At least 57 worshippers lost their lives and 194 others were injured when a suicide attacker detonated himself inside a Shia Mosque in the Koocha Risaldar area of Peshawar on March 4, reports Dawn. Later, Islamic State-Khurasan (IS-K) group claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing.
A suicide bomb explosion at the Jail Road of Sibbi town (Sibbi District) killed seven SF personnel and wounded 28 others on March 8, reports Samaa TV. The explosion occurred as President Arif Alvi was in the city, which is holding the Sibbi Mela, a well-known annual festival. The bomber blew himself up at the Jail Road only 15 minutes after President Alvi ‘s motorcade had used the road, Sibbi Deputy Superintendent Police (DSP) Rana Khurshid said.
Bomb/IED Blasts
A local leader of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) Agha Habib Shah and four other people were injured in a bomb blast near Shakir Hotel on Karachi-Quetta National Highway in Hub town on February 27, reports Samaa TV. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ayub Achakzai said that a bomb was planted under Shah’s vehicle and triggered remotely. Among the injured are two Levies personnel and two pedestrians.
Three people, including a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), were killed while 24 people were injured in a blast near a Police van at Fatima Jinnah Road of Quetta on March 2, reports Dawn. The DSP was identified as Muhammad Ajmal. Among the injured were two Policemen. Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Operations Fida Hussain said that a Police mobile from the City Police Station was in the area around 7pm when a loud explosion took place. He added that 2/2.5 kilogrammes of explosives were used in the blast.
Seven children were injured in a blast in Tarkho area of Mamond tehsil in Bajaur District on March 6, reports The Express Tribune. District Police Officer (DPO) Bajaur Samad Khan said that children collected branches of trees and lighted a fire in Tarkho. “They threw something in the fire which exploded injuring seven children,” he said, adding that the children probably threw an unexploded shell into the fire which exploded.
A bomb explosion at Sibi Jail Road killed at least seven members of the paramilitary Frontier Constabulary and injured at least 17 others, soon after President Arif Alvi left from the Sibi Mela being held there, AFP and the Geo News reported on Tuesday, March 08.
One Policeman sustained injuries when terrorists on March 12 targeted a Police van through a roadside improvised explosive device (IED) blast in a suburban area of Tank town (Tank District) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, reports ARY News. The Police van of Saddar Police Station was on routine patrol. The wounded Policeman was identified as Waheed
Targetted Killings
A woman polio worker was shot dead Wednesday, March 2 by unidentified attackers in the Daudzai area of the district when she was returning home after performing the vaccination duty.
Gunmen killed Awami National Party (ANP) election nominee for a general council seat Musawir Dawar in Mirali Bazaar of North Waziristan District on March 22, reports Dawn. Witnesses said the armed attackers riding a motorcycle targeted the ANP candidate outside his office leaving him dead instantly. They said the gunmen escaped after the attack. Meanwhile, two beheaded bodies were found in different areas of South Waziristan District on March 22. Police said Mirza Khan Mehsud (25), was found dead near a grid station in Wacha Khwara area. A bullet-riddled and beheaded body was recovered in Kalosha Lagad area of Birmel tehsil. The deceased was identified as Kala Khan.
Miscellaneous
Security Forces (SFs) killed a terrorist during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Spinwam area of North Waziristan District on February 26, reports Dawn. The IBO was conducted after the presence of terrorists was reported in the area, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. Weapons and ammunition were also recovered during the IBO. According to the ISPR, the terrorist was involved in terrorist activities against SFs.
The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on February 28 shot dead one Muttahida Qaumi Movement – London (MQM-L) target killer, identified as Azam alias Ganja, during an encounter in the Bagh Korangi area of Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh, reports ARY News. Azam accomplice managed to flee from the location. According to an unnamed CTD spokesperson, Azam was allegedly a close aide of notorious criminal Junaid alias Bulldog and a key member of the target killers’ team of MQM-L’s Korangi sector.
Separately, the CTD on February 28 arrested one Sunni Tehreek (ST) target killer from New Karachi area of Karachi, reports ARY News. CTD in charge Chaudhry Safdar said that the shooter named Fazlur Rehman alias Fazlu who confessed of killing of Policemen and other political workers. Chaudhry Safdar further said that the arrested shooter remained Lines Area Unit area of ST and was also involved in the 2011 bloodshed. In 2011, Fazlu shot dead a shopkeeper for not paying the ransom and in 2012 he shot dead MQM member Salahuddin. In the same year, he also killed a councilor associated with MQM. The shooter also admitted killing ASI Mohsin Ali Naqvi in 2012 and attacking over Brigade Police Station.
Seven terrorists were killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Gorchop area of Turbat town in Kech District on March 8, reports Dawn. In a statement, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that Security Forces (SFs) conducted an operation to apprehend terrorists
after receiving information about a terrorists’ hideout. “Once the troops started [the] clearance operation in the area, terrorists tried to escape from their camp and opened indiscriminate fire onto security forces,” the statement said. The ISPR said that seven terrorists, including commanders Hasil Doda and Washdil, were killed during the exchange of fire.
The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on March 13 arrested three Jiye Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM) cadres during a raid in Sukkur, reports ARY News. As per the CTD spokesperson, three JSMM cadres who were taken into custody identified as Rashid Solangi, Mehtab Channa and Ajeeb Tunio. The CTD team also recovered explosives from their possession. The terrorists admitted their involvement in several terror activities including planting bombs at the railway tracks and were involved in rekey of the Chinese and Rangers officials at the Port Qasim.
Police on March 16 recovered arms and ammunition and arrested three suspected persons during a raid conducted in Goth Ziad Khan Khosa area under Mir Hassan Police Station in Jaffarabad District of Balochistan, reports Daily Times. As per Police handout, under the supervision of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Husnain Iqbal, the Police team carried out a raid at a house in Goth Ziad Khan Khosa and recovered cache of arms and ammunition dumped in the house. Accused namely Gul, Wahid Murad and Abdul Ghafoor were apprehended.
A constable of Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) was killed by unidentified militants in Lakki Marwat District on March 19, reports The Express Tribune. A Police official said that unidentified bike riders opened fire at CTD Constable Muhammad Bilal in the jurisdiction of Norang Police Station, killing him on the spot, adding, that the attackers managed to escape after committing the crime.
In a separate incident Police foiled an attack at a Police post in Kani Bagh under in Miranshah in North Waziristan tribal District on March 19, reports The Express Tribune. “Miscreants attacked a police post in Kani Bagh in the jurisdiction of Miranshah police station. After receiving the information about the attack, a police contingent was moved to the post as reinforcement after which the attackers fled,” said a Police official, adding that a First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against the unidentified assailants and Police started investigation in the case.
Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on March 19 arrested five suspects in intelligence-based operations (IBOs) in different Districts of the Punjab Province, reports Daily Times. According to CTD spokesman, the teams of CTD also recovered1672-gram explosive, eight feet safety fuse, match box, three detonators, an IED, a hand grenade, a mobile phone, PKR 226,840, a pistol, an askari jacket, a flag of proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), two banned books Hateen and 12 pamphlets from the possession of accused. The suspects identified as Waqas, Ameerullah, Abid-ur Rehman, Muhammad Jahangir, and Muhammad Rehmatullah were arrested from Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Multan and Khanewal Districts.
PAKISTAN
Navy foils Indian sub’s bid to enter Pakistan waters
Pakistan Navy once again thwarted an attempt by Indian submarine ‘Kalvari’ to enter Pakistani waters. Indian Navy deployed its submarine against Pakistan with ulterior motives, Inter-Services Public Relations DG Major General Babar Iftikhar said on Thursday, March 3
The DG ISPR said: “Strict monitoring and stringent vigilance procedures were enforced. Resultantly, Pakistan Navy Anti-Submarine Warfare Unit took the lead and prematurely tracked the Indian submarine Kalvari on 1 March 2022. The recent incident, being the fourth in the last five years, reflects Pakistan Navy’s competence and resolve to defend maritime frontiers.”
Last time, Pakistan Navy blocked an Indian submarine on October 16, 2021. Earlier, there were two such attempts in March 2019 and November 2016 when Indian submarines were tracked, warned and cleared out of Pakistan waters.
Pakistan Navy also spotted and warned an Indian Navy’s submarine in the Arabian Sea on March 4, 2019, during the Pak-India standoff.
Then Pakistan Navy said the submarine could be engaged and destroyed had it not been Pakistan’s policy to exercise restraint in the face of Indian aggression and to give peace a chance.
Pakistan will continue to remain on the grey list, FATF announces
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on March 4 announced that Pakistan will continue to remain on the grey list, reports The News. The FATF has been holding a virtual session in Paris since March 1 that concluded on March 4. As per reports, the task force reviewed the Asia Pacific Group’s (AGP) report on Pakistan’s compliance with the watchdog’s prescribed action items. The FATF, in its statement, said that Pakistan has completed 26 of the 27 action items in its 2018 action plan. It further added the FATF encourages Pakistan to continue to make progress to address, as soon as possible, the one remaining item by continuing to demonstrate that FATF investigations and prosecutions target senior leaders and commanders of UN-designated terrorist groups.
The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) killed three terrorists in a shootout at Regi Lalma area of Peshawar, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on March 8, reports The Express Tribune. According to CTD, the three terrorists were part of a network involved in the suicide attack on Peshawar’s Kocha Risaldar Imambargah that left 63 dead on March 4. The militants were also responsible for other terrorist attacks on law enforcement agencies including killing Police personnel, CTD added. According to CTD, the terrorists were entering Peshawar with the intention of carrying out terrorist activities in Khyber District before being killed in the encounter. Automatic weapons, grenades and ammunition were recovered from the possession of the slain terrorists.
Government has zero tolerance for terrorism, says Prime Minister Imran Khan
Prime Minister Imran Khan on March 7 said that the Government has zero tolerance for terrorism, reports Dawn. Chairing a meeting of the apex committee on the National Action Plan (NAP) in the federal capital, the Prime Minister emphasised that a multi-pronged approach and vigorous implementation of NAP were required to thwart the threat of terrorism. The meeting was attended by Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief Ministers of all the provinces, National Security Adviser Dr. Moeed Yusuf, federal Ministers Fawad Chaudhry, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and Asad Umar, chief secretaries, inspectors general of the police, and senior civil and military officers.
The Security Forces (SFs) conducted two separate Intelligence Based Operations (IBOs) on the presence of terrorists in North Waziristan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on March 10, reports ARY News. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement that the IBOs were conducted in the Maddi Khel and Bobar Gap areas of the North Waziristan. During intense exchange of fire, four terrorists were killed by the SFs, the statement added. Weapons and ammunition were recovered from the terrorists. According to the ISPR spokesperson, the killed terrorists remained actively involved in terrorist activities against SFs.
Only one-third of 8,500 missing people have returned, says COIED report
Of the 8,463 citizens missing since March 2011, only 3,284 have returned home, revealed a report submitted by the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances (COIED) to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on March 11, reports Dawn. The report was submitted by the commission’s registrar in a case filed by the heirs of missing persons. The commission set up in 2011 to trace the missing persons and fix responsibility on the individuals or organisations responsible disclosed that the institutions concerned did not produce detainees in 550 cases despite the issuance of production orders. During the nearly eleven years from March 2011 to Feb 28, 2022, the commission received 8,463 complaints about enforced disappearances, the report said. Of these cases, it has disposed of 6,214 cases, whereas 2,249 are still under investigation. IHC chief justice says commission on enforced disappearances merely playing post office’s role.
Nine persons killed during terrorist attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Nine persons including two soldiers, three civilians and four terrorists were killed during a terrorist attack in Bajaur District, reports The Express Tribune. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the terrorists fired on security forces in Bloro area of the District which initiated a response from the security forces. “Resultantly, four terrorists were killed. Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the killed terrorists,” it added. The statement added that during the intense exchange of fire, Naib Subedar Ishtiaq, a 44-year-old resident of Nowshera and Sepoy Kamran, a 21-year-old resident of Orakzai, embraced martyrdom after having fought gallantly. The statement further said that due to terrorists’ fire three innocent civilians Asmat, Ilham and Bahadur also embraced martyrdom.
Afghanistan – Internal Dynamics
SFs launch clearance operations in Kabul and the surrounding provinces to ensure security
The Security Forces on February 25 launched clearance operations in the capital city of Kabul and the surrounding provinces as the latest preventive measures to ensure a high level of security, reports Daijiworld. The clearance operations were launched by the Ministries of the Interior and Defence as well as the National Intelligence Agency, the Government said in a statement. Under the command of Mullah Mohammad Fazil Mazlum, acting deputy defence minister, the operations aimed at arresting and eliminating the thieves, kidnappers and other culprits who had already been listed by the security forces, the statement said.
4,000 IS-KP fighters in Afghanistan, says UN report
A United Nation report claims that the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (IS-KP) currently has 4,000 fighters, including 2,000 foreigners, in Afghanistan, reports Hust-e-Subh on February 23. According to the UN’s report, most IS-KP fighters have been released from prisons during the collapse of Kabul, and therefore the threat of terrorism in Afghanistan is increasing.
57 Taliban fighters killed in past 11 days across 21 Provinces, says NRF Spokesperson
Spokesman of National Resistance Front, Sibghatullah Ahmadi, tweeted that in past eleven days the NRF guerrillas killed 57 Taliban fighters in 21 provinces, reports Aamaj News on March 3. Mr. Ahmadi said that these attacks have been taken place in provinces as Kabul, Nangarhar, Baghlan, Panjshir, Takhar, Laghman, Kapisa, Kunduz, Faryab, Balkh, Parwan, Badakhshan, Jawzjan, Badghis, Sar-e-Pul, Ghor, Farah, Samangan, Logar, and Herat.
Taliban establishes Commission to invite Afghan figures in exile
The Interim Government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan on March 16 approved the establishment of an exclusive commission aimed at inviting and getting Afghan figures in exile returned to Afghanistan, reports The Khaama Press. The commission is named “Repatriation and Connection” and was ratified at the cabinet meeting. A press release made public by the Administration of Affairs of the IEA reads, “Repatriation and Connection” commission will be led by Shahabudin Delawar, the acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum. Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting Minister of Information and Culture Khairullah Khairkhwa, acting Minister of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of vice Muhammad Khalid Hanafi, acting Army Chief of Staff Fasihudin, a key member of the leadership of the IEA Anas Haqqani, and Abdul haq Wasiq are other members of the commission.
Blast kills four civilians in Kandahar Province
Four children were killed in a rocket explosion in Sha Walikot District of Kandahar Province on March 18 morning, reports The Khaama Press News Agency. A statement released by the Police headquarters of the southeastern Kandahar Province reads that the incident took place in the sixth District of the Province when the unexploded rocket detonated after the minors played with it.
Outcry as Taliban bar girls from secondary schools
The Taliban ordered girls´ secondary schools in Afghanistan to shut on Wednesday, March 23 just hours after they reopened, sparking heartbreak and confusion over the policy reversal by the Islamist group.
Bangladesh – Internal Dynamics
Ansar al-Islam ‘organiser’ arrested in Dhaka District
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on March 11 arrested Munshi Iqbal Ahmed (62), one of the ‘organisers’ of the banned militant group, Ansar al-Islam, from Rajashan area of Savar upazila (sub-District) in Dhaka District, reports The Daily Star. Mobile phones, extremist literature, and leaflets used to spread extremism were recovered from Munshi Iqbal.
Huji-B ‘Finance Secretary’ arrested in Dhaka city
Anti-Terrorism Unit of Police on March 11 arrested Sharifuzzaman Mintu alias Obaidullah (35), ‘finance secretary’ of Harkat-ul-Jihad-al Islami Bangladesh (HuJI-B) from Uttara area of Dhaka city, reports The Daily Star. On October 7, 2013, Sharifuzzaman was arrested from Turag area of Dhaka city along with a pistol and 32 of its cartridges, 1,135 cartridges of submachine guns and two powder gel explosive weighting about 1.5 kilogram. Sharifuzzaman got bail during the trial and went into hiding. He had been hiding in Uttara area with his wife and two children for a long time, says a Police official.
Former HeI Nayeb-e-Amir sentenced to two years in jail for not disclosing his wealth statement
Chittagong Divisional Court on March 20 sentenced former Nayeb-e-Amir (Deputy Chief) of Hefazat-e-Islam (HeI) Mufti Izahar-ul Islam to two years in jail in a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for not disclosing his wealth statement, reports Dhaka Tribune. He has also been slapped with a fine of BDT 20,000, the default of which will result in an additional jail-term of two months. According to court sources, a notice was issued to Mufti Izahar on July 4, 2013, to submit a statement of his wealth. On September 17, 2013, ACC Deputy Assistant Director Mohammad Siraj-ul Haque, filed the case with Khulshi Police Station after Izahr-ul failed to provide the statement. On April 21, 2014, the ACC filed a chargesheet in the case and an arrest order was issued on April 26. The court framed charges against him on May 12, 2014, and he was arrested on August 7, 2015.
Three people killed during gunfight between PCJSS and MLP in Rangamati District
At least three people were killed during a gunfight between Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS) and Mog Liberation Party (MLP) in Rajsthali area of Rangamati District on March 22, reports Dhaka Tribune. According to Police and locals, the shootout took place in an attempt to spread dominance. A group of 12-13 members of the MPL from Rajvilla in Bandarban District went into the deep forest of Rajsthali area which is known as a PCJSS’s territory. Locals said all three deceased are members of the MLP and none of the deceased was identified.
India – Internal Dynamics
Arms and ammunition recovered in Mizoram
On February 27, a large cache of war-like stores and explosives were recovered from Ainak village in Siaha District of Mizoram, reports Northeast Today. BELOX – 10 Explosive (124.2 kg), Granular Explosive (121.5 kg), Gun Powder Explosive (49.9 kg), Detonators (3950 Nos), Lellier & Belliot 30-06 (Bullet) (120), Lellier & Belliot .22 Hornet (Bullet) (100 Nos), Mini Mag .22 Bullet (100 Nos), Codex (12000 Mtr), Tac Shotgun Amn Belts (106), One Tata Sumo and one Bolero was recovered from the spot. Two persons were arrested in this connection. Initial investigation revealed that the vehicle had been rented by a Burmese national for medical evacuation of CNA personnel to Aizawl.
‘Disturbed Area’ status extended across Assam for 6 months
The Assam State Government on February 28 declared the entire State of Assam as “Disturbed Area” for up to six months following a review of law-and-order situation in the state, reports East Mojo. The declaration made as per powers conferred under Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), 1958 will stay in effect unless otherwise withdrawn by the state government. Earlier, on September 2021, the order for extension of ‘Disturbed area’ was issued.
Maoist issue threat letter to MLA in Andhra Pradesh
Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) East Division Committee ‘secretary’ Aruna, issued a threat letter warning Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Kottagulli Bhagya Lakshmi of Paderu Constituency from the YSRCP to resign and leave the party, reports ntvtelugu.com on March 8. The letter read, MLA Bhagyalakshmi took lakhs of rupees in Chaparatipalem, GK street zone, Visakhapatnam district and gave permission for bauxite mining under the guise of laterite. The letter further said they were opposed to bauxite mining. The leaders claimed to have spotted mineral deposits on 11,000 hectares of land in the area. Ajay Kumar, a businessman from Bhadrachalam, was accused of stealing bauxite worth crores of rupees under the guise of laterite. Warned to stop illegal excavations or leave the mansion, otherwise, severe warnings have been issued to the MLAs in the past, adds youtube.com.
]ITBP trooper killed in Maoist-triggered IED blast in Chhattisgarh
Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) was killed and a trooper suffered injuries when a pressure Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by cadres of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) went off between Dondribeda and Sonpur villages in Narayanpur District of Chhattisgarh on March 14 (today), reports The Indian Express. Inspector General of Police (IGP), Bastar range, Sundarraj P. said, the incident took place around 8.30 am [IST] between Dondribeda and Sonpur villages when a team of the ITBP’s 53rd battalion was out on patrolling duty to ensure security to a road construction work, and when the patrolling team was cordoning off a forest patch, security personnel came in contact with the pressure IED, triggering an explosion. ASI, Rajendra Singh, was killed in the blast, while head constable Mahesh received injuries.
CRPF DG flags lack of roads in core Maoist areas in Chhattisgarh
Lack of road connectivity remains a “serious” challenge for Security Forces (SFs) who are moving deeper into Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist)-dominated areas of Chhattisgarh to set up new camps every year, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Director General (DG), Kuldiep Singh, said on March 17, reports The Indian Express. He said the force has set up 20 Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) deep inside the State’s forests but over 330 kilometres of roads in the Sukma-Bijapur-Dantewada region are pending completion for almost 12 years. “The issue of roads (in the core Naxal [Left Wing Extremism, LWE] zone) is a serious one. Our camps are increasing by the day, deeper in Maoist areas. But we don’t have roads connecting them. There are projects stuck since 2007-08,” he said. According to CRPF data, 58 FOBs have been set up by the CRPF in zones affected by Left Wing Extremism (LWE) since 2020. Of these, 35 have been set up in the past one year alone, mostly in Chhattisgarh where Maoists continue to hold sway in parts of South Bastar. At the same time, the data show, only 50 per cent work has been completed on the 331 kilometres of roads in the Sukma-Bijapur-Dantewada region that was sanctioned by the Government in 2010. In 2012, two more road projects Konta-Gollapalli (44 kilometres) and Bheji-Chintagufa (65 kilometres) were sanctioned for Sukma, but only six kilometres of these have been constructed. Similarly, work on an eight-kilometres road project in Sukma sanctioned in 2015 is still in the initial stage. SFs have been pushing for good roads in core Maoist areas for them to launch quicker operations and prevent Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attacks. “There are multiple difficulties in this, the threat from Maoists is one,” Singh said. In 2017, 12 CRPF personnel were killed in a Maoist ambush while on security duty for a road being constructed at Bheji in Sukma, followed by another ambush more than a month later in Burkapal where 25 CRPF personnel were killed. Over the past year, the CRPF engaged in multiple encounters with Maoists in LWE areas where 19 Maoists and 10 CRPF men were killed.
Three persons killed in blast in Mizoram
On March 18, three persons were killed while another one was injured at Durtlang locality of Aizawl District in Mizoram, reports East Mojo. The blast took place in an automobile workshop where a pickup truck carrying detonators was under repair. Lalhmangaihzuala, the owner of the workshop, Lalmawikima, his helper and Lalthafamkima, the owner of the pickup truck was killed in blast. Though initially the explosion was believed to be a cylinder blast, however, on-site investigations led to recovery of 900 pieces of detonators and another electronic detonator behind the driver’s seat. According to investigations, the remnants of the detonator PENT (pentaerythritol tetranitrate) found in the blast is suspected to have Myanmar linkages. Several detonators not yet exploded in commercial quantity along with some Burma currency, a small quantity of Myanmar currency was recovered from the site.
Territorial Army soldier killed in Chhattisgarh
A territorial army soldier identified as Sanjay Kunjam was shot dead by suspected Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres in the middle of a market in Gumjhir village under Antagarh Tehsil (revenue unit) in Kanker District of Chhattisgarh on March 21, reports livehindustan.com. Kunjam whose posting was at present in the Kanker headquarters had gone to the cock market in the annual fair of Gumjhir village, 20 kilometres from Kanker. Two suspected armed Maoists opened fire on the forehead of Kunjam standing inside the market circle. There was chaos in the market after hearing the sound of bullets, and taking advantage of this, both the assailants fled from the spot.
Meanwhile, three Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel sustained injuries as Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres opened fire at a CRPF camp in Elmagunda area under Chintagufa Police Station limits in Sukma District of Chhattisgarh on March 21, reports The Indian Express. The Maoists used country-made weapons to attack the security camp, and according to the Police, the firing started on Monday (March 21) morning, which was immediately retaliated by the 2nd battalion of CRPF. Inspector General of Police (IGP), Sundarraj P. said, “In the firing, head constable Hemant Chaudhary and constables Basappa and Lalit Bagh have sustained injuries. They are stable and have been airlifted to Raipur for better treatment.” The Maoists, besides firing, also hurled locally made grenades, the officers present there said.
Monthly Fatalities
The following casualties, related to ongoing insurgencies and acts of terrorism occurred during the period February 26 to March 25, 2022:
| Civilian | Indian Security Personnel | Militant | Total | |
| Assam | 04 | 00 | 02 | 06 |
| Manipur | 03 | 00 | 01 | 04 |
| Left Wing | 07 | 02 | 02 | 11 |
| Total | 14 | 02 | 05 | 21 |
Nepal – Internal Dynamics
20 persons injured during demonstration against MCC in Surkhet District
20 persons including 18 Policemen and two protestors were injured on March 2 during a demonstration against the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) in Birendranagarcity of Surkhet District amidst a curfew order, reports The Himalayan Times. The violation of the curfew resulted in a scuffle between security forces and protesters. Police arrested 23 protestors
Sri Lanka – Internal Dynamics
TNPF writes to Core Group to refer Sri Lanka to ICC
The Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) on February 25 wrote to the Core Group reiterating their previous calls to refer Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the genocide it perpetrated against the Tamil people, Tamil Guardian. TNPF wrote in a letter “We reiterate that the core group which includes two members of the UN Security Council must initiate steps to table a resolution in the UN Security Council to refer Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court to inquire into all crimes committed, including the crime of genocide against the Tamil people.” In the letter, the TNPF expressed their disappointment with the UN Resolution 46/1 which called on the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to “collect” as well as “consolidate, analyse and preserve” evidence that could be used in future war crimes trials and urged Core Group members to refer Sri Lanka to the ICC instead.
Former President rejects accusations that he received prior information pertaining to Easter Sunday attacks
Former President Maithripala Sirisena on February 27 rejected accusations that he had received prior information pertaining to the Easter Sunday attacks before he left the country for Singapore and assured that he would have taken action to prevent the disaster if he had been made aware, reports Ada Derana. He made these comments while addressing the gathering during a special event held at the ‘Church of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception’ in Polonnaruwa. The parliamentarian said that a rumour is now being spread that he had travelled abroad despite receiving prior information and knowing that the attacks were to take place. “That is completely untrue.”
Evidence gathering mechanism established by UNHRC creates obstacles to reconciliation, says Foreign Minister G. L. Peiris
Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris delivering a statement at the High-Level Segment of the 49th Regular Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on March 1 in Geneva said that the evidence gathering mechanism established by the UNHRC resolution at the 46th session creates obstacles to the reconciliation efforts and polarizes the society, reports Colombo Page. He pointed out that in a startling departure from the mandate which the UN General Assembly originally conferred on this Council, operative paragraph 6 of this resolution refers to a so-called evidence-gathering mechanism, a measure that was strongly opposed by a number of countries. “Such initiatives create disharmony both in the domestic and international arenas. It creates obstacles to reconciliation efforts, breeds hatred by reopening past wounds, and polarizes society,” Minister Peiris said rejecting the measure.
INTERNATIONAL
Putin puts nuclear deterrence forces on high alert
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his defence chiefs to put the country’s nuclear “deterrence forces” on high alert on Sunday, Feb 27 and accused the West of taking “unfriendly” steps against his country.
International tensions are already soaring over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and Putin’s order will cause further alarm.
Moscow has the world’s second-largest arsenal of nuclear weapons and a huge cache of ballistic missiles which form the backbone of the country’s deterrence forces. Also, Vladimir Putin on Sunday accused Ukrainian authorities of wasting “an opportunity” to hold talks after Moscow’s invasion of its pro-Western neighbour. The Kremlin said that Putin had briefed Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett about “the course of a special military operation to protect Donbas”.
Ukraine’s President Zelensky said on Sunday that he was ready for talks with Russia, but rejected Moscow’s push to stage them in Belarus as it was a launchpad for invading forces. He said Ukraine had proposed Warsaw, Bratislava, Budapest, Istanbul and Baku as possible alternative locations for any talks. “Any other city in a country from whose territory missiles do not fly would suit us,” Zelensky said.
Meanwhile, street fighting raged in Ukraine’s second-biggest city on Sunday after Russian forces pierced through Ukrainian lines, as both sides said they were ready for talks to halt a conflict that has forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes.
UAE refuses to take sides
An Emirati official said on Sunday, Feb 27 that taking sides on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would “lead to more violence”, after the UAE abstained in a UN Security Council vote on a resolution demanding a withdrawal.
The United Arab Emirates, India and China were the only countries in the 15-member Security Council to abstain Friday on the US-Albanian drafted resolution, while Moscow used its veto. UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash tweeted on Sunday: “We believe that alignment and positioning will only lead to more violence.”
“In the Ukrainian crisis, our priorities are to encourage all parties to adopt diplomacy and negotiate to find a political settlement that ends this crisis,” he wrote. The UAE, a non-permanent member, takes over the presidency of the Security Council for a month on Tuesday. “The UAE’s position is firm on the basic principles of the United Nations, international law, state sovereignty, and its rejection of military solutions,” Gargash said.
Six people found dead off Lesbos
Greek authorities said on Tuesday, March 01 the bodies of six people believed to be possible migrants have been found off the island of Lesbos, at a time when Athens stands accused of rights abuses against irregular arrivals.
The Greek coastguard said four bodies were found on the coast near the port of Mytilene and two others were taken from the water. The bodies of three men and three women were transferred to a Lesbos hospital for an autopsy, the coastguard added, after three police patrol boats and a helicopter took part in the search. The deceased were “foreigners,” the coastguard said, and a search was still ongoing for other possible victims and their vessel.
Huthi rebel strike kills nine Sudanese troops
A Yemeni Huthi rebel strike on a military camp in the country’s northwest killed nine Sudanese soldiers from a pro-government coalition on Wednesday, March 02 Yemeni defence ministry sources said.
Another defence ministry official and a local source confirmed the toll. A reported Huthi attack on coalition sites in the same province in mid-December killed 14 Sudanese soldiers.
The Saudi-led military coalition has been supporting Yemen’s internationally recognised government since 2015 in its battle against the Iran-backed Huthi rebels. The Huthis control much of the country’s north, including the capital Sanaa.
Sudan, one of the poorest countries in the world, has sent thousands of soldiers to fight in Yemen, which lies across the other side of the Red Sea. The troops include men from the notorious Janjaweed militia, which is accused of atrocities in the conflict that erupted in 2003 in Sudan’s western Darfur region. In late 2019, Sudan’s transitional government said the country had reduced its troop strength in Yemen from 15,000 to 5,000 men.
Ukraine accuses Russian troops of rape
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Friday accused Russian troops of raping women and backed a call for the creation of a special tribunal to punish Moscow’s aggression. “We have numerous cases of, unfortunately, when Russian soldiers rape women in the Ukrainian cities,” Kuleba told a briefing at London’s Chatham House think-tank.
BBC halts its work in Russia
The BBC said on Friday, March 4 it was suspending the work of its journalists in Russia after Moscow backed imposing jail terms on media publishing “false information” about the military. The corporation’s director-general, Tim Davie, said the new legislation was “unwelcome” and “appears to criminalise the process of independent journalism”.
“It leaves us no other option than to temporarily suspend the work of all BBC News journalists and their support staff within the Russian Federation while we assess the full implications of this unwelcome development,” he added.
Two foreign MSF workers kidnapped in Yemen
An armed group has kidnapped two foreigners working with Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Yemen’s east, a government source said Sunday, March 6 as the charity confirmed it had “lost contact” with some staff.
Over the years a number of foreigners have been abducted in Yemen by the country’s heavily armed tribes and there have also been some kidnappings by jihadists. Iran-backed Huthi rebels, fighting a seven-year war with the government, have also detained several Westerners but most were later released.
Bomb kills two UN peacekeepers in Mali
A roadside bomb killed two UN peacekeeping troops in central Mali on Monday, March 7 the UN’s mission to the troubled Sahel country said. “This morning, a supply convoy. struck an improvised explosive device north of Mopti,” MINUSMA spokesman Olivier Salgado said on Twitter, adding that four other peacekeepers were wounded.
Gunmen kill 34 in Nigeria
Gunmen have killed 34 people in northwest Nigeria’s Kaduna State, including two soldiers, in the latest attack blamed on heavily-armed criminal gangs, local authorities said on Tuesday, March 22.
More than 200 homes were also destroyed in Sunday’s attack on four villages in the Kaura local government district, Kaduna State security commissioner Samuel Aruwan said in a statement.
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.
