Suicide Bombings / Attacks
Two suicide bombers exploded themselves in a failed attempt to enter the Bannu cantonment in Bannu District on the morning of July 15, reports Business Recorder. “Initial assessment shows that there were two suicide bombings” an unnamed senior security official said adding that “the attackers could not pass through the security cordon and exploded themselves, there is one fatality so far and injuries are being assessed”. Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)’s Hafiz Gul Bahadur faction’s affiliate Jaish Al Fursan Muhammad’s ‘spokesman’ Nusrat Waziristan claimed that an explosive laden vehicle was rammed into the gate and suicide bombers tried to enter the premises. Eight people were injured in the blast which was carried out on Kohati Road in Bannu between the Supply Depot and Security Tower as a diversion.
Bomb Blasts/IEDS
A grenade attack targeted the residence of Aslam Khan, the leader of the Marwat Qaumi Jirga, in the Lakki Marwat District on June 27, reports The Express Tribune. According to police, unidentified assailants threw a grenade at the hujra of the senior local leader and chief of the Marwat Qaumi Jirga, Haji Aslam Khan. The blast partially damaged the gate but fortunately caused no casualties.
Seven persons were injured when some unidentified motorcyclists lobbed a hand grenade at a vehicle carrying the personnel of Frontier Corps (FC) on Brewery Road in Killi Ibrahimzai area of Quetta in the evening of June 27, reports Dawn.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) former Senator Hidayatullah Khan was killed along with four others when senator’s car was targeted in an improvised explosive device (IED) attack in Damadola area of Bajaur on July 3, reports Dawn. Bajaur District Police Officer Sajjad Ahmad said that the former senator was on the way to a by-election campaign in Damadola when he was attacked. The other deceased were identified as Malik Irfan, Nazaruddin, Yar Muhammad, and Samiur Rehman. No one claimed responsibility for the attack as of yet.
A Security Forces (SFs) personnel was killed and four other personnel sustained injuries in an improvised explosive device (IED) near the SF vehicle carrying personnel to the Iskalku area of Kalat District in Balochistan on July 2, reports Dawn. The vehicle was hit while en route to Iskalku, where militants had attacked two Frontier Corps posts a few days earlier. The posts were set up to guard the oil and gas exploration site of a petroleum company. The dead soldier was identified as Naik Shafqat.
Three people were killed while seven others, including two Policemen were injured when a remote-controlled explosive device planted on a bridge exploded near the Jalala Bridge in Takhtbhai area of Mardan District on July 5, reports Dawn. Sadar Superintendent of Police (SP) Khalid Khan said that unidentified terrorists planted the explosive device near the Jalala Bridge and detonated it as the Police van was passing by.
A soldier of the Quick Response Force (QRF) of the Frontier Corps (FC) South was killed and seven others were injured in the Buleda area of Kech District on July 19, reports Dawn. Officials said that some unidentified militants had planted an explosive device on the roadside, and they detonated it when a vehicle carrying FC personnel was passing through the area.
Some unidentified assailants exploded an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) through a remote control in front of the court of the district and the session judge to target the Counter Terrorism Department’s (CTD) vehicle, which was carrying the department’s personnel in Pishin District on July 19, reports Dawn. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Pishin Nanzoor Buledi said that the CTD officer survived the attack, but three officials were injured. Officials said the IED blast left three CTD officials and three pedestrians injured.
Targetted Killings
A well-reputed philanthropist and member of the District Reconciliation Committee (DRC), Rahat Khan was shot dead by unknown assailants in Kalu Khan tehsil (revenue unit) of Swabi District on June 28, reports Urdu Point. Police said Rahat Khan was near his home in Kalu Khan when unknown assailants shot him dead.
A senior officer of the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) was shot dead on Mano-Jan Road in Quetta, on July 2, reports Dawn while travelling in his car on Mano-Jan Road when unidentified gunmen opened fire, killing him on the spot. The attackers, who used automatic weapons, fled the scene.
The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ali Raza, was shot dead outside Shakil Corporation flats in Karimabad area of Karachi on July 7, reports The Express Tribune.
Four family members, including a Police officer, were killed and a minor was injured when unidentified assailants opened fire on their vehicle near Kurram Bridge on the Indus Highway within the jurisdiction of Dadiwala Police station in Lakki Marwat District on July 10, reports Dawn.
A local journalist, Hasan Zaib, who worked for a local newspaper, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Akbarpura village of Nowshera District on July 14, reports ARY News. The attackers, riding motorcycles, fatally shot Hasan Zaib in a crowded market area, said Police.
Miscellaneous
On June 28, unidentified gunmen abducted 13 labourers from the Tator area of Tank District while they were repairing a 132KV transmission line, reports Dawn. However, District Police officer Abdus Salam Khalid said that nine out of the 13 labourers were rescued by the Police, and search for the remaining was continuing. He said that all the abducted labourers belonged to Punjab.
Three security personnel were killed by unidentified gunmen in the Takhta Baig area police said on Monday, July 01, while a doctor was shot dead and a snooker club set on fire. Islamabad blames an ongoing surge in militant attacks on neighboring Afghanistan, saying Pakistani Taliban, or TTP, leaders have taken refuge there and run camps to train insurgents to launch attacks inside Pakistan.
Security Forces (SFs) killed a high-profile terrorist commander, Irfanullah alias Adnan, in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) conducted in Bajaur District on July 3, reports Aaj TV. Adnan was a key figure in numerous terrorist activities targeting SFs, innocent civilians, and extortion rackets, according to a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) along with Security Forces and local Police, successfully foiled a major terrorist plot aimed at disrupting the upcoming month of Muharram al-Haram, by recovering a cache of arms and ammunitions during a raid in the mountainous region of Pahaṛbagh in Orakzai District on July 3, reports Aaj TV. SFs recovered cache of weapons and explosives, including: six rocket launchers, six RPG boosters, nine hand grenades, ammunition, fuses, electric detonators as well as a concealed Improvised Explosive Device (IED).
Two Policemen were killed and two other Policemen sustained injuries in an attack on a check post in the Dadar area of Kandhkot tehsil (revenue unit) in Kashmore District of Sindh on July 3, reports Aaj TV.
According to Police, the incident occurred around 6:00 am when unidentified assailants attacked the Dadar check post. The killed Policemen were identified as Nisar Ahmed and Allah Dino Sabzwari.
A high-profile terrorist was killed while seven other people were injured during an hours-long shootout operation conducted by Security Forces in Darel District of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) on July 4, reports Dawn. “Terrorist commander Shah Faisal was killed during an intelligence-based security operation in the Darel district of GB, while his accomplice, Zahidullah, was injured,” GB Interior Minister Shams Lone said. He added that a young girl, an elderly man, and four GB Scouts were also injured during the exchange of fire, while another terrorist is still at large and is being pursued.
A senior ‘commander’ of Ghazi group of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Noor Rehman alias Anas, was killed while crossing the fence from Afghanistan to Pakistan in North Waziristan District on July 5. Noor was involved in more than 77 target killings in the North Waziristan District in the last three years and was also exercising its influence in Punjab.
Two Army soldiers and two Police officers were killed while one “high-value” terrorist ‘commander’, Abdul Raheem, along with two other terrorists were eliminated during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Hassan Khel area of Peshawar on July 10, reports Dawn.
A most wanted Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorist Kifayat Ullah, involved in the Daraban Police Station attack of December 12, 2023, was killed during an operation conducted by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) at Jalebi Morr in Hikmatabad area within the jurisdiction of Dera town Police Station in Dera Ismail Khan District on July 10, reports Urdu Point. The CTD also recovered one SMG folding butt, 04 magazines, 37 cartridges, one hand grenade, one pocket size diary with the name of Kifayatullah, and an easy paisa card in the name of Doraan Khan.
The anti-terrorism financing unit of Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on July 12 arrested two terrorists, affiliated with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, from Jhanjal Goth area of Karachi, reports ARY News. According to CTD Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Asif Ijaz Sheikh, the arrested terrorist were in contact with TTP leaders in Afghanistan through social media and were collecting funds for the outfit.
Unidentified terrorists fired upon a Police checkpoint in Bannu District on July 16, but all Police personnel remained unharmed, reports Aaj TV. According to Police, the attack was thwarted by retaliatory fire, forcing the terrorists to flee. The incident resulted in damage to a thermal camera at the checkpoint. The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on July 18 arrested senior al Qaeda leader Aminul Haq, a close aide of al Qaeda chief late Osama Bin Laden, during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Sarai Alamgir town of Gujrat District in Punjab, reports Dawn. The CTD statement said that Haq’s name was included in the United States (US) and United Nation (UN) list of global terrorists.
At least three terrorists were killed during an infiltration attempt at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Upper Dir District on July 22, reports Aaj TV. “The infiltrators were surrounded, effectively engaged and after an intense fire exchange, all three terrorists were killed,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement. It added that Pakistan has been asking the interim Afghan government to ensure effective border management on their side of the border. “Interim Afghan Government is expected to fulfil its obligations and deny the use of Afghan soil by terrorists for perpetuating acts of terrorism against Pakistan,” it said.
PAKISTAN
TTP hideouts in Afghanistan can be targeted under Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, says Defence Minister Khawaja Asif
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on June 27 stated that under Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, the Government could target terrorist hideouts across the border in Afghanistan, reports The Express Tribune. In an interview with Voice of America (VoA), Asif explained that the decision for Operation Azm-e-Istehkam was not made hastily.
However, he acknowledged a political environment where parties are reluctant to give space to Government decisions. He assured that any political parties’ concerns about the operation would be addressed, and the Government would bring the matter to the assembly to answer questions and build trust among members. Asif dismissed the possibility of negotiations with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), stating, “There is no ground for dialogue.”
He questioned the success of the PTI government’s reintegration of 4,000 to 5,000 TTP militants, asking, “If that experiment was successful, let us know so we can follow suit.” He claimed previous operations were successful, with the Pakistan Armed Forces being the main stakeholders then and now. However, he criticised successive civilian Governments for failing to play their part post-operation.
Militant attacks down 20 per cent in June, says PICSS data
According to data released by an Islamabad-based think-tank, Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), militants carried out 69 attacks across the country in the month of June, Dawn reported on July 2. These attacks resulted in 60 deaths, including 33 Security Forces (SFs) personnel, 26 civilians, and one militant.
Additionally, 65 people were injured: 33 civilians, 31 SF personnel, and one militant. Compared to May, there was a 20 per cent decline in militant attacks, a 33 per cent decrease in resultant deaths, and a 25 per cent decrease in injuries. The month of June also witnessed the arrest of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) top ‘commander’ Nasrullah alias Maulvi Mansoor, a member of the TTP’s Shura. The data shows that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) remained the most affected province, followed by Balochistan. In KP, militants carried out 27 attacks, resulting in 21 deaths, including 15 SF personnel and five civilians, while 18 people were injured, including nine civilians, eight SF personnel, and one militant. Militants also kidnapped five people, highlighting a rising trend in kidnapping in the province.
In tribal Districts of KP (erstwhile FATA), militants carried out 28 attacks, resulting in 30 deaths, including 18 civilians and 12 SF personnel, and 28 injuries, including 16 SFs personnel and 12 civilians. Balochistan witnessed 11 attacks, resulting in six deaths, including four SF personnel and two civilians, while 14 people were injured, including eight civilians and six SF personnel. Insurgents also kidnapped 10 people from Balochistan, three of them were later released. Balochistan recorded a 52 per cent decline in militant attacks, an 80 per cent decline in resultant deaths, and a 69 per cent decline in injuries in June, which is significant in the context of the prevailing security situation.
Punjab and Sindh also saw improvement in security, with the former witnessing one and the latter two militant attacks, resulting in one death in Punjab and two in Sindh.
Pakistan rules out talks with TTP, urges Taliban rulers to take action against terrorists
Pakistan on July 11 ruled out the possibility of holding any dialogue with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), citing the terror outfit’s involvement in the killing of Pakistani and foreign nationals, reports The News. “The TTP is involved in the killing of Pakistani and foreign citizens inside Pakistan,” Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said in a weekly news briefing in Islamabad.
The FO spokesperson said Pakistan expects the Afghan authorities to take action against terrorist groups that have found sanctuaries on its soil and are using them for launching terror attacks across the border. “Pakistan respects Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and expects the authorities in the neighbouring country to uphold their sovereignty,” she said.
TTP now largest terror group in Afghanistan, says United Nations monitoring report
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is now the largest terrorist group in Afghanistan, enjoying operational and logistical support from both the Afghan Taliban and factions of the Al Qaeda terrorist network, Dawn reported on July 12 quoting United Nations monitoring report.
“The Taliban do not conceive of TTP as a terrorist group: the bonds are close, and the debt owed to TTP significant,” states the 15th report of the ISIL (Daesh) and Al-Qaeda/Taliban Monitoring Team, submitted to the UN Security Council. Estimating its strength at around 6,000-6,500 fighters, the report notes that TTP is now the largest among the two dozen or so such groups that enjoy freedom to manoeuvre, under the oversight of the Taliban regime.
The report notes that TTP “continues to operate at significant scale in Afghanistan and to conduct terrorist operations into Pakistan from there, often utilising Afghans”. “TTP has intensified attacks against Pakistan, significantly increasing from 573 in 2021 to 715 in 2022 and 1,210 in 2023, with the trend continuing into 2024,” the report, updated until May 28, states.
TTP chief Noor Wali’s leaked call exposes terror plots in Pakistan
A leaked call between the leader of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Noor Wali and his associate revealed the plans to carry out terrorist attacks on schools, hospitals, and Security Forces, The Nation reported on July 21. The TTP chief, Noor Wali, can be heard directing his associate to target Government schools and hospitals with explosives and not to claim responsibility for the attacks.
He also directed his sub-ordinate to attack the homes of Police and military personnel, and to target schools and hospitals in order to create fear and chaos.
Noor Wali can be heard saying that on the call to blow up the houses of the Police and Army personnel who are on duty.
Azm-e-Istehkam’, not military operation but anti-terror campaign; says DG ISPR Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry
The Army on July 22 clarified that operation Azm-e-Istehkam is not a military operation but a counter-terrorism campaign, saying a strong lobby does not want the National Action Plan (NAP) to succeed, reports The Express Tribune. “Comparing Azm-e-Istehkam to past operations like Zarb-e-Azb and Rah-e-Nijat is not appropriate,” Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry told a news conference in Rawalpindi.
“Our problem is that serious issues in the country are also politicised. Azm-e-Istehkam is an example of this,” he added. “The government has also said that Operation Azm-e-Istehkam is a coordinated counter-terrorism campaign, not a military operation,” General Sharif said responding to a question about the proposed operation.
AFGHANISTAN – INTERNAL DYNAMICS
UN-led Doha meeting is not an intra-Afghan dialogue, says UN spokesperson
United Nations (UN) Secretary-General spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, stated that the upcoming third Doha meeting is not intended to be an intra-Afghan dialogue or to legitimize the Taliban, reports Amu TVon June 27. Dujarric said, “To lay out very clearly what this meeting is and what this meeting isn’t: it is not about moving forward with recognition or legitimization of the de facto authorities.
Rosemary DiCarlo and others have explained that women’s groups and human rights groups will be meeting with all Afghan envoys. This is not meant to be an intra-Afghan dialogue.”
Taliban’s ‘Pashtunism & Discrimination’ will lead to destruction, says Taliban official
Abdul Hamid Khorasani, a Tajik commander of the Taliban, said that the behaviour of the Taliban’s leadership (Emirate’s leadership) towards non-Pashtun Taliban members is akin to that of “prisoners of war, slaves, and servants,” which he believes would lead to the destruction of the Emirate of Pshtuns, Reports Afghanistan International on June 28.
He further said, “This is not an Islamic Emirate, but rather an ethnic Emirate of the Kandahari and Zadran tribes.” Taliban leadership lacks a fair perspective and that “power is monopolised by a specific circle,” he added.
Taliban relocates TTP terrorists ahead of Pakistani Foreign Minister’s visit to Kabul, say Sources
Taliban’s administration is planning to relocate Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists to a camp in Ghazni Province ahead of Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar’s visit to Kabul, reports Afghanistan International on July 11. According to the sources, this camp “consists of houses that were originally built for refugees expelled from Pakistan”. This move aligns with Pakistan’s demand for the Afghan Taliban to restrain Pakistani militants.
There is no threat to Iran from Afghanistan, says Taliban
Taliban ‘deputy spokesman’ Hamdullah Fitrat said that there is no threat to Iran from the borders of Afghanistan, reports wenewsenglish.pk on July 21. Fitrat said, “Our soldiers are stationed on our common borders with Iran and there is no danger against Iran from this side.”
He further said that the security of the common borders is in the interest of both nations and the caretaker government of Afghanistan is committed to cooperating with Iran to ensure joint security.
BANGLADESH INTERNAL DYNAMICS
Rohingya killed and three Ansar al-Islam cadres arrested in separate incidents in Cox’s Bazar
On June 27, a Rohingya man, identified as Mohammad Salek was attacked with sharp weapons in different parts of his body, at a refugee camp in Ukhiya Upazila (Sub-District) of Cox’s Bazar District of Chittagong Division, reports bdnews24.com.
Locals rescued Mohammad Salek and took him to the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) Hospital in Kutupalong, where he was advised to be transferred to the District Sadar Hospital in Cox’s Bazar due to his critical condition, but he died on the way.
Rohingya madrasa teacher hacked to death in Cox’s Bazar
On July 3, a Rohingya madrasa (religious institution) teacher, identified as Noor Mohammad was hacked to death in the hilly area of Rohingya Camp 4 in Ukhiya Upazila (Sub-District) in Cox’s Bazar District of Chittagong Division, reports The Daily Star.
Three Ansar al-Islam operatives arrested in Dhaka
On July 2, the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit (CTTC) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested three operatives of Ansar-al-Islam, named Mohammad Mamun Hossain, Abu Bakkar, and Hasibul Islam, in the Mohakhali bus terminal area of Dhaka, the capital city, reports bssnews.net.
Rohingya man killed by Myanmar mortar shell in Cox’s Bazar
On July 7, a Rohingya man, identified as Mohammad Zubair, was killed and two others were injured by a mortar shell fired from Myanmar while they were crab fishing in the Naf River in Teknaf Upazila (Sub-District) in Cox’s Bazar District of Chittagong Division, reports the Dhaka Tribune. According to locals, the mortar shell was fired by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) from the Myanmar side.
APBn personnel killed in gunfight in Cox’s Bazar
On July 14, an Armed Police Battalion (APBn) personnel, identified as Shahraj (25), was killed in a gunfight with criminals in F-block of the Rohingya camp in the Madhurchhara 4-Extension camp in Ukhiya Upazila (Sub-District) in Cox’s Bazar District of Chittagong Division, reports The Daily Star. Shahraj was a constable at Madhurchhara Police Camp under the 14 APBn.
Additional Deputy Inspector General of Police Mohammad Iqbal confirmed the incident and said, “At one point, 30 to 35 miscreants entered the camp and started firing indiscriminately at the APBn members. The APBn members also fired back in self-defence. At one stage, the terrorists escaped.”
163 people killed in a week in nationwide student protest
At least 105 people were killed and over 2,500 were injured in clashes across the country this week, following the escalation of protests over the quota system in government jobs into violence, reports The Indian Express on July 20. Additionally, several news websites, including key government sites such as those of the Central Bank, Police, and the Prime Minister’s Office, were also targeted and hacked by a group calling itself “THE R3SISTANC3.” Meanwhile, the hackers used the Prime Minister’s Office website to issue a message condemning the government’s actions and calling for an end to the violence, stating, “It’s not a protest anymore. It’s a war now.
”On July 22, The Indian Express reported that the death toll climbed to 163 in nationwide protests over job reservations. The Supreme Court reduced the veterans’ job quota from 30 per cent to 5 per cent on July 21, allocating 93 per cent of jobs based on merit and two per cent to ethnic minorities, transgenders, and disabled people.
INDIA INTERNAL DYNAMICS
Businessman shot dead in Assam
A businessman, Ashok Goel, shot dead by unidentified assailants on the Agia-Goalpara road in Goalpara District of Assam in the evening of July 14, reports The Assam Tribune. Some unidentified assailants stopped Ashok Goel’s car and opened fire at him, leaving him dead on the spot.
Cache of arms and ammunition recovered from Manipur
A combined team of Security Forces (SFs) and Police conducted an operation and discovered a cache of arms and ammunition on July 15 in the aftermath of encounter between Kuki militants and Security Forces (SFs) at Mongbung in Jiribam District of Manipur on July 14, reports Northeast Now. In retaliation for the killing of one Central Reserved Police Force (CRPF) trooper, identified as Ajay Kumar Jha (43), by the suspected Kuki militants, the combined team of Manipur Police, troops of 39 Assam Rifles, and troops of 87th Battalion CRPF carried out a cordon and search operation at Mongbung village.
The operation terminated with the recovery of one M1 carbine rifle with two magazines, 336 live rounds of ammunition, 61 empty cases of AK rifle ammunition, two empty cases of 8 mm ammunition, nine empty cases of INSAS rifle, two live rounds of INSAS ammunition, one live round of SLR ammunition, 81 empty cases of 12 bore ammunition, three live rounds of 12 bore ammunition, one empty case of pumpi ammunition, one bulletproof jacket without plate, one bag containing medicine and civilian clothes and two fire crackers abandoned by the Kuki militants.
UN-designated terror outfits are still functioning in the region, says EAM S Jaishankar
On July 15, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar during an interview with Astana-based Kazinform News, said, “Today, after decades of taking measures against terrorism in global forums, including through the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), terrorism continues to be a threat to the region. The UN (United Nations)-designated terror outfits are still functioning in the region”, reports Hindustan Times.
His statement is a reference to the terrorists receiving state support from Pakistan and emphasised that combating terrorism requires a very comprehensive approach where the perpetrators, facilitators, financiers and sponsors of terrorism need to be identified and punished. In the interview, he also mentioned the priority of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) which is the fight against three evils, that is, terrorism, separatism and extremism and the importance of Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) to propose measures against terrorism in reviewing the recently held 24th meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State in Astana, Kazakhstan from July 3 to July 4, 2024 where he led the Indian delegation.
Two STF personnel killed in IED attack by Maoists in Chhattisgarh
Two personnel of the Special Task Force (STF) were killed and four others injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) attack by Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres when a joint team of security personnel was returning after an anti-Maoist operation in forests on the tri-junction of Bijapur-Sukma-Dantewada Districts in the Tarrem area in Bijapur District in the Bastar division of Chhattisgarh on July 17, reports Hindustan Times.
“On receiving intelligence about the presence of Naxals belonging to Darbha and West Bastar divisions and military company no. 2, teams of STF, District Reserve Guards (DRG), Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) from the said districts went on a special operation in a joint operation on July 16,” the Bijapur Police said in a statement. The two personnel killed in the attack have been identified as Bharat Sahu, a resident of Raipur, and Satyer Singh Kange, a resident of Narayanpur district.
Maoists exchange fire with Police in Jharkhand
An encounter took place between security personnel and the squad of wanted Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) Misir Besra in West Singhbhum District of Jharkhand on July 17, reports The Times of India.
Security Forces (SFs) had launched a massive search operation in forest areas under Chotanagra and Manoharpur Police Stations on July 14 after receiving inputs about the movement of top Maoists, including Besra, who carries a reward of INR 10 million on his head, Superintendent of Police (SP) Ashutosh Shekhar said.
+“The encounter took place with the squad of Misir Besra, who was in the vicinity during the gunfight,” he said. In the course of the operation, the rebels opened fire at an approaching Police team, prompting them to retaliate. The exchange of fire continued before the Maoists made a hasty retreat.
ULFA-I demands for political dialogue on ‘sovereignty of Assam’
The Paresh Baruah-led United Liberation Front of Asom – Independent (ULFA-I) called for a “political dialogue” on the issue of “sovereignty of Assam,” Northeast Now reports on July 22. In a statement, ULFA-I declared its refusal to comply with the summons issued by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) special court to its top leaders.
ULFA-I leader Ishan Asom stated that the “conflict between Assam and India” requires a “political solution.” He also urged the NIA to push the union government towards “political dialogue” in regards to the issue of “sovereignty of Assam.”
| Monthly Fatalities The following casualties, related to ongoing insurgencies and acts of terrorism occurred during the period June 26, 2010 to July 25, 2024 | ||||
| Civilian | Indian Security Personnel | Militant | Total | |
| Assam | 03 | 00 | 00 | 03 |
| Chhattisgarh | 08 | 02 | 04 | 14 |
| Maharashtra | 08 | 00 | 04 | 12 |
| Manipur | 03 | 01 | 01 | 05 |
| Total | 22 | 03 | 09 | 34 |
INTERNATIONAL
Bolivian army chiefs arrested after coup attempt
Two Bolivian army leaders have been arrested after soldiers and tanks took up position in front of government buildings on Wednesday, June 26 in what President Luis Arce called an attempted coup.
The troops and tanks entered Plaza Murillo, a historic square where the presidency and Congress are situated, in the afternoon, prompting
global condemnation of an attack on democracy. One of the tanks tried to break down a metal door of the presidential palace. Surrounded by soldiers and eight tanks, the now-dismissed army chief General Juan Jose Zuniga said the
“armed forces intend to restructure democracy, to make it a true democracy and not one run by the same few people for 30, 40 years.”
AFP reporters saw soldiers and tanks pulling back from the square shortly after. The uprising lasted about five hours. Zuniga was captured and forced into a police car as he addressed reporters outside a military barracks later on Wednesday, footage on state television showed. “General, you are under arrest,” Deputy Interior Minister Jhonny Aguilera told Zuniga.
A second senior officer Juan Arnez Salvador, who was head of the Bolivian navy, was also arrested Wednesday night.
Salvador´s arrest was announced by Interior Minister Eduardo del Castillo, who said that Zuniga and the navy chief are
“two military coup leaders who tried to destroy democracy and the institutionality of our country and failed”.
String of Nigeria suicide attacks kill at least 18
At least 18 people were killed and 19 seriously wounded in suicide attacks targeting a wedding, a hospital and a funeral in northeastern Nigeria on Saturday, June 29 authorities said.
The region has been scarred by more than a decade of violence by jihadist group Boko Haram, which did not immediately claim responsibility for the string of attacks. In one of three blasts on Saturday in the town of Gwoza, a woman with a baby strapped to her back detonated explosives in the middle of a wedding ceremony, according to a state police spokesman.
“At about 1545 (1445 GMT) a woman carrying a baby on her back detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) she had on her at a crowded motor park,”
Borno State police spokesman Nahum Kenneth Daso said. Women suicide bombers also targeted a hospital in the same town, which lies across the border from Cameroon. Another attack was later carried out at the funeral for victims of the wedding blast, authorities said.
At least 18 people were killed and 42 others injured in the spate of attacks, according to the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).
“So far, 18 deaths comprising children, men, females and pregnant women”
have been reported, agency head Barkindo Saidu said in a report seen by AFP.
Nineteen “seriously injured” people were taken to the regional capital Maiduguri, while 23 others were awaiting evacuation, Saidu said in the report.
Ceasefire in Ukraine could accelerate peace talks, says Orban
Hungary´s Moscow-friendly Prime Minister Viktor Orban urged Kyiv to work towards a “quick ceasefire” with Russia, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky invited Budapest to back his peace moves instead. Orban, a vocal critic of Western support for Ukraine, was in Kyiv for the first time since Russia invaded in February 2022.
“I asked the president to consider whether… a quick ceasefire could speed up the peace talks,”
Orban said, adding that such a ceasefire would be “time-limited”. Ukraine has repeatedly rejected calls for a pause in fighting, which it says would just give Russia time to regroup for a fresh assault. Zelensky instead called on Orban to back Kyiv´s steps to work for peace in conjunction with international partners.
“I invited Hungary and Prime Minister Orban to join the relevant efforts,”
He said in his evening address. Zelensky also said there were preparations for a possible second international peace summit, akin to one held in Switzerland last month.
The US meanwhile announced on Tuesday a new security aid package for Ukraine worth $2.3 billion. In his video address, Zelensky said Orban´s trip to Kyiv, “many years” since his last visit, was a significant step. Orban is widely seen as the EU´s most pro-Russian leader. In October 2023 he met Russian President Vladimir Putin at a summit in Beijing, becoming the first EU leader to do so since the start of the war.
The populist leader, in power since 2010, regularly criticises Europe´s financial and military support for Kyiv and temporarily blocked a 50-billion-euro ($53-billion) aid package for weeks. And he openly opposes holding EU membership talks with Kyiv as well as Brussels´ sanctions on Moscow — though Budapest has not used its veto to block the moves.
Targeting hospitals in Ukraine is ‘a war crime’: UN
Targeting hospitals in Ukraine is a “war crime,” a senior UN official told an emergency meeting of the Security Council on Tuesday, July 09 called in the wake of deadly strikes that Kyiv blamed on Russia.
“Intentionally directing attacks against a protected hospital is a war crime and perpetrators must be held to account… these incidents are part of a deeply concerning pattern of systemic attacks harming healthcare and other civilian infrastructure across Ukraine,”
said Joyce Msuya, acting under-secretary for humanitarian affairs.
Kremlin warns Russia could target Europe if US deploys missiles
The Kremlin on Saturday, July 13 warned that the deployment of US missiles in Germany could make European capitals targets for Russian missiles in a repeat of Cold War-style confrontation.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov spoke of a “paradox” in which “Europe is a target for our missiles, our country is a target for US missiles in Europe”.
“We have enough capacity to contain these missiles but the potential victims are the capitals of these countries,”
he said, speaking to Russian state television channel Russia 1.
Peskov also hinted that such a confrontation could undermine Europe as a whole — in the same way that the Cold War ended with the Soviet Union´s collapse.
“Europe is coming apart. Europe is not living its best moment. In a different configuration, a repeat of history is inevitable,” he said.
The White House recently announced during a NATO summit that it would periodically station long-range weapons including Tomahawk cruise missiles in Germany from 2026 as a deterrent.
“Exercising these advanced capabilities will demonstrate the United States´ commitment to NATO and its contributions to European integrated deterrence,” the White House said.
The Kremlin has already criticised the move, accusing Washington of taking a step towards a new Cold War and of directly participating in the conflict in Ukraine.
Russia´s defence ministry on Friday said that Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov held a telephone call with his US counterpart Lloyd Austin where they discussed lowering the risk of “possible escalation”.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has hailed the US decision despite criticism from members of his Social Democrats. The decision marks a return of US cruise missiles to Germany after a 20-year absence.
Somalia cafe attack kills nine during Euro final
The death toll from a car bombing at a cafe in Somalia´s capital Mogadishu that was packed with football fans watching the Euro 2024 final has risen to nine, security sources said on Monday, July 15.
Witnesses described scenes of panic and chaos after the powerful blast late Sunday, with people scrambling for safety and the main entrance to the cafe destroyed by the blaze.
Mohamed Yusuf, an official from the national security agency, said nine civilians were killed and 20 others wounded in the explosion, raising the official toll of five given by police late Sunday.
The popular Top Coffee restaurant, which is located near the presidential palace in the centre of the city, was thronged with young men watching the final that Spain won 2-1 against England.
No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing, but the state-run Somali National News Agency said Sunday it was carried out by al-Qaeda linked Al-Shabaab jihadists.
Images posted online showed a huge fireball and plumes of smoke billowing into the night sky as the explosion ripped through the cafe.
| 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 Singh | 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. | ***** |
