which the Quran talks about. We have respected Ulemas in Afghanistan, only these respected clerics can decide about it,” said Mawlavi Khudadad Saleh, the head of Herat Clerical Council.
Security Forces abandon 193 checkpoints to Taliban in Kandahar Province
Local Officials on December 30 said that Afghan Security Forces have abandoned 193 checkpost and outposts in Kandahar province in recent weeks, reports Gulf News. “Afghan security forces have retreated from 193 checkpoints and outposts in Zharai, Maiwand, Arghandab and Panjwai Districts,” Kandahar Governor Hayatullah Hayat told AFP.The Defence Ministry in Kabul denied the reports, insisting government forces had been making progress in the region.
38 Taliban militants killed in Kandahar Province, says MoD
Afghan Ministry of Defense said that at least 38 Taliban insurgents were killed in Arghandab and Zherai districts of southern Kandahar Province on January 3, reports The Khaama Press.
Six ANA soldiers killed in ‘insider attack’ in Ghazni Province
Six Afghan National Army (ANA) personals were killed in an ‘insider attack’ by a Taliban ‘infiltrator’ in a security outpost in the Tawhid Abad area of Ghazni city in Ghazni Province on January 3, reports The Khaama Press. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid confirmed its role in the incident, however, claimed that Seven ANA soldiers were killed and one was captured. The ANA personals were poisoned.
53 Taliban militants killed in Kandahar Province, says Afghan MoD
Afghan Ministry of Defense (MoD) stated that on January 6 Security Forces (SFs) killed 53 Taliban militants in Arghandab and Khakriz Districts of Kandahar Province, reports The Khaama Press. According to the statement, the Taliban militants were planning to attack Afghan National Army (ANA) positions in the region before they were targeted by the Afghan SFs. Also, SFs recovered a large number of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and 67 bombs were destroyed during these offensives.
13 SFs killed in Herat Province
13 Afghan Local Policemen were killed in an attack by three Taliban “infiltrators” in their outpost in Ghorian district of Herat province on January 15, reports Tolo News. Herat Police spokesman Abdul Ahad Walizada said the attack was carried out by three Taliban “infiltrators” at around 10:00 pm.
Two female Judges killed in Kabul province
Unidentified gunmen opened fire killing two female judges of the Supreme Court in Kabul city of Kabul Province on January 17, reports Tolo News. However, no group including the Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.
Bangladesh – Internal Dynamics
RAB has taken steps to form ‘special deradicalization unit’ to deal with militancy, says RAB ADG Colonel Tofail Mostafa Sarwar
Colonel Tofail Mostafa Sarwar, Additional Director General (ADG) of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), at a views-exchange meeting on December 27 at RAB Headquarters in the capital, Dhaka city, said that RAB has taken steps to form a ‘special deradicalization unit’ to deal with militancy, reports The Daily Star. According to the official, a special committee has already been formed consisting of RAB members, academicians and religious scholars in ad hoc basis. Such committees will eventually get an institutional format in the coming days. A draft working plan has also been prepared in this regard, said ADG Tofail. RAB officials also spoke about the five stages of getting involved in extremism. Primarily, a person becomes a sympathiser, then a supporter and then transforms into an activist in the third stage. Afterwards that person becomes an extremist and finally a terrorist after taking an oath of allegiance from the leadership of the outfit, they added. The elite force’s special unit will work towards bringing back people into normalcy through deradicalization, especially those who are at the first three stages.
Three JMB cadres arrested in Rajshahi District
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested three cadres of banned militant outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) from Rajshahi District of the Rajshahi Division on December 27, reports Prothom Alo. The arrestees are Mohammad Ali (36), Hasan Ali (27) and Mohamad Emon Ali (21).
Two HuJI-B leaders arrested in Rajshahi District
Two leaders of the banned group Harkat-ul-Jihad-al Islami Bangladesh (HuJI-Bwere arrested with a huge number of books on Jihadi philosophy in Rajshahi city of Rajshahi District in Rajshahi Division on December 30, reports The Daily Star. The arrested were Mufti Ibrahim Khalil, ‘regional commander’ of Khulna and Rajshahi and Abdul Aziz, ‘coordinator’ of the outfit.
Media unknowingly propagates militancy, reveals study
A study, “The Symbiotic Relationship between Media and Terrorism,” presented at a webinar on January 3 revealed that media unknowingly propagates militancy, reports Dhaka Tribune. It observed that militant outfits tend to use the media tactically to spread their messages and the media sometimes serve the purpose unknowingly by simply publishing news of militancy through exaggerating details. It further observed that newspapers are committed to publishing the truth but sometimes violate the principles of journalism by publishing ‘thrilling’ news or engaging in unhealthy competition. Moreover, the media’s attempt to dramatize, use of detailed description of events, and unwanted adjectives to stir up readers’ feelings, and fabricated or speculative interpretations of premature news have harmed society and moved readers, leading them to a different direction, according to the study. Dhaka University Mass Communication and Journalism Associate Professor Shabnam Azim presented the study on the first day of a three-day webinar that began on January 3.
Bangladesh strongly protests US Secretary of State tagging Bangladesh with terrorist group Al-Qaeda
Bangladesh on January 13 strongly protested against “baseless remarks and falsification” by US Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo tagging Bangladesh with terrorist group al-Qaeda, reports The Independent. In his statement, Pompeo on January 12 mentioned Bangladesh as a place where the terrorist group al-Qaeda carried out attacks, falsely apprehending similar terrorist attacks in future. “Such irresponsible comment by a senior leader is very unfortunate and unacceptable. Our track record in countering terrorism has earned us global appreciation. Bangladesh considers that the US Secretary of State’s referring to Bangladesh as a possible location for al-Qaeda operations, is indeed unfounded and offers no evidence. However, if such a statement is made out of speculation, Bangladesh considers it very unfortunate, especially in the context of the ever-growing bilateral ties between the two friendly countries based on shared values, peace and common goals,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a protest note.
India – Internal Dynamics
CAF trooper injured in an IED explosion in Chhattisgarh
A Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) trooper was injured when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), planted by the Communist Party of India-Maoist cadres, exploded while it was being defused by the Security Forces (SFs) in a forested area near Pusnar village under Gangaloor Police Station limits in Bijapur District of Chhattisgarh on December 30, reports The Indian Express. “While one of the patrol teams of SFs was cordoning off the forests between Burji and Pusnar, it spotted an IED placed beneath the ground. When they were engaged in defusing the explosive, it suddenly went off, in which Constable Ritesh Patel, belonging to CAF’s 19th Battalion, sustained injuries,” said an official.
AFSPA extended in Nagaland and Manipur
In a notification on December 30, Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), has been extended to the entire state of Nagaland declaring it as a “disturbed area” for six more months, reports The Indian Express. According to Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA), due to rampant killings, loot and extortion have been going on in various parts of the state, the decision to continue AFSPA has been taken.
On the other hand, the Manipur State Government has extended the ‘Disturbed Area’ status to all parts of the state, except in Imphal Municipal area, for one more year with effect from December 1, 2020, reports Imphal Free Press. The promulgation of “Disturbed Area” status allows the enforcement of the controversial law AFPSA, giving impunity to the armed forces has been imposed extended from time to time since 1980 in the state. The decision of extending AFSPA has been due to violent activities of various extremist/insurgent groups.
On the other hand, the Manipur State Government has extended the ‘Disturbed Area’ status to all parts of the state, except in Imphal Municipal area, for one more year with effect from December 1, 2020, reports Imphal Free Press. The promulgation of “Disturbed Area” status allows the enforcement of the controversial law AFPSA, giving impunity to the armed forces has been imposed extended from time to time since 1980 in the state. The decision of extending AFSPA has been due to violent activities of various extremist/insurgent groups.
Maoists in AOB region extend their support to farmers’ protest
The Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC) of the Communist Party of India-Maoist extended its support to the agitating farmers in the country in protest against the agricultural Acts recently passed by the central government, reports Times of India on January 1, 2021. The Maoists released a letter bearing the name of its AOBSZC secretary Ganesh, which alleged that Indian economy is facing severe agricultural sector crisis that has never occurred in the country. Ganesh accused that the green revolution concept and also globalisation policies by the governments in the past seven decades have not given any security to the farmers in the country.
Sophisticated weapons with Maoists, a concern in Odisha, says report
According to a January 2, 2021 report by Orissapost, even though the Communist Party of India-Maoist bastion in Odisha is gradually tumbling down, the use of sophisticated weapons by the rebels is a major concern. Tthe recovery of some advanced weapons from the Maoist hideouts has emerged a major cause of concern for the SFs.
According to data revealed by Odisha Police, in 2020, the Police recovered 61 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and 60 guns. As many as 26 sophisticated guns including LMG – 1, AK-47– 1, INSAS – 8, SLR – 7, Sten – 3, Carbin – 1, 303 – 3, 9mm – 2 and CM – 34 from the Maoists which is highest till now.
Terrorism affected 161 Police districts in India in 2019, according to report
Terrorism affected 161 Police Districts across the country, especially Maoist-hit states of Jharkhand, Bihar, Maharashtra, terror-hit Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and other Northeastern states in 2019, according to inputs submitted to Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) by Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) organisation in its Data on Police Organisations-2019, punjabnewsexpress.com reports on January 3. However, there was a slight fall in the number of terrorism or extremism affected districts in the country in 2019 compared to 174 in 2018, the UMHA’s focus is to reduce the number at its maximum level in 2021. Jharkhand was on the top where 22 districts were affected by terrorist or extremist problem in 2019 followed by Bihar (17); Assam and Manipur (with 16 each); Odisha and Jammu and Kashmir (with 15 each); Chhattisgarh (14); Nagaland (11); Telangana (8); Andhra Pradesh (6); five each in Kerala and West Bengal; three each in Arunachal Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh; and Madhya Pradesh (2). A graph mentioned in the report shows that the number of police districts affected in 2011 was 188, which went down in 2012 affecting only 176 districts, then another round of fall in 2013 affecting 173 districts, and 170 in 2014. With a slight jump of 172 districts in 2015, the number went up to 181 in 2016 and maintained its earlier top position with 188 terrorism affected districts in 2017 — the third year of the reign of the Narendra Modi-led government.
PFI raised funds to organise terror training camps in Kerala, according to ED
Enforcement Directorate (ED), probing the money laundering probe against the Popular Front of India (PFI), on January 5, alleged the Kerala-based outfit had raised substantial funds to organise terrorist training camps in Kerala, reports The New Indian Express. The ED said this in a statement filed in a Special Court for Prevention of Money Laundering Act cases here, opposing the bail plea filed by PFI’s student wing leader K A Rauf Sharif, arrested in connection with the money laundering probe. “Since PFI has raised substantial funds to organise terrorist training camps, its related activities and to disturb communal harmony…during the course of investigation, details of numerous bank accounts of PFI and related entities were obtained and their bank statements were analysed,” the ED said. “Statements of various functionaries of PFI and related entities were also recorded during the course of investigation,” it said. Opposing the bail plea of Sharif, the ED alleged that the foreign remittances received by Sharif were of a highly suspicious nature and appear to have been routed to his account disguised as payments related to international trade.
Monthly Fatalities
The following casualties, related to ongoing insurgencies and acts of terrorism occurred during the period Dec 25, 2020 to Jan 26, 2021:
| Civilian | Indian Security Personnel | Militant | Total | |
| Assam | 03 | 00 | 02 | 05 |
| Left wing | 11 | 00 | 05 | 16 |
| Total | 14 | 00 | 07 | 21 |
Nepal – Internal Dynamics
Police and CPN-Maoist-Chand cadres exchanged fire in Sankhuwasabha District
Police and cadres of the Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-Maoist-Chand) exchanged fire at Maidane in Sankhuwasabha District of Province No. 1 on December 27, reports Kathmandu Post. Police opened fire after three cadres of the party, including Yubraj Rai, in charge of the outfit’s district unit who is also called Uttar Kumar, attacked the Police personnel patrolling the area, according to the District Police Office.
NCP leaders and cadres belonging to warring faction clash in Kanchanpur District
The rival faction of Nepal Communist Party (NCP) clashed at the premise of party office in Kanchanpur District of Province No. 7 on December 27, reports The Himalayan Times. The cadres and leaders of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli led NCP faction and faction led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Madhav Kumar Nepal clashed in the premises of the party office. The incident occurred when the Dahal-Nepal faction tried to open the party office that was padlocked by the Oli faction, turning the situation in and around the party office tense. The Oli faction had padlocked the office after the Dahal-Nepal faction organised a meeting in the party office. Both the factions are at each other’s’ throats claiming the party office theirs. A team of Police under the command of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Amar Bahadur Thapa has been deployed to take the situation under control, informed local administration.
NC stages demonstrations in all 330 provincial constituencies against dissolution of HoR
Thousands of supporters of the Nepali Congress (NC) on January 9 staged demonstrations in all 330 provincial constituencies against dissolution of the House of Representatives (HoR), reports The Himalayan Times. Addressing a mass at Budhanilkanta, Kathmandu, NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba urged all to join hands with the NC as the communist parties had not been able to meet people’s expectations. He, however, also said it was not a democratic practice to exert pressure on the Supreme Court from the streets to give verdict in one’s favour. Deuba said, “Nepali Congress is a party that follows moral values. We believe in rule of law and the court. We shall wait for the SC’s verdict. We will abide by the decision of the court.” He further said that people’s verdict was above the SC’ verdict, so it would be alright to go to elections and seek their mandate. He however, also said that if Oli wouldn’t hold elections on the given date, the NC would throw out the PM through protests.
Sri Lanka – Internal Dynamics
Russian Ambassador alerts Public Security Minister on terrorist financing
Russian Ambassador Yury B. Materiy on December 24 apprised Public Security Minister Sarath Weerasekara about terrorist financing activities by extremist groups under the pretext of providing COVID-19 aid, reports Daily Mirror. The Minister called on the Ambassador and discussed bilateral cooperation and assistance in view of the containment of COVID-19. According to reports, the Ambassador said many extremist groups were sending money for terrorist activities under the pretext of providing humanitarian assistance to various organisations and charities. The Ambassador requested the Minister to work closely with his counterpart in Russia to marginalise such groups. The Minister, in response to the Ambassador, said a strategy was worked out after the end of the civil war to increase the intelligence units from three to seven. He recalled that 160 ‘Madrasa scholars’ were deported after they were found spreading extremism.
All Tamil political prisoners should be released under general amnesty, says former LTTE leader Karuna Amman
Former Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) leader turned politician Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman, the leader of the Tamil United Freedom Front (TUFF), speaking at a media briefing held in Kilinochchi on January 3 said that while many LTTE leaders and other members of the LTTE were released under a general amnesty, all other Tamil political prisoners should also be released under a general amnesty, reports Colombo Page. “I am of the view that all Tamil political prisoners must be released. At the end of the war, the then President and current Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa took a valuable decision to release all LTTE leaders, in accordance with a general amnesty. A group of members have been released. At present there are very few people to be released and they too should be released. In fact, their lives are very painful. These political prisoners really belong to the category of ordinary people, they were not directly involved in the war. We are concerned about their release. The government should also answer the issue of missing persons. The government should answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the issue of missing persons so that the relatives of the disappeared will have the opportunity to perform the remaining duties,” Muralitharan said
U.S. charges three Sri Lankans over 2019 Easter Sunday attacks
The United States Department of Justice on January 8 announced that three Sri Lankan citizens have been charged with terrorism offenses, including conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization (ISIS) over the 2019 Easter Sunday suicide attacks, reports Colombo Page. The three defendants named in the criminal complaint, all of whom pledged allegiance to ISIS, are: Mohamed Naufar, the “second emir” for the group of ISIS supporters that called itself “ISIS in Sri Lanka,” who allegedly led the group’s propaganda efforts, recruited others to join ISIS, and led a series of multi-day military-type trainings; Mohamed Anwar Mohamed Riskan, who allegedly helped manufacture the IEDs used in the Easter Attacks; and Ahamed Milhan Hayathu Moahmed, who allegedly executed a Police officer in order to obtain the officer’s firearm, shot a suspected informant, and scouted a location for a separate terrorist attack. All the defendants are in custody in Sri Lanka, and the Justice Department said it will support the Sri Lankan investigation and prosecution in Sri Lanka and will continue to work with the authorities there to pursue the shared goal of holding these defendants accountable for their crimes.
Sri Lanka’s human rights situation seriously deteriorated under administration of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, says HRW
Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on January 13 in its World Report 2021 that Sri Lanka’s human rights situation has seriously deteriorated under the administration of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, reports Colombo Page. According to the report, Government security forces have increased intimidation and surveillance of human rights activists, victims of past abuses, lawyers, and journalists. Minority Muslim and Tamil communities have faced discrimination and threats. The Government pushed through passage of a constitutional amendment that undermines judicial independence and weakens oversight institutions, such as the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka. In February, Sri Lanka withdrew its commitments to the 2015 United Nations Human Rights Council for truth seeking, accountability, and reconciliation following the country’s long civil war.
INTERNATIONAL
Three UN peacekeepers killed in C Africa ahead of national polls
Three UN peacekeepers have been killed by unidentified combatants in the Central African Republic, the United Nations said, as the country prepares for a general election and fighting continues between rebels and government forces.
The news came after a rebel coalition called off a ceasefire and said it would resume its march on the capital, as well as the arrival of troops from Russia and Rwanda to shore up the government of the resource-rich country.
“Three peacekeepers from Burundi were killed and two others were wounded” following attacks on UN troops and Central African national defence and security forces, the UN said in a statement on Friday, Dec 25. The assaults took place in Dekoa, central Kemo Prefecture, and in Bakouma, in the southern Mbomou Prefecture, it said, without providing further details.
Iraqi govt to take Trump’s pardons for Blackwater to UNSC
A member of the security and defence committee in the Iraqi parliament has sharply criticised US President Donald Trump’s decision to pardon four former Blackwater contractors jailed over the killing of 14 Iraqi civilians, calling on the Baghdad government to take the case to an international court as well as the UN Security.
Adnan al-Asadi told the Arabic service of Russia’s Sputnik news agency on Friday, Dec 25 that Blackwater, now renamed Academi, consisted of a group of mercenaries who were brought by US military forces to Iraq to participate in battles and carry out massacres.“What happened in Baghdad’s Nisour Square in September 2007 was a wholesale carnage, and they killed Iraqi civilians in cold blood,” he noted.
207 killed in Ethiopia attack
A total of 207 people were killed in a Wednesday (Dec 23) attack by gunmen in western Ethiopia, the country’s Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said, more than doubling a previous count.
The independent government body had on Wednesday said 100 people were killed in their sleep and crops burned in a pre-dawn assault in the Metekel area of the Benishangul-Gumuz region.
Mostly inhabited by ethnic Shinasha, Oromo and Amhara people – the last two making up Ethiopia’s most numerous groups – the Metekel area has suffered a string of deadly attacks in recent months.
Local leaders blame ethnic Gumuz people for the violence.
Iran warns Israel not to cross the Gulf ‘red lines’
Iran warned Israel on Monday, Dec 28 not to cross its “red lines” in the Gulf in the final days of Donald Trump’s presidency and following a reported Israeli submarine deployment.
Foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh stressed the Islamic republic would defend itself against any American military “adventure” in the run-up to the January 20 handover of power in Washington. The statement came a week after the US Navy announced a nuclear submarine was being deployed to the Gulf, in a new show of force directed at Iran.
Media in Israel have since reported that an Israeli submarine has crossed the Suez Canal also headed for the Gulf, a report that has not been officially confirmed or denied. “Everyone knows the policies (of Tehran) regarding security and national security… Everyone knows very well how high the risk is raised if the red lines of Iran are crossed.”
50 journalists killed in 2020: Watchdog
Fifty journalists and media workers were killed in connection with their work in 2020, the majority in countries that are not at war, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said on Tuesday, Dec 29. The figure shows an increase in the targeting of reporters investigating organised crime, corruption or environmental issues, the watchdog said. It highlighted murders in Mexico, India and Pakistan.
Eighty-four percent of those killed this year were “deliberately targeted” for their work, RSF said in its annual report, compared to 63 percent in 2019. “For several years now, Reporters Without Borders has noted that investigative journalists are really in the crosshairs of states, or cartels,” said Pauline Ades-Mevel, RSF editor-in-chief.
Mexico was the deadliest country, with eight killed. None of the Mexico killings had yet been punished, added RSF, which has compiled annual data on violence against journalists around the globe since 1995. Five journalists were killed in war-torn Afghanistan, it said, noting an increase in targeted attacks on media workers in recent months even as peace talks between the government and Taliban are ongoing.
The total number of journalists killed in 2020 was lower than the 53 reported in 2019, although RSF said fewer journalists worked in the field this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
25 killed in east DR Congo, ADF militia blamed
At least 25 civilians have been killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s troubled east, local officials said on Friday, Jan 01 blaming the attack on the notorious ADF militia.
The army was chasing ADF fighters on Thursday when they found the bodies of 25 civilians, who had been “taken by surprise in their fields on New Year’s Eve,” Donat Kibuana, the administrator of Beni territory in North Kivu province, told AFP.
The massacre took place in the village of Tingwe, about eight kilometres (five miles) from the town of Eringeti. The head of the civil society organisation in Tingwe, Bravo Mohindo Vukulu, said at least 30 had died.
The ADF, which originated in the 1990s as a Ugandan Muslim rebel group, is one of dozens of militias that plague the eastern provinces of the vast country. It is blamed for the deaths of around 800 civilians over the past year in North Kivu province, which borders Uganda. The group makes money notably through wood trafficking and DR Congo officials suspect some military are complicit in the violent raids.
Bomb kills two French soldiers
Two French soldiers died when their vehicle hit an improvised explosive device in northeastern Mali on Sunday, Jan 3 just days after three others were killed in similar fashion. —AFP
Armed groups attack Bangassou
Armed groups attacked the Central African Republic’s southeastern city of Bangassou on Sunday, Jan 3 weeks after rebels were accused of an attempted coup and days before expected results from a tense presidential election. A coalition of rebel groups, which control two thirds of the coup-prone country, has been waging an offensive since last month initially aimed at disrupting elections that were nonetheless held on December 27.
Bomb kills 4 soldiers in Cameroon
Four soldiers and a civilian were killed on Wednesday, Jan 6 when an official convoy was hit by makeshift explosives in a restive English-speaking region of Cameroon, the government said.
A government spokesman blamed “separatist terrorists” for the killings in the Northwest province, where Anglophone separatists are fighting for independence. The official whose convoy was apparently targeted was unhurt, spokesman Rene Emmanuel Sadi said in a statement.
Six DR Congo rangers killed
At least six rangers in DR Congo’s Virunga national park, famous for its mountain gorillas, were killed on Sunday, Jan 10 in an attack officials blamed on a militia group.
The Unesco World Heritage site is caught up in persistent unrest in the eastern North Kivu province, where a plethora of armed groups are battling for control of rich mineral deposits.
Over 80 killed in Ethiopia attack
More than 80 civilians died in the latest attack in an area of western Ethiopia that has seen recurring grisly violence in recent months, the national human rights commission said on Wednesday, Jan 13.
“We’ve received information that over 80 civilians were killed on January 12 in an area called Daletti” in Ethiopia’s Benishangul-Gumuz region, Aaron Maasho, an advisor and spokesman for the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC), told AFP. The village of Daletti is located in the Metekel area, where hundreds of civilians have been killed by assailants using guns, knives and other weapons in attacks going back to at least September.
Death toll in Darfur clashes rises to 48
Ongoing clashes in Sudan’s restive Darfur have killed at least 48 people in two days, state media said Sunday, Jan 17 just over two weeks after a long-running peacekeeping mission ended operations.
The violence has reportedly pitted the Massalit tribe against Arab nomads in El Geneina, the capital of West Darfur state, quickly morphing into broader fighting involving armed militias in the area.
