An army soldier allegedly shot himself dead in Jammu and Kashmir&#39;s Kupwara district on Wednesday morning.

The soldier identified as Birender Sinha, shot himself with his service rifle while he was on duty in Langate army camp in Kupwara District.

The 24-year-old, of the 30RR, killed himself at around 6:45 am today.

It was immediately not clear as to why he ended his life. Meanwhile, an investigation has been launched.

More details are awaited.

Just last week, another army soldier shot himself to death with his service rifle while on duty in Langate area of Handwara in north Kashmir&rsquo;s Kupwara district, &nbsp;police said.&nbsp;

The reason for the drastic step is still unclear.&nbsp;

The soldier identified as Birender Sinha, shot himself with his service rifle while he was on duty in Langate army camp in Kupwara District

An army soldier allegedly shot himself dead in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district on Wednesday morning. The soldier identified as Birender Sinha, shot himself with his service rifle while he was on duty in Langate army camp in Kupwara District. The 24-year-old, of the 30RR, killed himself at around 6:45 am today. It was immediately not clear as to why he ended his life. Meanwhile, an investigation has been launched. More details are awaited. Just last week, another army soldier shot himself to death with his service rifle while on duty in Langate area of Handwara in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, police said. The reason for the drastic step is still unclear.

J&K: Army soldier shoot self, reason unclear

A 23-year-old armed reserved police personnel posted at late chief minister J Jayalalithaa&#39;s memorial shot himself dead early Sunday morning.&nbsp;

The police personnel identified as Arul Raj, shot himself dead while he was on his guarding duty at the late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa&#39;s memorial.&nbsp;

The incident took place around 4:55 am in the morning when he killed himself using his 303 bolt-action rifle. Reports say that there were&nbsp;three other police personnel around him at the time.&nbsp;

He was appointed to cover the memorial service from 2 am to 6 am, reports said.&nbsp;

The reason behind the attempt is yet to be disclosed but reports say that it could have been due to family related problems.&nbsp;

He was taken to the Royapettah government hospital, where he was declared brought dead.

The police personnel identified as Arul Raj, shot himself dead while he was on his guarding duty at the late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's memorial

A 23-year-old armed reserved police personnel posted at late chief minister J Jayalalithaa's memorial shot himself dead early Sunday morning. The police personnel identified as Arul Raj, shot himself dead while he was on his guarding duty at the late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's memorial. The incident took place around 4:55 am in the morning when he killed himself using his 303 bolt-action rifle. Reports say that there were three other police personnel around him at the time. He was appointed to cover the memorial service from 2 am to 6 am, reports said. The reason behind the attempt is yet to be disclosed but reports say that it could have been due to family related problems. He was taken to the Royapettah government hospital, where he was declared brought dead.

Police personnel shoots himself at Jayalalithaa's memorial

A wanted criminal, carrying a bounty of Rs 50,000 on his head, was shot dead in an encounter with Uttar Pradesh police in Meerut district on Saturday.

&quot;A criminal with the bounty of Rs&nbsp;50, 000 on his head was killed in the incident, we chased him down after we got information of his presence in the area,&quot; the Meerut Superintendent of Police, Manzil Saini said.&nbsp;

The man has been identified at Surjit, who was accused of killing three members of a family and was planning to target another person, say police. The Police on specific information chased him down and after an exchange of firing, he was shot dead.

Reports say that Surjit had been giving police the slip since 2016 when he allegedly killed three of a family within a week. Reports said the killings were due to family rivalry.

Apart from the murder of three persons, Surjit was also wanted in ten other cases including extortion and kidnapping, say police sources.

Reports say that Surjit had been giving police the slip since 2016 when he allegedly killed three of a family within a week

A wanted criminal, carrying a bounty of Rs 50,000 on his head, was shot dead in an encounter with Uttar Pradesh police in Meerut district on Saturday. "A criminal with the bounty of Rs 50, 000 on his head was killed in the incident, we chased him down after we got information of his presence in the area," the Meerut Superintendent of Police, Manzil Saini said. The man has been identified at Surjit, who was accused of killing three members of a family and was planning to target another person, say police. The Police on specific information chased him down and after an exchange of firing, he was shot dead. Reports say that Surjit had been giving police the slip since 2016 when he allegedly killed three of a family within a week. Reports said the killings were due to family rivalry. Apart from the murder of three persons, Surjit was also wanted in ten other cases including extortion and kidnapping, say police sources.

Wanted man who killed family members shot in UP

The Karnataka Police has taken a suspected accused KT Naveen Kumar into police custody for questioning in connection with the murder of journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh.

As per media reports, Naveen was caught by the crime wing of the state police&#39;s central crime branch on February 18.

Gauri, who was known for her anti-right wing views,<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/gauri-lankesh-was-shot-in-chest-indrajit-lankesh-19935"> was shot </a>by three unidentified men outside her home in Rajarajeshwari Nagar on September 5 last year. Lankesh&#39;s murder has been compared to the murders of author Narendra Dabholkar and scholars MM Kalburgi.&nbsp;

The SIT had last month released<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/gauri-lankeshs-killers-will-be-caught-in-a-few-weeks-karnataka-home-minister-24030"> three sketches </a>of the two suspects in the case. The SIT also released a video of the recce done by the suspects.&nbsp;

The man who shot her had arrived at the scene on a motorcycle with another man and was wearing a motorcycle helmet when the murder took place. A reward of Rs&nbsp;10 lakh had also been announced for leads that lead to the arrest of the murderers.

The murder of Gauri Lankesh triggered outrage across the nation, BJP leader KS Esharappa criticised the Congress-led government in Karnataka for allegedly failing to protect Gauri and others.

Gauri, who was known for her anti-right wing views, was shot by three unidentified men outside her home in Rajarajeshwari Nagar on September 5 last year

The Karnataka Police has taken a suspected accused KT Naveen Kumar into police custody for questioning in connection with the murder of journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh. As per media reports, Naveen was caught by the crime wing of the state police's central crime branch on February 18. Gauri, who was known for her anti-right wing views, was shot by three unidentified men outside her home in Rajarajeshwari Nagar on September 5 last year. Lankesh's murder has been compared to the murders of author Narendra Dabholkar and scholars MM Kalburgi. The SIT had last month released three sketches of the two suspects in the case. The SIT also released a video of the recce done by the suspects. The man who shot her had arrived at the scene on a motorcycle with another man and was wearing a motorcycle helmet when the murder took place. A reward of Rs 10 lakh had also been announced for leads that lead to the arrest of the murderers. The murder of Gauri Lankesh triggered outrage across the nation, BJP leader KS Esharappa criticised the Congress-led government in Karnataka for allegedly failing to protect Gauri and others.

Gauri Lankesh murder: Suspect taken into custody

A North Carolina man who routinely broadcast his daily life on Facebook Live was fatally shot on Monday while walking through a neighborhood just outside Wingate University.&nbsp;

Prentis Robinson, 55, was shot just near North Carolina&#39;s police headquarters, where he had just reported a stolen cell phone.&nbsp;Investigators believe the shocking murder was retaliation from area drug dealer, reports said.&nbsp;

The suspect, 65-year-old Douglas Cleveland Colson, surrendered Tuesday to the Union County Sheriff&#39;s Office, reports said. Reports further quoted a lifelong Wingate resident informing that has been arrested before.

&quot;The Wingate Police Department in conjunction with the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) and the Union County Sheriff&rsquo;s Office worked a death investigation until they had a suspect, this morning they made an arrest and he is in custody,&quot; police said in a statement on Facebook.

In the live footage, which Facebook has since removed, Robinson was seen walking down a street in a neighborhood with a cell phone attached to a selfie stick, or a monopod device used to take photos or videos. He was talking to viewers.

Robinson then said &quot;you on Live&quot; repeatedly to someone off-camera. The person, who was not visible, then appears to have fired four gunshots at Robinson until he fell to the ground.

Facebook said in a statement that it removed the video because it had no way of knowing whether the victim would have wanted &quot;this horrific act&quot; to be broadcast on social media.

&quot;We will apply a warning screen to future uploads of the video intended to raise awareness or condemn this tragedy, and limit accessibility to people over the age of 18,&quot; said a Facebook spokesperson in a statement on Tuesday.

Prentis Robinson, 55, was shot just near North Carolina's police headquarters, where he had just reported a stolen cell phone. Investigators believe the shocking murder was retaliation from area drug dealer, reports say

A North Carolina man who routinely broadcast his daily life on Facebook Live was fatally shot on Monday while walking through a neighborhood just outside Wingate University. Prentis Robinson, 55, was shot just near North Carolina's police headquarters, where he had just reported a stolen cell phone. Investigators believe the shocking murder was retaliation from area drug dealer, reports said. The suspect, 65-year-old Douglas Cleveland Colson, surrendered Tuesday to the Union County Sheriff's Office, reports said. Reports further quoted a lifelong Wingate resident informing that has been arrested before. "The Wingate Police Department in conjunction with the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) and the Union County Sheriff’s Office worked a death investigation until they had a suspect, this morning they made an arrest and he is in custody," police said in a statement on Facebook. In the live footage, which Facebook has since removed, Robinson was seen walking down a street in a neighborhood with a cell phone attached to a selfie stick, or a monopod device used to take photos or videos. He was talking to viewers. Robinson then said "you on Live" repeatedly to someone off-camera. The person, who was not visible, then appears to have fired four gunshots at Robinson until he fell to the ground. Facebook said in a statement that it removed the video because it had no way of knowing whether the victim would have wanted "this horrific act" to be broadcast on social media. "We will apply a warning screen to future uploads of the video intended to raise awareness or condemn this tragedy, and limit accessibility to people over the age of 18," said a Facebook spokesperson in a statement on Tuesday.

Man shot dead while filming Facebook Live video, suspect arrested

The boy behind the Florida school shooting on Wednesday, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/ex-student-opens-fire-in-florida-school-at-least-17-killed-32906">Nikolas Cruz</a>, was a member of a &quot;white supremacist group&quot; and had been a part of the military-style training routines, the rights group Anti-Defamation League said Thursday.

Nikolas Cruz, 19, described by fellow pupils as a &ldquo;weird and racist&rdquo; <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/florida-shooting-suspect-was-a-troubled-former-student-who-loved-guns-32926">gun-obsessed</a>, has been charged with murdering 17 people at his former school in Parkland, Florida.

Jordan Jereb, believed to lead the shadowy Republic of Florida (ROF) group, said that Cruz had been &quot;brought up&quot; by a member of the group and joined its training exercises near Tallahassee, Florida.

Jereb said that he didn&#39;t know the 19-year-old suspect personally and that &quot;he acted on his own behalf of what he just did and he&#39;s solely responsible for what he just did,&quot; the local media reported.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-fills-with-outrage-after-floria-school-shooting-32935">Twitter fills with outrage after Florida school shooting </a>

Republic of Florida describes itself on its website as a &quot;white civil rights organization fighting for white identitarian politics.&quot; It advocates creating a &quot;white ethnostate&quot; in Florida.

As per reports, the group &quot;borrows paramilitary concepts from the anti-government extremist militia movement.&quot;

&quot;I don&#39;t know precisely what he believes,&quot; Jereb said. &quot;I know he knew full well he was joining a white separatist paramilitary proto-fascist organization.&quot;

He further said that Cruz was a member of its &quot;cell&quot; in Clearwater, Florida, about 300 kilometers (180 miles) northwest of Parkland, and had trained with them.

&quot;He probably used that training to do what he did yesterday. Nobody I know told him to do that, he just freaked out,&quot; Jereb said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-school-shootings-deadly-attacks-as-model-students-become-killers-32916">US school shootings: Deadly attacks as &#39;model&#39; students become killers </a>

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-calls-for-healing-after-florida-school-shooting-33004">Trump says will make schools safer after Florida shooting </a>

Cruz confessed to police that he &ldquo;began shooting students that he saw in the hallways and on school grounds&rdquo; once on campus, according to a police arrest report released Thursday.

He carried a black duffel bag and a black backpack, where he hid ammunition magazines, the report said. He arrived at the school in Florida in an Uber at 2:19 pm and made his way into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where he pulled out a semiautomatic AR-15 rifle, according to details described by the authorities at a news conference on Thursday.

Cruz shot people in the hallways and inside five classrooms on the first and second floors of the freshman building. He eventually discarded the rifle, a vest and ammunition on a stairway and blended in with fleeing students and got away, the authorities said.

After leaving the school, he went to Walmart, and then bought a drink at a Subway. He also stopped at a McDonald&rsquo;s. He was arrested by the police without incident as he walked down a residential street at 3:41 pm.

Nikolas Cruz, 19, described by fellow pupils as a “weird and racist” gun-obsessed, has been charged with murdering 17 people at his former school in Parkland, Florida

The boy behind the Florida school shooting on Wednesday, Nikolas Cruz, was a member of a "white supremacist group" and had been a part of the military-style training routines, the rights group Anti-Defamation League said Thursday. Nikolas Cruz, 19, described by fellow pupils as a “weird and racist” gun-obsessed, has been charged with murdering 17 people at his former school in Parkland, Florida. Jordan Jereb, believed to lead the shadowy Republic of Florida (ROF) group, said that Cruz had been "brought up" by a member of the group and joined its training exercises near Tallahassee, Florida. Jereb said that he didn't know the 19-year-old suspect personally and that "he acted on his own behalf of what he just did and he's solely responsible for what he just did," the local media reported. Also read: Twitter fills with outrage after Florida school shooting Republic of Florida describes itself on its website as a "white civil rights organization fighting for white identitarian politics." It advocates creating a "white ethnostate" in Florida. As per reports, the group "borrows paramilitary concepts from the anti-government extremist militia movement." "I don't know precisely what he believes," Jereb said. "I know he knew full well he was joining a white separatist paramilitary proto-fascist organization." He further said that Cruz was a member of its "cell" in Clearwater, Florida, about 300 kilometers (180 miles) northwest of Parkland, and had trained with them. "He probably used that training to do what he did yesterday. Nobody I know told him to do that, he just freaked out," Jereb said. Also read: US school shootings: Deadly attacks as 'model' students become killers Also read: Trump says will make schools safer after Florida shooting Cruz confessed to police that he “began shooting students that he saw in the hallways and on school grounds” once on campus, according to a police arrest report released Thursday. He carried a black duffel bag and a black backpack, where he hid ammunition magazines, the report said. He arrived at the school in Florida in an Uber at 2:19 pm and made his way into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where he pulled out a semiautomatic AR-15 rifle, according to details described by the authorities at a news conference on Thursday. Cruz shot people in the hallways and inside five classrooms on the first and second floors of the freshman building. He eventually discarded the rifle, a vest and ammunition on a stairway and blended in with fleeing students and got away, the authorities said. After leaving the school, he went to Walmart, and then bought a drink at a Subway. He also stopped at a McDonald’s. He was arrested by the police without incident as he walked down a residential street at 3:41 pm.

Florida school shooting: Suspect was part of 'white supremacist group'

In a shocking incident, a man was shot outside a pub in Greater Kailash on Sunday following a heated conversation over parking space.&nbsp;

The altercation started at &quot;Rich Bratz 17&quot; bar in Greater Kailash and continued outside till 3:30 am between the accused, Umesh, and the&nbsp;victim, Vinay, media reports said.&nbsp;

Vinay, who resides in Sarita Vihar, had been taken to AIIMS Trauma Centre after being shot near the collarbone while people nearby beat Umesh and handed him over to the police.

The police seized the weapon and also registered a case of attempt to murder against the accused. He was later moved to the trauma centre as well.&nbsp;

According to witnesses near the area, the argument started at around 2 am and investigation teams were at the site for inspection soon after the two men had been taken to the&nbsp;hospital.&nbsp;

The police have also informed that Umesh will be arrested after being discharged from the hospital. Vinay is now in a stable condition.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&quot;Allowing anti-social elements into the bar is a violation of licence terms and conditions. Local police will write to licensing branch for cancellation of licence of the bar where the incident happened,&quot; Romil Baaniya, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) said.

The officer said all police stations in the south district have been instructed to keep a watch on pubs, bars and restaurants and sensitise the security staff of the places to prevent such incidents.

The victim had been taken to AIIMS Trauma Centre after being shot near the collarbone and a case of attempt murder has been registered against the accused

In a shocking incident, a man was shot outside a pub in Greater Kailash on Sunday following a heated conversation over parking space. The altercation started at "Rich Bratz 17" bar in Greater Kailash and continued outside till 3:30 am between the accused, Umesh, and the victim, Vinay, media reports said. Vinay, who resides in Sarita Vihar, had been taken to AIIMS Trauma Centre after being shot near the collarbone while people nearby beat Umesh and handed him over to the police. The police seized the weapon and also registered a case of attempt to murder against the accused. He was later moved to the trauma centre as well. According to witnesses near the area, the argument started at around 2 am and investigation teams were at the site for inspection soon after the two men had been taken to the hospital. The police have also informed that Umesh will be arrested after being discharged from the hospital. Vinay is now in a stable condition. "Allowing anti-social elements into the bar is a violation of licence terms and conditions. Local police will write to licensing branch for cancellation of licence of the bar where the incident happened," Romil Baaniya, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) said. The officer said all police stations in the south district have been instructed to keep a watch on pubs, bars and restaurants and sensitise the security staff of the places to prevent such incidents.

Greater Kailash: Man shot outside bar following argument over parking space

A BJP leader was shot dead outside his house last night by unidentified assailants at Bagma village in extremist-hit Khunti district, police said.

His cousin and mother also suffered bullet injuries in the attack.

Superintendent of Police Ashiwini Kumar Singh, who rushed to the spot today after being informed about the incident, said the motive behind the killing of district secretary of the BJP&#39;s ST cell, Bhaiya Ram Munda, was yet to be ascertained.

&quot;We are investigating the incident from all possible angles to find out the motive behind the killing of the 38-year-old leader,&quot; the SP asserted.

A massive search operation led by Sub-Divisional Police Officer Ranveer Singh has been launched to apprehend the culprits.

&quot;Munda&#39;s cousin Birsa and mother Aguni Devi were initially admitted in a local hospital with bullet injuries. The doctors there referred them to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences in Ranchi. Their condition is stable now,&quot; the SDPO said.

Initial investigations suggest Munda was killed by suspected members of an ultra group over levy demands, he added.

The district committee president of the BJP, Kashinath Mahato, said he has found out from the villagers that a group of assailants dragged Munda out of his house before pumping bullets into him.

Mahato today sought adequate compensation for Munda&#39;s kin, a government job for a family member and education expenses of his children.

He said that the BJP state committee has assured a sum of Rs 2 lakh from the party fund to the victim&#39;s family.

BJP leader Ram Mundi was shot dead outside his house last night by unidentified assailants at Bagma village in extremist-hit Khunti district, police said

A BJP leader was shot dead outside his house last night by unidentified assailants at Bagma village in extremist-hit Khunti district, police said. His cousin and mother also suffered bullet injuries in the attack. Superintendent of Police Ashiwini Kumar Singh, who rushed to the spot today after being informed about the incident, said the motive behind the killing of district secretary of the BJP's ST cell, Bhaiya Ram Munda, was yet to be ascertained. "We are investigating the incident from all possible angles to find out the motive behind the killing of the 38-year-old leader," the SP asserted. A massive search operation led by Sub-Divisional Police Officer Ranveer Singh has been launched to apprehend the culprits. "Munda's cousin Birsa and mother Aguni Devi were initially admitted in a local hospital with bullet injuries. The doctors there referred them to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences in Ranchi. Their condition is stable now," the SDPO said. Initial investigations suggest Munda was killed by suspected members of an ultra group over levy demands, he added. The district committee president of the BJP, Kashinath Mahato, said he has found out from the villagers that a group of assailants dragged Munda out of his house before pumping bullets into him. Mahato today sought adequate compensation for Munda's kin, a government job for a family member and education expenses of his children. He said that the BJP state committee has assured a sum of Rs 2 lakh from the party fund to the victim's family.

BJP leader shot dead in Jharkhand's Khunti district

A 21-year-old&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/indian-sikh-youth-shot-dead-in-us-6751">Indian student has been shot dead</a> allegedly by four armed robbers, including an Indian-origin man, at a grocery store in the US state of California, according to a media report.

Dharampreet Singh Jasser was on duty at a grocery store next to a gas station in Fresno city in California on Tuesday night when four armed robbers, including an Indian-origin man, barged in to loot the store, local daily Fresnobee reported.

Jasser reportedly hid behind the cash counter but was shot by one of the four robbers while they were leaving the service station after looting cash and goods, the report said.

The incident was reported to the police yesterday when a customer who had stopped by to buy some goods, discovered Jasser&#39;s body on the floor.

Originally from Punjab, Jasser was a student of accounting and had gone to the US around three years ago on a student visa.

Police has arrested 22-year-old Athwal, an Indian-origin man, who is believed to be one of the four suspects who looted the gas station and fired multiple shots one of which hit Jasser.

Police said a Fresno County Sheriff&#39;s deputy saw media coverage of the incident on Tuesday and recognized some similarities between the suspects from the incident and Athwal, the Madera County Sheriff&#39;s Office said.

Madera Sheriff&#39;s detectives were contacted and determined Athwal is the likely suspect in the shooting.

A warrant has been obtained for the suspect and he will be transferred to the Madera Department of Corrections, the report said.

Athwal has been charged with murder and robbery.

&quot;Dharampreet was a completely innocent victim, just doing his job, when he was senselessly killed during this robbery,&quot; Madera Sheriff Jay Varney said&nbsp;

Detectives continue to search for other suspects and any further information related to this case, the Sheriff&#39;s Office said.

Dharampreet Singh Jasser was shot dead allegedly by four armed robbers while he was on duty at a grocery store next to a gas station in Fresno city in California on Tuesday night

A 21-year-old Indian student has been shot dead allegedly by four armed robbers, including an Indian-origin man, at a grocery store in the US state of California, according to a media report. Dharampreet Singh Jasser was on duty at a grocery store next to a gas station in Fresno city in California on Tuesday night when four armed robbers, including an Indian-origin man, barged in to loot the store, local daily Fresnobee reported. Jasser reportedly hid behind the cash counter but was shot by one of the four robbers while they were leaving the service station after looting cash and goods, the report said. The incident was reported to the police yesterday when a customer who had stopped by to buy some goods, discovered Jasser's body on the floor. Originally from Punjab, Jasser was a student of accounting and had gone to the US around three years ago on a student visa. Police has arrested 22-year-old Athwal, an Indian-origin man, who is believed to be one of the four suspects who looted the gas station and fired multiple shots one of which hit Jasser. Police said a Fresno County Sheriff's deputy saw media coverage of the incident on Tuesday and recognized some similarities between the suspects from the incident and Athwal, the Madera County Sheriff's Office said. Madera Sheriff's detectives were contacted and determined Athwal is the likely suspect in the shooting. A warrant has been obtained for the suspect and he will be transferred to the Madera Department of Corrections, the report said. Athwal has been charged with murder and robbery. "Dharampreet was a completely innocent victim, just doing his job, when he was senselessly killed during this robbery," Madera Sheriff Jay Varney said Detectives continue to search for other suspects and any further information related to this case, the Sheriff's Office said.

Indian student shot dead in California

A North Korean soldier was shot and injured by his own side Monday while defecting to South Korea at the border truce village of Panmunjom, the South&#39;s military said.

The soldier, thought to be low ranking, was shot in the shoulder and elbow and was picked up bleeding on the South side of a portion of the border known as the Joint Security Area (JSA).

It is rare for the North&#39;s troops to defect at the truce village, a major tourist attraction bisected by the borderline and the only part of the frontier where forces from the two sides come face-to-face.

&quot;Our military has taken in a North Korean soldier after he crossed from a North Korea post towards our Freedom House,&quot; Seoul&#39;s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a statement, referring to a building on the South side of the village.&nbsp;

A JCS official quoted by Yonhap news agency said the South&#39;s soldiers heard a gunshot and then retrieved the unarmed soldier in the mid-afternoon.

He was evacuated to a private hospital by a UN helicopter, the official added, saying the solider had regained consciousness but declining to comment on whether his injuries were life-threatening.

No personal details have been released but the soldier&#39;s uniform suggested he was low-ranking, Yonhap said.

No tourists were in the Joint Security Area at the time because tours do not run on Mondays, a spokesman for United States Forces Korea, which approves the visits, said.

There was no exchange of gunfire between the two sides, but the South&#39;s military said it has raised its level of alertness against any North Korean provocations.

Also on Monday, South Korean police arrested an American for entering a restricted zone -- in a separate border area -- with the apparent intention of crossing to the North, Yonhap reported.

The man, identified only as a 58-year-old from Louisiana, had arrived in South Korea last week and wanted to enter the North for &quot;political purposes&quot;, but was reported by a local villager, Yonhap said.&nbsp;

He is currently under questioning by the South&#39;s police, army and spy agency.

- Tense relations - 
Relations on the peninsula have been tense for months as the North has stepped up its missile tests. In September, it carried out its sixth and largest nuclear test -- of what it described as &quot;a hydrogen bomb&quot;.

Military officials from the North and South have used Panmunjom frequently in the past for talks. Unlike the rest of the frontier, Panmunjom is not fortified with minefields and barbed wire and the border is marked only by a low concrete divider.

Dozens of North Korean soldiers have fled to the South through the DMZ over the decades since the peninsula was divided, including two soldiers who crossed the frontier in June.

More than 30,000 North Korean civilians have also fled their homeland since the two nations came into being in 1948, but it is rare for civilians to cross the closely guarded border.

Most flee across the North&#39;s porous frontier with China and then move on to a third country to seek passage to South Korea.&nbsp;

The soldier, thought to be low ranking, was shot in the shoulder and elbow and was picked up bleeding on the South side of a portion of the border known as the Joint Security Area

A North Korean soldier was shot and injured by his own side Monday while defecting to South Korea at the border truce village of Panmunjom, the South's military said. The soldier, thought to be low ranking, was shot in the shoulder and elbow and was picked up bleeding on the South side of a portion of the border known as the Joint Security Area (JSA). It is rare for the North's troops to defect at the truce village, a major tourist attraction bisected by the borderline and the only part of the frontier where forces from the two sides come face-to-face. "Our military has taken in a North Korean soldier after he crossed from a North Korea post towards our Freedom House," Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a statement, referring to a building on the South side of the village. A JCS official quoted by Yonhap news agency said the South's soldiers heard a gunshot and then retrieved the unarmed soldier in the mid-afternoon. He was evacuated to a private hospital by a UN helicopter, the official added, saying the solider had regained consciousness but declining to comment on whether his injuries were life-threatening. No personal details have been released but the soldier's uniform suggested he was low-ranking, Yonhap said. No tourists were in the Joint Security Area at the time because tours do not run on Mondays, a spokesman for United States Forces Korea, which approves the visits, said. There was no exchange of gunfire between the two sides, but the South's military said it has raised its level of alertness against any North Korean provocations. Also on Monday, South Korean police arrested an American for entering a restricted zone -- in a separate border area -- with the apparent intention of crossing to the North, Yonhap reported. The man, identified only as a 58-year-old from Louisiana, had arrived in South Korea last week and wanted to enter the North for "political purposes", but was reported by a local villager, Yonhap said. He is currently under questioning by the South's police, army and spy agency. - Tense relations - Relations on the peninsula have been tense for months as the North has stepped up its missile tests. In September, it carried out its sixth and largest nuclear test -- of what it described as "a hydrogen bomb". Military officials from the North and South have used Panmunjom frequently in the past for talks. Unlike the rest of the frontier, Panmunjom is not fortified with minefields and barbed wire and the border is marked only by a low concrete divider. Dozens of North Korean soldiers have fled to the South through the DMZ over the decades since the peninsula was divided, including two soldiers who crossed the frontier in June. More than 30,000 North Korean civilians have also fled their homeland since the two nations came into being in 1948, but it is rare for civilians to cross the closely guarded border. Most flee across the North's porous frontier with China and then move on to a third country to seek passage to South Korea.

North Korean soldier shot while defecting to South

A Syrian rescue service operating in rebel-held territory said on Tuesday that a helicopter dropped containers of toxic&nbsp;gas&nbsp;overnight on a town close to where a Russian military helicopter was shot down hours earlier. 
 
The opposition Syrian National Coalition (SNC) accused President Bashar al Assad of being behind the attack. Assad has denied previous accusations of using chemical weapons. 
 
A spokesman for the Syria Civil Defence said 33 people, mostly women and children, were affected by the&nbsp;gas, which they suspect was chlorine, in Saraqeb, in rebel-held Idlib province. 
 
The group, which describes itself as a neutral band of search and rescue volunteers, posted a video on YouTube apparently showing a number of men struggling to breathe and being given oxygen masks by people in civil defence uniforms. 
 
&quot;Medium-sized barrels fell containing toxic&nbsp;gasses. The Syrian Civil Defence was not able to determine the type of the&nbsp;gas,&quot; said the spokesman. 
 
The Syrian government and its Russian allies were not immediately available for comment.&nbsp;The SNC said in a statement: &quot;After shelling, besieging and killing civilians and perpetrating war crimes on them, the Assad regime has resorted once again, and in breach of UN resolutions 2118 and 2235, to using chemical substances and toxic&nbsp;gasses.&nbsp;The daily reality confirms that all the international agreements and previous security council decisions, be they about chemical weapons or otherwise, are meaningless for the Assad regime.&quot; 
 
The Civil Defence spokesman said it was the second time Saraqeb had been hit by toxic&nbsp;gas. The group was aware of around nine suspected chlorine&nbsp;gas&nbsp;incidents across Idlib province since the conflict began, he said.&nbsp;Monitors at the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks violence on all sides in the civil war, said barrel bombs fell on Saraqeb late on Monday, wounding a large number of citizens. 
 
Russia&#39;s defence ministry said a Russian helicopter was shot down near Saraqeb during the day on Monday, killing all five people on board, in the biggest officially acknowledged loss of life for Russian forces since they started operations in Syria. 
 
 
Denials 
 
The helicopter came down roughly mid-way between Aleppo and Russia&#39;s main air base at Khmeimim in the western province of Latakia, near the Mediterranean coast. 
 
Russian air power began supporting Syrian President Bashar al Assad late last year, an intervention which tipped the balance of the war in Assad&#39;s favour, eroding gains the rebels had made that year.&nbsp;The Russian defence ministry said the Mi-8 military transport helicopter was shot down after delivering humanitarian aid to Aleppo as it made its way back to Khmeimim.&nbsp;No group has claimed responsibility for downing the helicopter. 
 
Government and opposition forces have both denied using chemical weapons during the five-year-old civil war. Western powers say the government has been responsible for chlorine and other chemical attacks. The government and Russia have accused rebels of using poison&nbsp;gas. 
 
UN&nbsp;investigators established that sarin&nbsp;gas&nbsp;was used in Eastern Ghouta in 2013. The United States accused Damascus of that attack, which it estimates killed 1,429 people, including at least 426 children. Damascus denied responsibility, and blamed rebels. 
 
Later that year the United Nations and the Syrian government agreed to destroy the state&#39;s declared stockpile of chemical weapons, a process completed in January 2016. 
 
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons confirmed in late 2015 that sulphur mustard, commonly known as mustard&nbsp;gas, had been used for the first time in the conflict, without saying which party in the many-sided conflict it thought had used it. 
 
(Reuters)

The Civil Defence spokesman said it was the second time Saraqeb had been hit by toxic gas

A Syrian rescue service operating in rebel-held territory said on Tuesday that a helicopter dropped containers of toxic gas overnight on a town close to where a Russian military helicopter was shot down hours earlier. The opposition Syrian National Coalition (SNC) accused President Bashar al Assad of being behind the attack. Assad has denied previous accusations of using chemical weapons. A spokesman for the Syria Civil Defence said 33 people, mostly women and children, were affected by the gas, which they suspect was chlorine, in Saraqeb, in rebel-held Idlib province. The group, which describes itself as a neutral band of search and rescue volunteers, posted a video on YouTube apparently showing a number of men struggling to breathe and being given oxygen masks by people in civil defence uniforms. "Medium-sized barrels fell containing toxic gasses. The Syrian Civil Defence was not able to determine the type of the gas," said the spokesman. The Syrian government and its Russian allies were not immediately available for comment. The SNC said in a statement: "After shelling, besieging and killing civilians and perpetrating war crimes on them, the Assad regime has resorted once again, and in breach of UN resolutions 2118 and 2235, to using chemical substances and toxic gasses. The daily reality confirms that all the international agreements and previous security council decisions, be they about chemical weapons or otherwise, are meaningless for the Assad regime." The Civil Defence spokesman said it was the second time Saraqeb had been hit by toxic gas. The group was aware of around nine suspected chlorine gas incidents across Idlib province since the conflict began, he said. Monitors at the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks violence on all sides in the civil war, said barrel bombs fell on Saraqeb late on Monday, wounding a large number of citizens. Russia's defence ministry said a Russian helicopter was shot down near Saraqeb during the day on Monday, killing all five people on board, in the biggest officially acknowledged loss of life for Russian forces since they started operations in Syria. Denials The helicopter came down roughly mid-way between Aleppo and Russia's main air base at Khmeimim in the western province of Latakia, near the Mediterranean coast. Russian air power began supporting Syrian President Bashar al Assad late last year, an intervention which tipped the balance of the war in Assad's favour, eroding gains the rebels had made that year. The Russian defence ministry said the Mi-8 military transport helicopter was shot down after delivering humanitarian aid to Aleppo as it made its way back to Khmeimim. No group has claimed responsibility for downing the helicopter. Government and opposition forces have both denied using chemical weapons during the five-year-old civil war. Western powers say the government has been responsible for chlorine and other chemical attacks. The government and Russia have accused rebels of using poison gas. UN investigators established that sarin gas was used in Eastern Ghouta in 2013. The United States accused Damascus of that attack, which it estimates killed 1,429 people, including at least 426 children. Damascus denied responsibility, and blamed rebels. Later that year the United Nations and the Syrian government agreed to destroy the state's declared stockpile of chemical weapons, a process completed in January 2016. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons confirmed in late 2015 that sulphur mustard, commonly known as mustard gas, had been used for the first time in the conflict, without saying which party in the many-sided conflict it thought had used it. (Reuters)

Rescuers say toxic gas dropped on Syrian town where Russian helicopter was shot down

A protest by Zimbabwean taxi drivers against a police crackdown turned violent on Monday when residents joined in and hurled rocks at police, who fired teargas to disperse the rioters. 
 
In the last month, Zimbabwe has witnessed spontaneous protests against government corruption, shortages of money and government plans to circulate local bank notes as the southern African nation struggles with a drought and a slowing economy. 
 
Zimbabwean taxi drivers, along with owners of taxi firms, accuse police of seeking to raise money for their operations by imposing hefty fines on their vehicles, which they say impacts on their business. 
 
Police spokeswoman Charity Charamba told reporters that anti-riot police had deployed in two townships outside Harare and arrested 30 people in connection with the violence. 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Police brutality in Harare. Door to door tactic has been adopted now <a href="https://t.co/oX2ho8st8a">pic.twitter.com/oX2ho8st8a</a>
&mdash; Itai Pfungwadzapera (@itaipfungwa1987) <a href="https://twitter.com/itaipfungwa1987/status/749952447444025344">July 4, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script> 
 
Charamba said &quot;all those who are inciting and engaging in violence that such misconduct will be severely dealt with&quot;. 
 
A Reuters witness said taxi operators teamed up with residents in Epworth township, south of central Harare, to attack police with stones. Police fired teargas, beat up protesters and broke down doors at some houses, saying they were looking for organisers of the protest. 
 
In Mabvuku township, to the east of the capital, police fired teargas as taxi operators blocked roads with stones and burning tyres, taxi driver Aaron Mapani said. 
 
Monday&#39;s clashes come days after residents protested in the border town of Beitbridge, 600 kilometres south of the capital Harare, last Friday against restrictions on imports of basic goods from South Africa. 
 
(Reuters)

Police fired teargas, beat up protesters and broke down doors at some houses, saying they were looking for organisers of the protest

A protest by Zimbabwean taxi drivers against a police crackdown turned violent on Monday when residents joined in and hurled rocks at police, who fired teargas to disperse the rioters. In the last month, Zimbabwe has witnessed spontaneous protests against government corruption, shortages of money and government plans to circulate local bank notes as the southern African nation struggles with a drought and a slowing economy. Zimbabwean taxi drivers, along with owners of taxi firms, accuse police of seeking to raise money for their operations by imposing hefty fines on their vehicles, which they say impacts on their business. Police spokeswoman Charity Charamba told reporters that anti-riot police had deployed in two townships outside Harare and arrested 30 people in connection with the violence. Police brutality in Harare. Door to door tactic has been adopted now pic.twitter.com/oX2ho8st8a — Itai Pfungwadzapera (@itaipfungwa1987) July 4, 2016 Charamba said "all those who are inciting and engaging in violence that such misconduct will be severely dealt with". A Reuters witness said taxi operators teamed up with residents in Epworth township, south of central Harare, to attack police with stones. Police fired teargas, beat up protesters and broke down doors at some houses, saying they were looking for organisers of the protest. In Mabvuku township, to the east of the capital, police fired teargas as taxi operators blocked roads with stones and burning tyres, taxi driver Aaron Mapani said. Monday's clashes come days after residents protested in the border town of Beitbridge, 600 kilometres south of the capital Harare, last Friday against restrictions on imports of basic goods from South Africa. (Reuters)

Zimbabwe protests turn violent as taxi drivers and citizens face off against cops

Motorcycle-borne gunmen shot dead an acclaimed Pakistani singer on Wednesday in the busy port city of Karachi, police said. This comes two days after masked men kidnapped the son of a top provincial judge. &nbsp; 
 
Karachi, a metropolis of about 20 million, is home to Pakistan&#39;s stock exchange and central bank and is plagued by political, ethnic and sectarian violence. &nbsp; 
 
Amjad Sabri, 45, was one of South Asia&#39;s most popular singers of the &#39;qawwali&#39;, Sufi devotional music that dates back more than 700 years.&nbsp; 
 
Officers said two gunmen shot at the windscreen of Sabri&#39;s car as it drove off a bridge in the congested Liaquatabad area of the southern city, and a relative travelling with him was also injured.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Two attackers riding a motorcycle intercepted his car and targetted Amjad Sabri who was driving,&quot; Sindh police chief Allah Dino Khawaja told Reuters.&nbsp; 
 
There was no immediate claim of responsibility.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Amjad Sabri died on the way to the hospital,&quot; police surgeon Rohina Hasan said. &quot;He was shot three times.&quot; Police gave no further details.&nbsp; 
 
Violence is common in Karachi despite a sharp decline in murders since the Pakistani military launched a crackdown two years ago against suspected militants and violent criminals.&nbsp; 
 
On Monday, a lawyer, the son of Sindh High Court Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, was abducted outside a city supermarket. The motive for the kidnapping was not immediately clear, authorities said.&nbsp; 
 
In May, gunmen shot dead prominent Pakistani rights activist Khurram Zaki, known for his outspoken stance against the Taliban and other radical Islamist groups, in the central part of the city.&nbsp; 
 
In April last year prominent activist Sabeen Mahmud was shot and killed while travelling in her car.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

Sabri's murder comes close on the heels of the abduction of a provincial judge's son two days ago

Motorcycle-borne gunmen shot dead an acclaimed Pakistani singer on Wednesday in the busy port city of Karachi, police said. This comes two days after masked men kidnapped the son of a top provincial judge. Karachi, a metropolis of about 20 million, is home to Pakistan's stock exchange and central bank and is plagued by political, ethnic and sectarian violence. Amjad Sabri, 45, was one of South Asia's most popular singers of the 'qawwali', Sufi devotional music that dates back more than 700 years. Officers said two gunmen shot at the windscreen of Sabri's car as it drove off a bridge in the congested Liaquatabad area of the southern city, and a relative travelling with him was also injured. "Two attackers riding a motorcycle intercepted his car and targetted Amjad Sabri who was driving," Sindh police chief Allah Dino Khawaja told Reuters. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. "Amjad Sabri died on the way to the hospital," police surgeon Rohina Hasan said. "He was shot three times." Police gave no further details. Violence is common in Karachi despite a sharp decline in murders since the Pakistani military launched a crackdown two years ago against suspected militants and violent criminals. On Monday, a lawyer, the son of Sindh High Court Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, was abducted outside a city supermarket. The motive for the kidnapping was not immediately clear, authorities said. In May, gunmen shot dead prominent Pakistani rights activist Khurram Zaki, known for his outspoken stance against the Taliban and other radical Islamist groups, in the central part of the city. In April last year prominent activist Sabeen Mahmud was shot and killed while travelling in her car. (Reuters)

Karachi: Pakistani Sufi singer Amjad Sabri shot dead

Protesters burnt vehicles and set tires on fire to barricade roads in South Africa&#39;s capital on Tuesday, June 21, after the ANC named a mayoral candidate not nominated by the ruling party&#39;s regional branches. 
 
The violence spread overnight from the townships and started after a member of the African National Congress (ANC) was shot dead on Sunday, June 19, as factions clashed at a meeting in Pretoria to decide on the candidates for mayor of Tshwane municipality, where Pretoria is located. 
 
The ANC then named senior party member and former cabinet minister, Thoko Didiza, as its candidate for Tshwane, saying that it made the decision after wrangling between members at the party&#39;s headquarters over who should lead the municipality. 
 
According to local media, residents want the incumbent mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa to be allowed to run on the ANC ticket but Ramokgopa has publicly backed Didiza&#39;s selection and called for calm. 
 
The ANC said its members were not to blame for the violence. 
 
Local elections in August pose a major test for the ANC as it gears up for a 2019 presidential vote in the face of a slowing economy and a strong challenge from the opposition 
 
(Reuters)

The violence spread overnight, starting after a member of the African National Congress was shot dead on Sunday

Protesters burnt vehicles and set tires on fire to barricade roads in South Africa's capital on Tuesday, June 21, after the ANC named a mayoral candidate not nominated by the ruling party's regional branches. The violence spread overnight from the townships and started after a member of the African National Congress (ANC) was shot dead on Sunday, June 19, as factions clashed at a meeting in Pretoria to decide on the candidates for mayor of Tshwane municipality, where Pretoria is located. The ANC then named senior party member and former cabinet minister, Thoko Didiza, as its candidate for Tshwane, saying that it made the decision after wrangling between members at the party's headquarters over who should lead the municipality. According to local media, residents want the incumbent mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa to be allowed to run on the ANC ticket but Ramokgopa has publicly backed Didiza's selection and called for calm. The ANC said its members were not to blame for the violence. Local elections in August pose a major test for the ANC as it gears up for a 2019 presidential vote in the face of a slowing economy and a strong challenge from the opposition (Reuters)

Protesters in Pretoria burn cars, tires after unnominated man becomes mayoral candidate

<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

shot

Shot, News on Shot, stories on Shot, articles on Shot, Shot stories at Wion, Shot news, Shot latest news