(Combined effort of PATHFINDER GROUP Task Force)
Bombs Blasts/IEDs
A policeman was killed and eight other people, including three Policemen, were injured in a motorcycle bomb blast in the main market of the Qila Abdullah town (Qila Abdullah District) on April 28, reports Dawn. According to the Police, the bomb strapped to the motorcycle parked at the roadside exploded when a Police patrol vehicle passed by it. The deceased Policeman was identified as Hikmatullah.
Two Levies personnel were killed and two others injured in a roadside bomb explosion in Mashkay tehsil (revenue unit) of Awaran District on May 4, reports Dawn. Levies Balochistan officials said that an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was placed at a roadside in the Bandki area and detonated by remote control when a convoy of Risaldar Major of Levies force Yahya Khan Mohammad Hasani was passing through the area. After the attack, security forces launched a search operation in the area. However, no arrest was reported till late night.
Two soldiers were killed and two others suffered injuries when their vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb in Tarkhoo area of Mamond tehsil (revenue unit) in Bajaur District on May 4, reports Dawn. The officials said the Army personnel were on a routine patrol on the Inayat Killi-Laghari highway when the bomb exploded near their vehicle. The soldiers killed were identified as Naib Subedar Javid Khan and Lance Naik Zahirullah Khan and the injured as Ijaz Khan and Saifullah Khan.
At least two Security Force (SF) personnel were injured in a blast at Tariq Hospital in Sariab area of Quetta on May 10, reports Daily Times. According to Police sources, the blast occurred when a patrolling vehicle of SFs was crossing the area near Tariq Hospital. As a result, two SF personnel received injured.
A bomb blast on May 21 at a pro-Palestinian rally organized by Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Nazaryati (JuI- Nazaryati) killed at least seven persons and injured another 14 persons at Murghi Bazar in Chaman town of Qilla Abdullah District, reports Daily Times. Senior Police official Ahmad Mohiuddin said explosives were packed into a motorbike parked near the vehicle of the religious leader taking part in the rally. No group has so far claimed responsibility.
Targetted Killings
Unidentified assailants shot dead two pro-Government support group members in the Aabsar area of Turbat town in Kech District on April 25, reports Dawn. The slain persons were identified as Syed Waris Zamrani and Dad Jan. It was the fourth attack on the persons belonging to a Government supporter group in Turbat area and the attacks had claimed five lives over the past two weeks.
Two Policemen were killed and another injured when their vehicle came under militant attack on RCD highway in Mastung area (Mastung District) on May 10, reports Samaa TV. The dead Policemen were identified as Constable Imdad Ali and Constable Nazeer.
Three persons were shot dead by unidentified assailants outside Badaber Police Station in Peshawar in the morning of May 22, reports Samaa TV. The victims, identified as Liaquat, Zeeshan, and Fajd Khan, died on spot.
Miscellaneous
The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) of Sindh Police on April 26 arrested a Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant, Nazeerullah, during a raid in Manghopir area of Karachi, reports ARY News. Explosive material and an unlicensed pistol were recovered from his possession. According to the SIU CIA, Nazeerullah disclosed during the interrogation that his father Abdullah Khan had a close affiliation with TTP commander Ehsanullah Ehsan and he joined the outfit along with another terrorist Dawa Jaan. He was motivated to carry bomb attacks against the Security Forces and provided a motorcycle to be used in the attack.
Levies forces conducted an operation in Soraf Nala area of Kohlu District on May 2 and recovered cache of arms and ammunition, reports ARY News. According to Deputy Commissioner Kohlu, Imran Ibrahim, the cache of arms and ammunition including MG-3 gun, mortar gun, missiles, rounds, rockets and other ammunition.
Police arrested three Islamic State (IS) militant, including the brother of a IS ‘commander’, in Shikarpur District of Sindh on May 2 reports Samaa TV. The arrested militants, identified as Khalid Mehmood, Siddique Brohi and Usman Brohi, were involved in several militant attacks in Shikarpur District, said Senior Superintendents of Police (SSP) Kamran Nawaz while addressing a press conference. Mehmood is the brother of Hafeez Brohi, the emir (chief) of IS Sindh chapter who was killed in an encounter with Police in Balochistan in 2019. Two pressure cooker bombs, two hand grenades and two pistols were recovered during the raid at their hideout. SSP Kamran Nawaz said that the arrested militants had escaped to Afghanistan after the 2015 attack on an Imambargah in Shikarpur, adding that they recently returned to Pakistan.
Four Frontier Corps (FC) soldiers were killed while six others were injured when militants ambushed them during a fencing activity along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in the Manzakai sector in Zhob District of Balochistan on May 5, reports Dawn. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the troops were moving for fencing activity along the border when “terrorists from Afghanistan ambushed” them. The killed soldiers were identified as Havaldar Noor Zaman, Sepoy Shakeel Abbas, Sepoy Ehsan Ullah and Naik Sultan. The Foreign Office (FO), in a statement issued said that around 20 militants were involved in the attack and they used small arms and heavy weapons.
Three soldiers and two militants were killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Dosalli area of North Waziristan District on May 5, reports Dawn. Security Forces (SFs) conducted an IBO in the Dosalli area after getting reports about the presence of militants and managed to kill two of them. During the exchange of fire with militants, Captain Faheem, sepoy Shafi and sepoy Naseem were also killed, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.
Separately, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on May 5 conducted an IBO in Landi Shah Khorgai area of Lower Dir District and recovered a cache of arms and ammunition, reports The Express Tribune. Recovered arms and ammunition includes nine hand grenades, one mortar shell, two RPD-7 shells, three anti-person mines, two RPG-7 cartridges and 20 other cartridges.
Security Forces (SFs) on May 5 arrested four Sindh Revolutionary Army (SRA) militants in the Pehlwan Goth locality near Rabia City in Gulistan-i-Jauhar town of Karachi, reports Dawn. A team of Rangers and Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel carried out an action in the Pehlwan Goth locality and arrested Sajjad Ali, Mohsin Raza, Naushad Ali and Aslam Beg. According to a CTD spokesperson, the militants belonged to SRA’s Asghar Shah alias Sajjad Shah group and were involved in recent grenade attacks on Rangers’ posts and mobile vans. During interrogation, the militants revealed that they killed Nasrullah in Jamali Goth and made an attempt on the life of Police Inspector Amir Riaz in 2020. The Inspector was wounded in the incident and the SRA had claimed responsibility for the attack on its social media account.
The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) arrested one Muttahida Qaumi Movement – London (MQM-L) militant from Zaman Town area of Korangi in Karachi, on May 7 for his involvement in multiple killings, reports ARY News. The CTD spokesperson said in a statement that MQM-L militant was arrested during a raid in Zaman Town besides seizing weapon from his possession. The militant was identified as Muhammad Imran alias Nattu.
Three Frontier Corps (FC) soldiers were killed and another one was injured in an attack on Khalid check-post in the coalmine filed area of Margret area in Bolan District in the evening of May 8, reports The Express Tribune. According to a statement of Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the militants targeted FC troops deployed on security duties in Margret area. “During exchange of fire, three FC soldiers embraced shahadat (martyrdom) while one got injured,” the statement added. The killed soldiers were identified as Lance Naik Syed Hussain Shah, Sepoy Faisal Mehmood and Sepoy Nauman-ur-Rehman.
Separately, four FC soldiers were injured after they were attacked by unidentified militants in Sherbandi area along the Pakistan-Iran border in Turbat District on May 9, reports The Express Tribune.
An Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of Police, Muhammad Shah Khan, was killed and constable, Anwarullah, sustained injuries when unidentified militants attacked a Police vehicle on Indus Highway in Lakki Marwat District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) in the night of May 9, reports The Express Tribune. District Police Officer (DPO) Imran Khan said that five assailants had planned to attack a Police check post on Indus Highway but they encountered a Police vehicle patrolling the area before reaching their real target.“ The attackers were chased and in the ensuing gun battle two miscreants were also killed. Two motorcycles, two AK-47s and one 9mm pistol have been recovered from their possession,” DPO Imran Khan said, adding that the three other attackers managed to escape taking advantage of the darkness.
The Police on May 11 killed a militant in an encounter in Wanda Maghara village of Lakki Marwat District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, reports Dawn. An unnamed Police official said the Police helped by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) commandos launched an intelligence-based operation. The militant was among a group of militants that attacked a temporary check point on the Indus Highway in the limits of Dadiwala Police Station on May 8, killing Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Mohammad Shah and injuring constable Anwar Ali Khan.
The Bhiria Road railway track in Khairpur District of Sindh was damaged after an explosion was reported in the early morning of May 12, reports Samaa TV. According to the Railway Police, a four foot long section of the 29-lane up road track from Karachi to Punjab was blown up by explosives after which the Sukkur Express was delayed. No injuries or deaths were reported. Railway Police Station House Officer (SHO) Padaidan Ghulam Yaseen said that the Farid Express, traveling from Karachi to Lahore, narrowly escaped the blast.
PAKISTAN
Regrouping of militants is Pakistan’s biggest worry, warns US Central Command General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr.
The regrouping of terrorists like the militant Islamic State (IS) and al Qaeda would be a biggest concern for Pakistan, warned United States (US) Central Command (Centcom) General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., as the Pentagon started pulling out its troops from Afghanistan, Dawn reported on April 26. General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. warned at a recent Pentagon briefing that after the US withdrawal the biggest threat would be the regrouping of al Qaeda and IS militants who “will be able to regenerate if pressure is not kept on them”. And “that’s very concerning to all the neighbouring states, biggest concern to Pakistan,” he added. According to a transcript the Pentagon released this weekend, General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. also said that his command and American diplomats were working with nations surrounding Afghanistan on agreements to base troops and aircraft for countering terrorists after the US pull-out.
Pakistan has no control over Afghan Taliban, says Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Pakistan on April 29 dismissed the notion that it has control over the Afghan Taliban but said it will encourage them to pursue the peace process to find out a political solution to the Afghan conflict, reports Daily Times. “Pakistan has always maintained that it does not control the Taliban. We will continue encouraging them to remain engaged in the peace process leading to an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement in Afghanistan,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhry said at a weekly briefing. He said Pakistan will continue to work with the international community in efforts for ensuring a durable and lasting peace in Afghanistan.
Asked about withdrawal of the foreign forces from Afghanistan, he said it has been Pakistan’s consistent policy to support an ‘orderly’ and ‘responsible’ withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan, leaving no security vacuum that could be exploited by spoilers. “It is, therefore, important that the withdrawal coincides with the progress in the overall peace process,” he said, adding that Pakistan has also emphasized the need for continued support by all international stakeholders and concerted efforts by Afghan parties for a negotiated settlement to bring an end to over four decades long conflict in Afghanistan.
EU Parliament adopts resolution calling for review of Pakistan’s GSP+ status over blasphemy law abuse
The European Union (EU) parliament, in its latest session on April 29, adopted a resolution demanding Pakistan to allow space for religious freedom and urged the EU authorities to review Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) Plus status for Pakistan amid the increasing number of blasphemy cases, reports The News. The EU parliament session discussed the situation of blasphemy laws in Pakistan, especially the case of the Christian couple, Shafqat Emmanuel and Shagufta Kausar, under its “human rights and democracy resolutions” manifesto. The couple was awarded death penalty by a local court and waiting for their appeal to be heard by the high court. Large number of members voted in favour of the resolution. According to the details available with The News, 681 members of the EU parliament voted in favour of the resolution while only three opposed it.
The adopted resolution urged Pakistani authorities to ensure adequate medical care for Shafqat Emmanuel and Shagufta Kausar and give them judicial relief. It expressed concern at long delay in hearing of the appeal of Shagufta Kausar and Shafqat Emmanuel which is being kept postponed. The resolution expressed concern at the continuous (ab)use of blasphemy laws in Pakistan which exacerbates existing religious divides and believes that this is heightening the climate of religious intolerance, violence and discrimination. It stressed that Pakistan’s blasphemy laws were not in line with international human rights laws, and increasingly used to target vulnerable minority groups in Pakistan.
Federal Ministry of Interior forms committee to review decision on TLP ban
The Government on April 30 decided to form a three-member committee to review its decision to ban the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), reports The News. A high-level meeting was chaired by Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed to review the TLP ban. During the meeting, the appeal filed by the banned outfit was also discussed. Rasheed decided to form a three-member committee which would comprise two joint secretaries as well, to review the ban. The Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed had said the decision was taken at the Punjab Government’s request. “We are forwarding a summary to the federal cabinet to impose a ban on the TLP,” Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said in Islamabad.
JI activist and son injured in attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
A Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) activist and his son injured when unidentified assailants opened fire on them in Ali Jan area of Khar tehsil (revenue unit) in Bajaur District on May 8, reports Dawn. Khalilullah Jan, also the Al-Khidmat Foundation’s District president, along with his son was on way home after closing his medicine store in the district headquarters hospital’s medicine market when unknown assailants opened fire on them. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Separately, one soldier was injured after militants opened fire from across the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in the Bajaur District in the night of May 7, reports Dawn. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that militants from the Afghan side of the international border opened fire on a military checkpost in Pakistan. Pakistani troops responded promptly to the attack, the ISPR said, adding that a soldier was injured in the exchange of fire.
Terrorists will not be allowed to disturb peace in Western border areas, says CoAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa
The Chief of the Army Staff (CoAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on May 14 vowed that the terrorists will not be allowed to disturb the hard-earned peace in the Western border areas, reports ARY News. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), CoAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa made these remarks while visiting the Pakistan-Afghan border near Lower Dir in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said, “Terrorists would never be allowed to disturb the hard-earned peace in these areas. Pakistan Army and LEAs will do whatever it takes till the job is fully accomplished.”
Afghanistan – Internal Dynamics
US orders staff to leave due to Kabul threats
The United States on Tuesday, April 27 ordered non-essential staff to leave its Kabul embassy, citing increased threats as Washington prepares to end its 20-year war. The State Department in a travel advisory said it had “ordered the departure from US embassy Kabul of US government employees whose functions can be performed elsewhere.”
Ross Wilson, the acting US ambassador in Kabul, said that the State Department took the decision “in light of increasing violence and threat reports in Kabul.” He said that the order affected an unspecified “relatively small number” of employees and that the embassy would remain operating. “Personnel who are urgently needed to address issues related to the drawdown of US forces and the vital work we are doing in support of the Afghan people will be able to remain in place,” Wilson wrote on Twitter.
18 Taliban militants and one trooper killed in Balkh Province
The Afghan National Security and Defense Forces (ANDSF) are continuing clearance operations killed 18 Taliban militants in Balkh, Chaharbolak and Shokgara Districts in Balkh Province, reports Tolo News on April 29. The Balkh police department meanwhile said that at least 12 villages were cleared of the Taliban in the operation. Adel Shah Adel, a spokesman for Balkh police, said the Taliban sustained heavy casualties in the operations. He said one security force member was killed and one more was wounded.
25 persons killed in a VBIED attack in Logar Province
At least 25 people were killed in a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) attack happened near a guesthouse owned in the city of Pul-e-Alam in Logar Province on April 30, reports Tolo News. More than 60 persons were injured in the incident.
US formally begins withdrawing from its longest war
The United States (US) formally begins withdrawing its last troops from Afghanistan May 1, bringing its longest war nearer to an end but also heralding an uncertain future for a country in the tightening grip of an emboldened Taliban, report The Express Tribune. US officials on the ground say the withdrawal is already a work in progress and May 1 is just a continuation, but Washington has made an issue of the date because it is a deadline agreed with the Taliban in 2020 to complete the pull-out. The skies above Kabul and nearby Bagram airbase have been buzzing with more US helicopter activity than usual as the pullout gears up, following the start April 30 of a concurrent NATO withdrawal.
20 ANA troopers killed in Farah Province
The Taliban killed 20 Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers troopers and captured an army base named Shiwan in Bala Bolak district in Farah Province on May 2, reports Ariana News. According to Member of Parliament, Abdul Sattar Hussaini, the insurgents dug a tunnel into the base.
Taliban does not intend to seize power through military struggle, said Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, a top Taliban negotiator
A top negotiator for the Taliban in Doha, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai said that Taliban does not intend to seize power through military struggle, reports Tolo News. Stanekzai made the remarks during a virtual meeting with envoys from the UN, Norway, Sweden, Germany, US and the UK. Stanekzai also clarified that forming a coalition government was not a solution to the conflict, stating that there is need for a strong centralized Islamic government in which the rights of every Afghan citizen is protected, not a few. “The Islamic Emirate (the term used for Taliban movement) does not accept a coalition government. There is a need for a strong centralized Islamic system, a system in which every Afghan see their rights, not a few people, a system in which the rights of every Afghan national is reflected,” said Stanekzai. He also said that the conditional release of 7,000 Taliban prisoners and the removal of names of Taliban leaders from the UN blacklist were a key to move the peace process forward. “Whenever a member of our delegation wants to go and meet our leaders or military commanders, it takes them days and this causes disruption in the peace process,” said Stanekzai.
Death toll raises to 85 in Afghanistan girls’ school multiple bomb attacks in Kabul Province
Afghan officials on May 11 said that the death toll in a bomb attack that targeted the Sayed Al-Shuhada School for girlsin Dasht-e-Barchi in Kabul city of Kabul Province on May 9 has raised to 85, reports CNN. Another 147 people were wounded in the attack in front of the Sayed Al-Shuhada School, said Danish Hedayat, head of media for the second vice president of Afghanistan. A car bomb was detonated in the neighbourhood of Dasht-e-Barchi, and two more bombs exploded when students rushed out in panic. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also condemned the attack and expressed his deepest sympathies to the victims’ families and to the Afghan government and people.
Twelve worshipers killed in Kabul Province
Twelve worshipers, including the imam of the mosque, Mufti Numan, were killed and another 15 were injured in an explosion at the Sharif Haji Bakhshi Mosque in Qala-e-Muradbek area of Shakar Dara District in Kabul Province, reports Bakhtar News. Kabul Police spokesman Ferdows Faramarz said explosives were placed in the altar of the mosque. So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the incident.
Bangladesh – Internal Dynamics
313 donors identified who used to finance HeI
Detectives on April 27 claimed to have identified at least 313 donors, who used to finance Hefajat-e Islam (HeI) that carried out violence across the country in March protesting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bangladesh, reports The Daily Star. Confirming the development, AKM Hafiz Akhter, additional commissioner of Detective Branch (DB) of Police, said, “We have so far identified 313 people who provided funds to Hefajat.” According to investigators, a large number of them are expatriate Bangladeshis and some of them are top BNP leaders. About HeI’s funding and donors, Mohamad Asaduzzaman, Deputy Commissioner (Motijheel Division) of DB Police, told that HeI leaders used to collect the funds from the donors for madrasa purposes. But they did not get any papers or documents where and how the funds were spent, he added. Regarding the transaction, DB Additional Commissioner Hafiz Akter said they have traced over BDT 6 crore transaction in two bank accounts of Mamunul, joint secretary general of the now defunct committee of the Qawmi madrasa-based organisation.
HeI leader arrested in Chittagong District
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on April 29 arrested Mufti Harun Izhar, Education and Cultural Affairs Secretary of the now-dissolved central committee of Hefazat-e-Islam (HeI), from Lalkhan Bazar madrasa in Chittagong District over the violence during the Indian Prime Minister’s visit in March, reports The Daily Star. RAB officials said once an active organiser of banned militant outfit Harkat-ul-Jihad-al Islami Bangladesh (HuJI-B), Harun was arrested at least two times before this for being involved in the 2013 bomb blast in the Lalkhan Bazar madrasa and conspiring with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) to launch an attack on the US Embassy in Dhaka in 2009.
Four Ansar al-Islam cadres arrested in Khulna District
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on May 2 arrested four cadres of banned outfit Ansar al-Islam from Azizia Markazul Ulum Madrasa of Khulna District in Khulna Division, reports Dhaka Tribune. The arrestees are, Mohamad Abir Mahmud Reza (28), Mohamad Abu Bakar Shikder (20), Mohamad Yousuf Ali (21) and Ashraful Islam (31).
HeI leader arrested in Brahmanbaria District
Police on May 4 arrested former Hefazat-e-Islam (HeI) Brahmanbaria District committee Joint General Secretary Mufti Abdur Rahim Qasemi from the Vadughar area of Brahmanbaria District in connection with a case over violence in the District, reports Dhaka Tribune. Qasemi resigned from HeI on April 23 in protest of violence and vandalism by HeI activists. The former leader sought fair trials for all who were involved.
Two Neo-JMB cadres arrested in Dhaka city
A team of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit on May 4 arrested two cadres of banned militant group Neo-Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (Neo-JMB) from Jatrabari area of Dhaka city in Dhaka District in Dhaka Division, reports The Daily Star. One of the arrestees was identified as Sakib Ahmed Chowdhury alias Jaki, while the other is a 17-year-old boy. Saiful Islam, Deputy Commissioner of CTTC, said Sakib, after graduating from a private university, started working as a freelancer. He used to help finance the militant group through cryptocurrency. Another arrestee used to communicate with others through a secret messaging app for new recruitment. Both of them have been carrying out propaganda campaigns inspired by violent extremist ideology through social media and other online platforms, the CTTC official said.
Ansar Al Islam ‘spiritual leader’ and cadre arrested from different places
Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crimes (CTTC) unit of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested two cadres of banned extremist outfit Ansar-al-Islam from different places, reports The Daily Star. On May 5, Al Sakib (20) was arrested from Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area in Dhaka city of Dhaka District in Dhaka Division on charge of plotting a sabotage at the Parliament building. On May 6, Ali Hasan Osama (27), the ‘spiritual leader’ of Ansar Al Islam, was arrested in Rajbari District of Dhaka Division on charges of advising Sakib to be involved in terrorist acts. Saiful Islam, Deputy Commissioner of CTTC unit said “Osama is popularly known as “Banglar Osama”. Osama has assumed the role of being the spiritual leader of Ansar Al Islam after the arrest of Mufti Jasim Uddin Rahmani in 2013. Osama had written between 40 and 50 instigating books in the last five years and we kept him under surveillance for the last two years.”
Four Ansar al Islam cadres arrested in Dhaka city
A team of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit conducted a raid in Basila area of Dhaka city in Dhaka District in Dhaka Division and arrested four cadres of Ansar al Islam on charges of plotting to carry out sabotage, reports Dhaka Tribune. The arrestees are Mohamad Jashimul Islam alias Jack, Mohamad Abdul Mukit, Mohamad Aminul Haq and Sajib Ikhtiar. The law enforcers recovered a bag, a machete, five mobile phones and two laptops from their possessions. “Operatives of outlawed militant outfit Ansar al Islam plotted to carry out attacks on the patrols of Police and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). They were also trying to make explosive devices using oxygen cylinders,” said Mohamad Asad uz zaman, head of CTTC unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
Ansar Al Islam aims to recruit youth from religious and general education background, says report
Ansar Al Islam aims to recruit youth from religious and general education background, reports Prothom Alo on May 11. Ansar Al Islam plans to recruit youth from secondary schools, madrasahs, universities, Islamic parties and others associated with militant groups. The Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) recently retrieved some documents regarding member recruitment by this militant organization of Al-Qaeda orientation. The papers revealed these aims and objectives of the group. The Ansar Al Islam documents, addressing it members, said that in the 21st century, the ‘war’ was not limited just to guns and gunpowder. It was essential to be skilled in language, knowledge, work and strategy. That is why the organization aimed at recruiting persons who were mentally and politically smart and intelligent. They would utilize time and opportunity astutely.
India – Internal Dynamics
Anti-Maoist campaign halted after corona infection outbreak in Jharkhand
The anti- Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) campaign operations by Security Forces (SFs) have halted in the Naxal [Left Wing Extremism (LWE)] affected Districts in Jharkhand, reports Hindustan on April 28. The anti- CPI-Maoist operations are not strategized due to the outbreak of corona infection at the State Police Headquarters and Special Branch. Several Policemen working to mobilize information systems in the Naxal branchare also infected. Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and COBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) of the CRPF battalions are also on the backfoot in Jharkhand following the recent CPI-Maois tincident in Chhattisgarh. On the other hand, paramilitary forces are not very active in the operation due to corona infection, said Police officials. CPI-Maoist in Jharkhand has strengthened itself since the Corona lockdown in 2020 with new cadres and strengthened the Jan Militia in last one year and has enough weapons, added the report.
Two JMB militants arrested in Assam
On April 30, two Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) militants were arrested from Larkura area under Gauripur Police Station (PS) of Dhubri District in Assam, reportsNortheast Now. Four firearms and Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) of the face value of INR 1,02,000 were recovered from the duo arrested militants. Following this incident, Assam Police has sought the help of the Muslim community in identifying members of the new module of the JMB militants to bring them to mainstream.
Don’t assist Maoists, Police official urges tribals in Telangana
Additional Superintendent of Police, YVS Sudheendra urged tribals not to cooperate Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) in Buradamadugu, a hamlet under the Gopera Gram Panchayat (village level local self government institution) in the remote Tiryani Mandal (administrative sub-division) in Kumram Bheem Asifabad District of Telangana on April 30, reports Telangana Today. Sudheendra advised tribals to follow the growth track and not to cooperate with the CPI-Maoist. He handed over solar lamp sets to 10 families and bicycles to two tribals dwelling, which were sponsored by two Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO’s).
Maoists recruit school children during lockdown
According to the secret information report sent from Andhra Pradesh Police to Chhattisgarh Police, Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) have recruited nearly 700 school children aged between 12-18 years during the coronavirus lockdown, reports Patrika.Com on May 5. CPI-Maoist cadres have organized a training camp for school children in the Abujhmad area in Chhattisgarh for a month. Most of these participants in CPI-Maoist camp are from Bijapur, Sukma and Narayanpur Districts of Chhattisgarh and some of them are from Maharashtra and Odisha. These school children have been provided with physical fitness training and martial arts like Judo and Karate. After the training, CPI-Maoist deploys these schoolchildren to continue education and track the government system and security agencies for their organisation. CPI-Maoist also prolonged their annual Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign (TCOC) from 25 April to 25 December in 2021, as People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) was founded 20 years ago. The training of the school children by CPI-Maoist is a possibility and TCOC extension is part of CPI-Maoist mind games, said Bastar Inspector General of Police (IG), Sundarraj P.
SFs recovered arms during search operation in Jharkhand
Security Forces (SFs) comprising of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and District Police recovered large quantity of arms and ammunition in Saranda jungles under Jaraikela Police Station area in West Singhbhum District of Jharkhand on May 12, reports Dainik Jagran. SFs launched the search operation after receiving information that Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres were depositing huge amounts of arms and ammunition in the forests of Tirilposi and Biticalsoy and are in the process of committing a major crime. SFs recovered one desi single barrel rifle, one old desi pistol, six desi grenade, one detonator, eight pieces of 7.62 mm ammunition, 77 pieces of 9mm ammunition, five AK-47 magazines, one point 303 magazine, one wireless set, one camera flash and one half-burnet wireless set, adds Dainik Bhaskar. More weapons are like to be found in the forests and SFs forces have returned back after the evening. The search operations will continue, said Dr Premchand, Commandant, CRPF 174thCorps.
Police Head Constable killed in an IED blast triggered by Maoists in Chhattisgarh
Police Head Constable identified as Kalendra Prasad Nayak was killed and Police Constable identified as Kamal Thakur received splinter injuries in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast triggered by Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres under Kutru Police Station area of Bijapur District in Chhattisgarh on May 18, reports The Week. A team of Security Forces (SFs) were on area domination operation to ensure security to road construction work, while the patrolling team was cordoning off a forest near Ambeli village, around four kilometers away from Kutru, CPI-Maoist cadres triggered the blast, said Police official.
Monthly Fatalities:
The following casualties, related to ongoing insurgencies and acts of terrorism occurred during the period April 26, 2021 to May 25, 2021.
| Civilian | Indian Security Personnel | Militant | Total | |
| Assam | 03 | 00 | 01 | 04 |
| Arunachal P | 02 | 00 | 01 | 03 |
| Left Wing | 05 | 04 | 03 | 12 |
| Total | 10 | 04 | 05 | 19 |
Nepal – Internal Dynamics
CPN-Maoist-Chand split as Krishna Prasad Dhamla forms Jana Samajwadi Manch
The Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-Maoist-Chand) on May 1 split after politburo member Krishna Prasad Dhamla (Gambhir) revolted to form a new party called Jana Samajwadi Manch, reports Khabarhub. Issuing a statement coinciding with May Day, Dhamala said a new party has been formed to accomplish the ‘unfulfilled revolution’. The CPN-Maoist-Chand, which had reached a three-point agreement on March 5 with the incumbent Government, had been facing contradictions and intra-party disputes for a long time. Dhamala said the revolution has betrayed the Nepali people in the name of revolution, stressing the need to create a whirlwind of fierce struggles against feudal, imperialist and fundamentalist tendencies. “We are the witnesses of the history where the movement took the leadership to new heights but in the end, it was the leadership that betrayed the people and the revolution,” said Dhamala in the statement.
CPN-Maoist Center decides to withdraw support to KP Sharma Oli-led Government
The Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre (CPN-Maoist Centre) on May 4 decided to withdraw its support extended earlier to the KP Sharma Oli-led Government, reports Republica. A Standing Committee meeting of the party took a decision to this effect. According to the party spokesperson Narayan Kaji Shrestha, the party decided to withdraw its support to the Oli-led Government. “A formal letter will be sent to the Parliament Secretariat tomorrow [May 5],” he added.
Sher Bahadur Deuba, Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Upendra Yadav urge President to initiate process to form new Government
Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba, Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre (CPN-Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and a faction of the Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) led by Upendra Yadav, issued a joint statement, on May 10 urging the President Bidya Devi Bhandari to invoke Article 76(2) to initiate process to form new Government, minutes after Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli lost his vote of confidence, reports Kathmandu Post. “As per the article 100 (1) of the constitution, the prime minister moved a vote of confidence motion, but lost it. The prime minister hence has been relieved of his position as per Article 100 (3). So, we call upon the President to initiate the process to form a new government under Article 76 (2),” reads the statement signed by Deuba, Dahal and Yadav.
NC decides to stake claim to form new Government after holding talks with all political parties
The Nepali Congress (NC) in its office-bearers’ meeting held on May 11 decided to stake a claim to form a new Government after holding talks with all political parties, reports Khabarhub. The meeting decided to discuss the formation of the Government with the Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) and even Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist–Leninist (CPN-UML) senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal. Informing about the decisions of the meeting NC leader Ram Chandra Poudel said, “We have decided to move forward as decided earlier by Central Working Committee (CWC). The NC will stake claim for forming a government and there is no difference of opinion about it inside the party.”
President reappoints K P Sharma Oli as Prime Minister
President Bidya Devi Bhandari on May 13 reappointed Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist–Leninist (CPN-UML) Chairman KP Sharma Oli as Prime Minister, reports Republica. The Office of President in a press statement said that President Bhandari reappointed Oli as Prime Minister in his capacity as leader of the largest political party in the House of Representatives (HoR) as per Article 76(3) of the Constitution of Nepal. The appointment comes shortly after Office of President said that no two parties or more than two parties came to lay claim to forming coalition Government by the given deadline that expired at 9 PM of May 13.
President dissolves Parliament and announces mid-term elections on November 12 and 19
President Bidya Devi Bhandari on May 21 dissolved the Parliament on the recommendation of Cabinet led by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, reports Kabarhub. President Bhandari dissolved the Parliament and announced that mid-term elections would be held on November 12 and 19, a year ahead of schedule. Issuing a statement, the President’s Office said the President dissolved the House as per Article 76(7) of the Constitution on the recommendation of the Cabinet.
Sri Lanka – Internal Dynamics
Former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen and his brother detained for 90-days
Police spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana on April 27 said a detention order has been obtained for 90 days against former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen and his brother Riyaj Bathiudeen to conduct further investigations, reports Daily Mirror. He said earlier a 72-hour detention order was obtained by the CID Director as per the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and which was terminated by the morning of April 27. Therefore, another detention order was obtained to conduct further investigations. Bathiudeen and his brother were arrested on April 24 under the PTA.
Cabinet grants approval to introduce bill banning burqa and other full-face coverings
Cabinet on April 27 granted approval to produce a draft bill banning burqa and other full-face coverings that conceals the identity of the person in public places, reports Colombo Page. Cabinet Spokesman, Minister of Mass Media and Information Keheliya Rambukwella said the Cabinet has approved the ban on wearing full face masks in public places. The Minister said that it was decided to take this step as it is difficult to verify the identity of a person, especially if the face is completely covered, which is a threat to national security. The Minister said that similar steps have been taken in other parts of the world.
Sri Lanka and China agree to enhance defence cooperation
Sri Lanka and China on April 28 agreed to enhance defence cooperation, particularly in terms of high-level exchanges and training, reports Daily Mirror. The enhancement of defence ties and other bilateral cooperation were discussed when visiting Chinese National Defence Minister Wei Fenghe held talks with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.
HRW urges Sri Lanka’s Parliament to reject Presidential Commission’s Political Victimization resolution
Human Rights Watch (HRW) on April 30 urged the Sri Lanka’s Parliament to reject Presidential Commission’s Political Victimization resolution, reports Colombo Page. Adopting the resolution, brought before Parliament on April 9, would further undermine the independence of the judiciary and rule of law, which have been severely weakened under the administration of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the HRW said. “President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is being brazen in his efforts to help his family and associates evade Sri Lankan justice. Rajapaksa’s administration has spared no effort in covering up serious alleged crimes, including those implicating Rajapaksa himself. The Rajapaksa government should reject the findings of its bogus commission of inquiry and instead take seriously the UN Human Rights Council’s March resolution. Concerned governments should make clear that pursuing the commission’s recommendations will be a major setback for Sri Lankan government accountability,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia Director at HRW.
Suspect arrested for promoting LTTE ideology through social media
Police on May 2 arrested Navaneethan Pillay Mohan alias Theater Mohan (56) under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) in Eravur town in the Batticaloa District of Eastern Province for allegedly prompting the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ideology through social media, reports daderana. The suspect had been involved in 14 criminal cases in the area, especially within the Police areas of Batticaloa, Karadiyanaru and Eravur. Police have taken the suspect’s iPhone and iPad into custody.
AG exhibits 800 charges against former IGP and former Defence Secretary in respect to Easter Sunday attacks
The Attorney General (AG) exhibited information in the Colombo High Court (HC) consisting of 800 charges against former IGP Pujith Jayasundara and former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, in respect of those killed and injured in the Easter Sunday attacks, reports Adaderana on May 3. The AG’s coordinating officer stated that they have been charged in two separate Trials-at-Bar for the offences of murder, attempted murder for their serious lapses and grave omissions to prevent the Easter Sunday bombings. The former IGP and former Defence Secretary have been accused of neglecting the prior intelligence input on the impending attacks, thereby failing to prevent the loss of life. A special Presidential panel recently recommended that criminal action be taken against both Fernando and Jayasundera and several other senior defence officials. The trial of Fernando and Jayasundera is to be held before a 3-member bench for murder and attempted murder.
INTERNATIONAL
Three journalists killed in Burkina Faso
Two Spanish journalists and one Irish have been murdered in an attack on an anti-poaching patrol in Burkina Faso, officials said on Tuesday, April 27. “It is very unfortunate, but the three Westerners were executed by terrorists,” said a senior security source in the West African nation. He did not specify who was behind Monday’s attack targeting the group which included soldiers, forest rangers and foreign reporters in the eastern region of Fada N’Gourma-Pama. At least three people were injured and one Burkinabe was believed to be among the missing.
S Arabia destroys bomb-laden boat
Saudi forces on Tuesday, April 27 destroyed an explosive-laden boat off the coast of the Red Sea port of Yanbu, the defence ministry said. “A bomb-laden unmanned (vessel) was intercepted and destroyed this morning,” the ministry said in a statement, published by the official Saudi Press Agency. “Naval units were able to detect and monitor the activity of the bomb-laden (boat) in the Red Sea waters off the shores of Yanbu.” No group has so far claimed responsibility for the incident, which the ministry said was under investigation.
Gunmen kill two police in Nigeria attack
Gunmen have killed two police officers in Nigeria’s southern Akwa Ibom state, a spokesman said, in the latest attack targeting security operatives in the region.
The incident happened on Tuesday (April 27) evening at Ika district of the state when the gunmen ambushed and shot the two on their way home after work, police spokesman Odiko MacDon said in a statement.
He said some gunmen on motorcycles had attempted to attack the Ika police station but were repelled. “Unfortunately, before heading towards the station to attack it, they ambushed and killed a woman police corporal, Esther Akpan who had just closed from duty and was on her way home in company of a police special constabulary,” he said. Macdon said a police patrol vehicle was also set ablaze by the gunmen. Southeast Nigeria has seen a surge in deadly attacks targeting police and other security forces in the past few months.
31 killed in clashes at Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan border
Kyrgyzstan said at least 31 people were killed after heavy clashes at its disputed border with Tajikistan, as officials from the two ex-Soviet countries met on Friday, April 30 in a bid to defuse tensions.
Clashes between communities over land and water along the pair’s long-contested border are regular occurrences, with border guards often getting involved. But shooting that broke out on Thursday between the two militaries was the heaviest fighting in years and raised fears that it might escalate into a wider conflict.
Tajikistan, a closed, authoritarian state, has yet to officially acknowledge any deaths from the clashes between servicemen on Thursday. The Kyrgyz health ministry said on Friday that Kyrgyzstan had suffered at least 154 casualties, including 31 deaths in the latest bout of violence.
The leaders of both sides remained in touch on Friday, offering hope that the conflict which began after communities clashed over an important piece of river infrastructure can be cooled.
President Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan and Tajik counterpart Emomali Rakhmon spoke by telephone on Friday, Japarov’s press service said, and agreed to meet “in the second half of May”. “The heads of state agreed to resolve the current situation exclusively by peaceful means,” the statement said.
Kyrgyzstan’s national security chief Kamchibek Tashiyev told journalists that he had met with Tajik counterpart Saimumin Yatimov on “neutral territory” at the border on Friday. Tashiyev pledged that problems over their shared border will be resolved “in the next few days”.
In a rare statement from Tajikistan, the press service of its Sughd regional administration said that a joint Kyrgyz-Tajik working group “is making efforts with the hope of peace and friendship”. Local authorities in Kyrgyzstan’s southwestern Batken region said that shooting along the shared border was still happening “periodically” despite the ceasefire.
North Korea defectors launch anti-Kim leaflets
A North Korea defector group this week twice defied a ban by Seoul on flying anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone dividing the peninsula, it said on Friday, April 30.
The launches by the Fighters for a Free North Korea were the first since the law was passed in December. The group “flew 500,000 leaflets, 500 books and $5,000 in cash bills distributed between a total of 10 large balloons over two occasions near the DMZ between April 25 and 29”, said its chairman Park Sang-hak.
Activist groups have long sent flyers critical of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un over human rights abuses and his nuclear ambitions across the DMZ, either flying them by hot air balloon or floating them across rivers.
18 Iraqis killed in multiple night-time Jihadist raids
Eighteen Iraqis, the majority military personnel, were killed overnight on Friday, April 30 to Saturday, May 01 in separate jihadist attacks mainly in the greater Baghdad area, security sources told AFP.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks, but they are in line with the modus operandi of the Islamic State group, which still has sleeper cells in Iraq despite its territorial defeat in 2017.
One attack targeted troops in Tarmiya, an agricultural suburb 20 kilometres (12 miles) north of the Iraqi capital.
“IS fighters attacked an Iraqi army convoy at night and killed two officers and two soldiers,” a security official said, on condition of anonymity.
Rocket attack on US base in Iraq
The Iraqi army said two rockets were fired on Tuesday, May 04 at a base hosting Americans, in the third such attack in three days and as a US government delegation is visiting the country.
The two rockets fell on an unoccupied segment of the Ain-al-Assad airbase, “without causing damage or casualties,” the army said. The latest rocket attack follows one against an airbase at Baghdad airport housing US-led coalition troops on Sunday night, and another against Balad airbase, which hosts US contractors, north of the capital on Monday night.
Nasheed wounded in assassination attempt
Former Maldives president and current parliamentary speaker Mohamed Nasheed underwent more surgery on Friday, May 7 following an assassination attempt, as the country’s leader vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Following the Thursday night assassination attempt, Nasheed, 53, underwent three surgical procedures to remove shrapnel from his lungs and liver, officials said. In a televised address to the nation, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih announced that a team from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) would arrive on Saturday to aid the investigation.
10 killed, students abducted in Nigeria
Ten people including two police officers have been killed and a number of students abducted in Nigeria’s southeast, police said on Friday, May 7 in a region where separatist tensions are on the rise.
Dozens of security operatives have been killed during attacks by gunmen on checkpoints, police stations and prisons in the region in the past few months. On Thursday, gunmen stormed Obosi police station in Anambra state but were engaged in a gun battle by police officers on duty.
“Two police operatives paid the supreme price,” state police spokesman Ikenga Tochukwu said in a statement, adding an investigation was under way to identify the perpetrators. He said the gunmen also set part of the police station and two vehicles ablaze before fleeing. In a separate incident Thursday, a team of police and other security forces repelled an attack on Orlu police station in neighbouring Imo state, police said.
Solih described the attack as an assault on the fledgling democracy, promising the perpetrators “would face the full force of the law.” Maldivian police said they were treating Thursday’s bomb attack as an “act of terrorism” and urged the public to provide any information that could identify the perpetrators.
Myanmar junta designates shadow govt as a ‘terrorist’ group
Myanmar’s junta declared on Saturday (May 8) night that a group of ousted lawmakers running a shadow government would now be classified as “terrorists”, as the military moves to tighten its grip over a country in turmoil.
Since the military seized power in a February 1 coup, detaining and ousting civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a nationwide uprising has refused to back down in its demands for a return to democracy. Protesters continue to take to the streets daily, while a nationwide boycott by students and faculty as well as civil servants across various sectors has brought the country to a shuddering halt.
Meanwhile, a group of ousted lawmakers many of them previously part of Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party have formed a shadow “National Unity Government” to undermine the junta.
On Wednesday, the NUG announced the formation of a so-called “people’s defence force” to protect civilians facing violence from the military.
By Saturday night, state-run television announced that the NUG, its people’s defence force, and an affiliated group known as the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) the Burmese word for parliament were now classified as “terrorist organisations”. “We ask the people not to support terrorist actions, give aid to terrorist actions that threaten the people’s security from the CRPH, NUG, and PDF,” said the evening news broadcast.
But their new designation as a “terrorist organisation” means anyone speaking to them including journalists can be subjected to charges under counter-terrorism laws.
The Arakan Army an insurgent group that had clashed with the military in conflict-wracked Rakhine state held the designation last year, and a journalist who had interviewed a high-ranking representative was detained. He faced terrorism charges, carrying penalties ranging from three years to life in prison.
US Navy says seizes weapons cache in Arabian Sea
The US Navy’s Fifth Fleet said on Sunday, May 9 it had seized a huge cache of illicit weapons from a stateless dhow sailing in international waters of the North Arabian Sea.
The Fifth Fleet, which is based in Bahrain, said the guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey intercepted the vessel and discovered the cargo during a routine boarding, in a two-day operation on May 6-7.
“The cache of weapons included dozens of advanced Russian-made anti-tank guided missiles, thousands of assault rifles, and hundreds of PKM machine guns, sniper rifles and rocket-propelled grenades launchers,” it said in a statement.
The arms are in US custody and their source and intended destination is under investigation, it said. The Fifth Fleet said the Monterey was in operation for 36 hours, providing security for boarding teams. “After all illicit cargo was removed, the dhow was assessed for seaworthiness, and after questioning, its crew was provided food and water before being released.”
Gunmen kidnap people from Nigerian mosque
Gunmen on Monday, May 10 kidnapped 10 worshippers from a mosque near Nigeria’s northwestern border with Niger, although security forces managed to rescue dozens of others, police said.
Turkish FM in fence-mending visit to S Arabia
Turkey’s foreign minister arrived in Saudi Arabia for talks on Monday, May 10 his first trip since dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s 2018 murder in Istanbul worsened relations between both countries.
Mevlut Cavusoglu’s visit, apparently aimed at mending ties with Riyadh, comes amid renewed clashes at the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Israeli-annexed east al-Quds.
“In Saudi Arabia to discuss bilateral relations and important regional issues, especially the attacks at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the oppression against the Palestinian people,” Cavusoglu wrote on Twitter. The revered Al-Aqsa Mosque has been the scene of fierce clashes since Friday between Israeli police and Muslim worshippers.
The trip comes as Turkey seeks to repair relations with its regional rivals, including Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Ankara’s relations with Riyadh deteriorated sharply after the October 2018 murder of Khashoggi, 59, a Saudi insider-turned-critic who wrote columns for The Washington Post.
Russia dubs US and Czech Republic ‘unfriendly’ states
The Russian government has officially deemed the US and the Czech Republic “unfriendly” states, and announced on Saturday, May 15 that US diplomatic missions could no longer employ local staff while Czech missions could employ a maximum of 19.
Moscow first announced the ban on the US hiring local staff last month as part of its retaliation for a slew of new US sanctions against Russia for interfering in the 2020 US presidential election and for involvement in the SolarWind hack of US federal agencies.
30 sentenced to death in Congo
Thirty people were sentenced to death in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Saturday, May 15 for their role in anti-police violence marking the end of Ramadan in the capital Kinshasa.
A policeman was killed on Thursday as rival Muslim groups fought over the right to mark the end of Ramadan at a major sports stadium, officials said.
The government has also confirmed that one policewoman is in critical condition and 46 others were injured with eight in a serious state.
59 arrested at pro-Palestinian protest in Berlin
Fifty-nine people were arrested and dozens of police officers injured during violent clashes at a Pro-Palestinian demonstration in Berlin this weekend, police said on Sunday, May 16. Around 3,500 people had gathered in the German capital’s Neukoelln district in one of several rallies over the escalating conflict in the Middle East, according to police on Sunday. Protesters threw stones, bottles and fireworks as police tried to break up the demonstration, injuring 93 officers and prompting them to use pepper spray.
Myanmar arms embargo
The UN General Assembly on Tuesday, May 18 is set to consider a draft non-binding resolution calling for “an immediate suspension” of the transfer of weapons to the military junta of Myanmar, a UN official said on Monday.
Nine die in Burkina Faso attack
At least nine people were killed in a weekend attack in Burkina Faso blamed on jihadists in the country’s restive north, local and security sources said on Monday, May 17. A traditional chief and three civilian defence volunteers were among those killed in the attack on Sunday in a village near the town of Pissila, a local official told AFP, adding that another three people remained missing.
Malaysian police kill suspected Philippine militants
Five suspected members of Philippine militant group Abu Sayyaf were shot dead in a firefight with police on the Malaysian part of Borneo island, authorities said on Tuesday, May 18. Police were attacked by men armed with guns and machetes Monday when they raided a settlement near the town of Beaufort in Sabah state, and returned fire.
