Bomb /IED Attacks
Three people were killed and 21 others injured after an explosion occurred near a Police vehicle in the Barech Market on Double Road area of Quetta on March 27, reports Dawn. The cause of the explosion and possible target is being ascertained, said Police. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the blast.
Three Policemen and one passer-by injured in grenade attack on Police camp in Quaidabad area of Malir Town in Karachi in the early morning of March 28, reports Dawn. Counter-Terrorism Department Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Irfan Ali Bahadur said that Police were treating the attack as an act of terrorism.
Targetted Killings
Six persons from Punjab were shot dead when suspected Baloch insurgents blocked the coastal highway N10 and opened fire on a bus carrying passengers traveling from Gwadar to Karachi in the Kalmat area of Gwadar District on March 26, reports Aaj TV. While five persons were killed on spot, another injured person succumbed to his injuries at hospital. A Jamiat ulema Islam (JuI) member and brother of the head of the religious political party, identified as Zahid Shah, was shot dead in a mosque while offering prayers in Town III area of Peshawar on April 6, reports The Khorasan Diary.
A Jamiat ulema Islam – Fazl (JuI-F) member, Maulvi Imdadullah Shah, was killed by unidentified assailants in Pandran area of Kalat District in Balochistan on April 6, reports The Khorasan Diary. He was the cousin of JUI-F’s Amir (chief) of the region as well as the General Secretary for Balochistan.
An affiliate of the Ahle-e-Sunnah Wal Jamat (ASWJ) and provincial head of the International Khatm-e-Nabuwat, Maulana Qari Eijaz Abid, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Pishtakhara area of Peshawar on April 7, while another Qari Shahid was critically injured.
Three Policemen including an officer of a rank of Sub-Inspector (SI) were killed when unidentified assailants opened firing at them in the jurisdiction of New Sariab Police Station on Mastung Road in Quetta on April 9, reports Geo News. The close circuit cameras show unidentified motorcyclists attacking the parked Police van, said Police.
Miscellaneous
Eight unidentified terrorists were killed during two separate encounters between Security Forces (SFs) and terrorists in the Mir Ali area of North Waziristan District in the morning of March 27, reports Dawn. Two unidentified terrorists were killed during an encounter between Security Forces (SFs) and terrorists in the Miranshah area of North Waziristan District on March 27, reports Dawn.
One terrorist was killed during an encounter between Security Forces (SFs) and terrorists in the Daraban area of Dera Ismail Khan District on March 27, reports Dawn.
The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and Police on March 26 killed a ‘commander’ of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in the Shanawari area of Hangu District, reports Aaj TV. The operation was initiated following intelligence reports regarding the presence of terrorists. During the operation, intense gunfire erupted between the Security Forces (SFs) and the terrorists. One of the terrorists was confirmed dead, while his accomplice managed to flee the scene.
Two Policemen of the Ababeel Squad (an exclusive patrolling force to control street crimes) were injured in an incident of indiscriminate firing by unidentified assailants in Zaryab colony of Peshawar, on March 31, reports Aaj TV. Police stated that suspect involved in the shooting was arrested on the spot, while both injured officers were shifted to the hospital, where they are in stable condition. Security Forces (SFs) on April 4 killed two terrorists during an intelligence-based operation in the Buleda area of Kech District in Balochistan, reports Dawn. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), SF personnel carried out operation based on the reported presence of terrorists in the area. SFs “effectively engaged” the terrorists’ location and after an intense exchange of fire, two terrorists were “sent to hell”, the statement read. The ISPR said that the slain terrorists “remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area against law enforcement agencies … [and] innocent civilians”.
At least eight terrorists were killed as Security Forces (SFs) thwarted their bid to infiltrate through the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Hassan Khel area of North Waziristan District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on April 6, reports Geo News. “Own troops effectively engaged and thwarted their attempt to infiltrate. After an intense exchange of fire, eight Khwarij [terrorists] were sent to hell, while four khwarij got injured,” said Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
Three of Hafiz Gul Bahadur faction of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists were arrested by Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) and Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) during a joint operation based on intelligence information from Korangi area of Karachi on April 7, reports Dawn. A statement from the Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) said they had arrested Inamullah alias Lala, Naeemullah alias Umar Zali and Muhammad Taib alias Muhammad. “The arrested terrorists have been involved in several attacks and acts of terrorism on security forces,” the Rangers said. The statement added that arms, ammunition and explosives were recovered from the terrorists.
At least three militants were killed and several others injured during a joint search and strike operation conducted by Police and Security Forces (SFs) in the Tajori area of Lakki Marwat District on April 13, reports The Express Tribune. The operation, led by District Police Officer (DPO) Jawad Ishaq, was launched on intelligence-based information regarding the presence of militants in Tajori area, the KP Police media wing said in a statement.
Personnel from the local Police, Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), and Quick Response Force (QRF) participated in the operation, which involved an encounter with 20 to 25 militants in a forested zone near Khan Khel Mandzai, on the border of Tajori and Bargai Police stations. Four terrorists and one soldier were killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Maddi area of Dera Ismail Khan District on April 17, reports The Express Tribune. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the operation, launched on April 16, followed confirmed intelligence about the presence of terrorists in the region.
Security Forces (SFs) killed four terrorists while two other terrorists sustained injuries during an intelligence-based operation in the Kulachi tehsil (revenue unit) of Dera Ismail Khan on April 16, reports The Express Tribune. A cache of sophisticated weapons and explosive materials were recovered from the possession of the slain and injured militants.
Pakistan
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police lack modern equipment to fight terrorists, says IGP Zulfiqar Hameed
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Inspector General of Police (IGP) Zulfiqar Hameed on March 27 said that his department lacked modern equipment to fight terrorism, the toughest challenge the province faces, reports Dawn. IGP Hameed revealing that terrorists are using advanced weaponry, even quadcopter, in the province, which the local police are unable to counter due to a lack of equipment. “ They [terrorists] have acquired the latest US weapons and modern gadgets. They’re carrying out quadcopter attacks. If we don’t advance, how we will fight back since we don’t have anti-quadcopter technology,” IGP Hameed told Dawn.
He said terrorist attacks could no longer be countered with the help of conventional weapons as terrorists were using modern gadgets to carry out their activities. The Police’s Counter-Terrorism Department was more advanced in Punjab than in KP though the situation in Punjab was not as volatile as it was in KP, IGP Hameed added. The CTD in KP would be developed like the department functioning in other provinces, he added further.
Pakistan urges at UN for global drive to block illicit arms flows to BLA, TTP’
Pakistan on April 4 urges United Nation (UN) and expressed deep concern at the acquisition and use of modern and sophisticated illicit arms by terrorist outfits such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and Majeed Brigade, reports ARY News. A Pakistani diplomat, Syed Atif Raza, a counsellor at the Pakistan Mission to the UN, has called for concerted efforts to intercept clandestine flows of modern and sophisticated weapons that support UN-sanctioned terrorist outfits, including TTP, BLA and its Majeed Brigade, who use safe havens in Afghanistan to launch deadly cross-border attacks inside Pakistan. “Terrorist armed groups are in possession of billions worth of illicit arms abandoned in Afghanistan,” Syed Atif Raza told an Arria-Formua meeting of the UN Security Council, convened by Sierra Leone. This format of Council’s meeting is named after a former Venezuelan Ambassador to the UN, Diego Arrival.
It is a consultation process which affords members of the Security Council the opportunity to hear persons in an informal setting.Speaking in a debate on ‘Small Arms and Light Weapons Management in UN Sanctions Regimes’, the Pakistani delegate said such armament was being used by TTP and BLA terrorists in violence against civilians and armed forces of Pakistan.
“These terrorist entities also receive external support and financing from our principal adversary,” Counselor Raza said in an obvious reference to India. “We call upon our international partners to recover the vast stockpile of abandoned weapons, prevent their access to armed terrorist groups and take measures to close this thriving black market of illicit arms.”
Terrorist attacks claim 152 lives in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in first quarter of 2025
According to a quarterly report released by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Police, in the province terrorist attacks claimed the lives of 152 individuals, including Police officers, security personnel, and civilians during the first quarter of 2025, ARY News reported on April 6. A total of 302 people were also injured in these incidents.
The report highlighted that civilians bore the brunt of the violence, with 45 killed and 127 injured between January and March. The Police force lost 37 officials, while 46 were injured. Additionally, the Frontier Corps (FC) suffered the loss of 34 personnel, with 43 others wounded.
PAF Masroor Airbase attack thwarted
In a significant breakthrough, one of the leading intelligence agencies thwarted a major terror plot aimed at launching a deadly assault on the strategically vital PAF Masroor Airbase in Karachi, sources from the intelligence community revealed on April 04.
According to officials, the complex plan was masterminded by a commander of the Afghanistan-based terror group Fitna al-Khawarij (FAK), who leads the group’s notorious suicide squad. The plot involved nine heavily trained terrorists — five of whom were Afghan nationals — led by a high-profile FAK commander already wanted in multiple terrorism cases.
The terrorists, who had recently infiltrated Pakistan from Afghanistan, intended to breach the airbase through a pre-identified point, seize control of the facility, destroy aircraft and infrastructure, and hold the base for as long as possible.
Their goal was to inflict maximum damage and engage in a prolonged gunbattle until death. The operation was reportedly under direct supervision of FAK’s top leadership based in Afghanistan and involved nearly thirteen months of planning. The terrorists had taken up accommodation near the airbase and conducted extensive reconnaissance of the area.
However, the intelligence agency had been closely monitoring their movements. When the attackers were about to initiate the final phase of their plot, the agency launched a swift, covert, and coordinated operation, arresting the suspects from various locations across the country.
The agency’s action not only protected the strategic airbase but also crippled a key FAK terror network involved in several previous attacks — including the November 2024 assault on Chinese engineers at Liberty Textile Mills in Karachi’s SITE area. The same FAK commander captured in the current operation is believed to have masterminded that attack before fleeing to Afghanistan. Authorities describe him as an IED expert, trained in Afghanistan and a former militant alongside the Afghan Taliban during their conflict with Nato and ISAF forces.
Preliminary investigations suggest the involvement of hostile intelligence agencies, which are allegedly funding and equipping terrorist elements in an attempt to destabilise Pakistan. Officials pointed to a similar terror plot foiled last October, in which FAK and the hostile agencies had conspired to sabotage a major international event in Islamabad.
Despite such threats, Pakistan’s armed forces, intelligence services, and law enforcement agencies remain steadfast in their mission to protect the nation.
Officials reaffirmed their commitment to rooting out terrorism in all its forms and safeguarding national security through coordinated, relentless vigilance.
Afghanistan Internal Dynamics
US intelligence report warns of expanding IS-KP threat
The Islamic State’s Khorasan Province, (IS-KP) remains the most capable and dangerous faction of the extremist group, with growing ambitions to strike targets in the West, including the United States, according to the U.S. intelligence community’s 2025 annual threat assessment, amu.tv reports on March 26.
The report, released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, warns that despite suffering setbacks in the Middle East, the Islamic State continues to pose a global threat through its most aggressive branches. Among them, IS-KP in South Asia is deemed the most capable of launching external attacks. This aligns with repeated warnings from the United Nations and international watchdogs that ISKP maintains an active presence in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
Jamiat Commander assassinated in Ghor Province
On March 27, Shah Wali Khan, a senior Jamiat-e Islami Commander in Ghor province, was killed, as stated by Atta Mohammad Noor, former Balkh governor and a member of the National Resistance Council for Salvation of Afghanistan, reports afintl. com. Noor claimed Khan was assassinated in a conspiracy following his release from Taliban intelligence custody. The Taliban has not yet commented on the allegations.
Weapons left behind by NATO continue to circulate in illicit markets, says Geneva-based Small Arms Survey
According to the Geneva-based Small Arms Survey, more than three years after the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan, weapons left behind by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and former Afghan forces continue to circulate in illicit markets, fueling regional instability and exposing growing tensions within their leadership, reports amu. tv on April 4.
The study, based on fieldwork between 2022 and 2024 across Afghanistan and Pakistan’s tribal belt, found that M4 and M16 rifles, along with other NATO-pattern arms, remain widely available in informal markets. Prices for these weapons surged in provinces such as Nangarhar and Kunar — M4s rose by 13 per cent and M16s by 38 per cent — trend analysts say reflects increased demand and tighter Taliban control on distribution.
“The issue of arms control has become absorbed into the power struggle between the Mullah’s Kandahari faction and the Haqqani,” the report said.
Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, based in Kandahar, moved to centralize arms control, creating a commission in 2023 and later issuing a decree that prohibits any distribution of weapons without his explicit approval.
Despite official bans, the study notes that arms markets remain active — often with the tacit approval of local Taliban commanders, some of whom issue unofficial permits or collect commissions from arms dealers.
The report cited evidence that both the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Al-Qaeda accessed military materiel from within Afghanistan. As of mid-2023, Taliban forces were hosting and equipping Al-Qaeda operatives in the east. Smuggling routes, particularly from Khost — a Haqqani stronghold — into Pakistan, remain active. The TTP, entrenched in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Pakistan), is believed to be one of the main beneficiaries of cross-border arms flows.
Bangladesh Internal Dynamics
Organizing secretary of Upazila Krishak Dal Nasir Uddin killed in Chittagong District
On March 26, Nasir Uddin (43), the organizing secretary of the Upazila Krishak Dal, was killed by unknown miscreants in front of his house in Hatilota area of Barabkunda Union in Sitakunda Upazila of Chittagong District, reports prothomalo.com.
JMB’s resurgence in Bangladesh, says report
CNN-News18 has accessed an exclusive intelligence note on the revival of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and its splinter groups, detailing how the relaxation of counter-terror operations under Bangladesh’s new Yunus government encouraged terror networks targeting Indian interests, reports news18.com on March 31.
India’s intelligence and security agencies are sounding the alarm over two escalating threats emerging from Bangladesh, i.e., the deteriorating situation in Rohingya refugee camps, and the resurgence of radical terror groups like Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), Al-Qaeda (AQ), and ISIS.
Hand grenade thrown at BNP leader in Khulna District
On April 3, a hand grenade was suspectedly thrown at FultalaUpazila (Sub-District) of Khulna District Sadar Union Parishad (UP) Chairman and Upazila Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) convener Sheikh Abul Bashar in front of Super Bricks on the Khulna-Jashore highway in Fultala Upazila (Sub-District) of Khulna District, reports prothomalo.com. Further, locals protested by blocking the Khulna-Jashore highway in response to the incident.
Myanmar confirms 180,000 Rohingya eligible to return, announces Bangladesh government
On April 4, after a meeting between Khalilur Rahman, high representative of Bangladesh’s interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, and Than Swe, Myanmar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, on the sidelines of the 6th Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit in Bangkok (Thailand), it was announced by Bangladesh government that 180,000 names were part of a list of 800,000 Rohingya that Bangladesh submitted to Myanmar in six batches between 2018 and 2020, reports aljazeera.com.
Additionally, Myanmar indicated that final verification of another 70,000 refugees is pending further review of photographs and identity details. Further, Myanmar pledged to expedite the verification process for the remaining 550,000 names on the original list, according to statement given by Bangladesh government.
India Internal Dynamics
Karnataka Police oppose disbanding of Anti-Naxal Force
Police are strongly opposing the state government’s plans to disband the Anti-Naxal Force (ANF), arguing that while there may be no active Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) in Karnataka, Naxalism as an ideology is far from dead, reports Deccan Herald on March 28. In the 2025 budget, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced the decision to dissolve the ANF following the surrender of the last batch of known Maoists in the state.
On January 8 this year, six Maoists, including four women, surrendered at a government event in the chief minister’s presence. A few days later, another Maoist also surrendered. Siddaramaiah, as well as Home Minister Parameshwara, proclaimed that Karnataka was now “Naxal free.”
However, a high-ranking police officer revealed that law enforcement was not consulted before the decision to disband the ANF was made. “This is a wrong move. There may be no active Naxals in Karnataka but Naxalism as an ideology isn’t dead,” the officer said. “Just because there are no known Maoists now doesn’t mean the movement won’t resurface. We must prevent that from happening.”
Two security personnel injured during anti-Maoist operation in Chhattisgarh
Two security personnel of the Special Task Force (STF) and Bastar Fighters unit were injured during an anti-Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) operation conducted by a joint security team in the Gangalur Police Station limits in Bijapur District in the Bastar division of Chhattisgarh on April 2, reports aninews.in.
According to officials, STF constable Sant Kumar Komre sustained a splinter injury on his right hand, while Bastar Fighter personnel Mahesh Gatpalli suffered a leg injury due to a spike hole.
A new security camp has been established along the Konta-Golapalli road at Uskawaya to check Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) activities, marking another significant step in improving safety and connectivity in the region in Sukma District in the Bastar division of Chhattisgarh, reports The Times of India on April 2.
The camp is part of the ‘Niyad Nellanar’ initiative launched by the Chhattisgarh government and aims to speed up road construction work, implement development projects, and curb Maoist activities.
This initiative is also aligned with the goal of boosting the ongoing efforts to remove the Maoist threat while facilitating infrastructural development such as roads, bridges, electricity, water supply, health services, Public Distribution System (PDS) outlets, education, and mobile connectivity for nearby areas.
Maoists offer conditional talks
As the government intensifies operations in Chhattisgarh’s Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) strongholds, the Maoists have reportedly offered conditional peace talks, reports The Hindu on April 3.
The State government said that any talks must be unconditional. In a press release attributed to the CPI-Maoist and released on March 28 in Telangana, its ‘central committee (CC)’ stated that it was ready for peace talks on the condition that the government halts its anti-Maoist operations in the region and stops the establishment of new camps of armed forces in various States, including in Chhattisgarh. “We are always ready for peace talks in the interest of the public.
Therefore, on this occasion, we are proposing to create a positive atmosphere for peace talks in front of the Central and State governments,” said the purported Maoist statement. Explaining its new stance, it said that its Peace Talks Committee had held a round table meeting in Hyderabad on March 24 on the theme:
‘The ongoing war in Central India must be stopped immediately, Government of India – CPI-Maoist must declare unconditional ceasefire and hold peace talks’. State Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma said that the government was ready for talks and for the Maoists to return to the mainstream, but it could not be subject to conditions laid down by the Maoists.
He added that the government was not going to form any committees for peace talks and reiterated the Maoists could initiate it through any channel of their choice. “They have written themselves that the last time they had said that they would discuss if [security forces] should not leave their camps for six months, there should be a reduction in the number of troops, the weapons should remain unused or be deposited.
Back then, we had made it clear that with these conditions, there will be no talks,” he said. “Talks will be without any conditions and we are still ready for that, our Central leadership is ready, Hon. [Chief Minister] Vishnu Deo Sai ji is ready, there is no problem with talks. But the government will not form any committee. They should make one if they want or use the channel they like, we are ready,” he added.
A cache of arms and explosives recovered from Maoist hideout in Jharkhand
Security Forces (SFs) conducted a successful operation to dismantle a Communist Party of India-Maoist hideout situated along the border of Odisha in the dense Saranda Forest area in the West Singhbhum District of Jharkhand on April 7, reports odishatv.in.
The operation by the Special Task Force (STF) in collaboration with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was launched following intelligence inputs about Maoist hideouts in the forest region. During the operation, four Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), each weighing five kilograms, along with detonators, banners, posters, a radio, and other items linked to Maoist activities were reportedly seized by the security personnel.
Special law needed as Maoist groups active in urban areas, says Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said bringing the Special Public Safety Act is necessary, as many banned Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) organisations have shifted their bases to the state, with their affiliated groups now operating in urban areas, reports Business Standard on April 10.
The proposed law does not interfere with the personal freedom of citizens but is directed solely at organisations engaged in anti-national activities, Fadnavis said on April 9 while interacting with various journalist groups. He addressed concerns raised over the draft bill, which is set to be introduced in the monsoon session of the state legislature starting June 30.
The law proposed by the Maharashtra government is crucial for ensuring internal security, the CM said, and assured the law will not pose any difficulties for journalists or the general public, nor will it curtail their freedom of expression. “The proposed Special Public Safety Act does not interfere with the personal freedom of citizens but is directed at organisations engaged in anti-national activities,” he said.
“The law proposed by the Maharashtra government is more protective compared to those enacted by the four other states. In view of the ban on their operations in several parts of the country, many banned Maoist organisations have shifted their headquarters to Maharashtra, with their affiliated groups now operating in urban areas,” he said.
| Monthly Fatalities The following casualties, related to ongoing insurgencies and acts of terrorism occurred during the period March 22, 2025 to April 21, 2025: | ||||
| Civilian | Indian Security Personnel | Militant | Total | |
| Chhattisgarh | 12 | 00 | 40 | 52 |
| Jharkand | 00 | 01 | 00 | 01 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 00 | 00 | 02 | 02 |
| Maharashtra | 01 | 00 | 01 | 02 |
| Total | 13 | 01 | 43 | 57 |
International
12 dead in Nigerian Muslim clashes
Clashes between protesters and authorities at a march by a Shiagroup in Nigeria left a dozen people dead, according to a government intelligence report seen by AFP on Saturday, March 29. Eleven protesters and one soldier were killed, the report said, at a pro-Palestinian demonstration.
The IMN has been outlawed by Nigerian authorities for advocating an Islamic revolution in the west African nation. However at the time of its banning, in 2019, researchers characterised it as more interested in protest than political violence.
The march in Abuja and other cities in Nigeria was held in honour of Quds Day, which is marked in countries around the world with pro-Palestinian protests.
To bomb if Iran doesn’t make nuclear deal, threatens Trump
US President Donald Trump Sunday, March 30 threatened Iran with bombing and secondary tariffs if it did not come to an agreement with Washington over its nuclear program. In Trump’s first remarks since Iran rejected direct negotiations with Washington last week, he told NBC News that US and Iranian officials were talking, but did not elaborate.
“If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing,” Trump said in a telephone interview. “It will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before.”
“There’s a chance that if they don’t make a deal, that I will do secondary tariffs on them like I did four years ago,” he added. Iran sent a response through Oman to a letter from Trump urging Tehran to reach a new nuclear deal, saying its policy was to not engage in direct negotiations with the United States while under its maximum pressure campaign and military threats, Tehran’s foreign minister was quoted as saying a day later.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian later reiterated the policy. “Direct negotiations (with the U.S.) have been rejected, but Iran has always been involved in indirect negotiations, and now too, the Supreme Leader has emphasized that indirect negotiations can still continue,” he said, referring to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In the NBC interview, Trump also threatened so-called secondary tariffs, which affect buyers of a country’s goods, on both Russia and Iran.
He signed an executive order last week authorizing such tariffs on buyers of Venezuelan oil. Trump did not elaborate on those potential tariffs.
In his first 2017-21 term, Trump withdrew the US from a 2015 deal between Iran and world powers that placed strict limits on Tehran’s disputed nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.
Trump also reimposed sweeping US sanctions. Since then, the Islamic Republic has far surpassed the agreed limits in its escalating program of uranium enrichment.
Tehran has so far rebuffed Trump’s warning to make a deal or face military consequences.
Western powers accuse Iran of having a clandestine agenda to develop nuclear weapons capability by enriching uranium to a high level of fissile purity, above what they say is justifiable for a civilian atomic energy program.
Tehran says its nuclear program is wholly for civilian energy purposes.
Trump’s approval ratings drop as ‘controversial policies’ take centre stage
United States President Donald Trump’s brief post-election momentum appears to be waning, as his approval rating has steadily dropped from 47 percent to 43 percent, according to Gallup.
The dip comes as Americans react to his administration’s early moves, including the controversi al Project 2025 agenda, proposed market-disrupting tariffs, and unusual policy interests — from acquiring Greenland to reshaping US influence in the Gulf.
Despite previously distancing himself from Project 2025 during the campaign, Trump’s swift embrace of its policies has raised concerns, potentially alienating voters and dampening initial support for his presidency, a Vanity Fair correspondent wrote.
According to the publication, Trump’s recent policy decisions, including the proposed renaming of the Gulf of Mexico, discussions about Greenland, and a tariff-heavy trade approach impacting Canada and Mexico, have contributed to a decline in public approval.
Additionally, the government spending cuts have raised concerns, particularly regarding funding for medical research on cancer and Alzheimer’s.
A Harvard-HarrisX poll suggested that billionaire Elon Musk, who has been influencing federal agencies under Trump’s administration, has also seen his favourability rating drop by 10 points from February to March amid ongoing Tesla protests. Public dissatisfaction with Trump’s leadership is evident across multiple key issues.
A recent Associated Press–NORC Center poll indicates that only 38% of Americans approve of his handling of trade negotiations, 40% support his economic policies, and 41 percent back his approach to the Russia-Ukraine war and Social Security. Immigration remains his strongest-polling issue, with 49 percent approval.
World leaders condemn Trump’s tariffs, some pledge retaliation
Countries across the world, including some of America’s closest allies, condemned President Donald Trump’s announcement of reciprocal tariffs and some pledged counter-measures while hoping the White House would be open to negotiations.
China urged the United States to immediately cancel its latest tariffs and vowed to safeguard its own interests, threatening to spiral the world’s largest economies deeper into a trade war that is likely to upend global supply chains.
“This is not the act of a friend,” said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia, a nation often described as America’s “deputy sheriff” in Asia. “The (Trump) administration’s tariffs have no basis in logic and they go against the basis of our two nations’ partnership.”
Leaders in Japan, New Zealand, Taiwan and South Korea, all major U.S. allies in the region, blasted Trump’s move. “We need to decide what is best for Japan, and most effective, in a careful but bold and speedy manner,” said Trade Minister Yoji Muto, when asked whether Japan would retaliate.
Trump has said that he would impose a 10% baseline tariff on all imports to the U.S. and higher duties on dozens of other countries.
Among close U.S. allies, Japan was targeted with a 24% rate, South Korea with 25%, Taiwan with 32% and the European Union with 20%. The UK, Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia and most of South America were let off with the minimum 10%.
“The consequences will be dire for millions of people around the world,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. “We are ready to respond, we are preparing further packages of measures to protect our interests.”
Trump announced China would be hit with a 34% tariff, on top of the 20% he previously imposed earlier this year, bringing the total new levies to 54% and close to the 60% figure he had threatened while on the campaign trail. The U.S. move disregards the balance of interests reached in multilateral trade negotiations over the years and the fact that it has long benefited greatly from international trade, Beijing’s commerce ministry said in a statement.
Trump is not imposing his new 10% global tariff rate on top trading partners Canada and Mexico while his previous order remains in place for up to 25% tariffs on many goods from the two countries over border control and fentanyl trafficking issues, the White House said in a fact sheet.
“We are going to fight these tariffs with counter-measures, we are going to protect our workers, and we are going to build the strongest economy in the G7,” said Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
South Sudan clashes kill 30
At least 30 people were killed when a northern South Sudanese town was briefly overrun by an armed youth group, a local official said Thursday, April 03 following a cattle raid.
The attack in northern Ruweng Administrative Area began earlier in the week when a group of armed youth stole lambs before they were scared off by security forces, said Simon Chol Mialith, the local Minister of Information. The following day, he told AFP, the group returned in greater numbers and attacked Abiemnom.
RSF kills 85 in south of Khartoum in one week Sudanese paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) killed at least 85 people in one week during attacks south of the capital Khartoum, an activist group said on April 04.
“For the seventh consecutive day, the Janjaweed militias continue their violent attacks on villages… west of Jebel Awliya, resulting in the deaths of more than 85 people and the injury of dozens,” said the Sudanese resistance committee, referring to the RSF by the name of its precursor.
The RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, has been battling the army, led by Sudan´s de facto leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, since April 2023.
The regular army declared last Thursday that it had regained full control of Khartoum, a day after Burhan announced that the capital had been “liberated” from the RSF.
Over 100 feared dead in Sudan paramilitary attacks in Darfur: UN
More than 100 people, including 20 children, are feared dead in Sudan following paramilitary attacks on the besieged Darfur city of El-Fasher and two nearby famine-hit camps, the United Nations said on Saturday, April 12.
The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, at war with the regular army since April 2023, launched “coordinated ground and aerial assaults” on Friday on El-Fasher and the Zamzam and Abou Shouk displacement camps, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said.
In recent weeks, the paramilitaries have stepped up their attacks on El-Fasher — the only state capital in Darfur still outside their control — following the army’s recapture of the national capital Khartoum last month.
Early reports from a volunteer aid group put Friday’s death toll at 57, with 32 civilians killed in El-Fasher and 25 in Zamzam. The army said Saturday that 74 civilians were killed and 17 wounded in the El-Fasher attack.There was no immediate comment from the RSF.
The Sudanese Organisation for the Protection of Civilians said the dead included nine humanitarian workers operating a hospital in Zamzam, run by an international non-governmental organisation. UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan Clementine Nkweta-Salami condemned their deaths.
“The colleagues from an international non-governmental organisation were killed while operating one of the very few remaining health posts still operational in the camp,” she said in a statement.
“This represents yet another deadly and unacceptable escalation in a series of brutal attacks on displaced people and aid workers in Sudan since the onset of this conflict nearly two years ago. “I strongly urge those committing such acts to desist immediately”. The attack on Zamzam resumed on Saturday morning, with clashes and heavy gunfire heard for hours, the Darfur General Coordination of Camps for the Displaced and Refugees said. The camp was the first part of Sudan where a UN-backed assessment declared famine last year.
By December, famine had also spread to two nearby camps — Abu Shouk and Al Salam — and is expected to hit El-Fasher itself by May.
China tells airlines to suspend Boeing jet deliveries
China has told its airlines to stop taking deliveries of jets from American aviation giant Boeing, a report said on Tuesday, April 15 as a trade war between Beijing and the United States deepens.
Since President Donald Trump took office in January, the world´s two biggest economies have been locked in a tit-for-tat tariff war, with the US now charging levies of up to 145 percent on imports from China.
Beijing has reacted furiously to what it calls unlawful “bullying” by Washington and has imposed retaliatory duties of 125 percent on US imports, dismissing further hikes as pointless.
Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday that China had also ordered airlines to halt deliveries of Boeing planes, citing people familiar with the matter. Beijing has also told its carriers to suspend purchases of aircraft-related equipment and parts from US companies.
Attackers kill over 50 in volatile central Nigerian state
Unidentified attackers have killed more than 50 people in Nigeria´s Plateau state, a Red Cross source said on Monday, April 16 in the latest bout of violence in a religiously mixed region known for intercommunal conflict and deadly land disputes.
The Sunday night attack on the villages of Zike and Kimakpa, in the Bassa local government area, comes less than two weeks after armed men struck multiple villages in the Bokkos area, also in the central state of Plateau, killing 48. The attack struck some 25-kms from the Plateau state capital Jos.
| 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. | ***** |
