South Asia: Timeline (Terrorist Activities) -2020

A United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) militant who is close to ‘chairman’ Abhijit Asom was arrested from Panjabari in Guwahati (Kamrup Metropolitan District) on January 1, reports Northeast Now. The arrestee was identified as Bitopan Sonowal who had entered Guwahati on December 29. Read less...

Anti-CAA protesters waved black flags at Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal’s convoy at two unspecified locations in Nalbari District, reports The Telegraph on January 2. The protest was organised by the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) and the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP). Police baton charged AASU members and picked up two AJYCP members. Read less...

Army Chief, General Bipin Rawat has been named as the first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of India, reports Indian Express. General Rawat will be assuming his post as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) following his end of tenure as Army General on December 31, 2019. On December 24, the Government of India had approved the creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) as the principal military adviser to the government without exercising any military command over the tri-services. And on December 28, the retirement age for CDS has been upgraded to 65 years, which will be three years more than the retirement age of the three service chiefs. With the post, General Rawat will head the newly created Department of Military Affairs in the Ministry of Defence and function as its Secretary. The CDS will also responsible to bring in reforms in the functioning of three services aimed at augmenting combat capabilities of the Armed Forces. Read less...

India’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat on January 1, in a meeting with the three service chiefs — General M M Naravane, Admiral Karambir Singh and Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria has set June 30 as deadline for the creation of Air Defence Command, reports Indian Express. In his first meeting as CDS, General Rawat also directed various branch heads of Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff to come up with recommendations for inter-service synergy and jointness in a time-bound manner. Read less...

Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) announced that it would conduct a sit-in indefinite protest demanding separate Tipraland and scrapping of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) in Khumulwng in West Tripura District, reports East Mojo on January 2. IPFT party general secretary and Tripura forest minister Mevar Kumar Jamatia said that despite meeting Union home minister Amit Shah on various occasions over the demand to keep Tripura out of CAA, nothing concrete has come out till date. He stated that “We have been fighting for a separate Tipraland so that the rights of the indigenous people can be secured, but so far no positive response has been made by the Centre. The Centre has passed the CAA without exempting Tripura from the Act even after making a request to the Centre during the meeting held in New Delhi,”. He also said that the life of the indigenous people has been affected by the continuous influx in Tripura and any further increase of population in the state would be dangerous for the culture and tradition of the indigenous people who have already become a minority. Read less...

Joint Movement against Citizenship Amendment Bill (JMACAB), the anti-CAA platform has announced to re-launch their movement against CAA unless Tripura is exempted from the purview of the Act, reports East Mojo on January 2. JMACAB is a platform of regional indigenous political parties, civil society organisations and students’ organisations against CAA. Read less...

On January 1, a National Democratic Front of Bodoland-S Saoraigwra (NDFB-S) militant was arrested from Chirang District, reports The Sentinel. The arrestee was identified as Laben Muchahary alias Lwithama. The arrestee was in possession of Indian and Bhutan currencies. Read less...

The Counter Intelligence (CI) Wing of Punjab Police arrested a narcotics smuggler and recovered 5.15 Kilogram of heroin, two pistols and ammunition from his possession in Ferozepur District of Punjab on January 1, reports The Tribune. The arrestee has been identified as Bhalwan Singh, a resident of Aliwala village in the said District. In a statement, The Additional Inspector General (AIG), CI, Ketan Baliram Patil said the Police recovered two pistols of .30 bore along with 10 live cartridges and two magazines from the accused. Official sources said the drug consignment was smuggled from Rajoke village in Ferozepur sector along International Border (IB) around three days ago. Smugglers on the other side of the border, taking the advantage of dense fog, had thrown the contraband over the fence. Bhalwan worked as a carrier of drugs. He had reportedly taken INR 2, 50,000 for delivering the consignment. “Investigations are underway to identify the person to whom it was meant to be delivered,” said an Official. Read less...

The Pakistan Army shelled mortars along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on January 1, reports The Hindu. A defence spokesman said, “Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) violation by firing of small arms and shelling with mortars along the LoC in Krishna Ghati sector in district Poonch around 2100 hours on Wednesday.” Meanwhile, Indian Army retaliated to the shelling that took place on the LoC. Read less...

Three militants were killed on the Line of Control (LoC) at Khari Thrayat in Nowshera sector of Rajouri District in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on January 1, reports Daily Excelsior. Earlier, South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP) had reported about the incident, in which two Army personnel were killed in the encounter that followed during an infiltration attempt by suspected militants while Pakistan army violated the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) on the LoC. The Army said Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Police launched joint operations in entire Nowshera sector to trace and eliminate the militants, who were suspected to be Pakistanis and had infiltrated into this side from the LoC for specific action like targeting defence installations and civilian areas. However, their plan was foiled by the troops who engaged the militants in the gun battle. Further, in past about one week, 13 Pakistan Army personnel have been killed in retaliation by the Indian troops during Pakistani CFA violations on the LoC, Army said. Read less...

Two Army personnel were killed in an exchange of fire with Pakistani infiltrators along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) early on January 1, reports Daily Excelsior.The infiltrators were intercepted in the Khari Thrayat forest when they were trying to enter into India from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), officials said. Jammu-based Indian Army Public Relations Officer (PRO) Lieutenant Colonel Devender Anand said in a statement, “Two army soldiers martyred during cordon and search operation in Nowshera sector. The operation is still in progress and further details are awaited.”The search operation was launched following information about the movement of suspected terrorists, the officials added. Read less...

United Liberation Front of Asom-Pro Talks Faction (ULFA-PTF) leader Anup Chetia on January 1 stated that Centre’s imposition of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was provoking a section of youths of Assam to take up arms, reports The Telegraph. Chetia’s apprehension came in the wake of a recent media reports that amid the nationwide protests against the CAA, Bordumsa police arrested six youths who were secretly preparing to join ULFA-I. Joining the anti-CAA agitation of the Nagarik Samaj in Kamrup Metropolitan District, he stated that However, the Centre’s conspiracy against the indigenous people will not work,” he added. “We have not instigated or provoked anyone to commit violence and crime in Assam since 2010. He also stated that I appeal to them (youths) to refrain from any thought of taking up arms. We must stay united and resist any move of the Centre democratically if there is anything against the interests of the people of Assam.” Read less...

An unidentified group on January 1 (today) planted an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at Pipira-based Ncell tower in Birendranagar city of Surkhet District in Province No. 6, reports Republica. Officials suspect the involvement of the cadres of outlawed Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-Maoist-Chand) for planting the IED. Read less...

Police on January 1, arrested a cadre of Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-Maoist-Chand) in Bhojpur District of Province No. 1, reports The Himalayan Times. The arrested has been identified as Birendra Bahadur Thapa (27). Police recovered four rounds of bullets, two diaries and documents related to the CPN-Maoist-Chand from him. Read less...

Unidentified groups set on fire communication towers of Ncell, a private sector telecom company, at different parts of the country, reports Kathmandu Post. In Dhading District of Province No. 3, an Ncell tower was torched on January 1. According to Police, radio set, generator and other equipment were destroyed in the arson. Some leaflets, stating that Ncell has swindled Nepali people and evaded billions of tax, were also found in the incident site. Read less...

Officials of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) said that Harkat-ul-Jihad-al Islami Bangladesh (HuJI-B) planned to form a ‘robber wing’ in the country’s southern and northern regions, reports The Daily Star on January 2. As per the plan, the banned militant outfit leaders managed to communicate with 20 people, who were involved in petty crimes like snatching and theft. These people were asked to use chloroform on their victims, said officials of the CTTC. The leaders wanted 30 percent cut for the ‘welfare’ of the wing. The wing was supposed to take care of all legal issues of the members if they got arrested. It was also supposed to pay for arrested or on-the-run gang member’s family expenses. The CTTC unit learnt the latest strategy of HuJI-B after interrogating robbers who were arrested in the capital Dhaka city on December 26. Read less...

Eight Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers were killed in a Taliban attack on a Security center located in Alamkhail village along the Mazar-e-Sharif-Sheberghan Highway in Balkh District of Balkh Province on January 1, reports bhaktarnews.com. Read less...

On January 1, seven Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers were killed when Taliban attacked a joint forces checkpoint in Darqad District of Takhar Province, report Tolo News. Read less...

14 Taliban militants were killed in separate raids in Shahwalikot, Khakriz and Maiwand districts in Kandahar Province, reports Bakhtar News on January 2. Read less...

On January 1, Security Forces in air and ground raids destroyed three bomb and mine factories of Taliban located in Nahersaraj District of Helmand Province, reports bhaktarnews.com. Read less...

The national defense ministry in a statement reported killing of 72 armed oppositions in clearing operations in Faryab, Herat, Takhar, Zabul, Ghazni, Kunar, Baghlan, Helmand, Kandahar and Kunduz Provinces in the last 24 hours, reports bhaktarnews.com on January 2. Read less...

Two militants of National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) were arrested from Panisagar Railway Station in North Tripura District on January 2, reports Assam Tribune. Based on the information provided by the two arrested militants, the Police raided the Dharmanagar Railway Station in North Tripura District and arrested another NLFT militant. Read less...

Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) leaders in a press meet on January 2, alleged that they will issue a petition against CAA in Supreme Court, reports East Mojo. AJYCP has also listed out a series of protests in the coming days. Read less...

Assam Tea Tribes Students’ Association (ATTSA) and Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha (ACMS) held a joint demonstration in Tinsukia District on January 2, to press for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for tea tribes and repeal of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), reports The Telegraph. They were supported by the All Adivasi Students’ Association of Assam (AASAA), Adivasi Suraksha Samiti, Chai Janajati Mahila Samiti, Adivasi Mahila Samiti and dozens of other organisations. Read less...

On January 2, one person was arrested along with Fake Currency Notes (FICN) worth INR 700,000 from Park Circus area in Kolkata, reports Republic World. Th arrestee is a resident of Malda in West Bengal. Read less...

On January 2, unidentified assailants fired up on a vehicle at Habial in Golaghat District, reports The Telegraph. The assailants fired upon the house of Rupa and Pranjal Rajkhowa, who had organised anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests. A vehicle was also damaged in the incident. Reacting to the incident, All Assam Students Union (AASU), Assistant General Secretary, Monowar Hussein stated that “This is not the first time that anti-CAA movement leaders have been targeted. On December 12, bullets were fired at AASU member Nitu Saikia’s house at Melamora in Golaghat District. A case was registered at Kamargaon Police station but the police have failed to make any headway till date.” Read less...

Police arrested three individuals along with Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) worth INR 7,00,000 on January 2, from Lakhimpur in Lakhimpur District, reports The Sentinel. The arrestees were identified as Moinuddin, Mohidul Islam and Sahidul Islam. Read less...

The cadres of Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) shot dead a tribal man after branding him a ‘Police informer’ at Burdamaha village of Latingia panchayat (village level local self-government institution) under K. Nuagaon tehsil (revenue unit) in Kandhamal District of Odisha on January 2, reports The New Indian Express. The deceased has been identified as Ranjan Digal, a resident of Mardudi village within Baliguda Police Station limits in the District. As per the sources, a group of about 8 to 12 armed Maoists reached the village in late hours of the night and broke into his house and dragged Ranjan out. The Maoists took him to a local school and shot him dead. The Maoists also left posters near his body in which the Kandhamal-Kalahandi-Boudh-Nayagarh (KKBN) division of the CPI-Maoist claimed responsibility of the killing. The posters also said that Ranjan was killed as he worked as ‘Police informer’. Read less...

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), P. Sunderraj of Bastar division of Chhattisgarh said that the division had witnessed a decline of Naxal [Left Wing Extremism, LWE]-related incidents by 40 per cent in 2019, reports Pioneer on January 3. The IGP further said that there was a decline in loss of security personnel lives in different incidents by 55 per cent and loss of civilian lives in the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) attacks by 45 per cent in the previous year. The IGP attributed the decline to the success of the ‘Faith-Development-Security’ policy. He said Chhattisgarh Police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) have been working in coordination for effective control. He also said that seven security camps have been established at Chindnaar, Chikpal and Potali of Dantewada District, Khodgaon in Narayanpur District, Pusnar and Bodli of Bijapur District and Sureli in Kanker District. The IGP also added that along with the anti-Naxal operation, the Security Forces (SFs) have been providing security to the construction of roads and bridges. Read less...

Two leaders of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Rafi Ahmad Mir and Abdul Majeed Paddar were released on January 2, from house arrest after around five months, reports Daily Excelsior. Two more leaders, former legislator Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen and former PDP legislator Mohammad Ashraf Mir, who were released from Sub-Jail Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) hostel last month, will be released on January 3 (today) while Iltija Mufti, daughter of former Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, was detained at her residence on January 2.Mir and Paddar were put under house arrest in August last year (2019) ahead of abrogation of special status to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).Government released five politicians – Zahoor Mir, former PDP, MLA, from Pampore, Ghulam Nabi, National Conference (NC) leader from Tral, Sheikh Ishfaq Jabbar, former NC, MLA, from Ganderbal, Yasir Reshi, former Member of Legislative Council (MLC) and Bashir Mir, PDP leader from Kangan- from MLA hostel sub-jail last week. However, they were kept under house arrest. Read less...

Government on January 2, received the Cabinet approval to withdraw the Counter Terrorism Bill, which was drafted by the previous Government to replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), reports Colombo Page. The controversial Bill is being considered by the Sectoral Oversight Committee on International Relations in Parliament. However, considering the views expressed by various parties regarding certain provisions contained in the Bill, Minister of Foreign Relations Dinesh Gunawardena has proposed the withdrawal of the Bill. Read less...

A civilian was killed and a child was injured, in a mine blast, in a main road of Gulran District in Herat Province, reports bhaktarnews.com. Security officials blamed Taliban for the incident. Read less...

On January 2, Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) reduced the institution's alert status to normal, with the conclusion of the special operation conducted with strengthened security, reports Edition. MNDF raised the alert status to 'Yellow Two' at 1900hrs on December 24. Yellow alerts are issued when there is an increased or predictable threat to the security and sovereignty of the country, but authorities asserted that the alert level was not raised due to an imminent threat. Read less...

Following the recent spurge of violence allegedly orchestrated by Popular Front of India (PFI), Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Assam Government has sought ban on the group, reports The Times of India on January 4. On January 3, in a press meeting, Assam Finance Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that the PFI, an offshoot of Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) has been involved in the violent protests in the state and the State Government is awaiting report from Central Forensic Laboratory's report (CFL) to support its case to ban the outfit. Earlier, the U.P Government has accused the organisation and its political front, the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) of "masterminding and instigating violence" during the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC). PFI, formed in 2006 as a successor to the National Democratic Front (NDF) has come under the scanner of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) for instigating demonstrators to clash with the Uttar Pradesh Police. The group had already been under the radar of National Investigation Agency (NIA) for running arms' training camp in Kannur District’s Narath town in Kerala in 2013. In 2018, Jharkhand Government had banned the organisation, saying its members were “internally influenced” by the Islamic State (IS). Read less...

AASU which had suspended its night agitation in the wake of violence, resumed night agitational activities against CAA from January 3, reports Assam Tribune. AASU had called off the night-time protest for one week on December 13. Subsequently, all protest activities of the students’ union remained suspended after 1700 hrs. AASU Chief Advisor Samujjal Bhattacharyya stated that “The AASU is determined that the movement remains disciplined and democratic. Our today’s procession was wound up within 2000 hrs. Also, we would ensure that the academic activities of the students are not hampered and both the agitation and studies go hand in hand,” Read less...

Arunachal Indigenous Students Union (AISU) organised a rally in Itanagar in Papum Pare District on January 3, demanding deportation of Chakma Hajong, and Tibetan refugees from Arunachal Pradesh, reports Arunachal 24. AISU demanded the state government and home department in specific, to continue strict Inner Line Permit (ILP) checking at all the check gates bordering the state. Read less...

Assam along with other states have established the role of Popular Front of India (PFI), an alleged radical group, in the violence that erupted during anti-CAA protests, reports Assam Tribune on January 4. Assam Government has sent a detailed report on PFI’s role in the violence in Guwahati on December 11. A Home Ministry official stated that Assam Police and Police forces of several other States have established PFI’s role in the recent violence. At least two PFI activists were arrested in Assam in connection with the violence. National Investigation Agency (NIA) had also submitted reports on the group to the home ministry, claiming it was involved in terrorist activities, including running terror camps and making bombs. Read less...

Five people were arrested along with FICN worth INR 123,000 from Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border near Mathala village in Kotturu Mandal of Srikakulam District in Andhra Pradesh, reports Republic World on January 4. The five accused were allegedly cheating tribal people by circulating fake notes in the region. Among the five, 43,400 were seized from Meesala Prakash in the denomination of 83 notes of INR 500, one INR 2000 note, one INR 200 note, and two INR 100 notes whereas FICN denomination of INR 500 notes worth INR 20,000 each were also caught from four persons Ponturu Ramarao, Sheik Nabi, Ramachandra Sundararao Patro, and Sasupalli Rajesh. Read less...

Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) is plotting the assassination of five persons in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), two Security Forces (SFs) officers, a journalist, a professor and a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson, according to the intelligence inputs, reports The Print on January 4. The inputs have been provided to all security agencies by the Multi Agency Centre (MAC), a coordination authority under the Union Home Ministry (UHM) that includes representatives from security and intelligence agencies.The inputs say JeM terrorist Adil Gulzar organised a meeting in Pakharpur in Budgam District of J&K in December, along with an unidentified foreign terrorist. They are said to be targeting a Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), a doctor with one of the Paramilitary Forces, a journalist, a professor and a BJP spokesperson.The Print has intentionally omitted the names of these individuals, so as to not add to the security risk. Read less...

On January 3, Pakistan violated Cease Fire Agreement in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch District, reports Daily Excelsior. Mortar shelling and firing targeted forward defence posts and civilian locations. There was no report of casualties from the incident. Read less...

The ‘south sub-zonal bureau’ of Maoists had fixed a banner calling for boycotting upcoming panchayat (village level local self-Government institution) elections in an interior area of Bastar District, reports New Indian Express on January 4. The banner citing the polls as 'fake' was recovered by Security Forces (SFs) during their search operation in the area. The banner further said, “The political party leaders are not the people’s representatives. Here in the political bazar there remains horse-trading business”. A 3-tier panchayat election is scheduled to be held in three-phase on January 28 and 31 and February 3 in the State. Read less...

The cadres of Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) killed a civilian identified as Phulsingh Darro (45) after accusing him of being a ‘Police informer’ in Brehbeda village in Narayanpur District of Chhattisgarh on January 3, reports The Week. According to a Police official, "Maoists came to Phulsingh Darro's house and asked him to accompany them for some work. In a forest nearby, they first hit him with sticks and then strangled him. Preliminary information is that Maoists believed he was a ‘police informer’. Investigation into the incident is underway". The Official also added that the incident came to light after relatives of the victim brought the corpse to Chhote Dongar Police Station in the District on the following day. Read less...

The cadres of Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) set ablaze six vehicles of a company engaged in construction of a bridge in Hazaribagh District of Jharkhand. According to Police, about 20 to 25 Maoists attacked a private construction company's camp office involved in bridge construction over Karigara river situated between Keredari and Piparwar Police Station limits of the District and set on fire six vehicles used for construction work. According to Police sources, Maoists had sought levy of INR 80 million from the construction company. The denial of levy is said to be the reason of the attack. Read less...

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement on January 3, saying members of the minority Sikh community in Pakistan have been subjected to acts of violence at the holy city of Nankana Sahib. The statement said, "India strongly condemns these wanton acts of destruction and desecration of the holy place, we call upon the Government of Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure safety, security, and welfare of the members of the Sikh community." The statement further said, "Strong action must be taken against the miscreants who indulged in desecration of the holy Gurdwara and attacked members of the minority Sikh community". The MEA’s statement comes following the reports of vandalism and stone pelting at the Gurdwara Nankana Sahib Gurdwara Nankana Sahib on January 3, by a group of locals, led by the family of a man who had allegedly abducted the daughter of an official of the Gurdwara. Read less...

Two cadres of Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) carrying cash rewards of INR 100,000 each on their heads, were arrested from Kirandul Police Station limits in Dantewada District of Chhattisgarh on January 3, reports Pioneer. The two cadres identified as Lachhu Kunjam (40) and Kosa Uika (35) were arrested based on intelligence inputs, by a joint of team of District Reserve Guard (DRG) and local Police, said a Police Official. While Kunjam was active as the head of DAKMS (Dandakaranya Adivasi Kisan Majdoor Sangthan- a frontal wing of Maoists), Uika was a ‘Jan Militia Commander’. The duo was allegedly involved in setting ablaze six trucks, two bulldozer machines and a poclain machine engaged in works related to the Screening Plant number 3 of the NMDC in its Bailadila iron ore mining region on November 24 last year, the Official said adding that they were mainly tasked with arranging the meeting of villagers for Maoists, spreading Naxal [Left Wing Extremism, LWE] propaganda and conducting recce on movement of Security Forces (SFs). Read less...

Two cadres of Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) were arrested from a place near Palna dam in Chandil town in Seraikela Kharwsawan District of Jharkhand on January 3, reports The Telegraph. The arrested duo, identified as Mangal Topno alias Lallu and Soyana Singh Sardar alias Mota are members of CPI-Maoist squad headed by Mahraj Pramanik. Both were involved in the killing of five Policemen at Khukru Haat under Tiruldih Police Station limits in the District on June 14, 2019. The Superintendent of Police (SP) Karthik S. said, “We had received a tip-off about the presence of Mangal and Soyana in the said locality. A special team rushed to the spot and arrested the duo by surrounding the entire area last evening.” Read less...

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement on January 3, saying members of the minority Sikh community in Pakistan have been subjected to acts of violence at the holy city of Nankana Sahib. The statement said, "India strongly condemns these wanton acts of destruction and desecration of the holy place, we call upon the Government of Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure safety, security, and welfare of the members of the Sikh community." The statement further said, "Strong action must be taken against the miscreants who indulged in desecration of the holy Gurdwara and attacked members of the minority Sikh community". The MEA’s statement comes following the reports of vandalism and stone pelting at the Gurdwara Nankana Sahib Gurdwara Nankana Sahib on January 3, by a group of locals, led by the family of a man who had allegedly abducted the daughter of an official of the Gurdwara. Read less...

Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) Chief Monirul Islam on January 3 said that fines, prison sentences and death penalty are not enough to curb militancy since it is yielded in one’s mind, reports Dhaka Tribune. Monirul said “We need to target the psyche of the militants and the youth can play an important role in that regard. Families, educational institutions, civil society, cultural personalities, and Islamic clerics are responsible for clarifying and providing the correct explanations. Only then can we instill a culture of harmony, tolerance in future generations.” Read less...

President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa opening the Fourth Session of the Eighth Parliament on January 3, said constitution should be changed to protect the country, reports Colombo Page. Presenting the policy manifesto, the President said the country's independence would not be compromised and in order to safeguard the security, sovereignty, stability and integrity of the country, it is essential that changes be made to the existing Constitution. Read less...

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya at the opening of the Fourth Session of the Eighth Parliament on January 3, announced the appointment of United National Party, (UNP) Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa as the Leader of the Opposition, reports Colombo Page. In addition, the Speaker announced the appointments of Minister of External Affairs Dinesh Gunawardena as the Leader of the House and Minister Johnston Fernando as Chief Government Whip. Gayantha Karunatilaka was appointed as the Chief Whip of the Opposition. Ranjith Aluvihare has been appointed as the Deputy Chief Whip of the Opposition. Read less...

Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani issued a statement on January 3 saying that Afghanistan’s soil will not be used against any nations as per a Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) signed between Washington and Kabul in 2014, reports Khaama News. His statement comes after the assassination of Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani. Read less...

A civilian was injured in a grenade blast in Kawadara area of downtown Srinagar town in Srinagar District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on January 4, reports Rising Kashmir.Police said suspected militants lobbed a grenade from lane towards the main road in Kawadara area, 50 meters away from the deployment Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), of the old city at around 12 noon.In the blast, a civilian, whose identity is yet to be established, was injured while two private vehicles were damaged.After the explosion, forces launched a massive hunt to arrest the attackers. However, no arrests were made, neither any outfit has claimed responsibility for the blast. Read less...

A high alert has been sounded along the India-Nepal border in Maharajganj, Kushinagar and Siddharth Nagar Districts of Uttar Pradesh following the infiltration of two wanted terrorists, Abdul Samad and Iliyas, reports Indian Express on January 5. In a press meet, Inspector General-IG (Basti range) Ashutosh Kumar, has stated that alert was sounded following intelligence input of two wanted terrorists entering Uttar Pradesh through India-Nepal border. Though the exact affiliation of the terrorist group is not clear, but the suspected terrorists earlier spotted in Siliguri of West Bengal is believed to be associated with Islamic State (IS). Read less...

A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant was arrested from a hospital in Srinagar of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on January 4, reports NDTV. The militant identified as Nisar Ahmad Dar, a resident of the Hajin area of Bandipore District, was arrested by the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) from Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital in the city. Dar, wanted in many terror crimes, had escaped from an encounter in Kullan Ganderbal in which one LeT militant was killed. Read less...

On January 4, two persons identified as Krishnamurit Kawander and Rajesh Tulsidas Joshi were arrested along with narcotics worth INR 120 million near Malad railway station in Mumbai Suburban of Maharashtra, reports Financial Express. A total six kilograms of heroin was seized from the duo. Anti-Narcotics Cell’s Deputy Commissioner of Police (DGP), Shivdeep Lande stated the arrest of duo has been “significant as the cartel controlled around 80 per cent of Mumbai’s heroin supply, which comes from Rajasthan”. Read less...

17 Taliban militants were killed, in two air strikes, in Khakrez and Shorabak Districts of Kandahar Province on January 4-5, reports bhaktarnews.com. Read less...

An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) explosion killed a civilian and caused injuries to three others in the 10th District (PD10) of Mazar-e-Sharif City of Balkh Province on January 4, reports Khaama News Agency. Read less...

Security Forces (SFs) arrested a Taliban ‘commander’, identified as, Qari Nezamuddin, in suburb of Maimana city, provincial capital of Faryab Province on January 4, reports bhaktarnews.com. Mohammad Hanif Rezaee Shaheen 209 Army Corps Spokesman, stated that Nezamuddin looked after Taliban activities in Garzewan, Belcheragh and Kohistan Districts. Read less...

Three Taliban ‘commanders’, Mullah Shoukat, Mullah Nasir and Mullah Shaheen, were killed in Ahmadkhail region of Khogyani District in Nangarhar Province on January 4, reports bhaktarnews.com. The trio died when Security Forces (SFs) conducted air strikes in their strongholds. Read less...

Two civilians died in a mine explosion suspected to be planted by the Taliban in Khashrod District of Nimroz Province on January 4, reports bhaktarnews.com. The duo was travelling from Shahrak District to Khashrod District when the vehicle triggered the mine to detonate on contact. Read less...

National Democratic Front of Bodoland-Saoraigwra (NDFB-S) militant was killed near Dwimalupara village in Chirang District on January 5, reports Northeast Now. The militant was identified as Sansula Basumatary alias B Sotbangsa. Two 7.65 mm pistols; two pistol magazines (7.65 mm); two grenades, two detonators, 15 live ammunitions of 7.65 mm caliber; five 7.65 mm empty cartridge and 4 empty cases of AK-47 were recovered from the militant. Read less...

A parcel Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was found by the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel at the gate of BSF’s 173 Battalion Headquarters at Panj Tila area of Samba town in Samba District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on January 5, reports Daily Excelsior. Addressed to the Commandant, the parcel had been filled with 100 grams explosive, reports said, adding that a terror plot to assassinate the BSF Commandant has been foiled with timely detection of the explosive material in the parcel. Read less...

About 40,000 people demonstrated against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) on January 5, at Chapakhowa playground in Sadiya in Tinsukia District, reports The Telegraph. The Sadiya unit of the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) organised the rally with support of 32 other organisations and people in Tinsukia. Read less...

Pakistan government's claims on not allowing anti-India elements to operate from its soil were exposed when its pro-Khalistan face, Gopal Singh Chawla, was given free access to mingle with Indian pilgrims at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartapur Sahib complex on January 5, reports The Times of India. As per the report, Chawla was allowed to meet the Indian devotees during the celebrations organised by Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) to mark the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh. According to sources, Pakistan's Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), which - as per intelligence sources - is under the direct command of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), allowed Chawla to lead the functions, address the gathering and meet Indian pilgrims. "Chawla has close ties with terror mastermind Hafiz Saeed and many other militants for his anti-India ranting, so he is indispensable for ISI that uses him as an anti-India Sikh face of Pakistan, and he has been accordingly awarded with various benefits," a source said. According to sources, Chawla had delivered a hate speech against India during the function. Chawla was also present at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib on January 4, during the visit of Islamic scholars and religious leaders, aimed at restoring the confidence among Pakistani Sikhs following the protest and stoning of the Gurdwara. Read less...

Security Forces (SFs) launched massive searches against two local militants, identified as Omar Lone and Gulzar Ahmad, after inputs arrived about their presence in Magraypora Pattan area of Baramulla District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on January 5, reports Daily Excelsior. The 29 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) of Army, Special Operation Groups (SOG) Pattan and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) conducted searches in Magraypora Pattan. Sources said that these boys had joined militants and are back in their area. The troops conducted house to house searches of the village, however, no one was arrested. Read less...

Seven cadres of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) were arrested in separate incidents in Latehar District of Jharkhand on January 5, reports The Telegraph. The arrested cadres were allegedly part of the team that ambushed and killed three home guards and an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) ranked Official of Latehar Police at Lukaiya More on NH 39 under Chandwa Police Station limits in the said District on November 22, 2019. The cadres are said to be associated with dreaded Maoist – Ravindra Ganjhu and have been identified as Baijnath Ganjhu, Kunwar Ganjhu, Rajesh Ganjhu, Sunil Ganjhu, Faguna Ganjhu, Sanjay Ganjhu and Naresh Ganjhu. They were arrested following an intelligence input that the rebels had come to collect levy from a contractor on behalf of Ravindra. First, the Police tracked down three rebels at Saroj Nagar in Chandwa block of the District. The arrested trio spilled the whereabouts of four more who were arrested later on from an unspecified location the District. The Police recovered forty live bullets that the rebels had looted from the Police, blood-stained pouches and clothes of the Police including three Aadhaar cards, three bikes, INR 500,000 which the rebels had collected as levy from a contractor named Sonu Singh in the said block. Read less...

The Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) is all set to get Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and more Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV)cameras for enhanced surveillance system,reports Daily Excelsior on January 6.More than one hundred UAVs or Drones of different specification and thousands of CCTV cameras worth INR 1.16 billion are being purchased soon while process is also on for hiring helicopter on lease.Official sources said more than 100 UAVs of different specification will be purchased and placed at the disposal of Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) level across Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) for dealing in law and order as well as anti-militancy operations.Pertinent to mention that the JKP so far used to seek assistance from Army units for using Drones. The Army has been using UAVs for a few years in different parts of the Valley and on the Line of Control (LoC) to track the militant movements in forest areas. The Army has also used small UAVs during encounters in different parts of J&K, especially in South Kashmir. Read less...

Two tiffin bombs, suspected to have been planted by Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) were recovered in Sarguli area of Saraguli village at Raighar block in Nabarangpur District of Odisha on January 5, reports Orissa Diary. According to the report, a local youth while passing through the road in the said area noticed two suspected bombs laying on the roadside. Following which he informed the local Police, who rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area. The bomb disposal squad of Border Security Force (BSF) arrived at the spot on the following day and took the two bombs to a secluded place and defused them. Read less...

The Security Forces (SFs) defused a remote-controlled bomb in Salarzai tehsil (revenue unit) in Bajaur District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on January 5, reports Dawn. The bomb, which had been planted along the road in Dara area, was successfully defused by Bajaur Scouts’ Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) personnel. They added that the personnel of BDS were moved to the area soon after information from the local residents about the presence of the bomb in the locality was received. Read less...

Holding of local-Government polls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) seems impossible in the next couple of months as so far, the Government has not taken the required steps for the purpose, reports Dawn on January 6. They further said that the Government so far did not frame delimitation rules for holding the polls. The Government could not hold elections within the stipulated 120 days since the expiry of the last elected local bodies on August 28, 2019. Official sources said that there was no possibility of holding polls in the near future. However, Provincial Information Minister, Shaukat Yousafzai told Dawn that the Government desired to start electoral process in March, 2020. He said that till that time all legal formalities would be fulfilled. Read less...

Pakistan government's claims on not allowing anti-India elements to operate from its soil were exposed when its pro-Khalistan face, Gopal Singh Chawla, was given free access to mingle with Indian pilgrims at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartapur Sahib complex on January 5, reports The Times of India. As per the report, Chawla was allowed to meet the Indian devotees during the celebrations organised by Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) to mark the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh. According to sources, Pakistan's Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), which - as per intelligence sources - is under the direct command of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), allowed Chawla to lead the functions, address the gathering and meet Indian pilgrims. "Chawla has close ties with terror mastermind Hafiz Saeed and many other militants for his anti-India ranting, so he is indispensable for ISI that uses him as an anti-India Sikh face of Pakistan, and he has been accordingly awarded with various benefits," a source said. According to sources, Chawla had delivered a hate speech against India during the function. Chawla was also present at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib on January 4, during the visit of Islamic scholars and religious leaders, aimed at restoring the confidence among Pakistani Sikhs following the protest and stoning of the Gurdwara. Read less...

Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs on December 5, removed International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Prosecutor Mohammad Ali, from his post for breaching discipline and professional code of conduct, reports Dhaka Tribune. Mohammad was taken off from all cases since February 9, 2016, and stands accused of misconduct in the case charged against Jatiya Party’s ex-lawmaker M A Hannan. He was appointed to ICT as a Prosecutor on October 5, 2011. Read less...

An unnamed source within the Taliban says the leadership of the group has initially agreed that they do not want to be taken advantage of by recent US-Iran escalation, reports Tolo News on January 6. According to the source, there is acknowledgement that the killing of the Iranian elite force commander General Qassem Soleimani will certainly have an impact on the peace talks between the US and the Taliban, but the group does not want to be hated by the people of Afghanistan for fighting on someone else’s behalf. Sources close to the Taliban said that Iran has an influence on the Taliban faction of Mullah Akhtar Mansour, which is mostly stationed in the western and southern parts of Afghanistan. Read less...

Eleven Taliban militants were killed, in an air raid, by Afghan Security Forces in Sangeen District of Helmand Province on January 5, reports Bhaktarnews.com. Read less...

In another incident, on January 6, two Fake Indian Currency Note (FICN) racketeers were arrested from Raicharan Sadhukhan of Ultadanga area in Kolkata. The arrestees identified as Jiaul Haque and Rakib Sheikh alias Rocky of Malda were intercepted with 300 fake notes of Rs 2000 denomination and 200 notes of Rs 500 denomination. Read less...

Kolkata Police on January 6 evening arrested a youth identified as Md Shamim with 800 gram of heroin from Keshab Chandra Sen Street in Kolkata, reports Millennium Post. Shamim was arrested following the arrest of several drug peddlers including few women. A case has been registered against Shamim. Read less...

On January 6, five persons of Pakistani nationality were arrested with narcotics worth INR 1.75 billion from mid-sea in the Kutch coast in Gujarat, reports Zee News. The five Pakistani nationals identified as Anees, Ismail Mohammed Kachchi, Ashhraf Usman Kutchhi, Kareem Abdulla Kutchhi and Abubaqar Ashraf Sumra from Beet Zajeera in Karachi of Pakistan was intercepted following intelligence information. Nearly 35 packets of heroin were recovered from the arrestees’ fishing boat. Read less...

SFs, on January 6, launched search operations in dense forest belt along the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera sector in Rajouri District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K)after some civilians sounded Police and Army that they had observed movement of suspicious persons in the area, reports Daily Excelsior. SFs immediately combed Dabud area in Nowshera sector and subsequently extended search operations to Khodi, Darath, Moghaldaye and Potha.However, no contact has been established with the militants, Police said. Read less...

The Border Security Force (BSF) said that the amount of heroin seized along the India-Pakistan border has come down considerably in the last couple of years, reports The Tribune on January 7. This year, the BSF had seized 227.5 kilogram heroin, which is the lowest in the last five years. In 2014, the BSF had recovered 361.41 kilogram heroin, besides seizing weapons, ammunition, over 100 Pakistani SIMs and mobiles. This was followed by the recovery of 344.30 kilogram of heroin in 2015, 230.56 kilogram in 2016 and 278.14 kilogram in 2017. The seizures went down in 2018 to 221.30 kilogram and the trend continued this year too. The BSF claimed that this was a result of better border domination and increased technical surveillance by the BSF authorities, along with various counter-smuggling measures launched by other security agencies like the Special Task Force (STF) set up by Punjab Police. Meanwhile, the recovery of Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) too has virtually stopped. Notes with face value of INR 5.204 million were seized in 2013, followed by INR 1.1 million each in 2014 and 2015. As per data available with the BSF, the recovery of Pakistani mobiles and SIM cards had also dipped. Moreover, only 17 Pakistani nationals, besides four other nationals were arrested or interdicted this year. From 2013, around 30 Pakistani infiltrators were apprehended or killed annually. BSF officials said in addition to increased surveillance through hi-tech equipment like LORROS, HHTI, thermal and infra-red imagers, the latest ground sensor devices were also being used to penetrate much farther across the fencing. A BSF official asserted that over and above, the deployment of additional battalions along the border had also helped. Additionally, the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Ferozepur District of Punjab, Vivek Sheel Soni, attributed the decrease in seizure of heroin to better security measures and enhanced coordination of information amid various security and intelligence agencies. The SSP said, “We are identifying both suppliers and consumers to break the nexus and chain of supply in this region.” Read less...

The cadres of Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) attacked a construction company site, beat up its workers set and ablaze vehicles near Baksauti village under Govindpur Police Station limits in Nawada District of Bihar on January 6, reports Devdiscourse. As per the report, around 30 to 40 armed cadres of CPI-Maoist stormed a construction site, thrashed 17 workers and set a JCB machine and a pickup van on fire. The Station House Officer (SHO), Nagendra Prasad said the Maoists took all the workers towards a river, on which a bridge is being constructed, tied them with ropes and beat them up. Before leaving the spot, the Maoists also took away mobile phones and money from the workers. The Maoists fired two rounds in the air before moving towards a nearby hillock. Read less...

The Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) on January 6 started an indefinite sit-in at Khumulwng in West Tripura District against the Citizenship Amendment Act(CAA), creation of a separate Twipraland and implementation of National Register of Citizens, reports The Telegraph. The IPFT said it will continue the demonstration at Dukmali Bazar at Khumulwng, Headquarters of Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council, till the Centre takes a positive step on these issues. IPFT president and state Revenue Minister N.C. Debbarma stated that “Several reports, some by the Centre, confirmed the presence of illegal immigrants in Tripura. In 1996, the then home minister Indrajit Gupta had said in Parliament that more than 8 lakh illegal immigrants are present in Tripura. Settling more illegal immigrants will be detrimental to interests of the indigenous people”. Read less...

The Security Forces (SFs) have recovered pamphlets of Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) in Samnapur and Baghatola areas in Balaghat District of Madhya Pradesh, reports The Times of India on January 7. As per the report, two kinds of pamphlets were found in the said areas – one was against Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC), the other was protesting against the displacement of tribals. While the Police are checking the authenticity of the leaflets, the Superintendent of Police (SP) Abhishek Tiwari said, “Some papers were found. They are being verified.” He further said, “Joint teams from Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh are working in tandem in search operations. Inter-State issues will not crop up, and combing operations have been intensified in all affected areas of the District.” Read less...

In a bid to restart the long-stalled transitional justice process, at a meeting on January 6, Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali said that Government will hold consultations with conflict victims and other stakeholders in all seven Provinces from January 13, reports Republica. According to Government officials, consultations will be held in two sessions – one session exclusively for conflict victims and another round of consultations together with all the stakeholders. The consultations will primarily focus on how to address the concerns raised by conflict victims and other stakeholders while drafting the laws and on ways to resolve the insurgency era-cases. Read less...

Presenting a memorandum to Minister of Foreign Affairs Pradeep Gyawali, the Conflict Victims’ Common Platform (CVCP) on January 6 demanded that the transitional justice act be amended on the basis of the Supreme Court’s verdict of January 2, 2013, which states any amendment or new act should be drafted by a drafting task force including victims, experts and human rights activists. The CVCP said the process of appointment of members to two transitional justice commissions should start only after the amendment of the act. The commissions — Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP) — have remained vacant since the office-bearers retired in mid-April. A recommendation committee led by former chief justice Om Prakash Mishra has published a list of 61 candidates aspiring for TRC and CIEDP posts. However, former CVCP Chairperson Suman Adhikari said “None of the 61 candidates are competent enough to lead the commissions as no competent person wants to lead such toothless commissions. We suggested amendment to the act in line with SC verdicts to empower the commissions and search for competent office-bearers.” Read less...

An official said the Government has decided to review the Office of Missing Persons (OMP) Act enacted by Parliament during the former regime, reports Daily Mirror on January 7. The Act was brought in as part of the previous government’s commitment to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in terms of resolution 30/1. It provided for the establishment of the Office of Missing Persons as part of that government’s reconciliation process. Resolution 30/1 envisaged the setting up of such a mechanism to trace the fate of persons who went missing, particularly during war time, to maintain a database of them. The rulers of the incumbent Government - who were in the opposition at that time - were then opposed to the Act saying it would be a step in the direction of pressing war crime charges against the military. Read less...

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on January 6 said some provisions in the 13th Amendment to the Constitution were impractical and that alternative solutions should be sought instead, reports Daily Mirror. The President expressed these views when a group of European Union (EU) Ambassadors called on him at the Presidential Secretariat. Referring to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, President Rajapaksa said “Instead, politicians should seek alternative solutions. For an example, if the provincial councils were given police powers, the police will become politicised. What is more practical is appointing people from the districts belonging to the Provincial Councils to the police ranks up to the level of OIC. It will help solve issues caused by language and cultural differences.” Read less...

President Ashraf Ghani on January 6 met with the family of Amer Abdul Sattar, a former Mujahideen leader, who was killed on January 5 in a National Directorate of Security (NDS) operation in Kabul, reports Tolo News. Elders from the provinces of Kapisa, Panjshir and Parwan were also present at the meeting in which Ghani extended his condolences to Amer Abdul Sattar’s family and ordered an investigation into the incident that occurred on January 5. Amer Abdul Sattar was a former mujahideen leader who was killed with four others in an operation by the NDS special unit in the north of Kabul. Read less...

Security Forces killed seven Taliban militants while they were trying to occupy a Police checkpoint in Faryab Province on January 6, reports bhaktarnews.com. A Policeman was also killed and two others were injured in the attack. Read less...

Three Taliban insurgents were killed, in an Air strike, by Afghan Security Forces on their rally held in the Jarkhoshk region located in Baghlan Markazi District of Baghlan Province on January 6, reports Bhaktarnews.com. Read less...

Around 200 tribal protesters were detained in Agartala (West Tripura District) on January 7 while protesting against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), reports Indian Express. The protest was made under the banner of Joint Movement Against CAA (JMACAA). JMACAA, a joint forum of three tribal political parties and some social organisations, had held a three-day Tripura Bandh from December 9. Read less...

A local militant identified as Shahid, a resident of Bijbehara area of Anantnag District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), was killed in an encounter with Security Forces (SFs) in Awantipora area in Pulwama District on January 7 (today), reports Hindustan Times. The SFs launched a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in Churswoo village of Awantipora in the early hours of on January 7 following information about the presence of the militant there, Police said.He was asked to surrender by the SFs but he chose to engage them in a gun battle, they said, adding that the militant was killed after a brief exchange of fire. Read less...

Army busted a temporary hideout of National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) on January 7 near Nungkhao in Tamenglong District of Manipur in India, reports The Northeast Today. One G-3 Rifle, one US made Carbine, one Country made carbine, one 9 mm and .22 mm Pistol each, along with assorted ammunition were recovered from the camp. Read less...

East Mojo reports on January 8 that a youth identified as Gyandeep Borpatra Gohain who has been missing from Dibrugarh District since January 4 is suspected to have joined United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I). The development comes after another youth identified as Biji Gogoi from Tinsukia District is also suspected to have joined ULFA-I. He has been missing since January 3, 2019. According to sources, Gohain's father is working as conservancy staff in stationHead Quarters (HQ) of Dinjan military station since 1998 and his elder brother is employed as driver at HQ of Chief Construction Engineer (CCE) of the Army at Dinjan (Dibrugarh District). Gohain was a friend of‘lieutenant’ Munna Boruah of ULFA-I who is also the nephew of Paresh Baruah. Read less...

National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) stated that political settlement with Government of India cannot cover nagas in Myanmar, reports Economic Times on January 8. NSCN-IM stated that “Integration of the divided Naga ancestral domains is the inherent right of the Nagas, and that the Government of India has officially recognized the legitimate right of the Nagas to integration of all Naga areas. By integration, it means – geo-political integration based on sovereign right of the Nagas, not that of the Indian or Burmese constitution.” NSCN-IM also added that “Indeed, we are for a territorial integration under one political roof. We don’t see any meaningful solution without integration. However, political settlement with the Government of India cannot cover Nagas in Burmese occupied areas. That will be the second phase to be settled with the Burmese Government. NSCN-IM further stated that Pan Naga Hoho will be a common platform for the Nagas to inculcate and foster the spirit of oneness and unity of all Nagas, adds Economic Times. NSCN IM said that Naga Regional Territorial Councils (NRTC) to be created on the basis of Framework Agreement in Naga Areas in the so-called Manipur state, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam are transitional. The present Nagaland state and the NRTC governments will be equipped with sovereign powers as envisioned in the Framework Agreement Read less...

On January 7, another NSCN-IM militant Lanuyanger Tzudir was arrested for extortion from butcher shop at Forest Colony Dimapur District, reports Morung Express. Read less...

On January 7, Q-branch of the Chennai police and National Investigating Agency (NIA) busted a suspected Islamic State (IS) terror module and arrested three terrorists from Gurappanapalya in Bengaluru in Karnataka, reports New Indian Express. The trio identified as Mohammed Haneef Khan, Imran Khan and Mohammed Zaid was arrested along with 89 rounds of bullets, three pistols, some bomb-making material and incriminating documents, a gripper-like instrument used to climb walls from them. Read less...

Police arrested three extortionists on January 7 from Miao market area in Changlang District, reports Arunachal Times. The arrestees were identified as Chow Ong Singpho, Wamu Mossang and OnglatSingpho. INR 13,940 and an AK magazine was recovered from the arrestees. Read less...

Revolutionary Peoples Front (RPF) and Manipur Naga People’s Front (MNPF) claimed that a joint team attacked a camp of the 4 Assam Rifles on January 7 at Khongtal village in Chandel District, reports The Sangai Express. They also claimed that the attack inflicted heavy damages. Read less...

Samba Police arrested a suspect following specific inputs about his pro-militant activities in Kaluchak area in Samba District on January 7, reports Daily Excelsior. Confirming the arrest, Police said the suspect was being quizzed to ascertain his links with the militants. The identity of the suspect is yet to be ascertained. Read less...

Security Forces (SFs) detected and defused two powerful Improvised IEDs near the Line of Control (LoC) at Jhanghar between Nowshera and Keri in Rajouri District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on January 7, reports Daily Excelsior.Reports said the IEDs were recovered by the alert troops during patrolling on the LoC. They called the Bomb Disposal Squads (BDS) which later successfully defused the IEDs. Read less...

The cadres of Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) set ablaze vehicles engaged in road construction at Manpur village under Aundhi Police Station limits in Rajnandgaon District of Chhattisgarh on January 7, reports Pioneer. According to the report, two Hyva vehicles that were engaged in road construction between Sarkheda and Gutampur under the said Police Station were set on fire by the Maoists. A local Police Officer said, “The vehicles belonging to Landmark Constructions were parked at the construction site about 10 kilometers from Police Station. The driver and cleaners who were in the vehicles were thrashed by the Maoists and told to run away.” He also said that the Maoists had left behind posters and banners in the area. On receiving the news of the incident, a Police team rushed to the spot who ascertained that the incident happened on the Chhattisgarh-Maharashtra border and Jatgaon/Korchi Dalam (armed squad) of the CPI-Maoist could be behind the incident. Read less...

Two persons were killed and 14 others injured,including twoSecurity Force (SF) personnel, after a motorcycle parked close to a Frontier Corps (FC) vehicle blew up on McConaughey Road, close to Liaquat Bazar in Quetta District in Balochistan on January 7, reports Dawn.Hizbul Ahrar, a splinter group of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has claimed responsibility for the attack. One of the deceased was identified as Muhammad Akram, while the injured included Nisar Ahmed, Muhammad Waris, Imran Khan, Raz Gull, Asim, Baran, Muhammad Akhtar, Muhammad Hashim, Abdul Khaliq, Zabi-Ullah, Umar Zaman, Abdul Ghafar, Muhammad Shuaib and Muhammad Roshan. The identities of other persons are yet to be established. Read less...

Two Policemen were killed in a targeted shootout in Saddar Town in Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh, that also left four people injured on January 7, reports Dawn. The slain Police officials have been identified as Mohammad Ali and Saeed Ahmed while a Dolphin Force official, Hassan Akram, and bystander and two others, including a woman, were injured. City Police Officer Mohammad Ahsan Younas said, “The shooter who was killed during yesterday’s encounter with the police was affiliated with the Jamaatul Ahrar group and some evidence available with the police also suggests that he was trained in Afghanistan.”The Police later recovered a Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC)from the suspected shooter’s pocket, identifying him as a native of Pasrur in Sialkot. Read less...

Kunar’s Governor, Abdul Sattar Mirzakwal, said that around 1,200 militants, including foreigners, are active locally, reports Tolo News on December 8. “According to our intelligence, there are up to 1,200 fighters, including fighters from Central Asian countries, Arabs, Punjabis and even Bangladeshi citizens and two to three Iranian families,” said Mirzakwal. Read less...

Ten Taliban militants were killed, in an air raid, in Soki District on Kunar Province on January 7, reports bhaktarnews.com. Read less...

Three Taliban militants were killed, in an air strike, of Afghan Security Forces in Sangeen District of Helmand Province on January 7, bhaktarnews.com. Read less...

Twenty Taliban militants active in Khogyani, Chaparhar and Momand Dara Districts surrendered before Government officials in Nangarhar Province, reports bhaktarnews.com. Read less...

On January 7, Maldives Police Service (MPS) arrested three more individuals in connection with the ongoing special operation to curb religious extremism codenamed 'Asseyri' in Maduvvari island in Raa Atoll, reports Edition. Although the Police are yet to disclose their charges, three males aged 22, 26, and 28 years old, are under police custody. The police are conducting further investigations into the matter. Read less...

A Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) couple wanted in several violence related incidents was arrested from Addaru Veedhi village in Gudem Kotha Veedhi Mandal (administrative sub-division) in Visakhapatnam District of Andhra Pradesh, reports The Times of India on January 9. The arrested duohas been identified as Bellam Narayana Swamy alias Damodar alias Azad (58), a native of Tatimarri in Anantapuram District of the State and his wife, Gangi Madhi alias Poolbatti (51), both were last serving as Special Zonal Committee (SZC) members. Damodar was the Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC) member and had an INR 2 million on his head and was also involved in more than 100 cases. Poolbatti on the other hand carried a cash reward of INR 600,000 on her head and was involved in more than 20 cases. Damodar had joined CPI-Maoist in 1980, and worked in Nallamala from 1990 to 1997,and later was shifted to Andhra Odisha Border (AOB) area in 1998. He was reportedly part of several attacks on Police Stations including attacks on Eleswaram Police Station (1998), armedPolice outpost at Darakonda (2000), Kalimela Police Station (Odisha in 2001), Anakapalle andChodavaram Police Stations in 2002 and attack on armed Police camp in Koraput (Odisha) in 2004.Poolbatti joined the Maoists in 1991. She worked in Kalimela squad and was wanted in landmine blast in Kalimela village in Malkangiri (Odisha in 2008) andexchange of fire with Police at Rajulakonda in 2010, along with several other cases in the twoStates. Read less...

About 1,000 people staged a protest against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) at Muttock tea estate in Lahowal in Dibrugarh District, reports The Telegraph on January 9. Read less...

According to Police press release on January 8, Dimapur Police arrested six National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM) militants for extortion from Dellai gate area in Dimapur, reports Morung Express. INR 1,41,940 was recovered from the arrestees. The arrestees were identified as Hotong Rongmei, Akin Sumi, Zhehuto, Vihuka, Asheto Sumi and Kito Sumi. Read less...

According to Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) report, language /ethnicity, tribal rivalry, migration, control over local resources and a widespread feeling of exploitation and alienation have resulted in violence and diverse demands by “Indian Insurgent Groups” (IIGs), reportsEastern Mirror on January 9. The demands, vary from sovereignty to independent state or simply better conditions for ethnic groups they claim to represent. The report claimed that “The underground outfits indulge in violent and terror activities and intimidate people with arms in order to achieve their objectives /demands. They maintain cross-border links, procure arms, recruit and train their cadres, and indulge in unlawful activities such as damaging of public properties, bomb explosions, extortions, killing of innocent civilians, security forces personnel, attacks on/abduction of government employees, politicians, and businessmen”. The report also stated that government had shown its willingness to enter into dialogue with any group willing to abjure the path of violence and place its demand within the framework of the Constitution of India. Read less...

Anti-CAA protesters waved black flags at the convoy of state cultural affairs minister Naba Kumar Doley in Dhemaji District, reports The Telegraph on January 9. Some miscreants reportedly stopped and partially damaged the vehicle of Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Debananda Hazarika. Read less...

Body of a non-local who had entered Manipur was recovered on January 8 with bullet wounds from Terapokpi Chingdol in Imphal West District, reports The Sangai Express. The victim name was identified as Nilesh Baburao Jadhav. According to Police an unknown non-local was brought to the hill top of Terapokpi Chingdol by three to four individuals and was shot multiple times. Read less...

Gangster Ejaz Lakdawala, a former aide of dons Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Rajan, was arrested on January 8 from Kapilvastu District in Nepal by Mumbai Police, reports Times Now. He was later brought to Mumbai. Lakdawala was arrested following the arrest of his daughter on December 28, 2019. Lakdawala who worked for underworld don Dawood Ibrahim under Chhota Rajan before forming his own gang about 10 years ago was wanted in more than 25 cases of extortion, attempt to murder and rioting. An Interpol notice had earlier been issued against him. The gangster produced before a Mumbai court on January 9 was remanded to police custody till January 21. Read less...

On January 8 night, a special Sub-Inspector of Police, Wilson, was shot dead by two suspected Islamic State (IS) terrorists at Padanthaalumoodu checkpost in Kanniyakumari District of Tamil Nadu, reports The Hindu. The killers were identified as A. Abdul Shameem of Thiruvithaancode (Kanyakumari District) and M. Thoufique of Malik Dinar Nagar in Kottar (Kanniyakumari). Following the killing, the duo reportedly fled to Kerala as captured by CCTV footage. The killers were reportedly involved in the murder of Hindu Munnani activist, KP Suresh Kumar, in Chennai (Tamil Nadu) in June 21, 2014. India Today adds that the absconding killers of Wilson are old associates of three IS terrorists arrested in Delhi on January 9, 2020. The duo along with Khaja Moideen, Syed Ali Nawaz, Abdul Samad and Jaffar Ali fled to different places after killing Hindu Munnani activist KP Suresh Kumar. Read less...

On January 8, two United Tribal Liberation Army UTLA militants were arrested from Tollen village in Churachandpur District, reports Nagaland Post. The arrestees were identified as as Jangkholen alias J Singson and Joshuia alias Kaiminthang. Jangkholen is the ‘chief administrative officer’ (CAO) of UTLA. A 12-bore gun and INR 12,000 were recovered from the arrestees. Read less...

Protests against CAA were held in Beltola, Sonapur, Narengi, Chachal and Khanapara in Guwahati in Kamrup Metropolitan District, reports The Telegraph on January 9. Read less...

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigating a case related to the late underworld gangster and drug trafficker Iqbal Mirchi on January 8 approached the special PMLA court in Mumbai (Maharashtra) to issue non-bailable warrants against the four accused persons - Dheeraj Wadhawan of DHFL, Mirchi’s wife Hajra Memon and Mirchi’s sons Asif and Junaid. According to the ED investigation, Wadhawan despite knowing Mirchi as a Significant Foreign Narcotic Trafficker under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act by United States’ Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and one of the most wanted persons for Indian authorities paid around INR 225 crores for three properties of Iqbal Mirchi in Worli and had held several meetings with the late fugitive gangster in London to pursue the deal. The sale of the three properties was later used in terror funding. ED had prior arrested four persons in connection with the case. Read less...

The Home Minister of Chhattisgarh, Tamradhwaj Sahu, has claimed that since the Congress party came to power in the State, there has been a steady decline in the CPI-Maoist activities, reports The Pioneer on January 9. The Minister said, “Since the formation of Congress government in the State, there has been sharp decline in Naxal[Left Wing Extremism, LWE] movement. Naxal activities have dipped around by 40 to 60 per cent. Maximum numbers of Naxals have been killed, there have been no fake encounters and no tribal has been killed (in Police encounters)”.The home minister also said that the Naxals[Left Wing Extremists, LWEs]have killed civilians, branding them as ‘Police informers’, but claimed that there has been a decline of 60 to 62 per cent in such incidents too.“So, Maoist movements have slowed down significantly in Chhattisgarh, and government has been able to control it,” the Home Minister further remarked. Read less...

Two civilians were injured after unidentified militants lobbed a grenade at Security Forces (SFs) at Habak Chowk in Srinagar District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on January 8, reports Daily Excelsior. The grenade missed the intended target on Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel and exploded on the roadside in Zakura area, resulting in injuries to the two civilians, whose identities are yet to be established. Later, the SFs cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to arrest the assailants. Read less...

Unidentified militants on January 8 hurled a hand grenade inside the Accountant General Office complex in Imphal West District, reports The Sangai Express. The complex is located in one of the highest security zones of Manipur. The grenade however failed to explode. Read less...

One Frontier Corps (FC) soldier was killed in firing incident in Azadkhel Bittani Haramatala locality under Serai Gambila Police Station in Lakki Marwat District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on January 8, reports Dawn. Police said FC soldier Shakirullah had left the village to reach his duty station in Shab Qadar when unidentified assailants intercepted him and shot him dead. Read less...

Bhagiram Chaudhari, Chairperson of the Conflict Victims’ Common Platform (CVCP), said that cobnflict victims have lost all hope that the incumbent Government and the political parties will ensure that the transitional justice process is victim-friendly, reports Kathmandu Post on January 9. In an interaction with Law Minister Pradeep Gyawali on January 5 and 6, victims’ representatives had asked that thorough discussions be held with victims across the country before taking the legal amendment process forward. The Law Ministry, however, has scheduled interactions in all provincial headquarters for a single day, on January 13, with inputs from all the concerned parties, including victims, human rights activists, civil society members and local leaders. “It is clear the consultation is nothing but a formality to show the world that the government talked to concerned parties before the amendment,” said Bhagiram Chaudhari. Chaudhari further expressed concern that the transitional justice process was becoming increasingly opaque. Read less...

Gangster Ejaz Lakdawala, a former aide of dons Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Rajan, was arrested on January 8 from Kapilvastu District in Nepal by Mumbai Police, reports Times Now. He was later brought to Mumbai. Lakdawala was arrested following the arrest of his daughter on December 28, 2019. Lakdawala who worked for underworld don Dawood Ibrahim under Chhota Rajan before forming his own gang about 10 years ago was wanted in more than 25 cases of extortion, attempt to murder and rioting. An Interpol notice had earlier been issued against him. The gangster produced before a Mumbai court on January 9 was remanded to police custody till January 21. Read less...

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and visiting Law and Home Affairs Minister of Singapore Kasiviswanathan Shanmugam on January 8 discussed regional concerns especially to combat terrorism, cyber security, curbing extremism and improving intelligence services, reports Daily Mirror. They also discussed the new legislation introduced by Singapore to address hate speech, online disinformation and the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act. The talks also focused on Social Media Intelligence models that businesses are increasingly relying on data management, which is crucial for business development, functioning and promotion. The new technologies which Singapore is currently exploring in terms of Irrefutable Identification that combines both fields of digital and biometric also came up at the discussions. Read less...

On January 8, at least 34 people, including women and children, were killed in a roadside bomb blast in Herat-Kandahar Highway in Shawiz area of Herat Province, reports Tolo News. Read less...

Security Forces killed four Taliban militants in Nooristan Province on January 8, reports bhaktarnews.com. Read less...

A group of Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres set ablaze six mini trucks engaged in the transportation of sand near Cherpal river under Gangaloor Police Station limits in Bijapur District of Chhattisgarh on January 9, reports PTI. APolice Official said, "Some suspected Maoists reached the spot and set ablaze six mini trucks parked along the river before fleeing from the spot. There were some reports of dispute among locals over allocation of sand excavation work. Therefore, prima facie it seems that the group which did not get the mining site might have taken the support of Maoists to execute the incident."Soon after being informed about the incident, the Police rushed to the spot, the Official said, adding that investigation into the incident is underway. Read less...

A People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak-Vice Chairman (PREPAK-VC) was arrested on January 9 from Singjamei in Imphal West District, reports Nagaland Post. The militant was identified as Thokchom Abe alias Ichal Leima. Read less...

A team of Punjab Police in coordination with the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of Bengaluru Police, arrested a Khalistani militant from Bengaluru District of Karnataka in India on January 9, reports Deccan Herald. The arrested militant has been identified as Jarnail Singh Sidu alias Jarnail Singh Sandhu (38), a resident of Mohali District of Punjab and a native of Hyderabad District of Telangana. As per the report, Jarnail Singh was residing in a paying guest (PG) accommodation in a private firm in Manyata Tech Park in Bengaluru city. The Police officials said that Punjab’s State Special Operation Cell had registered a case against Jarnail Singh in March 2019. Upon learning that the Police were on to him, Jarnail Singh escaped from Mohali six months ago and came to Bengaluru. He then took accommodation in a PG accommodation and joined the private firm. He was in contact with Khalistan militants in Punjab. On receiving information about his presence in the city, the Police team arrested him from the said accommodation. According to a senior Official, “Jarnail Singh was one of the militants involved in the Khalistan movement to advocate for a separate Sikh nation and was constantly in touch with the group suspected to have been involved in terrorist attacks in Punjab.” Read less...

After the death of Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) leader Ravula Srinivas aka Ramanna, who had a bounty of INR 14 million on his head, Hidma, who had been heading Maoist attacks in Sukma District, has now been made state in-charge of the CPI-Maoist organisation’s militia actions, reports The Print on January 10. Hidma’s elevation is seen as an attempt by the Maoists to fill the void resulting from the death of Ramanna in the second week of December. Senior police officers deployed in anti-Naxal operations said there has also been a churn in the CPI-Maoist ‘Central Committee, CC’ on whether to elevate Hidma, or other cadre leaders such as Ganesh Uike and Sujata, as chief of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC). The DKSZC was headed by Ramanna. It also works as a Maoist think tank for Chhattisgarh, and Gadchiroli in adjoining Maharashtra where Maoists have a presence. “So far there is no confirmation, neither do we have any recovery to substantiate if Hidma has been given any new task as DKSZC head but security forces are prepared for any eventuality irrespective of which Naxal leader has been given what tasks,” Sukma Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Shalabh Sinha said. “Hidma is a known hard militia taskmaster and had been heading their Battalion 1 in Sukma for more than two and a half years now,” Sinha added. Read less...

Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested an Islamic State (IS) terrorist from Gorva area of Vadodara in Gujarat in January 9, reports NDTV India. The arrestee identified as Zafar Ali was spreading IS module in Vadodara for last 10 to 12 days. Read less...

Jammu and Kashmir Police Director General of Police (DGP), Dilbag Singh, reviewed the law and order situation during his visit to the twin Police Districts in Kulgam and Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on January 9, and directed officers to augment the security grids in the Valley, reports Daily Excelsior. Singh also called for increasing people’s participation through interaction with the civil society at different levels. Read less...

On January 9 one United National Liberation Front (UNLF) militant was arrested from Thoubal District of Manipur in India, reports The Northeast Today. The arrestee was identified as ‘private’ Ningthoujam Shambi Singh. Read less...

On January 9, a PREPAK militant identified as Sarubam Seityajit Singh alias Kanta was arrested from Chagangei area in Imphal West District, reports Nagaland Post. Read less...

Security Force (SF) personnel engaged in anti-Naxal [Left Wing Extremism, LWE] operation recovered two bombs suspected to have planted by cadres of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) from Leteburu forests under Badinijkel Panchayat (village level local self-Government institution) in Khunti District of Jharkhand on January 9, reports The Telegraph. Of the two bombs recovered, one was a three-foot-long pipe bomb of 10 kilograms weight and another was a Can-bomb weighing a kilogram. Police said the bomb had a pressure device which could explode on weight was subsequently defused. Read less...

Security Forces (SFs) combed the dense forest belt along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) for the ninth consecutive day on January 9, in search of infiltrators who sneaked into the Indian territory from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK), reports Daily Excelsior.The forces combed Khari area in Naushera sector during which they located a natural cave and fired a few Under-Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL)grenades in it, the officials said.The search operation was launched last week after two soldiers were killed in a gun battle with heavily-armed Pakistani infiltrators in the Khari Thrayat forest. Read less...

The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) Tribunal upheld the Centre’s ban on pro-Khalistan group — Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), ensuring that the group is declared as an unlawful association on January 9, reports The Tribune. This comes as a big relief for security agencies in Punjab, where the group has been trying to revive a separatist movement in the State. The Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta said the ban on the SFJ was good news for the State, where it had been fishing for young and gullible youth, and radicalising them. The DGP said, “With the SFJ being declared as an unlawful association, people will not fall prey to their objective of radicalising youth and unleashing violence in the state." A notification by the Centre, declaring the SFJ as an unlawful association, was issued yesterday. Earlier, the Centre had announced its decision to declare the group as unlawful on July 10, 2019 and banned it for five years. It had then referred the matter to the UAPA Tribunal. The Tribunal, headed by Delhi High Court Chief Justice D.N. Patel, had examined all evidence produced by the Punjab Government as well as the National Investigation Agency (NIA), regarding the subversive activities of the SFJ. The tribunal held that it was clear from the evidence that activities of the group were “unlawful, disruptive and threaten the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of India”. It further held that the evidence proved that the SFJ was “working in collusion with anti-India entities and forces”. The tribunal took into account all “terror” incidents and unearthing of modules in Punjab since 2017; the SFJ’s social media campaign; besides letters written by the SFJ authorities to various diplomats, seeking support for their campaign. Read less...

Three Islamic State (IS) terrorists were arrested on January 9 from Wazirabad in Delhi, India Today. The three terrorists identified as Khaja Moideen, Syed Ali Navas and Abdul Samad were arrested following an exchange of fire with the Delhi Police. The trio were allegedly planning an attack in New Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. According to Pramod Kushwaha, DCP, Special Cell, Delhi Police, these three men had shifted to Delhi with arms and ammunition by their foreign-based handler to set up a base for some kind of terror attack. Among the trio, Khaja Moideen had previously been arrested by the NIA in a terror case while Abdul Samad was a member of Popular Front of India (PFI). Read less...

Two suspects were arrested along with an explosive mix of TNT and C-4 in their possession, during a joint search operation conducted by the Navy and the Kinniya Police in the Nagautthu region of Trincomalee District on January 9, reports Colombo Page. The suspects have been identified as residents of Trincomalee, aged 44 and 56, (names yet to be established), were handed over to the Kinniya Police along with explosives for further investigation. Read less...

A Taliban ‘commander’, named as Mullah Nangyalay, was killed by a US Drone Strike in Shindand District close to the border with Iran in Herat Province, reports Al Jazeera. "According to the people, over 60 civilians were killed and wounded in the operation," Toryalai Tahiri, deputy head of Herat provincial council. Read less...

On January 9, Presidential Commission on Deaths and Disappearances (DDCom) disclosed that it will soon be resubmitting the prosecution of murder cases of Dr Afrasheem Ali, journalist Ahmed Rilwan, and blogger Yameen Rasheed, reports Edition. Read less...

A bomb exploded near the front gate of a house at Singjamei Chingamathak Nameirakpam Leikai on January 10 in Imphal West District of Manipur in India, reports The Sangai Express. No individual was killed or wounded in the incident. Read less...

A Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadre, identified as Sonu Shah, was arrested from Rajaun village under Sonon Police Station limits in Jamui District of Bihar in India on January 10, reports UNI. According to Police officials, on receiving a tip off about Sonu’s presence in the said village, a joint raid of the local Police and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) was conducted leading to his arrest. Sonu was wanted by the Police in connection with various cases for the past many years, the Police officials added. Read less...

An Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) trooper was injured in a blast carried out by Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres near Becha Turn under Sonpur Police Station limits in Narayanpur District of Chhattisgarh, on January 10, reports Devdiscourse. When a team of the ITBP's 53rd battalion was out on an anti-Naxal [Left Wing Extremism, LWE] operation, triggered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in which head constable Anil Ekka sustained injuries. Search operation was launched to arrest the rebels. Read less...

Manipur Chief Minister (CM) N Biren Singh has urged the people to request rebel groups to find amicable political solutions with Government of India (GoI), reports Assam Tribune on January 11. He also reaffirmed that territorial boundary and integrity of the State would remain intact. Read less...

Police commandos conducted massive search operations in some parts of Imphal West District on January 10 ahead of Republic Day (January 26), reports Morung Express. Search operation were conducted in Sagolband and Tera areas. Read less...

The State Police in Punjab have busted a narco-terror module that flew drones from Amritsar District to Pakistan to fetch drugs in the last few days and arrested three persons, including an Indian Army soldier and an expert drone operator on January 10, reports The Tribune. The arrested persons have been identified as Dharminder Singh of Dhanoa Khurd village and Balkar Singh of Kalas village in Amritsar District and Rahul Chauhan of Pooja Vihar in Ambala District of Haryana. the Director General of Police (DGP), Dinkar Gupta said, while Dharminder was arrested from Hardo Rattan village, about 3 kilometers from the India-Pakistan border, Balkar, lodged in Amritsar jail in an NDPS case, was arrested on production warrant. Rahul, a soldier in the Indian Army, was reportedly involved in procuring and supplying drones and training to cross-border smugglers. Two members of the narco-terror module were still absconding and efforts were on to nab them. The DGP further said they had seized two highly sophisticated Chinese drones, belonging to the narco-terror module, involved in the smuggling of weapons and narcotics from across the border. “The seizure includes drone batteries, custom-made drone containers, two walkie-talkie sets, Rs 6.22 lakh, believed to be proceeds of drugs, and a magazine of an INSAS rifle. The drones, capable of travelling 2-3 kilometers, were reportedly being launched from the Indian side to fly into Pakistan to pick up narcotics. The accused had apparently already conducted four-five sorties.” Read less...

Two Army porters were killed, one of them beheaded, while three others were seriously injured during violation Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) by Pakistan near the Line of Control (LoC) at Kasalian village in Gulpur sector in Poonch District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on January 10, reports Daily Excelsior.Pakistan army fired three to four mortar shells targeting five porters who were carrying logistics for the troops in forward area close to the fencing on the LoC at Kasalian in the morning. Simultaneously, the members of Border Action Team (BAT) of Pakistan were reported to have intruded into the Indian territory and beheaded one of the seriously injured porter.They took the head with them before returning to Pakistan.Another injured porter later succumbed to injuries sustained in mortar shelling taking death toll to two.The slain porters have been identified as Mohammad Aslam (28), and Altaf Hussain (23), both residents of Kasalian in Gulpur. Injured were identified as Mohammad Saleem (24), Mohammad Showket (28), and Nawaz Ahmed (35), all residents of Kasalian.Indian Army immediately retaliated Pakistan shelling and firing and was reported to have inflicted heavy damages on Pakistan side. However, exact details of the damages suffered by Pakistan couldn’t be ascertained immediately. Read less...

Two Police personnel were injured in an encounter with Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) in a forest under the Chintalnar Police Station limitsin Sukma District of Chhattisgarhon January 10, reports The Pioneer.The Maoists fired on a team of District Reserve Guards (DRG), injuring two personnel, when they were cordoning off the forest which is on the border of Sukma and Bijapur Districts, a senior Police official said. More details were awaited at the time of reporting. Read less...

A suicide bomber targeted a mosque in Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, during evening prayers on Friday, January 10, killing at least 15 people and wounding 20 others, officials said, reports Daily Times. The blast took place in Satellite Town of Quetta. The Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack, according to the SITE intelligence group. Read less...

Conflict victims have urged the Government to suspend the process initiated to appoint commissioners for key Transitional Justice (TJ) bodies at least until the new law is promulgated, reports My Republica on January 11. On January 10, Primary victim groups--Conflict Victims' Common Platform (CVCP) and National Network of Disabled Conflict Victims –(NNDCV) threatened to stay away from the TJ process. Both the groups warned of boycotting the TJ process if their demands were ignored, while conflict victims have announced to reject their participation in national consultations scheduled for January 13, 2020. “Since the consultation scheduled for January 13 is just for the sake of consultation and not meaningful as demanded by the victims, it’s not acceptable to us,” reads the statement issued by CVCP. After spending 10 months without doing anything substantive to complete the given assignment, a committee formed to suggest commissioners for the two commissions - Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP) - has reportedly finalized the probable candidates. The recommendation process is now said to be delayed until the consultations are organized. Read less...

The New York-based global rights organization, Human Rights Watch (HRW) on January 10 called on the Sri Lankan Government to repeal the draconian Counterterrorism Law, reports Colombo Page. The Sri Lankan Government should abide by its commitments to replace the abusive Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) with legislation that respects its international human rights obligations, the HRW said. The cabinet of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa announced on January 4 that it would withdraw a proposed replacement law, reneging on pledges to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and the European Union. Read less...

Two US service members were killed in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) explosion in Kandahar province, reports The Khaama Press on January 11. According to a statement published by the Resolute Support in Afghanistan, two US soldiers were killed and two others have been wounded when their vehicle struck an IED in Kandahar province. These service members were conducting operations as part of NATO’s Resolute Support Mission, the statement added. The identities of the slain service members are yet to be ascertained. Read less...

50 National Democratic Front of Bodoland-Saoraigwra (NDFB-S) militants came back to India from Myanmar on January 11 as part of the ongoing talks with the Government of India, reports News 18. According to NDFB-S top leader “All the 50 members of the NDFB-S left Myanmar early on Saturday [January 11]. The Indian Army escorted the leaders and cadres from the International border to an undisclosed Army base.” He also added that “The outfit’s chief, B Saoraigwra, and his family members along with his security personnel crossed the international border at Tamu (in Manipur), while NDFB-S’ (self-styled) general secretary B Ferrenga, council members and other cadres entered India through the Longwa international border (Mon District in Nagaland)”. Additionally, a senior intelligence official stated that “All this is being directly monitored by Ministry of Home Affairs. We have not been informed officially yet. The top leadership of the group will be taken to Delhi as part of peace talks.” Read less...

A Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) has been detained along with two militants in a major counter-terror operation on the National Highway in Kulgam District in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on January 11, reports Daily Excelsior. During vehicle check DSP, Devinder Singh, was detained along with Naveed Mushtaq alias Naveed Babu alias Babar Azam, a resident of Nazneenpora in Shopian District and his associate Asif Ahmad. The residence of the detained officer was immediately raided in Srinagar, during which one AK-47 rifle, two pistols and two grenades were recovered from his residence. Naveed was a Police deserter and had joined the ranks of militants in 2017. He decamped with four assault rifles from Budgam District. Naveed shot into limelight after the Centre Government scrapped Jammu and Kashmir’s special Constitutional provisions and Statehood in August last year. Soon after, Police said that Naved issued a diktat to apple orchardists in South Kashmir not to sell their produce. According to Police, Naveed was involved in the killings of at least 11 non-Kashmiri workers, including truck drivers and labourers, in Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian Districts of J&K. Before joining the ranks of militants, Naveed was working as Special Police Officer (SPO) with JKP. Read less...

A lawyer identified as Irfan, who was working as an Over Ground Worker (OGW) for terror outfits, was also arrested along with Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Davinder Singh and two militants of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) in Kulgam area in Kulgam District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on January 11, reports India Today. Earlier, South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP) had reported the incident of arrest on January 11. Reportedly, an i-10 car was intercepted in Kulgam area and in the car was Jammu Kashmir Police (JKP) officer Davinder Singh with two top HM militants. As the car approached the checkpoint, the vehicle was stopped and the four were arrested. Read less...

AR while conducting search operation in near New Kaiphundai in Tamenglong District of Manipur was fired up on by suspected militants, on January 11, reports E-pao. Upon retaliation the militants fled leaving behind a civilian they had abducted. Read less...

Assam Rifles tweets that on January 11 and 12 a militant of Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) and Kangleipak Communist Party-People War Group (KCP-PWG) was arrested from Thoubal District and Imphal East District of Manipur respectively. Read less...

Meghalaya Chief Minister (CM) Conrad Sangma on January 11 rubbished reports that if the Inner Line Permit (ILP) was implemented in the State, the Sixth Schedule would be done away with, reports Nagaland Post. He stated, “That is not true at all. There was a simple observation that certain officials and certain political leaders had in Delhi saying that since we have exemption under Sixth Schedule, why would we need exemption under ILP from the CAA”. He also added, “There is no question of Sixth Schedule being removed as it is a protection and privilege given to the people of the state. We are very firm as a government that there is no comprise with the Sixth Schedule.” Meghalaya, which was formed as an autonomous state April 2, 1970 and as a full-fledged state on January 21, 1972, after being carved out of Assam, is covered by Sixth Schedule provisions of the constitution. Read less...

On January 11 a militant of unspecified militant group was arrested from Khopati in Dhubri District of Assam in India, tweets Eastern Army Command. Read less...

Pakistan army resorted to very heavy mortar shelling and firing violating the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) targeting the civilians in forward areas along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch sector in Poonch District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on January 11, reports Daily Excelsior. Reports said Pakistan targeted forward villages of Digwar, Kalsian, Gulpur, Malti and surroundings in Poonch sector with long range mortar shells and automatic weapons. The Indian side retaliated very effectively to silence the Pakistani guns, leading to heavy exchanges of fire that continued till midnight. However, there were no reports of any casualties or damage on the Indian side. Casualties, if any, on Pakistan side couldn’t be ascertained. Read less...

Thousands of people including representatives of various political parties joined Anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protest in Khumlung in West Tripura District of Tripura in India on January 11, reports Northeast Now. The protest was organised by Tripura royal scion Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma, who has formed an apolitical organization – Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA) to voice against the new citizenship law. Read less...

On January 11, bullet-riddled body of a fabric trader, Imran Khatri (40), was found in a gunny bag in a storm-water drain in Khuda ki Basti area near the 4-K bus terminus located in Surjani Town of Karachi city in Karachi District, provincial capital of Sindh, in Pakistan reports Dawn. Read less...

An unidentified group set on fire communication tower of Ncell, a private sector telecom company, at Mirchulung in Tanahun District of Province No. 4 in Nepal on January 11, reports The Himalayan Times. 12-volt battery, eight pieces of cable wire, and generator were destroyed in the arson attack. After preliminary investigation, Police estimated that the arson attack might have destroyed property worth millions of rupees. Read less...

Chairman of Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Pushpa Kamal Dahal on January 11 urged cadres of Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-Maoist-Chand) to join the ruling NCP without any delay, reports Republica. Dahal made the remarks while welcoming Mohan Karki to his party. Karki, a key leader of the underground CPN-Maoist-Chand had recently quit his party. "I urge members of Chand-led party members not to delay to join our party. The communist parties should join hands together to successfully achieve socialism in the country," Dahal said. Read less...

Senior Police officials said faced with massive Police crackdown that has left the party’s organizational structure in shambles in recent months, the outlawed CPN-Maoist-Chand has devised a new strategy to ‘accumulate strength’, while making its presence felt through explosions time and again, reports Republica on January 12. Senior Police officials have concluded that the Chand-led outlawed Maoist group has devised this new strategy as nearly 1,300 party senior leaders including 260 central level leaders have been arrested so far after the government banned their activities in early March 2019. Read less...

A Pakistani citizen and Financial in charge of Taliban terrorist, Mohibullah, was killed in an air strike in outskirt of Imam Sahib District of Kunduz Province in Afghanistan on January 11, reports bhaktarnews.com. Read less...

On December 11, at least three Policemen were killed in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast that occurred in PD1 area of Lashkargah city (Lashkargah District) in Helmand Province of Afghanistan, reports Tolo news. Read less...

Thirteen Taliban militants were killed, in a series of air strikes, in parts of Shahwalikot, Maiwand and Khakriz Districts of Kandahar Province of Afghanistan in the last 24 hours, reports bhaktarnews.com on January 12. Read less...

A ‘Jan Militia (people's army) commander’ of Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist), identified as Deva Muchaki was arrested by Security Forces (SFs) from Aalnaar village under Kirandul Police Station limits in Dantewada District of Chhattisgarh in India on January 12, reports Devdiscourse. As per the report, Deva Muchaki was arrested during a joint search operation by a team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and local Police. A Police official said, “Muchaki is a ‘Jan Militia commander’ and has been with the CPI-Maoist for a decade. He was wanted for an attack in 2012 on a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) team in Kirandul in which six security personnel and a civilian were killed”. The official also added that Muchaki was part of a Maoist squad which set ablaze nine vehicles and machinery engaged in construction activity at the NMDC's Bailadila iron ore mine on November 24, 2019. Read less...

A tribal family of Katuapadar village under Mathili Block (administrative unit) in Malkangiri District of Odisha, left their home on January 14, to save their lives after cadres of Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) assaulted one of the family members on January 12, reports The Pioneer. According to the report, Ganga Madi, a resident of the village had been assaulted by a group of Maoists on suspicion of being a ‘police informer’. The rebels conducted a ‘Praja Court’ (people’s court, organized by the Maoists) and thrashed Ganga brutally. They also threatened him of dire consequences if he does not leave the village along with his family. Fearing further attack, Ganga along with his family abandoned the village. Read less...

Activities in ‘suspected homes’ have been picked up of Army's surveillance and also human intelligence, reports India Today on January 13. The Indian Army has suspected that some civilian homes in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) are being used as terror launch pads. Additional deployment of Special Service Group(SSG) commandos of Pakistan has been made around civilian homes in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) to assist shallow raids backed by heavy calibre escalation. The Indian Army has been monitoring activities and movements in these ‘suspected houses’ that have increased recently. As the higher reaches of J&K are covered under snow the focus has shifted to the south of Peerpanjal range. Areas like Nowshera, Sunderbani, Krishna Ghati, Bhimber Gali and Poonch have remained tense with frequent shelling and skirmishes."There are many civilian houses being used as launch pad. We are aware of these and have identified them. These are used by Pakistan to assist infiltrations. Villages in PoK hugging the LoC (Line of Control) are used by Pakistan as defence works," Lt Gen Harsha Gupta, General Officer commanding the Nagrota based 16 Corp of the Indian Army said. Read less...

Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) busted an international drug cartel allegedly led by a Taliban leader in Kandahar of Afghanistan and arrested nine Afghan nationals in Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) of New Delhi in India, reports Times of India on January 13. Following an information, on December 28, 2019, a trap was laid for a few Afghan nationals who were arriving India by Ariana flight no. FG-313 from Kabul via Kandahar. According to Republic World, seven Afghan nationals were arrested after medical examination revealed foreign substance in their stomach. The seven were identified as Yusufzai Rahamatullah, Faiz Mohammad, Nabizada Habibullah, Ahmedi Abdul Wadood, Turkman Abdul Hamid, Fazal Ahmed and Noorzai Kabir. The two receivers in Delhi, identified as Hayatullah and Masood Mohammad, were also arrested. Hayatullah and Mohammad disclosed that such consignments of drugs were further sold to Nigerian nationals operating in Delhi and Mumbai. According official sources, the money paid by the African receivers is taken back by the Afghan carriers to be eventually used to launch terror attacks in the Indian subcontinent. Read less...

On January 12, Assam Rifles (AR) rescued three other abducted civilians and recovered an AK 47 magazine with 12 ammunition rounds, 500 grams of explosive from New Kaiphundai in Tamenglong District of Manipur, reports E-pao. Read less...

The Punjab Police has constituted five teams to keep an eye on smuggling of drugs and weapons by drones from neighbouring Pakistan, reports The New Indian Express on January 13. As per the report, while one team will solely be dedicated to handle cybercrime, two teams will keep a tab on the movement of narcotics and smugglers from other States into Punjab. Also, two other dedicated teams would track criminals by their social media activity and all teams will work in tandem to make arrests. The teams have been formed following the seizure of two Chinese-made drones used to fly into Pakistan to pick drugs and fly back to Punjab in India and also including the arrests of five drug smugglers recently. The report further adds that the State Police is working in close coordination with the Border Security Force (BSF) to check drone activity. BSF and Police personnel had recently carried out a search operation in the Ajnala sector on the India-Pakistan border following unidentified drone activity. Read less...

Three Hizb-ul-Mujaihdeen (HM) militants, including a ‘commander’ were killed in an encounter with Security Forces (SFs) which ensued during a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in Tral area of Pulwama District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) in India on January 12, reports Daily Excelsior. The slain militants were identified ‘commander’ Umer Fayaz Lone alias Hamad Khan, resident of Seer Tral; and his two associates - Faizan Hamid, resident of Mandoora Tral; and Adil Bashir Mir alias Abu Dujana, resident of Monghama Tral. Police said that incriminating material including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. Read less...

On January 12, the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) in a rally, announced the formation of a jirga (tribal council) to convince Pashtun leaders to join the PTM to strengthen its cause and jointly fight for Pashtun's rights, held a public gathering at Mundan Park in Bannu town (Bannu District) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province in Pakistan, reports Dawn. PTM is a rights-based alliance that, besides calling for the de-mining of the former tribal areas and greater freedom of movement in the latter, has insisted on an end to the practices of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and unlawful detentions, and for their practitioners to be held to account within a truth and reconciliation framework. Read less...

Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on National Security Division and Strategic Policy Planning Moeed Yousuf on January 12 said Pakistan is going to have a coherent national security policy with an inclusive economic diplomacy by the end of this year, ensuring security in all respects for every Pakistani, reports Dawn. The new policy, he added, would not deal with national security only, but all aspects of the country with multiple level inputs. It would not produce results overnight, he said. Read less...

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested two cadres of banned extremist outfit Allahr Dal from Khulna Railway Station in Khulna District of Khulna Division in Bangladesh on January 12, reports New Age. The arrested were identified as Moshiar Rahman (52) and Mohamad Jahangir Alam (47). RAB arrested the duo while they were waiting for train to return to Jashore. The duo came to Khulna for collecting money and recruiting activists. Read less...

Afghan Security Forces, in a clearing operation, killed four Taliban militants and two others were injured in parts of Naharsaraj District of Helmand Province of Afghanistan in last 24 hours, reports bhaktarnews.com on January 13, 2020. Read less...

Security Forces (SF) killed a Taliban militant in Helmand Province on January 12, reports bhaktarnews.com. Read less...

Seven Taliban militants, active in Laman region, Abkamari District, surrendered before authorities in Badghis Province of Afghanistan, reports bhaktarnews.com on January 13. Read less...

Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dr. Ahmed Zahir, has stated that there will be no room for blasphemers in the Maldives, reports RajjeeMV on January 13. Zahir further disclosed that such incidents will be closely monitored and investigated. This comes at a time of public outrage following a video of a Maldivian citizen advocating for the right to leave Islam and defending apostates began circulating on social media during the past week. Dr. Ahmed Zahir further stated that such incidents will be closely monitored by the relevant section of the ministry and that blasphemers who attempt to create hatred and disrupt society's peace will be swiftly identified. Read less...

A local militant was killed in an encounter with Security Forces (SFs) in Budgam District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on January 13, reports Daily Excelsior. SFs launched a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in Chadoora area following information about the presence of militants there, Police said. A gunfight broke out after the lone militant opened fire on the SFs who retaliated, resulting in the killing of the militant, who was identified as Adil Ahmed, a resident of Budgam. The Print adds that a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) militant, identified as Adil Gulzar, who was allegedly plotting the assassination of five Kashmiris — two SF officers, a journalist, a professor and a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson - was killed in an encounter in Brahmpora village in Budgam District. Read less...

A militant of National Santal Liberation Army (NSLA) was arrested on January 13 in Gossaigaon in Kokrajhar District of Assam, reports Assam Tribune. The arrestee was identified as Mangal Murmu. Read less...

Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) chief Hagrama Mohilary stated that a peace accord containing all factions of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) and the Centre would be inked in near future, reports East Mojo. Some members of NDFB-S, led by its chairman B Saoraigwra, are all set to meet the Government of India representatives to start peace parleys shortly as the insurgent group members are already in New Delhi to talk peace. If peace parleys with the NDFB-S start this time, then the United Liberation Front of Assam-Independent (ULFA-I) will be the only remaining insurgent outfit active in the state. Read less...

Following repeated incursion by Bangladeshi nationals, the Centre has approved construction of 17 ‘smart fences’ along the Indo-Bangla border in the Meghalaya sector, reports Northeast Today on January 14. Border Security Force (BSF) officials said the fences are “anti-climb and cut” – which means that intruders would find these fences extremely difficult to breach. These fences would be built in 17 patches along the Indo-Bangla border in Meghalaya in areas which are not fenced. However, since these fences are proposed to be built within 150 yards of the international border, Bangladesh has raised objections.A large number of these fences is likely to come up in the Jaintia Hills sector which has remained unfenced and is vulnerable to infiltration by Bangladeshi criminals. In this month, there were three attacks by Bangladeshi miscreants in which eight people including a BSF jawan were injured. Read less...

High powered committee on implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord on January 13 announced that its final report will be ready in a fortnight, reports The Telegraph. The Union home ministry had constituted the high- powered committee in July last year to suggest how to implement Clause 6.Biplab Kumar Sarma, the Chairman of the Committee stated that “In preparing such a report, some points seem to be minor but are necessary. We did not seek an extension to submit the report. We hope it will be ready within 15 days”. Clause 6 of the Assam Accord promises constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards to protect, preserve and promote the culture, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the “Assamese” people. He also ruled out taking the year 1971 as a cut-off date for identification of Assamese people as has been demanded by some organisations and political parties like the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF). He stated that “The year 1971 is for identification of foreigners only.” Read less...

In a separate incident, two Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) planted by the Maoists were recovered from a place near Akameta rivulet under Chhote Bethiya Police Station limits in Kanker District of Chhattisgarh in India on January 13, reports Devdiscourse. A Security official said, “A Border Security Force (BSF) team found the two IEDs in two pressure cookers placed beneath a culvert at the aforementioned place during a de-mining operation after getting specific inputs about their presence.” The IEDs were destroyed by the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS), the official said adding that"they were planted to target SFs patrolling the route. We have also seized 16 batteries and three meters of wire from the spot.” Read less...

Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga on January 13 said that a quadripartite agreement among the Centre, his government, Tripura and an apex body of the internally displaced Brus would be signed on January 16 to end imbroglio of Bru repatriation, reports East Mojo. The Minister stated that Union Ministry of Home Affairs informed his government that the agreement, one inked by the stakeholders, would allow the internally displaced Brus to settle in Tripura permanently. Between November 2009 and November 2019, the Centre made at least nine attempts to repatriate Brus. Of the 4,477 families identified as bona fide residents for repatriation during the last round, only 289 families had returned during the last round of the exercise. The Bru community, also called Reangs, is scattered across Assam, Mizoram and Tripura. Read less...

North Cachar Hills Indigenous People’s Forum (NCHIPF) on January 13 staged a sit-in in front of the office of Dima Hasao Deputy Commissioner, demanding immediate bifurcation of Dima Hasao District of Assam into two autonomous Districts, reports The Telegraph. The protest was supported by the North Cachar Hills Indigenous Students’ Forum (NCHISF). The protesters also submitted a memorandum to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal through deputy commissioner Amitabh Rajkhowa in support of their demands. The memorandum said that after forcible renaming of North Cachar Hills District as Dima Hasao by the Government on March 31, 2010 amid strong protests by the indigenous non-Dimasa people, who constitute 67 per cent of the total population. Under the banner of NCHIPF, indigenous people started demanding creation of a separate autonomous District with separate council under provisions 1(3) (c) & 2 (1) of Articles 244(2) and 275 (1) of the Sixth Schedule. Read less...

The Director General of Police (DGP)of Chhattisgarh, D.M. Awasthi, in a review meeting held at the headquarters of Narayanpur and Dantewada Districts of Chhattisgarh in India on January 13, directed the Security Forces (SFs) to ensure full protection of villagers during Police operations in Naxal [Left Wing Extremism, LWE]-affected areas, reports UNI. The DGP emphasized on the steps to strengthen Police security system in Naxal-affected areas. He said that the search operations should be carried out continuously while taking appropriate action against Naxalites [Left Wing Extremists, LWEs] and verifying information received about them. Common citizens and villagers should not be disturbed under any circumstances and they should not face any kind of trouble due to Police’s search operation. Read less...

Conflict victims decried Government’s consultations held on January 13 as a sham, reports Kathmandu Post. As victims and human rights defenders had feared, the consultations held simultaneously in all seven provincial headquarters — Biratnagar, Janakpur, Hetauda, Pokhara, Butwal, Surkhet and Dhangadi were more formality than genuine efforts to listen to their grievances and concerns. The consultations were held in two sessions—three hours with victims and another three hours with human rights defenders, civil society members, security forces and the media. Conflict victims and human rights defenders described the entire process as a farce. “Some of our friends couldn’t even put forth their concerns due to time constraints. Rather than listening to our voices, the discussion was aimed at showing that the government has taken our feedback to amend the Act,” Badri KC, a conflict victim from Baglung who was present at the consultation in Pokhara, told. “The discussion was just a formality. I am not at all hopeful about our concerns being incorporated in the Act,” Shree Kumari Budha, whose father was killed by the Maoists in Thawang, Rolpa and who was present at the consultation in Butwal, told. Former Conflict Victims Common Platform (CVCP) chairperson Suman Adhikari said “The victims were only given three hours. This means, the government is holding the consultations in a ritualistic manner.” Read less...

Police on January 13 busted a den of Neo-Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (Neo-JMB) and arrested a female member of the militant outfit in Gokulnagar area on the outskirts of Dhaka city in Dhaka District of Dhaka Division in Bangladesh, reports The Daily Star. Police recovered bomb-making materials, crude bombs, sharp weapons, three toy pistols and computer. The arrestee Shaila Sharmin (25), is the wife of militant suspect Tanvir, an IT expert. Read less...

Defence Secretary Major General (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne while addressing the officers and other ranks during his maiden visit to the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Headquarters on January 13 said Tamil diaspora is trying their best to revive the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) by lobbying against the Government with the support of the international community, reports Daily Mirror. He said “The Tamil diaspora is trying to achieve what the LTTE couldn't through the arms struggle. But all those attempts were proved to have been futile.” Read less...

The European Union (EU) on January 13 renewed its terrorist list and continued to list Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as a terrorist organization, reports Colombo Page. Although, LTTE was eliminated in Sri Lanka in May 2009 following a three-decade long armed conflict, the terrorist organization is active in European countries as well as in Malaysia and India. Efforts to revive the organization had been reported in some of these countries and in Sri Lanka. Persons, groups and entities on the list are subject to the freezing of their funds and other financial assets in the EU. It is also prohibited for EU operators to make funds and economic resources available to them. Read less...

Nine Islamic State (IS) militants, active in parts of Manogi District, surrendered before authorities in Kunar Province, reports bhaktarnews.com on January 14. Read less...

On January 13, Afghanistan’s acting Minister of Defense, Asadullah Khalid, spoke of willingness for peace talks with the Taliban but said he will not accept a compromise under the peace talks, reports Tolo News. Khalid, while addressing thousands of soldiers at the graduation ceremony for the Afghan National Army's Commando Corps, said that human rights should be preserved and that commandos should work to prevent civilian causalities in the battlefield. “We are committed to peace talks, but we as Afghanistan`s armed forces will not allow any deal to sacrifice our two-decade achievements,” added Khalid. Read less...

On January 13, Sediq Sediqqi, a spokesman for the Afghan Presidential Palace, said that the Taliban “must” accept a ceasefire ahead of any peace talks, adding that “without a ceasefire, there would be no peace talks”, reports Tolo News. “Without a ceasefire, we will not reach a long-lasting peace, a peace with dignity. And a reduction of violence is not practical,” said Sediqqi. Read less...

Six Taliban militants were killed, in an air strike, in Maiwand District of Kandahar Province on January 13, reports bhaktarnews.com. Read less...

A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) constable was injured in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast between Mahadev Ghati and Chinnakodepal villages in Bijapur District of Chhattisgarh on January 14, reports ANI. The injured personal has been identified as Ramanuj Yadav, of 85th battalion. As per the report, the incident took place when the CRPF personnel were on a road clearance operation. The CRPF Inspector General (IG), G.H.P. Raju said, “Ramanuj had sustained grievous injuries in both his legs and was airlifted to Raipur for treatment.” Read less...

A grenade was recovered on January 14 at Sangaiprou FCI godown in Imphal West District, reports The Sangai Express. Read less...

Abdul Shameem and Thoufiq, the two prime suspects involved in the murder of Tamil Nadu special sub-inspector (SSI) of police Y Wilson was arrested from Udupi Railway Station (Udupi) in Karnataka on January 14, reports Hindustan Times. Earlier, South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP) reported on January 8 night Wilson was shot dead by two suspected Islamic State (IS) terrorists at Padanthaalumoodu checkpost in Kanniyakumari District of Tamil Nadu. The police had recovered three empty shells and two live .32 pistol ammunition from the spot. Police were able to identify the suspects with the help of CCTV footages, which showed the two assailants running towards Thiruvananthapuram on the National Highway. Read less...

Cadres of Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) killed a civilian at Duvalikarka village in Dantewada District of Chhattisgarh on January 14, reports The Pioneer. The deceased has been identified as Laxman Mandavi (26), a resident of the said village. As per the sources, over a dozen Maoists reached the village and took Mandavi out of his house to a nearby forest in the village. The cadres then stabbed him and slit his throat with sharp weapons. According to the report, Mandavi was the younger brother of a former member of the Maoists, who is now working with the Police in the District. The Superintendent of Police (SP), Abhishek Pallava said, Mandavi's elder brother Baman Mandavi, was associated with Maoists since 2008 and surrendered before Police in October last year. After which he joined the Police Force, which apparently angered the rebels. He was active as ‘Deputy Commander’ of a military platoon of Maoists at that time and was carrying a reward of INR 300,000 on his head. The SP also said that some Maoist pamphlets were also recovered from the spot in which they warned to avenge the killing of their senior cadres - Varghese and Linga - in encounters by Security Forces (SFs). Read less...

Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) administration on January 14 allowed mobile Internet in parts of Jammu region and broadband in hotels, travel establishments and hospitals but only on white-listed websites, reports Daily Excelsior. In a three-page order, the Home Department said additional 400 internet kiosks will be established in Kashmir division. Internet service providers will offer broadband facility (with Mac binding) to all institutions dealing with essential services, hospitals, banks as also Government offices, official said. Read less...

National Investigation Agency (NIA) carried out raids in different locations on January 14 suspected to be related to an alleged terror funding case, reports The Sangai Express. The raids were carried out at Eastern Hero Showroom owned by Sinam Pritam and the private residence of Ringon alias Ramung located at Dewlaland Kabo Leikai in Imphal East District. Read less...

On January 14, a suspected Bangladeshi national identified as Kalu Khan was arrested along with Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) worth over INR 180,000 from Nagpur (Nagpur) in Maharashtra, reports Mumbai Mirror. He was later remanded to custody. Read less...

On January 14, an irate mob numbering about 800 staged a protest rally and vandalized more than 50 dwelling houses at Nghalimlui in Lawngtlai District of Mizoram, repots Northeast Now. The protest rally was reportedly against alleged murder of a Mizo youth, allegedly perpetrated by 3 Bru men. An individual identified as A Lalrawnliana was missing since January 4. His body was recovered from a Bru dominated area on January 11 from near Nghalimlui village in Lawngtlai District of Mizoram. The three arrestees were identified as Chondro Bahadur, Vanlalnghaka and Donha. Various organisations, including Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), Mizo Students’ Union (MSU) and Lawngtlai-based Young Lai Association (YLA) condemned the killing. Read less...

The Border Security Force (BSF) launched a massive search operation following the sighting of drones at Tendiwala village near Shameke sector of International Border (IB) in Ferozepur District of Punjab on January 14, reports The Tribune. As per the report, drones were sighted twice around 8.48 pm and later around 11 pm in the said location. The BSF jawans belonging to the 136 Battalion opened fire at the flying objects to bring them down. Later, a joint search operation by the BSF and the Punjab Police was carried out, however, nothing substantial was found. The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of the District, Vivek Sheel Soni said that the Police had received information regarding the sighting of drone-like objects following which the search was conducted to rule out any misadventure from across the border. “We have asked the villagers to report if they found something suspicious,” he said. Further, the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of BSF, Sandeep Chanan said, though some flying objects were seen, it could not be ascertained whether they were drones or something else. He confirmed that the troops fired some rounds towards the objects and the search operation was still on. Read less...

The National Investigating Agency (NIA) conducted searches in connection with the alleged terror funding of Naga insurgent group, National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM), at five separate locations at Dimapur in Nagaland and Imphal in Manipur on January 14, reports East Mojo. The NIA official said that searches conducted at the premises of close associates and relatives of Alemla Jamir have led to recovery of cash of INR 8.26 million, documents of different properties worth INR 30 million, incriminating diaries, photographs, digital devices including 15 smartphones, one hard disk, one pen drive, one memory card and four laptops. "Certain insurgency and extortion related literature as well as other incriminating documents have also been recovered during the searches," NIA officials said. "Searches have also revealed that unaccounted money is being used in cash for purchase of properties," the official said, adding, "On January 10, the NIA special court, New Delhi had extended judicial custody of accused Alemla Jamir for one month." Alemla is alleged to be working for NSCN-IM and was detained at Domestic Airport T-1, New Delhi, with cash worth INR 7.2 million by the Income Tax officials on December 17 last year and was arrested by the special cell on the same day. Read less...

Underworld don and erstwhile member of the D-Company, Ejaz Lakdawala revealed to the Mumbai Police that Dawood Ibrahim has been using Kathmandu in Nepal as his base for operating Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) with the help of Pakistan embassy, reports Outlook India on January 15. He stated that India's most-wanted fugitive Dawood Ibrahim has been pushing FICN through the porous border into India. Lakdawala revealed the two addresses of Dawood Ibrahim in Karachi along with addresses of Dawood's brother Anees Ibrahim and Chhota Shakeel. Read less...

At least nine people, including five women, were injured in a hand grenade explosion near the Karkhano police checkpost in Peshawar (Peshawar District) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in Pakistan on January 14, reports Dawn. Read less...

Half of the Lahore city (Lahore District) of Punjab Province in Pakistan is no more under surveillance of the Punjab Safe City Authority (PSCA) mainly due to financial issues following a ‘tug of war’ between the police and bureaucracy to get control of the PKR billion mega project, reports Dawn. Official sources say almost 50 per cent (4,000) CCTV cameras are offline at a time when Lahore prepares to host some games of the Pakistan Super League and possibly the Bangladesh cricket team matches. An unnamed senior official said almost half of the city’s leading roads, sensitive installations and government buildings were now out of the range/coverage of the PSCA cameras. “It is a matter of serious concern that the PSCA cameras are not functioning even at prime locations like Faisal Chowk, Regal Chowk, Ali Hajvery shrine and surroundings of the Lahore High Court where terror attacks had been carried out in the past, “the official said. Read less...

Security situation in tribal districts witnessed significant improvement in 2019, according to the annual security report of Fata Research Centre (FRC), reports Dawn on January 15. The report issued on January 14 said that 160 incidents of violence were recorded during the year 2019 in tribal districts compared to 264 such incidents in 2018. “It shows a 16 per cent decline in incidents of terrorism and 82 per cent decrease in counter-terrorism incidents,” said the report. It added that the 106 incidents of terrorism in the previous year included 54 attacks on security forces and 48 attacks on civilians while attacks targeted members of civil militia or peace committee. The incidents of both terrorism and counter-terrorism resulted in 281 casualties including 110 killed and 171 injured in all tribal districts, marking a significant decrease of 24 per cent in overall casualties. The report said that of the total casualties, 57 per cent were related to security forces. Comparatively, 12 per cent increase in casualties of security forces was observed. Civilians stood at second with 87 casualties, which make it 31 per cent of the overall casualties. A significant decline of 55 per cent was observed in civilian casualties in the reporting year. Eight casualties of peace committees were also recorded during the year 2019. The report said that North Waziristan tribal district remained the most turbulent one as 45 terrorism incidents were recorded in the district compared to 58 such incidents in 2018. South Waziristan tribal district stood second with 25 terrorist incidents which resulted in 44 casualties followed by Bajaur and Khyber that reported 15 and 12 incidents of terrorism, respectively. Six incidents of terrorism were reported from Mohmand tribal district while only one such incident took place in Orakzai. Although only one incident of terrorism was reported from Kurram, yet the district is highly vulnerable to terrorist attacks. Read less...

Underworld don and erstwhile member of the D-Company, Ejaz Lakdawala revealed to the Mumbai Police that Dawood Ibrahim has been using Kathmandu in Nepal as his base for operating Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) with the help of Pakistan embassy, reports Outlook India on January 15. He stated that India's most-wanted fugitive Dawood Ibrahim has been pushing FICN through the porous border into India. Lakdawala revealed the two addresses of Dawood Ibrahim in Karachi along with addresses of Dawood's brother Anees Ibrahim and Chhota Shakeel. Read less...

Unidentified assailants shot dead an Afghan refugee residing in Gohati refugee camp in Swabi (Swabi District) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in Pakistan on January 14, reports Dawn. Kago Khan, the father of the deceased, said that that his son Ali Khan was on way home in a car when two motorcyclists shot him dead at the Badri bridge. Read less...

The Bajura District Court in Province No. 7 of Nepal on January 14 sent 14 cadres of the Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-Maoist-Chand) to jail, reports Republica. They were arrested on November 8, 2019. They are Chuda Mani Oli, Naresh Shahi, Dambar Sunar, Deepak Prakash Sunar, Uday Kashera, Amal Lal Thapa, Dharma Bahadur Thapa, Rajesh Kumar Shahi, Dabal Bahadur Nepali, Dharma Singh Bohora, Kusham BK, Asmita BK, Kamala BK and Shristi Singh. Read less...

Underworld don and erstwhile member of the D-Company, Ejaz Lakdawala revealed to the Mumbai Police that Dawood Ibrahim has been using Kathmandu in Nepal as his base for operating Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) with the help of Pakistan embassy, reports Outlook India on January 15. He stated that India's most-wanted fugitive Dawood Ibrahim has been pushing FICN through the porous border into India. Lakdawala revealed the two addresses of Dawood Ibrahim in Karachi along with addresses of Dawood's brother Anees Ibrahim and Chhota Shakeel. Read less...

On January 14, a mosque of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Bangladesh was vandalized after an altercation broke out between students from a local Qawmi madrasa and members of the Ahmadiyya community at Kandipara area in Brahmanbaria town in Brahmanbaria District of Bangladesh, reports Dhaka Tribune on January 16. Read less...

The Supreme Court (SC) on January 14 upheld the death sentence of former Jatiya Party (JP) leader Syed Mohammad Qaisar, for his involvement in crimes against humanity and war crimes -- including killing and rape - during the 1971 Liberation War, reports The Daily Star. The International Crimes Tribunal-2 (ICT-2) on December 23, 2014, awarded death penalty to Qaisar for committing crimes against humanity in 1971 war. Later, Qaisar filed an appeal with the Appellate Division seeking acquittal of the charges in which he has been convicted and sentenced. Read less...