Two people were arrested today in connection with Saturday night&#39;s terror attack at a Dhaka cafe in which 22 people, mostly foreigners, were brutally killed by suspected IS militants, as authorities stepped up the probe into the international links of the hostage-takers. 
 
Inspector general of police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Haque, however, did not disclose the identities of either of the detainees or where they were being kept. 
 
He said they were both physically unwell and will be quizzed after their condition improves. 
 
&quot;One of them is in hospital, the other is in custody,&quot; he said. 
 
Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the Bangladesh Army said one terrorist was captured alive from the site of the attack. However, the identity of the suspect was not disclosed. 
 
&quot;They (attackers) may have some contact with international terrorist groups,&quot; he said. 
 
Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the killing of the 20 hostages and two police officers during the 12-hour siege that ended after the army stormed the Holey Artisan Bakery, popular with expats in the diplomatic zone here, killing six attackers and capturing one alive. 
 
Hostages who were killed include 19-year-old Indian girl Tarishi Jain. Nine Italians, 7 Japanese, one American of Bangladeshi origin, and two Bangladeshis were also among the people who were killed. 
 
&quot;You have seen the pictures of the slain militants supplied to the media, we have found out the background of four of them,&quot; a senior police officer, familiar with the investigation, told PTI, preferring anonymity. 
 
The official added that all the attackers were in their 20s. Four of them came from wealthy families and studied at elite schools and universities in Dhaka and abroad. 
 
One of the slain assaulters was studying in a Malaysian university while his family said they had no idea that he returned home and took part in the attack. 
 
He said the fifth youth hailed from a village in northwestern Bogra district and studied in a madrassa, led the attackers during the Friday night&#39;s massacre. 
 
&quot;This Khairul (of Bogra) was wanted by police for the past seven months for three deadly militant attacks in northwestern region...We understand it is him who led the Holey Artisan restaurant attack on that night,&quot; the official said. 
 
Prothom Alo Khairul was missing for the past several months. Bogra police had detained his parents for questioning. 
 
One of the slain attackers, private BRAC university student Rohan Imtiaz, was the son of a leader of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina&#39;s ruling Awami League, while his mother was a teacher Dhaka&#39;s posh Scholastica School. 
 
The family reported him missing in December last year. 
 
Of the five pictures of five bodies provided by police, four appeared to be the ones seen in the photos on Facebook in which the youths were seen smiling in front of a black Islamic State flag. 
 
(PTI)

Cops said one militant is in the hospital and the other is in custody. They will be questioned once their physical condition improves

Two people were arrested today in connection with Saturday night's terror attack at a Dhaka cafe in which 22 people, mostly foreigners, were brutally killed by suspected IS militants, as authorities stepped up the probe into the international links of the hostage-takers. Inspector general of police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Haque, however, did not disclose the identities of either of the detainees or where they were being kept. He said they were both physically unwell and will be quizzed after their condition improves. "One of them is in hospital, the other is in custody," he said. Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the Bangladesh Army said one terrorist was captured alive from the site of the attack. However, the identity of the suspect was not disclosed. "They (attackers) may have some contact with international terrorist groups," he said. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the killing of the 20 hostages and two police officers during the 12-hour siege that ended after the army stormed the Holey Artisan Bakery, popular with expats in the diplomatic zone here, killing six attackers and capturing one alive. Hostages who were killed include 19-year-old Indian girl Tarishi Jain. Nine Italians, 7 Japanese, one American of Bangladeshi origin, and two Bangladeshis were also among the people who were killed. "You have seen the pictures of the slain militants supplied to the media, we have found out the background of four of them," a senior police officer, familiar with the investigation, told PTI, preferring anonymity. The official added that all the attackers were in their 20s. Four of them came from wealthy families and studied at elite schools and universities in Dhaka and abroad. One of the slain assaulters was studying in a Malaysian university while his family said they had no idea that he returned home and took part in the attack. He said the fifth youth hailed from a village in northwestern Bogra district and studied in a madrassa, led the attackers during the Friday night's massacre. "This Khairul (of Bogra) was wanted by police for the past seven months for three deadly militant attacks in northwestern region...We understand it is him who led the Holey Artisan restaurant attack on that night," the official said. Prothom Alo Khairul was missing for the past several months. Bogra police had detained his parents for questioning. One of the slain attackers, private BRAC university student Rohan Imtiaz, was the son of a leader of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling Awami League, while his mother was a teacher Dhaka's posh Scholastica School. The family reported him missing in December last year. Of the five pictures of five bodies provided by police, four appeared to be the ones seen in the photos on Facebook in which the youths were seen smiling in front of a black Islamic State flag. (PTI)

Bangladesh police arrest two in connection with bakery attack

Bangladeshi police are trying to confirm the names of Islamist militants who attacked a Dhaka restaurant, killing 20 people, checking whether the identification of some by friends on social media is correct, officials said on Monday. 
 
Islamic State (IS) posted pictures of five fighters it said were involved in Friday&#39;s killings in Dhaka&#39;s diplomatic zone. Most of the victims, according to reports, were from Italy, Japan, India and the United States. 
 
&quot;Let the people of the crusader countries know that there is no safety for them as long as their aircraft are killing Muslims,&quot; it said in a statement. 
 
Posts on Facebook identified three of the five, whose grinning images appeared in front of a black flag, as Nibras Islam, Rohan Imtiaz and Meer Saameh Mubasheer. 
 
Police have said all six gunmen killed were locals and five were on a government militant watchlist. But they also said they were holding off before confirming their identities. 
 
Whoever was responsible, Friday&#39;s attack marked a major escalation in scale and brutality by militants demanding Islamic rule in Bangladesh, whose 160 million people are mostly Muslim. 
&nbsp;
<div> 
Majority of attackers came from elite backgrounds&nbsp; 
 
Some of the men went to an elite public school in Dhaka, Scholastic, and then college at North South University in the capital and Monash University in Malaysia, according to the posts. Masudur Rahman, deputy police commissioner of Dhaka police, said officers were probing those links. 
 
&quot;A majority of the boys who attacked the restaurant came from very good educational institutions. Some went to sophisticated schools. Their families are relatively well-to-do people,&quot; Bangladeshi information minister Hasanul Haq Inu told India&#39;s NDTV. 
 
Police arrested a seventh man at the restaurant who they suspect played a role in the attack. He is currently in hospital. 
 
Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan believes home-grown militants are responsible for a wave of killings against minority groups in the past year and a half were to blame for Friday&#39;s bloodshed. 
 
The plan is to look for family members of the gunmen, conduct DNA tests and investigate their links to international groups, Rahman said. 
 
Bangladesh&#39;s $26 billion garment industry is braced for the fallout from the killings, fearing major retailers from Uniqlo to Marks and Spencer and Gap Inc could rethink their investment. 
 
Japan&#39;s Fast Retailing Co, owner of the Uniqlo casual-wear brand, will suspend all but critical travel to Bangladesh and has told staff there to stay home. 
 
US secretary of state John Kerry has offered Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina help in the investigation. 
 
&quot;The secretary (Kerry) encouraged the government of Bangladesh to conduct its investigation in accordance with the highest international standards and offered immediate assistance from US law enforcement, including the FBI,&quot; US state department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement. 
 
(Reuters)</div>

Whoever was responsible, Friday's attack marked a major escalation in scale and brutality by militants demanding Islamic rule in Bangladesh

Bangladeshi police are trying to confirm the names of Islamist militants who attacked a Dhaka restaurant, killing 20 people, checking whether the identification of some by friends on social media is correct, officials said on Monday. Islamic State (IS) posted pictures of five fighters it said were involved in Friday's killings in Dhaka's diplomatic zone. Most of the victims, according to reports, were from Italy, Japan, India and the United States. "Let the people of the crusader countries know that there is no safety for them as long as their aircraft are killing Muslims," it said in a statement. Posts on Facebook identified three of the five, whose grinning images appeared in front of a black flag, as Nibras Islam, Rohan Imtiaz and Meer Saameh Mubasheer. Police have said all six gunmen killed were locals and five were on a government militant watchlist. But they also said they were holding off before confirming their identities. Whoever was responsible, Friday's attack marked a major escalation in scale and brutality by militants demanding Islamic rule in Bangladesh, whose 160 million people are mostly Muslim. Majority of attackers came from elite backgrounds Some of the men went to an elite public school in Dhaka, Scholastic, and then college at North South University in the capital and Monash University in Malaysia, according to the posts. Masudur Rahman, deputy police commissioner of Dhaka police, said officers were probing those links. "A majority of the boys who attacked the restaurant came from very good educational institutions. Some went to sophisticated schools. Their families are relatively well-to-do people," Bangladeshi information minister Hasanul Haq Inu told India's NDTV. Police arrested a seventh man at the restaurant who they suspect played a role in the attack. He is currently in hospital. Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan believes home-grown militants are responsible for a wave of killings against minority groups in the past year and a half were to blame for Friday's bloodshed. The plan is to look for family members of the gunmen, conduct DNA tests and investigate their links to international groups, Rahman said. Bangladesh's $26 billion garment industry is braced for the fallout from the killings, fearing major retailers from Uniqlo to Marks and Spencer and Gap Inc could rethink their investment. Japan's Fast Retailing Co, owner of the Uniqlo casual-wear brand, will suspend all but critical travel to Bangladesh and has told staff there to stay home. US secretary of state John Kerry has offered Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina help in the investigation. "The secretary (Kerry) encouraged the government of Bangladesh to conduct its investigation in accordance with the highest international standards and offered immediate assistance from US law enforcement, including the FBI," US state department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement. (Reuters)

Dhaka cafe siege: Bangladesh police try to confirm identity of assailants from FB posts

Early in June, a man walked into the Dhaka premises of the Ramakrishna Mission, a Hindu centre for spirituality and learning in the Bangladesh capital, and delivered a handwritten note warning of an attack by Islamic State. 
 
Days later, armed policemen were sitting inside the mission&#39;s compound among orange-robed monks, the gates outside were closed and fewer people than normal showed up at a medical clinic it runs for the neighbourhood. 
 
&quot;We are monks, we will live and die here, but people with families are worried,&quot; Swami Shivananda, a priest managing the administration of the mission, said of the country&#39;s Hindu community, which accounts for 10 per cent of the population. 
 
Islamic State and al Qaeda have claimed responsibility for the killings of more than 30 people since early last year, in an escalation of militant violence targeting liberals, atheists, foreigners, gays and religious minorities. 
 
They have shocked the largely moderate Muslim country of 160 million people and heightened fears that Bangladesh, once hailed as the next Asian tiger economy with its huge garment industry, could lose out to more stable competitors in the region. 
 
Unlike some security experts, Bangladesh authorities say the two international jihadi movements are not directly involved in the murders, many of which were carried out with machetes. 
 
But, as the police at the Hindu mission attest, the danger is real, and counter-terrorism officials warn it could get worse with one local militant group adopting al Qaeda&#39;s methods and calling on the expertise of a former army major implicated in a failed 2011 coup. 
 
Deadly rivalry&nbsp; 
 
Security officials say two local militant groups, Ansar-al-Islam and Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, are behind the killings. 
 
Of the two, Ansar, which pledges allegiance to al Qaeda, has emerged as the most organised and dangerous, they say, while Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen is seen as a looser organisation that claims it represents Islamic State but has no proven links to it. 
 
&quot;By now we have a clear idea of the organisational structure, command and control and methods of operations of Ansar-al-Islam,&quot; Monirul Islam, chief of Bangladesh&#39;s counter-terrorism police, told Reuters in a recent interview. 
 
&quot;They follow the ideology of al Qaeda, their operational leaders are mostly educated men, (from a) middle class background. They declare their allegiance to al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and, through it, to Ayman al-Zawahri,&quot; he said, referring to al Qaeda&#39;s global leader. 
 
According to Thomas Joscelyn, senior editor at The Long War Journal that tracks jihadi groups worldwide, there was evidence of more direct links between Bangladesh and al Qaeda, and he warned the Islamist militant threat had been underestimated. 
 
&quot;We now have competition between al Qaeda and the Islamic State in Bangladesh, which means that the jihadist pool is deep enough for both organizations to operate in the country.&quot; 
 
In May, 2015, AQIS leader Asim Umar claimed responsibility for the murder of Avijit Roy, a US citizen and blogger hacked to death in Bangladesh that February. US officials said at the time they were unable to confirm the claim. 
 
Initially, Ansar struck bloggers and publishers critical of radical Islam, then university teachers, including one who asked a woman student to remove her veil in class. 
 
In April, it said it murdered two gay rights activists, saying they were promoting anti-Islamic activities, police said. 
 
Mysterious ex-officer 
 
Also worrying for authorities is the apparent rise within Ansar&#39;s ranks of former army Major Syed Mohammad Ziaul Haque, who went into hiding after the military accused him of involvement in a plot to overthrow the government in 2011. 
 
&quot;We have a suspicion that the ex-major is one of their leaders,&quot; said counter-terrorism chief Islam. &quot;He is in hiding. We know his capability. If he is involved, it is a strength for Ansar-al-Islam.&quot; 
 
Zia, as intelligence agencies call him, was from the engineer corps and trained in special operations. 
 
His would be the first known case of a Bangladesh military officer switching sides to join a militant group, although it has happened elsewhere. 
 
A military spokesman said Zia had been dismissed from service five years ago, but added that he was not in a position to speak about Zia&#39;s activities since then. 
 
Zia&#39;s involvement with Ansar was first mentioned by the head of its predecessor group following his capture in 2013, two police officials said. 
 
Zia was helping in the training of the fighters, motivating them to carry out jihad against &quot;anti-Islam&quot; forces and also taught bomb-making skills, one official briefed on the interrogation report said. 
 
Reuters could not independently verify the police claims. 
 
At the same time, Islamic State has said it was behind the killings of Hindus, Buddhists and members of minority Muslim sects, which have accelerated in recent weeks. 
 
Security officials tie those deaths to Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, a home grown group inspired by Islamic State&#39;s vision of a caliphate. 
 
Police official Islam said authorities had found computer evidence that Bangladesh-origin foreign fighters, some in Syria, were claiming attacks on behalf of Islamic State as soon as they occurred. 
 
But he said there was no evidence of operational ties with the Middle East-based movement. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

They follow the ideology of al Qaeda and their operational leaders are mostly educated men from the middle class

Early in June, a man walked into the Dhaka premises of the Ramakrishna Mission, a Hindu centre for spirituality and learning in the Bangladesh capital, and delivered a handwritten note warning of an attack by Islamic State. Days later, armed policemen were sitting inside the mission's compound among orange-robed monks, the gates outside were closed and fewer people than normal showed up at a medical clinic it runs for the neighbourhood. "We are monks, we will live and die here, but people with families are worried," Swami Shivananda, a priest managing the administration of the mission, said of the country's Hindu community, which accounts for 10 per cent of the population. Islamic State and al Qaeda have claimed responsibility for the killings of more than 30 people since early last year, in an escalation of militant violence targeting liberals, atheists, foreigners, gays and religious minorities. They have shocked the largely moderate Muslim country of 160 million people and heightened fears that Bangladesh, once hailed as the next Asian tiger economy with its huge garment industry, could lose out to more stable competitors in the region. Unlike some security experts, Bangladesh authorities say the two international jihadi movements are not directly involved in the murders, many of which were carried out with machetes. But, as the police at the Hindu mission attest, the danger is real, and counter-terrorism officials warn it could get worse with one local militant group adopting al Qaeda's methods and calling on the expertise of a former army major implicated in a failed 2011 coup. Deadly rivalry Security officials say two local militant groups, Ansar-al-Islam and Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, are behind the killings. Of the two, Ansar, which pledges allegiance to al Qaeda, has emerged as the most organised and dangerous, they say, while Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen is seen as a looser organisation that claims it represents Islamic State but has no proven links to it. "By now we have a clear idea of the organisational structure, command and control and methods of operations of Ansar-al-Islam," Monirul Islam, chief of Bangladesh's counter-terrorism police, told Reuters in a recent interview. "They follow the ideology of al Qaeda, their operational leaders are mostly educated men, (from a) middle class background. They declare their allegiance to al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and, through it, to Ayman al-Zawahri," he said, referring to al Qaeda's global leader. According to Thomas Joscelyn, senior editor at The Long War Journal that tracks jihadi groups worldwide, there was evidence of more direct links between Bangladesh and al Qaeda, and he warned the Islamist militant threat had been underestimated. "We now have competition between al Qaeda and the Islamic State in Bangladesh, which means that the jihadist pool is deep enough for both organizations to operate in the country." In May, 2015, AQIS leader Asim Umar claimed responsibility for the murder of Avijit Roy, a US citizen and blogger hacked to death in Bangladesh that February. US officials said at the time they were unable to confirm the claim. Initially, Ansar struck bloggers and publishers critical of radical Islam, then university teachers, including one who asked a woman student to remove her veil in class. In April, it said it murdered two gay rights activists, saying they were promoting anti-Islamic activities, police said. Mysterious ex-officer Also worrying for authorities is the apparent rise within Ansar's ranks of former army Major Syed Mohammad Ziaul Haque, who went into hiding after the military accused him of involvement in a plot to overthrow the government in 2011. "We have a suspicion that the ex-major is one of their leaders," said counter-terrorism chief Islam. "He is in hiding. We know his capability. If he is involved, it is a strength for Ansar-al-Islam." Zia, as intelligence agencies call him, was from the engineer corps and trained in special operations. His would be the first known case of a Bangladesh military officer switching sides to join a militant group, although it has happened elsewhere. A military spokesman said Zia had been dismissed from service five years ago, but added that he was not in a position to speak about Zia's activities since then. Zia's involvement with Ansar was first mentioned by the head of its predecessor group following his capture in 2013, two police officials said. Zia was helping in the training of the fighters, motivating them to carry out jihad against "anti-Islam" forces and also taught bomb-making skills, one official briefed on the interrogation report said. Reuters could not independently verify the police claims. At the same time, Islamic State has said it was behind the killings of Hindus, Buddhists and members of minority Muslim sects, which have accelerated in recent weeks. Security officials tie those deaths to Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, a home grown group inspired by Islamic State's vision of a caliphate. Police official Islam said authorities had found computer evidence that Bangladesh-origin foreign fighters, some in Syria, were claiming attacks on behalf of Islamic State as soon as they occurred. But he said there was no evidence of operational ties with the Middle East-based movement. (Reuters)

Home-grown militants and former army officer behind attacks on Bangladeshi minorities, say police

Over 40 IS militants were killed and around 44 others wounded during clearance operations Afghanistan&#39;s in Eastern Nangarhar province. 
 
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) in a statement yesterday said the operations were conducted in Kot district of Nangarhar covering Bandok, Zara Bandok, Jajal Ghondi, Sepa Ghondi, Bahadur Baba villages and its surrounding areas. 
 
The statement said that the hideouts of the terror group were also destroyed and the mentioned areas were cleared from the presence of IS militants. 
 
The Ministry of Defence added that the local residents did not suffer any casualties in the operations. 
 
Earlier the Ministry of Defence had said at least 37 IS loyalists were killed and around 40 others were wounded during the operations launched in response to a major attack launched by the terror group on Friday. 
 
Following the attack, the Afghan and the US forces stepped up raids against the terror group in Nangarhar province. 
 
(ANI)&nbsp; 
 
 
&nbsp;

The country's Ministry of Defence issued a statement saying that IS hideouts in the region have also been destroyed

Over 40 IS militants were killed and around 44 others wounded during clearance operations Afghanistan's in Eastern Nangarhar province. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) in a statement yesterday said the operations were conducted in Kot district of Nangarhar covering Bandok, Zara Bandok, Jajal Ghondi, Sepa Ghondi, Bahadur Baba villages and its surrounding areas. The statement said that the hideouts of the terror group were also destroyed and the mentioned areas were cleared from the presence of IS militants. The Ministry of Defence added that the local residents did not suffer any casualties in the operations. Earlier the Ministry of Defence had said at least 37 IS loyalists were killed and around 40 others were wounded during the operations launched in response to a major attack launched by the terror group on Friday. Following the attack, the Afghan and the US forces stepped up raids against the terror group in Nangarhar province. (ANI)

Over 40 Islamic State fighters killed in clearance raids in Afghanistan's Nangarhar

Iraqi forces recaptured the last district held by Islamic State militants in the city of Fallujah today and the general commanding the operation declared the battle complete after nearly five weeks of fighting. 
 
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi claimed victory over Islamic State in Fallujah more than a week ago but fighting continued inside the city west of Baghdad, including in the Golan district. The offensive has been backed by a U.S.-led coalition mostly in the form of air strikes against Islamic State. 
 
&quot;We announce from this place in central Golan district that it has been cleaned by the counter terrorism service and we convey the good news to the Iraqi people that the battle of Fallujah is over,&quot; Lieutenant General Abdul Wahab al-Saidi told state TV. 
 
Flanked by jubilant fighters, some waving Iraqi flags, Saidi said a few militants were still holding out in buildings. At least 1,800 Islamic State fighters were killed in the operation to retake Fallujah, and the rest had fled, he said. 
 
Government troops launched the operation on May 23 to retake Fallujah, a bastion of the Sunni Muslim insurgency against U.S. forces that toppled Saddam Hussein, a Sunni, in 2003, and later against Shi&#39;ite-led governments. 
 
Abadi said last week that the recapture of Fallujah would pave the way for the military to march on Mosul, Islamic State&#39;s de facto capital. 
 
Fighting to recapture the Iraqi city has forced more than 85,000 residents to flee to overwhelmed government-run camps. The United Nations says it has received allegations of abuse of civilians fleeing the city, including by members of Shi&#39;ite armed groups supporting the offensive. 
 
The militants seized Fallujah in January 2014, six months before they declared a &quot;caliphate&quot; over part of Syria and Iraq.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)

Government fighters recapture the last district held by Islamic State in the city

Iraqi forces recaptured the last district held by Islamic State militants in the city of Fallujah today and the general commanding the operation declared the battle complete after nearly five weeks of fighting. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi claimed victory over Islamic State in Fallujah more than a week ago but fighting continued inside the city west of Baghdad, including in the Golan district. The offensive has been backed by a U.S.-led coalition mostly in the form of air strikes against Islamic State. "We announce from this place in central Golan district that it has been cleaned by the counter terrorism service and we convey the good news to the Iraqi people that the battle of Fallujah is over," Lieutenant General Abdul Wahab al-Saidi told state TV. Flanked by jubilant fighters, some waving Iraqi flags, Saidi said a few militants were still holding out in buildings. At least 1,800 Islamic State fighters were killed in the operation to retake Fallujah, and the rest had fled, he said. Government troops launched the operation on May 23 to retake Fallujah, a bastion of the Sunni Muslim insurgency against U.S. forces that toppled Saddam Hussein, a Sunni, in 2003, and later against Shi'ite-led governments. Abadi said last week that the recapture of Fallujah would pave the way for the military to march on Mosul, Islamic State's de facto capital. Fighting to recapture the Iraqi city has forced more than 85,000 residents to flee to overwhelmed government-run camps. The United Nations says it has received allegations of abuse of civilians fleeing the city, including by members of Shi'ite armed groups supporting the offensive. The militants seized Fallujah in January 2014, six months before they declared a "caliphate" over part of Syria and Iraq. (Reuters)

Battle over, say Iraqi forces in Fallujah

Heavy fighting between Islamic State (IS) militants and government security forces has claimed dozens of lives in eastern Afghanistan, officials said today. 
 
In recent months insurgents claiming allegiance to Islamic State had largely appeared to be bottled up in a mountainous area along the border with Pakistan under threat of US air strikes. 
 
The latest attacks indicate the group remains a potent threat to a government already battling an insurgency dominated by the rival Taliban. 
 
At least a dozen Afghan security forces and civilians had been killed, with another 18 wounded, Nangarhar province governor Saleem Khan Kunduzi said in a statement. 
 
Local officials claimed more than 100 Islamic State fighters had been killed in fighting in Nangarhar over the past three days, even though exact figures varied and could not be independently verified. 
 
&quot;There is no doubt that Daesh (IS) do not respect anyone,&quot; Kunduzi said, using a common term for Islamic State. &quot;They kill people, regardless of whether they&#39;re a child or a woman. They burn down madrasas, mosques and schools.&quot; 
 
As many as 25 homes had been burned down in Kowt district, and five civilians were reported kidnapped, Nangarhar officials said. 
 
Hundreds of police and soldiers are engaged in the area with reinforcements on the way, provincial police chief Zarawar Zahid said. 
 
At a small event today in Kabul, the head of Afghanistan&#39;s civil society federation, Sediq Ansari, blamed local leaders for being negligent in the face of Islamic State threats and called on them to be suspended. 
 
&quot;They should be accountable for every drop of blood that has been shed in Nangarhar so it becomes a lesson to other officials,&quot; he told gathered reporters. 
 
Militants linked to Islamic State have not made as much progress in Afghanistan as in Syria and Iraq, where the group seized major cities and wide swaths of territory and attracted thousands of recruits. 
 
In Afghanistan, the group is thought to consist mostly of disaffected members of other insurgent movements, including the Taliban, who have often battled Islamic State for control of areas in Nangarhar. 
 
In January, US President Barack Obama gave US forces in Afghanistan more freedom to attack Islamic State targets, leading to a spike in air strikes and other operations, especially in Nangarhar. 
 
No coalition forces have been involved in the latest fighting, spokesman Commander Ron Flesvig said. 
 
(Reuters)

According to local officials, more than 100 Islamic State fighters had been killed in fighting in Nangarhar over the past three days

Heavy fighting between Islamic State (IS) militants and government security forces has claimed dozens of lives in eastern Afghanistan, officials said today. In recent months insurgents claiming allegiance to Islamic State had largely appeared to be bottled up in a mountainous area along the border with Pakistan under threat of US air strikes. The latest attacks indicate the group remains a potent threat to a government already battling an insurgency dominated by the rival Taliban. At least a dozen Afghan security forces and civilians had been killed, with another 18 wounded, Nangarhar province governor Saleem Khan Kunduzi said in a statement. Local officials claimed more than 100 Islamic State fighters had been killed in fighting in Nangarhar over the past three days, even though exact figures varied and could not be independently verified. "There is no doubt that Daesh (IS) do not respect anyone," Kunduzi said, using a common term for Islamic State. "They kill people, regardless of whether they're a child or a woman. They burn down madrasas, mosques and schools." As many as 25 homes had been burned down in Kowt district, and five civilians were reported kidnapped, Nangarhar officials said. Hundreds of police and soldiers are engaged in the area with reinforcements on the way, provincial police chief Zarawar Zahid said. At a small event today in Kabul, the head of Afghanistan's civil society federation, Sediq Ansari, blamed local leaders for being negligent in the face of Islamic State threats and called on them to be suspended. "They should be accountable for every drop of blood that has been shed in Nangarhar so it becomes a lesson to other officials," he told gathered reporters. Militants linked to Islamic State have not made as much progress in Afghanistan as in Syria and Iraq, where the group seized major cities and wide swaths of territory and attracted thousands of recruits. In Afghanistan, the group is thought to consist mostly of disaffected members of other insurgent movements, including the Taliban, who have often battled Islamic State for control of areas in Nangarhar. In January, US President Barack Obama gave US forces in Afghanistan more freedom to attack Islamic State targets, leading to a spike in air strikes and other operations, especially in Nangarhar. No coalition forces have been involved in the latest fighting, spokesman Commander Ron Flesvig said. (Reuters)

Islamic State militants launch new attacks in eastern Afghanistan

&nbsp;Al Shabaab militants killed five police officers in a border region in northeastern Kenya today, a regional official said. 
 
&quot;We condemn the attack by al Shabaab at Dimu this morning five police officers killed. The info about their presence was long shared by the locals,&quot; Mandera county governor Ali Roba said on his Twitter account. 
(Reuters)

Mandera county governor Ali Roba condemned the attack at Dimu and said locals alerted the authorities

Al Shabaab militants killed five police officers in a border region in northeastern Kenya today, a regional official said. "We condemn the attack by al Shabaab at Dimu this morning five police officers killed. The info about their presence was long shared by the locals," Mandera county governor Ali Roba said on his Twitter account. (Reuters)

5 police officers killed by al-Shabaab militants in Kenya

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

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

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

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

Four militants and an Indian soldier were killed as the Indian Army today foiled an infiltration bid, the second such attempt in three days, in Tangdhar sector near the Indo-Pak Line of Control in Kashmir. 
 
&quot;Army foiled an infiltration bid in Tangdhar sector of Kupwara district near the LoC this morning. Two militants were killed in the initial exchange of firing while a soldier was injured,&quot; an army official said. 
 
He said the soldier, who was injured in the ongoing operation, later succumbed to injuries. 
 
The official said two more militants were killed in the counter-infiltration operation. 
 
This is second infiltration bid foiled by the security forces along the Line of Control in Kashmir. 
 
On Tuesday, an infiltration bid was foiled in Machhil sector of Kupwara district. 
 
The two-day operation left one militant dead while one soldier laid down his life. 
 
Four other Indian soldiers were also injured in the operation. 
(PTI)

The militants were intercepted by the army in Tangdhar sector near the Indo-Pak Line of Control in Kashmir.

Four militants and an Indian soldier were killed as the Indian Army today foiled an infiltration bid, the second such attempt in three days, in Tangdhar sector near the Indo-Pak Line of Control in Kashmir. "Army foiled an infiltration bid in Tangdhar sector of Kupwara district near the LoC this morning. Two militants were killed in the initial exchange of firing while a soldier was injured," an army official said. He said the soldier, who was injured in the ongoing operation, later succumbed to injuries. The official said two more militants were killed in the counter-infiltration operation. This is second infiltration bid foiled by the security forces along the Line of Control in Kashmir. On Tuesday, an infiltration bid was foiled in Machhil sector of Kupwara district. The two-day operation left one militant dead while one soldier laid down his life. Four other Indian soldiers were also injured in the operation. (PTI)

Indian soldier, 4 militants killed as Indian Army foils infiltration bid

A militant and an Indian soldier were killed in the ongoing encounter with a group of terrorists intercepted by the Indian Army near the Line of Control (LoC) when they were trying to infiltrate from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. 
 
Five soldiers were injured in the operation that started yesterday and one of the soldiers later succumbed to his injuries, an army official said today. 
 
A militant was also killed in the operation which started when infiltrators were attempting to sneak in through Macchil sector of Kupwara district of Kashmir and were confronted by the army. 
 
The operation is still going on in the area. 
 
PTI

Five armymen were wounded yesterday after gunmen tried to cross over from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir

A militant and an Indian soldier were killed in the ongoing encounter with a group of terrorists intercepted by the Indian Army near the Line of Control (LoC) when they were trying to infiltrate from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Five soldiers were injured in the operation that started yesterday and one of the soldiers later succumbed to his injuries, an army official said today. A militant was also killed in the operation which started when infiltrators were attempting to sneak in through Macchil sector of Kupwara district of Kashmir and were confronted by the army. The operation is still going on in the area. PTI

Indian soldier and militant killed in ongoing encounter near the Line of Control

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

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

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

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

The Turkish military shelled Islamic State targets north of the city of Aleppo in Syria, killing 14 militants, television chanenls reported, citing a statement from the General Staff.

Turkey a NATO member&nbsp;&nbsp;is a part&nbsp;of the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.

Extremists were killed in shelling near Aleppo

The Turkish military shelled Islamic State targets north of the city of Aleppo in Syria, killing 14 militants, television chanenls reported, citing a statement from the General Staff. Turkey a NATO member is a part of the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.

Turkish army kills 14 Islamic State militants

Philippine security forces killed 54 Islamist militants linked to the Jemaah Islamiah group in a week-long air and ground offensive in the country&#39;s south, an army spokesman said today.The fighting took place near the stronghold of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which signed a peace deal with the government in 2014 to end 45 years of conflict that killed 120,000 people and stunted growth in the resource-rich areas.

Major Filemon Tan said two soldiers were killed and nine wounded after air force planes dropped bombs on the militants&#39; positions and ground troops pounded them with artillery fire&nbsp;in the town of Butig in Lanao del Sur.

&quot;The artillery fire did more damage than the bombs,&quot; Tan added. &quot;Our troops saw the enemies fall and, based on estimates, we killed 54. They beheaded two sawmill workers and toppled a ppwer line in the area.&quot;

The fighting has displaced about 2,000 people from five villages in Butig, regional officials said.

About a decade ago, the MILF had expelled Jemaah Islamiah members from the area in preparation for peace talks brokered by Malaysia, and avoid getting a &quot;terrorist&quot; tag from the U.S. State Department.

The military said Jemaah Islamiah-linked militants returned to the area when a law to grant autonomy to Muslim areas, under the government deal with the MILF, failed to pass in Congress.

President-elect Rodrigo Duterte has promised to pursue peace with Muslim rebels, proposing a new federal scheme to grant more political and economic powers to Muslim-dominated areas in the south.

Two soldiers have been killed, and nine have been injured after air force planes dropped bombs in Butig. The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) had expelled Jemaah Islamiah--a Southeast Asian militant Islamist terrorist group--from the area about a decade ago to avoid getting branded a 'terrorist' by the U.S.

Philippine security forces killed 54 Islamist militants linked to the Jemaah Islamiah group in a week-long air and ground offensive in the country's south, an army spokesman said today.The fighting took place near the stronghold of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which signed a peace deal with the government in 2014 to end 45 years of conflict that killed 120,000 people and stunted growth in the resource-rich areas. Major Filemon Tan said two soldiers were killed and nine wounded after air force planes dropped bombs on the militants' positions and ground troops pounded them with artillery fire in the town of Butig in Lanao del Sur. "The artillery fire did more damage than the bombs," Tan added. "Our troops saw the enemies fall and, based on estimates, we killed 54. They beheaded two sawmill workers and toppled a ppwer line in the area." The fighting has displaced about 2,000 people from five villages in Butig, regional officials said. About a decade ago, the MILF had expelled Jemaah Islamiah members from the area in preparation for peace talks brokered by Malaysia, and avoid getting a "terrorist" tag from the U.S. State Department. The military said Jemaah Islamiah-linked militants returned to the area when a law to grant autonomy to Muslim areas, under the government deal with the MILF, failed to pass in Congress. President-elect Rodrigo Duterte has promised to pursue peace with Muslim rebels, proposing a new federal scheme to grant more political and economic powers to Muslim-dominated areas in the south.

Philippine troops kill 54 Islamist militants in the south

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