The Iraq police and health officials have reported that the death toll in the twin bombings in Baghdad has risen to 38 and left at least 105 injured.&nbsp;

The bombings were carried out by two terrorists who came armed with explosive belts and attacked the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/baghdad-suicide-attack-26-killed-several-injured-29547" target="_blank">Tayran Square </a>where day labourers gather early morning for jobs, media reports said.&nbsp;

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but it bore all the hallmarks of the Islamic State group, which has claimed many such attacks in the past.

Ambulances rushed to the cite and the area was sealed by the security forces.&nbsp;

Many locals were stunned by the attack as the number of attacks had significantly decreased since security forces retook nearly all territory once held by ISIS militants.

According to media reports, a local was quoted saying that she was expecting this due to the upcoming election - which is proposed on May 12.&nbsp;

The bombings were carried out by two terrorists who came armed with explosive belts and attacked the Tayran Square where day labourers gather early morning for jobs, media reports said.

The Iraq police and health officials have reported that the death toll in the twin bombings in Baghdad has risen to 38 and left at least 105 injured. The bombings were carried out by two terrorists who came armed with explosive belts and attacked the Tayran Square where day labourers gather early morning for jobs, media reports said. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but it bore all the hallmarks of the Islamic State group, which has claimed many such attacks in the past. Ambulances rushed to the cite and the area was sealed by the security forces. Many locals were stunned by the attack as the number of attacks had significantly decreased since security forces retook nearly all territory once held by ISIS militants. According to media reports, a local was quoted saying that she was expecting this due to the upcoming election - which is proposed on May 12.

Death toll rises to 38 in Iraq twin bombing

Around 17 militants affiliated with the Islamic State have been killed in a drone strike carried out in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan&nbsp; on Sunday.

The latest airstrike was conducted by the United States forces in two districts using an unnamed aerial vehicle.&nbsp;

Officials have informed that 14 militants were killed in Haska Mina district while the rest three were killed in Achin district.

According to reports, foreign fighters were are also among those killed in the airstrikes. The coalition sent an Afghan militia leader, a USA service member, and an interpreter.&nbsp;

Reports further say that a compound of terror group was also targeted and taken during the air strike.&nbsp;

There have been no comments from the militant group as yet.&nbsp;

According to the report, US warplanes have carried out hundreds of airstrikes, while its special forces conducted ground operations in the province.

As per the new Afghan strategy of the US administration, which President Donald Trump announced in August, the forces have intensified the attacks against Taliban and the number of soldiers has gone up as well.

Presently, there are about 14,000 US soldiers in Afghanistan.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

According to the report, US warplanes have carried out hundreds of airstrikes, while its special forces conducted ground operations in the province.

Around 17 militants affiliated with the Islamic State have been killed in a drone strike carried out in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan on Sunday. The latest airstrike was conducted by the United States forces in two districts using an unnamed aerial vehicle. Officials have informed that 14 militants were killed in Haska Mina district while the rest three were killed in Achin district. According to reports, foreign fighters were are also among those killed in the airstrikes. The coalition sent an Afghan militia leader, a USA service member, and an interpreter. Reports further say that a compound of terror group was also targeted and taken during the air strike. There have been no comments from the militant group as yet. According to the report, US warplanes have carried out hundreds of airstrikes, while its special forces conducted ground operations in the province. As per the new Afghan strategy of the US administration, which President Donald Trump announced in August, the forces have intensified the attacks against Taliban and the number of soldiers has gone up as well. Presently, there are about 14,000 US soldiers in Afghanistan.

17 IS militants killed in airstrike in Afghanistan

Pakistan <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/china-could-convince-pakistan-to-dismantle-terror-safe-havens-senior-white-house-official-28784">Institute for Peace Studies, a think-tank</a> in its report said IS footprint in the region has been increasing with 153 people killed in 6 attacks last year.

The Islamabad-based <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-government-blacklists-hafiz-saeeds-jamaat-ud-dawa-jud-falah-e-insaniat-foundation-fif-28726">think-tank in its report said</a> Tehreek-e-Taliban and its associated groups remain a &quot;potent threat&quot;, the report said, adding that nationalist-insurgent groups - Balochistan Liberation Army and Balochistan Liberation Front were also key organizations against Pakistan.

The report said there was an &quot;alarming rise&quot; in IS footprints in Balochistan and northern Sindh.

The think-tank noted that there were 370 terrorist attacks in 64 districts in Pakistan last year by militant, nationalist and insurgent groups. &nbsp;Although it declined 16 per cent from the previous year.

The report also said 131 per cent increase in cross-border attacks in Pakistan&#39;s border with India, Afghanistan and Iran with 171 incidents reported.

The think-tank said Pakistan security forces killed 524 militants during various encounters.&nbsp;

Balochistan and FATA, mainly Khurram Agency, remained critical areas with 288 and 253 terrorism-related killings in 2017.

The report said there was an "alarming rise" in IS footprints in Balochistan and northern Sindh.

Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies, a think-tank in its report said IS footprint in the region has been increasing with 153 people killed in 6 attacks last year. The Islamabad-based think-tank in its report said Tehreek-e-Taliban and its associated groups remain a "potent threat", the report said, adding that nationalist-insurgent groups - Balochistan Liberation Army and Balochistan Liberation Front were also key organizations against Pakistan. The report said there was an "alarming rise" in IS footprints in Balochistan and northern Sindh. The think-tank noted that there were 370 terrorist attacks in 64 districts in Pakistan last year by militant, nationalist and insurgent groups. Although it declined 16 per cent from the previous year. The report also said 131 per cent increase in cross-border attacks in Pakistan's border with India, Afghanistan and Iran with 171 incidents reported. The think-tank said Pakistan security forces killed 524 militants during various encounters. Balochistan and FATA, mainly Khurram Agency, remained critical areas with 288 and 253 terrorism-related killings in 2017.

IS footprint increasing in Pak, Tehreek-e-Taliban remains 'potent threat', claims Report

At least 25 people, including 15 foreign nationals, have been detained by the police on Sunday in Istanbul and&nbsp;Ankara for alleged links with the Islamic State (IS).

The anti-terrorist police officials raided a number of different locations in Istanbul&#39;s three districts after being tipped off about individuals linked to IS leaders in Syria and Iraq.&nbsp;

In another operation in Ankara, police arrested five IS suspects who were foreigners in simultaneous raids at two other locations in Etimesgut district.

Among the ones detained were three Syrians, an Iraqi and a Chechen who had entered the country illegally.

The suspects were apparently planning attacks during New Year&#39;s Eve celebrations in the cities.&nbsp;

This incident comes after Turkish security forces suspended over 2,700 personnel for having suspected links with the IS group.

More than 300 people have lost their lives in IS-claimed attacks in Turkey, where the terrorist&nbsp;organisation has targeted civilians in suicide bombings, and rocket and gun attacks.

At least 25 people, including 15 foreign nationals have been detained by the police on Sunday in Ankara for alleged links with the Islamic State

At least 25 people, including 15 foreign nationals, have been detained by the police on Sunday in Istanbul and Ankara for alleged links with the Islamic State (IS). The anti-terrorist police officials raided a number of different locations in Istanbul's three districts after being tipped off about individuals linked to IS leaders in Syria and Iraq. In another operation in Ankara, police arrested five IS suspects who were foreigners in simultaneous raids at two other locations in Etimesgut district. Among the ones detained were three Syrians, an Iraqi and a Chechen who had entered the country illegally. The suspects were apparently planning attacks during New Year's Eve celebrations in the cities. This incident comes after Turkish security forces suspended over 2,700 personnel for having suspected links with the IS group. More than 300 people have lost their lives in IS-claimed attacks in Turkey, where the terrorist organisation has targeted civilians in suicide bombings, and rocket and gun attacks.

Turkey arrests 25 IS suspects in Istanbul and Ankara

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility on Friday for the bomb attack days earlier that tore through a Saint Petersburg supermarket and wounded 14 people.

&quot;The attack that targeted a shopping centre in Saint Petersburg the day before yesterday (Wednesday) was carried out by an Islamic State-linked group,&quot; IS said in a statement via its propaganda agency Amaq.&nbsp;

On Wednesday evening, a homemade bomb placed in a locker at the supermarket in northwestern Saint Petersburg, Russia&#39;s second city and President Vladimir Putin&#39;s home town, went off sowing panic among customers and wounding 14 people including a pregnant woman.

Putin&#39;s 2015 decision to intervene in Syria militarily on the side of Bashar al-Assad has made Russia a priority target for the Islamic State group.

Officials said a total of 14 people had been wounded in the blast.&nbsp;

The bombing came after the FSB security service said earlier this month it had prevented a terror attack on a key Orthodox cathedral in Saint Petersburg with the help of America&#39;s CIA, which led Putin to thank US President Donald Trump.

FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov has said Russia remains on alert for a possible return of jihadists from Syria ahead of the World Cup and the March presidential polls.

Saint Petersburg will host several World Cup matches including a semi-final.

Earlier this month Bortnikov said that at least 4,500 Russians had left the country to fight with &quot;terrorists&quot; in the Middle East, North Africa and other regions.

Over the past 20 years Russia fought two wars with separatists in Chechnya, leading Islamist militants from the North Caucasus to frequently target Russians through suicide bombings and other attacks.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility on Friday for the bomb attack days earlier that tore through a Saint Petersburg supermarket and wounded 14 people

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility on Friday for the bomb attack days earlier that tore through a Saint Petersburg supermarket and wounded 14 people. "The attack that targeted a shopping centre in Saint Petersburg the day before yesterday (Wednesday) was carried out by an Islamic State-linked group," IS said in a statement via its propaganda agency Amaq. On Wednesday evening, a homemade bomb placed in a locker at the supermarket in northwestern Saint Petersburg, Russia's second city and President Vladimir Putin's home town, went off sowing panic among customers and wounding 14 people including a pregnant woman. Putin's 2015 decision to intervene in Syria militarily on the side of Bashar al-Assad has made Russia a priority target for the Islamic State group. Officials said a total of 14 people had been wounded in the blast. The bombing came after the FSB security service said earlier this month it had prevented a terror attack on a key Orthodox cathedral in Saint Petersburg with the help of America's CIA, which led Putin to thank US President Donald Trump. FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov has said Russia remains on alert for a possible return of jihadists from Syria ahead of the World Cup and the March presidential polls. Saint Petersburg will host several World Cup matches including a semi-final. Earlier this month Bortnikov said that at least 4,500 Russians had left the country to fight with "terrorists" in the Middle East, North Africa and other regions. Over the past 20 years Russia fought two wars with separatists in Chechnya, leading Islamist militants from the North Caucasus to frequently target Russians through suicide bombings and other attacks.

IS claims Saint Petersburg supermarket bombing

After the Indian cricketer took to Twitter, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/cricket/shikhar-dhawan-slams-airline-for-not-allowing-his-family-onboard-28076">slamming Emirates airline&nbsp;for causing inconvenience to his family</a>, the airlines issued an official statement.

Emirates stated that all passengers must adhere to the travelling regulations of the countries in which the airline operates.

The statement noted that passengers must carry relevant documents while travelling abroad.&nbsp;

&quot;Since 1 June 2015, according to South African regulations, anyone travelling to the country with a minor under 18 needs to prove parenthood or guardianship - while adults travelling alone with their children need to show that they have the consent of their non-travelling partner,&quot; Emirates noted in an official response.

&quot;Like all airlines, we must comply with the laws of every country in which we operate and this is a shared responsibility with passengers, who are required to hold valid travel documents for all countries on their itinerary,&quot; the statement further read.

The 32-year-old opening batsman tweeted and complained that his wife and child were not allowed aboard at the Dubai airport.&nbsp;

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We&#39;re sorry to hear this, Shikhar. We&#39;d like to find out more on a private message. Please include your booking reference or e-ticket numbers starting in 176. <a href="https://t.co/67ooSY3Pnf">https://t.co/67ooSY3Pnf</a>
&mdash; Emirates Support (@EmiratesSupport) <a href="https://twitter.com/EmiratesSupport/status/946665505276026880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&quot;Absolutely unprofessional from @emirates. Was on my way 2 SA with my fam &amp; was told that my wife and kids can&#39;t board the flight from Dubai to SA. Was asked to produce birth certificates &amp; other documents for my kids at the airport which we obviously didn&#39;t have at that moment,&quot; he tweeted.&nbsp;

Dhawan was travelling to South Africa along with his family for Team India&#39;s 56-day tour of South Africa.

India will play a series of three Tests, six ODIs and three T20s against South Africa.&nbsp;

The first Test match will be played on January 5 in Cape Town.

(With inputs from ANI)&nbsp;

After the Indian cricketer took to Twitter, slamming Emirates airline for causing inconvenience to his family, the airlines issued an official statement. Emirates stated that all passengers must adhere to the travelling regulations of the countries in which the airline operates. The statement noted that passengers must carry relevant documents while travelling abroad. "Since 1 June 2015, according to South African regulations, anyone travelling to the country with a minor under 18 needs to prove parenthood or guardianship - while adults travelling alone with their children need to show that they have the consent of their non-travelling partner," Emirates noted in an official response. "Like all airlines, we must comply with the laws of every country in which we operate and this is a shared responsibility with passengers, who are required to hold valid travel documents for all countries on their itinerary," the statement further read. The 32-year-old opening batsman tweeted and complained that his wife and child were not allowed aboard at the Dubai airport. We're sorry to hear this, Shikhar. We'd like to find out more on a private message. Please include your booking reference or e-ticket numbers starting in 176. https://t.co/67ooSY3Pnf — Emirates Support (@EmiratesSupport) December 29, 2017 × "Absolutely unprofessional from @emirates. Was on my way 2 SA with my fam & was told that my wife and kids can't board the flight from Dubai to SA. Was asked to produce birth certificates & other documents for my kids at the airport which we obviously didn't have at that moment," he tweeted. Dhawan was travelling to South Africa along with his family for Team India's 56-day tour of South Africa. India will play a series of three Tests, six ODIs and three T20s against South Africa. The first Test match will be played on January 5 in Cape Town. (With inputs from ANI)

WION Morning News brief, 30 December 2017

A <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/4-dead-and-8-wounded-in-afghan-news-agency-blast-27937">suicide bombing in Kabul</a>, Afghanistan killed about 40 people on Thursday.

Several were reported injured after&nbsp;multiple explosions occurred&nbsp;near a Shiite cultural centre.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Islamic State group has now claimed responsibility for the bombing.&nbsp;

The extremist group released a statement confirming the same on its propaganda outlet, Amaq.

The statement also noted that the group targeted the centre with &quot;three bombs followed by a suicide,&quot; noted an AFP report.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

The extremist group released a statement confirming the same on its propaganda outlet, Amaq

A suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan killed about 40 people on Thursday. Several were reported injured after multiple explosions occurred near a Shiite cultural centre. The Islamic State group has now claimed responsibility for the bombing. The extremist group released a statement confirming the same on its propaganda outlet, Amaq. The statement also noted that the group targeted the centre with "three bombs followed by a suicide," noted an AFP report.

Kabul blasts: Islamic State group claims responsibility

Islamic State claimed responsibility for an attack near a training facility of Afghanistan&rsquo;s main intelligence agency in the capital, Kabul, on Monday as gunmen exchanged fire with security forces.

Details of the attack remained unclear after a group of armed men seized a building under construction in a heavily populated area of the city.

&ldquo;The number of attackers, possible casualties and their target is not yet clear,&rdquo; said Najib Danish, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior.

The Afshar area of Kabul where the attack was underway is close to a training facility of the National Directorate of Security, the main Afghan intelligence agency, as well as a private university.

Another government official said the attack was near the intelligence agency training centre.

Islamic State claimed responsibility in a statement on its Amaq news agency, in which it said two of its fighters had attacked an intelligence agency centre in Kabul.

The group, which first appeared in Afghanistan in 2015, has claimed responsibility for a number of attacks in Kabul over the past several months.

But much remains unknown about how it operates and many observers are sceptical about its ability to mount complex attacks on its own.

&quot;Around 10:10 am, a group of armed attackers entered an under-construction building in (the) NDS training centre in (the) Afshar area of Kabul,&quot; interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish told AFP, referring to the National Directorate of Security, Afghanistan&#39;s spy agency.

&quot;The fighting is ongoing and we have also launched our operation.&quot;

Nasrat Rahim, a deputy interior ministry spokesman, said the sound of large and small arms fire could be heard from the fighting.&nbsp;

&quot;There are three attackers involved... the clearance operation is ongoing,&quot; said the spokesman, adding there were no immediate reports of any casualties.

Roads to the area were closed and dozens of police and intelligence officers were blocking access to the public. AFP reporters, who were held more than a kilometre away from the scene, saw ambulances and reinforcements headed towards the site.

&quot;I was going toward my school. It (the attack) happened suddenly... the police arrived in the area fast and blocked the roads, not allowing anyone to get to their homes,&quot; Naweed, a student, told AFP.

IS claimed responsibility for the attack through its propaganda arm.

&quot;Two IS attackers raid the Afghan intelligence centre in Kabul,&quot; the jihadists&#39; Amaq outlet reported.

The Afghan capital has become one of the deadliest places in the war-torn country for civilians in recent months, as the resurgent Taliban and increasingly IS both step up their attacks, targeting security installations and mosques.

Security in Kabul has been ramped up since May 31 when a massive truck bomb ripped through the city&#39;s diplomatic quarter, killing about 150 and wounding around 400 people, mostly civilians.

No group has officially claimed responsibility for that attack, which the government has blamed on the Taliban-allied Haqqani Network.

Monday&#39;s attack represents another blow to beleaguered Afghan forces.&nbsp;

The Taliban have targeted military installations in recent months, including a spate of attacks in October that killed around 150 people.

Afghan forces, already beset by desertions and corruption, have seen casualties soar to what a US watchdog has described as &quot;shockingly high&quot; levels since NATO forces officially ended their combat mission in 2014.

Morale has been further eroded by long-running fears that the militants have insider help -- everything from infiltrators in the ranks to corrupt Afghan forces selling equipment to the Taliban.

But IS, which has expanded its presence in Afghanistan since it first appeared in the region in 2015, has also dramatically scaled up its attacks in Kabul, including on the country&#39;s Shiite minority.

In November, a suicide attacker blew himself up outside a political gathering in Kabul, killing at least 14 people in an attack claimed by IS.

The number of attackers, possible casualties and their target is not yet clear

Islamic State claimed responsibility for an attack near a training facility of Afghanistan’s main intelligence agency in the capital, Kabul, on Monday as gunmen exchanged fire with security forces. Details of the attack remained unclear after a group of armed men seized a building under construction in a heavily populated area of the city. “The number of attackers, possible casualties and their target is not yet clear,” said Najib Danish, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior. The Afshar area of Kabul where the attack was underway is close to a training facility of the National Directorate of Security, the main Afghan intelligence agency, as well as a private university. Another government official said the attack was near the intelligence agency training centre. Islamic State claimed responsibility in a statement on its Amaq news agency, in which it said two of its fighters had attacked an intelligence agency centre in Kabul. The group, which first appeared in Afghanistan in 2015, has claimed responsibility for a number of attacks in Kabul over the past several months. But much remains unknown about how it operates and many observers are sceptical about its ability to mount complex attacks on its own. "Around 10:10 am, a group of armed attackers entered an under-construction building in (the) NDS training centre in (the) Afshar area of Kabul," interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish told AFP, referring to the National Directorate of Security, Afghanistan's spy agency. "The fighting is ongoing and we have also launched our operation." Nasrat Rahim, a deputy interior ministry spokesman, said the sound of large and small arms fire could be heard from the fighting. "There are three attackers involved... the clearance operation is ongoing," said the spokesman, adding there were no immediate reports of any casualties. Roads to the area were closed and dozens of police and intelligence officers were blocking access to the public. AFP reporters, who were held more than a kilometre away from the scene, saw ambulances and reinforcements headed towards the site. "I was going toward my school. It (the attack) happened suddenly... the police arrived in the area fast and blocked the roads, not allowing anyone to get to their homes," Naweed, a student, told AFP. IS claimed responsibility for the attack through its propaganda arm. "Two IS attackers raid the Afghan intelligence centre in Kabul," the jihadists' Amaq outlet reported. The Afghan capital has become one of the deadliest places in the war-torn country for civilians in recent months, as the resurgent Taliban and increasingly IS both step up their attacks, targeting security installations and mosques. Security in Kabul has been ramped up since May 31 when a massive truck bomb ripped through the city's diplomatic quarter, killing about 150 and wounding around 400 people, mostly civilians. No group has officially claimed responsibility for that attack, which the government has blamed on the Taliban-allied Haqqani Network. Monday's attack represents another blow to beleaguered Afghan forces. The Taliban have targeted military installations in recent months, including a spate of attacks in October that killed around 150 people. Afghan forces, already beset by desertions and corruption, have seen casualties soar to what a US watchdog has described as "shockingly high" levels since NATO forces officially ended their combat mission in 2014. Morale has been further eroded by long-running fears that the militants have insider help -- everything from infiltrators in the ranks to corrupt Afghan forces selling equipment to the Taliban. But IS, which has expanded its presence in Afghanistan since it first appeared in the region in 2015, has also dramatically scaled up its attacks in Kabul, including on the country's Shiite minority. In November, a suicide attacker blew himself up outside a political gathering in Kabul, killing at least 14 people in an attack claimed by IS.

Islamic State claims attack on Kabul spy centre

The Interpol has rejected the&nbsp;National Investigation Agency&#39;s (NIA) request for red corner notice against Zakir Naik stating that India&#39;s request is premature.&nbsp;

The agency has also told global offices to delete all data in relation to him.

Interpol claimed that the Indian authorities have failed to follow proper process of law. It also cited political and religious bias and lack of international interest as the reasons for its decision.

The NIA said its request for the red corner notice against Zakir Naik was not accepted by Interpol as the charge sheet had not been filed when the request was submitted to the Interpol headquarters.

The agency will now submit a fresh request to Interpol as charge sheet has already been filed in the concerned NIA court in Mumbai.&nbsp;

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NIA&#39;s request for Red Notice against <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ZakirNaik?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ZakirNaik</a> was not accepted by Interpol as chargesheet had not been filed when request was submitted to the Interpol HQ. Will now submit fresh request to Interpol as chargesheet has already been filed in the concerned NIA court in Mumbai: NIA <a href="https://t.co/qF32r6cKSV">pic.twitter.com/qF32r6cKSV</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/942069617052151808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Naik had been charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and Sections 120 (b), 153 (a), 295 (a), 298 and 505 (2) of the Indian Penal Code.

The NIA had accused Naik of radicalising youth and spreading hatred between religious groups in India through his speeches and lectures.

Indian youth, who fled the country to join the Islamic State (IS) have revealed that they were influenced by speeches made by him.&nbsp;

Naik was charged with conspiring with his organisation&nbsp;Islamic Research Foundation&rsquo;s (IRF) Trust and the Harmony Media Private Limited to commit the offences.

His NGO was banned by the home ministry in December 2016.&nbsp;

According to reports, Zakir Naik is currently in Malaysia, which has given him asylum.&nbsp;

Now, India is likely to start the extradition process soon.

Zakir Naik&#39;s Peace TV is banned in several countries across the world including the UK and Canada.

During his interactions with the media in India, he has repeatedly denied all the charges against him.

The Mumbai-based preacher came under the lens of security agencies after some terrorists allegedly involved in the attack on a cafe in Dhaka in July last year reportedly claimed they were inspired by his speeches.

The agency has also told global offices to delete all data in relation to him, reports further said

The Interpol has rejected the National Investigation Agency's (NIA) request for red corner notice against Zakir Naik stating that India's request is premature. The agency has also told global offices to delete all data in relation to him. Interpol claimed that the Indian authorities have failed to follow proper process of law. It also cited political and religious bias and lack of international interest as the reasons for its decision. The NIA said its request for the red corner notice against Zakir Naik was not accepted by Interpol as the charge sheet had not been filed when the request was submitted to the Interpol headquarters. The agency will now submit a fresh request to Interpol as charge sheet has already been filed in the concerned NIA court in Mumbai. NIA's request for Red Notice against #ZakirNaik was not accepted by Interpol as chargesheet had not been filed when request was submitted to the Interpol HQ. Will now submit fresh request to Interpol as chargesheet has already been filed in the concerned NIA court in Mumbai: NIA pic.twitter.com/qF32r6cKSV — ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2017 × Naik had been charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and Sections 120 (b), 153 (a), 295 (a), 298 and 505 (2) of the Indian Penal Code. The NIA had accused Naik of radicalising youth and spreading hatred between religious groups in India through his speeches and lectures. Indian youth, who fled the country to join the Islamic State (IS) have revealed that they were influenced by speeches made by him. Naik was charged with conspiring with his organisation Islamic Research Foundation’s (IRF) Trust and the Harmony Media Private Limited to commit the offences. His NGO was banned by the home ministry in December 2016. According to reports, Zakir Naik is currently in Malaysia, which has given him asylum. Now, India is likely to start the extradition process soon. Zakir Naik's Peace TV is banned in several countries across the world including the UK and Canada. During his interactions with the media in India, he has repeatedly denied all the charges against him. The Mumbai-based preacher came under the lens of security agencies after some terrorists allegedly involved in the attack on a cafe in Dhaka in July last year reportedly claimed they were inspired by his speeches.

Interpol cancels red corner notice against Zakir Naik, says request premature

The Pakistan<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/osama-bin-ladens-video-collection-included-cartoon-films-hollywood-movies-cia-23362"> government has ordered international </a>aid groups to shut operations in the country, the Dawn newspaper reported.

The Pakistan <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/bin-laden-raid-author-to-forfeit-close-to-7m-from-book-earnings-5247">daily said authorities decided to take</a> the step after several NGOs failed to re-register under tough regulations introduced two years ago.

However, the report said the reason for the Pakistan establishment to take this extreme step is mainly due to the fact that CIA had used a vaccination campaign as a front to track down Osama bin Laden in 2011, while ultimately killing him. The Osama campaign inside Pakistan was allegedly carried out by through a &quot;CIA front organization&quot;, the newspaper said.

The Pakistan government has been fearful of spies operating in the country since then and&nbsp;treats&nbsp;&quot;foreign-aid groups in the country with suspicion&quot;, the Pakistan daily said.

Pakistan has decided to clamp down on several international NGOs namely the ActionAid, Open Society Foundations among others and ordered them to close their offices and leave the country.

In 2015, the Pakistan government had ordered all NGOs in the country to register with the interior ministry and asked them to submit detailed accounts of their funding, the newspaper said.

Several foreign aid organizations work in Pakistan but now with new regulations in place and the government intent on striking them down, NGOs are trying to save their branches in the country by appealing to the government but are not sure about the process and the time it would take to settle with authorities.

Pakistan Humanitarian Forum says foreign aid groups directly benefit about 29 million people in Pakistan, contributing $285 million in funding for development and emergency relief in 2016 and employ over 5,000 local staff.

The Pakistan government has been fearful of spies operating since the Bin Laden episode and?treats?'foreign-aid groups in the country with suspicion'.

The Pakistan government has ordered international aid groups to shut operations in the country, the Dawn newspaper reported. The Pakistan daily said authorities decided to take the step after several NGOs failed to re-register under tough regulations introduced two years ago. However, the report said the reason for the Pakistan establishment to take this extreme step is mainly due to the fact that CIA had used a vaccination campaign as a front to track down Osama bin Laden in 2011, while ultimately killing him. The Osama campaign inside Pakistan was allegedly carried out by through a "CIA front organization", the newspaper said. The Pakistan government has been fearful of spies operating in the country since then and treats "foreign-aid groups in the country with suspicion", the Pakistan daily said. Pakistan has decided to clamp down on several international NGOs namely the ActionAid, Open Society Foundations among others and ordered them to close their offices and leave the country. In 2015, the Pakistan government had ordered all NGOs in the country to register with the interior ministry and asked them to submit detailed accounts of their funding, the newspaper said. Several foreign aid organizations work in Pakistan but now with new regulations in place and the government intent on striking them down, NGOs are trying to save their branches in the country by appealing to the government but are not sure about the process and the time it would take to settle with authorities. Pakistan Humanitarian Forum says foreign aid groups directly benefit about 29 million people in Pakistan, contributing $285 million in funding for development and emergency relief in 2016 and employ over 5,000 local staff.

Osama bin Laden effect: Pak government orders international NGOs to shut operations

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Saturday that Iraqi forces had driven the last remnants of Islamic State from the country, three years after the militant group captured about a third of Iraq&#39;s territory.

The Iraqi forces recaptured the last areas still under IS control along the border with Syria, state television quoted Abadi as telling an Arab media conference in Baghdad.

&quot;Commander-in-Chief @HaiderAlAbadi announces that Iraq&#39;s armed forces have secured the western desert &amp; the entire Iraq Syria border, says this marks the end of the war against Daesh terrorists who have been completely defeated and evicted from Iraq,&quot; the federal government&#39;s official account tweeted.

In a separate tweet later, Abadi said: &quot;Our heroic armed forces have now secured the entire length of the Iraq-Syria border. We defeated Daesh through our unity and sacrifice for the nation. Long live Iraq and its people.&quot;

The U.S.-led coalition that has been supporting Iraqi force against Islamic State tweeted its congratulations.

&quot;The Coalition congratulate the people of Iraq on their significant victory against #Daesh. We stand by them as they set the conditions for a secure and prosperous #futureiraq,&quot; said the tweet. Daesh is the Arabic name for Islamic State.

Last month Iraqi forces captured Rawa, the last remaining town under Islamic State control, near the Syrian border.

Mosul, the group&#39;s de facto capital in Iraq, fell in July after a gruelling nine-month campaign backed by a U.S.-led coalition that saw much of the northern Iraqi city destroyed.

Islamic State&#39;s Syrian capital Raqqa also fell to a U.S.-backed Kurdish-led coalition in September.

The forces fighting Islamic State in both countries now expect a new phase of guerrilla warfare, a tactic the militants have already shown themselves capable of.

Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who in 2014 had declared in Mosul the founding of a new Islamic caliphate, released an audio recording on Sept. 28 that indicated he was alive, after several reports he had been killed. He urged his followers to keep up the fight despite setbacks.

He is believed to be hiding in the stretch of desert in the border area.

Driven from its two de facto capitals, Islamic State was progressively squeezed this year into an ever-shrinking pocket of desert, straddling the frontier between the two countries, by enemies that include most regional states and global powers.

In Iraq, the group confronted U.S.-backed Iraqi government forces and Iranian-trained paramilitary groups known as Popular Mobilisation.

'Commander-in-Chief @HaiderAlAbadi announces that Iraq's armed forces have secured the western desert & the entire Iraq Syria border, says this marks the end of the war against Daesh terrorists,' the federal government's official account tweeted

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Saturday that Iraqi forces had driven the last remnants of Islamic State from the country, three years after the militant group captured about a third of Iraq's territory. The Iraqi forces recaptured the last areas still under IS control along the border with Syria, state television quoted Abadi as telling an Arab media conference in Baghdad. "Commander-in-Chief @HaiderAlAbadi announces that Iraq's armed forces have secured the western desert & the entire Iraq Syria border, says this marks the end of the war against Daesh terrorists who have been completely defeated and evicted from Iraq," the federal government's official account tweeted. In a separate tweet later, Abadi said: "Our heroic armed forces have now secured the entire length of the Iraq-Syria border. We defeated Daesh through our unity and sacrifice for the nation. Long live Iraq and its people." The U.S.-led coalition that has been supporting Iraqi force against Islamic State tweeted its congratulations. "The Coalition congratulate the people of Iraq on their significant victory against #Daesh. We stand by them as they set the conditions for a secure and prosperous #futureiraq," said the tweet. Daesh is the Arabic name for Islamic State. Last month Iraqi forces captured Rawa, the last remaining town under Islamic State control, near the Syrian border. Mosul, the group's de facto capital in Iraq, fell in July after a gruelling nine-month campaign backed by a U.S.-led coalition that saw much of the northern Iraqi city destroyed. Islamic State's Syrian capital Raqqa also fell to a U.S.-backed Kurdish-led coalition in September. The forces fighting Islamic State in both countries now expect a new phase of guerrilla warfare, a tactic the militants have already shown themselves capable of. Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who in 2014 had declared in Mosul the founding of a new Islamic caliphate, released an audio recording on Sept. 28 that indicated he was alive, after several reports he had been killed. He urged his followers to keep up the fight despite setbacks. He is believed to be hiding in the stretch of desert in the border area. Driven from its two de facto capitals, Islamic State was progressively squeezed this year into an ever-shrinking pocket of desert, straddling the frontier between the two countries, by enemies that include most regional states and global powers. In Iraq, the group confronted U.S.-backed Iraqi government forces and Iranian-trained paramilitary groups known as Popular Mobilisation.

Islamic State completely 'defeated and evicted' from Iraq, says Iraqi PM

The NIA (National Investigation Agency) is claiming that Hadiya&#39;s&nbsp;husband Shafin Jahan was in touch with suspected Islamic State members before their marriage.

Media reports said Monday that Jahan was in touch with a Manseed and a P Safvan via a closed Facebook group of activists of the Popular Front of India (PFI)&#39;s political arm SDPI.&nbsp;

The duo is accused in the ISIS Omar-al-Hindi case which the authorities claim was a conspiracy by members of an Islamic State-inspired group to target high-profile people like political leaders, high court judges, and police officers.

Manseed and P Safvan were arrested in October 2016.

The NIA believes, the media reports said, that it was Manseed and his SDPI associates who brought Hadiya and Shafin together.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/love-jihad-case-woman-says-she-wants-to-be-with-husband-25120" target="_blank">&#39;Love jihad&#39;: Nobody forced me to convert, says Hadiya</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/hadiya-back-in-college-has-only-one-wish-to-meet-husband-25414" target="_blank">Hadiya, back in college, has only one wish -- to meet husband</a>

Hadiya, who used to be known as Akhila Ashokan, had converted to Islam and married Shafin.&nbsp;

In May 2017, the Kerala High Court annulled their marriage after Hadiya&#39;s parents challenged it in court.&nbsp;

Later, the Supreme Court ordered the NIA to probe whether their marriage had been an example of &quot;love jihad&quot;.&nbsp;

The Supreme Court recently released Hadiya from her parents&#39; custody, which she&#39;d been put in by the high court.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-dispatch-indian-supreme-court-removes-hadiya-from-her-parents-custody-6995" target="_blank">Watch: Indian Supreme Court releases Hadiya from parents&#39; custody</a>

Shafin Jahan is accused of being in touch with a Manseed and a P Safvan via a closed Facebook group of the Popular Front of India's political arm SDPI

The NIA (National Investigation Agency) is claiming that Hadiya's husband Shafin Jahan was in touch with suspected Islamic State members before their marriage. Media reports said Monday that Jahan was in touch with a Manseed and a P Safvan via a closed Facebook group of activists of the Popular Front of India (PFI)'s political arm SDPI. The duo is accused in the ISIS Omar-al-Hindi case which the authorities claim was a conspiracy by members of an Islamic State-inspired group to target high-profile people like political leaders, high court judges, and police officers. Manseed and P Safvan were arrested in October 2016. The NIA believes, the media reports said, that it was Manseed and his SDPI associates who brought Hadiya and Shafin together. 'Love jihad': Nobody forced me to convert, says Hadiya Hadiya, back in college, has only one wish -- to meet husband Hadiya, who used to be known as Akhila Ashokan, had converted to Islam and married Shafin. In May 2017, the Kerala High Court annulled their marriage after Hadiya's parents challenged it in court. Later, the Supreme Court ordered the NIA to probe whether their marriage had been an example of "love jihad". The Supreme Court recently released Hadiya from her parents' custody, which she'd been put in by the high court. Watch: Indian Supreme Court releases Hadiya from parents' custody

Hadiya's husband was in touch with IS suspects before marriage: NIA

With the collapse of Islamic State&rsquo;s (IS) &ldquo;caliphate&rdquo; in Iraq and Syria, it is time to think about the next steps for those who have suffered under them. In particular, the children who have been born as a result of sexual violence perpetrated by IS fighters.

The precise number of children born within IS as a result of this violence is difficult to establish. But in March 2016 it was estimated that there were 31,000 pregnant women living within the caliphate. While the circumstances surrounding these pregnancies is unclear, a recent report on the use of sexual slavery within IS highlighted an economic dimension. This includes the payment of an additional US$35 for each child born to a woman held as a sex slave.

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These children suffer unique challenges. They have issued birth certificates, but as Islamic State is a non-state actor, they are effectively stateless. Indoctrinated with extreme ideology from birth, current IS fighters consider these children to be potentially better and more lethal fighters due to the normalisation of violence.

These factors pose significant challenges for children who escape IS. These children lack a recognised nationality, bringing problems such as discrimination and lack of access to education and healthcare. They are also often viewed as a threat to security. Rather than being recognised as victims in need of support, children of IS are frequently seen as &ldquo;guilty by association&rdquo;. When entering a refugee camp north of Raqqa in May 2017, some of these children and their mothers were labelled &ldquo;the Daeshis&rdquo;, meaning Islamic State families, and shunned by others in the camp.

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Further, children born of sexual violence in conflict, which includes children of IS, exist in what the Secretary-General on sexual violence in conflict has previously termed an &ldquo;accountability gap&rdquo;. While children born of sexual violence have been recognised as victims eligible for reparations as a result of truth commissions or national legislation in places such as Timor Leste, Chile, Peru and Sierra Leone, there are often strict criteria such as the mother being single. Further, these children have been neglected within the criminal justice processes developed in response to mass atrocities.

So, how should the international community respond? My tentative answer contains two elements. Firstly, the international community has a role to play in helping these children rebuild their lives. Secondly, consideration should be given to how the International Criminal Court (ICC), which integrates retributive and reparative justice mechanisms, can hold IS members responsible for sexual violence and recognise children born of this violence as victims entitled to reparations.

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Rebuilding lives

Firstly, these children will require legitimate documentation. Governments should, therefore, respond to calls by the United Nations to grant citizenship to children born under IS. Some cases may be complex. There may be cases where the child is born of one or two foreign parents; where the mother&rsquo;s home country enforces discriminatory laws denying women the right to transmit their nationality to their children; or where the child is orphaned. The international community must establish cooperation and coordination mechanisms to deal with such cases and ensure the best interests of the child are respected.

Support networks should also be established to coordinate integration into communities and entry into the education systems of national states.

Combating stigma of children born of war is key. Governments should adopt national stigma strategies with specific programmes to support mothers and children born from sexual violence, as recommended in the UK&rsquo;s new principles on this subject.

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Criminal prosecution

Then, in order to close the accountability gap, it is imperative that IS members responsible for crimes of sexual violence are prosecuted and that children born of this violence are recognised as victims. While it has been reported that some IS members have been tried in domestic courts, the ICC has yet to play a role.

The UN has recently called for the ICC to exercise its jurisdiction with respect to crimes committed by IS in Iraq. But of course, prosecuting IS for international crimes raises a host of challenges, including jurisdictional issues and lack of precedence.

Should members ever face prosecution at the ICC, children born of sexual violence may be captured within the definition of forced pregnancy, an international crime for which individuals can be held criminally responsible under the Rome Statute. But the main element of this crime is confinement of the mother, rather than the recognition of sexual violence that has resulted in the pregnancy and birth of a child.

Indeed, there is no specific crime of fathering a child through sexual violence. This gap in the legal framework has been identified by international criminal legal experts Patricia Seller and Maxine Marcus as something for future jurisprudence at international criminal tribunals.

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Developments at the ICC

Despite the lack of formal recognition of children born of sexual violence in current legal frameworks, such children have featured in cases at the ICC.

For instance, in the ongoing case against Dominic Ongwen, who was charged with forced pregnancy, amongst other crimes in March 2016, ICC chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, drew attention to &ldquo;a whole category of other victims: the children born in captivity resulting from these forced marriages, who sometimes face hostility and taunts as a result of their parentage&rdquo;.

Bensouda&rsquo;s statement suggests that attention will be paid to children born of sexual violence within this case, perhaps at the reparations stage, where the harms suffered by these children could be addressed.

There are of course limits to international criminal prosecutions. But it is encouraging to see that, should IS fighters ever face trial, jurisprudence is being developed which may allow children born under their reign to be recognised within the process.

Children born under IS raise a host legal and social issues that require a sensitive and coordinated response from the international community. Rather than being punished for the life they have been born into, the cloak of stigma and suspicion surrounding these children should be removed &ndash; and they should be supported in moving forward with their lives.

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/children-born-of-sexual-violence-under-islamic-state-need-support-87147" rel="nofollow">original article</a>.

(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Image Credit: EPA

It is imperative that IS members responsible for crimes of sexual violence are prosecuted and that children born of this violence are recognised as victims.

With the collapse of Islamic State’s (IS) “caliphate” in Iraq and Syria, it is time to think about the next steps for those who have suffered under them. In particular, the children who have been born as a result of sexual violence perpetrated by IS fighters. The precise number of children born within IS as a result of this violence is difficult to establish. But in March 2016 it was estimated that there were 31,000 pregnant women living within the caliphate. While the circumstances surrounding these pregnancies is unclear, a recent report on the use of sexual slavery within IS highlighted an economic dimension. This includes the payment of an additional US$35 for each child born to a woman held as a sex slave. Indoctrinated with extreme ideology from birth, current IS fighters consider these children to be potentially better and more lethal fighters due to the normalisation of violence. × These children suffer unique challenges. They have issued birth certificates, but as Islamic State is a non-state actor, they are effectively stateless. Indoctrinated with extreme ideology from birth, current IS fighters consider these children to be potentially better and more lethal fighters due to the normalisation of violence. These factors pose significant challenges for children who escape IS. These children lack a recognised nationality, bringing problems such as discrimination and lack of access to education and healthcare. They are also often viewed as a threat to security. Rather than being recognised as victims in need of support, children of IS are frequently seen as “guilty by association”. When entering a refugee camp north of Raqqa in May 2017, some of these children and their mothers were labelled “the Daeshis”, meaning Islamic State families, and shunned by others in the camp. Rather than being recognised as victims in need of support, children of IS are frequently seen as “guilty by association”. × Further, children born of sexual violence in conflict, which includes children of IS, exist in what the Secretary-General on sexual violence in conflict has previously termed an “accountability gap”. While children born of sexual violence have been recognised as victims eligible for reparations as a result of truth commissions or national legislation in places such as Timor Leste, Chile, Peru and Sierra Leone, there are often strict criteria such as the mother being single. Further, these children have been neglected within the criminal justice processes developed in response to mass atrocities. So, how should the international community respond? My tentative answer contains two elements. Firstly, the international community has a role to play in helping these children rebuild their lives. Secondly, consideration should be given to how the International Criminal Court (ICC), which integrates retributive and reparative justice mechanisms, can hold IS members responsible for sexual violence and recognise children born of this violence as victims entitled to reparations. An unidentified child of a militant of Islamic State (IS) plays with an AK-47. (Others) × Rebuilding lives Firstly, these children will require legitimate documentation. Governments should, therefore, respond to calls by the United Nations to grant citizenship to children born under IS. Some cases may be complex. There may be cases where the child is born of one or two foreign parents; where the mother’s home country enforces discriminatory laws denying women the right to transmit their nationality to their children; or where the child is orphaned. The international community must establish cooperation and coordination mechanisms to deal with such cases and ensure the best interests of the child are respected. Support networks should also be established to coordinate integration into communities and entry into the education systems of national states. Combating stigma of children born of war is key. Governments should adopt national stigma strategies with specific programmes to support mothers and children born from sexual violence, as recommended in the UK’s new principles on this subject. It is imperative that IS members responsible for crimes of sexual violence are prosecuted and that children born of this violence are recognised as victims. × Criminal prosecution Then, in order to close the accountability gap, it is imperative that IS members responsible for crimes of sexual violence are prosecuted and that children born of this violence are recognised as victims. While it has been reported that some IS members have been tried in domestic courts, the ICC has yet to play a role. The UN has recently called for the ICC to exercise its jurisdiction with respect to crimes committed by IS in Iraq. But of course, prosecuting IS for international crimes raises a host of challenges, including jurisdictional issues and lack of precedence. Should members ever face prosecution at the ICC, children born of sexual violence may be captured within the definition of forced pregnancy, an international crime for which individuals can be held criminally responsible under the Rome Statute. But the main element of this crime is confinement of the mother, rather than the recognition of sexual violence that has resulted in the pregnancy and birth of a child. Indeed, there is no specific crime of fathering a child through sexual violence. This gap in the legal framework has been identified by international criminal legal experts Patricia Seller and Maxine Marcus as something for future jurisprudence at international criminal tribunals. There is no specific crime of fathering a child through sexual violence. × Developments at the ICC Despite the lack of formal recognition of children born of sexual violence in current legal frameworks, such children have featured in cases at the ICC. For instance, in the ongoing case against Dominic Ongwen, who was charged with forced pregnancy, amongst other crimes in March 2016, ICC chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, drew attention to “a whole category of other victims: the children born in captivity resulting from these forced marriages, who sometimes face hostility and taunts as a result of their parentage”. Bensouda’s statement suggests that attention will be paid to children born of sexual violence within this case, perhaps at the reparations stage, where the harms suffered by these children could be addressed. There are of course limits to international criminal prosecutions. But it is encouraging to see that, should IS fighters ever face trial, jurisprudence is being developed which may allow children born under their reign to be recognised within the process. Children born under IS raise a host legal and social issues that require a sensitive and coordinated response from the international community. Rather than being punished for the life they have been born into, the cloak of stigma and suspicion surrounding these children should be removed – and they should be supported in moving forward with their lives. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity). Image Credit: EPA

Opinion: Children born of sexual violence under Islamic State

Kerala police chief Loknath Behera on Sunday assuaged fears of Islamic State &quot;threat messages&quot;&nbsp;on social media and said the police was on the alert.

The Director-General of Police (DGP) said a lot of threat messages, claiming to be of the IS were being spread through social media, and the police was enquiring into all aspects of such messages.

&quot;A lot of threat messages are spread through social media, claiming to be that of IS (Islamic State). Every aspects of such messages are being enquired into by the police, including the veracity of them,&quot; Loknath Behera said.

The state police chief revealed that during enquiries, the police gave certain &quot;alert messages&quot; to the concerned authorities, adding that the police was keeping a watch on &quot;critical infrastructures of public interest&quot;.

&quot;While enquiring into such aspects, we also normally give certain alert messages to authorities concerned, as a precaution and to remain alert. We are keeping a watch on critical infrastructures of public interest. We are alert,&quot; the DGP said.

He also appealed to the people not to panic since this was a part of normal policing activities and not spread such messages.

&quot;In this context&nbsp;I would like to inform the public that these are part of normal policing activities and there is no need to panic. I also appeal to the public not to fall prey upon such messages and keep off from spreading them,&quot; the Kerala police chief said.

Kerala police chief Loknath Behera said a lot of threat messages, claiming to be of the IS were being spread through social media, and the police was enquiring into all aspects

Kerala police chief Loknath Behera on Sunday assuaged fears of Islamic State "threat messages" on social media and said the police was on the alert. The Director-General of Police (DGP) said a lot of threat messages, claiming to be of the IS were being spread through social media, and the police was enquiring into all aspects of such messages. "A lot of threat messages are spread through social media, claiming to be that of IS (Islamic State). Every aspects of such messages are being enquired into by the police, including the veracity of them," Loknath Behera said. The state police chief revealed that during enquiries, the police gave certain "alert messages" to the concerned authorities, adding that the police was keeping a watch on "critical infrastructures of public interest". "While enquiring into such aspects, we also normally give certain alert messages to authorities concerned, as a precaution and to remain alert. We are keeping a watch on critical infrastructures of public interest. We are alert," the DGP said. He also appealed to the people not to panic since this was a part of normal policing activities and not spread such messages. "In this context I would like to inform the public that these are part of normal policing activities and there is no need to panic. I also appeal to the public not to fall prey upon such messages and keep off from spreading them," the Kerala police chief said.

We are alert: Kerala Police chief on 'IS threat messages' on social media

Egypt mourned on Saturday as the death toll from a gun and bomb assault at a mosque rose to 305, including children, in the deadliest attack the country has witnessed.

The state prosecution said up to 30 militants in camouflage flying the Islamic State (IS) group&#39;s black banner had surrounded the mosque in North Sinai and proceeded to massacre the worshippers during weekly Friday prayers.

Twenty-seven children were among the dead, it said.

IS, which is conducting a deadly insurgency in the Sinai, has not claimed responsibility for the attack, but it is the main suspect as the mosque is associated with followers of the mystical Sufi branch of Sunni Islam whom it has branded heretics.

Also Read:<a href="http://www.wionews.com/preview/article/25114">&nbsp;Egypt mosque attack death toll rises to 305, including 27 children: prosecution</a>

Funerals for the victims were held overnight and many were buried unwashed in their bloodied clothes, according to the Islamic burial practices for martyrs, security and medical officials said.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi declared three days of mourning and vowed to &quot;respond with brutal force&quot; to the attack, among the deadliest in the world since the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

&quot;The army and police will avenge our martyrs and return security and stability with force in the coming short period,&quot; he said in a televised speech.

Hours later Egyptian air force jets pursued the &quot;terrorists and discovered several vehicles used in the terrorist attack, killing those inside near the vicinity of the attack,&quot; an army spokesman said in a statement.

The state prosecutor&#39;s office said in a statement that 305 people were killed and 128 wounded in the assault on the mosque roughly 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of the North Sinai capital of El-Arish.

It said the attackers, with long beards and hair often seen on jihadists, had arrived in five all-terrain vehicles to surround the mosque.

Witnesses said they heard gunshots and explosions before the assailants entered the mosque, according to the prosecution.

One of the wounded, Magdy Rizk, told AFP assailants wore masks and military uniforms, and that extremists had previously threatened people in the area.

Relatives visited victims in a hospital in the city of Ismailia near the Suez Canal where the wounded were taken for treatment, an AFP photographer reported.

World leaders voiced outrage. US President Donald Trump denounced on Twitter the &quot;horrible and cowardly terrorist attack on innocent and defenseless worshippers&quot;.

Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, the grand imam of Cairo&#39;s Al-Azhar, Egypt&#39;s highest institution of Sunni Islam, condemned &quot;in the strongest terms this barbaric terrorist attack&quot;.

-IS targeting of Sufis&nbsp;

The Egypt branch of IS has killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers, and also civilians accused of working with the authorities, in attacks in the north of the Sinai peninsula.

They have also targeted Sufis as well as Christians.

A tribal leader and head of a Bedouin militia that fights IS told AFP that the mosque is known as a place where Sufis gather.

IS views Sufis as heretics for seeking the intercession of saints.

The group has also killed more than 100 Christians in church bombings and shootings in Sinai and other parts of Egypt, forcing many to flee the peninsula.

The military has struggled to quell the jihadists who pledged allegiance to IS in November 2014.

The jihadists have since increasingly turned to civilian targets, attacking not only Christians and Sufis but also Bedouin Sinai inhabitants accused of working with the army.

The group also claimed the bombing of a Russian plane that killed all 224 people on board after takeoff from the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on October 31, 2015.

Aside from IS, Egypt also faces a threat from Al-Qaeda-aligned jihadists who operate out of neighboring Libya.

A group calling itself Ansar al-Islam -- Supporters of Islam in Arabic -- claimed an October ambush in Egypt&#39;s the Western Desert that killed at least 16 policemen.

The military later conducted air strikes on the attackers, killing their leader.

The state prosecution said up to 30 militants in camouflage flying the Islamic State (IS) group's black banner had surrounded the mosque in North Sinai and proceeded to massacre the worshippers during weekly Friday prayers

Egypt mourned on Saturday as the death toll from a gun and bomb assault at a mosque rose to 305, including children, in the deadliest attack the country has witnessed. The state prosecution said up to 30 militants in camouflage flying the Islamic State (IS) group's black banner had surrounded the mosque in North Sinai and proceeded to massacre the worshippers during weekly Friday prayers. Twenty-seven children were among the dead, it said. IS, which is conducting a deadly insurgency in the Sinai, has not claimed responsibility for the attack, but it is the main suspect as the mosque is associated with followers of the mystical Sufi branch of Sunni Islam whom it has branded heretics. Also Read: Egypt mosque attack death toll rises to 305, including 27 children: prosecution Funerals for the victims were held overnight and many were buried unwashed in their bloodied clothes, according to the Islamic burial practices for martyrs, security and medical officials said. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi declared three days of mourning and vowed to "respond with brutal force" to the attack, among the deadliest in the world since the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. "The army and police will avenge our martyrs and return security and stability with force in the coming short period," he said in a televised speech. Hours later Egyptian air force jets pursued the "terrorists and discovered several vehicles used in the terrorist attack, killing those inside near the vicinity of the attack," an army spokesman said in a statement. The state prosecutor's office said in a statement that 305 people were killed and 128 wounded in the assault on the mosque roughly 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of the North Sinai capital of El-Arish. It said the attackers, with long beards and hair often seen on jihadists, had arrived in five all-terrain vehicles to surround the mosque. Witnesses said they heard gunshots and explosions before the assailants entered the mosque, according to the prosecution. One of the wounded, Magdy Rizk, told AFP assailants wore masks and military uniforms, and that extremists had previously threatened people in the area. Relatives visited victims in a hospital in the city of Ismailia near the Suez Canal where the wounded were taken for treatment, an AFP photographer reported. World leaders voiced outrage. US President Donald Trump denounced on Twitter the "horrible and cowardly terrorist attack on innocent and defenseless worshippers". Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, the grand imam of Cairo's Al-Azhar, Egypt's highest institution of Sunni Islam, condemned "in the strongest terms this barbaric terrorist attack". -IS targeting of Sufis The Egypt branch of IS has killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers, and also civilians accused of working with the authorities, in attacks in the north of the Sinai peninsula. They have also targeted Sufis as well as Christians. A tribal leader and head of a Bedouin militia that fights IS told AFP that the mosque is known as a place where Sufis gather. IS views Sufis as heretics for seeking the intercession of saints. The group has also killed more than 100 Christians in church bombings and shootings in Sinai and other parts of Egypt, forcing many to flee the peninsula. The military has struggled to quell the jihadists who pledged allegiance to IS in November 2014. The jihadists have since increasingly turned to civilian targets, attacking not only Christians and Sufis but also Bedouin Sinai inhabitants accused of working with the army. The group also claimed the bombing of a Russian plane that killed all 224 people on board after takeoff from the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on October 31, 2015. Aside from IS, Egypt also faces a threat from Al-Qaeda-aligned jihadists who operate out of neighboring Libya. A group calling itself Ansar al-Islam -- Supporters of Islam in Arabic -- claimed an October ambush in Egypt's the Western Desert that killed at least 16 policemen. The military later conducted air strikes on the attackers, killing their leader.

Egypt mourns 305 victims of Sinai mosque attack

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/padmavati-row-producers-postpone-films-release-24582">&#39;Padmavati&#39; row: Producers postpone film&#39;s release</a>

Amid the raging protests over &quot;Padmavati&quot;, the film&#39;s co-producers Viacom18 Motion Pictures said Sunday that have postponed the release date of the Sanjay Leela Bhansali-directed film.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/wion-exclusive-india-deserved-moodys-upgrade-much-earlier-says-sanjay-baru-24568">WION exclusive: India deserved Moody&#39;s upgrade much earlier, says Sanjaya Baru</a>

In an exclusive interview with WION&#39;s Kartikeya Sharma, Sanjaya Baru, Secretary General, FICCI says that in 1990s, Prime Minister Narasimha Rao was blamed for the setback in the assembly elections as defeats were heaped on reforms. Even today there is a criticism of PM Narendra Modi on hurting the electoral prospects in Gujarat. &nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/top-cop-dismisses-is-claims-on-kashmir-encounter-24581">Top cop dismisses IS claims on Kashmir encounter</a>

Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police SP Vaid on Sunday denied that the Islamic State (IS) had a presence in the state.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/ed-sheeran-in-bollywood-bash-hosted-by-farah-khan-24586">Ed Sheeran in Bollywood bash hosted by Farah Khan</a>

The wait of Ed Sheeran performing in Mumbai is finally over. The &quot;Shape of You&quot;&nbsp;singer is all set to perform today at Jio gardens in Mumbai tonight. Just a day before his concert, he was seen&nbsp;partying with many Bollywood celebs, hosted by Farah Khan.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/end-nears-for-mugabe-as-ruling-party-turns-against-him-24584">End nears for Mugabe as ruling party turns against him</a>

President Robert Mugabe faced the imminent collapse of his 37-year regime Sunday, with the once-loyal ZANU-PF party set to sack him as its leader and army generals piling pressure on him to resign.

'Padmavati' row: Producers postpone film's release Amid the raging protests over "Padmavati", the film's co-producers Viacom18 Motion Pictures said Sunday that have postponed the release date of the Sanjay Leela Bhansali-directed film. WION exclusive: India deserved Moody's upgrade much earlier, says Sanjaya Baru In an exclusive interview with WION's Kartikeya Sharma, Sanjaya Baru, Secretary General, FICCI says that in 1990s, Prime Minister Narasimha Rao was blamed for the setback in the assembly elections as defeats were heaped on reforms. Even today there is a criticism of PM Narendra Modi on hurting the electoral prospects in Gujarat. Top cop dismisses IS claims on Kashmir encounter Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police SP Vaid on Sunday denied that the Islamic State (IS) had a presence in the state. Ed Sheeran in Bollywood bash hosted by Farah Khan The wait of Ed Sheeran performing in Mumbai is finally over. The "Shape of You" singer is all set to perform today at Jio gardens in Mumbai tonight. Just a day before his concert, he was seen partying with many Bollywood celebs, hosted by Farah Khan. End nears for Mugabe as ruling party turns against him President Robert Mugabe faced the imminent collapse of his 37-year regime Sunday, with the once-loyal ZANU-PF party set to sack him as its leader and army generals piling pressure on him to resign.

WION evening news brief, November 19, 2017

Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police SP Vaid on Sunday denied that the Islamic State (IS) had a presence in the state.

About the IS mouthpiece claiming responsibility for the Zakura encounter in Srinagar, the senior police official said, &quot;It is yet to be verified, I don&#39;t think ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) has any imprints here.&quot;

Amaq News Agency, an IS affiliate had claimed that the terrorist group was behind the encounter that took place on November 17 in&nbsp;Zakura near Srinagar. A sub-inspector was killed and a Special Protection Officer injured during the brief shootout which took place when three terrorists travelling in a car opened fire on a police team. A terrorist was apprehended while another, Mugees Ahmad Mir, was gunned down in the retaliatory gunfire. His was wrapped in the IS flag, the Indian Express had reported earlier.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/govt-has-taken-note-isis-claim-success-against-terror-due-to-free-hand-given-to-forces-minister-24597">The same day, Union minister Jitendra Singh said the government has taken note of reports about the IS claiming the attack</a>. He said that the future course of action would be adopted after taking an appropriate view.

SP Vaid was addressing a joint press conference <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/iaf-personnel-killed-5-terrorists-shot-dead-in-encounter-in-jks-bandipora-24523">on Saturday&#39;s Bandipora encounter in the state in which six terrorists</a>, including the nephew of the 26/11 terrorist attack mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, were killed.

&quot;Kashmir valley needs to be free from violence, terror, guns and drugs. A commendable joint effort by our agencies, jawans. Wish very soon we can see Kashmir free of violence,&quot; the J&amp;K DGP said about the encounter in Bandipora&#39;s Hajin town.

The Army&#39;s 15 Corps Commander Lt Gen JS Sandhu and General officer commanding (GOC) Victor Force, Inspector General Operations CRPF also addressed the press.

&nbsp;Lt Gen JS Sandhu said that 190 terrorists had been killed in the state in 2017 of which 80 were local terrorists and 110 foreign.&nbsp;

&quot;We have killed about 190 terrorists as on date, in 2017. Out of these 190, 80 are local terrorists and 110 foreign. Out of these 110, 66 terrorists were killed near the Line of Control (LoC) while infiltrating,&quot; &nbsp;Lt Gen JS Sandhu said.

&quot;What we find this year is that we have killed approximately 125-130 terrorists in the hinterland of Kashmir Valley. This has resulted in a remarkable change in the situation,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

On the encounter in Hajin, the top army official said that the security forces had launched several operations in Hajin from mid-September and &quot;were practically launching search ops on a daily basis&quot;, having inducted special forces into the area. He added that all six terrorists killed in the encounter were foreign terrorists.

&quot;Based on specific information, a joint operation was launched by the CRPF, Army, J&amp;K Police in which six terrorists were eliminated, all were foreign terrorists. Commend all agencies who worked to ensure the success of the operation,&quot; the GOC said.

He also called the local terrorists a &quot;proxy for Pakistan&quot; and asked them to return to the mainstream, stating that the security forces would receive them in an &quot;honourable manner.&quot;

&quot;The local terrorists must realise that it is easy to call yourself a Mujahid. But are you a Mujahid, or just a proxy for Pakistan?&quot; he said.

&quot;Come back to the mainstream, this will facilitate the return of peace to the valley. We are ready to receive them in an honorable manner,&quot; he said.

An Indian Air Force Garud commando was killed and two army personnel were injured in an encounter in Hajin on Saturday. The Garud Commando Force is the special forces unit of the IAF.

Two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commanders, Zargam and Mehmood, were also among the terrorists killed by the security forces

 
&nbsp;

Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police SP Vaid on Sunday denied that the Islamic State (IS) had a presence in the state. He also called the local terrorists a 'proxy for Pakistan" and asked them to return to the mainstream'

Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police SP Vaid on Sunday denied that the Islamic State (IS) had a presence in the state. About the IS mouthpiece claiming responsibility for the Zakura encounter in Srinagar, the senior police official said, "It is yet to be verified, I don't think ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) has any imprints here." Amaq News Agency, an IS affiliate had claimed that the terrorist group was behind the encounter that took place on November 17 in Zakura near Srinagar. A sub-inspector was killed and a Special Protection Officer injured during the brief shootout which took place when three terrorists travelling in a car opened fire on a police team. A terrorist was apprehended while another, Mugees Ahmad Mir, was gunned down in the retaliatory gunfire. His was wrapped in the IS flag, the Indian Express had reported earlier. The same day, Union minister Jitendra Singh said the government has taken note of reports about the IS claiming the attack. He said that the future course of action would be adopted after taking an appropriate view. SP Vaid was addressing a joint press conference on Saturday's Bandipora encounter in the state in which six terrorists, including the nephew of the 26/11 terrorist attack mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, were killed. "Kashmir valley needs to be free from violence, terror, guns and drugs. A commendable joint effort by our agencies, jawans. Wish very soon we can see Kashmir free of violence," the J&K DGP said about the encounter in Bandipora's Hajin town. The Army's 15 Corps Commander Lt Gen JS Sandhu and General officer commanding (GOC) Victor Force, Inspector General Operations CRPF also addressed the press. Lt Gen JS Sandhu said that 190 terrorists had been killed in the state in 2017 of which 80 were local terrorists and 110 foreign. "We have killed about 190 terrorists as on date, in 2017. Out of these 190, 80 are local terrorists and 110 foreign. Out of these 110, 66 terrorists were killed near the Line of Control (LoC) while infiltrating," Lt Gen JS Sandhu said. "What we find this year is that we have killed approximately 125-130 terrorists in the hinterland of Kashmir Valley. This has resulted in a remarkable change in the situation," he added. On the encounter in Hajin, the top army official said that the security forces had launched several operations in Hajin from mid-September and "were practically launching search ops on a daily basis", having inducted special forces into the area. He added that all six terrorists killed in the encounter were foreign terrorists. "Based on specific information, a joint operation was launched by the CRPF, Army, J&K Police in which six terrorists were eliminated, all were foreign terrorists. Commend all agencies who worked to ensure the success of the operation," the GOC said. He also called the local terrorists a "proxy for Pakistan" and asked them to return to the mainstream, stating that the security forces would receive them in an "honourable manner." "The local terrorists must realise that it is easy to call yourself a Mujahid. But are you a Mujahid, or just a proxy for Pakistan?" he said. "Come back to the mainstream, this will facilitate the return of peace to the valley. We are ready to receive them in an honorable manner," he said. An Indian Air Force Garud commando was killed and two army personnel were injured in an encounter in Hajin on Saturday. The Garud Commando Force is the special forces unit of the IAF. Two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commanders, Zargam and Mehmood, were also among the terrorists killed by the security forces

Top cop dismisses IS claims on Kashmir encounter

The Syrian army and loyalist militiamen Sunday retook full control of Albu Kamal from the Islamic State group, a military source said, ousting the jihadists from their last urban stronghold in Syria.

The military source in Deir Ezzor told AFP that &quot;Syrian troops and allied forces took full control of Albu Kamal, and are removing mines and explosives left by Islamic State&quot; in the town on the Iraqi border.&nbsp;

Albu Kamal has changed hands several times, with government forces announcing its capture earlier this month but losing it to a blistering Islamic State counter-attack a week ago.

&quot;Syrian troops and allied forces took full control of Albu Kamal, and are removing mines and explosives left by Islamic State,&quot; the military source in Deir Ezzor told AFP on Sunday.&nbsp;

&quot;IS put up fierce resistance and tried to use explosives and suicide bombers, but besieging the city allowed the army to clinch the offensive and take full control of the city,&quot; the source added.

State news agency SANA also reported the advance in Albu Kamal, saying the &quot;Syrian army and its allies eliminated the last Daesh (Islamic State) terrorist pocket in the town.&quot;

A string of territorial defeats across northern and eastern Syria had left Albu Kamal as the last significant Syrian town held by Islamic State.&nbsp;

Syria&#39;s army announced on November 9 that it had ousted Islamic State from the town, but the jihadists launched a lightning offensive and retook it.

A week later, the army and allied Iraqi, Lebanese, and Iranian fighters broke back into Albu Kamal and steadily advanced through the town.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed on Sunday that Syrian troops and their allies had captured Albu Kamal.&nbsp;

&quot;Islamic State fighters withdrew from the city towards the Euphrates River,&quot; Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP.

&quot;There is no more fighting in the town, but there are clashes around Albu Kamal,&quot; he said.

The monitor said more than 80 fighters were killed in the three days of ferocious push to retake the town, including 31 pro-regime forces and at least 50 Islamic State jihadists.&nbsp;

Islamic State seized large areas of both Syria and neighbouring Iraq in a lightning 2014 campaign, but this year has lost much of the territory it once held.

The loss of Albu Kamal caps the group&#39;s reversion to an underground guerrilla organisation with no urban base.&nbsp;

Albu Kamal has changed hands several times, with government forces announcing its capture earlier this month but losing it to a blistering Islamic State counter-attack a week ago

The Syrian army and loyalist militiamen Sunday retook full control of Albu Kamal from the Islamic State group, a military source said, ousting the jihadists from their last urban stronghold in Syria. The military source in Deir Ezzor told AFP that "Syrian troops and allied forces took full control of Albu Kamal, and are removing mines and explosives left by Islamic State" in the town on the Iraqi border. Albu Kamal has changed hands several times, with government forces announcing its capture earlier this month but losing it to a blistering Islamic State counter-attack a week ago. "Syrian troops and allied forces took full control of Albu Kamal, and are removing mines and explosives left by Islamic State," the military source in Deir Ezzor told AFP on Sunday. "IS put up fierce resistance and tried to use explosives and suicide bombers, but besieging the city allowed the army to clinch the offensive and take full control of the city," the source added. State news agency SANA also reported the advance in Albu Kamal, saying the "Syrian army and its allies eliminated the last Daesh (Islamic State) terrorist pocket in the town." A string of territorial defeats across northern and eastern Syria had left Albu Kamal as the last significant Syrian town held by Islamic State. Syria's army announced on November 9 that it had ousted Islamic State from the town, but the jihadists launched a lightning offensive and retook it. A week later, the army and allied Iraqi, Lebanese, and Iranian fighters broke back into Albu Kamal and steadily advanced through the town. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed on Sunday that Syrian troops and their allies had captured Albu Kamal. "Islamic State fighters withdrew from the city towards the Euphrates River," Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. "There is no more fighting in the town, but there are clashes around Albu Kamal," he said. The monitor said more than 80 fighters were killed in the three days of ferocious push to retake the town, including 31 pro-regime forces and at least 50 Islamic State jihadists. Islamic State seized large areas of both Syria and neighbouring Iraq in a lightning 2014 campaign, but this year has lost much of the territory it once held. The loss of Albu Kamal caps the group's reversion to an underground guerrilla organisation with no urban base.

Syria army, allies, retake Albu Kamal from Islamic State: Military source

<p content="Islamic State group jihadists have recaptured nearly all of Albu Kamal, putting up a fierce fightback for what had been the last significant Syrian town under their control, a monitor said Saturday." type="text">Islamic State group jihadists have recaptured nearly all of Albu Kamal, putting up a fierce fightback for what had been the last significant Syrian town under their control, a monitor said Saturday.

Syrian regime forces and allied militia overran Albu Kamal, which lies on the border with Iraq, on Thursday but have since faced a string of IS counter-attacks.

On Saturday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said IS had &#39;ambushed&#39;&nbsp;the attacking forces and managed to oust them from most of the town.

<p content="&quot;IS has almost completely retaken control of Albu Kamal, pushing pro-regime forces to its southern and eastern edges,&quot; said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based monitor." type="text">&quot;IS has almost completely retaken control of Albu Kamal, pushing pro-regime forces to its southern and eastern edges,&quot; said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based monitor.

Clashes were still raging there on Saturday, he said.

IS began counter-attacking on Thursday night, swiftly retaking several northern districts of Albu Kamal from pro-government fighters.

&quot;It was Daesh&#39;s biggest ambush operation, tricking the attacking forces into thinking they had controlled the city,&quot; Abdel Rahman said, using the Arabic acronym for IS.

Albu Kamal lies at the heart of what used to be the sprawling &#39;caliphate&#39;&nbsp;that IS declared in 2014 across swathes of Iraq and Syria.

Losing it completely would have capped the group&#39;s reversion to an underground guerrilla organisation with no urban base.

<p content="Russian-backed Syrian regime forces and allied fighters had steadily advanced on Albu Kamal from the south and west for weeks, while Iraqi forces had closed in on the border area from the east." type="text">Russian-backed Syrian regime forces and allied fighters had steadily advanced on Albu Kamal from the south and west for weeks, while Iraqi forces had closed in on the border area from the east.

The Observatory has said most of the fighting was done by the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah and elite forces from its backer Tehran, as well as militia groups from Iraq.

On Saturday, Abdel Rahman said Albu Kamal was being pummelled by air strikes, but he could not specify whether they were Iraqi or Russian raids.

Across the border on Saturday, Iraqi forces launched an assault to capture the last pocket of IS territory in their country.

The Euphrates valley town of Rawa and nearby villages were bypassed by government troops and allied militia when they retook the border town of Al-Qaim last week.

Syrian regime forces and allied militia overran Albu Kamal, which lies on the border with Iraq, on Thursday but have since faced a string of IS counter-attacks.

Islamic State group jihadists have recaptured nearly all of Albu Kamal, putting up a fierce fightback for what had been the last significant Syrian town under their control, a monitor said Saturday. Syrian regime forces and allied militia overran Albu Kamal, which lies on the border with Iraq, on Thursday but have since faced a string of IS counter-attacks. On Saturday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said IS had 'ambushed' the attacking forces and managed to oust them from most of the town. "IS has almost completely retaken control of Albu Kamal, pushing pro-regime forces to its southern and eastern edges," said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based monitor. Clashes were still raging there on Saturday, he said. IS began counter-attacking on Thursday night, swiftly retaking several northern districts of Albu Kamal from pro-government fighters. "It was Daesh's biggest ambush operation, tricking the attacking forces into thinking they had controlled the city," Abdel Rahman said, using the Arabic acronym for IS. Albu Kamal lies at the heart of what used to be the sprawling 'caliphate' that IS declared in 2014 across swathes of Iraq and Syria. Losing it completely would have capped the group's reversion to an underground guerrilla organisation with no urban base. Russian-backed Syrian regime forces and allied fighters had steadily advanced on Albu Kamal from the south and west for weeks, while Iraqi forces had closed in on the border area from the east. The Observatory has said most of the fighting was done by the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah and elite forces from its backer Tehran, as well as militia groups from Iraq. On Saturday, Abdel Rahman said Albu Kamal was being pummelled by air strikes, but he could not specify whether they were Iraqi or Russian raids. Across the border on Saturday, Iraqi forces launched an assault to capture the last pocket of IS territory in their country. The Euphrates valley town of Rawa and nearby villages were bypassed by government troops and allied militia when they retook the border town of Al-Qaim last week.

IS retakes almost all of vital Syria border town: Monitor

Islamic State <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/gunmen-storm-kabul-tv-station-in-ongoing-attack-employee-23653">has claimed has responsibility for the attack </a>on the TV station in Afghanistan&#39;s capital Kabul.

At least one person <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/suicide-bombers-gunmen-attack-afghan-police-training-centre-officials-22527">was killed in the attack after gunmen stormed </a>the station. The terrorists had fired rocket-propelled grenades at the guards, AFP reported.&nbsp;

The terrorist organization&#39;s news agency Amaq said it was behind the attack.

&quot;I saw three attackers on security cameras entering the TV station building. They first shot the guard and then entered the building. They started throwing grenades and firing,&quot; Shamshad TV reporter Faisal Zaland, who escaped through a back door, told AFP.

&quot;Many of my colleagues are still in the building,&quot; he added.

Interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish had said as many as three attackers were involved in the assault.

Taliban had denied involvement in the attack on Twitter.

The attack came to an end after Afghan security forces rescued the staff inside.

At least one person was killed in the attack after gunmen stormed the TV station in Kabul

Islamic State has claimed has responsibility for the attack on the TV station in Afghanistan's capital Kabul. At least one person was killed in the attack after gunmen stormed the station. The terrorists had fired rocket-propelled grenades at the guards, AFP reported. The terrorist organization's news agency Amaq said it was behind the attack. "I saw three attackers on security cameras entering the TV station building. They first shot the guard and then entered the building. They started throwing grenades and firing," Shamshad TV reporter Faisal Zaland, who escaped through a back door, told AFP. "Many of my colleagues are still in the building," he added. Interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish had said as many as three attackers were involved in the assault. Taliban had denied involvement in the attack on Twitter. The attack came to an end after Afghan security forces rescued the staff inside.

Kabul: Islamic State claims responsibility for attack on TV station

&nbsp;Italian police have seized 50 million euros worth of tablets of a synthetic opiate destined to be sold by the Islamic State (IS) group in Libya to raise funds for attacks, a court said Friday.

Financial police discovered over 24 million Tramadol tablets being transported from India to Libya at the port of Gioia Tauro in southern Italy.

The painkiller has been described as the &quot;fighter drug&quot; as it is known to be popular among jihadists for its ability to dull pain and suppress fatigue.

The haul is estimated to be worth 50 million euros ($58 million) and was found following a police crackdown sparked by the discovery of a similar shipment in Genoa in May.

Investigators believe the IS group planned to sell the tablets to its foot soldiers for the equivalent of two euros a tablet.

&quot;According to the information shared with foreign investigative sources, the traffic of Tramadol is directly handled by IS to finance terrorist activities planned and carried out across the world,&quot; the court in the southern city of Reggio Calabria said.

Part of the money raised from the sales would also go &quot;to subsidise terrorist groups and extremists operating in Libya, Syria, and Iraq,&quot; it said in a statement.

The court said the seizure had been possible thanks in part to the DEA, the US Drug Enforcement Administration.

Ties between IS, mafia?&nbsp;

&quot;Everything passes through Gioia Tauro, we can&#39;t really be surprised to uncover trafficking of this type of drug,&quot; prosecutor Gaetano Paci told La Repubblica daily.

But investigators said it suggested ties between the mafia and the IS: it is impossible to smuggle goods through the port without the agreement of the powerful &#39;Ndrangheta organised crime group, which has a steely grip on the zone.

&quot;We&#39;ve known about dealings between the &#39;Ndrangheta and organisations in the Middle East for a while,&quot; Paci said.

&quot;Although the port has become a less of a &#39;safe zone&#39; for clans due to investigative pressures, we have identified several different &#39;Ndrangheta families that seem involved in trafficking with Middle East organisations,&quot; he said.

Renzo Nisi, a financial police captain involved in the May operation in Genoa, said Tramadol, a powerful painkiller, &quot;is produced extremely cheaply in India and Pakistan&quot;.

&quot;The pills are used by fighters, terrorists, but by others too because they lower fatigue levels. You need to take four to five a day to get the results,&quot; he told Italian media.

Dependence on the drug, which is also used by Boko Haram fighters in Nigeria, has become a serious social problem in parts of Africa and the Middle East.

IS lost its de facto capital Raqa in Syria last month, and its Iraqi stronghold of Mosul earlier this year, but experts fear jihadists&nbsp;and their drug trade&nbsp;will simply move on to new havens.

The United States said in October that it is considering a stepped-up military presence in North, West and East Africa, where fighters are believed to have relocated.

?Italian police have seized 50 million euros worth of tablets of a synthetic opiate destined to be sold by the Islamic State (IS) group in Libya to raise funds for attacks, a court said Friday.

Italian police have seized 50 million euros worth of tablets of a synthetic opiate destined to be sold by the Islamic State (IS) group in Libya to raise funds for attacks, a court said Friday. Financial police discovered over 24 million Tramadol tablets being transported from India to Libya at the port of Gioia Tauro in southern Italy. The painkiller has been described as the "fighter drug" as it is known to be popular among jihadists for its ability to dull pain and suppress fatigue. The haul is estimated to be worth 50 million euros ($58 million) and was found following a police crackdown sparked by the discovery of a similar shipment in Genoa in May. Investigators believe the IS group planned to sell the tablets to its foot soldiers for the equivalent of two euros a tablet. "According to the information shared with foreign investigative sources, the traffic of Tramadol is directly handled by IS to finance terrorist activities planned and carried out across the world," the court in the southern city of Reggio Calabria said. Part of the money raised from the sales would also go "to subsidise terrorist groups and extremists operating in Libya, Syria, and Iraq," it said in a statement. The court said the seizure had been possible thanks in part to the DEA, the US Drug Enforcement Administration. Ties between IS, mafia? "Everything passes through Gioia Tauro, we can't really be surprised to uncover trafficking of this type of drug," prosecutor Gaetano Paci told La Repubblica daily. But investigators said it suggested ties between the mafia and the IS: it is impossible to smuggle goods through the port without the agreement of the powerful 'Ndrangheta organised crime group, which has a steely grip on the zone. "We've known about dealings between the 'Ndrangheta and organisations in the Middle East for a while," Paci said. "Although the port has become a less of a 'safe zone' for clans due to investigative pressures, we have identified several different 'Ndrangheta families that seem involved in trafficking with Middle East organisations," he said. Renzo Nisi, a financial police captain involved in the May operation in Genoa, said Tramadol, a powerful painkiller, "is produced extremely cheaply in India and Pakistan". "The pills are used by fighters, terrorists, but by others too because they lower fatigue levels. You need to take four to five a day to get the results," he told Italian media. Dependence on the drug, which is also used by Boko Haram fighters in Nigeria, has become a serious social problem in parts of Africa and the Middle East. IS lost its de facto capital Raqa in Syria last month, and its Iraqi stronghold of Mosul earlier this year, but experts fear jihadists and their drug trade will simply move on to new havens. The United States said in October that it is considering a stepped-up military presence in North, West and East Africa, where fighters are believed to have relocated.

Italian police seize painkillers worth $50 million allegedly sourced by Indian firm to ISIS

President Donald Trump said Friday that the Islamic State group will pay a &quot;big price&quot; for every attack it stages against the United States, following the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/truck-kills-8-on-new-york-bike-path-in-us-deadliest-attack-since-911-23265" target="_blank">New York truck attack by an IS loyalist</a>.

The US military has hit IS &quot;much harder&quot; over the past two days after the jihadist group claimed the attacker was one of their soldiers, Trump said.

&quot;They will pay a big price for every attack on us!&quot; Trump wrote on Twitter. The New York attack Tuesday left eight dead and 12 wounded.

Trump has said the alleged attacker, Uzbek immigrant Sayfullo Saipov, 29, should be executed.

Trump backed off initial comments that he would like to see the man sent to the US prison for terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

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ISIS just claimed the Degenerate Animal who killed, and so badly wounded, the wonderful people on the West Side, was &quot;their soldier.&quot; .....
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/926419647708258304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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...Based on that, the Military has hit ISIS &quot;much harder&quot; over the last two days. They will pay a big price for every attack on us!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/926421589159182339?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Trump has said the alleged attacker, Uzbek immigrant Sayfullo Saipov, 29, should be executed

President Donald Trump said Friday that the Islamic State group will pay a "big price" for every attack it stages against the United States, following the New York truck attack by an IS loyalist. The US military has hit IS "much harder" over the past two days after the jihadist group claimed the attacker was one of their soldiers, Trump said. "They will pay a big price for every attack on us!" Trump wrote on Twitter. The New York attack Tuesday left eight dead and 12 wounded. Trump has said the alleged attacker, Uzbek immigrant Sayfullo Saipov, 29, should be executed. Trump backed off initial comments that he would like to see the man sent to the US prison for terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. ISIS just claimed the Degenerate Animal who killed, and so badly wounded, the wonderful people on the West Side, was "their soldier." ..... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 3, 2017 × ...Based on that, the Military has hit ISIS "much harder" over the last two days. They will pay a big price for every attack on us! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 3, 2017 ×

IS will pay 'big price' for each attack on US: Trump

Kerala police said today that at least six&nbsp;men from Kannur have joined the Islamic State in Syria.

The men were active workers of Popular Front of India(PFI), a fundamentalist organization formed in Kerala which allegedly has links with several Islamic terrorist groups and is also involved in ransom and kidnapping.

Last year, the home ministry had informed Parliament that as many as 68 alleged IS supporters and sympathisers were arrested either by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) or the state security agencies.

While informing the Parliament about the arrests, the home ministry had said while some persons have been reported missing from some parts of Kerala and are suspected to have joined terrorist outfits like the IS, their links with IS have not yet been established conclusively. The Kerala police, though, had registered as many as nine cases in this connection.

At least six men were picked up by security agency from Kerala last year.

The men were active workers of Popular Front of India, police said.

Kerala police said today that at least six men from Kannur have joined the Islamic State in Syria. The men were active workers of Popular Front of India(PFI), a fundamentalist organization formed in Kerala which allegedly has links with several Islamic terrorist groups and is also involved in ransom and kidnapping. Last year, the home ministry had informed Parliament that as many as 68 alleged IS supporters and sympathisers were arrested either by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) or the state security agencies. While informing the Parliament about the arrests, the home ministry had said while some persons have been reported missing from some parts of Kerala and are suspected to have joined terrorist outfits like the IS, their links with IS have not yet been established conclusively. The Kerala police, though, had registered as many as nine cases in this connection. At least six men were picked up by security agency from Kerala last year.

6 men from Kerala have joined Islamic State in Syria: Police

The recent attack on a bike path in lower Manhattan once again compels us to ask: Why do people pledge allegiance to the Islamic State?

Sayfullo Saipov, the suspect in the attack, isn&rsquo;t a devout Muslim. He cursed and came late to prayers, according to acquaintances who talked to The New York Times. So why would he want to be a martyr?

As a professor of modern Middle Eastern history, I have spent the majority of my professional life studying the region, its culture, society and politics. In recent years, I have researched and written about IS and its terrorist activities. While other experts and I have long looked at how radicalisation occurs, some new ideas are emerging.

Of lone wolves, flaming bananas and machismo

Like this recent attack in New York, many IS attacks around the globe are carried out by individuals the media have dubbed &ldquo;lone wolves&rdquo; &ndash; that is, freelancers who act without the direct knowledge of the IS leadership. To avoid glamorising them, the RAND Corporation prefers the term &ldquo;flaming bananas.&rdquo;

There are two theories as to why these individuals pledge allegiance to the group. The first is that they get &quot;radicalised&quot;.

Radicalisation refers to a step-by-step process whereby individuals become increasingly susceptible to jihadi ideas. First, they cut themselves off from social networks such as family, which provide them with support and a conventional value system. They then immerse themselves in a radical religious counterculture. They might do this on their own, or a jihadi recruiter might bring them into the fold. Either way, the result is the same.

Some observers claim IS propaganda plays a key role in recruitment. Rather than presenting a religious rationale for the group&rsquo;s actions, IS propaganda tends to focus on the violence the group perpetrates. IS has even released a video game based on Grand Theft Auto 5 in which, rather than stealing cars and battling the police, the player destroys advancing personnel carriers and shoots enemy soldiers.

Perhaps, then, the radicalisation model is wrong or not universally applicable. Perhaps there&rsquo;s something other than religious zealotry at play.

Consider the widely reported story of two would-be jihadists who, before they left Birmingham, U.K., for Syria, ordered &ldquo;Islam for Dummies&rdquo; and &ldquo;The Koran for Dummies&rdquo; to fill the gaps in their knowledge.

Newspaper stories time and again puzzle over the problem of how it happens that individuals who go on to join IS were found in bars, even gay bars, or had western girlfriends and smoked and drank almost up to the time they committed some act of violence for the group. The most common explanation is that their dissolute lifestyle was a cover.

After the driver of a truck ran down and killed 84 people in Nice, France, for example, the French interior minister was at a loss to explain how someone who drank during Ramadan &ndash; which had ended a week and a half before &ndash; could have radicalised so quickly.

A number of experts have argued that the radicalisation model should be replaced by, or supplemented with, a different model.

Rather than joining a radically different religious counterculture, individuals are attracted to IS, these experts argue because its actions reaffirm the cultural values of those who are marginalised, or those who exhibit what psychiatrists call &ldquo;anti-social personality disorders.&rdquo;

Could it be that IS volunteers are drawn to a value system that asserts an aggressive machismo, disparages steady work and sustains the impulse for immediate gratification? Could it be that they are attracted to a culture that promotes redemption through violence, loyalty, patriarchal values, thrill-seeking to the point of martyrdom and the diminution of women to objects of pleasure?

In this reading, IS more closely resembles the sort of street gang with which many of its Western and Westernised enlistees are familiar than its more austere competitor, al-Qaida.

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-draws-lone-wolves-to-the-islamic-state-86746" rel="nofollow" target="blank">original article</a>.

Terrorists are drawn IS value system that asserts an aggressive machismo

The recent attack on a bike path in lower Manhattan once again compels us to ask: Why do people pledge allegiance to the Islamic State? Sayfullo Saipov, the suspect in the attack, isn’t a devout Muslim. He cursed and came late to prayers, according to acquaintances who talked to The New York Times. So why would he want to be a martyr? As a professor of modern Middle Eastern history, I have spent the majority of my professional life studying the region, its culture, society and politics. In recent years, I have researched and written about IS and its terrorist activities. While other experts and I have long looked at how radicalisation occurs, some new ideas are emerging. Of lone wolves, flaming bananas and machismo Like this recent attack in New York, many IS attacks around the globe are carried out by individuals the media have dubbed “lone wolves” – that is, freelancers who act without the direct knowledge of the IS leadership. To avoid glamorising them, the RAND Corporation prefers the term “flaming bananas.” There are two theories as to why these individuals pledge allegiance to the group. The first is that they get "radicalised". Radicalisation refers to a step-by-step process whereby individuals become increasingly susceptible to jihadi ideas. First, they cut themselves off from social networks such as family, which provide them with support and a conventional value system. They then immerse themselves in a radical religious counterculture. They might do this on their own, or a jihadi recruiter might bring them into the fold. Either way, the result is the same. Some observers claim IS propaganda plays a key role in recruitment. Rather than presenting a religious rationale for the group’s actions, IS propaganda tends to focus on the violence the group perpetrates. IS has even released a video game based on Grand Theft Auto 5 in which, rather than stealing cars and battling the police, the player destroys advancing personnel carriers and shoots enemy soldiers. Perhaps, then, the radicalisation model is wrong or not universally applicable. Perhaps there’s something other than religious zealotry at play. Consider the widely reported story of two would-be jihadists who, before they left Birmingham, U.K., for Syria, ordered “Islam for Dummies” and “The Koran for Dummies” to fill the gaps in their knowledge. Newspaper stories time and again puzzle over the problem of how it happens that individuals who go on to join IS were found in bars, even gay bars, or had western girlfriends and smoked and drank almost up to the time they committed some act of violence for the group. The most common explanation is that their dissolute lifestyle was a cover. After the driver of a truck ran down and killed 84 people in Nice, France, for example, the French interior minister was at a loss to explain how someone who drank during Ramadan – which had ended a week and a half before – could have radicalised so quickly. A number of experts have argued that the radicalisation model should be replaced by, or supplemented with, a different model. Rather than joining a radically different religious counterculture, individuals are attracted to IS, these experts argue because its actions reaffirm the cultural values of those who are marginalised, or those who exhibit what psychiatrists call “anti-social personality disorders.” Could it be that IS volunteers are drawn to a value system that asserts an aggressive machismo, disparages steady work and sustains the impulse for immediate gratification? Could it be that they are attracted to a culture that promotes redemption through violence, loyalty, patriarchal values, thrill-seeking to the point of martyrdom and the diminution of women to objects of pleasure? In this reading, IS more closely resembles the sort of street gang with which many of its Western and Westernised enlistees are familiar than its more austere competitor, al-Qaida. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

What draws 'lone wolves' to the Islamic State

Russia said Tuesday its submarine deployed in the Mediterranean fired three ballistic missiles to destroy a command post of the Islamic State group in Syria&#39;s eastern Deir Ezzor province. 
 
&quot;A missile strike with three Kalibr missiles destroyed a command post with large numbers of militants and armed vehicles and also a large weapons and ammunition depot,&quot; the Russian defence ministry said in a statement posted on Facebook.&nbsp; 
 
It said the strikes targeted the area around the town of Abu Kamal, one of the few remaining urban strongholds of IS in Syria. 
 
The ministry added it could confirm &quot;the destruction of all the given targets.&quot; 
 
It posted a video on Twitter of a missile blasting out of the sea. 
 
There have been heavy clashes between the Syrian army and the Islamic state group in the city of Deir Ezzor, capital of the Deir Ezzor province in eastern Syria.&nbsp; 
 
Russia said Tuesday that its Veliky Novgorod submarine has carried out four cruise missile strikes on terrorist groups since it was deployed to the Mediterranean in late August.&nbsp; 
 
At Russia`s Syrian naval base of Tartus in the eastern Mediterranean, Russian ships have played a prominent role backing up an aerial bombing campaign in support of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.&nbsp; 
 
The submarines are covered from Syria by Moscow`s S-300 and S-400 missiles systems and its Bastion coastal defence system.&nbsp; 
More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests.

Russia said its submarine deployed in the Mediterranean fired three ballistic missiles to destroy a command post of the Islamic State group in Syria's eastern Deir Ezzor province

Russia said Tuesday its submarine deployed in the Mediterranean fired three ballistic missiles to destroy a command post of the Islamic State group in Syria's eastern Deir Ezzor province. "A missile strike with three Kalibr missiles destroyed a command post with large numbers of militants and armed vehicles and also a large weapons and ammunition depot," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement posted on Facebook. It said the strikes targeted the area around the town of Abu Kamal, one of the few remaining urban strongholds of IS in Syria. The ministry added it could confirm "the destruction of all the given targets." It posted a video on Twitter of a missile blasting out of the sea. There have been heavy clashes between the Syrian army and the Islamic state group in the city of Deir Ezzor, capital of the Deir Ezzor province in eastern Syria. Russia said Tuesday that its Veliky Novgorod submarine has carried out four cruise missile strikes on terrorist groups since it was deployed to the Mediterranean in late August. At Russia`s Syrian naval base of Tartus in the eastern Mediterranean, Russian ships have played a prominent role backing up an aerial bombing campaign in support of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad. The submarines are covered from Syria by Moscow`s S-300 and S-400 missiles systems and its Bastion coastal defence system. More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests.

Russia says its submarine fired missiles at IS base in Syria

A five-month battle against Islamic State supporters in the southern Philippines that claimed more than 1,000 lives has ended, the nation&#39;s defence secretary said today.

&quot;We now announce the termination of all combat operations in Marawi,&quot; Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told reporters on the sidelines of a regional security meeting in Clark, a northern Philippine city.

Lorenzana said there were no more militants, known locally as coming from the Maute group, providing resistance following an intense final battle after which 42 bodies were recovered.

&quot;Those are the last group of stragglers of Mautes and they were caught in one building and so there was a firefight so they were finished,&quot; he said

&quot;All terrorists, fighting troops. All hostages have been recovered.&quot;

Hundreds of gunmen who had pledged allegiance to IS rampaged through Marawi, the Islamic capital of the mainly Catholic Philippines, on May 23, then took over parts of the city using civilians as human shields.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and security analysts said the militants were trying to establish a Southeast Asian caliphate in Marawi.

The ensuing US-backed military campaign to evict the militants claimed more than 1,000 lives, displaced 400,000 residents and left large parts of Marawi in ruins.

Duterte travelled to Marawi on Tuesday last week and declared the city had been &quot;liberated&quot;, shortly after the Southeast Asian leader for IS, a Filipino militant named Isnilon Hapilon, was shot dead there.

However, the continued fighting raised questions over whether the city was indeed free of the militants.

US Defence Secretary James Mattis today praised the Philippines for its success in Marawi.

&quot;One of the first things I&#39;m going to do when I get there is to commend the Philippine military for liberating Marawi from the terrorists,&quot; Mattis told reporters on board a flight to the Philippines to attend the security meeting in Clark.

&quot;It was a very tough fight as you know in southern Mindanao (the local region). And I think the Philippine military sends a very strong message to the terrorists.&quot;

Hapilon, who was on the US government&#39;s list of most- wanted terrorists, was killed along with one of the group&#39;s other leaders, Omarkhayam Maute, according to the military.

Hapilon and Maute, along with hundreds of other militants, had been able to defy near-daily bombing raids that left much of the city in ruins by sheltering in basements and travelling through tunnels, according to the military.

The impoverished southern Philippines, home to many of the nation&#39;s Muslim minority, has for decades endured conflict.

The nation&#39;s biggest Muslim rebel group is in talks with the government to end a rebellion that began in the 1970s and has claimed more than 120,00 lives.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The US-backed military campaign to evict the militants claimed more than 1,000 lives, displaced 400,000 residents and left large parts of Marawi in ruins

A five-month battle against Islamic State supporters in the southern Philippines that claimed more than 1,000 lives has ended, the nation's defence secretary said today. "We now announce the termination of all combat operations in Marawi," Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told reporters on the sidelines of a regional security meeting in Clark, a northern Philippine city. Lorenzana said there were no more militants, known locally as coming from the Maute group, providing resistance following an intense final battle after which 42 bodies were recovered. "Those are the last group of stragglers of Mautes and they were caught in one building and so there was a firefight so they were finished," he said "All terrorists, fighting troops. All hostages have been recovered." Hundreds of gunmen who had pledged allegiance to IS rampaged through Marawi, the Islamic capital of the mainly Catholic Philippines, on May 23, then took over parts of the city using civilians as human shields. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and security analysts said the militants were trying to establish a Southeast Asian caliphate in Marawi. The ensuing US-backed military campaign to evict the militants claimed more than 1,000 lives, displaced 400,000 residents and left large parts of Marawi in ruins. Duterte travelled to Marawi on Tuesday last week and declared the city had been "liberated", shortly after the Southeast Asian leader for IS, a Filipino militant named Isnilon Hapilon, was shot dead there. However, the continued fighting raised questions over whether the city was indeed free of the militants. US Defence Secretary James Mattis today praised the Philippines for its success in Marawi. "One of the first things I'm going to do when I get there is to commend the Philippine military for liberating Marawi from the terrorists," Mattis told reporters on board a flight to the Philippines to attend the security meeting in Clark. "It was a very tough fight as you know in southern Mindanao (the local region). And I think the Philippine military sends a very strong message to the terrorists." Hapilon, who was on the US government's list of most- wanted terrorists, was killed along with one of the group's other leaders, Omarkhayam Maute, according to the military. Hapilon and Maute, along with hundreds of other militants, had been able to defy near-daily bombing raids that left much of the city in ruins by sheltering in basements and travelling through tunnels, according to the military. The impoverished southern Philippines, home to many of the nation's Muslim minority, has for decades endured conflict. The nation's biggest Muslim rebel group is in talks with the government to end a rebellion that began in the 1970s and has claimed more than 120,00 lives.

Five-month battle with IS ends in Philippine city: Defence secretary

Philippines today <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-i-prayed-for-them-says-indian-priest-captured-by-isis-20796">arrested a woman suspected of recruiting</a> foreigners through social media and messaging apps, reports said.

The woman believed to be an <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/isis-challenges-prince-harry-to-a-fight-20665">IS recruiter was arrested in the southern city of&nbsp;Taguig&nbsp;</a>which is dominated by pro-Islamic rebels, Reuters reported.

&quot;Karen Aizha Hamidon, the widow of a former leader of a small extremist group in Mindanao, was arrested by special agents at her home in a Manila suburb a week ago and has been charged with inciting to rebellion,&quot;&nbsp;Philippine&#39;s justice minister told Singapore&#39;s local newspaper The Straits Times.&nbsp;

&quot;Agents found she had made 296 posts in chatrooms on Telegram and WhatsApp &quot;calling on Muslims in the Philippines, India and Singapore to come to Marawi to establish a province of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria&quot;, The&nbsp;Straits Times quoted the minister as saying.

Hamidon is accused of using social media and messaging apps to call on foreigners to join the siege by an alliance of Islamic State loyalists in Marawi city.

Justice minister Aguirre said Hamidon was formerly the wife of Singaporean security guard detained in 2015 for planning to join ISIS and using social media to incite violence.

Hamidon later married a Filipino, &nbsp;Mohammad Jaafar Maguid, who led an IS-linked organization but was killed in January, justice minister added.

Hamidon was also allegedly close to an Australian preacher accused of recruiting IS fighters.

Expanding on Hamidon&#39;s arrest, Aguirre said: &quot;It is very clear that her actions are in a conspiracy, or in sync, with actions of the rebels.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;While her companions are fighting in Marawi, her part is to further recruit fighters to assist in the Marawi siege by the ISIS and Maute groups,&quot; the minister added. 
&nbsp;

Hamidon is accused of using social media and messaging apps to call on foreigners to join the siege by an alliance of Islamic State loyalists in Marawi city.

Philippines today arrested a woman suspected of recruiting foreigners through social media and messaging apps, reports said. The woman believed to be an IS recruiter was arrested in the southern city of Taguig which is dominated by pro-Islamic rebels, Reuters reported. "Karen Aizha Hamidon, the widow of a former leader of a small extremist group in Mindanao, was arrested by special agents at her home in a Manila suburb a week ago and has been charged with inciting to rebellion," Philippine's justice minister told Singapore's local newspaper The Straits Times. "Agents found she had made 296 posts in chatrooms on Telegram and WhatsApp "calling on Muslims in the Philippines, India and Singapore to come to Marawi to establish a province of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria", The Straits Times quoted the minister as saying. Hamidon is accused of using social media and messaging apps to call on foreigners to join the siege by an alliance of Islamic State loyalists in Marawi city. Justice minister Aguirre said Hamidon was formerly the wife of Singaporean security guard detained in 2015 for planning to join ISIS and using social media to incite violence. Hamidon later married a Filipino, Mohammad Jaafar Maguid, who led an IS-linked organization but was killed in January, justice minister added. Hamidon was also allegedly close to an Australian preacher accused of recruiting IS fighters. Expanding on Hamidon's arrest, Aguirre said: "It is very clear that her actions are in a conspiracy, or in sync, with actions of the rebels." "While her companions are fighting in Marawi, her part is to further recruit fighters to assist in the Marawi siege by the ISIS and Maute groups," the minister added.

Woman suspected of recruiting IS fighters in India, Singapore arrested in Philippines: Report

Dozens of Islamic State group fighters have surrendered over the past day in their one-time bastion Raqqa, the US-led coalition backing the offensive on the Syrian city said Saturday.

&quot;Within the past 24 hours, approximately 100 ISIS terrorists have surrendered in Raqqa, and were removed from the city,&quot; the coalition said in an emailed statement to AFP.&nbsp;

&quot;Foreign fighters are not being allowed to leave Raqqa,&quot; it said.&nbsp;

Earlier on Saturday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said all Syrian IS jihadists -- numbering around 200 fighters -- had left their former stronghold with their families.

&quot;All Syrian fighters from the Islamic State group left Raqa over the past five days,&quot; said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman, saying they headed to unknown destinations.&nbsp;

A Raqa official told AFP that Syrian IS members had surrendered overnight to the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) battling to take full control of the city, without specifying how many.

&quot;They sent a message to the Raqa Civil Council and to the tribal mediators,&quot; the official said.&nbsp;

&quot;Those that surrendered are local, not foreigners -- the foreigners have not handed themselves in yet,&quot; he said.

Members of the council -- a provisional administration for the city set up by the SDF -- had been working with tribal leaders throughout the week to try to secure safe passage for civilians.&nbsp;

Hundreds of civilians have managed to flee the battle-ravaged city, which once served as the de facto Syrian capital of the jihadist group.&nbsp;

According to Abdel Rahman, up to 150 foreign jihadists remain in the city and negotiations on their fate are still ongoing.

&quot;The foreign fighters are asking to leave in one group towards areas under IS control in Deir Ezzor province,&quot; in eastern Syria, he said.&nbsp;

But a spokesman for the Kurdish People&#39;s Protection Units (YPG), which spearhead the SDF, denied on Saturday that any discussions were taking place for the surrender of the city.

&quot;We completely deny any negotiations or deal for the exit of Daesh. Until this very moment, we are fighting Daesh,&quot; Nuri Mahmoud told AFP, using the Arabic acronym for IS.

Backed by US-led coalition air strikes, the SDF&#39;s Arab and Kurdish fighters have recaptured around 90 percent of Raqa from IS.

 
&nbsp;

Dozens of Islamic State group fighters have surrendered over the past day in their one-time bastion Raqqa, the US-led coalition said

Dozens of Islamic State group fighters have surrendered over the past day in their one-time bastion Raqqa, the US-led coalition backing the offensive on the Syrian city said Saturday. "Within the past 24 hours, approximately 100 ISIS terrorists have surrendered in Raqqa, and were removed from the city," the coalition said in an emailed statement to AFP. "Foreign fighters are not being allowed to leave Raqqa," it said. Earlier on Saturday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said all Syrian IS jihadists -- numbering around 200 fighters -- had left their former stronghold with their families. "All Syrian fighters from the Islamic State group left Raqa over the past five days," said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman, saying they headed to unknown destinations. A Raqa official told AFP that Syrian IS members had surrendered overnight to the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) battling to take full control of the city, without specifying how many. "They sent a message to the Raqa Civil Council and to the tribal mediators," the official said. "Those that surrendered are local, not foreigners -- the foreigners have not handed themselves in yet," he said. Members of the council -- a provisional administration for the city set up by the SDF -- had been working with tribal leaders throughout the week to try to secure safe passage for civilians. Hundreds of civilians have managed to flee the battle-ravaged city, which once served as the de facto Syrian capital of the jihadist group. According to Abdel Rahman, up to 150 foreign jihadists remain in the city and negotiations on their fate are still ongoing. "The foreign fighters are asking to leave in one group towards areas under IS control in Deir Ezzor province," in eastern Syria, he said. But a spokesman for the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which spearhead the SDF, denied on Saturday that any discussions were taking place for the surrender of the city. "We completely deny any negotiations or deal for the exit of Daesh. Until this very moment, we are fighting Daesh," Nuri Mahmoud told AFP, using the Arabic acronym for IS. Backed by US-led coalition air strikes, the SDF's Arab and Kurdish fighters have recaptured around 90 percent of Raqa from IS.

IS driven out of Raqqa, 100 fighters surrender in 24 hours

Three suicide bombers blew themselves up near the main police headquarters building in<a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/turkey-deploys-tanks-near-syria-border-5823" target="_blank"> Syria</a>&#39;s capital Damascus on Wednesday, killing at least two people and leaving 10 wounded, the interior ministry said.

Two of the suicide bombers detonated their explosives in front of the police headquarters on Khaled Bin al-Walid street in central Damascus, the interior ministry said in a statement carried by state media.

&quot;The terrorist suicide attackers tried to storm the police command headquarters... The guards opened fire on them, forcing them to blow themselves up before they entered the building and achieved their goals,&quot; it added.

Police surrounded the third attacker behind the building who also blew himself up, the statement said.

The interior ministry said one person had been killed and six injured in the attack.

It was the second time this month that suicide attackers targeted the police in Syria&#39;s capital after at least 17 people were killed in an October 2 attack on a police station in the southern district of Midan.

That attack was claimed by the Islamic State group, which said three of its fighters armed with guns, grenades, and explosives had targeted the station.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Wednesday&#39;s attack.

More than 330,000 people have been killed in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/syrias-government-detention-centre-survivor-recalls-torture-beating-12251" target="_blank">Syria since the country&#39;s conflict began in March 2011</a>, with anti-government protests.

The interior ministry said one person had been killed and six injured in the attack

Three suicide bombers blew themselves up near the main police headquarters building in Syria's capital Damascus on Wednesday, killing at least two people and leaving 10 wounded, the interior ministry said. Two of the suicide bombers detonated their explosives in front of the police headquarters on Khaled Bin al-Walid street in central Damascus, the interior ministry said in a statement carried by state media. "The terrorist suicide attackers tried to storm the police command headquarters... The guards opened fire on them, forcing them to blow themselves up before they entered the building and achieved their goals," it added. Police surrounded the third attacker behind the building who also blew himself up, the statement said. The interior ministry said one person had been killed and six injured in the attack. It was the second time this month that suicide attackers targeted the police in Syria's capital after at least 17 people were killed in an October 2 attack on a police station in the southern district of Midan. That attack was claimed by the Islamic State group, which said three of its fighters armed with guns, grenades, and explosives had targeted the station. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Wednesday's attack. More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since the country's conflict began in March 2011, with anti-government protests.

Triple suicide attack near Damascus police HQ: Ministry

Iraqi forces said Thursday they had retaken the centre of Islamic State group stronghold Hawija and were pushing forward in their assault on one of the last IS enclaves in the country.

Troops, police and paramilitaries &quot;liberated the whole of the centre of Hawija and are continuing their advance,&quot; the operation&#39;s commander, Lieutenant General Abdel Amir Yarallah, said.

Government and allied forces backed by a US-led coalition launched an offensive last month to oust IS from Hawija, a longtime insurgent bastion.

The town is among the final holdouts from the territory seized by the jihadists in 2014 and its recapture would leave only a handful of remote outposts in IS hands.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi was due to meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris later on Thursday for talks on the campaign against IS, which is backed by a US-led coalition including France.

The United Nations said on Tuesday that an estimated 12,500 people had fled Hawija since the launch of the offensive to retake the town and surrounding areas last month.

The UN&#39;s humanitarian affairs office said the number of people still in the town was unknown but could be as high as 78,000.

It said humanitarian agencies have set up checkpoints, camps and emergency sites capable of receiving more than 70,000 people who could flee.

Longtime insurgent bastion&nbsp;

Hawija, 230 kilometres (140 miles) north of Baghdad, is one of just two significant areas of Iraq still held by IS, along with a stretch of the Euphrates Valley near the Syrian border which is also under attack.

It has been an insurgent bastion since soon after the US-led invasion of 2003, earning it the nickname of &quot;Kandahar in Iraq&quot; for the ferocious resistance it put up similar to that in the Taliban militia&#39;s citadel in Afghanistan.

The town&#39;s mainly Sunni Arab population is deeply hostile both to the Shiite-led government in Baghdad and to the Kurds who form the historic majority in adjacent areas.

Hawija lies between the two main routes north from Baghdad -- to second city Mosul, recaptured from IS in July, and to the city of Kirkuk and the autonomous Kurdish region.

Last year, government forces bypassed the area in their advance north to Mosul, which culminated in the jihadists&#39; defeat in their most emblematic bastion.

IS has been forced out of most of the territory it seized in Iraq and Syria during a lightning offensive in the summer of 2014 that was followed by its declaration of a cross-border &quot;caliphate&quot;.

The US-led coalition is also backing an Arab-Kurdish alliance, the Syrian Democratic Forces, that is battling to oust IS from its de facto Syrian capital Raqa.

The SDF has captured about 90 percent of Raqa and is fighting fierce battles with remaining IS jihadists.

IS&#39;s other main stronghold in Syria is the eastern province of Deir Ezzor, which borders IS-held territory in Iraq.

Two separate offensives are underway against the jihadists in Deir Ezzor -- one by the SDF, the other by government forces supported by Russia.

Troops, police and paramilitaries 'liberated the whole of the centre of Hawija and are continuing their advance,' the operation's commander, Lieutenant General Abdel Amir Yarallah, said.

Iraqi forces said Thursday they had retaken the centre of Islamic State group stronghold Hawija and were pushing forward in their assault on one of the last IS enclaves in the country. Troops, police and paramilitaries "liberated the whole of the centre of Hawija and are continuing their advance," the operation's commander, Lieutenant General Abdel Amir Yarallah, said. Government and allied forces backed by a US-led coalition launched an offensive last month to oust IS from Hawija, a longtime insurgent bastion. The town is among the final holdouts from the territory seized by the jihadists in 2014 and its recapture would leave only a handful of remote outposts in IS hands. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi was due to meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris later on Thursday for talks on the campaign against IS, which is backed by a US-led coalition including France. The United Nations said on Tuesday that an estimated 12,500 people had fled Hawija since the launch of the offensive to retake the town and surrounding areas last month. The UN's humanitarian affairs office said the number of people still in the town was unknown but could be as high as 78,000. It said humanitarian agencies have set up checkpoints, camps and emergency sites capable of receiving more than 70,000 people who could flee. Longtime insurgent bastion Hawija, 230 kilometres (140 miles) north of Baghdad, is one of just two significant areas of Iraq still held by IS, along with a stretch of the Euphrates Valley near the Syrian border which is also under attack. It has been an insurgent bastion since soon after the US-led invasion of 2003, earning it the nickname of "Kandahar in Iraq" for the ferocious resistance it put up similar to that in the Taliban militia's citadel in Afghanistan. The town's mainly Sunni Arab population is deeply hostile both to the Shiite-led government in Baghdad and to the Kurds who form the historic majority in adjacent areas. Hawija lies between the two main routes north from Baghdad -- to second city Mosul, recaptured from IS in July, and to the city of Kirkuk and the autonomous Kurdish region. Last year, government forces bypassed the area in their advance north to Mosul, which culminated in the jihadists' defeat in their most emblematic bastion. IS has been forced out of most of the territory it seized in Iraq and Syria during a lightning offensive in the summer of 2014 that was followed by its declaration of a cross-border "caliphate". The US-led coalition is also backing an Arab-Kurdish alliance, the Syrian Democratic Forces, that is battling to oust IS from its de facto Syrian capital Raqa. The SDF has captured about 90 percent of Raqa and is fighting fierce battles with remaining IS jihadists. IS's other main stronghold in Syria is the eastern province of Deir Ezzor, which borders IS-held territory in Iraq. Two separate offensives are underway against the jihadists in Deir Ezzor -- one by the SDF, the other by government forces supported by Russia.

IS bastion Hawija liberated: Iraq army

The Delhi Police said on Monday an alleged al Qaida terrorist has been arrested in Delhi.

&quot;He&#39;s a British citizen who wanted to recruit people in Bangladesh and send them to Myanmar,&quot;&nbsp;P Kushwaha, DCP special cell said.

The police have seized four cartridges, laptops and phones from the alleged al Qaida operative.

&quot;He came to India to set up base in Mizoram, Manipur and send people to Myanmar&nbsp;basically to espouse the&nbsp;cause of Rohingyas,&quot;&nbsp;P Kushwaha added.

 
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The Delhi Police said the al Qaida operative arrested in Delhi is a British citizen

The Delhi Police said on Monday an alleged al Qaida terrorist has been arrested in Delhi. "He's a British citizen who wanted to recruit people in Bangladesh and send them to Myanmar," P Kushwaha, DCP special cell said. The police have seized four cartridges, laptops and phones from the alleged al Qaida operative. "He came to India to set up base in Mizoram, Manipur and send people to Myanmar basically to espouse the cause of Rohingyas," P Kushwaha added.

al Qaida terrorist arrested in Delhi wanted to recruit people to send them to Myanmar: Police

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