| |
SOUTH ASIA INTELLIGENCE REVIEW
Weekly Assessments & Briefings
Volume 14, No. 24, December 14, 2015
Data and
assessments from SAIR can be freely published in any form
with credit to the South Asia Intelligence Review of the
South Asia Terrorism Portal
|
J&K:
HM Struggling to Revive
Sanchita
Bhattacharya
Visiting
Scholar, Institute for Conflict Management
On December
1, 2015, Security Forces (SFs) arrested a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen
(HM)
militant, identified as Nawaz Ahmad Najar, from Harmain
village, Shopian District, and recovered arms and ammunition,
including two hand grenades and one Chinese grenade, among
others. "The terrorist has been involved in subversive
activities since August this year in Shopian area,"
an unnamed Army official disclosed.
On November
23, three HM terrorists, identified as Sartaj Ahmad Lone,
Adil Ahmad Sheikh and Tanveer Ahmad Bhat, were killed
in a joint operation initiated by the Army and Special
Operations Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K)
Police in the Sulligam region of Anantnag District. Reports
indicate that the militants were from the Bijbehara area
of Anantnag District. Three AK-47 rifles, six magazines,
an Underbarrel Grenade Launcher with three grenades, and
a pistol with a magazine were recovered from the encounter
site.
Earlier,
on October 26, 2015, two HM militants, identified as Afaq-Ullah-Bhat
and Abdul Manan Dar, were killed in an encounter at Drabgam
village in Pulwama District. AJunior Commissioned Officer
of the Army, who sustained injuries during the encounter,
died later.
On October
22, two HM militants, identified as Irshad Ahmad and Adil
Khanday, were killed in an encounter at Manzimpora in
Shopian District. A large quantity of arms, ammunition
and other war like stores were recovered from the slain
terrorists.
On September
22, 2015, HM militant Muzamil Ahmad Dar was killed in
a brief gunfight at Awantipora in Pulwama District. Sources
indicated that there were three militants hiding in the
area and two managed to escape.
According
to partial data compiled by the Institute for Conflict
Management (ICM) over a time-frame of a decade (2005-2015),
a total of 628 HM militants have been killed by SFs in
J&K (data till December 13, 2015), and 653 HM militants
were arrested by the SFs. During the current year alone,
at least 24 HM militants have been killed and another
21 arrested.
However,
HM was found involved in only 58 major incidents (involving
three or more fatalities) resulting in 236 deaths between
2005 and 2015. During this period, the State had recorded
a total of 344 such incidents resulting in 1,572 deaths.
Out of a total of 1,316 civilian fatalities, HM was responsible
for 84. Similarly, out of a total of 944 SF fatalities,
HM was accountable for 108. HM’s last reported attack
targeting civilians occurred on May 8, 2009, when HM militants
shot dead three persons, including a woman, at Bandara
village in the Gulabgarh area of Reasi District.
Similarly,
it was on June 24, 2013, that HM had last targeted SFs.
Eight Army personnel were killed and another 11 sustained
injuries when two heavily armed HM militants ambushed
an Army convoy in the Hyderpora area of Srinagar (Srinagar
District). On December 7, 2015, militants, in army fatigues,
attacked a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy
along the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway near Semthan
village in Anantnag District. Their fire was returned
by the CRPF personnel and, in the brief gunfight, seven
CRPF men and a civilian were injured. Both HM and Lashkar-e-Taiba
(LeT)
separately claimed responsibility for the attack.
HM had
experienced a long decline and as far back as October
2011 reports suggested that the group was slowly fading
away, with its 'commanders' and cadres being taken out
on a regular interval by SFs. According to estimates at
that time, there were just over two dozen active militants
left in the group, and even these cadres did not resort
to any major action. A senior official disclosed, "They
are basically reduced to throwing occasional grenades
or random firing… even those are very rare."
There is
now evidence that HM is making an attempt to resurrect
its activities in J&K. On August 3, 2015, an HM sleeper
cell was neutralized in Srinagar, the State capital, with
Police arresting its self-styled ‘commander’, a UK-based
Kashmiri physiotherapist, Mohammad Shaheen Baba alias
Zaid-bin Tariq. One Chinese pistol with magazine,
25 live rounds, incriminating documents and a mobile phone
were seized. Baba’s interrogation report indicated that
he was originally a resident of Chadoora, Budgam District,
but had been working in the UK as a physiotherapist and
living in London since 2006. He married an American national
of Pakistani origin and visited Pakistan, where he got
in touch with HM ‘commanders’ and, on their directions,
established the sleeper cell. The group was planning to
carry out IED [Improvised Explosive Device] blasts in
the Valley, especially in Srinagar city. According to
reports, during interrogation, Baba disclosed, “Amir Khan
('deputy supreme commander’ of HM) directed us to target
senior retired Police officers who had played an active
role in counter-insurgency operations over the years...
Amir directed me to create a new module of militants in
which I was advised to recruit youth who had no past links
with militancy or any political party. He further informed
me that once the module was established and equipped,
(he) will help in fund transfer locally". Baba was
also told by his handlers from Pakistan to collect information
about the activities of two middle rung All Party Hurriyat
Conference (APHC) leaders, both from Central Kashmir,
who were working for Indian agencies. However, Baba told
interrogators, he didn’t get time to keep tabs on their
activities.
Reports
also suggest that terrorists in J&K [including HM]
were now changing strategy and evolving. An August 2015
report claimed, "The commanders now don't waste time
on sending youngsters to Pakistan. They first ask them
to get a weapon. Then they assign them a target. Those
who clear the first two stages are recruited. This serves
an ulterior purpose: once a youngster carries out a strike,
he can't go back. Loyalty is guaranteed".
In recent
times, HM has established its presence in the cyber domain
as well. According to another August 2015 report, a post
on Facebook titled 'Tral: The Land of Martyrs',
surfaced with HM's South Kashmir 'commander' Burhan Muzaffar
Wani in it. Burhan has a bounty of INR one million on
his head. Interestingly, within the first 12 hours after
it was uploaded, the post drew 900 likes and more than
60 comments, all of them exhibiting awe and fawning admiration
for Wani, who has emerged as the poster boy for a new
generation of Kashmiri militants, credited with resuscitating
a dying jihad in the Valley. There are around a
dozen Facebook pages dedicated to Wani, with titles
such as 'We Love Burhan Bhai', 'Burhan Bhai Son of Kashmir',
'Lovers of Mujahid Burhan Trali', etc. Updated round-the-clock
with Wani’s photographs, other jihadi messages
and photos from Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Middle East,
the pages attract a barrage of likes and comments.
HM also
announced a recruitment drive from August 21, 2015, onwards,
using Whatsapp. Wani's 'lieutenants' spread the
word offering INR 35,000 as ‘salary’ to anybody willing
to join HM. Only those who had cleared Class X could apply.
Terrorists like Wani are now selling terrorism as a mix
of employment and heroism, as he projects himself in videos
in the company of youth, with fancy weapons, wandering
around nonchalantly.
Unsurprisingly,
a report dated November 27, 2015, indicated that the current
threat perception was highest from HM and not LeT or Jaish-e-Muhammad
(JeM)
as, unlike the other two outfits, HM has tried to move
away from conventional terrorism, using propaganda and
social media to attract increasing numbers of recruits.
In terms of finance, reports suggest that, while Pakistan
continues to be the biggest donor, HM funds have also
come in from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and some Western nations.
Meanwhile,
a new faction of HM, Lashkar-e-Islam (LeI) has proved
to be extremely violent, especially targeting
mobile transmission towers and devices in the valley.
Recent reports also suggest fratricidal killings within
HM-LeI ranks. In a major setback to LeI, headed by Qayoom
Najjar, three of his associates identified as Amir Reshi,
Ashiq Wani, and Naveed Ahmad Khan were found dead in the
local orchards of Shutz Dangerpora village on the Nihalpora-Wailo
Road in the Pattan area in Baramulla District on September
14, 2015. Police suspect factional rivalry behind the
killings.
After its
protracted marginalization among terrorist formations
in J&K, HM is making a clear bid for revival. There
is a new strategy and appeal in evidence, with aggressive
use of social media and a direct and well funded outreach
to youth, particularly in the Valley. The group has, however,
already suffered some critical losses as well as a factional
split, and there are obvious opportunities for SFs to
contain the danger before it rises any further.
|
Meghalaya:
Elusive Peace
Nijeesh
N.
Research Assistant, Institute for Conflict Management
On December
12, 2015, Meghalaya Police recovered the body of a Police
constable, Khomraj Bhattarai, from a shallow grave near
the Tapa Darengchi area in the North Garo Hills District.
Bhattarai was abducted along with another person, identified
as Muslo Hussain, by Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA)
militants from Rongdongre village on November 6, 2015.
Muslo Hussain was later released unharmed on November
19. Police suspect that GNLA ‘area commander’ Pilliport
D. Shira was responsible for the abduction and subsequent
execution of the Policeman.
On December
3, 2015, the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) commandos
of the Meghalaya Police killed the ‘action commander’
of the ‘Eagle Hunters’ group of the GNLA, Kennedy T Sangma
aka Hebel, during an encounter in the Durama Hills
forests near the Khakwa Duragre village in the East Garo
Hills District. Police recovered two AK-series rifles,
a Dragunov sniper rifle, 26 live rounds and four mobile
handsets from the encounter site, a makeshift hideout.
On November
26, 2015, a surrendered GNLA cadre, identified as Kenny
Rozar Sangma aka Jack, was lynched by villagers
in the Chigitchagre village under the Dadenggre Civil
Sub-division in West Garo Hills, over allegations that
he was involved in criminal activities, including extortion
and kidnapping.
Earlier,
in the night of October 7, 2015, two suspected members
of a “kidnappers’ gang” alleged to be involved in a string
of cases, were executed by suspected GNLA militants in
the Chiading area of East Garo Hills District and their
bodies, dumped on the road connecting Jengjal with Williamnagar,
were recovered on October 8. One of the victims, identified
as Ambar N. Marak of Songsak, was the prime accused in
the kidnapping of a local trader, Dilip Marak, in September
2015.
Since the
formation of the group in November 2009, according to
the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP) database,
GNLA-related violence has resulted in 162 fatalities (67
civilians, 28 Security Force (SF) personnel and 67 GNLA
cadres) [data till December 13, 2015]. During this period
Meghalaya recorded a total of 294 fatalities – 111 civilians,
35 SF personnel and 148 militants. Since its formation
GNLA has thus accounted for 55.1 per cent of total fatalities
in the State.
Of the
20 fatalities [three civilians and 17 militants] recorded
in the state in 2010, 11 deaths (two civilians and nine
cadres) were related to GNLA, 55 per cent of the total
fatalities. In 2011, all the 29 fatalities [11 civilians,
10 SF personnel and eight militants] in the State were
linked to GNLA. In 2012, out of 48 total fatalities [27
civilians, two SF personnel and 19 militants], 39 deaths
(22 civilians, one trooper and 16 cadres), 81.2 per cent
of the total fatalities, were linked to GNLA. In 2013,
of 60 fatalities in the State [28 civilians, nine SF personnel
and 23 militants], GNLA linked violence accounted for
33 (17 civilians, five SF personnel and 11 militants),
55 percent of the total. In 2014, of 76 fatalities [23
civilians, six SF personnel and 47 militants], the GNLA
linked insurgency accounted for 23 (eight civilians, five
SF personnel and 10 militants), 30.2 per cent of the total.
Meghalaya
has recorded at least 61 insurgency-linked fatalities
in 2015, including 19 civilians, eight SF personnel and
34 militants (data till December 13, 2015). Of these,
the GNLA was responsible for 27 fatalities, (44.2 per
cent of the total). Of 19 civilian killings in 2015, GNLA
was involved in seven, followed by A'chik Matgrik Elite
Force (AMEF) (two) and Achick Songa An'pachakgipa Kotok
(ASAK) (one). Nine civilian fatalities remain unattributed.
Similarly, of eight SF fatalities, GNLA was responsible
for seven, while one such killing was attributed to ASAK.
As the most active formation, GNLA also suffered the maximum
number of losses: of 34 militants killed in 2015, 13 were
from GNLA; followed by AMEF, 9; ASAK, 6; Liberation of
Achik Elite Force (LAEF)
and Independent faction of United Liberation Front of
Asom (ULFA-I),
one each; four remained as unspecified. According to Meghalaya
Police records, however, the total number of militants
killed was 39 (till November 30, 2015), of which 11 belonged
to GNLA. Significantly, AMEF and ASAK are GNLA splinters.
In a major split in 2013, a group of senior GNLA leaders
led by former ‘finance secretary’ Reding T. Sangma left
the outfit and formed their own organization, Garo National
Liberation Army-Faction (GNLA-F), which rechristened itself
ASAK in February 2014. Later in 2014, ASAK split further
and AMEF, under the leadership of the self-styled ‘commander’
Jack Marak, who was the ‘finance secretary’ of ASAK, was
created.
Though
GNLA's operations were earlier concentrated in East Garo
Hills and South Garo Hills, it has now started to expand
its network to the coal-rich West Khasi Hills region,
which borders South Garo Hills. Dorengchigre village,
located in East Garo Hills District, is considered to
be heartland of the GNLA's activities. In these areas,
apart from carrying out fatal attacks, the outfit has
also been found involved in abduction and extortion activities
among coal-traders, petrol tank owners and local businessmen,
on which it principally relies to sustain its activities.
According to an April 24, 2011, report, most non-Garo
Government employees working in Garo Hills were abstaining
from their duties due to fear of GNLA militants, who had
served demand notes to them asking for up to INR three
million as "donation for the interest and upliftment
of the Garo people of Garo Land and for making use of
the resources of Garo Hills."
According
to partial data compiled by SATP at least 44 incidents
of abduction, in which 73 persons were abducted, have
been reported in the current year, until December 13,
2015. GNLA was involved in the abduction of nine persons
in six such incidents. In 2014, of the total of 54 recorded
incidents of abduction in which 70 civilians were abducted,
GNLA was involved in seven, which resulted in the abduction
of nine persons. In 2013, out of 17 incidents in which
36 persons were abducted, GNLA was responsible for the
abduction of 26 persons in nine incidents. In 2012, 39
persons were abducted in 21 incidents in which GNLA was
involved in the abduction of 30 persons in 11 incidents.
In 2011, 10 persons were abducted in seven incidents in
which GNLA abducted nine persons in six incidents. The
year 2010 witnessed seven abductions in six incidents
where GNLA was involved in the abduction of five persons
in four incidents. Most incidents of extortion and abduction
go unreported, as families of victims often settle with
the militants without reporting to the Police.
The Meghalaya
Government has launched various measures to tackle the
GNLA. State Police Forces backed by Central Forces jointly
initiated ‘Operation Hill Storm’ to flush out militants
from the interior areas of the Garo Hills, which comprises
of five Districts – West Garo Hills, East Garo Hills,
South West Garo Hills, South Garo Hills and North Garo
hills. The main aim of the operation was to deny the militant
outfits, mainly the GNLA and ULFA-I, any ‘comfort zones’
in the region.
In the
first phase of the operation, ‘Operation Hill Storm 1’,
conducted between July 7, 2014, and December 31, 2014,
SFs killed at least 16 militants, including seven GNLA
cadres, five ASAK, two United A’chik Liberation Army (UALA),
and one each of ULFA-I and LAEF. Another 24 militants
were injured during the operation. The second phase of
the operation, ‘Operation Hill Storm 2’ was launched by
SFs on April 2, 2015. According to the State Police, between
April 2 and June 6, 2015, at least 17 militants were killed,
including seven cadres of GNLA, four of AMEF, two of ASAK,
and one each of ULFA-I and LAEF during this phase. The
group affiliation of the remaining two militants was not
known. However, According to SATP, SFs involved in the
Operation have killed another five GNLA militants since
June 7, 2015, (data till December 13, 2015).
Several
key GNLA cadres have also been arrested during the period.
In one recent incident, on November 18, 2015, Police arrested
Hendinath Ch Marak aka Malmepa, a key aide of the
‘commander in chief’ of GNLA, Sohan D. Shira, from his
residence at Bawegre in Williamnagar in East Garo Hills
District. According to Inspector General of Police (Operations)
G.H.P. Raju, “Malmepa supplies food and other items to
Sohan. He also disclosed that he was looking after the
properties of Sohan, including his rubber garden, newly
constructed house at Bawegre village, fish ponds, amongst
others”. According to SATP, out of a total 141 militants
who were arrested in separate incidents in 2015, 31 were
from GNLA. In 2014, 173 militants were arrested, of which
48 were from GNLA. In 2013, 64 militants were arrested,
of which 40 were from GNLA; in 2012 out of 92, 55 were
GNLA cadres; in 2011 out of 61, 33 were from GNLA; in
2010 out of 71 arrested, 12 were from GNLA.
Sustained
SF pressure has also resulted in the surrender of several
GNLA cadres. At least 94 GNLA militants have surrendered
since 2010: 23 in 2015, 27 in 2014, three in 2013, nine
in 2012, 27 in 2011 and five in 2010.
SF operational
successes have caused alarm among the militants. On October
27, 2015, GNLA cadres abducted Jude Rangku T. Sangma,
a Block Development Officer (BDO) in the Chokpot region
of the South Garo Hills District, from Deku Deganggre
village, threatening to execute him if the Government
did not stop counter-insurgency operations in the Garo
Hills. He was, however, released unharmed on November
2, 2015, even though the Government did not meet the outfit’s
demand. Through a social media statement, GNLA declared
that “the officer had been released since his custody
was no longer required by the group”, but warned that
any Government officer who went against the outfit would
face a similar ordeal in their custody.
Though
SFs have secured crucial
gains in beating back the insurgents
during the Operations Hill Storm 1 and 2, GNLA, which
was the primary target of the Operation, still retains
its capacity to unleash periodic violence. Significantly,
in a statement issued to the media on August 9, 2015,
GNLA declared that it has formed a seven-member ‘special
operations team’ called ‘Eagle Hunters’ specifically to
carry out attacks on Police personnel ‘anytime, anywhere’:
“Our Eagle Hunters team will shoot Police personnel dead
on the spot no matter how many Police personnel are there
at the time of the incident.”
More worryingly,
reports indicate that GNLA has forged close operational
links with other North-East-based militant groups like
ULFA, NDFB
and NSCN-IM
in their insurgent activities in the region. The outfit
has also forged an alliance with the Bangladesh-based
A'chik Special Dragon Party, which operates along the
India-Bangladesh border in the western part of Meghalaya.
According to Police, ULFA helped GNLA in the March 10,
2015, ambush in which four Policemen were killed. It was
also reported in the past that ULFA militants assisted
by GNLA were using the Garo Hills corridor to cross over
to Bangladesh. Moreover, Paresh Baruah, ‘commander-in-chief’
of ULFA-I claimed, on October 15, 2015, that two Meghalaya-based
outfits, GNLA and Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council
(HNLC),
had expressed their desire to join the United National
Liberation Front of Western South East Asia (UNLFWSEA),
a common platform of militants in India’s Northeast. He
had further stated that the formal process of these outfits
joining the new umbrella group could be completed within
the current year.
Amidst
these developments, there were signs that talks may be
initiated between the Government and GNLA. Meghalaya Governor
Keshari Nath Tripathi, while addressing the opening day
of the Budget Session in the State Assembly on March 9,
2015, made a conditional talks offer to both GNLA and
HNLC, stating that the Government’s commitment to establish
dialogue with the militant outfit remained, provided they
gave up their anti-national stance and abjured violence.
Though the GNLA welcomed the offer of negotiations, the
‘joint publicity secretary’ Garo Mandei Ch Marak stated,
on March 12, 2015, that the 'chairman' of the outfit Champion
R. Sangma who was in Shillong Jail, should be released
unconditionally if the State Government intended to invite
the outfit for negotiations. On March 16, 2015, however,
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma ruled out any such move, declaring,
“GNLA continues to be a terrorist organization. We will
take into consideration its demand only when the outfit
stops its anti-national and criminal activities.”
Indeed,
GNLA remains a potent threat. A July 14, 2015, report
citing Meghalaya Police sources stated that GNLA had an
effective strength of around 150 cadres and an almost
equal number of over ground workers and sympathizers.
It also continued to possess a strong armory.
On April
10, 2015, Meghalaya Director General of Police (DGP) Rajiv
Mehta, citing the Sino-Vietnamese war to inspire SFs combating
militants, especially GNLA, observed: "China has
more weapons than Vietnam yet they lost," adding,
“just weapons were not enough, training and tactics mattered
too”. Notably, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma admitted in
the State Assembly on June 6, 2014, that “militants in
Garo hills, including the GNLA, possessed state-of-the-art
weapons such as AK-series rifles, explosives, remote-controlled
improvised explosive device and under barrel grenade launchers,
which even the State Police did not have.”
Although
counter-insurgency operations have secured limited successes,
militant groups such as GNLA and its various splinters
continue to constitute a security threat. A proliferation
of groups and initiatives to create a wider pan-Northeastern
militancy, have made insurgency in the State and wider
region more complex. Aggressive operations like Hill Storm
will have to be sustained till these groups are demobilized,
if an enduring peace is to be established in Meghalaya.
|
Weekly Fatalities: Major
Conflicts in South Asia
December 7-13,
2015
|
Civilians
|
Security
Force Personnel
|
Terrorists/Insurgents
|
Total
|
INDIA
|
|
Assam
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
Jammu and
Kashmir
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
Meghalaya
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
Left-Wing
Extremism
|
|
Chhattisgarh
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
Jharkhand
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
Total (INDIA)
|
2
|
2
|
4
|
8
|
PAKISTAN
|
|
Balochistan
|
2
|
1
|
5
|
8
|
FATA
|
25
|
1
|
0
|
26
|
KP
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
3
|
Punjab
|
0
|
0
|
6
|
6
|
Sindh
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
3
|
PAKISTAN
(Total)
|
|
|
|
|
Provisional
data compiled from English language media sources.
|
INDIA
Dawood
Ibrahim
behind
target
killing
of
BJP
leaders,
according
to
Intelligence
sources:
Dawood
Ibrahim
is
behind
the
targeted
killings
of
Bharatiya
Janata
Party
(BJP)
and
other
right-wing
leaders
and
activists
through
his
man
Patel
Javed
Dawood
aka
Tailor
aka
Javed
Chikna.
Chikna
lives
in
Karachi,
Pakistan,
along
with
Dawood
under
the
protection
of
Pakistan's
Inter-Services
Intelligence
(ISI),
said
Intelligence
sources.
Asian
Age,
December
11,
2015.
200
militants
active
in
Jammu
and
Kashmir,
says
CRPF
official:
The
Special
Director
General
(DG)
of
Central
Reserve
Police
Force
(CRPF),
S
K
Bhagat,
on
December
11
said
that
around
200
militants
are
active
in
Kashmir.
He
said,
"There
are
different
estimates
but
there
is
a
mix
of
foreign
and
local
militants
and
the
number
is
not
very
large
at
this
point
of
time.
May
be
around
200,
out
of
which
one-third
could
be
foreign
militants."
He
said
the
Security
Forces
have
neutralized
40
militants
in
Kashmir
during
operations.
Daily
Excelsior,
December
12,
2015.
'Faced
with
war-like
situation
in
North
East,
Kashmir',
Central
Government
to
Supreme
Court:
The
Central
Government
on
December
9
defended
army
operations
in
the
North
East
and
Jammu
and
Kashmir
(J&K),
and
told
the
Supreme
Court
that
India
was
faced
with
a
war-like
situation
which
was
not
akin
to
inter-country
conventional
war.
"What
we
are
facing
in
the
northeast
or
in
Jammu
and
Kashmir,
it
is
not
a
law
and
order
situation
or
interval
disturbance.
It
is
an
insurgency
from
across
the
border
in
collaboration
with
home-grown
groups,"
Attorney
General
Mukul
Rohatgi
told
the
bench
of
Justice
Madan
B.
Lokur
and
Justice
Uday
Umesh
Lalit.
Morung
Express,
December
12,
2015.
Identity
of
Indian
deported
from
Sudan
for
joining
IS
revealed,
says
report:
Identity
of
a
23-year-old
computer
engineer
from
Chennai
(Tamil
Nadu),
who
was
trying
to
enter
Syria
to
join
the
Islamic
State
(IS),
has
been
revealed
as
Mohammad
Nasir,
and
it
has
been
stated
that
on
December
10,
he
was
deported
from
Sudan.
Nasir,
had
reportedly
travelled
to
Sudan
to
meet
an
IS
recruiter
who
was
facilitating
his
journey
to
Syria.
The
National
Investigation
Agency
(NIA)
has
registered
a
case
against
Nasir,
and
is
set
to
take
him
into
custody.
Indian
Express,
December
12,
2015.
Government
initiates
steps
to
check
IS
spread
in
India,
according
to
Union
Minister
of
State
for
Home
Kiren
Rijiju:
On
December
8,
Union
Minister
of
State
for
Home
Kiren
Rijiju
told
the
Parliament
that
the
government
has
adopted
a
series
of
strategies
to
tackle
the
spread
of
Islamic
State
(IS)
in
the
country.
He
said
a
counter-radicalisation
and
de-radicalisation
strategy
has
been
initiated
and
the
government
is
planning
to
check
the
threat
through
cultural,
education
and
employment
activities.
Times
of
India,
December
9,
2015.
NEPAL
Government
is
committed
to
respecting
human
rights
and
that
non-state
actors
also
should
show
equal
respect
for
such
rights,
says
Prime
Minister
KP
Sharma
Oli:
Prime
Minister
KP
Sharma
Oli
speaking
at
a
function
organized
by
the
National
Human
Rights
Commission
(NHRC)
on
December
10
said
that
the
Government
is
committed
to
respecting
human
rights
and
that
non-state
actors
also
should
show
equal
respect
for
such
rights.
PM
Oli
alleged
that
the
political
parties
involved
in
the
ongoing
protests
are
not
showing
respect
for
human
rights
principles.
Though
he
did
not
mention
the
Madhes
movement,
he
indicated
it
and
criticized
the
incidents
of
violence
during
the
protests.
Republica,
December
11,
2015.
PAKISTAN
25
persons
killed
in
explosion
in
FATA:
At
least
25
persons
were
killed
and
another
62
were
injured
on
December
13
when
a
device
containing
about
35
kilograms
of
explosives
ripped
through
a
makeshift
market
in
Parachinar
town
of
Kurram
Agency
in
Federally
Administered
Tribal
Areas
(FATA).
Two
militant
groups,
Lashkar-e-Jhangvi
Al-Alami
(International)
and
Ansarul
Mujahideen
(based
in
South
Waziristan
Agency)
claimed
responsibility
for
the
attack,
with
one
of
them
saying
the
target
was
the
Shia
community.
Dawn,
December
14,
2015.
3,400
militants
killed
in
Operation
Zarb-e-Azb,
claims
ISPR:
The
military's
media
wing
Inter-Services
Public
Relations
(ISPR)
on
December
12
claimed
that
3,400
militants
have
been
killed
so
far
in
the
ongoing
Operation
Zarb-e-Azb
in
North
Waziristan
Agency
of
the
Federally
Administered
Tribal
Areas
(FATA).
"3,400
terrorists
killed,
837
hideouts
from
where
they
were
carrying
out
their
terrorist
activities
destroyed,"
Director
General
ISPR
Lieutenant
General
Asim
Bajwa
further
said.
"During
last
18
months,
over
13,200
IBOs
carried
out
across
the
country
in
which
183
hardcore
terrorists
killed
and
21,193
arrested,"
he
added.
Tribune,
December
13,
2015.
Lal
Masjid
cleric
Maulana
Abdul
Aziz
asks
Supreme
Court
to
'impose'
Sharia
in
the
country:
Maulana
Abdul
Aziz,
Lal
Masjid
cleric,
on
December
10
turned
to
the
Supreme
Court
(SC)
submitting
a
petition
asking
the
Government
to
furnish
reports
listing
the
steps
taken
in
regard
to
the
complete
enforcement
of
Shariah
(Islamic
Law)
in
the
country.
The
latest
petition
asks
the
SC
to
order
the
Federal
and
Provincial
Governments
to
take
steps
under
the
constitution
that
will
enable
Muslims
to
live
in
accordance
with
the
teachings
and
the
requirements
of
Islam,
as
set
out
in
the
Holy
Quran
and
Sunnah
(Prophetic
tradition).
Dawn,
December
11,
2015.
Pakistan
must
not
distinguish
between
terror
groups
like
Pakistani
Taliban
and
LeT,
says
US:
The
United
States
(US)
Deputy
Secretary
of
State
Antony
Blinken
said
on
December
8
that
Pakistan
should
not
distinguish
between
terror
groups
like
Pakistani
Taliban
(Tehreek-e-Taliban
Pakistan-TTP)
and
Lashkar-e-Taiba
(LeT)
and
that
it
would
be
satisfied
only
when
perpetrators
of
the
Mumbai
2008
terror
(also
known
as
26/11)
attacks
are
brought
to
book
and
justice
ensured
to
the
victims.
On
the
26/11
attacks,
he
said
India
and
US
were
"bound
together"
in
seeking
justice
to
the
victims.
"I
don't
think
anyone
would
be
satisfied
until
justice
is
done,
no
we
can't
be
satisfied,"
he
said.
Times
of
India,
December
9,
2015.
US
aid
will
be
used
against
India,
not
terrorists;
says
former
Ambassador
to
the
US
Husain
Haqqani:
As
the
United
States
(US)
prepares
to
sell
F-16s
to
Pakistan,
the
former
Pakistani
Ambassador
to
the
US
Husain
Haqqani
on
December
7
warned
the
Congress
that
such
fighter
jets
would
end
up
being
used
against
India
and
not
against
terrorists.
"The
Obama
administration's
consideration
of
a
nuclear
deal
with
Pakistan,
just
like
its
decision
a
few
months
ago
to
sell
almost
USD
1
billion
in
US-made
attack
helicopters,
missiles
and
other
equipment
to
Pakistan
will
fuel
conflict
in
South
Asia
without
fulfilling
the
objective
of
helping
the
country
fight
Islamist
extremists
or
limit
its
nuclear
arsenal,"
said
Haqqani.
Times
of
India,
December
9,
2015.
Balochistan
Government
extends
policing
powers
of
FC
for
three
months:
The
Government
of
Balochistan
on
December
7
extended
the
Policing
powers
of
Frontier
Corps
(FC)
in
Quetta
for
another
three
months.
The
Policing
powers
of
FC
had
expired
recently
and
were
extended
by
the
Provincial
Government
to
maintain
law
and
order
situation
in
the
city,
a
Balochistan
Home
Department
source
said.
Giving
details,
the
source
revealed
that
the
extension
in
powers
of
FC
will
be
effective
till
February
16,
2016.
"The
government
decided
to
grant
policing
powers
to
FC
to
maintain
order,"
the
source
said.
Dawn,
December
8,
2015.
SRI
LANKA
Former
war
torn
areas
will
be
cleared
of
mines
soon
as
only
64
acres
of
land
now
remained
to
be
cleared,
says
Military
spokesperson
Jayanath
Jayaweera:
Military
spokesperson
Jayanath
Jayaweera
on
December
10
said
that
the
former
war
torn
areas
will
be
cleared
of
mines
soon
as
only
64
acres
of
land
now
remained
to
be
cleared.
He
said
that
following
the
end
of
the
30-year
civil
war
between
Government
troops
and
Liberation
Tigers
of
Tamil
Eelam
(LTTE)
rebels
in
2009,
2,064
acres
of
land
in
the
country
had
to
be
cleared
from
landmines
and
explosives
which
had
been
buried
by
the
rebels.
Colombo Page,
December
12,
2015.
Sri
Lanka
signs
International
Convention
for
Protection
of
All
Persons
from
Enforced
Disappearances:
Sri
Lanka
on
December
10
signed
the
International
Convention
for
the
Protection
of
All
Persons
from
Enforced
Disappearances.
The
document
was
signed
at
the
United
Nations
(UN)
Headquarters
in
New
York.
The
Act
in
relation
to
the
Convention,
which
will
hold
the
Government
accountable
for
enforced
disappearances,
is
being
drafted
and
expected
to
be
passed
in
Parliament
next
month.
Daily Mirror,
December
11,
2015.
The South
Asia Intelligence Review (SAIR) is a weekly service that
brings you regular data, assessments and news briefs on
terrorism, insurgencies and sub-conventional warfare, on
counter-terrorism responses and policies, as well as on
related economic, political, and social issues, in the South
Asian region.
SAIR is a project
of the Institute
for Conflict Management
and the
South
Asia Terrorism Portal.
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