Around 500 million Chinese suffer visual impairment

China's crackdown on video game addiction

Pakistan should crackdown on terrorist safe havens and instigators of terrorist activities in its own country, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said today.

The US and others have long complained that Pakistan provides safe haven to the Afghan Taliban and their allies, the Haqqani network, allowing them to carry out cross-border attacks in Afghanistan.

Pakistan denies these allegations but President Donald Trump has escalated the criticism against Islamabad since he took office.

"As part of the new South Asia strategy, we have been clear with Pakistan that ensuring reconciliation, peace, and security in Afghanistan in large part depends on Pakistan's willingness to crack down on terrorist safe havens and instigators of terrorist activity in its own country," Pompeo said in his testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Pompeo said that across the world, the US has encouraged nations to assume greater responsibilities for maintaining their own and shared security and stability.

"In the face of a resurgent Russia, and in response to our urging, many NATO members are newly meeting their commitments to funding deterrence and defense initiatives," he said.

President Trump's call to leaders of Middle East countries in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, rallied leaders of those nations to more aggressively combat terrorism inside their own borders and to counter violent extremism abroad, Pompeo said.

Pakistan denies these allegations but President Donald Trump has escalated the criticism against Islamabad since he took office.

Pakistan should crackdown on terrorist safe havens and instigators of terrorist activities in its own country, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said today. The US and others have long complained that Pakistan provides safe haven to the Afghan Taliban and their allies, the Haqqani network, allowing them to carry out cross-border attacks in Afghanistan. Pakistan denies these allegations but President Donald Trump has escalated the criticism against Islamabad since he took office. "As part of the new South Asia strategy, we have been clear with Pakistan that ensuring reconciliation, peace, and security in Afghanistan in large part depends on Pakistan's willingness to crack down on terrorist safe havens and instigators of terrorist activity in its own country," Pompeo said in his testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Pompeo said that across the world, the US has encouraged nations to assume greater responsibilities for maintaining their own and shared security and stability. "In the face of a resurgent Russia, and in response to our urging, many NATO members are newly meeting their commitments to funding deterrence and defense initiatives," he said. President Trump's call to leaders of Middle East countries in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, rallied leaders of those nations to more aggressively combat terrorism inside their own borders and to counter violent extremism abroad, Pompeo said.

Pompeo seeks crackdown on terrorist safe havens in Pakistan

If there was one thing that had remained constant — so far — in the 46-month-old Modi government, it was the steadfastness with which the government stuck to many of its controversial decisions, refusing to buckle under criticism or adverse public opinion.&nbsp;

April 3, 2018 changed that.

The government's decision to roll back a proposed crackdown on “fake news” in less than 24 hours could arguably be the first and most significant retreat of the Modi government as it nears completing four years in office and plans to get into election mode with just over a year remaining for the next Lok Sabha polls.

The crackdown — which mandated penalties ranging from the suspension to the cancellation of the accreditation of journalists found guilty of reporting “fake news” — was proposed by the Information & Broadcasting Ministry piloted by Smriti Irani. It was disposed of by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself.

Could it be the case that the government had not factored in the furore that erupted following the I&B ministry's diktat? Unlikely. Was it an attempt at testing the waters then? One thing is clear: the speed at which the course-correction took place was unprecedented.

On the face of it, many would think that the I&B ministry erred and was set right by the Prime Minister's Office. But those who cover the government know only too well the overarching control the PMO exercises on all the ministries. Simply put, to think that Irani's ministry could have come up with the diktat without keeping the PMO in the loop is being naive at best. And the Prime Minister directing that the press release regarding fake news be withdrawn and that the matter should only be addressed by the Press Council of India is nothing more than damage control.

Now coming to the diktat itself. Was it really about fake news? That's the big question. Those who would have been impacted by the amended guidelines were journalists accredited with the Government of India — mostly working for the national media and covering the Central government. Does the government have enough reason to believe that these “accredited journalists” are peddling “fake news”? Or was it just an attempt to create a mechanism to muzzle some inconvenient voices — accredited ones, of course.

What made the I&B directive more curious was that it proposed nothing to deal with social media — the most fertile breeding ground for fake news in today's India. Instead, it proposed something bordering on the draconian — immediate suspension of a journalist's accreditation the moment a complaint is registered and sent for inquiry to the Press Council of India or the News Broadcasters Association.

As a barrage of criticism broke loose, the I&B ministry made a feeble attempt at arguing that the “fake news” cases will be determined by PCI and NBA which are not “regulated” or “operated” by the Central government. That is akin to saying the I&B ministry maintains an arm's length distance from Prasar Bharati.

Off the record, in private conversations, central bureaucrats and political insiders have often underlined how the incumbent government was not a “rollback sarkar”. Let's a take a few examples from the I&B ministry itself. Pune's FTII was on the boil for months following Gajendra Chauhan's appointment to its helm, but the government did not budge. As CBFC chief, Pahlaj Nihalani not only kept raising the hackles of the Hindi film industry but was also an embarrassment to the government. But he was persisted with. Because this was not a rollback government, the government machinery argued.&nbsp;

April 3, 2018 changed that.

And to think that Smriti Irani's I&B ministry could have come up with the diktat, proposing the cancellation of the accreditation of journalists found guilty of publishing 'fake news', without keeping the PMO in the loop is being naive at best

If there was one thing that had remained constant — so far — in the 46-month-old Modi government, it was the steadfastness with which the government stuck to many of its controversial decisions, refusing to buckle under criticism or adverse public opinion. April 3, 2018 changed that. The government's decision to roll back a proposed crackdown on “fake news” in less than 24 hours could arguably be the first and most significant retreat of the Modi government as it nears completing four years in office and plans to get into election mode with just over a year remaining for the next Lok Sabha polls. The crackdown — which mandated penalties ranging from the suspension to the cancellation of the accreditation of journalists found guilty of reporting “fake news” — was proposed by the Information & Broadcasting Ministry piloted by Smriti Irani. It was disposed of by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself. Could it be the case that the government had not factored in the furore that erupted following the I&B ministry's diktat? Unlikely. Was it an attempt at testing the waters then? One thing is clear: the speed at which the course-correction took place was unprecedented. On the face of it, many would think that the I&B ministry erred and was set right by the Prime Minister's Office. But those who cover the government know only too well the overarching control the PMO exercises on all the ministries. Simply put, to think that Irani's ministry could have come up with the diktat without keeping the PMO in the loop is being naive at best. And the Prime Minister directing that the press release regarding fake news be withdrawn and that the matter should only be addressed by the Press Council of India is nothing more than damage control. Now coming to the diktat itself. Was it really about fake news? That's the big question. Those who would have been impacted by the amended guidelines were journalists accredited with the Government of India — mostly working for the national media and covering the Central government. Does the government have enough reason to believe that these “accredited journalists” are peddling “fake news”? Or was it just an attempt to create a mechanism to muzzle some inconvenient voices — accredited ones, of course. What made the I&B directive more curious was that it proposed nothing to deal with social media — the most fertile breeding ground for fake news in today's India. Instead, it proposed something bordering on the draconian — immediate suspension of a journalist's accreditation the moment a complaint is registered and sent for inquiry to the Press Council of India or the News Broadcasters Association. As a barrage of criticism broke loose, the I&B ministry made a feeble attempt at arguing that the “fake news” cases will be determined by PCI and NBA which are not “regulated” or “operated” by the Central government. That is akin to saying the I&B ministry maintains an arm's length distance from Prasar Bharati. Off the record, in private conversations, central bureaucrats and political insiders have often underlined how the incumbent government was not a “rollback sarkar”. Let's a take a few examples from the I&B ministry itself. Pune's FTII was on the boil for months following Gajendra Chauhan's appointment to its helm, but the government did not budge. As CBFC chief, Pahlaj Nihalani not only kept raising the hackles of the Hindi film industry but was also an embarrassment to the government. But he was persisted with. Because this was not a rollback government, the government machinery argued. April 3, 2018 changed that.

Opinion: Rollback of fake news crackdown is Modi government's first, most significant retreat

Pakistan&#39;s government has called in the army to restore order after clashes between police and protesters belonging to hardline religious groups killed six people and injured more than 200 others in the capital.

The police aided by paramilitary Rangers and Frontier Constabulary yesterday lunched a massive operation against activists of Tehreek-i-Khatm-i-Nabuwwat, Tehreek-i-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah and Sunni Tehreek Pakistan religious groups who had blocked a key highway to Islamabad for nearly three weeks.

Police and paramilitary forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the protesters to disperse them. However, the security forces pulled back after the crackdown turned deadly.

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<h5>The protesters have been laying siege to the Pakistani capital of Islamabad for about three weeks demanding the removal of Law Minister Zahid Hamid, whom they accuse of blasphemy</h5>
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At least six people were killed in clashes yesterday, Dawn reported. It also said that no security personnel was killed but at least nine senior police officers were injured including Rawalpindi city police chief Israr Abbasi.

According to health officials, more than 200 people, including at least 95 security personnel, were injured in the clashes and shifted to various hospitals.

The Interior Ministry last night issued a statutory regulatory order to authorize the deployment of the army to control the law and order situation in the capital.

Official sources said Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa are expected to hold a meeting to discuss the situation after the government sought deployment of the army in the capital.

However, the army said it needed clarification on some points before moving in to control the situation.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pakistan-calls-on-army-to-restore-security-in-islamabad-after-violent-clashes-25132" target="_blank">Pakistan calls on army to restore security in Islamabad after violent clashes</a>

General Bajwa was on a visit to the United Arab Emirates and cut short his trip to reach the country last night.

Earlier, he spoke to Abbasi over telephone and suggested to handle the protests peacefully &quot;avoiding violence from both sides as it is not in national interest and cohesion.&quot;

Meanwhile, all news channels have been off-air and access to popular social media blocked since yesterday.

Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) representing electronic media condemned the action against media.

The protesters have been laying siege to the capital for about three weeks demanding removal of Law Minister Zahid Hamid for changes in a law related to the Khatm-i-Nabuwwat (finality of prohpethood) oath in the Elections Act 2017.

They alleged the action undermined Islamic beliefs and linked it to blasphemy. The government has already amended the law and restored the original oath but the hardline clerics refused to call of the protests until the minister is sacked.

The unrest also spread to several cities where protesters have blocked major roads, resulting in clashes with police. Dozens of people were injured in Karachi and at other places.

Minister of Interior Ahsan Iqbal chaired a high-level security meeting&nbsp;on Friday&nbsp;night but failed to reach at any decision about further operation as senior officials of Islamabad administration and police warned to loss of human lives, according to sources in the interior ministry.

The protesters emboldened by failure of government upped the ante and demanded resignation of the government, according to report on Geo TV website.

There are reports that ruling Pakistan Muslims Leauge- Nawaz was discussing the option of removing law minister to pacify the protests. But it may be too late now. The minister is already under immense pressure after an attack yesterday at his residence in Pasroor area of Sialkot district in Punjab.

Opposition Tehreek-e-Insaf have also increased pressure on government and its secretary general Jehangir Tareen demanded resignation of interior minister for mishandling the operation.&nbsp;

The Pakistani government has called in the army to restore order

Pakistan's government has called in the army to restore order after clashes between police and protesters belonging to hardline religious groups killed six people and injured more than 200 others in the capital. The police aided by paramilitary Rangers and Frontier Constabulary yesterday lunched a massive operation against activists of Tehreek-i-Khatm-i-Nabuwwat, Tehreek-i-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah and Sunni Tehreek Pakistan religious groups who had blocked a key highway to Islamabad for nearly three weeks. Police and paramilitary forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the protesters to disperse them. However, the security forces pulled back after the crackdown turned deadly. The protesters have been laying siege to the Pakistani capital of Islamabad for about three weeks demanding the removal of Law Minister Zahid Hamid, whom they accuse of blasphemy × At least six people were killed in clashes yesterday, Dawn reported. It also said that no security personnel was killed but at least nine senior police officers were injured including Rawalpindi city police chief Israr Abbasi. According to health officials, more than 200 people, including at least 95 security personnel, were injured in the clashes and shifted to various hospitals. The Interior Ministry last night issued a statutory regulatory order to authorize the deployment of the army to control the law and order situation in the capital. Official sources said Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa are expected to hold a meeting to discuss the situation after the government sought deployment of the army in the capital. However, the army said it needed clarification on some points before moving in to control the situation. Also read: Pakistan calls on army to restore security in Islamabad after violent clashes General Bajwa was on a visit to the United Arab Emirates and cut short his trip to reach the country last night. Earlier, he spoke to Abbasi over telephone and suggested to handle the protests peacefully "avoiding violence from both sides as it is not in national interest and cohesion." Meanwhile, all news channels have been off-air and access to popular social media blocked since yesterday. Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) representing electronic media condemned the action against media. The protesters have been laying siege to the capital for about three weeks demanding removal of Law Minister Zahid Hamid for changes in a law related to the Khatm-i-Nabuwwat (finality of prohpethood) oath in the Elections Act 2017. They alleged the action undermined Islamic beliefs and linked it to blasphemy. The government has already amended the law and restored the original oath but the hardline clerics refused to call of the protests until the minister is sacked. The unrest also spread to several cities where protesters have blocked major roads, resulting in clashes with police. Dozens of people were injured in Karachi and at other places. Minister of Interior Ahsan Iqbal chaired a high-level security meeting on Friday night but failed to reach at any decision about further operation as senior officials of Islamabad administration and police warned to loss of human lives, according to sources in the interior ministry. The protesters emboldened by failure of government upped the ante and demanded resignation of the government, according to report on Geo TV website. There are reports that ruling Pakistan Muslims Leauge- Nawaz was discussing the option of removing law minister to pacify the protests. But it may be too late now. The minister is already under immense pressure after an attack yesterday at his residence in Pasroor area of Sialkot district in Punjab. Opposition Tehreek-e-Insaf have also increased pressure on government and its secretary general Jehangir Tareen demanded resignation of interior minister for mishandling the operation.

Islamabad: 6 dead, over 200 injured in clashes between Pakistan police, protesters

&nbsp;A court in&nbsp;Vietnam&nbsp;jailed&nbsp;dissident&nbsp;Nguyen Van Oai for a further&nbsp;five&nbsp;years&nbsp;on Monday for violating the terms of his probation after a spell in prison, his lawyer said.

Human rights groups have expressed alarm over the Communist-ruled country&#39;s biggest crackdown&nbsp;on&nbsp;activists&nbsp;in&nbsp;years.

Oai, 36, was arrested in January while on probation after a 2013 sentence for activities aimed at overthrowing the government. He had been released in 2015.

On Monday, the people&#39;s court in Nghe An, central&nbsp;Vietnam, also found him guilty of resisting security personnel in performing their duty. He was given another four&nbsp;years&nbsp;on probation as well as the prison sentence.

&quot;Oai said he was innocent and he would appeal,&quot; his lawyer, Ha Huy Son, told Reuters.

The court made no immediate comment.

Despite sweeping economic reforms and growing openness to social change,&nbsp;Vietnam&#39;s Communist Party retains tight media censorship and does not tolerate criticism.

Human rights groups have expressed alarm over the Communist-ruled country's biggest crackdown?on?activists?in?years.

A court in Vietnam jailed dissident Nguyen Van Oai for a further five years on Monday for violating the terms of his probation after a spell in prison, his lawyer said. Human rights groups have expressed alarm over the Communist-ruled country's biggest crackdown on activists in years. Oai, 36, was arrested in January while on probation after a 2013 sentence for activities aimed at overthrowing the government. He had been released in 2015. On Monday, the people's court in Nghe An, central Vietnam, also found him guilty of resisting security personnel in performing their duty. He was given another four years on probation as well as the prison sentence. "Oai said he was innocent and he would appeal," his lawyer, Ha Huy Son, told Reuters. The court made no immediate comment. Despite sweeping economic reforms and growing openness to social change, Vietnam's Communist Party retains tight media censorship and does not tolerate criticism.

Vietnam jails dissident in crackdown on activists

Turkey dismissed nearly 8,000 security personnel from duty on Thursday, state media reported, as crackdowns on those suspected of links to the failed July coup continued.
State media reports said a total of 7,669 police were removed along with 323 personnel in the gendarmerie, responsible for domestic security. 
 
Ankara has accused US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen and his Hizmet (service) movement for plotting and organising the failed coup, which left 240 dead excluding 24 coup plotters. 
 
He is also accused of running a &quot;parallel state&quot; and his followers of infiltrating state institutions. 
 
Gulen strongly denies all accusations. 
 
The latest purge was not just limited to the security forces. 
 
According to the official gazette, about 520 people were removed from the religious affairs directorate. 
 
On Thursday, 543 prosecutors and judges were dismissed, bringing the total of those removed from the judiciary to 3,390, NTV channel reported. 
 
The gazette has decreed that any judge or prosecutor who voluntarily retired could apply to return within the next two months. 
 
A total of 4,451 military personnel has been dismissed since July including 151 generals and admirals. 
 
Nearly 80,000 civil servants have been suspended, he said, while around 5,000 have been dismissed. 
 
(WION with inputs from AFP)

A total of 4,451 military personnel have been dismissed since July including 151 generals and admirals

Turkey dismissed nearly 8,000 security personnel from duty on Thursday, state media reported, as crackdowns on those suspected of links to the failed July coup continued. State media reports said a total of 7,669 police were removed along with 323 personnel in the gendarmerie, responsible for domestic security. Ankara has accused US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen and his Hizmet (service) movement for plotting and organising the failed coup, which left 240 dead excluding 24 coup plotters. He is also accused of running a "parallel state" and his followers of infiltrating state institutions. Gulen strongly denies all accusations. The latest purge was not just limited to the security forces. According to the official gazette, about 520 people were removed from the religious affairs directorate. On Thursday, 543 prosecutors and judges were dismissed, bringing the total of those removed from the judiciary to 3,390, NTV channel reported. The gazette has decreed that any judge or prosecutor who voluntarily retired could apply to return within the next two months. A total of 4,451 military personnel has been dismissed since July including 151 generals and admirals. Nearly 80,000 civil servants have been suspended, he said, while around 5,000 have been dismissed. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Action against alleged Turkey coup plotters continues, 8,000 security personnel removed

With Xinjiang tightening anti-terror law banning instigation of people to cross border to undergo terror training Pakistan army chief General Raheel Sharif has assured China of cracking down on militant outfits blamed for attacks in the volatile province. 
 
Pakistan will firmly crackdown on terrorist forces like the &quot;East Turkestan Islamic Movement&quot; (ETIM) and protect the security of &quot;China-Pakistan Economic Corridor&quot;, (CEPC) state-run China Military Online quoted him as saying during his meeting with China&#39;s top military official Fang Fenghui in Urumqi, provincial capital of Xinjiang on Tuesday. 
 
Fang is the member of China&#39;s Central Military Commission (CMC), the highest military body and Chief of the Joint Staff Department of the CMC. 
 
Sharif was in Urumqi to attend the Quadrilateral Cooperation and Coordination Mechanism in Counter Terrorism by Afghanistan-China-Pakistan-Tajikistan Armed Forces. 
 
His assurance of firm crackdown followed China-Pakistan border police recently launching first joint patrols of the disputed Pakistan Controlled Kashmir (POK) border amid reports that 114 Uyghurs Muslims from Xinjiang joined Islamic State in Syria. 
 
Xinjiang, the home for Uyghurs who resented the increasing settlements of Hans from other provinces has witnessed violent attacks in recent years. 
 
China blamed ETIM, a separatist outfit linked to al-Qaeda for the attacks. Under pressure from China, Pakistan army has conducted military operations against ETIM training bases in the tribal areas bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan in recent months. 
 
Xinjiang recently adopted new anti-terrorism rules stipulating reassessment of risk levels of prisoners before release and solitary confinement and education for ring leaders. 
 
The new rules stipulated that recruiting, training or transporting terror-related personnel will be regarded as carrying out terror activities, as will as organising or instigating others to illegally cross into another country to participate in terror activities or terror training, state-run Global Times reported. 
 
The Quadrilateral Cooperation and Coordination Mechanism formed by China significantly includes Afghanistan which also shares borders with Xinjiang.&nbsp; 
 
(PTI)

Under Chinese pressure, Pakistan army has lately conducted operations against al-Qaeda linked ETIM's training bases

With Xinjiang tightening anti-terror law banning instigation of people to cross border to undergo terror training Pakistan army chief General Raheel Sharif has assured China of cracking down on militant outfits blamed for attacks in the volatile province. Pakistan will firmly crackdown on terrorist forces like the "East Turkestan Islamic Movement" (ETIM) and protect the security of "China-Pakistan Economic Corridor", (CEPC) state-run China Military Online quoted him as saying during his meeting with China's top military official Fang Fenghui in Urumqi, provincial capital of Xinjiang on Tuesday. Fang is the member of China's Central Military Commission (CMC), the highest military body and Chief of the Joint Staff Department of the CMC. Sharif was in Urumqi to attend the Quadrilateral Cooperation and Coordination Mechanism in Counter Terrorism by Afghanistan-China-Pakistan-Tajikistan Armed Forces. His assurance of firm crackdown followed China-Pakistan border police recently launching first joint patrols of the disputed Pakistan Controlled Kashmir (POK) border amid reports that 114 Uyghurs Muslims from Xinjiang joined Islamic State in Syria. Xinjiang, the home for Uyghurs who resented the increasing settlements of Hans from other provinces has witnessed violent attacks in recent years. China blamed ETIM, a separatist outfit linked to al-Qaeda for the attacks. Under pressure from China, Pakistan army has conducted military operations against ETIM training bases in the tribal areas bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan in recent months. Xinjiang recently adopted new anti-terrorism rules stipulating reassessment of risk levels of prisoners before release and solitary confinement and education for ring leaders. The new rules stipulated that recruiting, training or transporting terror-related personnel will be regarded as carrying out terror activities, as will as organising or instigating others to illegally cross into another country to participate in terror activities or terror training, state-run Global Times reported. The Quadrilateral Cooperation and Coordination Mechanism formed by China significantly includes Afghanistan which also shares borders with Xinjiang. (PTI)

Pakistan army chief promises China firm crackdown on Uyghur militants

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday told the European Union and United States to &quot;mind your own business&quot; after the West expressed alarm over the growing crackdown against suspected accomplices in the failed coup. 
 
Turkey has detained over 18,000 people over the coup which Ankara blames on the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, with the relentless crackdown sparking warnings from Brussels that its EU membership bid may be in danger. 
 
&quot;Some people give us advice. They say they are worried. Mind your own business! Look at your own deeds,&quot; Erdogan said in a speech at his presidential palace. 
 
&quot;Not a single person has come to give condolences either from the European Union or from the West,&quot; said Erdogan. 
 
&quot;And then they say that &#39;Erdogan has got so angry&#39;!&quot; he fumed. 
 
&quot;Those countries or leaders who are not worried about Turkey&#39;s democracy, the lives of our people, its future -- while being so worried about the fate of the putschists - cannot be our friends.&quot; 
 
Erdogan vowed to take all steps &quot;within the limits of the law&quot; as Turkey seeks legal retribution for the perpetrators of the coup. 
 
A Turkish official said 3,500 of those detained have now been released after questioning. 
 
Six journalists arrested 
 
EU enlargement commissioner Johannes Hahn said he needed to see &quot;black-and-white facts about how these people are treated&quot;. 
 
&quot;And if there is even the slightest doubt that the (treatment) is improper, then the consequences will be inevitable,&quot; he told German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung. 
 
Turkey has also targeted journalists seen as linked to Gulen, causing further international alarm. Twenty detained suspects Friday appeared in front of a judge in Istanbul to decide whether to remand them in custody. 
 
By midnight, six had been placed under arrest including the hugely prominent journalist Nazli Ilicak but the hearings on the other 14 were still in progress, the official Anadolu news agency reported. 
 
Foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu defended the detention of reporters, saying it was necessary to distinguish between coup plotters and those &quot;who are engaged in real journalism&quot;. 
 
The probe into coup plotters widened its scope to the financing of Gulen&#39;s activities in Turkey, with what appeared to be the first major arrests targeting the business world. 
 
Security forces in the central city of Kayseri detained the chairman of the prominent family-owned Boydak Holding company, Mustafa Boydak, and two other top executives, Anadolu said. 
 
&#39;Cleaned out all elements&#39; 
 
The president also announced that as a gesture of goodwill after the coup he was dropping hundreds of lawsuits against individuals accused of insulting him. 
 
&quot;I am going to withdraw all the cases regarding the disrespectful insults made against me,&quot; said Erdogan. 
 
The authorities had said earlier this year that over 2,000 people were being prosecuted on charges of insulting the president. 
 
Speaking at the same event to remember the &quot;martyrs&quot; of July 15, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey has succeeded in eradicating all elements linked to Gulen from the military after sacking nearly half of its generals following the failed coup. 
 
&quot;We have cleaned out from the military the FETO elements who disguised themselves as soldiers,&quot; said Yildirim. Turkey accuses Gulen of running the Fethullah Terror Organisation (FETO), charges he denies. 
 
&quot;We are going to make our armed forces stronger and we are going to work towards making this country more secure.&quot; 
 
Turkey implemented a shake-up of the military on Thursday after nearly half of its 358 generals were sacked for complicity in the coup. 
 
Both Yildirim and Erdogan were seen on television during the ceremony weeping as the July 15 victims were remembered. 
 
&#39;Supporting the plotters&#39; 
 
Erdogan had earlier also lashed out at a top US general who had expressed concerns about military relations after the putsch. 
 
Quoted by US media, US Central Command chief General Joseph Votel said Thursday that the coup bid and subsequent round-up of dozens of generals could affect American cooperation with Turkey. 
 
&quot;You are taking the side of coup plotters instead of thanking this state for defeating the coup attempt,&quot; Erdogan said at a military centre in Golbasi outside Ankara, where air strikes left dozens dead during the coup. 
 
Votel swiftly denied any link to the coup however. 
 
(AFP)

He also slammed Western leaders for failure to show solidarity over coup attempt, 'Not a single person has come to give condolences'

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday told the European Union and United States to "mind your own business" after the West expressed alarm over the growing crackdown against suspected accomplices in the failed coup. Turkey has detained over 18,000 people over the coup which Ankara blames on the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, with the relentless crackdown sparking warnings from Brussels that its EU membership bid may be in danger. "Some people give us advice. They say they are worried. Mind your own business! Look at your own deeds," Erdogan said in a speech at his presidential palace. "Not a single person has come to give condolences either from the European Union or from the West," said Erdogan. "And then they say that 'Erdogan has got so angry'!" he fumed. "Those countries or leaders who are not worried about Turkey's democracy, the lives of our people, its future -- while being so worried about the fate of the putschists - cannot be our friends." Erdogan vowed to take all steps "within the limits of the law" as Turkey seeks legal retribution for the perpetrators of the coup. A Turkish official said 3,500 of those detained have now been released after questioning. Six journalists arrested EU enlargement commissioner Johannes Hahn said he needed to see "black-and-white facts about how these people are treated". "And if there is even the slightest doubt that the (treatment) is improper, then the consequences will be inevitable," he told German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung. Turkey has also targeted journalists seen as linked to Gulen, causing further international alarm. Twenty detained suspects Friday appeared in front of a judge in Istanbul to decide whether to remand them in custody. By midnight, six had been placed under arrest including the hugely prominent journalist Nazli Ilicak but the hearings on the other 14 were still in progress, the official Anadolu news agency reported. Foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu defended the detention of reporters, saying it was necessary to distinguish between coup plotters and those "who are engaged in real journalism". The probe into coup plotters widened its scope to the financing of Gulen's activities in Turkey, with what appeared to be the first major arrests targeting the business world. Security forces in the central city of Kayseri detained the chairman of the prominent family-owned Boydak Holding company, Mustafa Boydak, and two other top executives, Anadolu said. 'Cleaned out all elements' The president also announced that as a gesture of goodwill after the coup he was dropping hundreds of lawsuits against individuals accused of insulting him. "I am going to withdraw all the cases regarding the disrespectful insults made against me," said Erdogan. The authorities had said earlier this year that over 2,000 people were being prosecuted on charges of insulting the president. Speaking at the same event to remember the "martyrs" of July 15, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey has succeeded in eradicating all elements linked to Gulen from the military after sacking nearly half of its generals following the failed coup. "We have cleaned out from the military the FETO elements who disguised themselves as soldiers," said Yildirim. Turkey accuses Gulen of running the Fethullah Terror Organisation (FETO), charges he denies. "We are going to make our armed forces stronger and we are going to work towards making this country more secure." Turkey implemented a shake-up of the military on Thursday after nearly half of its 358 generals were sacked for complicity in the coup. Both Yildirim and Erdogan were seen on television during the ceremony weeping as the July 15 victims were remembered. 'Supporting the plotters' Erdogan had earlier also lashed out at a top US general who had expressed concerns about military relations after the putsch. Quoted by US media, US Central Command chief General Joseph Votel said Thursday that the coup bid and subsequent round-up of dozens of generals could affect American cooperation with Turkey. "You are taking the side of coup plotters instead of thanking this state for defeating the coup attempt," Erdogan said at a military centre in Golbasi outside Ankara, where air strikes left dozens dead during the coup. Votel swiftly denied any link to the coup however. (AFP)

'Mind your own business', Erdogan tells West

Turkey&#39;s prime minister warned yesterday that the crackdown following a failed coup was not over, as authorities issued arrest warrants for dozens of former newspaper staff. 
 
A senior minister also revealed that a major army shake-up had been planned just before the putsch - suggesting elements in the military made the dramatic move because they knew they were about to be purged. 
 
Since the attempted power grab on the night of July 15, more than 15,000 people have been detained and more than 8,000 of them remain in custody, according to the latest interior ministry figures. 
 
&quot;The investigation is continuing, there are people who are being searched for. There could be new apprehensions, arrests and detentions,&quot; Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told Sky News, according to the network&#39;s translation of his remarks. 
 
&quot;The process is not completed yet,&quot; he said. 
 
In the attempted coup, renegade soldiers sought to topple President Recep Tayyip Erdogan but were stopped by crowds of civilians and loyalist security forces. 
 
At least 270 people were killed on both sides. 
 
Turkey blames the botched putsch on US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, who strongly denies the accusations and demands that the United States resist calls for his extradition. 
 
But Yildirim said Turkey was &quot;determined&quot; to secure his removal. 
 
&quot;We shared all the details with them and, from this point on, the task falls on the shoulders of the US government,&quot; the prime minister said. 
 
&#39;Planned purge&#39; 
 
Energy minister Berat Albayrak, who is Erdogan&#39;s son-in-law, said Turkish authorities had been planning a major purge of the military and other institutions to remove Gulen-linked elements ahead of the coup attempt. 
 
&quot;They were going to take really important steps to remove Gulenist officers and generals from the armed forces. We were already working on this,&quot; said Albayrak, who was with Erdogan on the coup night. 
 
Turkey yesterday issued arrest warrants for 47 former staff of the once pro-Gulen Zaman newspaper suspected of links to the reclusive cleric. 
 
An official who declined to be named said the swoop covered &quot;executives and some staff including columnists&quot;, describing Zaman as the &quot;flagship media organisation&quot; of the Gulen-led movement. 
 
In March, Zaman and its English-language sister newspaper Today&#39;s Zaman were taken over by state-appointed administrators and it has since taken a strongly pro-government line. 
 
Several former staff are believed to have since left Turkey. 
 
The official insisted the warrants were not related to what individual columnists had previously said or written. 
 
But &quot;prominent employees of Zaman are likely to have intimate knowledge of the Gulen network and as such could benefit the investigation&quot;, the official explained. 
 
Earlier in the week, Turkey issued another 42 arrest warrants for journalists, 16 of whom have so far been detained according to state-run news agency Anadolu. 
 
Military reshuffle 
 
A large-scale shake-up of the Turkish armed forces is expected to be announced when the country&#39;s Supreme Military Council meets on today. 
 
More than 10,000 soldiers and around half of the 358 generals serving in Turkey have been detained, leaving gaping holes in the command structure to be filled. 
 
Tens of thousands of Turkish civilians have lost their jobs since July 15. 
 
The first worker in the private financial sector to be affected is AK Investment&#39;s research director Mert Ulke, after the financial regulator cancelled his licence following his report on the failed coup. 
 
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon yesterday expressed deep concern about the ongoing wave of arrests in Turkey following the putsch. 
 
The EU meanwhile appointed a new ambassador to Turkey and repeated warnings that Ankara must respect democracy and human rights for ties to prosper. 
 
(AFP)

Turkey's energy minister said authorities had been planning a major purge of the military and other institutions ahead of the coup attempt

Turkey's prime minister warned yesterday that the crackdown following a failed coup was not over, as authorities issued arrest warrants for dozens of former newspaper staff. A senior minister also revealed that a major army shake-up had been planned just before the putsch - suggesting elements in the military made the dramatic move because they knew they were about to be purged. Since the attempted power grab on the night of July 15, more than 15,000 people have been detained and more than 8,000 of them remain in custody, according to the latest interior ministry figures. "The investigation is continuing, there are people who are being searched for. There could be new apprehensions, arrests and detentions," Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told Sky News, according to the network's translation of his remarks. "The process is not completed yet," he said. In the attempted coup, renegade soldiers sought to topple President Recep Tayyip Erdogan but were stopped by crowds of civilians and loyalist security forces. At least 270 people were killed on both sides. Turkey blames the botched putsch on US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, who strongly denies the accusations and demands that the United States resist calls for his extradition. But Yildirim said Turkey was "determined" to secure his removal. "We shared all the details with them and, from this point on, the task falls on the shoulders of the US government," the prime minister said. 'Planned purge' Energy minister Berat Albayrak, who is Erdogan's son-in-law, said Turkish authorities had been planning a major purge of the military and other institutions to remove Gulen-linked elements ahead of the coup attempt. "They were going to take really important steps to remove Gulenist officers and generals from the armed forces. We were already working on this," said Albayrak, who was with Erdogan on the coup night. Turkey yesterday issued arrest warrants for 47 former staff of the once pro-Gulen Zaman newspaper suspected of links to the reclusive cleric. An official who declined to be named said the swoop covered "executives and some staff including columnists", describing Zaman as the "flagship media organisation" of the Gulen-led movement. In March, Zaman and its English-language sister newspaper Today's Zaman were taken over by state-appointed administrators and it has since taken a strongly pro-government line. Several former staff are believed to have since left Turkey. The official insisted the warrants were not related to what individual columnists had previously said or written. But "prominent employees of Zaman are likely to have intimate knowledge of the Gulen network and as such could benefit the investigation", the official explained. Earlier in the week, Turkey issued another 42 arrest warrants for journalists, 16 of whom have so far been detained according to state-run news agency Anadolu. Military reshuffle A large-scale shake-up of the Turkish armed forces is expected to be announced when the country's Supreme Military Council meets on today. More than 10,000 soldiers and around half of the 358 generals serving in Turkey have been detained, leaving gaping holes in the command structure to be filled. Tens of thousands of Turkish civilians have lost their jobs since July 15. The first worker in the private financial sector to be affected is AK Investment's research director Mert Ulke, after the financial regulator cancelled his licence following his report on the failed coup. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon yesterday expressed deep concern about the ongoing wave of arrests in Turkey following the putsch. The EU meanwhile appointed a new ambassador to Turkey and repeated warnings that Ankara must respect democracy and human rights for ties to prosper. (AFP)

Turkey PM warns post-coup crackdown not over

<div lang="EN-US" paraeid="{7925e5b9-6228-427f-a482-00fa781626e1}{172}" paraid="1780931624" style="text-align: justify;" >The main suspect in the murder of the Bangladesh bloggers,&nbsp;Avijit&nbsp;Roy and&nbsp;Niladri&nbsp;Chattopadhyay&nbsp;Niloy, was killed in an&nbsp;alleged gunfight with the police in capital Dhaka&#39;s&nbsp;Khilgaon&nbsp;area early on Sunday. 
&nbsp;</div>

<div lang="EN-US" paraeid="{05a0032d-ac79-453f-a114-958b5ecea2d7}{96}" paraid="295924590" style="text-align: justify;" >The suspect,&nbsp;Shariful&nbsp;alias&nbsp;Sakib&nbsp;alias Sharif alias Saleh alias&nbsp;Arif&nbsp;alias Hadi-1, was a top&nbsp;organiser&nbsp;of&nbsp;Ansarullah&nbsp;Bangla Team (ABT), Bangladesh&nbsp;newspaper,&nbsp;The Daily Star, reported&nbsp;Musudur&nbsp;Rahman, a Dhaka police officer&nbsp;as saying. ABT is a banned militant group.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;</div>

<div lang="EN-US" paraeid="{984d1263-ec83-482f-8a1a-583559350cb5}{12}" paraid="1413621411" style="text-align: justify;" >The &quot;gunfight&quot;&nbsp;apparently took place&nbsp;at&nbsp;Meradiya&nbsp;Banshpotti&nbsp;at about 2.00 am on Sunday.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;</div>

<div lang="EN-US" paraeid="{7362ad74-bce9-4f03-84af-fcff745e99de}{173}" paraid="1819828175" style="text-align: justify;" >The police had claimed they found evidence that&nbsp;Shariful&nbsp;was present at&nbsp;Dhaka University where&nbsp;Avijit&nbsp;Roy was hacked to death with&nbsp;machetes&nbsp;on February 26, 2015 and of his involvement even in the killing of&nbsp;Niladri&nbsp;Niloy.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div lang="EN-US" paraeid="{7d89d678-a532-47d7-8f4a-8dd68125f7d7}{27}" paraid="895991529" style="text-align: justify;" > 
Shariful, who was originally from Khulna,&nbsp;played an important role in the recruitment of ABT members, apart from providing training in&nbsp;firearms and information technology&nbsp;to the new recruits, as per the Dhaka metropolitan police&#39;s website.&nbsp;</div>

<div lang="EN-US" paraeid="{7362ad74-bce9-4f03-84af-fcff745e99de}{159}" paraid="1494492534" style="text-align: justify;" > 
He&nbsp;was also linked to the murder attempt on&nbsp;publisher Ahmed Rashid&nbsp;Tutul&nbsp;at&nbsp;Lalmatia&nbsp;and&nbsp;the&nbsp;killing of&nbsp;Riyad&nbsp;Morshed&nbsp;Babu, a student of Shanta Mariam University.&nbsp;</div>

<div lang="EN-US" paraeid="{7362ad74-bce9-4f03-84af-fcff745e99de}{161}" paraid="1062033893" style="text-align: justify;" > 
This is not all, the police said&nbsp;Shariful&nbsp;was&nbsp;one of the brains behind the murders of&nbsp;Jagriti&nbsp;Prokashoni&nbsp;owner,&nbsp;Faisal&nbsp;Arefin&nbsp;Dipan, blogger&nbsp;Oyashiqur&nbsp;Rahman&nbsp;Babu, secular activist&nbsp;Nazim&nbsp;Uddin&nbsp;Samad&nbsp;and LGBT rights activist&nbsp;Xulhaz&nbsp;Mannan&nbsp;and his friend&nbsp;Mahbub&nbsp;Tonoy.&nbsp;</div>

<div lang="EN-US" paraeid="{87805b9a-9ccf-46cd-b117-e1b01fe3d6f0}{205}" paraid="1372513054" style="text-align: justify;" > 
The alleged gun fight took place within hours of&nbsp;another&nbsp;suspected militant, nineteen-year-old&nbsp;Golam&nbsp;Faizullah&nbsp;Fahim, being killed in a&nbsp;reported ambush&nbsp;when he was taken along on a search for his Islamist associates, the police claimed.&nbsp;</div>

<div lang="EN-US" paraeid="{e4ca9fd8-f38a-4e36-8526-4567b7e7bdbc}{166}" paraid="1621426751" style="text-align: justify;" > 
The search team was reportedly&nbsp;ambushed in a farmland.&nbsp;Faizullah&nbsp;was in police custody for questioning for attacking Hindu mathematics lecturer Ripon&nbsp;Chakrabarti&nbsp;and grievously injuring him&nbsp;in Bangladesh&#39;s&nbsp;Madaripur. Eyewitnesses managed to catch him and hand him to the police.&nbsp;</div>

<div lang="EN-US" paraeid="{57b998cf-5434-431a-b2c2-d45e1cf5717d}{75}" paraid="1784564055" style="text-align: justify;" > 
As per the police,&nbsp;Fahim&nbsp;was a college student and was a member of the banned Islamist group&nbsp;Hizb&nbsp;ut-Tahrir&nbsp;--&nbsp;an international group which wants to combine all Muslim countries in a unitary Islamic state. The group is outlawed in several countries, including Bangladesh.&nbsp;</div>

<div lang="EN-US" paraeid="{74659285-ee64-4e3d-82d9-6922b2b828be}{52}" paraid="1214658543" style="text-align: justify;" > 
Seven suspected Islamist militants have now been shot dead since Bangladesh launched a nationwide crackdown on local jihadist groups in the wake of a spike in the murders of secular activists and religious minorities.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
The drive has seen more than 11,000 people including 194 militants arrested over the past week despite widespread criticism by local and international human rights groups.&nbsp;</div>

<div lang="EN-US" paraeid="{74659285-ee64-4e3d-82d9-6922b2b828be}{74}" paraid="840182797" style="text-align: justify;" > 
Nearly 50 people have been killed over the last three years in a wave of gruesome murders targeting Hindus, Christians, Sufi Muslims, secular activists and foreigners, with most blamed on or claimed by Islamist militants.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Many of the victims were hacked to death with machetes.&nbsp; 
(WION)</div>

Seven Islamist militants have been shot dead since Bangladesh started its crackdown on Jihadist groups

The main suspect in the murder of the Bangladesh bloggers, Avijit Roy and Niladri Chattopadhyay Niloy, was killed in an alleged gunfight with the police in capital Dhaka's Khilgaon area early on Sunday. The suspect, Shariful alias Sakib alias Sharif alias Saleh alias Arif alias Hadi-1, was a top organiser of Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), Bangladesh newspaper, The Daily Star, reported Musudur Rahman, a Dhaka police officer as saying. ABT is a banned militant group. The "gunfight" apparently took place at Meradiya Banshpotti at about 2.00 am on Sunday. The police had claimed they found evidence that Shariful was present at Dhaka University where Avijit Roy was hacked to death with machetes on February 26, 2015 and of his involvement even in the killing of Niladri Niloy. Shariful, who was originally from Khulna, played an important role in the recruitment of ABT members, apart from providing training in firearms and information technology to the new recruits, as per the Dhaka metropolitan police's website. He was also linked to the murder attempt on publisher Ahmed Rashid Tutul at Lalmatia and the killing of Riyad Morshed Babu, a student of Shanta Mariam University. This is not all, the police said Shariful was one of the brains behind the murders of Jagriti Prokashoni owner, Faisal Arefin Dipan, blogger Oyashiqur Rahman Babu, secular activist Nazim Uddin Samad and LGBT rights activist Xulhaz Mannan and his friend Mahbub Tonoy. The alleged gun fight took place within hours of another suspected militant, nineteen-year-old Golam Faizullah Fahim, being killed in a reported ambush when he was taken along on a search for his Islamist associates, the police claimed. The search team was reportedly ambushed in a farmland. Faizullah was in police custody for questioning for attacking Hindu mathematics lecturer Ripon Chakrabarti and grievously injuring him in Bangladesh's Madaripur. Eyewitnesses managed to catch him and hand him to the police. As per the police, Fahim was a college student and was a member of the banned Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir -- an international group which wants to combine all Muslim countries in a unitary Islamic state. The group is outlawed in several countries, including Bangladesh. Seven suspected Islamist militants have now been shot dead since Bangladesh launched a nationwide crackdown on local jihadist groups in the wake of a spike in the murders of secular activists and religious minorities. The drive has seen more than 11,000 people including 194 militants arrested over the past week despite widespread criticism by local and international human rights groups. Nearly 50 people have been killed over the last three years in a wave of gruesome murders targeting Hindus, Christians, Sufi Muslims, secular activists and foreigners, with most blamed on or claimed by Islamist militants. Many of the victims were hacked to death with machetes. (WION)

Bangladesh bloggers' murder:?Main suspect?dead in gunfight with police

Authorities in Bangladesh have arrested at least 103 militants as part of a broad crackdown on Islamists after a wave of deadly attacks on members of minority groups and liberal activists, police said on Monday.

In addition to the arrest of the Islamist militants, about 6,000 suspected criminals have been arrested since law enforcement agencies began a week-long drive on Friday to halt a series of targeted killings in the mainly Muslim nation.

All the arrests were made on specific charges, national police chief AKM&nbsp;Shahidul Hoque said, relating to firearms, narcotics and other offences.

&quot;We will have to prevent the emergence of militancy collectively as a whole nation. It is not possible to eliminate it by police alone,&rdquo; Hoque said.

Over the past week, an elderly Hindu priest, a Hindu monastery worker and a Christian shopkeeper were hacked to death in attacks for which Islamic State claimed responsibility. The Muslim wife of a counter-terrorism police official was also stabbed and shot dead.

Militants have killed more than 30 people in Bangladesh since early last year, with atheist bloggers, liberal academics, gay rights campaigners, foreign aid workers, members of&nbsp;minority Muslim sects&nbsp;and other&nbsp;religious&nbsp;groups among the victims.

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for 21 of the attacks since its first claim in September last year and al Qaeda has claimed most of the rest, according to Site Intelligence Group, a US-based monitoring service.

The government denies that either group has a presence in Bangladesh and says home-grown radicals are responsible.

Last month, junior foreign minister Shahriar Alam told Reuters that Islamic State was trying to ride a wave of religious radicalisation by falsely claiming killings and said there was enough evidence implicating domestic militant groups.

Police said two domestic militant groups - Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen and Ansarullah Bangla Team - were behind the attacks as part of their efforts to impose strict Islamic law on Bangladesh, whose population of 160 million are mostly moderate Muslims.

At least 10 suspected members of the outlawed Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen have been killed in shootouts since November, including five last week, police said.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has vowed to track down the killers, blaming the growing violence on political opponents linked to Islamist parties.

The main opposition party, led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, dismisses such accusations and said the mass arrests were a ploy to suppress political opponents.

Police also arrest 100 Islamist militants, who killed over 30 minorities and activists, in the mainly Muslim nation

Authorities in Bangladesh have arrested at least 103 militants as part of a broad crackdown on Islamists after a wave of deadly attacks on members of minority groups and liberal activists, police said on Monday. In addition to the arrest of the Islamist militants, about 6,000 suspected criminals have been arrested since law enforcement agencies began a week-long drive on Friday to halt a series of targeted killings in the mainly Muslim nation. All the arrests were made on specific charges, national police chief AKM Shahidul Hoque said, relating to firearms, narcotics and other offences. "We will have to prevent the emergence of militancy collectively as a whole nation. It is not possible to eliminate it by police alone,” Hoque said. Over the past week, an elderly Hindu priest, a Hindu monastery worker and a Christian shopkeeper were hacked to death in attacks for which Islamic State claimed responsibility. The Muslim wife of a counter-terrorism police official was also stabbed and shot dead. Militants have killed more than 30 people in Bangladesh since early last year, with atheist bloggers, liberal academics, gay rights campaigners, foreign aid workers, members of minority Muslim sects and other religious groups among the victims. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for 21 of the attacks since its first claim in September last year and al Qaeda has claimed most of the rest, according to Site Intelligence Group, a US-based monitoring service. The government denies that either group has a presence in Bangladesh and says home-grown radicals are responsible. Last month, junior foreign minister Shahriar Alam told Reuters that Islamic State was trying to ride a wave of religious radicalisation by falsely claiming killings and said there was enough evidence implicating domestic militant groups. Police said two domestic militant groups - Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen and Ansarullah Bangla Team - were behind the attacks as part of their efforts to impose strict Islamic law on Bangladesh, whose population of 160 million are mostly moderate Muslims. At least 10 suspected members of the outlawed Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen have been killed in shootouts since November, including five last week, police said. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has vowed to track down the killers, blaming the growing violence on political opponents linked to Islamist parties. The main opposition party, led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, dismisses such accusations and said the mass arrests were a ploy to suppress political opponents.

5,000 arrested in Bangladesh in crackdown on wave of targeted killings

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