Suicide Bombings
A Policeman and a child were killed, while 24 others including 20 Policemen were injured in a suicide blast targeting a Police truck in Baleli area of Quetta, in the morning of November 30 (Today), reports Geo TV. According to Quetta Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) Ghulam Azfar Mahesar, “the explosion took place near the police truck due to the impact, the vehicle — which was carrying policemen — toppled and fell into a ditch”. He said that a total of three vehicles fell victim to the blast — the Police truck, a Mehran and a Corolla. The number of fatalities may increase as this a developing news.
At least three people were killed and other five others sustained injuries when a motorcycle borne suicide bomber exploded on Data Khel Road of Miranshah in North Waziristan District on December 14, reports The Nation. The target of suicide bomber is yet to be confirmed.
One soldier and a civilian were killed while 14 others, including nine security personnel, were injured on December 14 when a suicide attacker on motorcycle targeted a convoy of Security Forces (SFs) on Data Khel Road of Miranshah in North Waziristan District, reports Dawn.
Two civilians and one soldier were killed while one civilian was injured in a suicide attack in Miranshah area of North Waziristan District on December 19, reports Dawn. A press release from the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) identified the soldier as 33-year-old Naik Abid from Mansehra District.
Targetted Killings
On December 1, a police constable, Zarmast Khan was killed when unknown assailants opened fire on him at Chontra bridge in the limits of Tangi police station in Charsadda District, reports Dawn. The attackers riding on a motorcycle opened fire on the police constable while he was coming home in Tangi after performing his duty at the excise and taxation office.
An inspector of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Shaukat Mehboob was shot dead by unidentified motorcyclists in Mathura area of Peshawar, on December 19, reports The Express Tribune.
Miscellaneous
The Punjab Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on November 26 arrested nine suspected terrorists during 25 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) conducted across Punjab Province, reports Pakistan Today. According a CTD spokesperson, as many as 21,100 people were interrogated during 25 intelligence-based operations (IBO) conducted across the Punjab Province, adding that nine suspected terrorists were arrested from different areas. The CTD spokesperson said the CTD also seized two IEDs, a large quantity of explosives, 13 detonators, protective fuse, weapons, bullets and cash from the suspects during seven-week-long IBOs.
Security Forces (SFs) killed 10 terrorists during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Hoshab area of Kech District in Balochistan on November 29, reports Dawn. According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the IBO was conducted to clear a hideout of terrorists linked to firing incidents targeting security forces and civilians, along with planting improvised explosive devices on the Gwadar-Hoshab (M-8) road.
A terrorist commander named Muhammad Noor was killed during an intense exchange of fire with troops in the Shewa area in North Waziristan District on December 2, reports Dawn. According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on December 3, weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the slain terrorist, whose alias was Sarakai.
Three Policemen were killed when Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists attacked a Police check post in Akora Khattak area of Nowshera District on December 3, reports Daily Times. TTP accepted responsibility for the attack.
The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on December 3 arrested four suspected cadres of a banned outfit in nine intelligence-based operations in different Districts of Punjab, reports Dawn. According to a CTD spokesman, the arrested cadres were identified as Ali Raza, Ali Akbar Zahir and Mahmood Naik Muhammad. CTD personnel recovered banned literature and other items from the arrested cadres.
Three terrorists were killed and another was injured in an exchange of fire during an intelligence based operation (IBO) by the Security Forces (SFs) at Girah Mastan area of Daraban tehsil (revenue unit) in Dera Ismail Khan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on December 6, reports The Nation. The slain terrorist was identified as Muneeb, Junaid ur Rehman and Shaukat.
At least five terrorists and a soldier were killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Jhallar Algad area of North Waziristan District on December 5, reports Dawn. According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), troops effectively engaged the location of terrorists during an intense exchange of fire between Security Forces and terrorists.
At least six persons were killed and 17 others injured on December 11 when Afghan Border Forces opened fire on the civilian population in Chaman District of Balochistan, reports Dawn. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), heavy weapons including artillery and mortars were used in the firing by Afghan forces. “Pakistani border troops have given befitting albeit measured response against the uncalled for aggression but avoided targeting innocent civilians in the area,” the statement said. It added that Pakistani authorities have approached their counterparts in Kabul to highlight the “severity” of the situation, demanding “strict action to obviate any such recurrence of the incident in future.”
The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on December 15 arrested a terrorist, identified as Akmal, from Rawalpindi, reports Samaa TV. Akmal was the mastermind of the Civil Lines suicide attack on November 2, 2009, which claimed the lives of 36 people. A spokesperson for the CTD said that the terrorist had devised plans to attack Islamabad and Rawalpindi. A cache of explosives, including four detonators and safety fuses used to make suicide vests, were also recovered from the possession of arrested terrorist.
PAKISTAN
TTP ends ceasefire with Government, orders its militants to ‘carry out attacks in entire country’
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on November 28 called off the ceasefire agreed with the Government in June and ordered its militants to stage attacks across the country, according to a statement from the outfit, reports Dawn. “As military operations are ongoing against mujahideen in different areas so it is imperative for you to carry out attacks wherever you can in the entire country,” the statement, which is available with Dawn, said while addressing its militants. The decision, it stated, was taken after “a series of non-stop attacks were launched by the military organisations in Bannu’s Lakki Marwat district”. The outfit said it had repeatedly warned the people of Pakistan and “continued to be patient so that the negotiation process is not sabotaged at least by us.” “But the army and intelligence agencies did not stop and continued the attacks now our retaliatory attacks will also start across the country,” the statement claimed. The Government and intelligence agencies are yet to comment on the matter.
One man killed in an attack on Army Public School for Girls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
One man was killed and a security official was injured in an attack on Army Public School for Girls in the Azam Warsak area of South Waziristan District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, reports Dawn. According to the district police, unknown militants opened fire from a nearby mountain during Parents’ Day celebrations at the School. The students, parents, staff and security personnel, who were present inside the school at the time of the attack, remained unhurt. The deceased, identified as Masti Khan, was passing by the school when a bullet hit him. As Security Forces retaliated, the attackers fled to the Pakistan-Afghanistan border area.
One person injured in attack on Pakistan Embassy in Kabul
One security guard is wounded as Pakistan Embassy in Kabul, capital city of Afghanistan came under attack on December 2, targeting head of mission, Ubaid-ul-Rehman Nizami, reports tolonews.com. A Spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, said on Twitter that the Islamic Emirate “strongly condemns failed firing attack towards Pakistan embassy in Kabul and prays for speedy recovery of a security guard.” Balkhi vowed that the Islamic Emirate will not allow “any malicious actors to pose a threat to the security of diplomatic missions in Kabul.”The attack was also condemned by Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
Peace talks ‘emboldened’ TTP militants in Swat, NACTA tells Senate committee
The National Counter-Terrorism Authority (NACTA) on December 8 said that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had “gained considerable ground” and “increased its footprint and magnitude of activities” in Pakistan during the peace talks process, reports Dawn. NACTA made these revelations in a document presented to the participants of a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior. During the session, Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Senator Mushtaq Ahmed raised concerns over the rising terror incidents in the country. In a document presented before the committee, a copy of which is available with Dawn, the security body said: “Peace talks emboldened the militants and their presence in Swat can be attributed to their efforts to gain the pulse of locals and response by the state.” It pointed out that the US withdrawal from Afghanistan last year “gave impetus” to TTP activities with its base intact in the neighbouring country.
Four IS-K terrorists killed in joint operation near Pak-Afghan border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and Security Forces (SFs) on December 10 killed four Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K) terrorists in the mountainous area near the Pak-Afghan border of Dardoni in North Waziristan District, reports Dawn. According to a CTD press release, the terrorists from IS-K were killed in retaliatory fire by a team conducting an intelligence-based joint operation upon receiving a tip-off that the terrorists from Afghanistan were crossing the border. The slain terrorists were the IS-K’s local commander Mohammad Dawood Yaqoob, Abdullah Khan and Mohammad Laiq Ziauddin. A fourth terrorist could not be identified. Two hand grenades, two Kalashnikov rifles, six magazine storages, two pistols and dozens of cartridges along with Pakistani currency, identification documents and other valuables were recovered from the possession of slain terrorists.
US ‘ready to assist’ Pakistan to deal with TTP threats, says State Department Spokesperson Ned Price
Amid the rising terror incidents in Pakistan after the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended ceasefire, the United States (US) on December 19 offered to help the country in dealing with the threats posed by the militant outfits, reports Geo TV. During a press briefing, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price was asked to comment on terrorism and the hostage situation at a counterterrorism centre in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu city. “Well, first on the ongoing situation in Pakistan, we are of course aware. We’ve been closely following reports that militants have seized control of the counterterrorism centre in Bannu. We offer our deepest sympathies to those injured,” Ned Price said and urged those responsible for the attack to cease all acts of violence, to safely release those who remain hostage, and to end the seizure of the counterterrorism centre. The spokesperson said that Islamabad is a partner when it comes to these shared challenges, including the challenge of terrorist groups — terrorist groups inside of Afghanistan, and terrorist groups along the Afghan-Pakistan border.
Pakistan won’t tolerate TTP’s cross-border terrorism, says Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto on December 17 said that Pakistan would not tolerate cross-border terrorism by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP or other terrorist groups and that the country reserved the right to take direct action against them, reports Samaa TV. Addressing an event to commemorate the 8th anniversary of the terrorist attack on Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar held at the UN Headquarters, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto said “Pakistan will not tolerate such cross-border terrorism by the TTP or other terrorist groups, like the BLA, which are also receiving financial and other support from hostile quarters. We reserve the right to take direct action against them”. Hosted by Pakistan, the event was held as part of the UN’s Office of Counter Terrorism’s “Remembrance of the Victims of Terrorism” campaign.
25 terrorists killed in Bannu CTD hostage operation
Security forces on Tuesday stormed the Counter Terrorism Department’s (CTD’s) compound, killing 25 terrorists, arresting two and forcing seven to surrender, said ISPR chief Maj Gen Ahmed Sharif. A junior commissioned officer and two sepoys were martyred while 10 soldiers, including three officers, were injured in the action.
The ISPR chief said that right after the terrorists occupied the complex on December 18, the security forces killed two of the terrorists and arrested three of them. Two security personnel were injured. Gen Sharif said that while attempts were made over the next two days to convince the terrorists to surrender unconditionally, an effective siege foiled terrorists’ every bid to escape. The terrorists had demanded safe passage to Afghanistan, but they were told it was out of the question, Gen Sharif added.
He said that on their refusal to surrender, the security forces stormed the complex, killing 25 terrorists in a heavy exchange of fire. He expressed the security forces’ resolve to wipe out terrorism, adding sacrifices by the brave martyrs further firm the resolve.
The situation remained tense in Bannu on the third day on Tuesday amid the operation to clear the CTD compound of the militants.
On the other hand, Federal Minister Khwaja Asif told the National Assembly that all the terrorists had been killed in an operation conducted by the Special Services Group of the army. A few members of the security personnel also sustained injuries in the operation.
A medical emergency was declared in hospitals in Bannu, while all the public and private educational institutions were closed ahead of the operation to clear the CTD office that had been under the control of militants since Sunday evening.
Afghanistan – Internal Dynamics
Taliban closes women’s tailoring shops in Parwan Province
On November 26, Taliban’s Vice and Virtue Department has closed the shops of female tailors in Parwan province, calling women’s tailoring “haram”, reports Hasht-e Subh. Earlier on November 23, Taliban entered women’s tailor shops in different parts of Charikar city, the capital of the province. The Taliban have told them to find another job.
35 people killed in explosion at Al-Jihad Madrasa in Samngan Province
On November 30, blast in the Al-Jihad Madrasa (Islamic Seminary), in Bandar Road area in capital city of Aybak in Samangan province in, left least 35 dead and 23 injured, reports Hasht-e Subh. According to the officials at the regional hospital in Samangan, most of the victims of this explosion are students. The reason of the blast is still unknown, and no group has claimed responsibility for it.
Seven people killed in an explosion in Balkh Province
Seven people were killed and six injured as a roadside bomb hit a bus in Hairatan border township of Mazar-e-Sharif in Balkh Province on December 6, reports Hasht-e Subh. Taliban’s Police Spokesman in Balkh, Mohammad Asif Waziri, said that seven killed were petroleum company employees. However, sources at Ibn Sina Hospital in Balkh, have indicated that 18 dead and wounded from the blast have been taken to this hospital only. Some sources also said that 35 people were killed and wounded in this blast.
Talibanization’ of Afghanistan completed with resumption of public executions, says French Ambassador to Afghanistan David Martinon
The French Ambassador to Afghanistan, Ambassador David Martinon, who continues to serve in that capacity remotely, on December 7 said that the ‘Talibanization’ of Afghanistan was completed with the resumption of public executions by the Taliban, reports Hasht-e Subh. Martinon, in a statement on Twitter said that since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan he has repeatedly warned that the Talibanization of the country was underway. Moves, such as denying girls from schools, preventing women from visiting public parks and carrying out executions in public indicated the ‘Talibanization’ of Afghanistan.
He stressed that the Talibanization process of Afghanistan was completed with public executions, carried out in the presence of senior Taliban leaders in Farah Province on December 7. Senior Taliban leaders were present at public execution in Farah Football Stadium.
Referring to the December 7, 2022, execution, in Farah Province, a Taliban spokesman, Bilal Karimi, on December 8 said that the execution, which happened in the Farah, was carried out after many investigations and assessments, reports Tolo News. “The execution yesterday took place after many investigations, which were aligned with Islamic (law). All sides should not have any concern in this regard and should respect it,” said Bilal Karimi, deputy spokesman for the Taliban. Tolo News reports on December 8 that following widespread reactions “The supreme leader spoke and said we have struggled this much and fought for 20 years with the pagans to ensure an Islamic system and that now that God has given it to us, (God) means for us to ensure his divine commands,” said Mohammad Ismail Rahmani, a senior member of the Taliban.
Women’s rights are key to the stability of Afghanistan, says US Ambassador to Afghanistan Thomas West
United States (US) envoy to Afghanistan Thomas West stated to a delegation of the senior Afghan interim government officials in a meeting in the UAE that bringing stability and prosperity relies on respecting women’s rights, reports Khaama Press on December 8. “West took the opportunity to meet with the Taliban representative in the UAE to engage on the issues of paramount importance to the United States and the international community. These issues include the deteriorating humanitarian rights situation, restrictions on women and girls’ rights,” West said. West held talks with Mullah Mohammed Yaqoub Mujahid, the acting Defense Minister of Afghanistan during which they exchanged views on matters of security, stability, and respect for human rights. West also discussed security matters with the Taliban delegation, including counter-terrorism efforts against Islamic State (IS) and other terrorist groups. Washington will continue to take action against terrorist groups that threaten its interest and security.
On December 7, the United States (US) State Department expressed concerns that Afghanistan would once again become a haven for terrorists while simultaneously warning that it would intervene and take action if terrorists regrouped in Afghanistan, reports Khaama Press. During a press briefing, the US Department of State spokesperson, Ned Price, reiterated US President Joe Biden’s pledge to take action in the event of terrorists reassembling in Afghanistan. The statement was made in response to a question regarding the escalation in violence in Afghanistan and the government’s failure to stop offering “safe havens” to terrorist organizations, such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), al-Qaeda, the Islamic State, and others.
Three assailants killed in Kabul Hotel attack
On December 12, three assailants were killed in the hotel attack in the Shahr-e-Naw neighbourhood of Kabul, according to Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesperson for the Afghan government, reports khaama.com. Several explosions and gunshot bursts were heard by sources as the unidentified gunmen attacked the multi-story Kabul Longan Hotel. The attack occurred close to a Chinese guesthouse. The attack happened the day after the Chinese ambassador, Wang Yu, met with the deputy foreign minister of Afghanistan, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, to address security-related issues and to request more attention for the protection of its embassy.
Bangladesh – Internal Dynamics
Rohingya man killed in Cox’s Bazar District
Unidentified assailants shot at and stabbed to death a Rohingya community leader, Shahab Uddin, at a refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar District on November 29, reports The Daily Star. Uddin was a sub-majhi in H-14 block of Balukhali-12 Rohingya Camp in Ukhiya Upazila (sub-district). According to reports a group of 20 to 30 people stormed the home of Shahab breaking the door
Blasts reported in Meherpur District
On November 28, two bombs exploded in the fish farm at Trimoni intersection in Gangni city in Meherpur District, reports Bdnews24.com. Police later recovered three more bombs from the explosion site. However, no casualty was reported. A case was against 11 leaders and activists of Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its allied organizations in connection with the bomb blast. A youth leader was arrested in that case.
Two Awami League members injured in crude bomb blast in Sirajganj District
Two Awami League (AL) members were injured as crude bomb exploded in AL party office on November 29, Dhangora junction area in Raiganj Sub-District of Sirajganj District, reports The Daily Star. Later, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) activists and two party leaders were sued. Raiganj BNP municipality unit convener Ainul Haque, its secretary Khairul Islam, and 20 named and 150 unnamed BNP men were made accused in the case.
UPDF leader killed in Rangamati District
A leader of the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF), identified as Subah Chakma, was shot dead by criminals in Naniarchar Sub-District of Rangamati District in the Chittagong Division on December 7, reports The Daily Star. According to Police and locals, he went to a shop to have tea around 9:30am. After a while, a group of five to six criminals stormed the shop, shot him at point-blank and left.
India – Internal Dynamics
Three businessmen arrested for ‘funding’ ULFA-I in Assam
Three businessmen were arrested by Police from Namtola area of Charaideo District in Assam for allegedly funding the United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I), reports Northeast Now. Three arrested businessmen were booked under section 40 of the unlawful activities prevention act (UAPA). The three arrested businessmen were identified as Manohar Thakur, Lal Bahadur Thakur and Kader Shah. The trio were arrested based on a statement given by a linkman of ULFA-I, who was arrested recently by the Police for extortion-related activities.
Separatist slogans written at Malot in Punjab, SFJ leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannu claims responsibility
In the night of November 30, someone wrote separatist slogans in the office premises of Block Development and Panchayat Officer in Malot, Punjab, reports Amar Ujala. On December 1 morning, when informed, policemen reached the spot and erased these slogans. At the same time, through a video, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannu took responsibility for the incident and threatened Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann to meet the same fate as late former CM Beant Singh. Pannu alleged that Bhagwant Mann’s government is forcing the farmers of Punjab to commit suicide. The then CM Beant Singh was killed in an explosion on August 31, 1995.
E-Wallets emerge as latest tool for terror financing in India, says report
E-wallets have emerged as the latest tool for terror financing in India (Coimbatore blast case), with intelligence and investigative agencies establishing links to several cases in the past few months, firstpost.com reports on December 5. Sources said in various terror cases, agencies have found that the accused received money through several wallets in small amounts. Moreover, it was also reported that Popular Front of India (PFI) operatives were raising funds from various sources through e-wallets and transferring them to a few accounts
Two groups declared as ‘Terrorist Organisations’ under UAPA in last 3 years, states Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai
India has declared two organisations as ‘Terrorist Organisations’ under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act- UAPA, 1967 since 2019: Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen (TuM) and all its manifestations, Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh or Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen India or Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Hindustan and all its manifestations, which have been banned, informed Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai in Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Indian Parliament) on December 7. He further said that besides, seven organisations based in the hinterland and Jammu-Kashmir: Student Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (Y), Sikh for Justice and the Popular Front of India (PFI) have also been proscribed as Unlawful Associations for involvement in various unlawful/terror-related activities.
Maoists kill villager accusing him of being ‘police informer’ in Chhattisgarh
Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres killed a villager, identified as Jairam, on suspicion of being an ‘police informer’, and threw his body on Barsoor-Narayanpur Road near Malewahi Chowk under Malewahi Police Station limits in Dantewada District of Chhattisgarh on December 15, reports jagran.com. A Naxalite [Left Wing Extremist, LWE] pamphlet found near the dead body stated that Jairam has been killed for being an ‘informer’ of Police. In fact, road construction work is currently underway on the Barsoor-Narayanpur Road in Dantewada. This road is being constructed to connect Dantewada to Barsoor, which the Maoists are constantly opposing. The Maoists also put-up poster banners in protest against the construction of the road.
Monthly Fatalities:
The following casualties, related to ongoing insurgencies and acts of terrorism occurred during the period November 26, 2022 to December 25, 2022:
| Civilian | Indian Security Personnel | Militants | Total | |
| Chattisgarh | 05 | 01 | 03 | 09 |
| Jharkhand | 02 | 00 | 02 | 04 |
| Odisha | 02 | 00 | 02 | 04 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 02 | 00 | 00 | 02 |
| Total | 11 | 01 | 07 | 19 |
Sri Lanka – Internal Dynamics
Easter attacks suspect killed in Colombo
A suspect linked to the Easter Sunday attacks, who was out on bail, was killed by unidentified assailants in Mattakkuliya in Colombo on November 28, reports Colombo Gazette. According to the Police, the assailants had arrived in a car and carried out the crime killing the 38 years old suspect whose identity is yet to be ascertained.
Meanwhile, a three-judge bench of the Colombo High Court trial-at-bar, on November 24, ordered to hear the case against 25 suspects, including Naufer Moulavi, on charges including conspiracy to commit, aiding and abetting the suicide bombing on Easter Sunday, on January 4 and 5, 2023, reports Colombo Page. A three-judge bench comprising judges Damith Thotawatte, Amal Ranaraja and Navaratne Marasinghe informed that the indictments against the defendants will be read before the court on that day. The court also told to issue summons to Professor Rohan Gunaratne and Head of State Intelligence Service Suresh Saleh to appear before the court to testify in the case.
Resolution passed in UN on collecting war crime trials in Sri Lanka
The United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council on December 5 adopted resolution 51/L1 on Sri Lanka, which will “extend and reinforce the capacity of the Office of the High Commissioner to collect, consolidate, analyse and preserve” evidence that may be used in future war crimes trials, reports Tamil Guardian. The resolution maintains that evidence collected could be used in “relevant judicial and other proceedings”, including in courts around the world, to prosecute those accused of violating international humanitarian law. The resolution was passed with 20 votes in favour, seven against and 20 abstentions, including India.
INTERNATIONAL
Four killed in Sao Tome’s failed coup bid
Four people were killed in a failed coup attempt on Sao Tome, the state news agency STP-Press said on Sunday, Nov 27 reporting a toll from the armed forces chief of staff.
The military, which on Friday thwarted a coup bid in the tiny Portuguese-speaking archipelago off central Africa considered a beacon of democracy, announced “four human lives were lost” after “exchanges of fire” at a military site.
Prime Minister Patrice Trovoada told STP-Press that “four citizens” and 12 soldiers and fighters from South Africa´s officially disbanded Buffalo Battalion were involved in the attempted overnight putsch.
The army on Sunday said 12 serving soldiers were involved. They were “neutralised and captured” after trying to storm military sites and three of them died from their wounds despite the army´s efforts to preserve their lives by taking them to hospital, Trovoada added.
One of the victims was Arlecio Costa, who once served as a mercenary in apartheid South Africa´s Buffalo Battalion, disbanded in 1993. Trovoada accused him of being one of the ringleaders.
Iran Revolutionary Guards militia member shot dead
A member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards militia was shot dead on Monday, Nov 28 the Guards said, as the Islamic republic has been gripped by more than two months of protest.
An investigation is underway to identify the perpetrators of the attack in the central city of Isfahan, said deputy local governor Mohammad-Reza Jannessari, the IRNA news agency reported.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said in a statement the man was killed in “a terrorist action carried out by mercenaries of the global arrogance”, a term used for the United States and its allies.
It said the man was a member of the IRGC Basij militia. In mid-November in Isfahan, two assailants on a motorcycle fired automatic weapons at security guards, killing a police colonel and two paramilitaries.
Iran general says more than 300 dead in Amini unrest
Iran has for the first time reported that more than 300 people have died in over two months of protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody.
The Islamic republic has deployed state security forces against what it labels “riots” that broke out after the 22-year-old died on September 16, three days after her arrest for allegedly breaching Iran´s dress code for women.
The Iranian toll includes those who have taken to the streets as well as dozens of police, troops and Basij paramilitary force members who have died in clashes with demonstrators or who were killed elsewhere. The latest official toll is much closer to figures published by human rights groups based abroad.
Oslo-based non-governmental organisation Iran Human Rights said at least 448 people had been “killed by security forces in the ongoing nationwide protests”, in an updated toll issued on Tuesday. The group says its toll includes those killed in violence related to the Amini protests and in distinct unrest in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan, which borders Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Thousands of Iranians and around 40 foreigners have been arrested and more than 2,000 people have been charged, according to judicial authorities. Among these, six have been sentenced to death, with their appeals set to be heard by the supreme court.
In the past two decades, however, many women, especially in Tehran and other major cities, have shown more of their hair, before the rules were tightened again — a flashpoint issue in the protests.
Spanish PM, US embassy targeted in wave of letter bombs
Spanish police were investigating on Thursday, Dec 01 a series of letter bombs sent to targets including the prime minister and the US embassy, similar to one which went off at the Ukrainian embassy, hurting a staff member. The interior ministry revealed that an envelope with “pyrotechnic material” had arrived at Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez´s official residence on November 24. It was destroyed in a controlled explosion.
Spain´s High court meanwhile announced it had broadened an initial investigation over the Ukraine embassy letter bomb to cover the all the other incidents. Both announcements came a day after the security officer at Ukraine´s embassy in Madrid suffered a light injury to one hand while opening a letter bomb addressed to the Ukrainian ambassador, an incident that prompted Kyiv to boost security at its embassies worldwide.
Later in the evening, a second “suspicious postal shipment” was intercepted at the headquarters of military equipment firm Instalaza in the northeastern city of Zaragoza, the interior ministry said.
Iran abolishes morality police after countrywide protests
Iran has scrapped its morality police after more than two months of protests triggered by the arrest of Mahsa Amini for allegedly violating the country’s female dress code, local media said Sunday, Dec 04. Women-led protests, labelled “riots” by the authorities, have swept Iran since the 22-year-old Iranian of Kurdish origin died on September 16, three days after her arrest by the morality police in Tehran.
“Morality police have nothing to do with the judiciary” and have been abolished, Attorney General Mohammad Jafar Montazeri was quoted as saying by the ISNA news agency. His comment came at a religious conference where he responded to a participant who asked “why the morality police were being shut down”, the report said.
The morality police — known formally as the Gasht-e Ershad or “Guidance Patrol” — were established under president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to “spread the culture of modesty and hijab”, the mandatory female head covering. The units began patrols in 2006.
The announcement of their abolition came a day after Montazeri said that “both parliament and the judiciary are working (on the issue)” of whether the law requiring women to cover their heads needs to be changed.
In spite of this, many women continued to bend the rules, letting their headscarves slip onto their shoulders or wearing tight-fitting pants, especially in major cities and towns.
Germany arrests 25 accused of plotting coup
A prince, an ex-MP and former soldiers were arrested on Wednesday, Dec 07 in raids led by the German police against members of a far-right “terror group” that allegedly planned to attack parliament and overthrow the government.
The group had organised a “council” to take charge after the putsch, as well as a “military arm that would build a new German army”, chief federal prosecutor Peter Frank said at a press conference.
“Some members of the terrorist organisation also considered using force to enter the German Bundestag (parliament),” Frank said.
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier told public radio MDR he was “deeply concerned” by the alleged plot, describing it as a “new level”.
Around 3,000 officers, including elite anti-terror units took part in the early morning raids and searched more than 130 properties, in what German media described as one of the country’s largest ever police actions against extremists.
The raids targeted alleged members of the “Citizens of the Reich” (Reichsbuerger) movement, federal prosecutors said in a statement.
The prosecutors in Karlsruhe, southern Germany, said they had arrested 25 people, including one in Austria and another in Italy, and identified a further 27 people as suspected members or supporters of the network.
Suicide bombing kills Indonesian police officer
A suspected Islamic militant suicide bomber killed a police officer and wounded 10 other people in an attack on a police station in the Indonesian city of Bandung on Wednesday, Dec 07 police said.
Police identified the attacker as 34-year-old Agus Sujatno, who was linked to the pro-Islamic State group Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) and had already served four years in a maximum security prison for his involvement in a 2017 bombing.
Three killed in attack on Nigerian election office
Three gunmen were killed early on Monday, Dec 12 when police repelled an assault on an election office in Nigeria´s southeast, police said, in the latest violence in the restive region.
The attack on the main office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Owerri, capital of Imo state, followed similar assaults less than three months to next year´s presidential vote.
Nigerians will go to the ballot box in February to elect a successor to President Muhammadu Buhari, a former army commander who is stepping down after two terms in office. Recent attacks on INEC offices, particularly in the southeast where separatist groups are active, and violence by armed criminal gangs are raising concerns over electoral violence.
3,774 children killed in Yemen’s civil war: UN
The United Nations said on Monday, Dec 12 that at least 3,774 children have been killed in Yemen’s civil war between March 2015 and September 2022.
According to the latest statistics published by the United Nations Children’s Fund, a further 7,245 children have been maimed in the conflict, which has pitted Iran-backed Houthi rebels against a Saudi Arabian-led coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognised government for the past eight years.
The conflict began in 2014 after Houthi rebels came down from the mountains and took control of the capital, Sanaa, and much of the country’s north, forcing Yemen’s government into exile. The Saudi-led coalition then entered the war in March 2015, backed by the US and the United Arab Emirates
According to Unicef, some 3,904 boys were recruited as child soldiers from March 2015 to September 2022. The U.N. agency also estimated that around 2.2 million children in Yemen are ’’acutely malnourished.”
Over 160 civilians killed in South Sudan clashes: UN
At least 166 civilians have died in clashes in South Sudan´s far north over the past four months, the United Nations said on Wednesday, Dec 14 urging the government to act swiftly to end the violence. Thousands of people in Upper Nile state have sought shelter in swamps to escape the bloodshed, amid reports of civilians being raped, kidnapped or murdered.
Iran arrests actress who voiced support for protests
Iran arrested a prominent actress on Saturday, Dec 17 after she voiced support for the three-month-old protest movement triggered by the death of a woman in custody, the judiciary said on Saturday.
Taraneh Alidoosti, 38, was arrested “by order of the judicial authority” as she “did not provide documentation for some of her claims” about the protests, reported the judiciary´s Mizan Online news website.
It added “some figures and a number of celebrities” including Alidoosti have been questioned or arrested “following some baseless comments about the recent events and the publishing of provocative material in support of the street riots”.
Current Threat Levels:
| City/Region | Threat | Levels |
| 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.
