Suicide Bombings
Two soldiers were injured when a suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden vehicle into a security checkpost in Mir Ali area of North Waziristan District on December 29, reports Dawn. “It was a vehicle-borne attack. The suicide bomber rammed the explosive-laden vehicle into the wall of the checkpost in Mir Ali,” local official said.
Three Police constables were killed in a suicide attack at Takhta Beg Police checkpost in Jamrud tehsil (revenue unit) of Khyber District on January 19, reports Dawn. Police said terrorists attacked the Takhta Beg checkpost at 7:30pm. The terrorists armed with hand grenades, entered the premises and opened fire using a sub-machine gun. After the firing, a suicide bomber blew himself up. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack.
Bomb blasts
An improvised explosive device (IED) exploded at a private clinic at Lunda Sharif bus stand in the limits of Gomal University Police Station in Dera Ismail Khan District on January 11, reports Dawn. Police said unknown persons had planted an explosive device outside the private clinic of Dr Rehmatullah Baloch at Lunda Sharif in which the clinic was destroyed while nearby shops were partially damaged. However, there was no loss of life.
Targetted Killings
Two Punjab Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel, identified as Additional Director Naveed Sial and Inspector Nasir Abbas, were shot dead by unidentified assailant at a truck stop in Khanewal city (Khanewal District) on January 3, reports Samaa TV. Footage of the incident showed that a lone gunman was involved in the incident.
Miscellaneous
Three soldiers were injured and two terrorists killed on December 29 during an intense exchange of fire in Arawali area of Kurram District, reports Geo TV. Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the killed terrorists who remained actively involved in terror-related activities against Security Forces, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
An Army soldier and four terrorists were killed in an intelligence-based operation in the general area in Jani Khel area of Bannu District on December 31, reports Dawn. A press release from the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that troops “effectively engage[d]” the terrorists’ location and an “intense fire exchange” took place during which 25-year-old Sepoy Muhammad Waseem, a resident of Khairpur, fought “gallantly” and was martyred. Meanwhile, the terrorists killed had remained “actively involved in terrorist activities against security forces and killing of innocent citizens”, the ISPR said, adding that weapons and ammunition were recovered from them.
A constable was killed when unidentified assailants opened fire at him in Jarra locality under Omarzai Police Station in Charsadda District on December 31, reports Dawn. Officials said Frontier Reserve Police (FRP) constable Muzammil Shah was travelling on a motorcycle in Jarra locality of Omarzai when some attackers travelling in a car opened fire at him, killing him instantly.
Two persons, including one Police Constable and a terrorist were killed during a clash between terrorists and Police when former attacked a Police checkpost in the Shahbaz Khel area of Lakki Marwat District on January 1, reports Dawn. Police spokesperson Shahid Hameed said that RPG-7s, grenades and other “advanced weapons” were used. The killed Policeman was identified as Constable Tehsinullah of the Rapid Response Force while the terrorist was identified as Owais Abdulkhel. Weapons were recovered from his possession.
At least 11 terrorists, including a militant ‘commander’ and two suicide bombers, were killed in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Wana area of South Waziristan District on January 5, reports Dawn. According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Security Forces (SFs) “successfully foiled a high-profile terrorist activity” during the operation. “During intense exchange of fire, 11 terrorists, including terrorist commander Hafizullah alias Tor Hafiz and two suicide bombers, were killed,” the ISPR said. A cache of weapons and ammunitions were also recovered from the possession of killed terrorists.
Separately, five Police personnel deployed on security of polio workers got injured when unidentified terrorists opened fire and threw hand grenades on their vehicle in the Hussaini Chowk of Dera Ismail Khan town (Dera Ismail Khan District) on January 5, reports Samaa TV.
Meanwhile, Police repulsed an armed attack of terrorists on a Police Station at Wargara area of Lakki Marwat District on January 5, reports ARY News. Police said that all officials at the Wargara Police station remained safe in the terrorist attack.
Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and security agencies killed four militants in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Sarband area on the outskirts of Peshawar on January 6, reports Dawn. Four Kalashnikovs and three hand grenades were seized, officials said, adding that around more four militants escaped and a search operation was underway.
A Police Constable, identified as Pasham Khan was killed and another suffered gunshot wounds in a militants’ attack in Dogar Umarzai village in Bannu District, Dawn reports on January 8.
In Lakki Marwat District, Police along with residents repulsed an attack on a Police post in Shahtora Takhtikhel area near Serai Naurang town on January 6. “A group of terrorists used light and heavy weapons to breach the police post building but they faced tough resistance from the cops deployed there,” said an official on January 7.
Police on January 8 shot dead two militants during an encounter in Shamooni Khattak area of Bannu District who were involved in the attack on a Police van on January 7, reports ARY News. A Policeman was killed and another injured on January 7 when militants lobbed a hand grenade at a Police mobile.
Unidentified militants attacked the Yarik Police Station of Dera Ismail Khan District with gunfire and ‘missiles’ in the night of January 8, reports Dawn. However, no loss of life was reported. Police retaliated and exchanged fire with the attackers, which lasted for about 45 to 50 minutes. The militants were forced to flee. The Police Station building was partially damaged.
The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel on January 12 arrested two terrorists, identified as Ehsan and Osama, from Multan city (Multan District), reports ARY News. Explosives and cash were recovered from the possession of terrorists.
The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on January 13 arrested three Sindh Revolutionary Army (SRA) cadres during a raid in Mochko area on Northern Bypass in Karachi, reports ARY News. The CTD spokesperson said that a raid was conducted on a tip-off in Mochko area in which three SRA cadres were arrested while two other cadres managed to escape. Explosive material and arms were recovered from the possession of the arrested cadres. According to the spokesperson, the arrested cadres confessed of their involvement in bomb blasts and murders in Sindh. They also revealed that they received orders regarding the target and other items for the terror activities from a senior SRA cadre namely Inam Abbasi.
Three Policemen, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Badaber, Sardar Hussain and his two Police guards, identified as Irshad and Jehanzeb, were killed in a terrorist attack on the Sarband Police Station in Peshawar, on January 14, reports Dawn. KP Inspector General of Police (IGP) Moazzam Jah Ansari said that sniper weapons were used by terrorists for the first time in Peshawar. Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed the responsibility of the attack.
A Policeman and a civilian were killed, and one Policeman injured in a drive-by attack by two motorcyclists at the Jhangi Police checkpoint in Vehowa tehsil of Taunsa Sharif District of Punjab on January 14, reports Dawn. Another Policeman Ramzan, sustained injuries.
A seminary teacher was found beheaded in a mountainous area near Darra Pezu town of Lakki Marwat District on January 15, reports Dawn. The victim, identified as Mohammad Noor, 40, was a teacher in Jamia Rashidia in Mastikhel area of Tajori town. He belonged to Tank District.
Four Security Force (SF) personnel were killed when terrorists from across the Pakistan-Iran border targeted a SF convoy patrolling along the Chukab sector area of Panjgur District on Jan 17, reports Dawn. An ISPR said that the militants used Iranian soil to “target a convoy of security forces patrolling along the border”. Iran has been asked to hunt down the terrorists on their side.
SFs gunned down four terrorists during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Talsar area of Hoshab District on January 18, reports Dawn. According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), an IBO was initiated “to clear a hideout linked with firing incidents on security forces along M-8, in general area Talsar, Hoshab” on a tip-off about the presence of terrorists.
The beheaded body of a man was found in a remote area of Bargai village in Lakki Marwat District of on January 18, reports Dawn. The victim was identified as Raheedullah (19). He was killed by unidentified terrorists on charges of spying. A Police official said that the militant group ‘Ittehadul Mujahideen-i-Khurasan’ had left a dagger and a hand-written chit in Pashto language along the body, carrying a message that Raheedullah was found guilty of spying for Army and Counter Terrorism Department.
PAKISTAN
Number of TTP militants in the region between 7,000 and 10,000, says Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah
Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on December 27 said that the number of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) cadres in the region was between 7,000 to 10,000, adding that some of the militants who had previously laid down arms have now secretly resumed activities, reports Dawn. In an interview with Dawn News TV programme Live with Adil Shahzeb, Rana Sanaullah revealed that there were around 7,000 to 10,000 TTP fighters in the region and they were accompanied by 25,000 members of their families. Sanaullah pointed out that some locals were also involved in crimes such as extortion and blackmail and alleged that the provincial government had failed to stop them. “The biggest reason for this is the failure of [the] Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and Counter Terrorism Department. It is their job to stop it.” Commenting on the prevalent viewpoint that TTP took the dialogue and ceasefire excuse to regroup, Sanaullah said the group never scattered and was further bolstered by the success of the Afghan Taliban.
Pakistan won’t let anyone facilitate, shelter terrorists, as NSC vows to crush terrorist groups with full force
The National Security Committee (NSC) on January 2, asked Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers, without directly naming them, to deny safe haven to Pakistani terrorist groups on its soil and end their patronage, while reiterating its intent to crush terrorist groups operating inside the country with full force, reports Dawn. The statement said: “Pakistan’s security is uncompromisable and the full writ of the state will be maintained on every inch of the (sic) Pakistan’s territory.” The meeting, which was chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif and attended by key Ministers, services chiefs, and top intelligence officials, also endorsed the government’s road map for restoration of economic stability in the country. “No country will be allowed to provide sanctuaries and facilitation to terrorists and Pakistan reserves all rights in that respect to safeguard her people,” the NSC statement read.
Further, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that Afghanistan’s soil continued to be used against Pakistan, despite an agreement. Speaking on Geo TV Shahzeb Khanzada’s show, he said the Afghan Government had promised that their territory wouldn’t be used against Pakistan, adding: “The Pakistani government is in constant touch with Afghanistan in connection with border violations”. Earlier, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, on December 31, had hinted that Pakistan was planning strikes against Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts in Afghanistan if Taliban authorities failed to act against the terrorist group and hand over the TTP leaders and fighters living there. Meanwhile, the Afghanistan Islamic Emirate’s Defence Ministry on January 2, said in a statement that Sanaullah’s words were “provocative and baseless.” It further stated that Afghanistan was “ready to defend its territorial integrity and independence”.
1,225 IBOs conducted across Punjab, according to CTD 2022 performance report
The Punjab Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on January 3, released the annual performance report of the year 2022 which reported 1,225 intelligence-based operations were conducted across the province, in which 244 suspects were arrested, 197 cases were registered and 782 recoveries were made, reports The News. According to the CTD spokesman, the department has achieved important achievements for the eradication of terrorism while maintaining its previous traditions. The spokesperson said in the year 2022, the operation wing of CTD Punjab added 105 suspicious persons and 354 madrasas to the Fourth Schedule list, apart from this. CTD Punjab’s investigation wing has registered 205 terrorism cases, while 246 terrorists were arrested out of which 183 persons were challaned. 22 cases investigations are in progress for trial. The spokesman maintained the CTD Punjab recovered 64.36 kg of explosives, 48 hand grenades, 253 detonators, 7 batteries and 215 meters of prima cord, 3 SMGs, 40 pistols, 324 bullets and 3 magazines from terrorists. Similarly, the CTD Punjab detained 20 proclaimed offenders (POs) and 3 POs who were in Red Book died in a police encounter. He said the CTD raced 13 suspects involved in head money cases and 16 cases of head money were completed and red notices were issued to six accused.
Al Qaeda-linked group Lashkar-i-Khorasan and TTP separately claim responsibility for killing ISI personnel in Khanewal city of Punjab
Two militant outfits, Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Al Qaeda-linked Lashkar-i-Khorasan, on January 4, claimed responsibility for killing of two Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) personnel in Khanewal city of Punjab on January 3, reports Dawn. Earlier it was reported that both personnel belonged to Counter Terrorism Department (CTD). According to the first information report (FIR), a copy of which is available with Dawn, ISI Multan Region Director Naveed Sadiq and Inspector Nasir Abbas met a source at a roadside hotel on the National Highway near Pirowal in Khanewal District. After having tea, they all walked to the parking lot when the source himself, identified as Umar Khan of Kacha Khoo, pulled out his gun, shot the officers dead and fled from the scene. The suspect reportedly executed the attack on the directions of his group leader, Asadullah.
Meanwhile, the TTP claimed responsibility for the attack. Earlier, a group calling itself Lashkar-i-Khorasan, linked with Al Qaeda, had also made a similar claim. “Yesterday, a secret squad of TTP killed ISI Deputy Director Multan Naveed Sadiq along with his colleague Inspector Nasir Butt at Bismillah Highway in Khanewal district of Punjab,” TTP ‘spokesman’ Mohammad Khorasani said in a statement to the media.
NSC decides not to have talks with terrorists or militant groups, says Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah
Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said on January 5, that the recently held meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) on January 2, had decided that there will be “no talks with any terrorist or militant group”, reports Dawn. Sanaullah was asked about the explicit threat issued by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) for “openly declaring war against the TTP to appease America”. The TTP statement pointedly mentioned PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif by name, as well as their respective parties, and warned religious parties against “activities against us”. He further said that the NSC had concluded that talks, if needed, should be carried out with the Afghan Government so that the importance of the Doha agreement, wherein the country had vowed to not allow its soil to be used against others, could be stressed. “If that is implemented, then the issue of terrorism in Pakistan and other countries will be solved, and Pakistan will be safe if Afghanistan honours its promise”, he added.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa clerics denounce terrorism and issue fatwa against terrorists’ pretexts
A group of clerics (religious scholars) from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on January 9 issued a fatwa condemning terrorism and stating that Jihad can only be declared by the head of an Islamic state, not by individuals, reports Samaa TV. In the fatwa (religious edict), the scholars declared that not everyone has the right to declare Jihad, and that avoiding the laws of the land is unlawful. They also stated that it is haram (forbidden or unlawful) to take up arms and wage war against police and military personnel. If soldiers and policemen are killed while protecting Pakistan, they are considered martyrs, according to the fatwa. The fatwa also addressed the issue of rebellion against the State, stating that insurgency against the ruler of the time is considered sedition, and that perpetrators deserve punishment. It stated that sedition and rioting within the Islamic state, as well as incitement against the state, are not permitted under Sharia (Islamic law). The fatwa declared that anyone involved in sedition is considered to be rebelling against the Constitution of Pakistan. The 14-page fatwa has been signed by 16 religious scholars from difference schools of thought, including Maulana Qari Ehsanul Haq, Mufti Subhanallah Jan, Dr. Maulana Atta ur Rehman, Maulana Hussain Ahmed, Maulana Dr. Abdul Nasir, Mufti Mukhtarullah Haqqani, Maulana Tayyab Qureshi, Maulana Salman ul Haq Haqqani, Maulana Rehmatullah Qadri, Maulana Umar bin Abdul Aziz, Allama Abid Hussain Shakri, Mufti Mairaj ul Din Sarkani, Mufti Raza Mohammad Haqqani, Mufti Khalid Usmani, Mufti Sheikh Aijaz and Maulana Abdul Kareem. KP Chief Khateeb Maulana Tayyab Qureshi, one of the signatories, said the Ulema had issued the fatwa to answer some questions related to jihad. Maulana Tayyab Qureshi said: “Recently some so-called ulema tried to create chaos using Islam. After that, it became our responsibility to issue the fatwa.”
Afghanistan – Internal Dynamics
Ban on female employees major blow to Afghanistan, NRC says
Jan Egeland, the secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), said that Banning of female staff is a big blow and therefore we have suspended all our work as we cannot work with males only, Tolo News reported on December 28. He further said that the council abides by all Islamic values and principles and asks that the Islamic Emirate reconsider its decision to suspend women’s employment. We cannot do good work with males only, it is impossible, exactly this decision makes it impossible for us to work in Afghanistan, he added.
Earlier on December 27, the Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres tweeted that the latest restrictions by the Taliban on employment and & education of women and girls are unjustifiable human rights violations must be revoked, reports Hasht-e Subh. He further added Actions to exclude and silence women and girls continue to cause immense suffering and major setbacks to the potential of the Afghan people.
Taliban’s Director of Counter-Terrorism Department killed in Nangarhar Province
Unidentified gunmen killed the Director of the Counter-Terrorism Department along with his two bodyguards in Khogyani District of Nangarhar Province, Hasht-e Subh reported on January 1.
IS takes responsibility for series of terror attacks in Afghanistan
Islamic State (IS) on January 2, claimed responsibility for series of terror attacks that occurred lately in Afghanistan, reports voanews.com. It’s Afghanistan-based affiliate- Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) was behind January 1, suicide bomb attack outside the military airport in the country’s capital, Kabul.
ISKP also claimed that the attacker had participated and survived December 12, raid on a downtown Kabul hotel where Chinese nationals were staying, among other guests. ISKP further claimed a December 2, assassination attempt on Ubaid ur Rehman Nizamani, head of Pakistan’s Embassy in the Afghan capital. Nizamani escaped unharmed in the shooting incident, but his Pakistani security guard was injured. In late December, a car bomb in Badakhshan Province killed the Taliban regional Police Chief and his two guards, ISKP took responsibility for plotting that attack in the provincial capital of Fayzabad.
Five people killed in suicide blast outside Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Kabul
On January 11, five people died in a suicide blast, which occurred outside the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Kabul, the capital city of Kabul Province, reports Hasht-e Subh. Amaq News Agency, a news outlet linked to the Islamic State (IS), issued a newsletter on January 11, claiming responsibility for this attack. By publishing a picture of a masked person, IS claimed that this attack was carried out by a member of this group, named Khaibar al-Kunduzi. Some other reports claimed that more than 20 people were killed in the attack.
Taliban prioritizes reinforcement of theocratic rule over building modern State, says US Director of National Intelligence
An intelligence assessment being released on December 5 by the United States (US) Director of National Intelligence (DNI) estimates that through 2025, the Taliban regime will not prevent a humanitarian catastrophe without international aid, reiterating that the Taliban use harsh tactics to maintain control of the population, reports Hasht-E Subh on January 11. The report further predicted Taliban prioritizes reinforcement of theocratic rule over building a modern state, and the group will roll back much of the last two decades’ social and civic liberalizations. The findings of the DNI also stated that the Islamic State in Khurasan Province (ISKP) will pose the most challenging threat to the Taliban, regional nations and the west while Al-Qaeda elements will need more time to regroup before the they will be capable of posing threats to the west and regional countries.
UNSC members urge Taliban to end restrictions on women
Eleven members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) at a meeting held on January 13, urged the Taliban to end its repressive treatment of women in Afghanistan, as the group continued to impose restrictive policies on their education and work, reports Al Jazeera. Ever since the Taliban took over power in Afghanistan in August 2021 after the US troop withdrawal squeezed women out of almost all areas of public life, banning them from secondary and higher education, public sector work and visiting parks. Japanese Ambassador Ishikane Kimihiro, speaking on behalf of 11 members of the UNSC stated, “We urge the Taliban to immediately reverse all oppressive measures against women and girls.” The 11 members – Albania, Brazil, Ecuador, France, Gabon, Japan, Malta, Switzerland, the UAE, the United Kingdom and the United States – called on the Taliban to “respect the rights of women and girls, and their full, equal and meaningful participation and inclusion across all aspects of society in Afghanistan, from political and economic, to education and public space”. They also called on the authorities in Afghanistan to reverse bans on women working for aid groups or attending universities and high school.
More than 40 private universities will be closed if the Taliban ban on female students will continue, says report
The union of private universities said that more than 40 private universities will be closed if the ban on female students will continue, Tolo News reported on January 15. Based on the statistics of the union of private universities, 140 private universities are active in 24 provinces of the country. More than 25,000 people, including academic figures, are employed in the centers. And, now more than 5,000 employees of private universities have lost their jobs after the ban on female students that happened in December 2022. “More than 40 owners of universities have told us that they will not have the financial capacity to continue their activities if the temporary decision of banning female students from attending universities continues for a long time. In this case they said they will be forced to close the doors of their universities,” said Mohammad Karim Nasiri, who is a press director of the union.
Taliban cut off four thieves’ hands in Kandahar Province
On January 17, Taliban cut off hands of four thieves and flogged five others in a football stadium of Kandahar Province, reports Hasht-e Subh. Taliban cut off the hands of four people who were accused of robbery and five others were flogged on accusation of having premarital relations and committing criminal offenses.
Assassination of former member of National Assembly ignite worldwide reactions
On January 17, Leader of People’s Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan, Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq, tweeted that Taliban and the government that surrendered Afghanistan to a group that does not care about peoples’ lives are responsible for crimes being committed in Afghanistan, reports Hasht-e Subh. Head of Afghanistan Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Naseer Ahmad Faiq, also expressed grievances in a thread on Twitter that no one is safe and accountable in our Afghanistan. Hannah Neumann, representing Germany at the European Parliament, also expressed her anger on Twitter, and said she was sad and angry to hear about the assassination of Mursal Nabizada. She further added that Taliban are building their system of Gender Apartheid in full daylight. In this regard, Amnesty International said the horrific assassination of Mursal Nabizada and her security guard, highlights the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan and the plight of women who have been stripped of their rights by the Taliban. Earlier, SATP reported that Mursal Nabizada, a member National Assembly during the former republic regime, was killed by unidentified gunmen in her own house at Arzan Qimat in the 12th Police District of Kabul, the capital city, on January 14. Mursal Nabizada’s brother was also injured in the attack.
Bangladesh – Internal Dynamics
Community leaders of Bandarban District disassociate themselves form KNF
On December 28, leaders of five indigenous communities – Mro, Lusai, Khumi, Kheyang, and Pangkhua – of Bandarban District said no one from their communities was involved with Kuki National Front (KNF), reports The Daily Star. They further said that KNF’s claim that their organisation was formed with people from Bawm, Mro, Lusai, Khumi, Kheyang and Pangkhua communities was false. Some young men from the Bawm community, who formed the KNF, but no one else is involved, they added.
Six Al-Qaeda militants arrested in separate incidents in Bangladesh
On January1, Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit arrested six Al-Qaeda terrorists, identified as Abdur Rob, Mohammad Shakib, Mohammad Shamim Hossain, Mohammad Nadeem Sheikh, Mahammad Abshar, and Mohammad Sayeed Uddin, reports The Daily Star. So far according to information, they were arrested from Syedabad Bus Terminal of Dhaka city, Chattogram District and Teknaf Sub-District of Cox’s Bazar District. Dhaka court placed the arrested militants on a five-day remand on January 2. CTTC Additional Commissioner Mohammad Asaduzzaman said the arrestees formed a team by communicating on social media and different apps. “They migrated to Teknaf and stayed there for militant activities, after training with local collaborators. They have more associates. An operation is underway to arrest them,” Asaduzzaman stated.
Two Rohingya leaders killed in two separate incidents in Cox’s Bazar District
On January 7, Mohammad Rashid the leader of Block A at camp No. 15, was killed at 7pm by masked assailants while talking to others at a shop in Teknaf Sub-District of Cox’s Bazar District, reports bdnews24.com.
On January 8, Mohammad Salim, Deputy leader of Bock B at 8-West camp was killed by Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) militants in Balukhali camp in Ukhiya Sub-District of Cox’s Bazar District, reports Dhaka Tribune.
Gun battle between ARSA and RSO reported in Bandarban District
On January 19, gun battle between Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) and Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO) resumed at a refugee camp on the no-man’s-land (zero line) along Tambru border in Bandarban District, reports The Daily Star. This gun battle has caused the entry of at least 500 Rohingyas in Bangladesh and helped them take refuge at a school in Tambru area of Naikhongchhari Sub-District, said Muhammad Alam, a member of Ghumdhum Union Parishad. Earlier, SATP reported that a Rohingya man, identified as Hamid Ullah, was killed and the other man, identified as Mohib Ullah, was shot at and injured firing incident at Konarpara Rohingya camp near the Tombru border in Naikhongchhari Sub-District of Bandarban District in Chittagong Division, on January 18.
India – Internal Dynamics
Al-Qaeda calls on Muslims and Islamic nations to unite against India
As-Sahab Media, the official media wing of terror outfit Al-Qaeda, published an article in its periodical magazine One Ummah urged Muslims and Islamic nations to unite together against India, reports India Today on December 27. “We ask our noble Ummah to unite against this Hindu government and help their brothers and sisters in India so that Allah’s enemies dare not repeat such an outrageous atrocity against our Prophet,” the Al-Qaeda article reads. The article also urges businessmen to boycott Indian products, fire Hindu employees, and expel Hindus from Muslim-majority countries. “It is a disgrace to let millions of supporters of Modi reside in the Peninsula of the Prophet”, the Al-Qaeda’s magazine further reads. It criticised India and Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi and referred to the controversy surrounding former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokeswoman Nupur Sharma’s statement against Prophet Muhammad.
Huge cache of weapons recovered in Jharkhand
A search operation was conducted, on December 30, on the disclosure of arrested Communist Party of India-Maoist self-styled ‘sub-zonal commander’, Govind Birijia, in which Security Forces (SFs) recovered an INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) assault rifle, a Self-Loading Rifle (SLR), two 303, a semi-automatic rifle and more than 500 bullets from the hideout of the Maoists in Korgo Forest under Bagdu Police Station limits in Lohardaga District of Jharkhand, reports prabhatkhabar.com. Earlier, on December 29, following an encounter in Korgo Forest under Bagdu Police Station limits in Lohardaga District, Birijia and self-styled ‘sub-zonal commander’ Chandrabhan Pahan alias CB Pahan, who sustained injuries in the encounter, were arrested. Later, Pahan succumbed to his injuries, while Birijia was taken to custody, and the incident was reported by SATP on December 29. Birjia carried a prize money of INR 200,000 on his head.
SSP’s office walls vandalised with ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ slogan in Punjab
‘Khalistani Zindabad’ slogan was written outside the walls of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Upinderjit Singh Ghuman’s office in Muktsar District of Punjab, Punjab Kesari reports on January 3. The Police have launched an inquiry into the matter. Furthermore, it was written that, much like former Prime Minister (PM) Indira Gandhi was assassinated in 1984 and Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra was threatened to be stopped on January 11, 2023. Shortly after, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) head Gurpatwant Singh Pannu released a video in which he discussed a number of incidents in Punjab, including a bomb found close to Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann’s office, Khalistani slogans written, and the assassinations of Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi.
Encounter between Police and TSPC cadres in Jharkhand
An encounter between Police and cadres of the Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee (TSPC/TPC), a splinter group of the Communist Party of India, took place in Angada Forest area under Kunda Police Station limits in Chatra District of Jharkhand on January 6, reports prabhatkhabar.com. Seeing the Police dominating, the TSPC cadres were able to escape by taking advantage of the forest while firing. After the encounter, Police recovered a huge quantity of goods from the encounter site. The recoveries included, one walkie talkie, wire, army paternal cloth, two solar plates with two mobile chargers, cooking utensils, steel plates eight, rice 20 kilograms, fresh vegetables, blanket, civil cloth, pithu bag and other daily use items. Following inputs that ‘regional commander’ of the banned Naxalite [Left Wing Extremist, LWE] organization TSPC, Akraman Ganjhu, carrying a prize of INR 1.5 million, and the ‘regional commander’, Shashikant alias Arif, carrying a prize of INR 1 million, are busy in the forest to carry out the incident, the operation was launched to arrest them. Seeing the Police coming towards them, the cadres started firing on the Police party, and the Police fired in retaliation. After this, the TSPC cadres escaped by taking advantage of the forest.
Six CRPF personnel injured in IED blast in Jharkhand
Six Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were injured in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast during a search and encounter with Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) in Chaibasa town in West Singhbhum District of Jharkhand on January 11, reports ptcnews.tv. “Six personnel of CRPF’s elite COBRA [Commando Battalion for Resolute Action] battalion were injured on Wednesday in a bomb blast after an encounter with the outlawed CPI(Maoist) at Tumbahaka forest in Jharkhand’s Naxal-affected West Singhbhum district,” a senior Police official said. According to the Police, when the Security Forces (SFs) approached, the Left Wing Extremists (LWEs) opened fire. “This prompted the security forces to retaliate and the Naxals were forced to retreat triggering the blast. A massive search operation is on to track down the extremists,” the Police added.
NPGN warns of “bloodshed and war” if solution is not based on the Framework Agreement
National People’s Government of Nagaland/Non Accordist faction of Naga National Council (NPGN/NNC-NA) president, T. Ovung in a press statement on January 21 said that there will be “bloodshed and war” if Naga political solution was not done based on August 3, 2015 Framework Agreement as some Nagas would be excluded, reports India Today NE. T. Ovung reaffirmed that the Framework Agreement was for “Nagalim” which includes all Nagas of Nagaland, Nagas of Manipur, Nagas of Arunachal Pradesh and Nagas of Assam and no Nagas should be excluded”.
Monthly Fatalities:
The following casualties, related to ongoing insurgencies and acts of terrorism occurred during the period December 25, 2022 to January 26, 2023:
| Civilian | Indian Security Personnel | Militants | Total | |
| Chattisgarh | 02 | 00 | 01 | 03 |
| Manipur | 02 | 00 | 02 | 04 |
| Jharkhand | 01 | 00 | 01 | 02 |
| Tripura | 00 | 00 | 02 | 02 |
| Total | 05 | 00 | 06 | 11 |
Nepal – Internal Dynamics
Two persons arrested for transporting ammonium nitrate
The Kalutara South Police arrested two persons for transporting more than 10 kilograms of ammonium nitrate without permits on January 5, reports Colombo Page. The raid was carried out on information received by the Panadura Division Criminal Investigation Division officials that a consignment of explosives was being transported. During the raid, a three-wheeler was seized near the expressway bridge in the Ukwatta area of Kalutara South police division and the police seized 10 kilograms and 380 grams of ammonium nitrate being transported in the vehicle.
Sri Lanka – Internal Dynamics
Police excavate land after getting warning about LTTE weapons
The Koppay Police excavated a private land in Kokuvil in Jaffna District after they received a warning that weapons belonging to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were buried in that place, reports The Tamil Guardian on January 10. The Police obtained permission from Jaffna Magistrate Court to carry out the excavations. Despite excavating four different sites, no weapons were recovered.
Gemstone company based in Sri Lanka funds Al-Qaeda
A Sri Lankan gemstone company that was key to sanctioned terrorist facilitator Ahmed Luqman Talib’s revenue generation in support of Al-Qaeda, continued doing business even after Talib was sanctioned and arrested by Australian Police in 2021, reports Colombo Gazette on January 10. An elite research and data analytics company, Kharon, stated that the trading company shared an address in the south-west coast of Sri Lanka with Mohammed Haris Nizar, who was one of Talib’s relatives and business partners most recently sanctioned by the United States government on November 9, 2022. The international trail of Talib’s Al-Qaeda facilitation network extended into South America. Al-Qaeda facilitator Ahmed Talib was also a managing partner of the Brazil-based company Ottoman Trade Caravan Importacao e Exportacao Ltda. in 2020, Kharon also stated.
Claymore bomb recovered in Galle in Southern Province
A claymore bomb, which was hidden under a banana bush at Welikanda in Ahungalla, Galle District in Southern Province, was been recovered by the Police on January 13, reports Daily Mirror. The bomb was recovered according to the information received by Tangalle Headquarters Inspector (HQI)in Hambantota District, Southern Province. Police suspected that the bomb belonged to an individual in Bentota in Galle who is currently overseas and had also revealed that the suspect is a close associate of an organized criminal Kosgoda Suji. No arrest has been made so far with regard to the case.
SL ex-president failed to stop Easter attacks: court
Former Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena and four other top officials were responsible for failing to prevent the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed 279 people, the Supreme Court said in a landmark decision on Thursday, Jan 12.
The island nation´s worst terror attack since the end of its ethnic civil war saw coordinated suicide blasts on hotels and Catholic churches, which also killed up to 45 foreign nationals and wounded over 500 people. The seven-judge bench ruled that Sirisena had been negligent in not taking measures to thwart the attack, despite solid intelligence warnings two weeks earlier
INTERNATIONAL
10 Syrian oil workers killed
An attack in eastern Syria killed 10 oil field workers, state news agency SANA reported on Friday, Dec 30 2022 a day after Syrian Kurdish-led forces announced an offensive against jihadists. In addition to the nearly dozen dead, “two others have been wounded in a terrorist attack that targeted three buses transporting workers from al-Taim oil field in Deir Ezzor” province, SANA reported. A British-based war monitor said “cells of the Islamic State group” carried out the assault near the oil field.
‘Three Egyptian cops killed in attack in Suez Canal city’
Three Egyptian policemen were killed and four other people, including a police officer, wounded in an attack in the Suez Canal city of Ismailia, security and medical sources said Friday, Dec 30, 2022 .Two cars approached a checkpoint in a residential neighbourhood of the city and two armed assailants opened fire at the policemen, the security source said.
Iran tests military drones in war game near Strait of Hormuz
The armed groups still operating in Colombia, the world’s largest cocaine producer, are locked in deadly disputes over drug trafficking revenues and other illegal businesses, according to the Institute for Development and Peace Studies (Indepaz), an independent think tank.
20 people killed in clashes in Somaliland
At least 20 people were killed in Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland in clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces over several days, according to a doctor at a public hospital.
For more than a week police and the military have been battling the protesters in Laascaanood, a town in Somaliland’s east which is disputed between Somaliland and neighbouring Puntland, one of Somalia’s semi-autonomous regions.
Iran issues warning on mandatory headscarf in cars
Iranian police have resumed warnings that women must wear mandatory headscarves even in cars, media reported on Monday, Jan 02, 2023 as unrest continues following the death of Mahsa Amini.
Protests have gripped Iran since the September 16 death of Iranian-Kurdish Amini, 22, after her arrest in Tehran for an alleged breach of the Islamic republic´s strict dress code for women. Tehran generally calls the protests “riots”. Fars news agency quoted a senior police officer who said the “new stage” of the Nazer-1 programme — “surveillance” in Persian — was being rolled out “across the country by the police”.
The Nazer programme, launched in 2020, concerns the “removal of hijab in cars”, Fars added. When it was launched in 2020, car owners would be sent an SMS text message alerting them of a dress code violation in their vehicle and warning of “legal” action if repeated. But police have seemingly dropped the threat of legal action, according to messages posted on social media platforms.
Since September, the morality police´s white and green vans became a much less common sight on the streets of Tehran. In early December, Iran´s Prosecutor General Mohammad Jafar Montazeri was quoted as saying that the morality police had been closed down.
19 killed in Somalia twin car bombings
As many as 19 people have been killed in twin car bombings in central Somalia claimed by Al-Shabaab, a local militia commander in the Hiran region said.
Two cars packed with explosives were simultaneously detonated in Mahas, a town in Hiran where a major offensive was launched last year against the al-Qaeda-linked militant group. The attack was claimed by Al-Shabaab, which has been waging a years-long insurgency against the fragile central government, according to the SITE monitoring group.
Gunmen attack Nigeria train station, kidnap more than 30
Gunmen attacked a train station in southern Nigeria, kidnapping around 30 people and wounding others, police and officials said, nearly a year after a bomb assault on a train travelling from the capital.
Kidnapping for ransom is a major problem in Nigeria where gunmen have repeatedly attacked and abducted people in large groups, but mostly in the northwestern and central states. The train station attack in Edo state, 360-km east of Lagos, took place on Saturday, Jan 07 evening.
Gunmen opened fire before abducting passengers who were waiting for a train to Warri in southern Delta state, police said in a statement to local media.
Gunmen kill 12 Nigeria security personnel
At least 12 Nigeria security personnel and local vigilantes were killed by unidentified gunmen in an area of northwestern Kaduna state where criminal gangs and jihadists are both active, officials said on Tuesday, Jan 10.
A patrol of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) paramilitary and the local vigilantes who work with the military were ambushed around a mining site on Monday morning, Olusola Odumosu, NSCDC spokesman said in a statement
Nine killed in mosque attack in Burkina Faso
Nine people were killed when suspected jihadists attacked a mosque in northeastern Burkina Faso, local sources said on Thursday, Jan 12. The attack happened at around nightfall on Wednesday in the village of Goulgountou in Burkina´s Sahel region, when assailants arrived on motorbikes and herded worshippers inside the mosque, a witness said.
Ten dead in DR Congo church bombing
A bomb killed at least ten people on Sunday, Jan 15 after detonating in a church in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the army said.
Details of the attack remain hazy, but military spokesman Antony Mualushayi said the “terrorist act” happened in a Pentecostal church in North Kivu province´s Kasindi, a town on the border with Uganda.
Mualushayi later told reporters that at least five bodies had been taken to the morgue following the blast, in what he called a provisional death toll. Joel Kitausa, a local civil society figure, put the death toll at eight and said 27 other people had been wounded.
AFP was unable to independently confirm the toll. It was not immediately clear who carried out the attack. Mualushayi said that one suspect — a Kenyan — had been arrested. The DRC´s communications ministry said on social media that the attack was apparently carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) group. The ADF — which the Islamic State group claims as its affiliate in Central Africa — is active in the Kasindi area. It has been accused of slaughtering thousands of Congolese civilians and carrying out bomb attacks in Uganda.
Eight killed in Somalia bombing claimed by Al-Shabaab
Police said Sunday, Jan 15 that eight people were killed in a roadside bombing claimed by Al-Shabaab in central Somalia where a major offensive is underway to retake territory from the jihadists. The attack occurred on Saturday afternoon in Buloburde, a city in Hiran district where government forces and clan militias have been battling the Al-Qaeda-linked insurgents since the middle of last year.
The bomber detonated a car laden with explosives near an administrative building, said Abdullahi Mohamud, a local police commander. “Five people were killed on the spot, while three others died overnight in hospital,” he said on Sunday, adding the bomber had been planning to destroy the city´s main bridge before redirecting the attack at a civilian area.
Separately, police said a car bomb was detonated in Jalalaqsi, another town in Hiran, but only the attacker died. A second attack was foiled and the suspect detained trying to flee a vehicle packed with explosives, police said.
Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for all three attacks in a message transmitted via its communication service. The militants have been waging a bloody insurgency against the frail internationally-backed central government for 15 years, carrying out attacks both in Somalia and neighbouring countries.
Three dead after shoot-out in south Thailand
Three people were killed in a jungle shoot-out between government forces and separatist rebels in Thailand´s troubled deep south, police said on Saturday, Jan 21.
A low-level conflict has simmered in the country´s southernmost provinces since 2004, killing more than 7,000 people, as rebels in the Muslim-majority region battle for greater autonomy from the state.
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.
