Perhaps no single demographic faces greater persecution than women living in conflict zones. Either as members of rebel groups or victims of state-led violence, women in armed conflict are vulnerable and usually always the victims.

This victimisation is part of an organised policy that weaponises their bodies and minds for dominance, power and control by men, in war. And it&rsquo;s a method chosen by both state and non-state actors. Whether it be the enslavement of thousands of Yazidi women by ISIS, the abduction of women and girls by Boko Haram in Nigeria, or the mass-scale rapes of women by soldiers in Syria, conflict always reveals horrific levels of repression women across the world continue to face. India is no exception to the rule. Frequently prone to insurgencies and ethnic conflict, the stories of women in India&rsquo;s conflict zones, whether it is Manipur, Chattisgarh, or Kashmir, bear the scars of brutality, sexual violence, and oppression.

One of the most important cases that catapulted the issue of brutality against women in war in India was the murder of a Manipuri girl, Thangjam Manorama by members of the 17 Assam Rifles. The Chairman of the Judicial Inquiry Commission tasked with the responsibility to investigate the murder called it one of the most shocking custodial killings.

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<h5>In Kashmir, years of a brutal insurgency between the Indian state and militant groups inflicted its highest toll on women.</h5>
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Thangjam had been sexually assaulted repeatedly and had eight bullets pumped into her. In Kashmir, years of a brutal insurgency between the Indian state and militant groups inflicted its highest toll on women. Rita Manchanda and Urvashi Bhutalia who have extensively worked on this issue show, in their body of work, that in Kashmir, women are either killed in crossfire, shot at in public demonstrations, blown up in grenade explosions across the Line of Control (LoC) or raped by militants.

Both security forces and militant groups use rape as an instrument of control, though, the objectives are markedly different. While militants use rape to humiliate and silence members of minority communities like the Kashmiri Pandits and Sikhs, Indian security forces have used rape to punish those suspected of links to militant groups.

A Human Rights Report published by the US State Department in 1999-2000 documents how paramilitary forces in Jammu and Kashmir and the police were culpable in a broader pattern of custodial abuse. The 1991 Kunan-Pushpora incident is still a dark episode in the history of Kashmir&rsquo;s internal conflict when four soldiers belonging to the Rashtriya Rifles allegedly raped at least 23 women in Kashmir&rsquo;s Kunan and Pushpora villages.

Twenty-six years later, six of the victims are deceased and justice remains elusive. In a separate case in 2009, 22-year-old Neelofer Jan and her 17-year-old sister-in-law Asiya Jan were allegedly raped and murdered by CRPF forces in Shopian, Kashmir. Despite setting up several inquiries to investigate the matter, the results were inconclusive and justice, again, a foregone conclusion.

There is another side to the story, though. A 2017 NPR report reveals how many Kashmiri women are actively aiding militants against the Indian state. Alternatively, Kashmiri Pandit women belonging to the Hindu community are killed in militant attacks, the 1998 Wandhama massacre being the case in point. These stories are telling in that not just majority Muslim women but Hindu women and those belonging to minority groups in Kashmir are caught in a relentless cycle of violence between state and militant groups.

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<h5>The women are deeply indoctrinated into an ideology that views violence as a means of liberation and emancipation.</h5>
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Women living in Maoist-held insurgent territory face a similar fate. In 2015, the National Human Rights Commission reported that at least 16 tribal women were allegedly raped and killed by police in Bastar. While many of these reports are evidence of the impunity state security forces and police exercise in conflict zones, one cannot entirely ignore the role of female Maoist cadres leading an orchestrated campaign of violence against the Indian state.

But their victimisation has a different source. These women are deeply indoctrinated into an ideology that views violence as a means of liberation and emancipation. Much of the result of such ideological violence is that the same women inevitably become victims of both state violence and extremist indoctrination, their bodies constant targets of physical and emotional abuse.

Where do we go from here? There are several ways to address the subjugation and brutalisation of women in India&rsquo;s conflict zones. While these measures will not entirely eliminate the problem, they could alleviate the suffering of many women.

First, a speedy justice system that punishes the perpetrators quickly is essential. Much of the violence against women continues unabated when those perpetrating the abuse are convinced they can get away with it. For instance, problematic parts of laws like the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) need to be amended to place limits on military powers.

Second, police and military personnel must receive mandatory training and socialisation in how to approach women in conflict zones, carrying a penalty for misdemeanours.

Third, civil society must work with non-governmental organisations to spread greater awareness about the experiences of women in violence-afflicted zones and offer assistance in any way possible. Journalists, too, must continue to educate and confront the problem. Finally, cultural norms that sustain a deeply patriarchal society must be challenged and broken. The onus is on us, both men and women, to do it.

(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

There is need to end violence against women in conflict zones because as members of rebel groups or victims of state-led violence, women in armed conflict are vulnerable and usually the victims

Perhaps no single demographic faces greater persecution than women living in conflict zones. Either as members of rebel groups or victims of state-led violence, women in armed conflict are vulnerable and usually always the victims. This victimisation is part of an organised policy that weaponises their bodies and minds for dominance, power and control by men, in war. And it’s a method chosen by both state and non-state actors. Whether it be the enslavement of thousands of Yazidi women by ISIS, the abduction of women and girls by Boko Haram in Nigeria, or the mass-scale rapes of women by soldiers in Syria, conflict always reveals horrific levels of repression women across the world continue to face. India is no exception to the rule. Frequently prone to insurgencies and ethnic conflict, the stories of women in India’s conflict zones, whether it is Manipur, Chattisgarh, or Kashmir, bear the scars of brutality, sexual violence, and oppression. One of the most important cases that catapulted the issue of brutality against women in war in India was the murder of a Manipuri girl, Thangjam Manorama by members of the 17 Assam Rifles. The Chairman of the Judicial Inquiry Commission tasked with the responsibility to investigate the murder called it one of the most shocking custodial killings. In Kashmir, years of a brutal insurgency between the Indian state and militant groups inflicted its highest toll on women. × Thangjam had been sexually assaulted repeatedly and had eight bullets pumped into her. In Kashmir, years of a brutal insurgency between the Indian state and militant groups inflicted its highest toll on women. Rita Manchanda and Urvashi Bhutalia who have extensively worked on this issue show, in their body of work, that in Kashmir, women are either killed in crossfire, shot at in public demonstrations, blown up in grenade explosions across the Line of Control (LoC) or raped by militants. Both security forces and militant groups use rape as an instrument of control, though, the objectives are markedly different. While militants use rape to humiliate and silence members of minority communities like the Kashmiri Pandits and Sikhs, Indian security forces have used rape to punish those suspected of links to militant groups. A Human Rights Report published by the US State Department in 1999-2000 documents how paramilitary forces in Jammu and Kashmir and the police were culpable in a broader pattern of custodial abuse. The 1991 Kunan-Pushpora incident is still a dark episode in the history of Kashmir’s internal conflict when four soldiers belonging to the Rashtriya Rifles allegedly raped at least 23 women in Kashmir’s Kunan and Pushpora villages. Twenty-six years later, six of the victims are deceased and justice remains elusive. In a separate case in 2009, 22-year-old Neelofer Jan and her 17-year-old sister-in-law Asiya Jan were allegedly raped and murdered by CRPF forces in Shopian, Kashmir. Despite setting up several inquiries to investigate the matter, the results were inconclusive and justice, again, a foregone conclusion. There is another side to the story, though. A 2017 NPR report reveals how many Kashmiri women are actively aiding militants against the Indian state. Alternatively, Kashmiri Pandit women belonging to the Hindu community are killed in militant attacks, the 1998 Wandhama massacre being the case in point. These stories are telling in that not just majority Muslim women but Hindu women and those belonging to minority groups in Kashmir are caught in a relentless cycle of violence between state and militant groups. The women are deeply indoctrinated into an ideology that views violence as a means of liberation and emancipation. × Women living in Maoist-held insurgent territory face a similar fate. In 2015, the National Human Rights Commission reported that at least 16 tribal women were allegedly raped and killed by police in Bastar. While many of these reports are evidence of the impunity state security forces and police exercise in conflict zones, one cannot entirely ignore the role of female Maoist cadres leading an orchestrated campaign of violence against the Indian state. But their victimisation has a different source. These women are deeply indoctrinated into an ideology that views violence as a means of liberation and emancipation. Much of the result of such ideological violence is that the same women inevitably become victims of both state violence and extremist indoctrination, their bodies constant targets of physical and emotional abuse. Where do we go from here? There are several ways to address the subjugation and brutalisation of women in India’s conflict zones. While these measures will not entirely eliminate the problem, they could alleviate the suffering of many women. First, a speedy justice system that punishes the perpetrators quickly is essential. Much of the violence against women continues unabated when those perpetrating the abuse are convinced they can get away with it. For instance, problematic parts of laws like the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) need to be amended to place limits on military powers. Second, police and military personnel must receive mandatory training and socialisation in how to approach women in conflict zones, carrying a penalty for misdemeanours. Third, civil society must work with non-governmental organisations to spread greater awareness about the experiences of women in violence-afflicted zones and offer assistance in any way possible. Journalists, too, must continue to educate and confront the problem. Finally, cultural norms that sustain a deeply patriarchal society must be challenged and broken. The onus is on us, both men and women, to do it. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Opinion: Women and the wounds of war

The US&nbsp;military said it killed more than&nbsp;100&nbsp;Islamist&nbsp;militants&nbsp;in Somalia&nbsp;on Tuesday when it launched an&nbsp;air&nbsp;strike&nbsp;against al Shabaab, an al Qaeda-linked insurgent group that wants to topple the UN-backed government.

The military&#39;s Africa Command said the&nbsp;strike&nbsp;was carried out on a camp 125 miles (201 km) northwest of the capital, Mogadishu and that the United States would continue to target&nbsp;militants.

The&nbsp;strike&nbsp;was done in coordination with&nbsp;Somalia&#39;s federal government, the Pentagon said.

US&nbsp;air&nbsp;strikes killing such a large number of&nbsp;militants&nbsp;in&nbsp;Somalia&nbsp;are rare, but not unprecedented. In March 2016, a US&nbsp;air strike&nbsp;killed more than 150 al Shabaab fighters in&nbsp;Somalia.

Somalia&#39;s state news agency SONNA reported late on Tuesday that &quot;about&nbsp;100&nbsp;militants&quot; were killed when US&nbsp;planes and Somali commandos attacked al Shabaab bases in the Bur Elay area of Bay region.

Al Shabaab spokesman Abdiasis Abu Musab denied the attack. &quot;It is just... propaganda,&quot; he told Reuters in&nbsp;Somalia.

Al Shabaab is fighting to topple&nbsp;Somalia&rsquo;s Western-backed transitional federal government and impose its own rule on the Horn of Africa country.

Earlier this month, the US&nbsp;warned of a threat to its diplomatic staff in Mogadishu and directed all non-essential staff to leave the capital.

Al Shabaab has lost control of most of&nbsp;Somalia&rsquo;s cities and towns since it was pushed out of Mogadishu in 2011. But it retains a strong presence in parts of the south and center and carries out gun and bomb attacks.

&quot;Al-Shabaab has publicly committed to planning and conducting attacks against the US&nbsp;and our partners in the region,&quot; the US&nbsp;military statement said.

Al Shabaab aims to topple&nbsp;Somalia&#39;s government, drive out African Union peacekeeping troops and impose its own harsh interpretation of Islamic law.

Earlier this month, the US&nbsp;military also carried out its first&nbsp;strikes against Islamic State&nbsp;militants in&nbsp;Somalia&nbsp;and said it killed &quot;several terrorists.&quot;

The military's Africa Command said the?strike?was carried out on a camp 125 miles (201 km) northwest of the capital, Mogadishu and that the United States would continue to target?militants

The US military said it killed more than 100 Islamist militants in Somalia on Tuesday when it launched an air strike against al Shabaab, an al Qaeda-linked insurgent group that wants to topple the UN-backed government. The military's Africa Command said the strike was carried out on a camp 125 miles (201 km) northwest of the capital, Mogadishu and that the United States would continue to target militants. The strike was done in coordination with Somalia's federal government, the Pentagon said. US air strikes killing such a large number of militants in Somalia are rare, but not unprecedented. In March 2016, a US air strike killed more than 150 al Shabaab fighters in Somalia. Somalia's state news agency SONNA reported late on Tuesday that "about 100 militants" were killed when US planes and Somali commandos attacked al Shabaab bases in the Bur Elay area of Bay region. Al Shabaab spokesman Abdiasis Abu Musab denied the attack. "It is just... propaganda," he told Reuters in Somalia. Al Shabaab is fighting to topple Somalia’s Western-backed transitional federal government and impose its own rule on the Horn of Africa country. Earlier this month, the US warned of a threat to its diplomatic staff in Mogadishu and directed all non-essential staff to leave the capital. Al Shabaab has lost control of most of Somalia’s cities and towns since it was pushed out of Mogadishu in 2011. But it retains a strong presence in parts of the south and center and carries out gun and bomb attacks. "Al-Shabaab has publicly committed to planning and conducting attacks against the US and our partners in the region," the US military statement said. Al Shabaab aims to topple Somalia's government, drive out African Union peacekeeping troops and impose its own harsh interpretation of Islamic law. Earlier this month, the US military also carried out its first strikes against Islamic State militants in Somalia and said it killed "several terrorists."

US says air strike kills over 100 militants in Somalia

A gunfight erupted after terrorists attacked a police party in Handwara, Jammu and Kashmir today.&nbsp;

Two terrorists were killed and one policeman was injured.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UPDATE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UPDATE</a> Two terrorists killed in Handwara, one policeman injured. Search operations continue <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JammuKashmir?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JammuKashmir</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/930057513709350912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FLASH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FLASH</a> Terrorists attack a Police party in J&amp;K&#39;s Handwara. More details awaited. <a href="https://t.co/RQRbk3FIaI">pic.twitter.com/RQRbk3FIaI</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/930053394391187456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Search operations continue.

A gunfight erupted after the terrorists attacked a police party

A gunfight erupted after terrorists attacked a police party in Handwara, Jammu and Kashmir today. Two terrorists were killed and one policeman was injured. #UPDATE Two terrorists killed in Handwara, one policeman injured. Search operations continue #JammuKashmir — ANI (@ANI) November 13, 2017 × #FLASH Terrorists attack a Police party in J&K's Handwara. More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/RQRbk3FIaI — ANI (@ANI) November 13, 2017 × Search operations continue.

Kashmir: 2 terrorists killed, one policeman injured in Handwara

<div dir="auto" style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: sans-serif,serif,&quot;EmojiFont&quot;; font-size: 11pt; color: black; background-color: white;">1. Zakir Musa: al-Qaida
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Zakir Musa (Twitter)
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The man is on top of the forces&rsquo; list. After his split from Hizbul, he launched the Kashmir chapter called Ansar Ghazwat-ul Hind, of al-Qaida. In a very short span, Musa&rsquo;s become intensely popular not just among Valley&rsquo;s youth but among cadres of other Militant groups also. Many militants, including the once chief of Lashkar&rsquo;s operations in Kashmir &ndash; Abu Dujana, have joined him at various stages, and possibly lent him help in the form of weapons and ground network support.

He&rsquo;s considered quite dangerous because he&rsquo;s been using propaganda to call for an Islamic caliphate in Kashmir and throughout India, an ideology that&rsquo;s rapidly gaining ground in the Valley.
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<div dir="auto" style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: sans-serif,serif,&quot;EmojiFont&quot;; font-size: 11pt; color: black; background-color: white;">2. Riyaz Naikoo: Hizbul Mujahideen</div>

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Riyaz Naikoo (Others)
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The chief of Hizbul Mujahideen, Naikoo, and an &lsquo;A++&rsquo; category militant, Naikoo at 29, is one of the most experienced Hizbul commanders and at present its head of operations in Kashmir. He took over from Yaseen Ittoo after his death in an encounter last month. Naikoo, who is from Durbug, Awantipora, is considered tech savvy. He is considered to be a moderate among the Hizbul militants.&nbsp;

In a recent, militant funeral he appeared in public to counter Zakir Musa&rsquo;s anti-Pakistan propaganda and tried to whip-up support for Pakistan.

He has been booked by police in several murder cases including that of policemen. To bolster his moderate image he had earlier during the year also released an 11-minute video asking Kashmiri Pandits to return to the Valley. Naikoo overlooks at the massive Over Ground Worker (OGW) support for Hizb, which the oldest Militant group in the Valley.
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<div dir="auto" style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: sans-serif,serif,&quot;EmojiFont&quot;; font-size: 11pt; color: black; background-color: white;">3. Saddam Padder: Hizbul Mujahideen</div>

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Saddam Padder (Twitter)
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Remember the group photograph shared by slain Hizb commander Burhan Wani&nbsp;Padder is now the only active militant of the 12 men shown in the list. Apart from Padder, only Tariq Pandit, who featured in that photograph, is alive as he had surrendered.

Padder also comes from a family of farmers. Not much is known about Padder, except the fact that Hizbul thinks highly of him. Padder is a school dropout who joined militancy about 4-5 years ago. He was with LeT until he joined Hizbul in 2015.&nbsp;

After Musa left as the chief of Hizb, Saddam Padder was one of the top contenders to be the next Hizb chief, a place later taken by Naikoo. While he might not be highly educated, he is considered a &lsquo;clever&rsquo; militant and was among the few people whom Wani trusted.
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<div dir="auto" style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: sans-serif,serif,&quot;EmojiFont&quot;; font-size: 11pt; color: black; background-color: white;">4. Zeenat-ul-Islam: Lashkar-e-Toiba

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Zeenat-ul-Islam (Twitter)
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The most likely person to take on Lashkar leadership in the Valley is Zeenat. The 28-year-old is a resident of Sugan Zanipura, Shopian, and was recruited in 2015. He is considered one of the main accused in the Shopian attack in February that left three soldiers dead.&nbsp;

Known as an IED expert, he is a former member of Al-Badar&nbsp;militant outfit.

 
He was once arrested in 2008 where he is said to have confessed to being an over ground worker (OGW). He was eventually released four years later and is said to have gotten married too before joining the Lashkar module. 
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<div dir="auto" style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: sans-serif,serif,&quot;EmojiFont&quot;; font-size: 11pt; color: black; background-color: white;">5. Khalid: Jaish-e-Muhammad

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Khalid (ANI)
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JeM commander, whose code name was&nbsp;Khalid was killed last month by security forces in Kashmir&#39;s Baramulla. He was believed to have trained and infiltrated from Pakistan and was active in north Kashmir&rsquo;s Sopore area.&nbsp;

Khalid was believed to have had a&nbsp;hand behind the suicide attack on District Police Lines in south Kashmir district Pulwama a month ago, that killed four CRPF men and four policemen.

It was an ex-girlfriend that led police to the Jaish-e-Mohammad militant Khalid after which he was caught and killed.

His name had cropped up for the first time in October 2016, when the Army busted a JeM module in Baramulla. Police officials had then said that the module, headed by Khalid, was responsible for the attack on an army convoy in Baramulla in August that year, which killed two Army men and one cop.
</div>

The listed militants are said to be locals recruited recently and predominantly operating in South Kashmir.

1. Zakir Musa: al-Qaida Zakir Musa (Twitter) × The man is on top of the forces’ list. After his split from Hizbul, he launched the Kashmir chapter called Ansar Ghazwat-ul Hind, of al-Qaida. In a very short span, Musa’s become intensely popular not just among Valley’s youth but among cadres of other Militant groups also. Many militants, including the once chief of Lashkar’s operations in Kashmir – Abu Dujana, have joined him at various stages, and possibly lent him help in the form of weapons and ground network support. He’s considered quite dangerous because he’s been using propaganda to call for an Islamic caliphate in Kashmir and throughout India, an ideology that’s rapidly gaining ground in the Valley. 2. Riyaz Naikoo: Hizbul Mujahideen Riyaz Naikoo (Others) × The chief of Hizbul Mujahideen, Naikoo, and an ‘A++’ category militant, Naikoo at 29, is one of the most experienced Hizbul commanders and at present its head of operations in Kashmir. He took over from Yaseen Ittoo after his death in an encounter last month. Naikoo, who is from Durbug, Awantipora, is considered tech savvy. He is considered to be a moderate among the Hizbul militants. In a recent, militant funeral he appeared in public to counter Zakir Musa’s anti-Pakistan propaganda and tried to whip-up support for Pakistan. He has been booked by police in several murder cases including that of policemen. To bolster his moderate image he had earlier during the year also released an 11-minute video asking Kashmiri Pandits to return to the Valley. Naikoo overlooks at the massive Over Ground Worker (OGW) support for Hizb, which the oldest Militant group in the Valley. 3. Saddam Padder: Hizbul Mujahideen Saddam Padder (Twitter) × Remember the group photograph shared by slain Hizb commander Burhan Wani Padder is now the only active militant of the 12 men shown in the list. Apart from Padder, only Tariq Pandit, who featured in that photograph, is alive as he had surrendered. Padder also comes from a family of farmers. Not much is known about Padder, except the fact that Hizbul thinks highly of him. Padder is a school dropout who joined militancy about 4-5 years ago. He was with LeT until he joined Hizbul in 2015. After Musa left as the chief of Hizb, Saddam Padder was one of the top contenders to be the next Hizb chief, a place later taken by Naikoo. While he might not be highly educated, he is considered a ‘clever’ militant and was among the few people whom Wani trusted. 4. Zeenat-ul-Islam: Lashkar-e-Toiba Zeenat-ul-Islam (Twitter) × The most likely person to take on Lashkar leadership in the Valley is Zeenat. The 28-year-old is a resident of Sugan Zanipura, Shopian, and was recruited in 2015. He is considered one of the main accused in the Shopian attack in February that left three soldiers dead. Known as an IED expert, he is a former member of Al-Badar militant outfit. He was once arrested in 2008 where he is said to have confessed to being an over ground worker (OGW). He was eventually released four years later and is said to have gotten married too before joining the Lashkar module. 5. Khalid: Jaish-e-Muhammad Khalid (ANI) × JeM commander, whose code name was Khalid was killed last month by security forces in Kashmir's Baramulla. He was believed to have trained and infiltrated from Pakistan and was active in north Kashmir’s Sopore area. Khalid was believed to have had a hand behind the suicide attack on District Police Lines in south Kashmir district Pulwama a month ago, that killed four CRPF men and four policemen. It was an ex-girlfriend that led police to the Jaish-e-Mohammad militant Khalid after which he was caught and killed. His name had cropped up for the first time in October 2016, when the Army busted a JeM module in Baramulla. Police officials had then said that the module, headed by Khalid, was responsible for the attack on an army convoy in Baramulla in August that year, which killed two Army men and one cop.

LeT, Hizbul terrorists in Kashmir Valley's most wanted list

Two militants were today killed as the Army foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control in Uri sector of north Kashmir&#39;s Baramulla district.

The operation is still in progress.

&quot;An infiltration bid was foiled in Uri sector and two terrorists have been killed,&quot; an Army official said here.

Further details are awaited.

Two militants were today killed as the Army foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control in Uri sector of north Kashmir's Baramulla district.

Two militants were today killed as the Army foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control in Uri sector of north Kashmir's Baramulla district. The operation is still in progress. "An infiltration bid was foiled in Uri sector and two terrorists have been killed," an Army official said here. Further details are awaited.

Army foils infiltration bid, two militants killed

At least five personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were injured after terrorists attacked one of their vehicles in Mominabad, in Jammu and Kashmir&#39;s Anantnag district.&nbsp;

&#39;&#39;Terrorists&nbsp;opened fire on the vehicle of the 96 Battalion CRPF at Lazibal in Anantnag district at 8.30 am,&#39;&#39; said a police official.

He said that three&nbsp;jawans received bullet injuries while two others were injured after getting hit by broken glass panes of the vehicle.

The injured personnel have been admitted to a hospital, he said, adding that an operation has been launched to track down the assailants.

Terrorists attack on the vehicle of security forces on Thursday in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir

At least five personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were injured after terrorists attacked one of their vehicles in Mominabad, in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district. ''Terrorists opened fire on the vehicle of the 96 Battalion CRPF at Lazibal in Anantnag district at 8.30 am,'' said a police official. He said that three jawans received bullet injuries while two others were injured after getting hit by broken glass panes of the vehicle. The injured personnel have been admitted to a hospital, he said, adding that an operation has been launched to track down the assailants.

5 CRPF personnel injured after terrorists attack convoy in Jammu and Kashmir

Terrorists attacked on the vehicle of security forces on Thursday in Mominabad,&nbsp;Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir. At least five CRPF personnel were injured today in the militant attack.

&#39;&#39;Militants opened fire on the vehicle of the 96 Battalion CRPF at Lazibal in Anantnag district at 8.30 am,&#39;&#39; said a police official.

He said&nbsp;&#39;&#39;Three CRPF jawans received bullet injuries while two others were injured after getting hit by broken glass panes of the vehicle.&#39;&#39;

The injured personnel have been admitted to a hospital, he said, adding an operation has been launched to track down the assailants.

Terrorists attacked on the vehicle of security forces on Thursday in Mominabad, Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir. At least five CRPF personnel were injured today in the militant attack. ''Militants opened fire on the vehicle of the 96 Battalion CRPF at Lazibal in Anantnag district at 8.30 am,'' said a police official. He said ''Three CRPF jawans received bullet injuries while two others were injured after getting hit by broken glass panes of the vehicle.'' The injured personnel have been admitted to a hospital, he said, adding an operation has been launched to track down the assailants.

Militants attack security vehicle, five CRPF personnel injured

A police constable and two terrorists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu Kashmir&#39;s Bandipora district today morning.

Jammu and Kashmir police constable Zahir Abbas was killed in the gunbattle.

The firing has stopped but the locals continue to hinder the activities of the security personnel by heavy stone pelting.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UPDATE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UPDATE</a> J&amp;K: Two terrorists killed in an encounter with security forces in Bandipora&#39;s Hajin; firing stopped, heavy stone pelting underway. <a href="https://t.co/ix7WNB4jrq">pic.twitter.com/ix7WNB4jrq</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/924490345294917632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Security forces had received intelligence inputs about the presence of militants in the area after which they cordoned off the Mir Mohalla village in Hajin area of the district.&nbsp;

The militants opened fire at the security forces when they were conducting a search operation.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Visuals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Visuals</a> Bandipora (J&amp;K): Encounter underway b/w security forces &amp; terrorists in Hajin&#39;s Mir Mohalla (visuals deferred by unspecified time) <a href="https://t.co/UI8Pw4Qz88">pic.twitter.com/UI8Pw4Qz88</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/924468470565052416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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(With inputs from ANI, PTI)

The security forces received intelligence inputs about the presence of militants in the area

A police constable and two terrorists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu Kashmir's Bandipora district today morning. Jammu and Kashmir police constable Zahir Abbas was killed in the gunbattle. The firing has stopped but the locals continue to hinder the activities of the security personnel by heavy stone pelting. #UPDATE J&K: Two terrorists killed in an encounter with security forces in Bandipora's Hajin; firing stopped, heavy stone pelting underway. pic.twitter.com/ix7WNB4jrq — ANI (@ANI) October 29, 2017 × Security forces had received intelligence inputs about the presence of militants in the area after which they cordoned off the Mir Mohalla village in Hajin area of the district. The militants opened fire at the security forces when they were conducting a search operation. #Visuals Bandipora (J&K): Encounter underway b/w security forces & terrorists in Hajin's Mir Mohalla (visuals deferred by unspecified time) pic.twitter.com/UI8Pw4Qz88 — ANI (@ANI) October 29, 2017 × (With inputs from ANI, PTI)

J&K: Security personnel, 2 terrorists killed in encounter in Bandipora

An encounter is underway between security forces and militants in Jammu and Kashmir&#39;s Kupwara.

News reports said&nbsp;two to three militants are believed to be trapped.&nbsp;

A number of militants have been killed by security forces in recent months, including the Lashkar&#39;s Abu Dujana and the Hizbul&#39;s Sabzar Ahmed Bhat, indicating a ramping up of anti-militant activity.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Modi&#39;s Independence Day speech -- in which he spoke&nbsp;of&nbsp;&quot;loving and embracing&quot; all Kashmiris -- however might be indicative of a slight watering down of the government&#39;s position.&nbsp;

&quot;Na goli se, na gaali se Kashmir ki samasya hal hogi (Neither bullets nor brickbats will solve the Kashmir issue)&quot;, the PM had said, adding, &quot;It will only be solved by love and by embracing all Kashmiris&quot;.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Two to three militants are believed to be trapped

An encounter is underway between security forces and militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara. News reports said two to three militants are believed to be trapped. A number of militants have been killed by security forces in recent months, including the Lashkar's Abu Dujana and the Hizbul's Sabzar Ahmed Bhat, indicating a ramping up of anti-militant activity. Prime Minister Modi's Independence Day speech -- in which he spoke of "loving and embracing" all Kashmiris -- however might be indicative of a slight watering down of the government's position. "Na goli se, na gaali se Kashmir ki samasya hal hogi (Neither bullets nor brickbats will solve the Kashmir issue)", the PM had said, adding, "It will only be solved by love and by embracing all Kashmiris".

Kashmir: Encounter underway between security forces, militants in Kupwara

Pakistan&#39;s military has killed 12 Islamic State-linked militants in a raid on their cave hideout in Baluchistan province, the army said on Thursday, cutting off Islamic State&#39;s bid to establish a foothold in the resource-rich province.

Islamic State, which controls some territory in neighbouring Afghanistan, has struggled to establish a presence in Pakistan but it has claimed several major attacks, including one on the deputy chairman of the Senate last month in Baluchistan in which 25 people were killed.

The military said the raid near the town of Mastung, 50 kilometres&nbsp;(30 miles) south of the provincial capital, Quetta, targeted militants from the banned Lashkar-e-Jangvi Al Alami (LeJ-AL) group, which has carried out attacks with Islamic State.

&quot;(LeJ-AL) was reportedly making efforts for communication with ISIS and intended to facilitate establishment of ISIS foothold,&quot; the military&#39;s media wing said in a statement.

The military also said the suicide bomber who last month killed 25 people in the attack on the deputy chairman of the Senate had been based in the cave hideout. Islamic State claimed that attack.

&quot;The suicide bomber...was also sent by this group from same hideout,&quot; the military said.

The military said the operation to clear the militants&#39; hideout started on June 1 and finished two days later.

&quot;Terrorists who were hiding in caves offered stiff resistance,&quot; the military said, adding that five members of the security forces had been wounded.

Troops destroyed a bomb-making facility in the cave and recovered a cache of arms and explosives, including six rocket launchers, it said.

A spokesman for the LeJ-AL said last month his group had split with Islamic State due to &quot;policy changes&quot;.

The spokesman, Ali Bin Sufyan, did not elaborate on the differences but condemned the May 12 bomb attack on the convoy of Senator Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, which happened near Mastung.

Separatist guerrillas in Baluchistan are also fighting the central government over what they see as the unfair exploitation of their province&#39;s significant gas and mineral deposits.

(Reuters)

The military also said the suicide bomber who last month killed 25 people in the attack on the Senate's deputy chairman used the cave as a hideout

Pakistan's military has killed 12 Islamic State-linked militants in a raid on their cave hideout in Baluchistan province, the army said on Thursday, cutting off Islamic State's bid to establish a foothold in the resource-rich province. Islamic State, which controls some territory in neighbouring Afghanistan, has struggled to establish a presence in Pakistan but it has claimed several major attacks, including one on the deputy chairman of the Senate last month in Baluchistan in which 25 people were killed. The military said the raid near the town of Mastung, 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of the provincial capital, Quetta, targeted militants from the banned Lashkar-e-Jangvi Al Alami (LeJ-AL) group, which has carried out attacks with Islamic State. "(LeJ-AL) was reportedly making efforts for communication with ISIS and intended to facilitate establishment of ISIS foothold," the military's media wing said in a statement. The military also said the suicide bomber who last month killed 25 people in the attack on the deputy chairman of the Senate had been based in the cave hideout. Islamic State claimed that attack. "The suicide bomber...was also sent by this group from same hideout," the military said. The military said the operation to clear the militants' hideout started on June 1 and finished two days later. "Terrorists who were hiding in caves offered stiff resistance," the military said, adding that five members of the security forces had been wounded. Troops destroyed a bomb-making facility in the cave and recovered a cache of arms and explosives, including six rocket launchers, it said. A spokesman for the LeJ-AL said last month his group had split with Islamic State due to "policy changes". The spokesman, Ali Bin Sufyan, did not elaborate on the differences but condemned the May 12 bomb attack on the convoy of Senator Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, which happened near Mastung. Separatist guerrillas in Baluchistan are also fighting the central government over what they see as the unfair exploitation of their province's significant gas and mineral deposits. (Reuters)

Pakistan says raid on cave hideout that kills 12 Islamic State-linked militants stops IS 'foothold'

Philippine security forces bombed a southern city on Thursday as they battled Islamist militants who were holding hostages and reported to have murdered at least 11 civilians.

An initial rampage by the gunmen, who have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, through the mainly Muslim city of Marawi on Tuesday prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to impose martial law across the southern third of the Philippines.

Authorities said ending the crisis was proving extremely hard because, although there were only 30 to 40 remaining gunmen, the militants were moving nimbly through homes, had planted bombs in the streets and were holding hostages.

Intense gunfighting could be heard constantly throughout the day, according to an AFP reporter in the city, and the military said it had dropped bombs on residential neighbourhoods.

&quot;We are using surgical airstrikes,&quot; local military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jo-Ar Herrera told reporters in Marawi shortly before big clouds of black smoke rose from a bombed area near the provincial government building.

Most of Marawi&#39;s 200,000 residents had fled the city, which is about 800 kilometres (500 miles) south of Manila, but Herrera said those who remained had been warned to get out of the areas where there was bombing and fighting.

&quot;We are requesting our people in Marawi to go to safe places... and to stay indoors,&quot; he said.

Five soldiers, two policemen and 13 militants have died in the three days of fighting, according to authorities.

Herrera said two civilians had also been killed inside a hospital that the gunmen had occupied on Tuesday, and the military was investigating reports that nine people had been murdered at a checkpoint the militants had set up.

Local GMA television network showed images of nine bullet-riddled bodies lying in a field with their hands tied together.

Duterte said on Wednesday that one of the policemen killed was similarly caught at a checkpoint set up by the militants, then beheaded.

The militants are also holding between 12 and 15 Catholic hostages abducted from a church, according to the local bishop, Edwin Dela Pena.

&nbsp;

Failed raid&nbsp; 
The fighting erupted on Tuesday after security forces raided a house where they believed Isnilon Hapilon, a leader of the infamous Abu Sayyaf kidnap-for-ransom gang and Philippine head of IS, was hiding.

The United States regards Hapilon as one of the world&#39;s most dangerous terrorists, offering a bounty of $5 million for his capture.

The raid went spectacularly wrong as dozens of gunmen emerged to repel the security forces, then went on a rampage across the city while flying black IS flags.

The gunmen belonged to the Maute group, which along with Hapilon&#39;s faction of the Abu Sayyaf, had pledged allegiance to IS, authorities said.

The militants raided two jails, leading to the escape of more than 100 inmates, according to Mujiv Hataman, the governor of a Muslim self-rule area that includes Marawi.

They also set fire to many buildings, including a church and a university.&nbsp;

An enraged Duterte, who was in Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, declared martial law shortly after the fighting erupted and cut short his trip to fly home and deal with the crisis.

&quot;It is brutality, cruelty,&quot; Duterte said on Wednesday after flying back to Manila.

&nbsp;

Rise of IS 
Duterte said martial law was required throughout the southern region of Mindanao, home to 20 million people, to stop the rising threat of hardline militants aligned to IS.

Muslim rebels have been fighting since the 1970s for an independent or autonomous homeland in Mindanao, with the conflict claiming more than 120,000 lives.

The main Muslim rebel groups are now involved in peace talks with the government.

But the Abu Sayyaf, Maute and other hardline groups want to set up an Islamic caliphate in the south for IS, according to Duterte and security analysts.

Duterte said Wednesday he may impose martial law throughout the rest of the country if he believed the terrorism threat was spreading.

The president, who has waged a controversial war on drugs that has claimed thousands of lives, warned martial law would be &quot;harsh&quot; and similar to military rule imposed by dictator Ferdinand Marcos a generation ago.

(AFP)

The troops are battling militants who have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and have allegedly killed at least 11 hostages

Philippine security forces bombed a southern city on Thursday as they battled Islamist militants who were holding hostages and reported to have murdered at least 11 civilians. An initial rampage by the gunmen, who have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, through the mainly Muslim city of Marawi on Tuesday prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to impose martial law across the southern third of the Philippines. Authorities said ending the crisis was proving extremely hard because, although there were only 30 to 40 remaining gunmen, the militants were moving nimbly through homes, had planted bombs in the streets and were holding hostages. Intense gunfighting could be heard constantly throughout the day, according to an AFP reporter in the city, and the military said it had dropped bombs on residential neighbourhoods. "We are using surgical airstrikes," local military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jo-Ar Herrera told reporters in Marawi shortly before big clouds of black smoke rose from a bombed area near the provincial government building. Most of Marawi's 200,000 residents had fled the city, which is about 800 kilometres (500 miles) south of Manila, but Herrera said those who remained had been warned to get out of the areas where there was bombing and fighting. "We are requesting our people in Marawi to go to safe places... and to stay indoors," he said. Five soldiers, two policemen and 13 militants have died in the three days of fighting, according to authorities. Herrera said two civilians had also been killed inside a hospital that the gunmen had occupied on Tuesday, and the military was investigating reports that nine people had been murdered at a checkpoint the militants had set up. Local GMA television network showed images of nine bullet-riddled bodies lying in a field with their hands tied together. Duterte said on Wednesday that one of the policemen killed was similarly caught at a checkpoint set up by the militants, then beheaded. The militants are also holding between 12 and 15 Catholic hostages abducted from a church, according to the local bishop, Edwin Dela Pena. Failed raid The fighting erupted on Tuesday after security forces raided a house where they believed Isnilon Hapilon, a leader of the infamous Abu Sayyaf kidnap-for-ransom gang and Philippine head of IS, was hiding. The United States regards Hapilon as one of the world's most dangerous terrorists, offering a bounty of $5 million for his capture. The raid went spectacularly wrong as dozens of gunmen emerged to repel the security forces, then went on a rampage across the city while flying black IS flags. The gunmen belonged to the Maute group, which along with Hapilon's faction of the Abu Sayyaf, had pledged allegiance to IS, authorities said. The militants raided two jails, leading to the escape of more than 100 inmates, according to Mujiv Hataman, the governor of a Muslim self-rule area that includes Marawi. They also set fire to many buildings, including a church and a university. An enraged Duterte, who was in Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, declared martial law shortly after the fighting erupted and cut short his trip to fly home and deal with the crisis. "It is brutality, cruelty," Duterte said on Wednesday after flying back to Manila. Rise of IS Duterte said martial law was required throughout the southern region of Mindanao, home to 20 million people, to stop the rising threat of hardline militants aligned to IS. Muslim rebels have been fighting since the 1970s for an independent or autonomous homeland in Mindanao, with the conflict claiming more than 120,000 lives. The main Muslim rebel groups are now involved in peace talks with the government. But the Abu Sayyaf, Maute and other hardline groups want to set up an Islamic caliphate in the south for IS, according to Duterte and security analysts. Duterte said Wednesday he may impose martial law throughout the rest of the country if he believed the terrorism threat was spreading. The president, who has waged a controversial war on drugs that has claimed thousands of lives, warned martial law would be "harsh" and similar to military rule imposed by dictator Ferdinand Marcos a generation ago. (AFP)

Philippine troops bomb Islamist militants in residential neighbourhoods

The DNA newspaper reported Tuesday that Pakistan, in a change of strategy, has also begun pushing &quot;preachers&quot; into Kashmir rather than just militants.&nbsp;

The preachers, the newspaper said, then recruit young men to take up arms against Indian security forces, the paper said.&nbsp;

India blames most of its Kashmir problems on Pakistan, saying its neighbour sneaks militants into the state from over the border.&nbsp;

&quot;The brief given to these individuals is fairly simple -- brainwash as many young men, including teenagers, into taking up arms, reveals a recent review done by Intelligence agencies and the army,&quot; the DNA reported.&nbsp;

&quot;Sources in the security establishment told DNA that out of the 150 Pakistani terrorists currently operating out of J&amp;K, 40 to 50 have not fired a bullet in recent times, but have become preachers tasked with recruiting and influencing youngsters to take on security forces,&quot; the newspaper added.&nbsp;

The DNA added that sources in the security establishment had told it that out of the 150 Pakistani militants currently operating out of Kashmir, &quot;40 to 50 have not fired a bullet in recent times&quot;.&nbsp;

The DNA report did not name its sources.&nbsp;

(WION)

A report in the DNA newspaper said the preachers are tasked with recruiting young men to take on Indian security forces

The DNA newspaper reported Tuesday that Pakistan, in a change of strategy, has also begun pushing "preachers" into Kashmir rather than just militants. The preachers, the newspaper said, then recruit young men to take up arms against Indian security forces, the paper said. India blames most of its Kashmir problems on Pakistan, saying its neighbour sneaks militants into the state from over the border. "The brief given to these individuals is fairly simple -- brainwash as many young men, including teenagers, into taking up arms, reveals a recent review done by Intelligence agencies and the army," the DNA reported. "Sources in the security establishment told DNA that out of the 150 Pakistani terrorists currently operating out of J&K, 40 to 50 have not fired a bullet in recent times, but have become preachers tasked with recruiting and influencing youngsters to take on security forces," the newspaper added. The DNA added that sources in the security establishment had told it that out of the 150 Pakistani militants currently operating out of Kashmir, "40 to 50 have not fired a bullet in recent times". The DNA report did not name its sources. (WION)

Pakistan pushing preachers into Kashmir: DNA

Three&nbsp;protesters were&nbsp;killed and 17 injured during a clash with security forces in Kashmir&#39;s Budgam region, PTI reported Tuesday. &nbsp;

&nbsp;Forty&nbsp;personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)&nbsp;and 20 Police personnel suffered injuries in the stone pelting, the CRPF said.

The protesters had begun to pelt stones at the security forces even as they were taking on militants&nbsp;in the Chadoora area of central Kashmir&#39;s Budgam district.&nbsp;

The security forces fired pellet guns and tear gas shells at the protesters to try and disperse them, PTI quoted an official as saying.

The encounter, which ended Tuesday afternoon, left an army soldier injured. One terrorist was shot dead by the security forces, ANI reported.

The CRPF said the encounter was a particularly different one, as they had to fight both&nbsp;militants and the stone pelting locals.

CRPF Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Dr Sanjay Kumar called on the locals of the Valley to steer clear of their operations and not pose as an obstruction.

&quot;I believe that the people of Kashmir should let law take its own course and not obstruct the operation as the operations are against militants. They should let us do our duty. We appeal to the people of Kashmir to stay away from the area of operations,&quot; he said.

The security forces had launched a search operation following a tipoff about the presence of terrorists, which then became an encounter.&nbsp;One terrorist was shot dead by the security forces in the encounter which ended Tuesday afternoon.&nbsp;An army soldier was injured. 
 
The&nbsp;army had earlier warned stone pelters against helping terrorists flee from the security forces, ANI reported.

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat had said that those who disrupted operations during encounters will be treated as &quot;overground workers of terrorists&quot;.

People creating hurdles during anti-terror operations and displaying flags of Pakistan and ISIS in Jammu and Kashmir will be dealt as anti-nationals and will face &quot;harsh&quot; actions, the Army Chief said.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has asked the Centre to explore an alternative to pellet guns to control protesters in Kashmir and also take action against parents of minors used as shields by militants during attacks on security forces.

This has been known to happen before in Kashmir, leading the army chief to say civilians who interfered with security forces&#39; operation would be thought of as &quot;overground workers of terrorists&quot;.&nbsp;

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said that the people of the state should realise that nothing could be achieved through war and violence and asked the people to come forward for talks.

The Chief Minister added that thousands of militants, security forces, civilians and police officials had died due to these attacks.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Nothing can be achieved through war and violence. Every year thousands of militants, civilians, security forces and police officials die due to these attacks,&quot; Mehbooba Mufti told the press. 
 
(WION)

60 security personnel were injured. CRPF said the encounter was difficult because they had to fight both militants and stone-pelting locals

Three protesters were killed and 17 injured during a clash with security forces in Kashmir's Budgam region, PTI reported Tuesday. Forty personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and 20 Police personnel suffered injuries in the stone pelting, the CRPF said. The protesters had begun to pelt stones at the security forces even as they were taking on militants in the Chadoora area of central Kashmir's Budgam district. The security forces fired pellet guns and tear gas shells at the protesters to try and disperse them, PTI quoted an official as saying. The encounter, which ended Tuesday afternoon, left an army soldier injured. One terrorist was shot dead by the security forces, ANI reported. The CRPF said the encounter was a particularly different one, as they had to fight both militants and the stone pelting locals. CRPF Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Dr Sanjay Kumar called on the locals of the Valley to steer clear of their operations and not pose as an obstruction. "I believe that the people of Kashmir should let law take its own course and not obstruct the operation as the operations are against militants. They should let us do our duty. We appeal to the people of Kashmir to stay away from the area of operations," he said. The security forces had launched a search operation following a tipoff about the presence of terrorists, which then became an encounter. One terrorist was shot dead by the security forces in the encounter which ended Tuesday afternoon. An army soldier was injured. The army had earlier warned stone pelters against helping terrorists flee from the security forces, ANI reported. Army Chief General Bipin Rawat had said that those who disrupted operations during encounters will be treated as "overground workers of terrorists". People creating hurdles during anti-terror operations and displaying flags of Pakistan and ISIS in Jammu and Kashmir will be dealt as anti-nationals and will face "harsh" actions, the Army Chief said. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has asked the Centre to explore an alternative to pellet guns to control protesters in Kashmir and also take action against parents of minors used as shields by militants during attacks on security forces. This has been known to happen before in Kashmir, leading the army chief to say civilians who interfered with security forces' operation would be thought of as "overground workers of terrorists". Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said that the people of the state should realise that nothing could be achieved through war and violence and asked the people to come forward for talks. The Chief Minister added that thousands of militants, security forces, civilians and police officials had died due to these attacks. "Nothing can be achieved through war and violence. Every year thousands of militants, civilians, security forces and police officials die due to these attacks," Mehbooba Mufti told the press. (WION)

Kashmir: 3 protesters killed, 17 injured after pelting stones at security forces taking on militants

A fierce encounter&nbsp;is underway in Jammu and Kashmir&#39;s Pulwama district between security forces and terrorists.

Two Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists have been killed in the encounter. One civilian is has also lost his life, according to PTI.&nbsp;

One of the terrorists has been identified as Jahangir Ahamd Ganaie of the LeT.

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Terrorist killed in Pulwama encounter has been identified as LeT&#39;s Jahangir Ahamd Ganaie, operation underway: CRPF
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The CRPF further said that there is unconfirmed presence of four-five terrorists in Pulwama&#39;s Padgampora area, according to ANI. The terrorists are holed up inside a house.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Padgampora viallge of Pulwama around 2.30am after getting tipped-off about the presence of terrorists in the area, PTI reported quoting&nbsp;a police official.&nbsp;

The train service&nbsp;between Banihal and Srinagar has been suspended as one of the stations on the route&nbsp;is close to the encounter site.

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J&amp;K: Authorities suspend train services from Banihal to Srinagar as one of the railway stations is near the Pulwama encounter site. <a href="https://t.co/4rKzS0zzOq">pic.twitter.com/4rKzS0zzOq</a>
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The encounter comes a few days after a fierce gunfight took place in Tral of Pulwama district where security forces killed two Hizbul militants. One policeman was killed and three soldiers were injured&nbsp;in the&nbsp;gunfight.

(WION&nbsp;with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Padgampora viallge of Pulwama around 2.30am

A fierce encounter is underway in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district between security forces and terrorists. Two Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists have been killed in the encounter. One civilian is has also lost his life, according to PTI. One of the terrorists has been identified as Jahangir Ahamd Ganaie of the LeT. Terrorist killed in Pulwama encounter has been identified as LeT's Jahangir Ahamd Ganaie, operation underway: CRPF — ANI (@ANI_news) March 9, 2017 × The CRPF further said that there is unconfirmed presence of four-five terrorists in Pulwama's Padgampora area, according to ANI. The terrorists are holed up inside a house. Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Padgampora viallge of Pulwama around 2.30am after getting tipped-off about the presence of terrorists in the area, PTI reported quoting a police official. The train service between Banihal and Srinagar has been suspended as one of the stations on the route is close to the encounter site. J&K: Authorities suspend train services from Banihal to Srinagar as one of the railway stations is near the Pulwama encounter site. pic.twitter.com/4rKzS0zzOq — ANI (@ANI_news) March 9, 2017 × The encounter comes a few days after a fierce gunfight took place in Tral of Pulwama district where security forces killed two Hizbul militants. One policeman was killed and three soldiers were injured in the gunfight. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Jammu and Kashmir: Two LeT terrorists killed in Pulwama, encounter underway

Six Pakistani soldiers were killed after militants from Afghanistan attacked several border posts in the country&#39;s restive northwest tribal region, the army said today.

After the attacks, Pakistan lodged a protest with Afghanistan and urged the government there to thoroughly investigate the incidents and take firm action against the terrorists operating from its soil to prevent recurrence of such incidents.

The attackers targeted border outpost in Mohmand and Khyber tribal region along the border with Afghanistan yesterday.

&quot;The terrorists from across the border last night attempted physical attack on three posts in Mohmand,&quot; military spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor said.

&quot;Effective presence, vigilance and response repulsed terrorists attempt. In exchange of fire 5 soldiers were killed,&quot; Ghafoor said.

Ten of the attackers were also believed to have been killed, he said.

Foreign Office (FO) spokesman Nafees Zakaria said another soldier was killed in Khyber as the result of firing by terrorists from Afghan territory, prompting Islamabad to launch a strong protest with Afghanistan.

A Pakistani Taliban breakaway faction, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, claimed responsibility for the attacks.

&quot;Afghan Deputy Head of Mission was called to the Foreign Office today for conveying Pakistan&#39;s grave concern over the incident,&quot; he said.

&quot;It was further emphasised that cooperation from Afghan side for effective border management was important for preventing cross-border movement of terrorists and militants,&quot; Zakaria said.

&quot;There is the need for required physical presence on Afghan side of the border for matching and effective border security,&quot; Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa said.

&quot;Terrorists are common threat and must be denied freedom of movement/action along the border,&quot; Bajwa said.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the attack by terrorists while appreciating the ultimate sacrifice by soldiers.

&quot;The soldiers who sacrificed their life are our real heroes and the nation promises to honour them by standing firm against terrorists nefarious designs to hit at our way of life,&quot; he said.

Last month, the Army has killed more than 100 suspected terrorists and also handed over to Afghanistan a list of 76 terrorists hiding across the border.

(PTI)

Ten of the attackers are also believed to be dead

Six Pakistani soldiers were killed after militants from Afghanistan attacked several border posts in the country's restive northwest tribal region, the army said today. After the attacks, Pakistan lodged a protest with Afghanistan and urged the government there to thoroughly investigate the incidents and take firm action against the terrorists operating from its soil to prevent recurrence of such incidents. The attackers targeted border outpost in Mohmand and Khyber tribal region along the border with Afghanistan yesterday. "The terrorists from across the border last night attempted physical attack on three posts in Mohmand," military spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor said. "Effective presence, vigilance and response repulsed terrorists attempt. In exchange of fire 5 soldiers were killed," Ghafoor said. Ten of the attackers were also believed to have been killed, he said. Foreign Office (FO) spokesman Nafees Zakaria said another soldier was killed in Khyber as the result of firing by terrorists from Afghan territory, prompting Islamabad to launch a strong protest with Afghanistan. A Pakistani Taliban breakaway faction, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, claimed responsibility for the attacks. "Afghan Deputy Head of Mission was called to the Foreign Office today for conveying Pakistan's grave concern over the incident," he said. "It was further emphasised that cooperation from Afghan side for effective border management was important for preventing cross-border movement of terrorists and militants," Zakaria said. "There is the need for required physical presence on Afghan side of the border for matching and effective border security," Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa said. "Terrorists are common threat and must be denied freedom of movement/action along the border," Bajwa said. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the attack by terrorists while appreciating the ultimate sacrifice by soldiers. "The soldiers who sacrificed their life are our real heroes and the nation promises to honour them by standing firm against terrorists nefarious designs to hit at our way of life," he said. Last month, the Army has killed more than 100 suspected terrorists and also handed over to Afghanistan a list of 76 terrorists hiding across the border. (PTI)

Pakistan: Six soldiers killed as militants attack border posts in tribal region

Three soldiers of the Indian Army were killed while three others were injured when militants attacked a&nbsp;patrol party in Shopian district of India&#39;s Jammu and Kashmir state.

One civilian woman was also killed when she was hit by a bullet inside her house during the exchange of fire, according to police, DNA reported.

The ambush happened when a joint patrol party of the 44 Rashtriya Rifles and the police were returning after conducting a search operation in Kungnoo village in Shopian, according to police as quoted by&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dnaindia.com/india/live-jammu-and-kashmir-jawans-soldiers-terrorist-attack-army-convoy-shopian-2332095">DNA</a>.

&quot;While returning from Kungnoo, the CASO party was attacked by unknown militants at Mulu Chitragam at about 2 am, resulting in injuries to six army personnel including two officers. Three of them later succumbed to their injuries&quot;, a police spokesman said.

On February 14, four soldiers of the Indian Army including a major were killed and 11 others were injured in two separate encounters in North Kashmir.

(WION)

&nbsp;

The army patrol party was returning after conducting a search operation

Three soldiers of the Indian Army were killed while three others were injured when militants attacked a patrol party in Shopian district of India's Jammu and Kashmir state. One civilian woman was also killed when she was hit by a bullet inside her house during the exchange of fire, according to police, DNA reported. The ambush happened when a joint patrol party of the 44 Rashtriya Rifles and the police were returning after conducting a search operation in Kungnoo village in Shopian, according to police as quoted by DNA. "While returning from Kungnoo, the CASO party was attacked by unknown militants at Mulu Chitragam at about 2 am, resulting in injuries to six army personnel including two officers. Three of them later succumbed to their injuries", a police spokesman said. On February 14, four soldiers of the Indian Army including a major were killed and 11 others were injured in two separate encounters in North Kashmir. (WION)

Indian Kashmir: 3 soldiers, one civilian killed in militant attack

An encounter took place between Indian security forces and militants in Yaripora of Kulgam district in Jammu and Kashmir.

The two sides engaged in a gun battle, according to TV reports. Bodies of two militants were recovered during the encounter.

According to the Indian Army, different unconfirmed figures on casualties of security forces and militants were doing the rounds as the operation was underway.

According to ANI&#39;s latest report, four militants have been killed in the encounter while there are others still holed up as the operation continues. Two security personnel and a civilian were killed while two jawans were injured.

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The house in Kulgam&#39;s Yaripora, where the militants were hiding. (ANI)
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Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Frisal area of Kulgam district in the wee hours following information about the presence of a large number of militants in the area, a police official told PTI. He said as the security forces were closing in on the position of the militants, the ultras opened firing resulting in injuries to five soldiers.

Two soldiers succumbed to injuries before they could be evacuated for treatment, the official said adding three jawans were airlifted to Army&#39;s 92 base hospital here and their condition was stated to be stable.

The security forces returned fire, ensuing in a fierce gun battle that lasted several hours in which four militants were killed, he added.

The search operations were still in progress as security forces suspect that some militants might have managed to escape to nearby areas, the official said.

Four weapons have been recovered from the scene of the gun battle and security forces were also trying to ascertain the identity and group affiliation of the slain militants, he added.

(This first appeared in DNA)

Two security personnel were injured in the same Sunday morning encounter

An encounter took place between Indian security forces and militants in Yaripora of Kulgam district in Jammu and Kashmir. The two sides engaged in a gun battle, according to TV reports. Bodies of two militants were recovered during the encounter. According to the Indian Army, different unconfirmed figures on casualties of security forces and militants were doing the rounds as the operation was underway. According to ANI's latest report, four militants have been killed in the encounter while there are others still holed up as the operation continues. Two security personnel and a civilian were killed while two jawans were injured. The house in Kulgam's Yaripora, where the militants were hiding. (ANI) × Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Frisal area of Kulgam district in the wee hours following information about the presence of a large number of militants in the area, a police official told PTI. He said as the security forces were closing in on the position of the militants, the ultras opened firing resulting in injuries to five soldiers. Two soldiers succumbed to injuries before they could be evacuated for treatment, the official said adding three jawans were airlifted to Army's 92 base hospital here and their condition was stated to be stable. The security forces returned fire, ensuing in a fierce gun battle that lasted several hours in which four militants were killed, he added. The search operations were still in progress as security forces suspect that some militants might have managed to escape to nearby areas, the official said. Four weapons have been recovered from the scene of the gun battle and security forces were also trying to ascertain the identity and group affiliation of the slain militants, he added. (This first appeared in DNA)

Four militants, two Indian security personnel and one civilian killed in Jammu and Kashmir gunbattle

Three suspected militants were shot dead by Indonesian anti-terror officers during a raid Wednesday, authorities said, with police discovering a cache of bombs at the scene of the shootout.

The firefight erupted at a house about 25 kilometres (15 miles) outside the capital Jakarta.

Police said the alleged militants had opened fire at officers.

&quot;Suddenly somebody threw something (at officers) and it was a man-made bomb, but it didn`t explode and there were shots from inside,&quot; police spokesman Rikwanto, who goes by one name, told Metro TV.

&quot;Police responded ... and three people (inside the house in South Tangerang) were killed.&quot;

Rikwanto said police had not ruled out the possibility the explosives were planned to be detonated in attacks over the holiday period.

The police have not revealed how many bombs were found in the house. One alleged militant was arrested.

The incident came less than two weeks after police arrested four Islamic militants, including a female suicide bomber, and a bomb in Bekasi, east of Jakarta.

The group in South Tangerang is linked to the Bekasi group, Rikwanto said.

A sustained crackdown in Indonesia, the world`s most populous Muslim-majority country, weakened many of the most dangerous extremist networks responsible for a string of deadly homegrown attacks during the 2000s.

But there have been fears of a resurgence in militancy and police believe hundreds of Indonesians have travelled to Syria to fight with militant groups including IS.

&nbsp;

(AFP)

The police have not revealed how many bombs were found in the house. One alleged militant was arrested

Three suspected militants were shot dead by Indonesian anti-terror officers during a raid Wednesday, authorities said, with police discovering a cache of bombs at the scene of the shootout. The firefight erupted at a house about 25 kilometres (15 miles) outside the capital Jakarta. Police said the alleged militants had opened fire at officers. "Suddenly somebody threw something (at officers) and it was a man-made bomb, but it didn`t explode and there were shots from inside," police spokesman Rikwanto, who goes by one name, told Metro TV. "Police responded ... and three people (inside the house in South Tangerang) were killed." Rikwanto said police had not ruled out the possibility the explosives were planned to be detonated in attacks over the holiday period. The police have not revealed how many bombs were found in the house. One alleged militant was arrested. The incident came less than two weeks after police arrested four Islamic militants, including a female suicide bomber, and a bomb in Bekasi, east of Jakarta. The group in South Tangerang is linked to the Bekasi group, Rikwanto said. A sustained crackdown in Indonesia, the world`s most populous Muslim-majority country, weakened many of the most dangerous extremist networks responsible for a string of deadly homegrown attacks during the 2000s. But there have been fears of a resurgence in militancy and police believe hundreds of Indonesians have travelled to Syria to fight with militant groups including IS. (AFP)

Three militants killed in Indonesia, bombs recovered

Three soldiers were killed and at least two wounded when militants opened fire at an army convoy in the restive state state of India&#39;s Kashmir on Saturday.

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Terrorists attacked an army convoy in Pampore, Pulwama district (J&amp;K); Search operation underway. (Visuals deferred by unspecified time) <a href="https://t.co/AF05dq7RuK">pic.twitter.com/AF05dq7RuK</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/810075098111688705">17 December 2016</a></blockquote>
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The attack occurred at&nbsp;Pampore in Pulwama district this afternoon, Indian police said.

Security forces have sealed off the adjoining residential area and are currently sweeping the place to track the ultras.

The attackers came on a motorcycle and fled after the attack.

&ldquo;Terrorists attacked, security forces retaliated. Public was present so we couldn&rsquo;t fire openly but terrorists were forced to run away,&rdquo; said IG (Operations) CRPF, The Indian Express reported.

&quot;A bad year in terms of security force casualties just got worse,&quot; former chief minister of the state Omar Abdullah tweeted.&nbsp;

Pampore has been at the centre of several such attacks in recent weeks, especially after India said it conducted surgical strikes to eliminate terror launchpads in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

(WION)

A search operation is under way to nab the militants in Kashmir's Pulwama district, police said

Three soldiers were killed and at least two wounded when militants opened fire at an army convoy in the restive state state of India's Kashmir on Saturday. Terrorists attacked an army convoy in Pampore, Pulwama district (J&K); Search operation underway. (Visuals deferred by unspecified time) pic.twitter.com/AF05dq7RuK — ANI (@ANI_news) 17 December 2016 × The attack occurred at Pampore in Pulwama district this afternoon, Indian police said. Security forces have sealed off the adjoining residential area and are currently sweeping the place to track the ultras. The attackers came on a motorcycle and fled after the attack. “Terrorists attacked, security forces retaliated. Public was present so we couldn’t fire openly but terrorists were forced to run away,” said IG (Operations) CRPF, The Indian Express reported. "A bad year in terms of security force casualties just got worse," former chief minister of the state Omar Abdullah tweeted. Pampore has been at the centre of several such attacks in recent weeks, especially after India said it conducted surgical strikes to eliminate terror launchpads in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. (WION)

Three Indian soldiers killed in Kashmir ambush attack

Assam Rifles neutralised two United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) militants and apprehended six others in India&rsquo;s north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh in an operation on Wednesday.

The operation was launched by troops of Assam Rifles in the dense forest of Changlang district in Arunachal Pradesh around 1.30 pm.

This apart, six other militants including one woman were apprehended by the security agencies.

During the operations, one rifle and one pistol were recovered from the possession of the militants.

A day ago, a battalion of Assam Rifles destroyed a camp of another militant outfit - National Socialist Council of Nagaland Khaplang (NSCN-K) in the same area.

A huge cache of ammunition, radio sets with batteries, insurgent combat uniforms, belts and backpack were recovered.

(WION)

The operation was launched by troops of Assam Rifles in the dense forest of Changlang district in northeastern India

Assam Rifles neutralised two United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) militants and apprehended six others in India’s north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh in an operation on Wednesday. The operation was launched by troops of Assam Rifles in the dense forest of Changlang district in Arunachal Pradesh around 1.30 pm. This apart, six other militants including one woman were apprehended by the security agencies. During the operations, one rifle and one pistol were recovered from the possession of the militants. A day ago, a battalion of Assam Rifles destroyed a camp of another militant outfit - National Socialist Council of Nagaland Khaplang (NSCN-K) in the same area. A huge cache of ammunition, radio sets with batteries, insurgent combat uniforms, belts and backpack were recovered. (WION)

Security forces neutralise 2 militants in India's Arunachal Pradesh

Turkish police detained nearly 200 pro-Kurdish Peoples` Democratic Party (HDP) officials on Monday over alleged links to Kurdish militants after deadly twin weekend blasts claimed by a radical Kurdish group.

The raids saw 198 HDP officials rounded up on suspicion of belonging to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers` Party (PKK) or producing propaganda for the group, state news agency Anadolu said.

Part of an anti-terror probe, the sweeping arrest operation came after weekend attacks killed 44 people in Istanbul, mostly police, which were claimed by the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK), seen as a radical offshoot of the PKK.

According to Anadolu, 20 officials in Istanbul -- including the HDP`s provincial head in the city, Aysel Guzel -- were taken into custody while another 18 were detained in the Turkish capital, among them the party`s Ankara chief Ibrahim Binici.

The other detentions took place in the southern provinces of Adana and Mersin, Manisa in western Turkey as well as Hakkari, Sanliurfa and Gaziantep in the country`s restive southeast.&nbsp;

The majority of detentions were in Mersin where 93 officials were taken into custody and accused of being PKK members, Anadolu said.

Last month, 10 HDP lawmakers -- including co-leaders Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag -- were arrested, causing international alarm. They are also accused of PKK membership or of promoting the group and are being held in pre-trial detention.&nbsp;

The PKK, which is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by Ankara, Brussels and Washington, has been waging an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984.

Since the collapse of a ceasefire in July last year, Ankara has vowed to wipe out the PKK and has conducted several military operations against the group.

There have been frequent clashes between security forces and PKK militants and almost daily attacks on the military carried out by the group`s fighters in the southeast.

The sweeping arrest operation came after weekend attacks killed 44 people in Istanbul, which were claimed by the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons

Turkish police detained nearly 200 pro-Kurdish Peoples` Democratic Party (HDP) officials on Monday over alleged links to Kurdish militants after deadly twin weekend blasts claimed by a radical Kurdish group. The raids saw 198 HDP officials rounded up on suspicion of belonging to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers` Party (PKK) or producing propaganda for the group, state news agency Anadolu said. Part of an anti-terror probe, the sweeping arrest operation came after weekend attacks killed 44 people in Istanbul, mostly police, which were claimed by the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK), seen as a radical offshoot of the PKK. According to Anadolu, 20 officials in Istanbul -- including the HDP`s provincial head in the city, Aysel Guzel -- were taken into custody while another 18 were detained in the Turkish capital, among them the party`s Ankara chief Ibrahim Binici. The other detentions took place in the southern provinces of Adana and Mersin, Manisa in western Turkey as well as Hakkari, Sanliurfa and Gaziantep in the country`s restive southeast. The majority of detentions were in Mersin where 93 officials were taken into custody and accused of being PKK members, Anadolu said. Last month, 10 HDP lawmakers -- including co-leaders Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag -- were arrested, causing international alarm. They are also accused of PKK membership or of promoting the group and are being held in pre-trial detention. The PKK, which is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by Ankara, Brussels and Washington, has been waging an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984. Since the collapse of a ceasefire in July last year, Ankara has vowed to wipe out the PKK and has conducted several military operations against the group. There have been frequent clashes between security forces and PKK militants and almost daily attacks on the military carried out by the group`s fighters in the southeast.

200 pro-Kurdish Peoples` Democratic Party officials detained by Turkish police

Extensive combing operations were being carried out Wednesday morning in&nbsp;Nagrota, in the Indian state of Kashmir, where terrorists attacked an Army base Tuesday, killing seven soldiers.

Army spokesman Lt. Col Manish Mehta said the combing operation&nbsp;began at&nbsp;daylight.&nbsp;

A group of heavily-armed militants in police uniform had stormed the army camp in Nagrota early morning Tuesday, triggering an intense gun battle that lasted hours.

That firefight soon turned into a hostage-like situation&nbsp;with 12 soldiers, two ladies and two children being held captive when the militants entered two buildings occupied by families, officers and men.&nbsp;

The captives were however successfully rescued.

The Indian army confirmed that two army officers and five soldiers were killed in the gun battle.

A senior army officer said heavily-armed militants disguised in police uniform stormed the 166 artillery unit, and opened indiscriminate fire.

The Army said in a statement that the militants had forced their way into the Officers&#39; Mess complex by throwing grenades and firing at the sentries.&nbsp;

The militants attacked the camp, about 11 km from Jammu, at 5.30 in the morning.&nbsp;The Army&#39;s 16 Corps is headquartered at Nagrota.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UPDATE?src=hash">#UPDATE</a> Nagrota(J&amp;K) attack: Terrorists attacked Army unit at 5.30 am today, two jawans injured. Firing continues
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/803428156501692416">November 29, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UPDATE?src=hash">#UPDATE</a>: Administration orders shutting down of schools in Nagrota(J&amp;K) after exchange of fire between Army and terrorists
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/803426955609522176">November 29, 2016</a></blockquote>
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In another incident, three suspected militants were killed in Ramgarh in the Samba district after the Border Security Force spotted &quot;suspicious movement&quot; along the International Border.

PTI later reported that a BSF DIG and four other security personnel were injured in a blast while carrying out mopping-up operations.&nbsp;

In view of the Nagrota attack, the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was closed to traffic Tuesday and an alert been sounded in Jammu city.

The district administration also closed all schools in Nagrota as a precautionary measure.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Militants had on Tuesday stormed an Army camp and for some hours held soldiers and women and children captive

Extensive combing operations were being carried out Wednesday morning in Nagrota, in the Indian state of Kashmir, where terrorists attacked an Army base Tuesday, killing seven soldiers. Army spokesman Lt. Col Manish Mehta said the combing operation began at daylight. A group of heavily-armed militants in police uniform had stormed the army camp in Nagrota early morning Tuesday, triggering an intense gun battle that lasted hours. That firefight soon turned into a hostage-like situation with 12 soldiers, two ladies and two children being held captive when the militants entered two buildings occupied by families, officers and men. The captives were however successfully rescued. The Indian army confirmed that two army officers and five soldiers were killed in the gun battle. A senior army officer said heavily-armed militants disguised in police uniform stormed the 166 artillery unit, and opened indiscriminate fire. The Army said in a statement that the militants had forced their way into the Officers' Mess complex by throwing grenades and firing at the sentries. The militants attacked the camp, about 11 km from Jammu, at 5.30 in the morning. The Army's 16 Corps is headquartered at Nagrota. #UPDATE Nagrota(J&K) attack: Terrorists attacked Army unit at 5.30 am today, two jawans injured. Firing continues — ANI (@ANI_news) November 29, 2016 × #UPDATE: Administration orders shutting down of schools in Nagrota(J&K) after exchange of fire between Army and terrorists — ANI (@ANI_news) November 29, 2016 × In another incident, three suspected militants were killed in Ramgarh in the Samba district after the Border Security Force spotted "suspicious movement" along the International Border. PTI later reported that a BSF DIG and four other security personnel were injured in a blast while carrying out mopping-up operations. In view of the Nagrota attack, the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was closed to traffic Tuesday and an alert been sounded in Jammu city. The district administration also closed all schools in Nagrota as a precautionary measure. (WION with inputs from agencies)

India: Combing ops on in Nagrota after attack that killed 7 soldiers

At least 250 militants from three jihadist groups, believed to be operating from Pakistan, are hiding in Kashmir and waiting to launch more attacks, top Indian government sources said.

Quoting Intelligence feed, the sources said Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen militants had infiltrated before the surgical strikes took place and were instructed by their handlers to target security forces stationed in the Valley, Indian news agency&nbsp;Press Trust of India reported.

Security has been beefed up along the Indian side of the Line of Control (a de facto border separating India and Pakistan) and the international border. But security gaps remain due to rough topography of the region.&nbsp;

Intelligence reports suggest that more terrorists are planning to infiltrate Kashmir using different entry points, including from Jammu.

The Indian government has instructed all security forces in India&#39;s northern state of Jammu and Kashmir to be alert to any possible infiltration attempts.&nbsp;

During the surgical strikes on the intervening night of September 28-29, maximum casualty was inflicted on the Lashkar-e-Taiba with almost 20 of their militants killed, according to assessment reports of radio intercepts&nbsp;belonging to the Indian Army.&nbsp;

(WION)

&nbsp;

Intelligence reports suggest that more terrorists are planning to infiltrate Kashmir using different entry points

At least 250 militants from three jihadist groups, believed to be operating from Pakistan, are hiding in Kashmir and waiting to launch more attacks, top Indian government sources said. Quoting Intelligence feed, the sources said Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen militants had infiltrated before the surgical strikes took place and were instructed by their handlers to target security forces stationed in the Valley, Indian news agency Press Trust of India reported. Security has been beefed up along the Indian side of the Line of Control (a de facto border separating India and Pakistan) and the international border. But security gaps remain due to rough topography of the region. Intelligence reports suggest that more terrorists are planning to infiltrate Kashmir using different entry points, including from Jammu. The Indian government has instructed all security forces in India's northern state of Jammu and Kashmir to be alert to any possible infiltration attempts. During the surgical strikes on the intervening night of September 28-29, maximum casualty was inflicted on the Lashkar-e-Taiba with almost 20 of their militants killed, according to assessment reports of radio intercepts belonging to the Indian Army. (WION)

At least 250 militants hiding in Kashmir to launch attacks: India

Militants linked to Islamic State have released photos that purport to show weapons and equipment that belonged to American soldiers and were captured by the group in eastern Afghanistan.

The photos, which came to light on Saturday, show an American portable rocket launcher, radio, grenades and other gear not commonly used by Afghan troops, as well as close-up views of identification cards for a US army soldier, Specialist Ryan Larson.

The US military command in Kabul denied any suggestion the soldier had been captured, saying he &quot;has been accounted for and remains in a duty status within his unit&quot;.

American special operations troops have been fighting alongside Afghan forces in a renewed offensive against militants who claim allegiance to Islamic State in Nangarhar Province, which borders Pakistan.

&quot;SPC Larson was attached to a unit conducting a partnered (operation) with Afghan Forces,&quot; US military spokesman Commander Ron Flesvig said in an emailed statement on Sunday.&nbsp;&quot;The soldier&#39;s ID&nbsp;and some of the equipment were left behind after the (operation). The loss of personal identification is unfortunate.&quot;

In July, US commanders said at least five special forces were injured in fighting in the province.

The website that published the photos speculated that the equipment and weapons were left behind during that engagement, but Flesvig said American officials are still trying to determine exactly when and how it was lost.

The push in Nangarhar came after President Barack Obama cleared American troops to take a more active role in fighting militants in Afghanistan.&nbsp;Besides advising work and special operations missions, American aircraft deployed at least 545 weapons in the first six months of 2016. 
 
(Reuters)

IS released photos on Saturday showing an American portable rocket launcher, radio, grenades and other gear not used by Afghan troops

Militants linked to Islamic State have released photos that purport to show weapons and equipment that belonged to American soldiers and were captured by the group in eastern Afghanistan. The photos, which came to light on Saturday, show an American portable rocket launcher, radio, grenades and other gear not commonly used by Afghan troops, as well as close-up views of identification cards for a US army soldier, Specialist Ryan Larson. The US military command in Kabul denied any suggestion the soldier had been captured, saying he "has been accounted for and remains in a duty status within his unit". American special operations troops have been fighting alongside Afghan forces in a renewed offensive against militants who claim allegiance to Islamic State in Nangarhar Province, which borders Pakistan. "SPC Larson was attached to a unit conducting a partnered (operation) with Afghan Forces," US military spokesman Commander Ron Flesvig said in an emailed statement on Sunday. "The soldier's ID and some of the equipment were left behind after the (operation). The loss of personal identification is unfortunate." In July, US commanders said at least five special forces were injured in fighting in the province. The website that published the photos speculated that the equipment and weapons were left behind during that engagement, but Flesvig said American officials are still trying to determine exactly when and how it was lost. The push in Nangarhar came after President Barack Obama cleared American troops to take a more active role in fighting militants in Afghanistan. Besides advising work and special operations missions, American aircraft deployed at least 545 weapons in the first six months of 2016. (Reuters)

Islamic State captures US weapons in Afghanistan

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

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

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

Pakistan army chief promises China firm crackdown on Uyghur militants

Militants stormed a gas facility in northern Iraq today, killing four workers and planting several explosives before security forces managed to regain control, security sources said. 
 
At least four gunmen with hand grenades broke through the external door of the AB2 gas compressor station, about 15 km (10 miles) northwest of Kirkuk, at around 0300 (1200 GMT), leaving two guards in critical condition. 
 
They proceeded to shoot dead four employees in a control room inside and planted explosives charges, at least five of which went off, the sources said. 
 
Forces from the elite counter-terrorism service then stormed the facility, regaining complete control and freeing 15 other employees who had hidden in a separate room. It was not yet clear if the attackers had been killed or if they had fled. 
 
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but Islamic State has previously targeted oil facilities in the area with explosives, repeatedly targeting oil wells at Khabbaz oilfield southwest of Kirkuk. 
 
Islamic State militants, who seized a third of the&nbsp;Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) producer&#39;s territory in 2014, have since been pushed back in many areas by an array of Iraqi forces backed by US-led coalition airstrikes. 
 
(Reuters)

Security forces stormed the facility and regained control freeing 15 employees. It is not clear if the four attackers died or they fled

Militants stormed a gas facility in northern Iraq today, killing four workers and planting several explosives before security forces managed to regain control, security sources said. At least four gunmen with hand grenades broke through the external door of the AB2 gas compressor station, about 15 km (10 miles) northwest of Kirkuk, at around 0300 (1200 GMT), leaving two guards in critical condition. They proceeded to shoot dead four employees in a control room inside and planted explosives charges, at least five of which went off, the sources said. Forces from the elite counter-terrorism service then stormed the facility, regaining complete control and freeing 15 other employees who had hidden in a separate room. It was not yet clear if the attackers had been killed or if they had fled. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but Islamic State has previously targeted oil facilities in the area with explosives, repeatedly targeting oil wells at Khabbaz oilfield southwest of Kirkuk. Islamic State militants, who seized a third of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) producer's territory in 2014, have since been pushed back in many areas by an array of Iraqi forces backed by US-led coalition airstrikes. (Reuters)

Militants storm Iraq gas compressor station, kill 4

The US State Department said yesterday that Nusra Front militants remained a fair target for US and Russian warplanes in Syria despite a decision to cut ties with al Qaeda and change its name to Jabhat Fatah al Sham, and it was seeking clarification from Turkey on detentions of journalists following an attempted coup there. 
 
State Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters at a news conference that the Nusra Front&#39;s announcement could simply be a rebranding exercise and the United States would judge it by its actions, goals and ideology. 
 
&quot;Certainly see no reason to believe that their actions or their objectives are any different, and they are still considered a foreign terrorist organisation,&quot; Kirby said. 
 
&quot;They are still not a party to the cessation of hostilities and therefore are still a fair target for coalition operations,&quot; he added. 
 
Kirby also said the Russian and Syrian humanitarian exercise around Aleppo on Thursday appeared to actually be an attempt to force the evacuation of civilians and the surrender of militant groups. 
 
&quot;What needs to happen is the innocent people of Aleppo should be able to stay in their homes, safely, and to receive the humanitarian access which Russia and the regime have agreed, in principle have agreed, certainly according to the UN Security Council resolution, to provide,&quot; Kirby said. 
 
The United States understands Turkey&#39;s need to hold perpetrators of the recent attempted coup to account but the detention of more journalists is part of a worrisome trend that discourages public discourse, Kirby told reporters. 
 
&quot;We&#39;re obviously deeply concerned by the reports and were seeking additional information from Turkish authorities. As you well know and as I&#39;ve said many many times from the podium the United States supports freedom of expression around the world. And we have concerns when any country makes a move to close down media outlets and restrict this universal value. We expect Turkish authorities to uphold their assurances that the Turkish government will protect the rule of law and fundamental freedoms,&quot; he said. 
 
The moves follow a failed coup on July 15 in which at least 246 people were killed and more than 2,000 injured. 
 
Western governments and human rights groups have condemned the coup, but they have also expressed disquiet over the scale and depth of the purges, fearing that Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan may be using them to get rid of opponents and tighten his grip on power. 
 
(Reuters)

State Department spokesman said the Front is still considered a terrorist organisation and their actions will be no different than before

The US State Department said yesterday that Nusra Front militants remained a fair target for US and Russian warplanes in Syria despite a decision to cut ties with al Qaeda and change its name to Jabhat Fatah al Sham, and it was seeking clarification from Turkey on detentions of journalists following an attempted coup there. State Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters at a news conference that the Nusra Front's announcement could simply be a rebranding exercise and the United States would judge it by its actions, goals and ideology. "Certainly see no reason to believe that their actions or their objectives are any different, and they are still considered a foreign terrorist organisation," Kirby said. "They are still not a party to the cessation of hostilities and therefore are still a fair target for coalition operations," he added. Kirby also said the Russian and Syrian humanitarian exercise around Aleppo on Thursday appeared to actually be an attempt to force the evacuation of civilians and the surrender of militant groups. "What needs to happen is the innocent people of Aleppo should be able to stay in their homes, safely, and to receive the humanitarian access which Russia and the regime have agreed, in principle have agreed, certainly according to the UN Security Council resolution, to provide," Kirby said. The United States understands Turkey's need to hold perpetrators of the recent attempted coup to account but the detention of more journalists is part of a worrisome trend that discourages public discourse, Kirby told reporters. "We're obviously deeply concerned by the reports and were seeking additional information from Turkish authorities. As you well know and as I've said many many times from the podium the United States supports freedom of expression around the world. And we have concerns when any country makes a move to close down media outlets and restrict this universal value. We expect Turkish authorities to uphold their assurances that the Turkish government will protect the rule of law and fundamental freedoms," he said. The moves follow a failed coup on July 15 in which at least 246 people were killed and more than 2,000 injured. Western governments and human rights groups have condemned the coup, but they have also expressed disquiet over the scale and depth of the purges, fearing that Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan may be using them to get rid of opponents and tighten his grip on power. (Reuters)

US: Nusra Front military target despite name change, break with Qaeda

Gunmen today killed two Pakistan army officials in Karachi, where paramilitary forces have been cracking down on Islamist militants and criminal gangs for almost three years, police and media said. 
 
The killings are the latest attacks in the busy port city of 20 million people riven by political, ethnic and sectarian violence, where one of the most popular singers of Sufi devotional music, Amjad Sabri, was shot dead last month. 
 
Police said the soldiers, who belonged to an intelligence agency, were patrolling a crowded area of the southern city when their vehicle was attacked. &quot;The attackers were on a motorcycle and managed to escape through the congested narrow lanes,&quot; senior police officer Raja Umar Khattab told Reuters. 
 
Karachi police chief Mushtaq Mehar said one of the victims died and the other was in critical condition, but the death of the second was confirmed by a doctor at the city&#39;s Jinnah Hospital, which received both bodies. 
 
Better security in Karachi has been one of the showcase successes of the crackdown, although two days before Sabri&#39;s killing, the son of the provincial chief justice was kidnapped from an upscale shopping area. He was rescued later. 
 
Karachi&#39;s murder rate fell by half after the paramilitary Rangers, who answer to the Ministry of Interior and the army, launched the crackdown in 2014, targeting suspected militants and criminals. 
 
Political activists have accused the Rangers of heavy-handed tactics, including summary executions and targeting political parties. The paramilitary force denies the charges. 
 
(Reuters)

The killings are the latest attacks in the busy port city of 20 million people riven by political, ethnic and sectarian violence

Gunmen today killed two Pakistan army officials in Karachi, where paramilitary forces have been cracking down on Islamist militants and criminal gangs for almost three years, police and media said. The killings are the latest attacks in the busy port city of 20 million people riven by political, ethnic and sectarian violence, where one of the most popular singers of Sufi devotional music, Amjad Sabri, was shot dead last month. Police said the soldiers, who belonged to an intelligence agency, were patrolling a crowded area of the southern city when their vehicle was attacked. "The attackers were on a motorcycle and managed to escape through the congested narrow lanes," senior police officer Raja Umar Khattab told Reuters. Karachi police chief Mushtaq Mehar said one of the victims died and the other was in critical condition, but the death of the second was confirmed by a doctor at the city's Jinnah Hospital, which received both bodies. Better security in Karachi has been one of the showcase successes of the crackdown, although two days before Sabri's killing, the son of the provincial chief justice was kidnapped from an upscale shopping area. He was rescued later. Karachi's murder rate fell by half after the paramilitary Rangers, who answer to the Ministry of Interior and the army, launched the crackdown in 2014, targeting suspected militants and criminals. Political activists have accused the Rangers of heavy-handed tactics, including summary executions and targeting political parties. The paramilitary force denies the charges. (Reuters)

Gunmen shoot two military officials to death in Pakistan's Karachi

Pakistani authorities today arrested the mayor-elect of Karachi and two other prominent opposition politicians, police said, accusing them of aiding criminals and militants. 
 
Waseem Akhtar, a member of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) party, was elected mayor of Karachi in December, but has not yet taken office due to delays in finalising local council elections in a couple of areas of the city. 
 
Saqib Ismail, a senior police officer in Karachi, told Reuters Akhtar and another MQM member, Rauf Siddiqui, were arrested on suspicion of sheltering and providing medical treatment to alleged militants and criminals. 
 
Ismail added that Anis Kaimkhani from the Pak Sarzameen Party was also arrested in Karachi, a teeming metropolis of about 20 million. 
 
&quot;All three accused will be shifted to Central Jail,&quot; said Ismail, adding that police were conducting raids to arrest a fourth politician, Qadir Patel, who belongs to the Pakistan People&#39;s Party (PPP). 
 
Party leaders were not immediately available to comment on the latest arrests, but the lawyer of mayor-elect Akhtar told media he would challenge the arrests in court on Wednesday. 
 
The arrests are part of an ongoing military-driven crackdown in Karachi and follow the high-profile arrest last year of Dr. Asim Hussain, a petroleum minister in a former PPP-led government. 
 
Hussain is accused of harbouring and providing medical treatment to militants and criminals at his Karachi hospital on the behest of the three politicians arrested today. 
 
The latest arrests are likely to raise new accusations that Pakistan&#39;s powerful military is seeking to strengthen its grip on the country&#39;s largest and wealthiest city and weaken civilian parties. 
 
Most of the hundreds of people targeted by paramilitary forces in recent months on accusations of political corruption and violence have belonged to the MQM. The PPP has in the past condemned Hussain&#39;s arrest and called it politically motivated. 
 
The paramilitary Sindh Rangers have in the past said the Karachi crackdown is necessary to break the cycle of violence and corruption in a city that accounts for half of Pakistan&#39;s national revenues and hosts the stock exchange, central bank and two ports. 
 
Karachi has also long been a hub of violence often linked to political rivalry. 
 
(Reuters)

The three arrested have been accused of aiding criminals and militants. They will be shifted to Pakistan Central Jail

Pakistani authorities today arrested the mayor-elect of Karachi and two other prominent opposition politicians, police said, accusing them of aiding criminals and militants. Waseem Akhtar, a member of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) party, was elected mayor of Karachi in December, but has not yet taken office due to delays in finalising local council elections in a couple of areas of the city. Saqib Ismail, a senior police officer in Karachi, told Reuters Akhtar and another MQM member, Rauf Siddiqui, were arrested on suspicion of sheltering and providing medical treatment to alleged militants and criminals. Ismail added that Anis Kaimkhani from the Pak Sarzameen Party was also arrested in Karachi, a teeming metropolis of about 20 million. "All three accused will be shifted to Central Jail," said Ismail, adding that police were conducting raids to arrest a fourth politician, Qadir Patel, who belongs to the Pakistan People's Party (PPP). Party leaders were not immediately available to comment on the latest arrests, but the lawyer of mayor-elect Akhtar told media he would challenge the arrests in court on Wednesday. The arrests are part of an ongoing military-driven crackdown in Karachi and follow the high-profile arrest last year of Dr. Asim Hussain, a petroleum minister in a former PPP-led government. Hussain is accused of harbouring and providing medical treatment to militants and criminals at his Karachi hospital on the behest of the three politicians arrested today. The latest arrests are likely to raise new accusations that Pakistan's powerful military is seeking to strengthen its grip on the country's largest and wealthiest city and weaken civilian parties. Most of the hundreds of people targeted by paramilitary forces in recent months on accusations of political corruption and violence have belonged to the MQM. The PPP has in the past condemned Hussain's arrest and called it politically motivated. The paramilitary Sindh Rangers have in the past said the Karachi crackdown is necessary to break the cycle of violence and corruption in a city that accounts for half of Pakistan's national revenues and hosts the stock exchange, central bank and two ports. Karachi has also long been a hub of violence often linked to political rivalry. (Reuters)

Pakistan arrests Karachi mayor-elect, two opposition politicians

Police in Dhaka on Saturday arrested three people, including a university professor, for failing to register information about tenants renting a property who later attacked a cafe in the city, killing 20 people. 
 
Earlier this year, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) issued an order to all apartment owners to provide details of their tenants for a database to help police crack down on criminals and militants using rented accommodation as hideouts. 
 
Gias Uddin Ahsan, a professor at North South University in Dhaka, his nephew, and the manager of Ahsan&#39;s apartment were arrested by DMP for failing to comply with rules forcing landlords to register information about their tenants with the police, Mohammad Masudur Rahman, a senior police official told Reuters. 
 
The men will appear in court today, he said. 
 
Five militants who were killed by police after they stormed the cafe on July 1 had rented the apartment along with another person in a nearby residential area in May and started living there from June, Rahman said. 
 
&quot;From here they attacked the cafe. There were other militants also who fled after the attack,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;We also found evidence that they kept grenades and other explosives in the apartment. If we had been informed they were living there, then that brutal killing would not have been possible and we could also have arrested the other militants who fled.&quot; 
 
Bangladesh has suffered a series of attacks on liberal and secular bloggers, LGBT rights activists, university teachers and members of religious minorities over the past year. The government says two domestic militant groups trying to replace secular democracy with Islamic sharia rule are responsible for the violence. 
 
Twenty people including 18 foreigners were killed before police stormed the cafe, rescued 13 hostages and shot five of the attackers dead. 
 
Interior Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said on Saturday that investigators had identified the masterminds of the attack and that the remaining perpetrators would soon be arrested. 
 
Some of the assailants had attended prestigious schools or universities and had been reported missing, according to the police. One was the son of a politician. 
 
(Reuters)

The landlords failed to register information about their tenants with police, a new law enacted earlier this year to help catch criminals

Police in Dhaka on Saturday arrested three people, including a university professor, for failing to register information about tenants renting a property who later attacked a cafe in the city, killing 20 people. Earlier this year, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) issued an order to all apartment owners to provide details of their tenants for a database to help police crack down on criminals and militants using rented accommodation as hideouts. Gias Uddin Ahsan, a professor at North South University in Dhaka, his nephew, and the manager of Ahsan's apartment were arrested by DMP for failing to comply with rules forcing landlords to register information about their tenants with the police, Mohammad Masudur Rahman, a senior police official told Reuters. The men will appear in court today, he said. Five militants who were killed by police after they stormed the cafe on July 1 had rented the apartment along with another person in a nearby residential area in May and started living there from June, Rahman said. "From here they attacked the cafe. There were other militants also who fled after the attack," he said. "We also found evidence that they kept grenades and other explosives in the apartment. If we had been informed they were living there, then that brutal killing would not have been possible and we could also have arrested the other militants who fled." Bangladesh has suffered a series of attacks on liberal and secular bloggers, LGBT rights activists, university teachers and members of religious minorities over the past year. The government says two domestic militant groups trying to replace secular democracy with Islamic sharia rule are responsible for the violence. Twenty people including 18 foreigners were killed before police stormed the cafe, rescued 13 hostages and shot five of the attackers dead. Interior Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said on Saturday that investigators had identified the masterminds of the attack and that the remaining perpetrators would soon be arrested. Some of the assailants had attended prestigious schools or universities and had been reported missing, according to the police. One was the son of a politician. (Reuters)

Bangladesh police arrest three who rented property to cafe attackers

At least 15 men from India&#39;s southern state of Kerala are suspected to have joined the powerful Islamic State, fear their family members. 
 
The youths have been missing since July 8 from their home town Kasaragod. 
 
Family members said they were informed of their children&#39;s likely attachment with the militant organisation by one of their friends. 
 
They have written to state chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan asking him to investigate the matter. 
 
&quot;We are ready to take him back after proper procedure and verification by the police, otherwise&hellip;going to some foreign land to join some militant organisation&hellip; we don&#39;t need him here,&quot; said the father of one of the missing youths, Hamlin. 
 
Two other missing youths have been identified as Hafesudheen Theke Koleth and Azees Hussain. 
 
Islamic State has struggled to win over recruits in India, which is home to the world&#39;s third-largest Muslim population. 
 
Indian police arrested 29 men last year for establishing bases to recruit men to the Islamist militant group. All the men were charged with conspiracy to wage war against the state. 
 
A handful of Indians are also suspected of having travelled to Iraq and Syria to join Islamic State, where the group is fighting to install an Islamic caliphate. 
 
(Reuters)

Family members said they were told their children might have joined the militant goup by one of their friends.

At least 15 men from India's southern state of Kerala are suspected to have joined the powerful Islamic State, fear their family members. The youths have been missing since July 8 from their home town Kasaragod. Family members said they were informed of their children's likely attachment with the militant organisation by one of their friends. They have written to state chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan asking him to investigate the matter. "We are ready to take him back after proper procedure and verification by the police, otherwise…going to some foreign land to join some militant organisation… we don't need him here," said the father of one of the missing youths, Hamlin. Two other missing youths have been identified as Hafesudheen Theke Koleth and Azees Hussain. Islamic State has struggled to win over recruits in India, which is home to the world's third-largest Muslim population. Indian police arrested 29 men last year for establishing bases to recruit men to the Islamist militant group. All the men were charged with conspiracy to wage war against the state. A handful of Indians are also suspected of having travelled to Iraq and Syria to join Islamic State, where the group is fighting to install an Islamic caliphate. (Reuters)

Families fear 15 missing Indian youths might have joined IS

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