The United States has asked Pakistan to take sustained, verifiable and irreversible action against the perpetrators of terrorism, while warning the country that another terror attack on India will prove to be "extremely problematic".

"We need to see Pakistan taking concrete and sustained action to reign in the terrorist groups, mainly <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pak-army-says-jaish-e-mohammed-does-not-exist-in-pakistan-contradicts-foreign-minister-qureshi-201624">the Jaish-e-Mohammed and the Lashkar-e-Taiba</a> in order to ensure that we don't have re-escalation (of tension) in the region," a senior administration official told reporters at the White House on Wednesday.

"And, if there's any additional terrorist attack without Pakistan having made a sustained, sincere effort against these groups, it would be extremely problematic for Pakistan and it would cause re-escalation of tensions, which is dangerous for both countries," the official said on the condition of anonymity.

Asked about the steps being taken by Pakistan in the aftermath of the Balakot air strike by Indian fighter jets, the official said the US and the international community needed to see "irreversible and sustained" action against the terror groups.

"It's early to make a full assessment," the official said.&nbsp;

In the recent days, the official said Pakistan has taken some "initial" actions. They have frozen the assets of some terrorist groups and made some arrests. They have taken administrative control of some of the JeM facilities, the official added.&nbsp;

"But we clearly need to see more. We need to see irreversible action because in the past, what we've seen is they made some arrests and then a few months later, they released these individuals. The terrorist leaders are sometimes still allowed to travel around the country, hold rallies," the official said.

Reiterating that the United States is looking for "irreversible action", the official said America is working with its international partners to increase pressure on Pakistan. "Because it has been too long that these groups have been able to operate."

Observing that Pakistan has economic concerns as well, the official said the Financial Action Tasks Force (FATF) is one area which demonstrates the need for them to take these actions against terror groups. "Otherwise, they're at risk within the system and the FATF to be grey-listed," the official said.&nbsp;

Pakistan needs to decide if it wants to be viewed as a responsible international player and have access to all the financial mechanisms that are available or is it going to continue to fail to take the steps necessary against these terrorist groups and see itself further isolated. "The choice is Pakistan's," the senior administration official asserted.

While the situation between the two south Asian neighbours have de-escalated, the two armies are still on high alert and that concerns the US, the official said.

"So, we realize that if there, God forbid, would be another terrorist attack that you could quickly see the escalation in the situation once again. So that's why, we're making clear that any additional military action by either side runs an unacceptably high risk, for both countries and for the region," the official said.

The Trump Administration, the official said, has taken sort of a "zero tolerance policy" on the issue of safe havens to terrorists.&nbsp;

"The terror terrorist attack on February 14th on India was a demonstration that Pakistan's continuing provision of sanctuary for any terrorist group is not acceptable," the official said. 
During the height of the crisis -- February 26-28 -- the United States was in continuous contact with Indian and Pakistani officials, both on the ground in New Delhi and Islamabad.

"They were working the phones continuously and were deeply engaged in seeking to deescalate what was a very dangerous moment in India-Pakistan relations," the official said.

The United States has also reached out to influential countries to have them help deescalate the situation, the senior administration official said.

Some of these countries are China, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Japan and Australia.&nbsp;

The United States has asked Pakistan to take sustained, verifiable and irreversible action against the perpetrators of terrorism, while warning the country that another terror attack on India will prove to be "extremely problematic".

The United States has asked Pakistan to take sustained, verifiable and irreversible action against the perpetrators of terrorism, while warning the country that another terror attack on India will prove to be "extremely problematic". "We need to see Pakistan taking concrete and sustained action to reign in the terrorist groups, mainly the Jaish-e-Mohammed and the Lashkar-e-Taiba in order to ensure that we don't have re-escalation (of tension) in the region," a senior administration official told reporters at the White House on Wednesday. "And, if there's any additional terrorist attack without Pakistan having made a sustained, sincere effort against these groups, it would be extremely problematic for Pakistan and it would cause re-escalation of tensions, which is dangerous for both countries," the official said on the condition of anonymity. Asked about the steps being taken by Pakistan in the aftermath of the Balakot air strike by Indian fighter jets, the official said the US and the international community needed to see "irreversible and sustained" action against the terror groups. "It's early to make a full assessment," the official said. In the recent days, the official said Pakistan has taken some "initial" actions. They have frozen the assets of some terrorist groups and made some arrests. They have taken administrative control of some of the JeM facilities, the official added. "But we clearly need to see more. We need to see irreversible action because in the past, what we've seen is they made some arrests and then a few months later, they released these individuals. The terrorist leaders are sometimes still allowed to travel around the country, hold rallies," the official said. Reiterating that the United States is looking for "irreversible action", the official said America is working with its international partners to increase pressure on Pakistan. "Because it has been too long that these groups have been able to operate." Observing that Pakistan has economic concerns as well, the official said the Financial Action Tasks Force (FATF) is one area which demonstrates the need for them to take these actions against terror groups. "Otherwise, they're at risk within the system and the FATF to be grey-listed," the official said. Pakistan needs to decide if it wants to be viewed as a responsible international player and have access to all the financial mechanisms that are available or is it going to continue to fail to take the steps necessary against these terrorist groups and see itself further isolated. "The choice is Pakistan's," the senior administration official asserted. While the situation between the two south Asian neighbours have de-escalated, the two armies are still on high alert and that concerns the US, the official said. "So, we realize that if there, God forbid, would be another terrorist attack that you could quickly see the escalation in the situation once again. So that's why, we're making clear that any additional military action by either side runs an unacceptably high risk, for both countries and for the region," the official said. The Trump Administration, the official said, has taken sort of a "zero tolerance policy" on the issue of safe havens to terrorists. "The terror terrorist attack on February 14th on India was a demonstration that Pakistan's continuing provision of sanctuary for any terrorist group is not acceptable," the official said. During the height of the crisis -- February 26-28 -- the United States was in continuous contact with Indian and Pakistani officials, both on the ground in New Delhi and Islamabad. "They were working the phones continuously and were deeply engaged in seeking to deescalate what was a very dangerous moment in India-Pakistan relations," the official said. The United States has also reached out to influential countries to have them help deescalate the situation, the senior administration official said. Some of these countries are China, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Japan and Australia.

Another terror attack in India will be 'extremely problematic': US to Pakistan

Encounter underway at Sopore in Kashmir valley

Two policemen including a SHO were injured in a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Sopore on Thursday.

Following the attack, the security forces launched a search and cordon operation in the Baramulla district.

The police personnel were injured after the terrorists attacked the police cordon.

Militants lobbed a grenade at a security forces party at Main Chowk Sopore in the north Kashmir district, a police official said.

The injured have been hospitalised.

Earlier today, a soldier was killed in a ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the Line of Control in J&amp;K's Rajouri district.

(With inputs from agencies)

Two policemen including a SHO were injured in a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Sopore on Thursday. Following the attack, the security forces launched a search and cordon operation in the Baramulla district.

Two policemen including a SHO were injured in a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Sopore on Thursday. Following the attack, the security forces launched a search and cordon operation in the Baramulla district. The police personnel were injured after the terrorists attacked the police cordon. Militants lobbed a grenade at a security forces party at Main Chowk Sopore in the north Kashmir district, a police official said. The injured have been hospitalised. Earlier today, a soldier was killed in a ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the Line of Control in J&K's Rajouri district. (With inputs from agencies)

J&K: Terrorists attack police cordon in Sopore, 2 cops injured

In a rare acknowledgement, China Monday described the 2008 Mumbai attacks carried out by Pakistan-based LeT terror outfit as one of "the most notorious terrorist attacks".

In a white paper on its <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-says-nearly-13000-terrorists-arrested-in-xinjiang-204016">massive crackdown against militants</a> in the restive Xinjiang province, China said the global spread of terrorism and extremism over the years had inflicted agony on humanity.

The paper described the Mumbai terror attacks as one of "the most notorious terrorist attacks", adding that the "global spread of terrorism and extremism over the years has inflicted agony on humanity".

The release of the paper titled "The Fight Against Terrorism and Extremism and Human Rights Protection in Xinjiang", interestingly coincided with Pakistan Foreign Minister's Shah Mehmood <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/regional-tensions-to-be-discussed-during-talks-with-pakistan-foreign-minister-qureshi-china-204052">Qureshi's visit to China</a>.

Throughout the world, terrorism and extremism gravely threaten peace and development, and endanger the life and property of individuals, said the white paper released by China's State Council Information Office.

The paper came days after China for the fourth time blocked a bid in the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday to designate Pakistan-based chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror group Masood Azhar as a "global terrorist" by putting a technical hold on the proposal, a move India termed as disappointing.

The JeM has claimed responsibility for the February 14 Pulwama attack that left more than 40 CRPF personnel dead and escalated tensions between India and Pakistan.

"Striking aggressively at terrorism and furthering the de-radicalisation effort is the common responsibility of the international community and essential to the protection of human rights," it said.

China opposes all forms of terrorism and extremism and opposes double standards on fighting terrorism, said the white paper, adding that Beijing opposes linking terrorism and extremism with specific countries, ethnic groups or religions.

China advocates comprehensive measures to address both the symptoms and the root causes, with the dual purposes of striking at terrorist activities and eliminating poverty, so that there will be no room for terrorism to breed, it said.

In one of the most horrific terrorist attacks in the country's history, 166 people, including Americans, were killed and over 300 injured as 10 heavily-armed terrorists from Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) created mayhem in Mumbai on November 26, 2008.

Nine of the attackers were killed by police while lone survivor Ajmal Kasab was captured and hanged after handed down death sentence by an Indian court.

Perpetrators of the 26/11 attack, including its mastermind and banned Jamat-ud Dawa (JuD) chief, Hafiz Saeed, continue to roam freely in Pakistan.

The US has offered a $10 million reward for information that brings Saeed to justice.

In a rare acknowledgement, China Monday described the 2008 Mumbai attacks carried out by Pakistan-based LeT terror outfit as one of "the most notorious terrorist attacks".

In a rare acknowledgement, China Monday described the 2008 Mumbai attacks carried out by Pakistan-based LeT terror outfit as one of "the most notorious terrorist attacks". In a white paper on its massive crackdown against militants in the restive Xinjiang province, China said the global spread of terrorism and extremism over the years had inflicted agony on humanity. The paper described the Mumbai terror attacks as one of "the most notorious terrorist attacks", adding that the "global spread of terrorism and extremism over the years has inflicted agony on humanity". The release of the paper titled "The Fight Against Terrorism and Extremism and Human Rights Protection in Xinjiang", interestingly coincided with Pakistan Foreign Minister's Shah Mehmood Qureshi's visit to China. Throughout the world, terrorism and extremism gravely threaten peace and development, and endanger the life and property of individuals, said the white paper released by China's State Council Information Office. The paper came days after China for the fourth time blocked a bid in the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday to designate Pakistan-based chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror group Masood Azhar as a "global terrorist" by putting a technical hold on the proposal, a move India termed as disappointing. The JeM has claimed responsibility for the February 14 Pulwama attack that left more than 40 CRPF personnel dead and escalated tensions between India and Pakistan. "Striking aggressively at terrorism and furthering the de-radicalisation effort is the common responsibility of the international community and essential to the protection of human rights," it said. China opposes all forms of terrorism and extremism and opposes double standards on fighting terrorism, said the white paper, adding that Beijing opposes linking terrorism and extremism with specific countries, ethnic groups or religions. China advocates comprehensive measures to address both the symptoms and the root causes, with the dual purposes of striking at terrorist activities and eliminating poverty, so that there will be no room for terrorism to breed, it said. In one of the most horrific terrorist attacks in the country's history, 166 people, including Americans, were killed and over 300 injured as 10 heavily-armed terrorists from Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) created mayhem in Mumbai on November 26, 2008. Nine of the attackers were killed by police while lone survivor Ajmal Kasab was captured and hanged after handed down death sentence by an Indian court. Perpetrators of the 26/11 attack, including its mastermind and banned Jamat-ud Dawa (JuD) chief, Hafiz Saeed, continue to roam freely in Pakistan. The US has offered a $10 million reward for information that brings Saeed to justice.

China says 26/11 one of the 'most notorious' terrorist attacks

Dutch PM: 'very worried' after Utrecht shooting

New Zealand's prime minister vowed to toughen the country's gun laws after revealing Saturday that the man <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/gunman-was-very-calm-during-the-rampage-survivors-tell-of-new-zealand-mosque-shootings-203612">accused of murdering 49 people</a> in two mosques legally purchased the arsenal of firearms used in the massacre.

Jacinda Ardern said the gunman, 28-year-old Australian Brenton Tarrant, obtained a "Category A" gun licence in November 2017 and began purchasing the five weapons used in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-zealand-mosque-shootings-kill-49-in-what-pm-calls-terrorist-attack-203560">Friday's attacks</a> in the southern city of Christchurch the following month.

The firearms included two semi-automatic rifles, two shotguns and a lever-action weapon, she said, speaking to reporters in Wellington before heading to Christchurch.

"The mere fact... that this individual had acquired a gun licence and acquired weapons of that range, then obviously I think people will be seeking change, and I'm committing to that," she said.

"While work is being done as to the chain of events that led to both the holding of this gun licence, and the possession of these weapons, I can tell you one thing right now -- our gun laws will change."&nbsp;

She confirmed that the gunman and two suspected associates who were also arrested had not been on the radar of any intelligence agencies, even though he had published a manifesto online indicating plans for attacks on Muslims.

"They were not on any watchlists either here or in Australia," she said.

"The individual charged with murder had not come to the attention of the intelligence community, nor the police, for extremism," she added.

"I have asked our agencies this morning to work swiftly on assessing whether there was any activity on social media or otherwise, that should have triggered a response. That work is already underway.

"Given global indicators around far-right extremism, our intelligence community has been stepping up their investigations in this area."&nbsp;

Relaxed laws

New Zealand tightened its gun laws to restrict access to semi-automatic rifles in 1992, two years after a mentally ill man shot dead 13 people in the southern town of Aramoana.

But firearms laws are lax compared to neighbouring Australia, which enacted a strict gun control regime in the wake of a similar massacre in 1996, and most other developed nations outside of the United States.

Anyone over 16 can apply for a New Zealand firearms licence, valid for 10 years after completing a safety course and a police background check.

Most guns do not require registration under New Zealand's Arms Act and police do not know "how many legally or illegally owned firearms there are in New Zealand", according to a police statement last year.

In 2014, police estimated there were up to 1.2 million legal firearms in civilian ownership, or around one for every four members of the public -- twice the per capita number of guns in Australia.

Separate "endorsements" are required to own semi-automatic weapons like those used in Friday's attack, as well as pistols and other restricted weapons.&nbsp;

But police and firearms experts have pointed to several loopholes allowing owners to bypass registration of semi-automatics.

Ardern noted the failure of several earlier attempts to reform gun laws and said a ban on semi-automatic weapons would be considered.

A 1997 police review of gun laws called for such a ban, but attempts to update the Arms Act since 1992 have stalled in parliament.

New Zealand's prime minister vowed to toughen the country's gun laws after revealing Saturday that the man accused of murdering 49 people in two mosques legally purchased the arsenal of firearms used in the massacre.

New Zealand's prime minister vowed to toughen the country's gun laws after revealing Saturday that the man accused of murdering 49 people in two mosques legally purchased the arsenal of firearms used in the massacre. Jacinda Ardern said the gunman, 28-year-old Australian Brenton Tarrant, obtained a "Category A" gun licence in November 2017 and began purchasing the five weapons used in Friday's attacks in the southern city of Christchurch the following month. The firearms included two semi-automatic rifles, two shotguns and a lever-action weapon, she said, speaking to reporters in Wellington before heading to Christchurch. "The mere fact... that this individual had acquired a gun licence and acquired weapons of that range, then obviously I think people will be seeking change, and I'm committing to that," she said. "While work is being done as to the chain of events that led to both the holding of this gun licence, and the possession of these weapons, I can tell you one thing right now -- our gun laws will change." She confirmed that the gunman and two suspected associates who were also arrested had not been on the radar of any intelligence agencies, even though he had published a manifesto online indicating plans for attacks on Muslims. "They were not on any watchlists either here or in Australia," she said. "The individual charged with murder had not come to the attention of the intelligence community, nor the police, for extremism," she added. "I have asked our agencies this morning to work swiftly on assessing whether there was any activity on social media or otherwise, that should have triggered a response. That work is already underway. "Given global indicators around far-right extremism, our intelligence community has been stepping up their investigations in this area." Relaxed laws New Zealand tightened its gun laws to restrict access to semi-automatic rifles in 1992, two years after a mentally ill man shot dead 13 people in the southern town of Aramoana. But firearms laws are lax compared to neighbouring Australia, which enacted a strict gun control regime in the wake of a similar massacre in 1996, and most other developed nations outside of the United States. Anyone over 16 can apply for a New Zealand firearms licence, valid for 10 years after completing a safety course and a police background check. Most guns do not require registration under New Zealand's Arms Act and police do not know "how many legally or illegally owned firearms there are in New Zealand", according to a police statement last year. In 2014, police estimated there were up to 1.2 million legal firearms in civilian ownership, or around one for every four members of the public -- twice the per capita number of guns in Australia. Separate "endorsements" are required to own semi-automatic weapons like those used in Friday's attack, as well as pistols and other restricted weapons. But police and firearms experts have pointed to several loopholes allowing owners to bypass registration of semi-automatics. Ardern noted the failure of several earlier attempts to reform gun laws and said a ban on semi-automatic weapons would be considered. A 1997 police review of gun laws called for such a ban, but attempts to update the Arms Act since 1992 have stalled in parliament.

New Zealand PM vows gun reforms after mosque massacre

In 1987, while the Indian Army was advancing on Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka as part of Operation Pawan, the LTTE challenged the advance with a crude weapon it had mastered; the improvised explosive device or IED as it came to be called. Crude IEDs awaited the advance of the infantry on every route causing confusion and casualties. The mother of all IEDs was the one which targeted a T-72 tank. It was laid with 200 kg of explosive packed into a barrel and dug underneath a tarmac road. A young boy was known to have initiated it with an even cruder initiation device. The effect shook us all. The turret of the tank was blown away and that is saying something.&nbsp;

To bring context to this, it would bring great awareness to learn that the car bomb which rammed the CRPF bus on the Srinagar Jammu Highway on February 14, 2019, is reported to have packed 350 kg of suspected modern explosive into a car. That too is a form of an IED and they have now come to be a potent weapon of sub-conventional warfare around the world. It went a few steps beyond in countries like Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan where young men and even children have been motivated for the supposed cause to strap themselves with explosives and self-initiate them against targets such as vehicles, entry gates to buildings and at gatherings of people, to cause severe damage to life and property.&nbsp;

Undoubtedly, the IED and its derivative the car bomb are today two of the most potent weapons of terror. The US encountered these in Iraq and in Afghanistan in a big way. However, surprisingly, as late as the year 2000, US servicemen did not even know the full form of IED. I was comprehensively questioned on it when I spoke at the US Pacific Command HQ at Hawaii that year. In three years’ time thereafter the US armed forces were encountering them everywhere. Despite all the technological advancement, the US and other modern armies found no answer to neutralise these. All kinds of devices to scan the communication spectrum to jam it to disallow radio-initiated devices have been developed but there are few answers yet to self-initiated switches which terrorists use to explode suicide vests and car bombs.&nbsp;

Kashmir has had a history of IEDs through the Nineties and the early millennium. These were fabricated by explosive experts in the terrorist ranks; interestingly called IED doctors. Quite unlike public perception, it is not easy to fabricate an IED and even more challenging to put together a car bomb. It may take a couple of weeks to do so and once prepared it isn’t easy to lay the IED or deploy a car bomb appropriately to undertake targeting. It is this intervening period involving preparation and laying on the ground or selecting a site for car bombs which intelligence agencies or troops on the ground can always use to discover the network that is intending to employ these weapons, and then neutralise it.&nbsp;

However, that is only possible if there is a focused attempt to do so in an environment where the employment of IEDs and car bombs has been a norm. When they suddenly appear in first-time use after a long interval it is difficult to discover them at the preparatory stage. That is the case with the Pulwama incident; much criticism against the intelligence agencies and CRPF for alleged intelligence and procedural failure is in my opinion unfair.&nbsp;

Now that is the interesting part. While IEDS were frequently in use in Kashmir their usage suddenly stopped after 2008. I witnessed the effects of the last major IED employed against the bus of the Kupwara Army division on July 20, 2008. There has been no major IED attack since then. Car bombs were used by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists against the Batwara gate of the Army’s Corps HQ at Badami Bagh in 2001; a Kashmiri youth was the human bomb in that effort. A similar incident took place that year against the J&amp;K Assembly building leading to many casualties. There was even an attempt to blow up the officers’ bus of the Baramula Army Division in 2004 when a Maruti 800 prepared as a car bomb rammed into the bus near Pattan. In the ensuing explosion, only the driver was killed and all the passengers got away with minor abrasions. That incident has its lessons for today’s threat. The General in command of the division was an innovator. He had armoured skirt plates of Vijayanta tanks, lying in derelict condition in the depot at Delhi, transported to Srinagar and got these welded to the sides of the buses of his division. In addition, he used the waste industrial rubber of the National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) to be melted and pasted on the bus floor. This is what saved precious lives. The Army took a line from that and started hardening its buses but in due course IEDs dried up and so did car bombs and perhaps the practice of hardening died a natural death. I am not sure what the effect of a 350 kg car bomb would have on a hardened bus but then such bombs are not everyday occurrences and smaller ones will probably have less devastating effect.&nbsp;

The return of car bombs and IEDs does not necessarily mean that there is going to be an array of them lined up against the security forces in Kashmir. We found effective counter measures the last time we were hit many years ago, we will find them now as well. It requires a certain discipline in movement and pro-activeness in intelligence to neutralise these but I do fear there will be repeats because indirectly it forces the security forces to impose harsher population-control measures such as vehicle check-points, adding more misery to the already difficult lives people lead in proxy war zones. That will lead to greater alienation and that is exactly what Pakistan’s Deep State wants, as do the separatists in Kashmir. Moreover, with what is emerging in Afghanistan, Pakistan’s relevance to the international community is increasing. That will embolden Pakistan even more to risk big-ticket events against India in Kashmir. There are diplomatic measures to be vigorously undertaken to paint Pakistan the villain and a range of military options no doubt are under examination by the government. More on that later.&nbsp;

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-return-of-ieds-after-a-decade-2720486">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

In 1987, while the Indian Army was advancing on Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka as part of Operation Pawan, the LTTE challenged the advance with a crude weapon it had mastered; the improvised explosive device or IED as it came to be called.

In 1987, while the Indian Army was advancing on Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka as part of Operation Pawan, the LTTE challenged the advance with a crude weapon it had mastered; the improvised explosive device or IED as it came to be called. Crude IEDs awaited the advance of the infantry on every route causing confusion and casualties. The mother of all IEDs was the one which targeted a T-72 tank. It was laid with 200 kg of explosive packed into a barrel and dug underneath a tarmac road. A young boy was known to have initiated it with an even cruder initiation device. The effect shook us all. The turret of the tank was blown away and that is saying something. To bring context to this, it would bring great awareness to learn that the car bomb which rammed the CRPF bus on the Srinagar Jammu Highway on February 14, 2019, is reported to have packed 350 kg of suspected modern explosive into a car. That too is a form of an IED and they have now come to be a potent weapon of sub-conventional warfare around the world. It went a few steps beyond in countries like Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan where young men and even children have been motivated for the supposed cause to strap themselves with explosives and self-initiate them against targets such as vehicles, entry gates to buildings and at gatherings of people, to cause severe damage to life and property. Undoubtedly, the IED and its derivative the car bomb are today two of the most potent weapons of terror. The US encountered these in Iraq and in Afghanistan in a big way. However, surprisingly, as late as the year 2000, US servicemen did not even know the full form of IED. I was comprehensively questioned on it when I spoke at the US Pacific Command HQ at Hawaii that year. In three years’ time thereafter the US armed forces were encountering them everywhere. Despite all the technological advancement, the US and other modern armies found no answer to neutralise these. All kinds of devices to scan the communication spectrum to jam it to disallow radio-initiated devices have been developed but there are few answers yet to self-initiated switches which terrorists use to explode suicide vests and car bombs. Kashmir has had a history of IEDs through the Nineties and the early millennium. These were fabricated by explosive experts in the terrorist ranks; interestingly called IED doctors. Quite unlike public perception, it is not easy to fabricate an IED and even more challenging to put together a car bomb. It may take a couple of weeks to do so and once prepared it isn’t easy to lay the IED or deploy a car bomb appropriately to undertake targeting. It is this intervening period involving preparation and laying on the ground or selecting a site for car bombs which intelligence agencies or troops on the ground can always use to discover the network that is intending to employ these weapons, and then neutralise it. However, that is only possible if there is a focused attempt to do so in an environment where the employment of IEDs and car bombs has been a norm. When they suddenly appear in first-time use after a long interval it is difficult to discover them at the preparatory stage. That is the case with the Pulwama incident; much criticism against the intelligence agencies and CRPF for alleged intelligence and procedural failure is in my opinion unfair. Now that is the interesting part. While IEDS were frequently in use in Kashmir their usage suddenly stopped after 2008. I witnessed the effects of the last major IED employed against the bus of the Kupwara Army division on July 20, 2008. There has been no major IED attack since then. Car bombs were used by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists against the Batwara gate of the Army’s Corps HQ at Badami Bagh in 2001; a Kashmiri youth was the human bomb in that effort. A similar incident took place that year against the J&K Assembly building leading to many casualties. There was even an attempt to blow up the officers’ bus of the Baramula Army Division in 2004 when a Maruti 800 prepared as a car bomb rammed into the bus near Pattan. In the ensuing explosion, only the driver was killed and all the passengers got away with minor abrasions. That incident has its lessons for today’s threat. The General in command of the division was an innovator. He had armoured skirt plates of Vijayanta tanks, lying in derelict condition in the depot at Delhi, transported to Srinagar and got these welded to the sides of the buses of his division. In addition, he used the waste industrial rubber of the National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) to be melted and pasted on the bus floor. This is what saved precious lives. The Army took a line from that and started hardening its buses but in due course IEDs dried up and so did car bombs and perhaps the practice of hardening died a natural death. I am not sure what the effect of a 350 kg car bomb would have on a hardened bus but then such bombs are not everyday occurrences and smaller ones will probably have less devastating effect. The return of car bombs and IEDs does not necessarily mean that there is going to be an array of them lined up against the security forces in Kashmir. We found effective counter measures the last time we were hit many years ago, we will find them now as well. It requires a certain discipline in movement and pro-activeness in intelligence to neutralise these but I do fear there will be repeats because indirectly it forces the security forces to impose harsher population-control measures such as vehicle check-points, adding more misery to the already difficult lives people lead in proxy war zones. That will lead to greater alienation and that is exactly what Pakistan’s Deep State wants, as do the separatists in Kashmir. Moreover, with what is emerging in Afghanistan, Pakistan’s relevance to the international community is increasing. That will embolden Pakistan even more to risk big-ticket events against India in Kashmir. There are diplomatic measures to be vigorously undertaken to paint Pakistan the villain and a range of military options no doubt are under examination by the government. More on that later. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Pulwama terror attack: Return of IEDs after a decade

Amid slogans of "Pakistan Murdabaad", mortal remains of slain Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel draped in the Indian flag were brought to their respective native places on Saturday.

Teary-eyed locals of Tofapur village in Varanasi received the mortal remains of CRPF jawan Ramesh Yadav. The mortal remains of CRPF jawan Rohitash Lamba were brought to his native place in Govindpura, Jaipur.The daughter of deceased CRPF ASI Mohan Lal paid last tributes to her father.

Massive anger has erupted across the nation over the ghastly attack in Jammu and Kashmir`s Pulwama that claimed the lives of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pulwama-attack-diplomacy-takes-centerstage-as-india-prepares-to-isolate-pakistan-197623">40 CRPF jawans</a>.

While people paid tributes to the martyrs by holding candlelight vigils, demonstrations were held at many places against Pakistan with demands being put forth to take action against the neighbouring country for its "continuous support to terror groups."

On Friday, agitators in Ahmedabad thrashed posters of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar during a protest against the dastardly terror attack in Pulwama.

Condemning the suicidal attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday warned Pakistan by saying, "The forces behind this act of terrorism and those responsible for it, will be definitely be punished."

The Narendra Modi government has called an all-party meeting on Saturday to hold consultations with the opposition parties in the wake of Pulwama terror attack. Prime Minister Modi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, other political leaders and Chiefs of Indian security forces paid their tributes to all 40 brave hearts at the Palam Airport on Friday.

In the deadliest attack on security forces in Kashmir, over 40 CRPF personnel were killed on Thursday when their convoy was targeted by a suspected suicide bomber of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-mfn-status-to-pakistan-what-it-means-how-it-impacts-trade-197569">Pakistan-backed Jaish-e-Mohammad </a>in Pulwama district on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway.

The convoy of 78 buses, in which around 2500 CRPF personnel were travelling from Jammu to Srinagar, came under attack at around 3.15 pm at Ladhu Modi Lethpora.&nbsp;

Amid slogans of "Pakistan Murdabaad", mortal remains of slain Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel draped in the Indian flag were brought to their respective native places on Saturday.

Amid slogans of "Pakistan Murdabaad", mortal remains of slain Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel draped in the Indian flag were brought to their respective native places on Saturday. Teary-eyed locals of Tofapur village in Varanasi received the mortal remains of CRPF jawan Ramesh Yadav. The mortal remains of CRPF jawan Rohitash Lamba were brought to his native place in Govindpura, Jaipur.The daughter of deceased CRPF ASI Mohan Lal paid last tributes to her father. Massive anger has erupted across the nation over the ghastly attack in Jammu and Kashmir`s Pulwama that claimed the lives of 40 CRPF jawans. While people paid tributes to the martyrs by holding candlelight vigils, demonstrations were held at many places against Pakistan with demands being put forth to take action against the neighbouring country for its "continuous support to terror groups." On Friday, agitators in Ahmedabad thrashed posters of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar during a protest against the dastardly terror attack in Pulwama. Condemning the suicidal attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday warned Pakistan by saying, "The forces behind this act of terrorism and those responsible for it, will be definitely be punished." The Narendra Modi government has called an all-party meeting on Saturday to hold consultations with the opposition parties in the wake of Pulwama terror attack. Prime Minister Modi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, other political leaders and Chiefs of Indian security forces paid their tributes to all 40 brave hearts at the Palam Airport on Friday. In the deadliest attack on security forces in Kashmir, over 40 CRPF personnel were killed on Thursday when their convoy was targeted by a suspected suicide bomber of Pakistan-backed Jaish-e-Mohammad in Pulwama district on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway. The convoy of 78 buses, in which around 2500 CRPF personnel were travelling from Jammu to Srinagar, came under attack at around 3.15 pm at Ladhu Modi Lethpora.

Pulwama attack: Mortal remains of bravehearts arrive amidst anti-Pak slogans

Pope Francis on Sunday condemned the twin bombings that killed at least 20 people during a Catholic Church service in the Philippines as a "terrorist attack" and prayed that God would convert the hearts of those who carried it out.

The attack also wounded 81 and was one of the deadliest in recent years in a region long plagued by instability.

Francis, speaking at a hospice for AIDS sufferers on the last day of his trip here, expressed his "firm condemnation of this act of violence that causes more mourning in the Christian community. I pray for the dead and the injured. May the Lord, prince of peace, convert the hearts of the violent ones."

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but police suspect the bombings were the work of Abu Sayyaf, a militant group that has pledged allegiance to Islamic State and is notorious for its bombings and brutality.

The first explosion went off inside the cathedral on Jolo Island in Sulu Province, and was followed by a second blast outside, which was detonated as security forces raced to the scene, officials said.

The pope visited the Philippines, the most Catholic country in Asia, in 2015.

Pope Francis on Sunday condemned the twin bombings that killed at least 20 people during a Catholic Church service in the Philippines as a "terrorist attack" and prayed that God would convert the hearts of those who carried it out.

Pope Francis on Sunday condemned the twin bombings that killed at least 20 people during a Catholic Church service in the Philippines as a "terrorist attack" and prayed that God would convert the hearts of those who carried it out. The attack also wounded 81 and was one of the deadliest in recent years in a region long plagued by instability. Francis, speaking at a hospice for AIDS sufferers on the last day of his trip here, expressed his "firm condemnation of this act of violence that causes more mourning in the Christian community. I pray for the dead and the injured. May the Lord, prince of peace, convert the hearts of the violent ones." There was no immediate claim of responsibility but police suspect the bombings were the work of Abu Sayyaf, a militant group that has pledged allegiance to Islamic State and is notorious for its bombings and brutality. The first explosion went off inside the cathedral on Jolo Island in Sulu Province, and was followed by a second blast outside, which was detonated as security forces raced to the scene, officials said. The pope visited the Philippines, the most Catholic country in Asia, in 2015.

Pope condemns bombing of Philippines cathedral that killed 20 as 'terrorist attack'

Two alleged Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) members have been arrested on charges of planning to carry out terror strikes in the national capital during Republic Day celebrations, Delhi Police officials said on Thursday.

They were identified as Abdul Latif Ganaie (29), alias Umair alias Dilawar, and Hilal Ahmad Bhat (26) residents of Jammu and Kashmir's Wakura and Batapora areas respectively.

Dilawar was arrested on the intervening night of January 20-21 after police got a tip off from military intelligence that a house in Laxmi Nagar was frequented by suspicious persons, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell P S Kushwah said.

Police learnt that Dilawar would come near Rajghat to meet someone and accordingly a team was deployed there. Subsequently, he was arrested with incriminating material, he said.

A .32 bore pistol and 26 live cartridges were recovered from him. Three rubber stamps of JeM commanders and other material was also recovered from his possession, he added.

It took the Delhi Police a few months to identify Dilawar, the DCP said.

A team was rushed to Jammu and Kashmir to nab his other associates. Two hand grenades were recovered from his house there, Kushwah said.

Bhat, who had carried out the recce of various places for terrorist strikes in Delhi, was also arrested from Bandipora, he said.

During interrogation, they revealed that they were JeM members and that Dilawar is the terror outfit's Ganderbal district commander, Kushwah said.

Dilawar told police that he was in touch with his Pakistan-based handler Abu Mauz through Telegram and WhatsApp, he said.

He further revealed that Mauz had given him more than a dozen hand grenades, a pistol and 30 live cartridges through an Aaqib, the DCP said.

Dilawar was asked to use those grenades on the armed and police forces in Jammu and Kashmir and in parts of Delhi to disrupt Republic Day celebrations, Kushwah said.

He told police that he had given two grenades to one Abid in Jammu and Kashmir and he used them to attack Army personnel of 5 RR in Sumbal, Bandipora on January 4, the officer said.

Dilawar also gave some grenades to one Shahbaz in Srinagar and to Bhat, Kushwah said.

Jammu and Kashmir police was informed about this network, following which Shahbaz was arrested on Tuesday, he said.

Dilawar came in contact with radical elements during a four-year course at a madrasa in Sopore. He started chatting with these fringe elements on various social platforms, the DCP said.

Impressed by Dilawar's posts, Mauz communicated with him and radicalised him by sending various audio and video clips of JeM chief Maulana Azhar Masood, Kushwah said.&nbsp;

He said Mauz also instructed Dilawar to go to Delhi to conduct a recce of VIP areas, places of heavy footfalls in posh markets, vital places and gas pipeline to identify blast targets.

Dilawar was previously arrested in two cases of stone pelting in 2016 in the area of Sadar Ganderbal police station, he said.&nbsp;

Two alleged Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) members have been arrested on charges of planning to carry out terror strikes in the national capital during Republic Day celebrations, Delhi Police officials said on Thursday.

Two alleged Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) members have been arrested on charges of planning to carry out terror strikes in the national capital during Republic Day celebrations, Delhi Police officials said on Thursday. They were identified as Abdul Latif Ganaie (29), alias Umair alias Dilawar, and Hilal Ahmad Bhat (26) residents of Jammu and Kashmir's Wakura and Batapora areas respectively. Dilawar was arrested on the intervening night of January 20-21 after police got a tip off from military intelligence that a house in Laxmi Nagar was frequented by suspicious persons, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell P S Kushwah said. Police learnt that Dilawar would come near Rajghat to meet someone and accordingly a team was deployed there. Subsequently, he was arrested with incriminating material, he said. A .32 bore pistol and 26 live cartridges were recovered from him. Three rubber stamps of JeM commanders and other material was also recovered from his possession, he added. It took the Delhi Police a few months to identify Dilawar, the DCP said. A team was rushed to Jammu and Kashmir to nab his other associates. Two hand grenades were recovered from his house there, Kushwah said. Bhat, who had carried out the recce of various places for terrorist strikes in Delhi, was also arrested from Bandipora, he said. During interrogation, they revealed that they were JeM members and that Dilawar is the terror outfit's Ganderbal district commander, Kushwah said. Dilawar told police that he was in touch with his Pakistan-based handler Abu Mauz through Telegram and WhatsApp, he said. He further revealed that Mauz had given him more than a dozen hand grenades, a pistol and 30 live cartridges through an Aaqib, the DCP said. Dilawar was asked to use those grenades on the armed and police forces in Jammu and Kashmir and in parts of Delhi to disrupt Republic Day celebrations, Kushwah said. He told police that he had given two grenades to one Abid in Jammu and Kashmir and he used them to attack Army personnel of 5 RR in Sumbal, Bandipora on January 4, the officer said. Dilawar also gave some grenades to one Shahbaz in Srinagar and to Bhat, Kushwah said. Jammu and Kashmir police was informed about this network, following which Shahbaz was arrested on Tuesday, he said. Dilawar came in contact with radical elements during a four-year course at a madrasa in Sopore. He started chatting with these fringe elements on various social platforms, the DCP said. Impressed by Dilawar's posts, Mauz communicated with him and radicalised him by sending various audio and video clips of JeM chief Maulana Azhar Masood, Kushwah said. He said Mauz also instructed Dilawar to go to Delhi to conduct a recce of VIP areas, places of heavy footfalls in posh markets, vital places and gas pipeline to identify blast targets. Dilawar was previously arrested in two cases of stone pelting in 2016 in the area of Sadar Ganderbal police station, he said.

Delhi: JeM members arrested for allegedly planning attacks on Republic Day

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu paid floral tribute&nbsp;to the martyrs of 2001 parliament attack at Parliament House today.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Among the other leaders who paid tribute on the&nbsp;17th anniversary of the attack were, home minister Rajnath Singh, finance minister Arun Jaitley, Congress President Rahul Gandhi and&nbsp;Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi also saluted the courage of those killed in the terrorist attack, saying their valour encourages people.

Modi took to Twitter to recall the courage of the security personnel.

"We salute the valour of those who were martyred during the dastardly attack on our Parliament on this day in 2001. Their courage and heroism inspires every Indian," he said.&nbsp;

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We salute the valour of those who were martyred during the dastardly attack on our Parliament on this day in 2001. Their courage and heroism inspires every Indian.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1073046995864940544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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President Ram Nath Kovind also paid tribute to the soldiers martyred in the terrorist attack on Twitter writing, "Forces of hate and terror targeted what we cherish most — India's democracy and democratic values."

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India gratefully remembers those martyred while defending Parliament from terrorists on this day in 2001. Forces of hate and terror targeted what we cherish most — India's democracy and democratic values. They did not succeed. And we will never let them succeed <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PresidentKovind?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PresidentKovind</a>
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) <a href="https://twitter.com/rashtrapatibhvn/status/1073032238386827264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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On December 13, 2001, five gunmen stormed the Parliament complex and opened indiscriminate fire.

Five Delhi Police personnel, a woman Central Reserve Police official, two Parliament watch and ward staff, a gardener and a camera person were among those who killed in the attack. 
&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu paid floral tribute to the martyrs of 2001 parliament attack at Parliament House today. Among the other leaders who paid tribute on the 17th anniversary of the attack were, home minister Rajnath Singh, finance minister Arun Jaitley, Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu paid floral tribute to the martyrs of 2001 parliament attack at Parliament House today. Among the other leaders who paid tribute on the 17th anniversary of the attack were, home minister Rajnath Singh, finance minister Arun Jaitley, Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Ghulam Nabi Azad. Earlier in the day, PM Modi also saluted the courage of those killed in the terrorist attack, saying their valour encourages people. Modi took to Twitter to recall the courage of the security personnel. "We salute the valour of those who were martyred during the dastardly attack on our Parliament on this day in 2001. Their courage and heroism inspires every Indian," he said. We salute the valour of those who were martyred during the dastardly attack on our Parliament on this day in 2001. Their courage and heroism inspires every Indian. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 13, 2018 × President Ram Nath Kovind also paid tribute to the soldiers martyred in the terrorist attack on Twitter writing, "Forces of hate and terror targeted what we cherish most — India's democracy and democratic values." India gratefully remembers those martyred while defending Parliament from terrorists on this day in 2001. Forces of hate and terror targeted what we cherish most — India's democracy and democratic values. They did not succeed. And we will never let them succeed #PresidentKovind — President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) December 13, 2018 × On December 13, 2001, five gunmen stormed the Parliament complex and opened indiscriminate fire. Five Delhi Police personnel, a woman Central Reserve Police official, two Parliament watch and ward staff, a gardener and a camera person were among those who killed in the attack.

2001 Parliament attack: PM Modi, other leaders pay floral tribute to martyrs

Kishtwar Police on Friday arrested an Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agent Sehran Sheikh alias Abu Zubair suspected of planning terrorist attacks in Kishtwar.

As per the police, Sheikh was gathering information on establishments of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, armed forces and the Army.

"He had come in contact with a Pakistan-based militant group, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM). This person has confessed his involvement and we have found many videos including establishments of Para-military Forces having been exchanged on Pakistan numbers," Kishtwar Police said in a statement.

Further details are awaited.&nbsp;

Kishtwar Police on Friday arrested an Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agent Sehran Sheikh alias Abu Zubair suspected of planning terrorist attacks in Kishtwar.

Kishtwar Police on Friday arrested an Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agent Sehran Sheikh alias Abu Zubair suspected of planning terrorist attacks in Kishtwar. As per the police, Sheikh was gathering information on establishments of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, armed forces and the Army. "He had come in contact with a Pakistan-based militant group, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM). This person has confessed his involvement and we have found many videos including establishments of Para-military Forces having been exchanged on Pakistan numbers," Kishtwar Police said in a statement. Further details are awaited.

J&K: ISI agent suspected of planning terrorist attacks arrested

A suicide bomber killed at least four people outside a police headquarters in the port city of Chabahar in restive southeastern Iran on Thursday, its governor said.

Chabahar governor Rahmdel Bameri said many people were also wounded in the morning car bombing.

"The explosion was very strong and broke the glass of many buildings close by," Bameri told state television.

Many nearby shop owners and civilian passers-by, including women and children, were severely wounded, he added.

Chabahar lies in Sistan-Baluchistan province some 100 kilometres (60 miles) west of the Pakistan border.

The province has a large, mainly Sunni Muslim ethnic Baluchi community which straddles the border and has long been a flashpoint, with Pakistan-based Baluchi separatists and jihadists carrying out cross-border attacks targeting the Shiite authorities.

The province's deputy governor in charge of security, Mohammad Hadi Marashi, said multiple assailants took part in Thursday's attack.

"The terrorists tried to enter Chabahar police headquarters but they were prevented by the guards and they detonated the car bomb," he said.

Chabahar has a deep-water port on the Gulf of Oman and with Indian assistance Iran has been developing it as a a major energy and freight hub between Central Asia and India, bypassing Pakistan.

A suicide bomber killed at least four people outside a police headquarters in the port city of Chabahar in restive southeastern Iran on Thursday, its governor said.

A suicide bomber killed at least four people outside a police headquarters in the port city of Chabahar in restive southeastern Iran on Thursday, its governor said. Chabahar governor Rahmdel Bameri said many people were also wounded in the morning car bombing. "The explosion was very strong and broke the glass of many buildings close by," Bameri told state television. Many nearby shop owners and civilian passers-by, including women and children, were severely wounded, he added. Chabahar lies in Sistan-Baluchistan province some 100 kilometres (60 miles) west of the Pakistan border. The province has a large, mainly Sunni Muslim ethnic Baluchi community which straddles the border and has long been a flashpoint, with Pakistan-based Baluchi separatists and jihadists carrying out cross-border attacks targeting the Shiite authorities. The province's deputy governor in charge of security, Mohammad Hadi Marashi, said multiple assailants took part in Thursday's attack. "The terrorists tried to enter Chabahar police headquarters but they were prevented by the guards and they detonated the car bomb," he said. Chabahar has a deep-water port on the Gulf of Oman and with Indian assistance Iran has been developing it as a a major energy and freight hub between Central Asia and India, bypassing Pakistan.

Suicide bomber kills 4 at port city Chabahar in southeast Iran

Punjab police said Sunday the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/3-dead-10-injured-in-grenade-attack-at-amritsars-rajasansi-village-178012">grenade attack</a> on a religious congregation on the outskirts of Amritsar city appears to be a "terrorist act".

"It (this incident) appears to have a terror angle. Because it is against a group (of people) and it is not against any individual. There is no reason to throw a hand grenade on a group of people, so we will take it as a terrorist act. Till proven otherwise, prima facie we will take it as that," Punjab Director General of Police Suresh Arora told PTI.

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Three dead &amp; twenty injured in the blast. We are counting it as a terror act. We will find out other details in the further investigation: Punjab DGP Suresh Arora on the blast in Amritsar district. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Punjab?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Punjab</a> <a href="https://t.co/ItYksYFibE">pic.twitter.com/ItYksYFibE</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1064129100971954177?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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To a question, the DGP said there was no specific input about any possible attack on Nirankari Bhavan.

"There was no issue with this group as such? There was no specific input on (Nirankari Bhavan)," he said.

Three persons were killed and at least 10 injured in a grenade attack on a religious congregation on the city outskirts on Sunday, police said.

The attack took place inside the Nirankari Bhavan at Adliwal village near Amritsar's Rajasansi, close to the international airport, police said.

A religious congregation of the Nirankari sect was being conducted inside the Bhavan at the time of the incident.

"A grenade was lobbed and three people have died in the incident while 10 have been injured in the incident, two of them critically," Inspector General of Police S S Parmar, who visited the incident spot, told reporters.

He said about 200 devotees were inside at the time of the attack. No CCTV camera was installed at the premises, preliminary investigations found, he said.

"We have launched relief and rescue operations," he said.

After the attack, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh reviewed the law and order situation and directed the Home Secretary, DGP (Law and Order) and DG Intelligence to rush to Rajasansi to supervise investigations.&nbsp;

Punjab police said Sunday the grenade attack on a religious congregation on the outskirts of Amritsar city appears to be a "terrorist act". "It (this incident) appears to have a terror angle.

Punjab police said Sunday the grenade attack on a religious congregation on the outskirts of Amritsar city appears to be a "terrorist act". "It (this incident) appears to have a terror angle. Because it is against a group (of people) and it is not against any individual. There is no reason to throw a hand grenade on a group of people, so we will take it as a terrorist act. Till proven otherwise, prima facie we will take it as that," Punjab Director General of Police Suresh Arora told PTI. Three dead & twenty injured in the blast. We are counting it as a terror act. We will find out other details in the further investigation: Punjab DGP Suresh Arora on the blast in Amritsar district. #Punjab pic.twitter.com/ItYksYFibE — ANI (@ANI) November 18, 2018 × To a question, the DGP said there was no specific input about any possible attack on Nirankari Bhavan. "There was no issue with this group as such? There was no specific input on (Nirankari Bhavan)," he said. Three persons were killed and at least 10 injured in a grenade attack on a religious congregation on the city outskirts on Sunday, police said. The attack took place inside the Nirankari Bhavan at Adliwal village near Amritsar's Rajasansi, close to the international airport, police said. A religious congregation of the Nirankari sect was being conducted inside the Bhavan at the time of the incident. "A grenade was lobbed and three people have died in the incident while 10 have been injured in the incident, two of them critically," Inspector General of Police S S Parmar, who visited the incident spot, told reporters. He said about 200 devotees were inside at the time of the attack. No CCTV camera was installed at the premises, preliminary investigations found, he said. "We have launched relief and rescue operations," he said. After the attack, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh reviewed the law and order situation and directed the Home Secretary, DGP (Law and Order) and DG Intelligence to rush to Rajasansi to supervise investigations.

Amritsar grenade attack appears to be 'terrorist act': Punjab police

Russia said Wednesday it had opened a criminal investigation into a "terrorist attack" after an unidentified explosive device went off in a technical college in the city of Kerch in Moscow-annexed Crimea, killing at least 10 and injuring around 50.

The Investigative Committee, which probes major incidents, said in a statement that it had "opened a criminal case into a terrorist attack over the explosion in a college in Kerch."

A blast at a college in the Crimean port city of Kerch killed 10 people and injured dozens on Wednesday, Russian news agencies reported, citing sources.

"Initial information is that a gas canister blew up," the TASS news agency quoted an unnamed law enforcement source as saying.

Photographs from the scene of the blast posted by local media outlet Kerch.FM showed ground floor windows of the two-storey building had been blown out, and debris from the building was lying on the floor outside.

Ambulances and firefighters were at the scene. One person could be seen on a stretcher being carried onto a bus.

Russia said Wednesday it had opened a criminal investigation into a "terrorist attack" after an unidentified explosive device went off in a technical college in the city of Kerch in Moscow-annexed Crimea, killing at least 10 and injuring around 50.

Russia said Wednesday it had opened a criminal investigation into a "terrorist attack" after an unidentified explosive device went off in a technical college in the city of Kerch in Moscow-annexed Crimea, killing at least 10 and injuring around 50. The Investigative Committee, which probes major incidents, said in a statement that it had "opened a criminal case into a terrorist attack over the explosion in a college in Kerch." A blast at a college in the Crimean port city of Kerch killed 10 people and injured dozens on Wednesday, Russian news agencies reported, citing sources. "Initial information is that a gas canister blew up," the TASS news agency quoted an unnamed law enforcement source as saying. Photographs from the scene of the blast posted by local media outlet Kerch.FM showed ground floor windows of the two-storey building had been blown out, and debris from the building was lying on the floor outside. Ambulances and firefighters were at the scene. One person could be seen on a stretcher being carried onto a bus.

Russia opens probe into 'terrorist attack' over Crimea explosion: Investigators

Dutch police arrested seven men Thursday suspected of plotting to carry out a "major terrorist attack" at a public event using explosive belts and an AK-47 assault rifle, the public prosecutor's office said.

"Police arrested seven men on Thursday... suspected of being at a very advanced stage of preparation for a major terrorist attack in the Netherlands," it said in a statement, adding one of the suspects had wanted to kill "many victims".

Prosecutors and investigators were "convinced that a terrorist attack was prevented" as a result of the arrests in the cities of Arnhem and Weert which followed a months-long police operation.

Officers had placed a group of people under surveillance, a central figure being a 34-year-old man of Iraqi origin convicted in 2017 of attempting to reach territory controlled by the jihadist Islamic State group, the statement added.

Those arrested by elite special anti-terrorist police teams with helicopter support ranged in age from 21 to 34.

The suspects came from Arnhem, the port city of Rotterdam and villages close to those two cities. Two others in the group also had convictions related to attempts to travel to Iraq or Syria.

"One of the men from Arnhem wanted to commit an attack with a group at a major event in the Netherlands and kill many victims, according to the Dutch Intelligence Service (AIVD)," the prosecutor's office said.

Police had yet to identify the target of the planned attack which the prosecutor's office said was to have included a separate car bombing.

The suspects, who investigators said were in possession of small arms when they were detained, are expected to appear in court in Rotterdam on Friday.

"They were seeking AK-47 assault rifles, grenades, explosive belts and raw materials with which to make other bombs," investigators said.

Dutch on alert&nbsp;

The arrests came three months after two men were arrested in Rotterdam on suspicion of preparing attacks in France and in the Netherlands. Prosecutors said earlier this month they were "close" to launching their attack.

There has been no mention of what the target in France might have been.

In the Netherlands, the pair are said to have staked out and "identified several possible targets" in Rotterdam, including "a police station and the Erasmus Bridge", the country's second largest.

On August 31, an Afghan aged 19 and with a German residence permit stabbed and injured two American tourists at Amsterdam's busy Central Station before being shot.

The prosecutor's office said he had chosen the Netherlands for the attack believing Islam to be "frequently insulted" there.

The Amsterdam incident came following a Taliban call for attacks on Dutch troops after far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders organised a Prophet Muhammed cartoon competition.

Many Muslims consider images of the prophet to be blasphemous.

The likelihood of a terror attack in the Netherlands "remained substantial", the Dutch anti-terror agency NCTV said last week, with terror threat levels remaining at level four out of five.

Dutch police arrested seven men Thursday suspected of plotting to carry out a "major terrorist attack" at a public event using explosive belts and an AK-47 assault rifle, the public prosecutor's office said.

Dutch police arrested seven men Thursday suspected of plotting to carry out a "major terrorist attack" at a public event using explosive belts and an AK-47 assault rifle, the public prosecutor's office said. "Police arrested seven men on Thursday... suspected of being at a very advanced stage of preparation for a major terrorist attack in the Netherlands," it said in a statement, adding one of the suspects had wanted to kill "many victims". Prosecutors and investigators were "convinced that a terrorist attack was prevented" as a result of the arrests in the cities of Arnhem and Weert which followed a months-long police operation. Officers had placed a group of people under surveillance, a central figure being a 34-year-old man of Iraqi origin convicted in 2017 of attempting to reach territory controlled by the jihadist Islamic State group, the statement added. Those arrested by elite special anti-terrorist police teams with helicopter support ranged in age from 21 to 34. The suspects came from Arnhem, the port city of Rotterdam and villages close to those two cities. Two others in the group also had convictions related to attempts to travel to Iraq or Syria. "One of the men from Arnhem wanted to commit an attack with a group at a major event in the Netherlands and kill many victims, according to the Dutch Intelligence Service (AIVD)," the prosecutor's office said. Police had yet to identify the target of the planned attack which the prosecutor's office said was to have included a separate car bombing. The suspects, who investigators said were in possession of small arms when they were detained, are expected to appear in court in Rotterdam on Friday. "They were seeking AK-47 assault rifles, grenades, explosive belts and raw materials with which to make other bombs," investigators said. Dutch on alert The arrests came three months after two men were arrested in Rotterdam on suspicion of preparing attacks in France and in the Netherlands. Prosecutors said earlier this month they were "close" to launching their attack. There has been no mention of what the target in France might have been. In the Netherlands, the pair are said to have staked out and "identified several possible targets" in Rotterdam, including "a police station and the Erasmus Bridge", the country's second largest. On August 31, an Afghan aged 19 and with a German residence permit stabbed and injured two American tourists at Amsterdam's busy Central Station before being shot. The prosecutor's office said he had chosen the Netherlands for the attack believing Islam to be "frequently insulted" there. The Amsterdam incident came following a Taliban call for attacks on Dutch troops after far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders organised a Prophet Muhammed cartoon competition. Many Muslims consider images of the prophet to be blasphemous. The likelihood of a terror attack in the Netherlands "remained substantial", the Dutch anti-terror agency NCTV said last week, with terror threat levels remaining at level four out of five.

'Major terrorist attack' foiled in Netherlands: Prosecutor

Terrorists on the wee hours of Thursday attacked an&nbsp;Army's patrolling party in&nbsp;Jammu and Kashmir's&nbsp;Kupwara&nbsp;district.

The incident took place around&nbsp;Qaziabad&nbsp;forests situated in&nbsp;Kralgund&nbsp;area of the district.

The firing was retaliated and triggered off following a brief gunfight between the security forces and terrorists.

A search operation has been launched to trace out the terrorists.

Bodies of two terrorists were recovered after a search operation was launched in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district.

On Wednesday, a suspected terrorist lobbed a grenade at the residence of National Conference leader Mohammad Ashraf Bhat in Pulwama's Tral town.

On the same day, terrorists hurled a grenade towards a joint checkpoint of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and&nbsp;Jammu and Kashmir&nbsp;police in Pulwama district.

The incident took place around Qaziabad forests situated in Kralgund area of the district

Terrorists on the wee hours of Thursday attacked an Army's patrolling party in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district. The incident took place around Qaziabad forests situated in Kralgund area of the district. The firing was retaliated and triggered off following a brief gunfight between the security forces and terrorists. A search operation has been launched to trace out the terrorists. Bodies of two terrorists were recovered after a search operation was launched in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district. On Wednesday, a suspected terrorist lobbed a grenade at the residence of National Conference leader Mohammad Ashraf Bhat in Pulwama's Tral town. On the same day, terrorists hurled a grenade towards a joint checkpoint of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Jammu and Kashmir police in Pulwama district.

Jammu and Kashmir: Terrorists attack army patrolling party in Kupwara

A gunman on Tuesday fired shots in eastern Belgium's city of Liege killing two police officers and one civilian as a terrorist incident before being shot, the local public prosecutor told a news conference.

As per UK based reports, the police identified the gunman as&nbsp;Benjamin Herman, 36,&nbsp;from Rochefort, a city close to Liege. He had been involved in criminal activities such as&nbsp;robbery, assault, and drug-dealing and was well-known to the police.&nbsp;

The 36-year-old petty criminal&nbsp;had been let out on day-release from a local prison on Monday. Police said investigators were looking into whether he converted to Islam and had been radicalised in jail, Reuters reported.

However, the government had not listed Herman&nbsp;as a potential terrorist, according to local media, but had been in contact with radicalised prisoners during his multiple times in jail.

The prosecutor said the man attacked the two officers from behind with a knife, took one of their guns and shot them both dead.

The&nbsp;attacker then shot dead a 22-year-old man in a nearby vehicle, before taking refuge in a school where he was killed in a subsequent gunfight during which several other policemen were wounded.

The gunman had also taken a female cleaner hostage at the school before being killed by police.&nbsp;

La Libre Belgique newspaper quoted a police source as saying the gunman shouted Allahu Akbar — God is greatest in Arabic -- and RTBF said investigators believed the attacker may well have had a terrorist motive.

The reason behind the shooting is not clear yet, investigations are still on.&nbsp;

Belgian police and military have been on alert since suicide bombers killed 32 people at the Brussels airport and subway system in 2016.

The prosecutor said the man attacked the two officers from behind with a knife, took one of their guns and shot them both dead

A gunman on Tuesday fired shots in eastern Belgium's city of Liege killing two police officers and one civilian as a terrorist incident before being shot, the local public prosecutor told a news conference. As per UK based reports, the police identified the gunman as Benjamin Herman, 36, from Rochefort, a city close to Liege. He had been involved in criminal activities such as robbery, assault, and drug-dealing and was well-known to the police. The 36-year-old petty criminal had been let out on day-release from a local prison on Monday. Police said investigators were looking into whether he converted to Islam and had been radicalised in jail, Reuters reported. However, the government had not listed Herman as a potential terrorist, according to local media, but had been in contact with radicalised prisoners during his multiple times in jail. The prosecutor said the man attacked the two officers from behind with a knife, took one of their guns and shot them both dead. The attacker then shot dead a 22-year-old man in a nearby vehicle, before taking refuge in a school where he was killed in a subsequent gunfight during which several other policemen were wounded. The gunman had also taken a female cleaner hostage at the school before being killed by police. La Libre Belgique newspaper quoted a police source as saying the gunman shouted Allahu Akbar — God is greatest in Arabic -- and RTBF said investigators believed the attacker may well have had a terrorist motive. The reason behind the shooting is not clear yet, investigations are still on. Belgian police and military have been on alert since suicide bombers killed 32 people at the Brussels airport and subway system in 2016.

Belgium shooting: Gunman had recently been let out on day-release from local prison

BJP leader Anwar Khan escaped a terrorist attack at Balhama village in Jammu and Kashmir&#39;s Pulwama district &#39;s Khanmoh area on Thursday, but his personal security officer (PSO) was injured in the incident, the police said.

Terrorists fired upon Anwar Khan, a BJP leader, at Balhama in Pulwama district, a police official said.

While Khan escaped the attack unhurt, his PSO, constable Bilal Ahmad, was injured in the incident, the official added.

He said the injured policeman was rushed to a hospital, where his condition was stated to be stable.&nbsp;

Security forces have cordoned off the Khanmoh area in Pulwama district after the terrorists attack.

Terrorists fired upon Anwar Khan, a BJP leader, at Balhama in Pulwama district, a police official said.

BJP leader Anwar Khan escaped a terrorist attack at Balhama village in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district 's Khanmoh area on Thursday, but his personal security officer (PSO) was injured in the incident, the police said. Terrorists fired upon Anwar Khan, a BJP leader, at Balhama in Pulwama district, a police official said. While Khan escaped the attack unhurt, his PSO, constable Bilal Ahmad, was injured in the incident, the official added. He said the injured policeman was rushed to a hospital, where his condition was stated to be stable. Security forces have cordoned off the Khanmoh area in Pulwama district after the terrorists attack.

Terrorists attack J&K BJP leader Anwar Khan; PSO injured

A police spokesman informed on Saturday that at least two of the four suspected gunmen have been killed during an attack in the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/kabuls-intercontinental-hotel-under-attack-multiple-casualties-30186" target="_blank">Intercontinental Hotel</a> in Kabul, Afghanistan.&nbsp;

According to reports, the Kabul police said that the security forces had cleared the fourth floor and were heading up the building, battling the raiders, who appeared to have a large supply of hand grenades.&nbsp;

There has been no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

Hotel manager Ahmad Haris Nayab, who escaped unhurt, said the attackers had got into the main part of the hotel through a kitchen and people tried to get out amid bursts of gunfire.

Interior Minister Barmak said 16 people were rescued from the first floor of the hotel. The minister said that a private security company had taken responsibility for the protection of the hotel around two weeks ago.

Other details about the attack, including whether any civilians had been killed, were not immediately clear.

Special forces had been lowered by helicopters onto the rooftop of the hotel, he added.

The fourth floor of the hotel, which boasts several restaurants and an outdoor swimming pool, had been set on fire during the raid, the NDS official said.

&quot;The operation will soon end and the attackers will be killed,&quot; interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said.&nbsp;

According to reports, the Kabul police said that the security forces had cleared the fourth floor and were heading up the building, battling the raiders, who appeared to have a large supply of hand grenades

A police spokesman informed on Saturday that at least two of the four suspected gunmen have been killed during an attack in the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul, Afghanistan. According to reports, the Kabul police said that the security forces had cleared the fourth floor and were heading up the building, battling the raiders, who appeared to have a large supply of hand grenades. There has been no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. Hotel manager Ahmad Haris Nayab, who escaped unhurt, said the attackers had got into the main part of the hotel through a kitchen and people tried to get out amid bursts of gunfire. Interior Minister Barmak said 16 people were rescued from the first floor of the hotel. The minister said that a private security company had taken responsibility for the protection of the hotel around two weeks ago. Other details about the attack, including whether any civilians had been killed, were not immediately clear. Special forces had been lowered by helicopters onto the rooftop of the hotel, he added. The fourth floor of the hotel, which boasts several restaurants and an outdoor swimming pool, had been set on fire during the raid, the NDS official said. "The operation will soon end and the attackers will be killed," interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said.

2 gunmen killed during attack at Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel

Afghanistan Sunday declared a day of national mourning as the toll for those killed by a huge bomb hidden in an ambulance in Kabul topped 100 people and tensions remained high after insurgents struck in the city for the second time in a week.&nbsp;

At least 103 people were killed and 235 wounded in Saturday`s lunchtime attack claimed by the Taliban, which caused panic in the war-torn capital and overwhelmed its hospitals.&nbsp;

Kabul remained on high alert as the presidential palace declared a national day of mourning for Sunday, with flags flying at half-mast. The attack was one of the worst to strike the capital in recent years.&nbsp;

Central Kabul was unusually quiet on Sunday, a normal workday in Afghanistan, with little traffic and few people on the streets.&nbsp;

In contrast, security checkpoints have been beefed up, particularly near the blast scene, as the city braced for the possibility of further violence.&nbsp;

A security alert issued on Sunday warned that the Islamic State group -- which claimed a deadly attack on Save the Children`s office in Afghanistan`s east on Wednesday -- was planning to attack supermarkets and shops in Kabul frequented by foreigners.&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump called for &quot;decisive action&quot; against the Taliban over the assault as other international leaders also condemned the attack.

Afghan authorities gave an updated toll Sunday for those killed and maimed in the huge blast.&nbsp;

&quot;Unfortunately a number of wounded people have died in hospital. The number of martyrs is now 103 and wounded is 235,&quot; Interior Minister Wais Barmak told reporters.&nbsp;

Most of the victims were relatives of patients at a nearby hospital, said Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai, the head of Afghanistan`s spy agency, describing the attack as a reaction by the Taliban to losses on the battlefield.&nbsp;

&quot;It does not mean a lapse (in security). We have foiled many attacks, but some are difficult to control,&quot; the head of National Directorate of Security told reporters.

Ordinary Afghans took to social media to express their anguish and sorrow at rapidly worsening security as the Taliban and IS militants step up attacks on Kabul, turning it into one of the deadliest places in Afghanistan for civilians.&nbsp;

&quot;We are so heartbroken in Kabul that we don`t know how to start our new day,&quot; Freshta Karim wrote on Twitter.&nbsp;

&quot;Shall we stay home or go to work, shall we meet our friends and cry or shall we force ourselves to create an illusion of hope? How are you starting your day in Kabul?&quot;&nbsp;

Naser Danesh tweeted: &quot;In Kabul starting a day without explosion, it would be a surprise. One could only imagine that kind of a day.&quot;

On Facebook, Naweed Qaderi wrote: &quot;It is a big shame for the government, they repeatedly fail to protect people. The leaders must lose a son or daughter to feel the pain of poor people.&quot;&nbsp;

The blast happened in a crowded area of the city where several high-profile organisations including the European Union have offices.

The force of the explosion shook the windows of buildings hundreds of metres away and caused some low-rise structures in the immediate vicinity to collapse.

The scene of the attack was scattered with body parts, blood and debris. Children were among the wounded. The government has blamed the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani Network, which Afghan and Western officials suspect of involvement in at least some of the recent attacks in the capital.&nbsp;

Aerial footage showed two ambulances -- the second one driven by the suicide attacker -- approaching the first checkpoint, Barmak told reporters.&nbsp;

Police checked the first vehicle and, assuming the two ambulances were together, waved them through, he said.&nbsp;

Both ambulances went to the parking lot of the Jamhuriat hospital. After 20 minutes the suicide attacker drove on to the second checkpoint.&nbsp;

&quot;At the second checkpoint he was recognised and blew (up) his explosive-laden car,&quot; interior ministry deputy spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said earlier. He said four suspects had been arrested.

The attack came exactly a week after Taliban insurgents stormed Kabul`s landmark Intercontinental hotel and killed at least 25 people, the majority foreigners.

But there is still confusion over the true toll from that attack with conflicting figures given by officials and Afghan media reporting higher numbers.

Stanekzai said five people had been arrested so far over the hotel raid.&nbsp;

Some foreign organisations are reassessing their presence in Afghanistan following the spate of deadly violence.

The Aga Khan Foundation is moving its foreign staff out of the country, several sources told AFP.

At least one Western humanitarian group is relocating its foreign staff to other cities in Afghanistan, a source said.

At least 103 people were killed and 235 wounded in Saturday`s lunchtime attack claimed by the Taliban, which caused panic in the war-torn capital and overwhelmed its hospitals.

Afghanistan Sunday declared a day of national mourning as the toll for those killed by a huge bomb hidden in an ambulance in Kabul topped 100 people and tensions remained high after insurgents struck in the city for the second time in a week. At least 103 people were killed and 235 wounded in Saturday`s lunchtime attack claimed by the Taliban, which caused panic in the war-torn capital and overwhelmed its hospitals. Kabul remained on high alert as the presidential palace declared a national day of mourning for Sunday, with flags flying at half-mast. The attack was one of the worst to strike the capital in recent years. Central Kabul was unusually quiet on Sunday, a normal workday in Afghanistan, with little traffic and few people on the streets. In contrast, security checkpoints have been beefed up, particularly near the blast scene, as the city braced for the possibility of further violence. A security alert issued on Sunday warned that the Islamic State group -- which claimed a deadly attack on Save the Children`s office in Afghanistan`s east on Wednesday -- was planning to attack supermarkets and shops in Kabul frequented by foreigners. US President Donald Trump called for "decisive action" against the Taliban over the assault as other international leaders also condemned the attack. Afghan authorities gave an updated toll Sunday for those killed and maimed in the huge blast. "Unfortunately a number of wounded people have died in hospital. The number of martyrs is now 103 and wounded is 235," Interior Minister Wais Barmak told reporters. Most of the victims were relatives of patients at a nearby hospital, said Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai, the head of Afghanistan`s spy agency, describing the attack as a reaction by the Taliban to losses on the battlefield. "It does not mean a lapse (in security). We have foiled many attacks, but some are difficult to control," the head of National Directorate of Security told reporters. Ordinary Afghans took to social media to express their anguish and sorrow at rapidly worsening security as the Taliban and IS militants step up attacks on Kabul, turning it into one of the deadliest places in Afghanistan for civilians. "We are so heartbroken in Kabul that we don`t know how to start our new day," Freshta Karim wrote on Twitter. "Shall we stay home or go to work, shall we meet our friends and cry or shall we force ourselves to create an illusion of hope? How are you starting your day in Kabul?" Naser Danesh tweeted: "In Kabul starting a day without explosion, it would be a surprise. One could only imagine that kind of a day." On Facebook, Naweed Qaderi wrote: "It is a big shame for the government, they repeatedly fail to protect people. The leaders must lose a son or daughter to feel the pain of poor people." The blast happened in a crowded area of the city where several high-profile organisations including the European Union have offices. The force of the explosion shook the windows of buildings hundreds of metres away and caused some low-rise structures in the immediate vicinity to collapse. The scene of the attack was scattered with body parts, blood and debris. Children were among the wounded. The government has blamed the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani Network, which Afghan and Western officials suspect of involvement in at least some of the recent attacks in the capital. Aerial footage showed two ambulances -- the second one driven by the suicide attacker -- approaching the first checkpoint, Barmak told reporters. Police checked the first vehicle and, assuming the two ambulances were together, waved them through, he said. Both ambulances went to the parking lot of the Jamhuriat hospital. After 20 minutes the suicide attacker drove on to the second checkpoint. "At the second checkpoint he was recognised and blew (up) his explosive-laden car," interior ministry deputy spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said earlier. He said four suspects had been arrested. The attack came exactly a week after Taliban insurgents stormed Kabul`s landmark Intercontinental hotel and killed at least 25 people, the majority foreigners. But there is still confusion over the true toll from that attack with conflicting figures given by officials and Afghan media reporting higher numbers. Stanekzai said five people had been arrested so far over the hotel raid. Some foreign organisations are reassessing their presence in Afghanistan following the spate of deadly violence. The Aga Khan Foundation is moving its foreign staff out of the country, several sources told AFP. At least one Western humanitarian group is relocating its foreign staff to other cities in Afghanistan, a source said.

Kabul on high alert after ambulance bomb toll tops 100

The UN and the US today strongly condemned the &quot;senseless and cowardly bombing&quot; in Kabul which claimed at least <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/at-least-40-dead-140-wounded-after-massive-suicide-bomb-explosion-rocks-kabul-30897">95 lives and left 158 injured</a>, saying those responsible for it must be brought to justice.

Strongly condemning the Taliban-claimed assault - the second carried out by the militant group in the Afghan capital in a week, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, in a statement said that indiscriminate attacks against civilians are grave violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, and can never be justified.

&quot;The Secretary-General strongly condemns the deadly attack today in central Kabul, which was claimed by the Taliban...Those responsible for today&#39;s attack must be brought to justice,&quot; said a statement attributable to UN Secretary General&#39;s spokesperson.

Condemning the attack, the US State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert tweeted: &quot;We condemn today&#39;s cowardly bombing in Kabul and those who perpetrated it. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families, and we stand with the brave people of #Afghanistan.&quot;

US Ambassador to Afghanistan John R Bass, in a statement, also condemned the &quot;senseless and cowardly bombing&quot; in Kabul and those who perpetrated it.

&quot;Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. My government and I stand with the brave people of Afghanistan.? Their work to create a peaceful, prosperous future for all the citizens of this country is the best response to terrorists and others who know only violence,&quot; he said.

Meanwhile, the White House said President Donald Trump is aware of the terrorist attack.

Eiffel Tower to go dark

The Eiffel Tower will cut its lights on Saturday night to commemorate those killed and wounded in a devastating ambulance bombing in Kabul, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said on Twitter.&nbsp;

&quot;Tonight at midnight the Eiffel Tower will go out in homage to the victims of the horrific attack that struck Kabul,&quot; Hidalgo said.&nbsp;

&quot;The city of Paris and Parisians are with the Afghan people who are once again facing terrorist barbarity.&quot;&nbsp;

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Ce soir, &agrave; minuit, <a href="https://twitter.com/LaTourEiffel?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LaTourEiffel</a> s&#39;&eacute;teindra en hommage aux victimes de l&#39;ignoble attentat qui a frapp&eacute; le coeur de <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kaboul?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kaboul</a>. La Ville de <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Paris?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Paris</a>, les Parisiennes et les Parisiens sont aux c&ocirc;t&eacute;s du peuple afghan qui fait face une nouvelle fois &agrave; la barbarie terroriste. <a href="https://t.co/o0e8HCJKDU">pic.twitter.com/o0e8HCJKDU</a>
&mdash; Anne Hidalgo (@Anne_Hidalgo) <a href="https://twitter.com/Anne_Hidalgo/status/957285839280713728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Meanwhile, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/kabul-explosion-the-perpetrators-of-these-dastardly-attacks-should-be-brought-to-justice-says-ministry-of-external-affairs-30922">India has also condemned the attack</a>&nbsp;with the External Affairs ministry calling the incident as &quot;barbaric and barbaric and dastardly&quot;.

The Ministry called the attack &quot;reprehensible&quot; noting that no justification for the tragedy would suffice.

&quot;The perpetrators of these attacks and their supporters should be brought to justice,&quot; the release noted. &nbsp;

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India strongly condemns the barbaric and dastardly terrorist attacks in Kabul today. Full Press Release available at <a href="https://t.co/pPMhgb3tdz">https://t.co/pPMhgb3tdz</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/IndianEmbKabul?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IndianEmbKabul</a>
&mdash; Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/MEAIndia/status/957235485033705472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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President&nbsp;Ram Nath Kovind also expressed his regret on the incident.

&quot;Shocked at the&nbsp;news of the terrorist attack in Kabul. Our thoughts are with the bereaved families &amp; with those injured. India stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the people &amp; government of Afghanistan in the fight against the forces of terror and evil,&quot; noted the President.&nbsp;

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Shocked at news of the terrorist attack in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kabul?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kabul</a>. Our thoughts are with the bereaved families &amp; with those injured. India stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the people &amp; government of Afghanistan in the fight against the forces of terror and evil, tweets President Ram Nath Kovind. <a href="https://t.co/vnOlKenQE0">pic.twitter.com/vnOlKenQE0</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/957277311669121024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Condemning the attack, the US State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert tweeted: 'We condemn today's cowardly bombing in Kabul'

The UN and the US today strongly condemned the "senseless and cowardly bombing" in Kabul which claimed at least 95 lives and left 158 injured, saying those responsible for it must be brought to justice. Strongly condemning the Taliban-claimed assault - the second carried out by the militant group in the Afghan capital in a week, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, in a statement said that indiscriminate attacks against civilians are grave violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, and can never be justified. "The Secretary-General strongly condemns the deadly attack today in central Kabul, which was claimed by the Taliban...Those responsible for today's attack must be brought to justice," said a statement attributable to UN Secretary General's spokesperson. Condemning the attack, the US State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert tweeted: "We condemn today's cowardly bombing in Kabul and those who perpetrated it. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families, and we stand with the brave people of #Afghanistan." US Ambassador to Afghanistan John R Bass, in a statement, also condemned the "senseless and cowardly bombing" in Kabul and those who perpetrated it. "Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. My government and I stand with the brave people of Afghanistan.? Their work to create a peaceful, prosperous future for all the citizens of this country is the best response to terrorists and others who know only violence," he said. Meanwhile, the White House said President Donald Trump is aware of the terrorist attack. Eiffel Tower to go dark The Eiffel Tower will cut its lights on Saturday night to commemorate those killed and wounded in a devastating ambulance bombing in Kabul, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said on Twitter. "Tonight at midnight the Eiffel Tower will go out in homage to the victims of the horrific attack that struck Kabul," Hidalgo said. "The city of Paris and Parisians are with the Afghan people who are once again facing terrorist barbarity." Ce soir, à minuit, @LaTourEiffel s'éteindra en hommage aux victimes de l'ignoble attentat qui a frappé le coeur de #Kaboul. La Ville de #Paris, les Parisiennes et les Parisiens sont aux côtés du peuple afghan qui fait face une nouvelle fois à la barbarie terroriste. pic.twitter.com/o0e8HCJKDU — Anne Hidalgo (@Anne_Hidalgo) January 27, 2018 × Meanwhile, India has also condemned the attack with the External Affairs ministry calling the incident as "barbaric and barbaric and dastardly". The Ministry called the attack "reprehensible" noting that no justification for the tragedy would suffice. "The perpetrators of these attacks and their supporters should be brought to justice," the release noted. India strongly condemns the barbaric and dastardly terrorist attacks in Kabul today. Full Press Release available at https://t.co/pPMhgb3tdz @IndianEmbKabul — Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) January 27, 2018 × President Ram Nath Kovind also expressed his regret on the incident. "Shocked at the news of the terrorist attack in Kabul. Our thoughts are with the bereaved families & with those injured. India stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the people & government of Afghanistan in the fight against the forces of terror and evil," noted the President. Shocked at news of the terrorist attack in #Kabul. Our thoughts are with the bereaved families & with those injured. India stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the people & government of Afghanistan in the fight against the forces of terror and evil, tweets President Ram Nath Kovind. pic.twitter.com/vnOlKenQE0 — ANI (@ANI) January 27, 2018 × (With inputs from agencies)

Kabul explosion: UN, US condemn terrorist attack, Eiffel Tower to go dark

Local media of Afghanistan has reported the arrest of five persons in connection with the January 21 <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/at-least-five-dead-in-kabul-hotel-attack-afghan-spy-agency-30204">attack on the Intercontinental hotel in&nbsp;Kabul.</a>

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Breaking : Five persons arrested in connection with attack on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/intercontinentalhotel?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#intercontinentalhotel</a> in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kabul?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kabul</a>.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Afghanistan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Afghanistan</a>
&mdash; Pajhwok Afghan News (@pajhwok) <a href="https://twitter.com/pajhwok/status/957555713584390145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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At least four <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/kabuls-intercontinental-hotel-under-attack-by-at-least-four-gunmen-30184">Taliban gunmen attacked Kabul&#39;s landmark Intercontinental Hotel </a>on Saturday and started shooting at guests, which went on for 12 hours.

The overnight attack killed at least 22 people, the majority of them were foreigners including citizens from Venezuela, the Ukraine, Germany and Kazakhstan and America.

About 100 people were kept hostage who later were released after the attack.

During the investigation after the attack, many<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/kabul-hotel-guests-describe-lax-security-before-deadly-attack-30537"> issues relating to security </a>came to the light.

A witness and a security source said that at least two of the gunmen were armed and inside the hotel before the attack began, and questions have been raised &mdash; including by the country&#39;s interior minister &mdash; over whether the militants had inside help.

Constantly under threat, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/kabul-explosion-death-toll-increases-to-103-30982">Kabul also faced another deadly attack </a>on Saturday, in which 103 were killed and 235 were wounded.

An explosives-packed ambulance blew up in a crowded area of Kabul in one of the biggest blasts to rock the war-torn city in recent years.

The<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/kabul-explosion-the-perpetrators-of-these-dastardly-attacks-should-be-brought-to-justice-says-ministry-of-external-affairs-30922"> Ministry of External Affairs&nbsp;strongly condemned t</a>he&nbsp;suicide-bomb explosion on Saturday.&nbsp;

At least four Taliban gunmen attacked Kabul's landmark Intercontinental Hotel on Saturday and started shooting at guests, which went on for 12-hours

Local media of Afghanistan has reported the arrest of five persons in connection with the January 21 attack on the Intercontinental hotel in Kabul. Breaking : Five persons arrested in connection with attack on #intercontinentalhotel in #Kabul.#Afghanistan — Pajhwok Afghan News (@pajhwok) January 28, 2018 × At least four Taliban gunmen attacked Kabul's landmark Intercontinental Hotel on Saturday and started shooting at guests, which went on for 12 hours. The overnight attack killed at least 22 people, the majority of them were foreigners including citizens from Venezuela, the Ukraine, Germany and Kazakhstan and America. About 100 people were kept hostage who later were released after the attack. During the investigation after the attack, many issues relating to security came to the light. A witness and a security source said that at least two of the gunmen were armed and inside the hotel before the attack began, and questions have been raised — including by the country's interior minister — over whether the militants had inside help. Constantly under threat, Kabul also faced another deadly attack on Saturday, in which 103 were killed and 235 were wounded. An explosives-packed ambulance blew up in a crowded area of Kabul in one of the biggest blasts to rock the war-torn city in recent years. The Ministry of External Affairs strongly condemned the suicide-bomb explosion on Saturday.

Five arrested over Kabul Intercontinental hotel shooting

Pakistan warned India against cross-border strikes after Indian authorities blamed Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM) for an attack on an Army camp in which soldiers and their families were targeted.

Saturday&#39;s attack on the Sunjuwan camp in Jammu was the worst in months, with five soldiers and the father of one of the soldiers killed and women and children among the ten wounded.

India said the heavily armed attackers were members of the JeM, drawing criticism from Pakistan about rushing to judgment without a full inquiry.

&quot;It is a well established pattern that Indian officials begin making irresponsible statements and levelling unfounded allegations, even before any proper investigation in any incident has been initiated,&quot; Pakistan&#39;s foreign ministry said in a statement.&nbsp;

Also&nbsp;read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/lashkar-e-taiba-claims-responsibility-for-sunjwan-camp-karan-nagar-attacks-32595">Lashkar-e-Taiba claims responsibility for Sunjuwan army camp attack</a>

India, it said, was making these allegations to divert attention from its brutality in trying to control the armed revolt in Kashmir, and warned against any retaliatory measures across the Line of Control (LoC).

&quot;We hope that the international community would urge India to stop the untold atrocities and gross violations of human rights in Kashmir (and) refrain from any misadventure across the Line of Control...&quot; it said.

India has long accused Pakistan of training and arming terrorists and helping them infiltrate across the heavily militarised LoC into Jammu and Kashmir.

The head of the Jammu &amp; Kashmir state police, SP Vaid, told reporters over the weekend that they had communication intercepts pointing to the JeM, which has emerged as a top group fighting hundreds of thousands of Indian forces in Kashmir.

The Army said the attackers wore fatigues and had assault rifles, a UBGL and grenades.

In 2016, India carried out&nbsp;surgical strikes&nbsp;after 18 soldiers were killed in an attack on the Uri base in Kashmir.

Pakistan denies giving material aid to the fighters in Kashmir and says it only provides diplomatic and moral support to the Kashmiri people in &#39;their struggle for self-determination&#39;.

On Monday, Indian soldiers foiled an attack on CRPF camp in Srinagar. An encounter is currently ongoing between the terrorists and the security forces, and one CRPF jawan has been martyred.

Saturday's attack on the Sunjuwan camp in Jammu was the worst in months, with five soldiers and the father of one of the soldiers killed and women and children among the ten wounded

Pakistan warned India against cross-border strikes after Indian authorities blamed Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM) for an attack on an Army camp in which soldiers and their families were targeted. Saturday's attack on the Sunjuwan camp in Jammu was the worst in months, with five soldiers and the father of one of the soldiers killed and women and children among the ten wounded. India said the heavily armed attackers were members of the JeM, drawing criticism from Pakistan about rushing to judgment without a full inquiry. "It is a well established pattern that Indian officials begin making irresponsible statements and levelling unfounded allegations, even before any proper investigation in any incident has been initiated," Pakistan's foreign ministry said in a statement. Also read: Lashkar-e-Taiba claims responsibility for Sunjuwan army camp attack India, it said, was making these allegations to divert attention from its brutality in trying to control the armed revolt in Kashmir, and warned against any retaliatory measures across the Line of Control (LoC). "We hope that the international community would urge India to stop the untold atrocities and gross violations of human rights in Kashmir (and) refrain from any misadventure across the Line of Control..." it said. India has long accused Pakistan of training and arming terrorists and helping them infiltrate across the heavily militarised LoC into Jammu and Kashmir. The head of the Jammu & Kashmir state police, SP Vaid, told reporters over the weekend that they had communication intercepts pointing to the JeM, which has emerged as a top group fighting hundreds of thousands of Indian forces in Kashmir. The Army said the attackers wore fatigues and had assault rifles, a UBGL and grenades. In 2016, India carried out surgical strikes after 18 soldiers were killed in an attack on the Uri base in Kashmir. Pakistan denies giving material aid to the fighters in Kashmir and says it only provides diplomatic and moral support to the Kashmiri people in 'their struggle for self-determination'. On Monday, Indian soldiers foiled an attack on CRPF camp in Srinagar. An encounter is currently ongoing between the terrorists and the security forces, and one CRPF jawan has been martyred.

Pakistan 'warns' India against cross-border strike after Jammu army camp attack

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