Bomb/IED Attacks
Two passers-by were killed and three security personnel injured in a bomb blast in the Cheetkan Bazaar area of Panjgur District in Balochistan on October 31, reports Dawn. Police said unidentified persons parked an explosive-laden motorbike in the Cheetkan Bazaar area which was detonated by remote control when a Frontier Corps (FC) vehicle reached there. The dead civilians were identified as Abdul Quyyam and Noorullah. A Police officer said around three kilogrammes of explosives were used in the blast.
A prominent political leader and tribal elder of Awaran District, Mir Akram Sajidi, was killed and two other people were injured in a bomb blast in the industrial town of Hub in Lasbela District in the night of November 1, reports Dawn. Police said that Mir Akram Sajidi was traveling in his car along with two other persons on the Quetta-Karachi national highway when a powerful blast occurred in the car.
Separately, 13 persons were injured in a blast at Chief Chowk in Kharan town of Kharan District on November 2, reports Dawn. Station House Officer (SHO) Mohammad Qasim said the explosion occurred shortly after a vehicle of Security Forces passed through the area. The bomb was fitted in a motorbike, he added.
A civilian sustained injuries in a hand grenade blast near railway track at Saryab Road of Quetta on November 4, reports Daily Times
A Sub-Inspector of Police was killed in a bomb blast in Jevani tehsil (revenue unit) of Gwadar District on November 3, reports The Balochistan Post. The explosion occurred when a bomb fitted into a motorcycle went off near the sub-inspector’s house. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.
Two Policemen were martyred on November 13 in Bajaur District after an improvised explosive device (IED) was triggered during a routine patrol, reports Dawn. Bajaur’s District Police Officer (DPO) Samad Khan told Dawn that the police officers were deployed near Raghagan Dam when the IED got set off at around 10:30am. The DPO said that one of the martyred was a Sepoy while the other was a Havaldar.
Targetted Killings
At least four Policemen were shot dead when unidentified assailants sprayed their vehicle with bullets in Lakki town of Lakki Marwat District in the night of October 26, reports Dawn. According to Police officials, the Policemen were patrolling in a van near a local hotel, located around six kilometres off Lakki town when unidentified assailants riding a motorcycle waylaid them and opened fire. As a result, the four Policemen in the vehicle died on the spot.
Miscellaneous
The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) arrested three Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants after they demanded extortion money from businessmen in Islamabad on October 26, reports Samaa TV. The militants were trying to extort money from businesses and educational institutes, a senior CTD official said. One of the arrested militants is a former TTP ‘commander’ from Swat District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A CTD spokesperson said the militants sent letters to businessmen and owners of educational institutes, demanding large sums of money. They demanded a total of PKR 300 million in ten letters written to different people, the spokesperson added.
Two soldiers were killed in an exchange of fire with terrorists attempting to cross the fence along the Pak-Afghan border into Kurram District on October 27, reports Dawn..
The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on October 30 shot dead two Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan terrorists during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Spinwam area of North Waziristan District, reports ARY News.
Four Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists were killed in an operation by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in Til tehsil (revenue unit) area of Hangu District on November 2, reports Geo News.
The Gilgit-Baltistan Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on November 4 awarded a death sentence to eight persons after convicting them of killing nine persons in two Naltar valley sectarian attacks, reports Dawn. Judge Rehmat Shah announced verdicts in two cases after the completion of the hearing. According to the judge, two accused were awarded death and 12 years imprisonment along with PKR 5.5 million fine in the May 2020 attack case, while four were jailed for 12 years. However, three were acquitted due to lack of evidence. In the second case, death sentence, PKR 500,000 fine and 29 years imprisonment were handed down to six accused.
On November 7, Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel and Police arrested four terrorists of Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) during an operation in the Paracha Graveyard of the Sher Shah area in Karachi, reports Daily Times.
Two Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) militants were killed in a gun battle with Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel in the Hub area of Lasbela District on November 10, reports Dawn. A spokesman for the CTD said its personnel had conducted an operation on information about the movement of BLF cadres in the area. They cordoned off the area and asked the militants to surrender. But the militants, instead of surrendering, started indiscriminate firing. The CTD personnel retaliated and killed two militants. Three other militants managed to escape.
Separately, an explosion was reported at the rear of a Police ground in Sibi town (Sibi District) on November 10, reports The Express Tribune. However, there were no casualties.
Three coal miners were shot dead by unidentified assailants in the Zalawan area in Harnai District of Balochistan on November 21, reports Dawn. The assailants arrived at the coal mine in the wee hours and opened fire on the colliers, leaving three of them dead on the spot. The deceased coal miners belonged to Kandahar Province of Afghanistan.
PAKISTAN
‘No reservations’ on any of TLP’s demands except shutting down French embassy, says Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid
Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid said on October 26 that the Government had “no reservations” on any of the demands put forward by the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban (TLP), except for the shutting down of the French embassy and expulsion of the French ambassador over blasphemous caricatures of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), reports Dawn. The Minister, who was addressing the media in Islamabad after a meeting of the country’s civil and military leadership, said there was agreement on all issues discussed with the TLP and it was decided that their demands pertaining to the French embassy and ambassador could not be accepted. “You all can see what our economic situation is and France is leading Europe. All European countries are supporting France,” he said. Shutting down the French embassy here would affect Pakistan’s relations with other European countries, he explained. He reiterated that the Government and TLP had reached an agreement on all other issues, while the latter had given a deadline for November 2 for the acceptance of this one demand.
Four Policemen killed and over 253 injured as TLP workers clash with law enforcers in Punjab
At least four Policemen were killed and over 253 injured as thousands of workers of the proscribed Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) clashed with law-enforcement personnel near Sadhoke in Gujranwala District of Punjab on October 27, reports Dawn. Police said the clashes were triggered after they tried to block the TLP activists’ march towards Islamabad. Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar tweeted that the four Police personnel were killed due to firing by TLP workers, adding that 253 others had been injured in the violence. Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said 70 Police personnel had been injured, of whom eight were in critical condition. A Punjab Police spokesman said “TLP activists used SMG, AK 47 and pistols to target police officials as the result of which several officials were martyred.” The TLP claimed that several of their activists had also been killed or wounded.
Meanwhile, Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on October 27 categorically said that the proscribed TLP will not be allowed to challenge the writ of the state and will be treated as a “militant” group and not a religious party, reports Dawn. Addressing a press conference after a meeting of the Federal cabinet, Chaudhry said that the banned group was established in 2015 and since then, their modus operandi has been to come out on the roads and block them. “But there is a limit to the state’s patience”. He said that people have a right to their “ideas” but can’t be allowed to take up arms if their ideas are not heard. “In today’s cabinet meeting, it was decided that such activities will not be tolerated. We will not tolerate those who challenge the writ of the state,” he said, adding that the Pakistani state had defeated major terrorist organisation such as al Qaeda.
Afghanistan – Internal Dynamics
Afghan territory will never be used against any country, assures Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar
Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar assured China, during the two-day meetings with the Chinese delegation led by Foreign Minister Wang Yi, that Afghan territory will never be used against any country, reports Tolo News on October 27. Also, the Chinese delegation in return pledged to not interfere in Afghanistan’s affairs. Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi was also part of the delegation.
Taliban to form new armed forces including former regime troops
Taliban on October 26 announced it is to form new armed forces for the country including soldiers from the previous regime’s military, reports Arab News. Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said, “Army is a priority and urgent need of the country. The Islamic emirate would work on forming an empowered army that would be responsible for protecting Afghans and would have the ability to defend the peace of Afghanistan at any cost. “This army would be formed from new forces and also those forces who served the Afghanistan National Army. We would work together to form a powerful army from both forces that are serving and have served Afghanistan,” Mujahid added.
Earlier, on October 25, Interim Defense Minister Mullah Mohammed Yaqoob announced the formation of new armed forces, reports Arab News. He said the ministry intended to create a national and independent army, with ground and airspace capabilities to “defend the country with high values,” and would try to equip it with modern weapons.
24 persons killed in a complex attack in Kabul Province
24 persons, including five suicide attackers and 19 others, were killed in a complex attack at Sardar Mohammad Daud Khan Military Hospital in the Wazir Akbar Khan area under Police District (PD10) of capital Kabul in Kabul Province, reports Al Jazeera. Another 43 were injured in the attack. Two explosions hit the entrance of the Sardar Mohammad Daud Khan military hospital, followed immediately by heavy gunfire, officials said. Zabihullah Mujahid, Deputy Minister of Information and Culture in the Taliban government, told local media that Islamic State-Khorasan Province, (ISKP) carried out the attack. He said Taliban Special Forces killed five of the attackers. Interior Ministry sources told Al Jazeera on the condition of anonymity that at least 19 people were killed and 43 others were wounded, but there was no officially confirmed death toll. A prominent Taliban leader, Commander of Kabul Corp, Mullavi Hamdullah Mukhlis, was among those killed in the incident adds Khamma News.
12 journalists killed since November 2020 in Afghanistan
Afghanistan’s Journalists Safety Committee in its latest report indicated that 12 journalists have been killed and 230 more have been conducted violence in Afghanistan since November 2020, reports The Khamma Press. The report was released on the occasion of International Day to end Impunity for Crimes against journalists on November 2. Journalists Safety Committee in its report says that the violence against journalists includes beating, threatening, and disparagement. As per the report, one journalist has been killed and 67 more have been committed violence against only after the Taliban takeover on August 15. The committee has asked for the creation of a special mechanism for the safety of journalists and addressing violence in the particular beating of journalists in Afghanistan.
US supports Taliban’s vigorous efforts to wipe out Daesh, says Envoy Thomas West
On November 8, the United States (US) envoy to Afghanistan Thomas West said that the US supports the Taliban’s vigorous efforts to wipe out Daesh (Arabic acronym for Islamic State), reports Arab News. US Envoy West further said that Washington has no plans to establish diplomatic relations with the Taliban any time soon. West added that the US has an “unwavering commitment to ensuring that Afghanistan never, ever again becomes a launching pad for terrorists to harm us or our allies.” He said , “When it comes to reopening our embassy in Kabul we’re not seriously thinking about taking that step at this time. I think what we want to see is the establishment of a record of responsible conduct by the Taliban, of predictable conduct, and then we’ll assess what needs we have on the diplomatic front.”
‘Troika plus’ group seeks to ease access to banking services in Afghanistan
The ‘Troika Plus’ group on November 11pledged to try to ease severe pressure on Afghanistan’s banking system as it warned of possible economic collapse and a humanitarian disaster that could fuel a new refugee crisis, reports Reuters. The group, made up of Pakistan, China, Russia and the United States, met in Islamabad against a backdrop of growing alarm over the situation in Afghanistan, where more than half the population is facing severe hunger over the coming winter. “I urge the international community to fulfill its collective responsibility to avert a grave humanitarian crisis,” Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan wrote on Twitter, adding that Pakistan would provide aid including food, emergency medical supplies and winter shelters.
No decision taken yet on granting amnesty to TTP members, says NSA Mooed Yusuf
National Security Adviser (NSA) Moeed Yusuf said on November 10 that no decision had been taken yet to grant amnesty to members of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, emphasising that the state was “very clear and sensitive” on the issue, reports Dawn. He made the comment during an interview on Dawn News programme Live with Adil Shahzeb. At the outset, Yusuf talked about the Government’s decision to hold talks with the TTP, saying the militant group had been receiving support from India and Afghan intelligence for the last 10-15 years. Pakistan had repeatedly told the international community that the Pakistani Taliban had fled to Afghanistan following the Zarb-i-Azb military operation, received sanctuary and were launching attacks from the neighbouring country, the NSA said. Now the discussion started that the TTP does not have the support base that they (Ghani’s government) and India provided. “You talk from a position of strength and try to reason. If any Pakistani has strayed from the path and if he [wants to become] a law-abiding citizen according to the laws of Pakistan and the Constitution. It means if you have committed a crime or terrorism in Pakistan, you will follow the due process of the law.” When the host asked him whether he was referring to an amnesty, the NSA responded by saying that no such decision had been taken yet.
Three persons killed in Nangarhar Province
On November 12, three persons were killed in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) explosion in a mosque in Spin Ghar District of Nangarhar Province, reports Khamma News. No group has claimed responsibility for the incident.
Four children injured in two separate blasts in Badghis Province’
Four children were injured on November 16 in two separate blasts in the Jawand and Muqar Districts of north western Badghis Province, reports Pajhwok. “Three children have been shifted to the hospital from the site of blast in Jawand district, health condition of two injured is unstable and one was discharged after treatment,” said Sanaullah Sabet, the Nursing Department Director of Provincial Hospital. Separately another child was injured in a blast in Muqar District. He was evacuated to the hospital and was currently under treatment. He said these children were playing and landmines planted in the past went off on them.
Bangladesh – Internal Dynamics
DSA was being misused in some cases, says Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar
Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar on October 27 said that the Digital Security Act (DSA) 2018 aimed at ensuring people’s cyber security was being misused in some cases, reports New Age. Addressing a dialogue with Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum at the Media Centre in the secretariat, the Minister said that the misuse of the DSA would decrease if the law enforcement agencies give proper attention to the issue. ‘Digitalisation would bring in danger if we cannot ensure security everywhere, such as the security of financial transactions,’ Jabbar said. He said that the Digital Security Act, 2018, was enacted to ensure the security of the people as the use of internet had increased. ‘But the law is being misused in some cases,’ he added.
Meanwhile, Hasanul Haq Inu, chief of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, a party of ruling 14-party alliance and also chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting Ministry speaking to the reporters at Satkhira Circuit House on October 27 said that the Digital Security Act (DSA) should be amended to stop abuse of the law, reports Dhaka Tribune. He said “The Digital Security Act has to be revised, so that mainstream media journalists can be protected from misuse of the law. A digital space has been created due to the advancement of information and communication technology. This digital space is now under attack from communal forces and cyber criminals; women are being harassed. Ensuring cyber security is a key task to protect human rights. But it (DSA) is being abused. It should be revised to prevent abuse.”
Five Ansar Al Islam cadres arrested in Dhaka District
Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU) of Police on October 29 arrested five cadres of banned militant outfit Ansar Al Islam from Dhaka city and Keraniganj of Dhaka District in Dhaka Division, reports The Daily Star. The arrestees were identified as Mohamad Mithun Rahman alias Mithu (29), Sakib Al Hasan (19), Mohammad Abdus Shukur Sohagh (21), Mohammad Jaber (25) and Mohamad Omar Faruque (19). The arrestees were communicating through end-to-end encrypted messing app to spread their ideology, sharing their plan of subversive activities, Aslam Khan, special superintendent (Media) of ATU, said. Besides, they used to upload extremism provoking content from books and literature online, he added.
Ansar al Islam ‘chief recruiter’ arrested in Dhaka city
The Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit on November 15 arrested Hasibur Rahman alias Azzam Al Galib (21), the ‘chief recruiter’ of Ansar al Islam from Uttara area of Dhaka city, reports The Daily Star. CTTC chief Mohamad Asaduzzaman said Galib is the chief of dawah (invitation) wing of the Ansar al Islam and that the banned militant outfit’s online presence would suffer a major blow following the arrest. Galib is a first-year law student at a private university. He passed Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations in 2016. He got involved in militancy when he was a student of a college, said CTTC official.
India – Internal Dynamics
Four Bangladeshi terror suspect arrested by UP ATS from Rajdhani Express train in UP
The Anti-Terrorists Squad (ATS) of Uttar Pradesh (UP) arrested four terror suspects from the New Delhi-Sealdah Rajdhani from Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhya (PDDU) Junction in Chandauli District on October 25, reports uniindia.com. The suspects were traveling on berth number 25, 26, 27 and 28 of B-1 coach of the train. The suspects got an e-ticket from New Delhi to Sealdah. The ATS officials, however, so far have not shared any details of the operation. Sources identified the accused as Bapi Raj, Pintu Raj, Mithun Mandal and Ronnie Pal. The four suspects are said to be Bangladeshi nationals and had links with some terror modules recently neutralised by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police and the UP ATS.
Maoists kill ‘Police informer’ in Chhattisgarh
Suspected Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres killed a ‘Police informer’ in Dantewada District of Chhattisgarh on November 9, reports Hindustan Times. Dantewada, Superintendent of Police (SP), Abhishek Pallava said that Umesh Markam was killed on November 9 night when he was returning from his native Tetam village. “A small action team of the Katekalyan area committee of Maoists attacked Markam with sharp-edged weapons. Markam died on the spot,” Pallava said in a statement. Police cited the preliminary probe and added a group of Maoists led by Pradeep, an ‘area committee member’ (ACM) of the rebels, attacked Markam. Pallava said, “Markam helped the security forces in setting up a police camp last year in Tetam village. Subsequently, he started working as ’gopniya sainik (secret informer)’ with the police.” The ‘Police informer’ are appointed at the District Police level for helping in anti-Maoist operations.
A non-local labourer shot dead in Manipur
On November 9, one non local labourer engaged in the construction of a PMGSY bridge was shot dead at Leikhrakpham under Wangoi Police Station (PS) of Imphal West District in Manipur, reports The Sangai Express. Armed miscreants fired two rounds of bullet at the labourers who were sleeping in the temporary shed at that time and killed Md Ryajul Islam of Assam.
Seven persons killed as insurgents ambush AR convoy in Manipur
Insurgents ambushed an Assam Rifles (AR) convoy in Churachandpur District of Manipur on November 13, killing a Commanding Officer (CO), his wife and their five-year-old son and four AR personnel, reports The Indian Express. At least six other AR personnel were injured in the attack. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and the Manipur Naga People’s Front (MNPF) jointly claimed responsibility for the ambush.
26 Maoists killed in encounter in Maharashtra
At least 26 Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres were killed in an encounter with Security Forces (SFs) in a dense forest in Gadchiroli District of Maharashtra on November 13, reports The Indian Express. Four policemen identified as Ravindra Naitam (42) Sarveshwar Atram (34) Maharu Kudmethe (34) and Tikaram Katange (41) were also injured in the encounter. Superintendent of Police (SP), Ankit Goyal said, the encounter was one of the longest in the history of Gadchiroli—it started at around 6 am and ended by 4 pm. The identities of the slain Maoists are yet to be established. While Police claim that around 100 elite C-60 commandos of the Gadchiroli Police carried out the operation, sources said that there were 16 parties of the C-60 commandos with a total strength of over 500.
Jharkhand ATS arrests CRPF trooper, two others for supplying arms to Maoists
The Jharkhand Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested three persons, including a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) trooper posted in Pulwama District in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), for supplying arms and ammunition to the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) and other criminal organisations in the State, reports The Times of India on November 17. A total of 650 rounds of 5.56 mm ammunition used in INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) assault rifles were recovered.
Monthly Fatalities
The following casualties, related to ongoing insurgencies and acts of terrorism occurred during the period October 26, 2021 to November 25, 2021:
| Civilian | Indian Security Personnel | Militant | Total | |
| Arunachal P | 02 | 00 | 02 | 04 |
| Manipur | 05 | 05 | 00 | 10 |
| Left wing | 30 | 00 | 15 | 45 |
| Total | 37 | 05 | 17 | 59 |
Nepal – Internal Dynamics
Pushpa Kamal Dahal accuses KP Sharma Oli of trying to overthrow republic
Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre (CPN-Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal on November 1 accused Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist (CPN-UML) Chairman KP Sharma Oli of trying to overthrow the republic, reports Republica. Speaking at a program in Kirtipur, Dahal accused Oli of trying to overthrow the republic. He claimed that the regressive forces were making efforts to undermine the republic at a time when the Maoists were weak. Dahal argued that Oli had not been in favour of the republic in the past and he is likely to overthrow it if he gets any chances to do so.
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s effigy burned in Sindhuli District
Members of National Youth Federation Nepal (NYFN) and All Nepal National Free Students’ Union (ANNFSU), Sindhuli Chapter burned an effigy of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba in Sindhuli District to protest against the recent decision of the Government to hike the prices of petroleum products, reports Republica. The agitating youths burnt the effigy at Shantinagar Chowk of Kamalamai Municipality along the B.P Highway and chanted strong slogans against the Government over its recent decision to hike the prices of petroleum products. Dev Raj Waiba, a representative of the National Youth Federation, said that instead of working to improve the living standards of people and bringing development to the country, the Government had increased prices of various goods. He argued that the hike in the prices of petroleum products had an adverse impact on the lives of ordinary people. “If the government does not withdraw the decision to hike the prices of petroleum products, we will continue with our protests,” he said, adding that the Government should withdraw its decision to hike prices of consumer goods like petroleum products.
Home Minister requests armed groups to come into mainstream politics by surrendering weapons
Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand addressing a program organized by Nepali Congress (NC) Rupandehi chapter in Bhairahawa on November 17 urged armed groups that have not surrendered their weapons to come to the mainstream national politics by handing over their weapons, reports Republica. Stating that the politics of violence will not yield any result, Home Minister Khand urged all parties and forces to come into the mainstream politics. Minister Khand said that the Government is determined to bring the Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-Maoist-Chand) group into the mainstream national politics by addressing its political demands.
Four international rights bodies call on Nepal to act on CPA
Four international rights groups including Amnesty International, International Commission of Jurists, Human Rights Watch and TRIAL International November 20 called on Nepal to act on Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), reports Kathmandu Post. Issuing a statement on the eve of the 15th anniversary of the CPA, which was signed between the rebel Maoists and then Seven Party Alliance (SPA) on November 21, 2006, marking the end of the decade-long war, Amnesty International, International Commission of Jurists, Human Rights Watch and TRIAL International called on the Nepali government to put the needs of victims front and centre and set out a clear timeline for holding meaningful consultations and upholding its legal obligations so as to enable a credible transitional justice process.
Sri Lanka – Internal Dynamics
Presidential Task Force formed for ‘One Country, One Law’
An extraordinary gazette notification was issued on October 26 by the President forming a Presidential Task Force for ‘One Country, One Law’ chaired by Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera, reports Daily Mirror. The gazette notification (2251/30) was issued by virtue of the powers vested in the President. 13 members including Ven. Gnanasara Thera, Prof. Dayananda Banda Esquire, Prof. Shanthinandana Wijesinghe, Prof. Sumedha Siriwardana, N.G. Sujeewa Panditharathna, Iresh Senevirathne, Attorney at Law Sanjaya Marambe, Attorney at Law Eranda Navarathna, Pani Wewala, Moulavi Mohomad of Ulama Council, Galle, Mohomad Inthikab Lecturer, Kaleel Rahuman and Azeez Nizardeen were appointed as the members of the Task Force. The President appointed Ven. Gnanasara Thera as the Chairman of the aforesaid Task Force and President’s Senior Assistant Secretary Jeevanthie Senanayake as the Secretary of the said Task Force. The President authorizes the Presidential Task Force to make such inquiries and issue such instructions as required for the purpose of executing the tasks so entrusted. Furthermore, the President directed the Task Force members to submit reports to him at least once a month and submit the final report on or before February 28, 2022.
Government will fulfill its duty towards victims of Easter Sunday terror attacks, says Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on October 28 said that the Government will definitely fulfill its duty towards the victims of the Easter Sunday terror attacks, reports Ada Derana. The premier made these comments during a ceremony held at St Lucia’s Cathedral, Kotahena launching the first phase of the project providing houses to the people affected by the blast at the St. Anthony’s Shrine Kochchikade. Rajapaksa said that there may have been certain delays on their part, however assured that they are ready to make that commitment for the people affected by the 2019 suicide bombings. The Prime Minister said that the Government is aware of the predicament faced by the people and families affected by terrorism.
Investigations are carried out into 702 Sri Lankans having links with IS member, informs TID
The Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) informed the Colombo Magistrate’s Court on November 1 that investigations are being carried out into 702 Sri Lankans who were found to having links with a powerful Islamic State (IS) member arrested in India through his cell phone, reports Colombo Page. When the complaint was taken before Colombo Additional Magistrate Chandima Liyanage, the TID informed an IS member had been arrested in India and a search of his mobile phone ‘WhatsApp’ account has revealed information about 702 Sri Lankans. The TID said that further investigations were carried out based on this information and that one of the suspects has been arrested. The TID had informed the court that investigations were being carried out on other Sri Lankans who had links with the suspect.
Catholic leaders warn of Sinhala colonisation in Tamil majority Districts
The Catholic leadership in the North-East on November 10 warned that the Sri Lankan Government was in the midst of a concerted effort to change the demography of the Tamil majority Trincomalee, Mullaitivu and Mannar Districts by settling Sinhalese from other areas, reports Tamil Guardian. The religious leaders raised the concern whilst meeting with Switzerland’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka Dominik Furgler in Jaffna District. Dr. Fidelis Lionel Emmanuel Fernando of Mannar, Justin Bernard Gnanapragasam of Jaffna, Christian Noel Emmanuel of Trincomalee and Joseph Ponniah were amongst the leaders that met with Furgler. Sri Lanka state sponsored colonisation of the North-East has been a concern for decades and a large driver of Tamil grievances, with fears that the government is attempting to erase the Tamil homeland. Since the end of the armed conflict in 2009 and the subsequent military occupation across the region, such efforts have accelerated.
Courts ban LTTE remembrance events in North
Courts have banned several remembrance events for Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres in the North planned by some of organisations and political parties, reports Daily News on November 19. Accordingly, Police in the North have taken steps to ban all such events by a number of Tamil political parties and organizations in the North, including the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), from November 21 to 27. Police have taken steps to obtain restraining orders from the courts preventing the holding of these events in all jurisdictions in the North. The Mullaitivu Police has already obtained a court order prohibiting the holding of ceremonies within the jurisdiction of the Mullaitivu Magistrate courts. Arrangements had been made to hold 12 such events in the Mullaitivu area. The Police have made the organisers aware about the restraining order from the court. Senior police officers in the North have already instructed all police stations to arrest those involved in violating court orders, regardless of rank.
INTERNATIONAL
China locks down city of four million over Covid cases
China placed a city of four million people under lockdown on Tuesday, Oct 26 ordering them not to leave home except in emergencies, in a bid to eradicate a Covid cluster of just a few dozen confirmed cases.
Tuesday’s fresh restrictions came as China reported 29 new domestic infections including six in Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu province in the country’s northwest. The latest outbreak has been linked to the highly contagious Delta variant, with the tally hitting 198 cases since October 17.
Thirty-nine have been in Lanzhou. Residents of the city will now be required to stay at home, authorities said in a statement, with the “entry and exit of residents” strictly controlled and limited to essential supplies or medical treatment.
Bus and taxi services had already been stopped in the city, and state media said on Tuesday that Lanzhou station had suspended more than 70 trains, including on key routes to Beijing and Xi’an.
Daesh may attack US from Afghanistan next year
The US intelligence community has assessed that Daesh in Afghanistan could have the capability to attack the US in as little as six months, and has the intention to do so, a senior Pentagon official told Congress on Oct 27.
The remarks by Colin Kahl, undersecretary of defense for policy, are the latest reminder that Afghanistan could still pose serious national security concerns for the United States even after it ended its two-decade-old war in defeat in August.
The Taliban, which won the war, are enemies of Daesh and have seen its attempts to impose law and order after the US pullout thwarted by suicide bombings and other attacks claimed by Daesh.
They include bombings targeting the minority Shiite sect and even a Daesh beheading of a member of a Taliban militia force in the eastern city of Jalalabad. In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Kahl said it was still unclear whether the Taliban has the ability to fight Daesh effectively following the US withdrawal in August. The United States fought the Taliban as well as striking groups like Daesh and al-Qaeda.
“It is our assessment that the Taliban and Daesh-K are mortal enemies. So the Taliban is highly motivated to go after Daesh-K. Their ability to do so, I think, is to be determined,” Kahl said, using an acronym for Daesh in Afghanistan.
Security tightens grip in Sudan
Sudanese security forces launched sweeping arrests of anti-coup protesters on Wednesday, Oct 27 tightening the regime’s grip while the international community ramped up punitive measures. The World Bank froze aid and the African Union suspended the East African country over this week’s military takeover.
US has real concerns on Ukraine: Blinken
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken repeated on Saturday, Oct 30 that his country has “real concerns” about Russia’s actions and statements on Ukraine, as tensions build.
“We have real concerns about Russia’s unusual military activity on the border with Ukraine. We have real concerns about some of the rhetoric we have been seeing and hearing from Russia as well as in social media,” Blinken told reporters on a visit to Senegal.
Blinken said the concerns were “widely shared” by US allies but declined to say whether US intelligence believed Russian President Vladimir Putin was aiming to seize land from Ukraine.
“We don’t know what President Putin’s intentions are. But we do know what’s happened in the past. We know the playbook of trying to cite some illusory provocation from Ukraine or any other country and using that as an excuse for what Russia plans to do all along,” Blinken said.
He was referring to the crisis that erupted in 2014 when Russia, following the toppling of a Ukrainian government that had resisted moves towards the West, seized the Crimea peninsula and backed separatists waging a conflict in Ukraine’s largely Russian-speaking east.
Yemen rebel strike on mosque kills 22
At least 22 people were killed in a Huthi rebel missile strike on a mosque south of the strategic Yemeni city of Marib, officials said on Monday, Nov 01.
Blasts, clashes at Kabul military hospital leave 30 people dead
Five armed men wearing explosives-laden jackets stormed Afghanistan’s biggest military hospital, killing 30 people and injuring over 50 others.
Taliban spokesman Bilal Karimi told The News that “five armed terrorists of the Islamic State wanted to enter Sardar Mohammad Daud Military Hospital in Kabul and carry out a terrorist attack. The Taliban Mujahideen intercepted them at the main entrance and killed four of them and caught the remaining one alive.”
He said they were not able to collect the exact details of casualties from the attack, saying “I don’t believe the death would be too much.” The spokesman said all the five armed men belonged to the Islamic State.
Meanwhile, Taliban sources told The News that the five armed men were wearing explosives-laden jackets and carried out two powerful explosions followed by heavy gunshots at the main entrance to the 400-bed military hospital in central Kabul.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility by any militant organisation, but Taliban spokesman Bilal Karimi told The News the Islamic State was behind the attack.
69 die in West Niger attack
At least 69 people, including a local mayor, have been killed in an attack in Niger’s volatile “tri-border” zone with Burkina Faso and Mali, the interior ministry said on Thursday, Nov 04.
The assault took place on Tuesday at Adab-Dab, a village about 55 kilometres (32 miles) from Banibangou in the western region of Tillaberi, but was only confirmed by the government on Thursday.
“The mayor of the commune of Banibangou, while travelling with a delegation from the commune, was ambushed by unidentified armed bandits,” the ministry said in a statement. “The provisional toll of the attack is 69 dead, including the mayor, and 15 survivors,” it said. A search was under way for the attackers. The government declared two days of national morning from Friday.
Russia hit by record virus cases
Russia on Saturday, Nov 07 reported a record number of daily coronavirus cases as the country reaches the end of a nationwide paid holiday introduced to curb the spread of infections.
Saturday’s official tally registered 41,335 new cases in the past 24 hours, the highest number for new infections since the beginning of the pandemic.
The country also reported 1,188 coronavirus deaths during the same period.
President Vladimir Putin last month ordered a paid holiday from October 30 to November 7 in a bid to stem soaring infections and deaths exacerbated by a slow vaccination drive.
A host of regions also introduced additional virus measures with the capital Moscow the epicenter of Russia’s outbreak closing all non-essential services over the non-working period.
With over 8.7 million cases registered since the start of the pandemic, Russia is one of the worst-hit countries in the world and a devastating wave this autumn has seen infections and deaths reach new records.
Three wounded in knife attack on Germany train
Three people were wounded in a knife attack on a high-speed train in southern Germany on Saturday, local police said, adding a suspect had been arrested.
Officers said the danger was over and a 27 year old man was in custody, with unconfirmed media reports claiming the suspect was of Syrian origin and suffered from psychiatric issues.
The motive for the attack on the passenger train, making its way from Bavaria to the northern city of Hamburg with roughly 300 people on board, was not yet clear.
Local prosecutors are handling the case rather than the federal officials who would deal with suspected terrorism.
The three victims were being treated in hospital, said police in Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz, adding that none had suffered life-threatening injuries.
The ICE high-speed train was halted in the station of Seubersdorf, southeast of Nuremberg, and travel on the line was suspended.
Drone attack on residence: Iraqi PM escapes assassination attempt
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi escaped unhurt from an “assassination attempt”, in which an explosives-packed drone hit his Baghdad residence early Sunday, Nov 8 – a new escalation in the country’s post-election turmoil.
Washington condemned the “apparent act of terrorism”, while Iraqi President Barham Saleh called the attack, which was not immediately claimed by any group, an attempted “coup against the Constitutional system”.
Three drones were launched from near a Tigris River bridge but two were intercepted, said the security sources, adding that two bodyguards were wounded.
After the drone attack, Qais al-Khazali, the head of Assaib Ahl al-Haq, one of the main pro-Iran groups of the Hashed, called for the perpetrators to be “brought to justice”. The United States, which has around 2,500 troops in the country, said it was “relieved to learn the prime minister was unharmed”. “This apparent act of terrorism, which we strongly condemn, was directed at the heart of the Iraqi state,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said.
138 rebels killed near Marib
The coalition in Yemen said on Sunday, Nov 08 that it killed 138 Huthi rebels over the previous 24 hours in raids near the government stronghold of Marib. The coalition, which has militarily backed the internationally-recognised Yemeni government since 2015, has reported strikes on a near-daily basis with high tolls each time.
The Huthis rarely comment on the strikes but have continued their advance towards Marib, the last remaining government stronghold in the north. AFP cannot independently verify the death tolls — well over 2,000 since the strikes began in October.
UN staff held in Ethiopia
More than a dozen Ethiopian staffers working for the United Nations have been arrested in Addis Ababa in raids targeting ethnic Tigrayans under a state of emergency, UN and humanitarian sources told AFP Tuesday, Nov 09. “Some of them were taken from their homes,” one of the sources said, while a UN spokeswoman in Geneva said requests for their release had been submitted to the foreign ministry.
Five killed in anti-coup protests in Sudan
Sudanese security forces killed at least five demonstrators on Saturday, Nov 21 in a crackdown on anti-coup protests, medics said, after the military tightened its grip by forming a new ruling council.
The pro-democracy protests come nearly three weeks after top general Abdel Fattah al-Burhan ousted the government, detained the civilian leadership and declared a state of emergency.
Iranian Colonel among three killed
Three members of the Iranian security forces, including a colonel, were killed in clashes with an armed group in the southeast of the country, IRNA news agency reported.
The police chief of Kerman province, Abdolreza Nazeri, said security forces clashed with “an armed group of bandits” while patrolling an area bordering Sistan-Baluchistan province.
Three of the security forces were killed and six others wounded in “the confrontation that lasted for almost 24 hours”, he said. At least two members of the armed group were also killed, IRNA said, saying it has a “long history of evil and instability in the southeastern region”, without naming the group. IRNA pointed to illegal activity and smuggling in the area of the clashes. The province lies on the border with Pakistan and is a flashpoint of clashes between security forces and armed groups.
Current Threat Levels:
City/Region Threat Level
Islamabad Level 2 **
Karachi Level 2 **
Lahore Level 2 **
Punjab Level 2 **
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Level 3 **
Peshawar Level 2 **
Quetta Level 2 ***
Upper Balochistan Level 3 ***
Lower Balochistan Level 2 **
Upper / Rural Sindh Level 2 **
Gilgit and Northern areas Level 3 **
Tribal areas, close
to Afghan border Level 3 ***
Index to Threat Level References
Threat Level 1 *
No threat to foreigners although there may be isolated incidents involving petty crime. No security precautions are required.
Threat Level 2 **
No specific threat to foreigners, however because of the overall general law & order situation, some security precautions are advised, especially if traveling.
Threat Level 3 ***
Indicates that law and order situation is cause for concern and travel should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. Foreigners should rehearse plans for evacuation.
Threat Level 4 ****
Indicates complete breakdown of civil administration and law and order leading to possible anarchy. All foreigners to remain indoors and confined to their own city. Families and staff not required to be evacuated retaining only a skeleton staff.
Threat Level 5 *****
Indicates complete breakdown of law and order, enemy action/hostilities, invasion/ occupation by enemy.
