South Asia: Timeline (Terrorist Activities) -2023

A lower rung Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadre, identified as Ayata Madkam (30), was arrested by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) from the forests of Nilvaya village in Dantewada District of Chhattisgarh on January 1, reports The Pioneer. Dantewada, Superintendent of Police (SP), Siddharth Tiwari, said Madkam was a Dandakaranya Adivasi Kisan Majdoor Sangathan (DAKMS) member of Nilvaya Panchayat (village level local self-Government institution) of the outlawed Maoist outfit, and was involved in several Naxalite [Left Wing Extremist, LWE] incidents last year. Read less...

An old mortar shell was found 150 metres away from the railway line at Kali Badi near the Samba railway station in Samba District of J&K, Daily Excelsior reports on January 2. A bomb disposal squad inspected the mortar and found it empty. Read less...

Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres reportedly abducted a youth, identified as Sanjay Tati, and killed him after branding him a ‘police informer’ in Bijapur District of Chhattisgarh on January 1, reports The Times of India. Tati (25), was a resident of Tarem Police Station area, was found lying on the Road Rehabilitation Project (RRP)-I Awapalli-Jagargunda road. Bijapur, Superintendent of Police (SP), Anjaneya Varshney said that some Maoists abducted Sanjay from Kursampara village on December 31. The Jagargunda area committee of CPI (Maoist) claimed responsibility for the incident, SP, Varshney said, the Maoists also dropped pamphlets near the dead body branding him as a ‘police informer’, adds Hindustan Times. Read less...

On January 1, a civilian, identified as Sameer Ahmed Malla was injured in a grenade attack near Mirza Kamil Chowk in Hawal area of Srinagar District in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), reports Daily Excelsior. The grenade was aimed at a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) vehicle but missed the intended target resulting in injuries to the civilian. The CRPF and J&K Police launched a search operation in the area. Read less...

On January 1, a Pakistani drone was spotted by the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel at the Kamalpur border outpost of Gurdaspur District in Punjab, reports amarujala. The BSF personnel fired at the drone following which the drone went back to Pakistan. The BSF troopers have launched a search operation in the area. Read less...

On January 1, the Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) arrested an individual, identified as Umar Aziz from Karnah Tehsil (revenue unit) in Kupwara District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), reports Daily Excelsior. Five Pistols, 10 Pistol Magazines, 77 Pistol rounds, one pistol cleaning rod, one Pistol User Manual guide, four hand Grenades and 10 packets of Heroin like narcotics substance weighing 9.450 Kgs was recovered from Garangnard Chatkadi in Kupwara District in J&K on disclosure of the arrested accused. The consignment was meant for The Resistance Front (TRF). An FIR under number 01/2023 u/s 7/25 Arms Act (AA), 5 Explosive Substances Act (ESA) 8/21-29 Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, Act (NDPS)13,18, 20, 23 & 38 Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) stands registered. Read less...

Suspected militants killed four civilians, identified as Deepak Kumar, Satish Kumar, Pritam Lal and Shiv Pal and injured seven others at upper Dhangri village in Rajouri Tehsil (revenue unit) of Rajouri District in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), on January 1, reports Hindustan Times. Read less...

Two civilians, identified as Samiksha Sharma and Vihan Kumar Sharma, died when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) went off in Dhangri village in Rajauri Tehsil (revenue unit) of Rajouri District in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), Daily Excelsior reports on January 2. Six other individuals were hurt in the explosion, as per officials. In a statement issued following the blast, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Mukesh Singh stated that IED was concealed in a gunny bag and that they had received information about the presence of two terrorists. He also stated that the area has been cordoned off and that a search is underway. Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh, who reached the site said that the IED blast was intended to target senior officers who were about to reach there and that “it is time to give a boost to Village Defence Committees (VDCs).” Read less...

Two persons, including one Police Constable and a terrorist were killed during a clash between terrorist and Police when former attacked a Police checkpost in the Shahbaz Khel area of Lakki Marwat District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on January 1, reports Dawn. “The terrorists attacked the police [checkpost] with heavy and automatic weapons and tried to break in,” Lakki Marwat Police spokesperson Shahid Hameed said, adding that RPG-7s, grenades and other “advanced weapons” were used. The killed Policeman was identified as Constable Tehsinullah of the Rapid Response Force while the terrorist was identified as Owais Abdulkhel. Weapons were recovered from his possession. Read less...

On January 1, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Director General (DG) M Khurshid Hossain, handed over four boys and five girls to their families at a function titled "Naba Diganter Pathe”, who left their homes after getting victimised to militancy following various contents posted on Facebook and other online sites, reports Dhaka Tribune. The rescued boys and girls claimed that they left homes to pray in isolation and finally reached a militant camp. Later, they realized their mistake and returned from the militant den. But, as they could not return to the family, they kept roaming in different places. RAB rescued them on December 22, and took them into custody and handed them over to their families through counselling. Read less...

On January1, Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit arrested six Al-Qaeda terrorists, identified as Abdur Rob, Mohammad Shakib, Mohammad Shamim Hossain, Mohammad Nadeem Sheikh, Mahammad Abshar, and Mohammad Sayeed Uddin, reports The Daily Star. So far according to information, they were arrested from Syedabad Bus Terminal of Dhaka city, Chattogram District and Teknaf Sub-District of Cox’s Bazar District. Dhaka court placed the arrested militants on a five-day remand on January 2. CTTC Additional Commissioner Mohammad Asaduzzaman said the arrestees formed a team by communicating on social media and different apps. "They migrated to Teknaf and stayed there for militant activities, after training with local collaborators. They have more associates. An operation is underway to arrest them," Asaduzzaman stated. Read less...

On January 1, a blast killed 10 people and left several injured, which took place at 8 am near the gate of the Military Airport in Kabul, reports Tolo News. Read less...

On January 1, Hasht-e Subh reported that Taliban sold the remaining tools and equipment of the Third Police District to the Kuchis (Pashtun Nomads) in Ghazni the capital city of Ghazni Province. The equipments includes three military ranger vehicles, one Humvee tank vehicle, three containers and the debris of the destroyed mosque building, which the Taliban sold for scrap instead of repairing them. Read less...

On January 1, Taliban forces arrested a man, identified as Majid Ahmadi for posting critical content on Facebook from Firozkuh city in Shahrak District of Ghor Province, reports Hasht-e Subh. Read less...

‘Khalistani Zindabad’ slogan was written outside the walls of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Upinderjit Singh Ghuman's office in Muktsar District of Punjab, Punjab Kesari reports on January 3. The Police have launched an inquiry into the matter. Furthermore, it was written that, much like former Prime Minister (PM) Indira Gandhi was assassinated in 1984 and Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra was threatened to be stopped on January 11, 2023. Shortly after, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) head Gurpatwant Singh Pannu released a video in which he discussed a number of incidents in Punjab, including a bomb found close to Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann's office, Khalistani slogans written, and the assassinations of Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi. Read less...

A Pakistani infiltrator was shot dead by the Border Security Force (BSF) troops at Channa Border Outpost in the Gurdaspur District along the India-Pakistan International Border (IB) in Punjab, Tribune India reports on January 3. A pump action shotgun has been recovered from the site. Read less...

According to an intelligence report, Pakistan-based terrorists are targeting forward defence locations along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Rajouri District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) in an attempt to infiltrate into India, India Today reports on January 3. Around 25-30 terrorists are planning to infiltrate India using four launching pads, namely Kotli, Lanjote, Nikail, and Khuiratta located in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), in front of the Rajouri sector. The intelligence report further states that the terrorist groups Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) are planning to target civilians, and that an alert has been issued in the Poonch District of J&K. Read less...

On January 2, BSF had recovered an old broken Pakistani drone (hexacopter) along with a consignment of one kilogram of narcotics near the Border Observation Post (BOP) Kassowal in Gurdaspur District in Punjab, reports Tribune India. Read less...

The Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, at the Passenger Terminal Building in Kartarpur Corridor at Gurdaspur District of Punjab, have recovered live cartridges of 12 bore pistol from the bag of a woman devotee, identified as Bhupinder Kaur, who was going to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, in Narowal District, in Punjab Province of Pakistan, Punjab Kesari reports on January 3. Read less...

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) registered 73 cases, including 35 cases of Jihadi terror, in 2022, a 19.67 per cent increase from the 61 cases registered in 2021 and the highest in the last three years, reports The Indian Express. NIA officials asserted that around 60 cases each were filed by the agency in 2019 and 2020. An NIA spokesperson stated, “We have registered 73 cases in 2022, which is a 19.67 per cent increase from the 61 cases registered in 2021 and is an all-time high for the NIA. These cases include 35 cases of Jihadi terror in states such as J&K, Assam, Bihar, Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and West Bengal, 11 other cases in J&K, 10 related to Left Wing Extreme (LWE), five related to insurgents in the northeast, seven related to the Popular Front of India (PFI), four of Punjab, three cases of gangster-terror-drug smuggler nexus, one case of terror funding and two Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN)-related cases.” The spokesperson also stated, “The NIA has filed 59 chargesheets in 2022 against 368 persons and judgements have been pronounced in 38 cases, all of which have ended in conviction. In all, 109 persons have been convicted to rigorous imprisonment along with fine. Six life sentences have also been awarded. Overall conviction rate as on date is 94.39 per cent. Eight persons have been designated as terrorists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and necessary action against them is being taken by the NIA”. Read less...

One Army personnel was killed and unspecified number of others sustained injuries when Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) cadres attacked an Army camp in Sabbri Dhaddar area of Sibi District in Balochistan on January 2, reports Radio Zrumbesh. Claiming the responsibility of the attack, the BLA ‘spokesman’ Jeehand Baloch said the Army post was destroyed in the attack. Read less...

The National Security Committee (NSC) on January 2, asked Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers, without directly naming them, to deny safe haven to Pakistani terrorist groups on its soil and end their patronage, while reiterating its intent to crush terrorist groups operating inside the country with full force, reports Dawn. The statement said: “Pakistan’s security is uncompromisable and the full writ of the state will be maintained on every inch of the (sic) Pakistan’s territory.” The meeting, which was chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif and attended by key Ministers, services chiefs, and top intelligence officials, also endorsed the government’s road map for restoration of economic stability in the country. “No country will be allowed to provide sanctuaries and facilitation to terrorists and Pakistan reserves all rights in that respect to safeguard her people,” the NSC statement read. Further, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that Afghanistan’s soil continued to be used against Pakistan, despite an agreement. Speaking on Geo TV Shahzeb Khanzada’s show, he said the Afghan Government had promised that their territory wouldn’t be used against Pakistan, adding: “The Pakistani government is in constant touch with Afghanistan in connection with border violations”. Earlier, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, on December 31, had hinted that Pakistan was planning strikes against Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts in Afghanistan if Taliban authorities failed to act against the terrorist group and hand over the TTP leaders and fighters living there. Meanwhile, the Afghanistan Islamic Emirate’s Defence Ministry on January 2, said in a statement that Sanaullah’s words were “provocative and baseless.” It further stated that Afghanistan was “ready to defend its territorial integrity and independence”. Read less...

Lutfozzaman Babar and Abdus Salam Pintu, ministers in the former Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government in Bangladesh assisted Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami Bangladesh (HuJI-B) in its attempt to kill Shieikh Hasina in 2004 and also helped the outfit procure arms for use against India, Abdul Kahar Akand, investigation officer in the grenade attack cases told a Dhaka court, on January 2, reports The Hindu. The investigation officer stated, “Most of their recruits came from Pakistan-(occupied) Kashmir and Bangladesh... They had also mobilised funds, arms and ammunition for insurgents in Kashmir of India.” He further stated that HuJI trained many youths, mainly madrasa (Islamic Seminary) students, how to operate firearms and bombs. Akand asserted that HuJI-B had planned to eliminate Hasina and other Awami League leaders as their government in its 1996-2001 tenure was an “obstacle” in its campaign of “recruiting and training youths as its operatives, and procurement of firearms for fellow militants fighting in India and Afghanistan.” The court granted Akand’s appeal seeking fresh remand for HuJI-B ‘founder’ Sheikh Abdus Salam. Read less...

Islamic State (IS) on January 2, claimed responsibility for series of terror attacks that occurred lately in Afghanistan, reports voanews.com. It’s Afghanistan-based affiliate- Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) was behind January 1, suicide bomb attack outside the military airport in the country’s capital, Kabul. ISKP also claimed that the attacker had participated and survived December 12, raid on a downtown Kabul hotel where Chinese nationals were staying, among other guests. ISKP further claimed a December 2, assassination attempt on Ubaid ur Rehman Nizamani, head of Pakistan’s Embassy in the Afghan capital. Nizamani escaped unharmed in the shooting incident, but his Pakistani security guard was injured. In late December, a car bomb in Badakhshan Province killed the Taliban regional Police Chief and his two guards, ISKP took responsibility for plotting that attack in the provincial capital of Fayzabad. Read less...

Local sources in Sar-e-Pul Province in North Afghanistan informed that the Taliban’s commission for restitution of undocumented lands, by the order of Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund, granted more than 80 acres of agricultural land to the tribes native in Maidan Wardak province, Hahst-e Subh reports on January 3. Sources detailed that these lands have been distributed to the tribes living in Maidan Wardak in Qala-e-Sukhta vicinity in the capital city of Sar-e-Pul province. Sources added that the Taliban governor in Sar-e-Pul, as the head of the commission for restitution of undocumented lands, has ordered that the undocumented lands be handed over to the relatives native in Maidan Wardak. Sources expressed that the assignment of lands by the commission continues and the residents of Sar-e-Pul will be harshly dealt with if they protest. Read less...

An official review of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) released on January 3 showed that in 2022, there was about 54 per cent reduction in terrorist incidents, 84 per cent in the deaths of Security Forces (SFs) and about 22 per cent in the recruitment of terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), reports The Statesman. It also reveals that J&K security situation received constant attention of the UMHA during 2022 and J&K’s security grid was strengthened to ensure zero-fear of terrorists and separatists. Read less...

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, made an attack on Pakistan on January 3, terming it as "epicentre of terrorism", reports NDTV. He said that the impacts of cross-border terrorism cannot be limited within a region, especially when they are deeply linked to the drugs and illegal weapons trade, as well as other forms of international crime. Jaishankar had a detailed discussion on the threats to international peace and security that are posed by terrorism, including its cross-border practices, violent extremism, radicalisation and fundamentalism with Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg on January 3. In reference to the Mumbai 2008 terror attacks (26/11), he said, “This is a country which has attacked the Parliament of India some years ago, which attacked the city of Mumbai, which went after hotels, and foreign tourists, which every day sends terrorists across the border.” He also hit out at the European countries for not condemning Pakistan. "When we speak about judgments and principles, why don't I hear sharp European condemnation of these practices that have been going on for decades?" he said. Read less...

Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) 32nd Battalion arrested a wanted Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadre identified as Janaki Koda, during a search operation conducted on the secret information about the presence of Maoists in New Barmasia and Bankura of Kajra Police Station area in Lakhisarai District of Bihar on January 3, reports prabhatkhabar.com. Koda is accused of shooting and killing Chhotu Saav, the driver of Ganesh Rajak, the then head of Bhalui Panchayat (village level local self-Government institution) on August 19, 2019, and a case has been registered regarding this in Chanan Police Station. Apart from this, a case has been registered against him in Piribazar Police Station. He is accused of planting Improvised Explosive Device (IED) bombs and firing on the Police force. Koda has been sent to judicial custody. Read less...

Three Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres, including two brothers, were arrested from Pannk Narayanpur Police Station limits of Bokaro District of Jharkhand on January 3, reports The Pioneer. About a dozen cases have been registered against them in Pannk-Narayanpur Police Station of Nawadih Block (administrative division) of the district, said Police. Acting on a tip off that two Maoists, Baburam Marandi and Dalo Ram Marandi belonging to Giridih District and another Maoist Futani alias Kuleshwar Kumar Sharma alias Koleshwar Thakur, a resident of Giridih, were arrested while they arrived at place in Nawadih under Pannk-Narayanpur Police Station. The arrested rebels were charged in case number 161/2014 Section-147/148/149/353/307 Bhadvi and 4/5 Explosive Substances Act and 17 Criminal Law Amendment (CLA) Act's First Information Report (FIR) has been registered on December 12, 2014. The Maoists were also accused of planting a bomb in a culvert on the Palamu-Sarubera Road in Nawadih with the intention of killing him. Read less...

Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on January 3, said that the Government has decided not to hold talks with any terrorist organisation, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), reports Samaa TV. Rana shared granular details of all the decisions undertaken during the two-day-long National Security Committee (NSC) which was chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and concluded in Islamabad on January 2. The Federal Interior Minister clarified that terrorists do not hold dominion over any stretch of land in either Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or Balochistan. Read less...

Foreign Minister and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on January 3, said that Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan is a reality but Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is a fitna (evil), reports Samaa TV. He accused Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members of financing the TTP by paying extortion to the militants. Bilawal said, “We raised our voice even when decisions were being taken against our national security. We did what the whole world could not do in Afghanistan together. We wiped out the terrorists in Waziristan, Swat, and Karachi.” He said that the accomplices of the terrorists were released without consulting anyone. Where in the world does this happen, he questioned. He further said after winning the war against terrorists, the people involved in the Army Public School (APS) massacre were released. He accused former Prime Minister Imran Khan of comprising on the blood of martyrs. Bilawal alleged that PTI leaders were paying extortion to the TTP militants. Read less...

The Punjab Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on January 3, released the annual performance report of the year 2022 which reported 1,225 intelligence-based operations were conducted across the province, in which 244 suspects were arrested, 197 cases were registered and 782 recoveries were made, reports The News. According to the CTD spokesman, the department has achieved important achievements for the eradication of terrorism while maintaining its previous traditions. The spokesperson said in the year 2022, the operation wing of CTD Punjab added 105 suspicious persons and 354 madrasas to the Fourth Schedule list, apart from this. CTD Punjab's investigation wing has registered 205 terrorism cases, while 246 terrorists were arrested out of which 183 persons were challaned. 22 cases investigations are in progress for trial. The spokesman maintained the CTD Punjab recovered 64.36 kg of explosives, 48 hand grenades, 253 detonators, 7 batteries and 215 meters of prima cord, 3 SMGs, 40 pistols, 324 bullets and 3 magazines from terrorists. Similarly, the CTD Punjab detained 20 proclaimed offenders (POs) and 3 POs who were in Red Book died in a police encounter. He said the CTD raced 13 suspects involved in head money cases and 16 cases of head money were completed and red notices were issued to six accused. Read less...

Two Punjab Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel, identified as Additional Director Naveed Sial and Inspector Nasir Abbas, were shot dead by unidentified assailant at a truck stop in Khanewal city (Khanewal District) of Punjab on January 3, reports Samaa TV. Footage of the incident showed that a lone gunman was involved in the incident. Read less...

On January 3, Abdul Haq Hammad, the Taliban’s head of publications of the Information and Culture Ministry in a series of threads on Twitter said that after receiving complaints related to the activities of some media outlets against national interests, he summoned media outlets’ publishers to the Media Violations Commission to share his concerns in this regard, reports Hasht-e-Subh. The Taliban official at the Information and Culture Ministry stated that due to the absence of publishers, their cases were sent to the court to decide on the cancellation of the activity licenses of these media outlets. Read less...

On January 3, four Taliban fighters, identified as Abdul Majeed (an employee of the General Directorate of Combating Serious Crimes of the Taliban’s Ministry of Internal Affairs), Mawlawi Najibullah Hanifi (Director of planning and operation of Mirbacha Kot District, Kabul), Abdul Basit Atal (a soldier of the Taliban’s Border Protection Battalion), and Ehsan Ahmad (an employee of the Department of Combating Administrative Corruption of the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior) involved in Kidnapping of a businessman were killed in a gunfight in Kabul Province, reports Hast-e Subh. Read less...

On January 3, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid stated that "Afghanistan seeks good diplomatic relations with all neighbours, including Pakistan", he added that good diplomatic ties were crucial to development, reports tribune.com.pk. He further stated "Islamabad's statements over Afghanistan are undesirable, the Islamic Emirate would not allow its land to be used to spread militancy and disability against a neighbouring country. We demand that Islamabad take measures to control unrest, militancy and the law and order situation". Read less...

Aijaz Ahmad Ahanger alias Abu Usman Al-Kashmiri, currently based in Afghanistan, one of the chief recruiters of Islamic State Jammu and Kashmir (ISJK), was declared as an individual terrorist by Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) declared through a notification on January 4, reports Daily Excelsior. He also has contacts with al-Qaeda and other global terrorist groups and is engaged in restarting the Islamic State (IS) in India, He has been designated as the individual terrorist under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), 1967. UMHA said Ahanger, appointed as the head of Islamic State (IS) recruitment cell for India, is working towards providing traction to militancy in Kashmir and has started the process of identifying people for inclusion in his Kashmir based network. He has also been instrumental in initiating an online India-centric ISIS propaganda magazine. Read less...

Arms and ammunition were recovered during a joint Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) by Police, along with other Security Forces (SFs) in Sadhpora Taad village under Karnah Tehsil (revenue unit) in Kupwara District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on January 4, reports Daily Excelsior. “During the search operation, the joint team recovered arms and ammunition including three pistols, three pistol magazines, 22 pistol rounds, and three Chinese grenades from a house belonging to Shameem Ahmad Shiekh, son of Suderdin Sheikh, resident of Sadhpora Taad,” a Police official said. Read less...

Eight prominent Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres, including three women who were part of the CPI-Maoist squad led by Misir Besra, surrendered before the State Police in Ranchi District of Jharkhand on January 4, reports Ommcom News. Jairam Bodra, Martam Angaria, Sarita Sardar, Tungir Purti, Patar Koda, Kusnu Sirka aka Kartik Sirka and others, surrendered at a programme organised by the State Police. Many cases have been registered against them in different Police Stations of Chaibasa, Jamshedpur, Seraikela-Kharsawan Districts. Read less...

Suspected Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres killed a tribal after branding him as a ‘police informer’ in the Chintur Mandal (administrative sub division) area in Alluri Sitarama Raju District of Andhra Pradesh late on January 4, reports The New Indian Express. According to Chintur circle inspector Appala Naidu, about 10 Maoists went to the house of the victim Soyam Subbaiah (40) in Juvvigudem village in Chintur Mandal, later, they rounded up Subbaiah and allegedly thrashed him to death with sticks. Police suspect the Maoists came from the Konta area in Chhattisgarh. According to Police, Maoists killed Subbaiah suspecting him as a ‘police informer’. In the letter purportedly left by the Maoists, it was alleged that Subbaiah was working as a ‘police informer’ for the past five years. The letter read that the Maoists had warned Subbaiah to mend his ways several times, but in vain. Police suspect that Maoists believed Subbaiah passed on crucial information to the Police sometime back leading to the alleged fake encounter of a Maoist cadre. “Subbaiah was an active police informer and we wanted to punish him,’’ the Maoists said in their letter. Read less...

The ‘chairman’ of the Manipur Tribal Revolutionary Army (MTRA), identified as Chuirei Makung and one of his followers were arrested while trying to extort money at Mantripukhri Bazar under the Heingang Police Station in Imphal East District of Manipur on January 4, reports Northeast Now. Two mobile handsets and some incriminating documents have been recovered from their possession. Read less...

The cadres of All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) shot dead a Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPI-M) local tribal leader in Sadar (east) subdivision of Tripura on January 4, reports Telegraph. Police said Bidya Debbarma, member of Janmejaynagar local committee of CPI-M and former chairman of the village development committee, had gone to meet his friend Gurumohan Debbarma in nearby Maharam Sardar para area in the evening. At around 7 pm, five ATTF cadres entered into Gurumohan’s house and dragged Bidya away. The militants shot him dead from point blank range 250 metres from the house. Read less...

The members of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political wing of the Popular Front of India (PFI) acted like a terrorist gang, the magisterial inquiry into the KG Halli and DJ Halli violence concluded on January 4, reports One India. The report said that the SDPI conspired to strike terror among the people and Police authorities. "During the course of the investigation, it was revealed that the accused persons conspired with each other to form an unlawful assembly to protest against the decisions of courts and government in cases relating to the Citizenship Amendment Act, the National Register of Citizens (NRC), The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act (popularly known as Triple Talaq Act) and the final judgment in the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi dispute," the report also said. Read less...

Three Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres, two of them involved in 2017 Burkapal and Bhejji attacks and carrying a total reward of INR 800,000 on their heads, surrendered in Sukma District of Chhattisgarh on January 4, reports The Print. Madvi Budhra, Vetti Joga and Madvi Joga turned themselves in citing disappointment with the “inhuman” and “hollow” Maoist ideology, Sukma, Superintendent of Police (SP), Sunil Sharma said, adding that they were also impressed by the state government’s rehabilitation policy and District Police’s ‘Puna Narkom (`new dawn’ in the Gondi language) campaign. Budhra, who carried a reward of INR 500,000, was Dandakaranya Adivasi Kisan Majdoor Sangathan (DAKMS) ‘president’ and Kistaram Area Committee member of Maoist organization. Vetti, who carried a reward of INR 300,000 on his head was active as Kistaram Local Organisation Squad (LOS) ‘deputy commander’, SP said, adding that he was involved in the 2020 Minpa ambush and Tumirpad attack in which one trooper was killed. Madvi Joga was DAKMS ‘vice-president’ under the Palachalma Revolutionary People’s Committee as well as a member of the Naxalites’ platoon number 8, the SP said, adding that Joga was involved in the 2017 Burkapal attack, 2017 Bhejji attack and the Kasalpad attack in which 14 security personnel were killed. Read less...

Two militants of the United National Liberation Front (UNLF) were found dead at Vangli village in Churachandpur District of Manipur on January 4, reports Northeast Now. The two deceased militants have been identified as Major Yaiphaba and Captain Jirilakpa of the UNLF. Read less...

Federal Minister of Interior, Rana Sanaullah said on January 4, that the Government could reengage in negotiations with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) if the militant outfit won't challenge the state's writ, reports Geo TV. "If the TTP decides to come under the ambit of the Constitution, then we can hold talks with them," Rana Sanaullah told a similar demand that the previous Government put forth before the TTP. Read less...

One Police Constable injured when Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) cadres opened fire on two Policemen on a motorcycle patrol near the Rapid Response Force (RRF) headquarters in Saeedabad area of Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh, on January 4, reports Radio Zrumbesh. BLF ‘spokesman’ Major Gwahram Baloch claimed the responsibility of the attack. Read less...

Three Army personnel were killed and two others injured when Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) cadres ambushed their vehicle with Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Tump tehsil (revenue unit) of Kech District in Balochistan on January 4, reports Radio Zrumbesh. While claiming the responsibility of the attack, BLF ‘spokesman’ Major Gwahram Baloch said BLF cadres attacked a Vigo vehicle of a military convoy going to Mand from the Tump Army camp in the Kech area with a remote control bomb between Barat and Dukop in the Tump area. Read less...

Two militant outfits, Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Al Qaeda-linked Lashkar-i-Khorasan, on January 4, claimed responsibility for killing of two Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) personnel in Khanewal city (Khanewal District) of Punjab on January 3, reports Dawn. Earlier it was reported that both personnel belonged to Counter Terrorism Department (CTD). According to the first information report (FIR), a copy of which is available with Dawn, ISI Multan Region Director Naveed Sadiq and Inspector Nasir Abbas met a source at a roadside hotel on the National Highway near Pirowal in Khanewal District. After having tea, they all walked to the parking lot when the source himself, identified as Umar Khan of Kacha Khoo, pulled out his gun, shot the officers dead and fled from the scene. The suspect reportedly executed the attack on the directions of his group leader, Asadullah. Meanwhile, the TTP claimed responsibility for the attack. Earlier, a group calling itself Lashkar-i-Khorasan, linked with Al Qaeda, had also made a similar claim. “Yesterday, a secret squad of TTP killed ISI Deputy Director Multan Naveed Sadiq along with his colleague Inspector Nasir Butt at Bismillah Highway in Khanewal district of Punjab,” TTP ‘spokesman’ Mohammad Khorasani said in a statement to the media. Read less...

Two militant outfits, Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Al Qaeda-linked Lashkar-i-Khorasan, on January 4, claimed responsibility for killing of two Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) personnel in Khanewal city of Punjab on January 3, reports Dawn. Earlier it was reported that both personnel belonged to Counter Terrorism Department (CTD). According to the first information report (FIR), a copy of which is available with Dawn, ISI Multan Region Director Naveed Sadiq and Inspector Nasir Abbas met a source at a roadside hotel on the National Highway near Pirowal in Khanewal District. After having tea, they all walked to the parking lot when the source himself, identified as Umar Khan of Kacha Khoo, pulled out his gun, shot the officers dead and fled from the scene. The suspect reportedly executed the attack on the directions of his group leader, Asadullah. Read less...

A foreign terrorist from Tajikistan, identified as Abu Omar in the ranks of the Taliban was killed in Kawk village of Baharak District in Badakhshan Province was killed by unknown individuals, reports Hasht-e Subh on January 5. He disappeared three days ago from same District. Read less...

On January 4, Afghanistan’s Journalists Center (AFJC) announced that Taliban released a journalist, identified as Faizullah Faizbakhsh from prison, who was earlier arrested while filming the site where the leader of the Al-Qaeda network was killed in Kabul, reports Hasht-e Subh. Read less...

On January 4, multiple blasts occurred in 8th District of Kabul city, reports Khaama Press. Hitherto, no killing and injury are reported. Read less...

On January 4, Taliban fighters detained a former member of Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), identified as Khodadad in Panjshir Province, reports Hasht-e Subh. Taliban also detained two civilians in Dara District of Panjshir Province on the same day. An unidentified source confirmed that these two people were arrested on accusation of cooperation with the National Resistance Front (NRF). Read less...

Taliban killed a former member of Afghanistan’s National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), identified as Mohammad Hashem after torturing and hanged his body in public, reports Hasht-e Subh on January 5. He was detained by Taliban on January 4, from his house in Baghlan District of Baghlan Province. Read less...

The Ministry of Counter-Narcotics Department officers arrested two persons from an illegal narco factory and seized 12 kilograms of heroin, 123 kilograms of chemical raw materials in Argo District of Badakhshan Province, reports bakhtarnews.af on January 5. Read less...

On January 5, Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadre Chandru Manjhi alias Ramchandra Soren was arrested by the Penk-Narayanpur Police from Jamunia Forest of Uparghat (Nawadih) in Bokaro District of Jharkhand, and sent to jail in connection with the December 6, 2006, land mine blast case in Pulia near Naya Basti of Bokaro Thermal Police Station area in which 13 Security Forces (SF) personnel were killed, reports livehindustan.com. Read less...

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on January 5, conducted searches at six locations in Karnataka in four Districts of Dakshina Kannada, Shivamogga, Davanagere and Bengaluru and arrested two Islamic State (IS) militants, identified as Reshaan Thajuddin Sheikh, a resident of Varamballi, Bramhavar, Udupi District and Huzair Farhan Baig, a resident of 1st main, 7th Cross, Tippu Sultan Nagar, Shivamogga District, reports The New Indian Express. The place of arrest is yet to be disclosed. The case relates to a conspiracy hatched by the accused to further the terror activities of the IS and to endanger the unity, security and sovereignty of the country. The investigation revealed that Reshaan was radicalised by Maaz Muneer, another accused arrested earlier on September 20. The arrested duo received funds from their IS handler through Crypto-wallets for furthering the terrorist activities of the Islamic State. It was also revealed that as part of their larger designs, the accused also indulged in arson and targeting of vehicles and other establishments, such as liquor shops, godowns, transformers etc. Digital devices and incriminating documents were seized from the houses of the accused and the suspects during the search operation. Read less...

The Phundrei Battalion of Assam Rifles, in a joint operation with the Commandoes of Hiyanglam Police arrested one cadre of the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), identified as self-styled ‘2nd lieutenant’ Aslam Khan alias Firoz Khan from Wabagai Tera Pishak Hiyanglam village in Kakching District of Manipur on January 5, reports Northeast Now. He was handed over to Hiyanglam Police Station for further investigation. Read less...

The State Investigation Unit (SIU) of Police, on January 5, conducted raids at multiple locations in Kupwara District in connection with a case regarding militant activities in the area, reports Daily Excelsior. The raids were carried out in an under-investigation case (FIR number 276/2022) of Police Station Kupwara. The searches were conducted at Hyhama, Kralpora, Mirnag, Lolab and Sulkoot localities of the District, in the residential houses of suspected relatives of eight militants who have crossed Line of Control (LoC) and joined militant ranks affiliated with Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). As per initial investigations, these militants have been found involved in actively conspiring and facilitating infiltration of militants, supplying of arms and ammunition in addition to using of Cyber space in radicalising Kashmiri youths to join militancy besides raising funds for militant activities. During searches mobile phones and other materials have been seized. Read less...

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) on January 5, declared militant outfit The Resistance Front (TRF), as a terrorist organisation, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act- UAPA 1967, reports Daily Excelsior. The ministry made the announcement through a notification, mentioning that “the activities of TRF are detrimental for the national security and sovereignty of India”, reports ABPLive. The UMHA stated that the TRF, is recruiting youth by using online media to further terrorist activities. The notification also states that the TRF has been involved in carrying out propaganda of terror activities, recruitment of terrorists, infiltration of terrorists, and smuggling of weapons and narcotics from Pakistan into Jammu and Kashmir. Through the notification, the UMHA also designated Sheikh Sajjad Gul, a ‘commander’ of TRF, a terrorist under the fourth schedule of UAPA. Through another notification the UMHA also designated Mohammed Amin alias Abu Khubaib, acting as the ‘launching commander’ of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) as a terrorist. Read less...

Two couriers of the Communist Party of India (CPI-Maoist) were arrested by a joint squad of Charla Police and the personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) during a vehicle checking drive on the outskirts of the Charla Mandal (administrative sub division) headquarters town in Bhadradri Kothagudem District of Telangana on January 5, reports The Hindu. A bundle of 200-metre cordex wire, 10 pressure cookers, some substances used for making explosive materials, and a tractor-trolley were seized from them. The arrested persons were identified as P Sammaiah (35), and Satyaveni (33), both hailing from Charla. According to the Police, the duo had been working as couriers for the CPI-Maoist Dalam (armed squad) led by the Bhadradri-Kothagudem division ‘secretary’ Azad by providing essential commodities and explosive materials to the ultras operating in the neighbouring Chhattisgarh for the last two years. Read less...

At least 11 terrorists, including a militant ‘commander’ and two suicide bombers, were killed in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Wana area of South Waziristan District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on January 5, reports Dawn. According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Security Forces (SFs) “successfully foiled a high-profile terrorist activity” during the operation. “During intense exchange of fire, 11 terrorists, including terrorist commander Hafizullah alias Tor Hafiz and two suicide bombers, were killed,” the ISPR said. A cache of weapons and ammunitions were also recovered from the possession of killed terrorists. Read less...

Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said on January 5, that the recently held meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) in Islamabad had decided that there will be “no talks with any terrorist or militant group”, reports Dawn. Sanaullah was asked about the explicit threat issued by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) for “openly declaring war against the TTP to appease America”. The TTP statement pointedly mentioned PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif by name, as well as their respective parties, and warned religious parties against “activities against us”. He further said that the NSC had concluded that talks, if needed, should be carried out with the Afghan Government so that the importance of the Doha agreement, wherein the country had vowed to not allow its soil to be used against others, could be stressed. “If that is implemented, then the issue of terrorism in Pakistan and other countries will be solved, and Pakistan will be safe if Afghanistan honours its promise”, he added. Read less...

Five Police personnel deployed on security of polio workers got injured when unidentified terrorists opened fire and threw hand grenades on their vehicle in the Hussaini Chowk of Dera Ismail Khan town (Dera Ismail Khan District) on January 5, reports Samaa TV. One terrorist also sustained injuries in the retaliatory fire of Police personnel. However, the terrorists managed to escape. Read less...

One intelligence agency person was killed by Baloch Liberation Army (BLA)’s Special Tactical Operations Squad (STOS) in a bomb attack in Khuzdar District on January 5, reports Radio Zrumbesh. BLA ‘spokesperson’ Jeehand Baloch claimed responsibility of the attack. He said that the cadres of BLA eliminated a key person of intelligence agency. Intelligence wing of BLA had gathered credible information that a resident of Khuzdar, Aftab Shah, son of Abdullah Shah, who works for Pakistani secretive agencies, is attempting to penetrate into Baloch pro-independence organisations to collect intelligence information for enemy forces. BLA fighters made contact with Aftab Shah and after trapping him, the STOS members eliminated him in a bomb attack last night in Khuzdar. Jeehand Baloch said that Aftab Shah was a key collaborator of Pakistani military and its secretive agency ISI. He was heading a network of enemy collaborators in Khuzdar and Zehri. This network is involved in forcibly disappearing Baloch youth, targeted killings, kidnappings for ransom, and other activities against Baloch liberation movement. Read less...

Police repulsed an armed attack of the terrorists on a Police Station at Wargara area of Lakki Marwat District on January 5, reports ARY News. Police said that all officials at the Wargara Police station remained safe in the terrorist attack. The terrorists faced retaliation by the Police force and locals. The terrorists managed to escape from the scene by taking advantage of the darkness of the night. Read less...

The Kalutara South Police arrested two persons for transporting more than 10 kilograms of ammonium nitrate without permits on January 5, reports Colombo Page. The raid was carried out on information received by the Panadura Division Criminal Investigation Division officials that a consignment of explosives was being transported. During the raid, a three-wheeler was seized near the expressway bridge in the Ukwatta area of Kalutara South police division and the police seized 10 kilograms and 380 grams of ammonium nitrate being transported in the vehicle. Read less...

An operation in Nimroz Province resulted in two arrests of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants, Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid said on January 5, reports Al Jazeera. Mujahid said light weapons, hand grenades, mines, vests and explosives were confiscated by the Taliban during the raids in Shahdai Saleh in neighbourhood of Kabul. Read less...

On January 5, a Vice and Virtue Department official came and asked women that we have one week to take away our shops and sit at home, a woman shopkeeper said, reports TOLO News on January 9. An official of the Provincial Department, Sayed Zahir, told TOLO News that the shops were closed due to co-working with men and lack of observing hijab by women. This comes after women were banned from working in Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Afghanistan, a decision that triggered global reactions. Read less...

On January 5, Pakistani forces launched an air strike on Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) strongholds in Salala neighborhood in the vicinity of Goshta District of Nangarhar Province, reports Hasht-e Subh. Pakistan’s National Security Council (NSC) decided three days ago that the country’s forces should adopt a zero-tolerance policy against terrorists. Read less...

On January 5, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) raised concerns over the impacts of Taliban’s ban on women working in Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), which noted that the restriction "comes at a dangerous moment as winter conditions set in on a population already devastated by decades of conflict and an unprecedented economic collapse”, reports Tolo News. According to the IRC, 82 per cent of female-headed households in Afghanistan are food insecure, which is 32 per cent points more than male-headed households. The World Food Program (WFP) of the UN in Afghanistan has likewise announced a three-week suspension of activities in the country. This suspension comes at a critical time when “28.3 million of the population in Afghanistan will need humanitarian assistance in 2023”, a spokesperson of the WFP said. Read less...

Pakistani soldiers shot dead an Afghan civilian at the Torkham border crossing in Nangarhar Province on January 5, reports Hasht-e Subh. Also, a Pakistani official was wounded by Taliban fighters. Clashes erupted between Pakistani forces and Taliban fighters at the Torkham border crossing. Local sources in Torkham pass said that the clash between Pakistani soldiers and Taliban fighters took place at 11:00 am. Taliban fighters and Pakistani soldiers have had clashes several times before in Torkham and Spin Boldak crossings. Read less...

Taliban killed eight Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants, including foreign nationals and arrested seven others in a series of raids targeting key figures in a spate of attacks in Kabul, Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid said on January 5, reports Al Jazeera. Read less...

Addressing a public event in Dimapur District of Nagaland on January 6, Union Home Minister (UHM) Amit Shah commented on the security situation prevailing in Nagaland, reports Morung Express. He said, “The process of repealing The Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 (AFSPA) from Nagaland has already started in a gradual manner.” He further added that from 2014 to 2021 there has been a 74 percent reduction in violence related to “insurgency” and 60 percent reduction in the death of Security Force (SF) personnel. Read less...

An encounter between Police and cadres of the Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee (TSPC/TPC), a splinter group of the Communist Party of India (CPI-Maoist), took place in Angada Forest area under Kunda Police Station limits in Chatra District of Jharkhand on January 6, reports prabhatkhabar.com. Seeing the Police dominating, the TSPC cadres were able to escape by taking advantage of the forest while firing. After the encounter, Police recovered a huge quantity of goods from the encounter site. The recoveries included, one walkie talkie, wire, army paternal cloth, two solar plates with two mobile chargers, cooking utensils, steel plates eight, rice 20 kilograms, fresh vegetables, blanket, civil cloth, pithu bag and other daily use items. Following inputs that ‘regional commander’ of the banned Naxalite [Left Wing Extremist, LWE] organization TSPC, Akraman Ganjhu, carrying a prize of INR 1.5 million, and the ‘regional commander’, Shashikant alias Arif, carrying a prize of INR 1 million, are busy in the forest to carry out the incident, the operation was launched to arrest them. Seeing the Police coming towards them, the cadres started firing on the Police party, and the Police fired in retaliation. After this, the TSPC cadres escaped by taking advantage of the forest. Read less...

Bihar's Special Task Force (STF) arrested 57 Naxals [Left Wing Extremists, LWEs], including the six of the most wanted cadres of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist), in several operations in 2022, reports Republic World on January 7. The STF also arrested 283 most wanted criminals in the same period of time. Additional Director General (ADG), HQ, Patna, JS Gangwar, on January 6, said, "In 2022, STF arrested 57 Naxals including 6 most wanted Naxals and 283 most wanted criminals." He said the STF also seized arms and ammunition in large quantities. "Many arms and ammunition were recovered including 14 regular weapons, 3 AK-47s, one weapon belonging to the AK-56 series and five weapons that were snatched from police," ADG, Gangwar said. The Bihar Police official also highlighted the arrests of Naxals outside the State saying, "33 Naxals were arrested by Bihar police from other states like Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Maharashtra, and West Bengal." ADG, Gangwar said around 120 country-made weapons and live ammunition were also recovered for them. "118 country-made weapons, 7,870 live cartridges, 1 hand grenade, and 15-gram explosive material were also recovered," he added. Read less...

Mumbai Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) youth wing leader Tajinder Tiwana has filed a complaint with the Bangur Nagar Police station in Mumbai City District, alleging that he received threatening text messages from a spokesperson, identified as Sandeep Singh, for the Pakistan-based terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Khalsa, Hindustan Times reports on January 7. The sender threatened Tiwana and his family with death if he did not resign from the BJP. Read less...

National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval on January 6, met his counterpart, the visiting Diplomatic Adviser to the French President, Emmanuel Bonne, and reiterated their commitment to take forward their strategic partnership to ensure peace, stability and security in the Indo-Pacific based on common beliefs in rules-based international order and strategic autonomy, reports The Indian Express. The French Embassy in Delhi stated that they discussed aspects of the Indo-French strategic partnership which includes defence and security cooperation, major international and regional issues, including the war in Ukraine, and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, counter-terrorism cooperation, cyber-security, space and civil nuclear energy. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that the agenda included discussions on the situation in Afghanistan, Africa, South East Asia, Eurasia; Third Country Cooperation; cooperation in the lndo-Pacific, nuclear energy, space and cyber domains. Read less...

The Intelligence Bureau (IB) started enquiry over the social media accounts of the Popular Front of India (PFI), on January 6, that function secretly against the National Investigation Agency (NIA), reports english.janamtv.com. The investigation agencies have taken up working of the social media group that supports religious terrorists. It has been reported that secret meetings and group discussions of the PFI are still taking place even after the outfit has been banned. Read less...

The international jihadist group, Al-Qaeda in the latest issue of their journal Ghazwa-e-Hind threatened that it will demolish the Ram temple being built in Ayodhya and replace it with a mosque, reports indileak.com on January 7. The magazine, which was published online by jihadist channels, also mentioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, advising them not to disregard its exhortations as “propaganda of the Pakistani establishment,” and urged Indian Muslims to support jihad (holy war). Al-Qaeda stated in the magazine, “Just as the Ram temple is being built on the ruins of the Babri Masjid, it will be demolished, and the Babri Masjid will be rebuilt over the place of the idols in the name of Allah.” Read less...

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on January 6, arrested a student of a mechanical engineering college in Bangaluru, identified as Rihan Shaikh for his suspected links with the cooker blast that took place in Mangaluru on November 19, 2022, reports Daiji World. The NIA officials raided the flat of the accused, situated at Varamballi, Brahmavar taluk in Udupi District in Karnataka and took into custody a few documents and questioned the family members of Rihan. The NIA revealed that the Rihan had close contact with suspected Islamic State (IS) terrorist Maaz Muneer, who was earlier arrested on September 20 from Shivamogga and was said to done experimental blast on Tunga river bank near Purale of Shivamogga. Read less...

The Resistance Front (TRF), on January 6, warned of terror attacks on people whose names it has released on the ‘hit list’, reports India Today. According to a Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) notification, TRF is recruiting youth through the online medium for the furtherance of terrorist activities, recruitment of terrorists, infiltration of terrorists and smuggling of weapons and narcotics from Pakistan into Jammu and Kashmir. Read less...

A Baloch man, identified as Shams Saleh s/o Master Saleh, allegedly forcibly disappeared by Security Forces from Balochi Bazar Apsar in Turbat town of Kech District on January 6, reports The Balochistan Post. Read less...

Baloch Republican Guards (BRG) attacked and blew up gas pipeline in Dera Ghazi Khan District of Punjab on January 6, reports Radio Zrumbesh. BRG ‘spokesman’ Dostin Baloch claimed responsibility for the attack. He said in his statement that BRG cadres attacked the thirty-six (36) inch diameter gas pipeline going to Punjab from the Sui Gas Plant, was destroyed by explosives. Dostin Baloch has further said that as a result of the explosion, gas supply to most of the Districts of Punjab has been completely suspended. Read less...

Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and security agencies killed four militants in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Sarband area on the outskirts of Peshawar, provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on January 6, reports Dawn. Four Kalashnikovs and three hand grenades were seized, officials said, adding that around more four militants escaped and a search operation was underway. Read less...

In Lakki Marwat District, Police along with residents repulsed an attack on a Police post in Shahtora Takhtikhel area near Serai Naurang town on January 6. “A group of terrorists used light and heavy weapons to breach the police post building but they faced tough resistance from the cops deployed there,” said an official on January 7. Read less...

One Policeman was injured when Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) cadres attacked the eagle force of Police with hand grenade near the fish market in Turbat town of Kech District on January 6, reports Radio Zrumbesh. BLF ‘spokesperson’ Major Gwahram Baloch claimed responsibility of the attack. Read less...

Security Forces (SFs) on January 6 allegedly detained two people from Gomazi town of Kech District and shifted them to an undisclosed location, reports The Balochistan Post. The disappeared youths were identified as Bilal, son of Ghafoor, and Umair son of Dad Mohammad, residents of Gomazi. Read less...

Three Army soldiers sustained injuries on January 6 when the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) cadres targeted an Army convoy with Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Sharhrag area of Harnai District in Balochistan, reports Radio Zrumbesh. BLA ‘spokesperson’ Jeehand Baloch claimed responsibility of the attack. "Five personnel of Pakistani military’s bomb disposal squad were targeted with an IED, when they were passing through a road in Gelani, Shahrag. At least three enemy personnel were injured in the attack", Jeehand Baloch said. Read less...

On January 6, an insurgent, identified as Nurunnabi, was shot at by a bullet in a shootout that took place between two terror groups at Block B-39 of East-8 camp around 4:30pm in Balukhali camp of Ukhiya Sub- District in Cox's Bazar District, reports The Business Standard. The members of the Armed Police Battalion (APBn) and law enforcement agencies recovered a grenade from the house of injured insurgent. Read less...

The Police arrested a leader, identified as Hasan Mahbub, political secretary of Dhaka district north unit of Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) and Abul Bashar, an activist of JeI, at separate places in Savar, on the outskirts of Bangladesh capital Dhaka on January 6, reports newagebd.net. Nayan Karkun, Inspector of Savar model Police Station stated that Hasan Mahmud was arrested from his residence in Dagarmora area of Savar municipality while Abul Bashar from his house in Parbatinagar area of the same municipality. Read less...

Displaying and hanging images of living creatures are prohibited by the Taliban in Zabul Province on January 6, reports Hasht-e Subh. Taliban’s Vice and Virtue Agents in Zabul warned shopkeepers in Qalat city, the capital city of Zabul province, to avoid displaying any kind of photos in their shops, in a virtue promotion campaign. Based on the order, it is forbidden to even hang photos of Taliban leaders on shop walls and cars. The Taliban in Zabul have warned that the violators of this order will be strictly punished. Read less...

On January 6, the Ministry of Vice and Virtue officials banned displaying and hanging images of living creatures in Qalat the capital city of Zabul Province, reports Hasht-e Subh. Based on the new order, it is forbidden to even hang photos of Taliban leaders on shop walls and cars. Previously, women were prohibited from rejoicing in wedding ceremonies. Read less...

A person identified as Abdullah Saood Ansari, a resident of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh who was arrested by the National Investigating Agency (NIA) under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) on September 30, 2022 for his suspected links with the Popular Front of India (PFI) was granted bail by the Hon’ble Additional District and Sessions Judge, Special Judge NIA/ Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) Lucknow on January 7, reports muslimmirror.com. It was suspected that the accused was working as an active member of PFI from the year 2017. However, the investigating officer in the case found no evidence to prove the connection of the accused to the PFI. Read less...

A total of 43 militants, including a woman, of eight different militant outfits laid down their arms and ammunition before Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh in Imphal at a function on January 7, reports Sentinel. The 43 militants included 13 cadres of the Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), 11 from the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), five each from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) / Revolutionary People's Front (RPF), the Kangleipak Communist Party - Noyon (KCP-N) and the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), two from the People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PRO) and one each from People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Unification (NSCN-U). The surrendered militants deposited arms, ammunition and explosives, including 19 AK series rifles, pistols, hand grenades, IEDs and live ammunition. Read less...

The Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) has detained 18 suspects for interrogation in connection with the Dhangri village attack on January 1, 2023 in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), India, reports Kashmir Reader on January 8. According to the authorities, "several vital leads" have been found that point to the presence of terrorists in various areas near Rajouri town in the Rajouri District of J&K. Read less...

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on January 7, filed a chargesheet against a person, identified as Marghoob Ahmad Danish alias Tahir, a resident of Phulwari Sharif in Patna in connection with the 'Ghazwa-e-Hind' case relating to the radicalization of impressionable youth over various social media platforms, before a special court in Patna, reports India Tv News. An NIA spokesperson stated that investigations revealed that Danish was the admin of WhatsApp group 'Ghazwa E Hind' created by a Pakistani national namely Zain, and had added many people from India as well as other countries to the group in order to radicalize them and constitute them into sleeper cells for carrying out terrorist activities. The NIA spokesperson also asserted that, "Danish had created the said 'Ghazwa E Hind' group on different social media platforms viz WhatsApp, Telegram, and Bip Messenger. He had also created another WhatsApp group in the name of 'BDGhazwa E HindBD' and had added Bangladeshi nationals." Read less...

The Special Task Force (STF) of the Kolkata Police on January 7, arrested two persons, suspected to be terrorists allied to Islamic State (IS), from Aftabuddin Munshi Lane of Tikiapara area in Howrah District in West Bengal, reports The Indian Express. “Both persons are involved in spreading tentacles of the terror group in Howrah. We are questioning them to understand more about their roles,” said an unnamed officer, adding that they were also involved in “brainwashing local youths towards anti-national activities”. Read less...

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) through a notification on January 7, banned People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), an offshoot of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), reports India Tv News. The notification stated that PAFF is a proxy outfit of Maulana Masood Azhar-led Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and it is involved in regularly issuing threats to security forces, political leaders and civilians working in Jammu and Kashmir from other states. The notification also stated that “The PAFF along with other organisations is indulging in radicalization of impressionable youth for the purpose of recruitment and training in handling guns, ammunition and explosives.”, further reports The Indian Express. Read less...

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) through a notification on January 7, designated Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) operative Dr Asif Maqbool Dar as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967, reports newindian.in. The notification reads, “Dr. Asif Maqbool, who is resident of Bandi Payeen, Wagoora, Baramulla, presently based at Daman, Ash Sharqiyah, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, is associated with terror outfit Hizb-ul- Mujahideen. The said Dr. Asif Maqbool Dar is involved in instigating the youth of Kashmir Valley for terrorist activities by using social media platforms.” According to the UMHA, Dr Asif Maqbool Dar is one of the leading radical voices on social media and is involved in nefariously influencing Kashmiri youth to take up arms against the Indian government and security forces. The UMHA further stated that Dr. Asif Maqbool Dar is accused in a case investigated by the National Investigating Agency (NIA) relating to a conspiracy hatched by the cadres of the terrorist organization to undertake violent terrorist acts in Jammu and Kashmir and major cities in India including New Delhi on the direction of handlers based across the border. Dr. Asif Maqbool is the 52nd person to be declared as a terrorist under the UAPA. Read less...

Thoubal District Police arrested 28 cadres of militant groups during the year 2022, reports Imphal Free Press. As per the report, Thoubal Police arrested 30 cadres of proscribed groups which included 16 cadres of Revolutionary People's Front (RPF)/ People's Liberation Army (PLA), one overground worker of PLA, one cadre of People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak- Progressive (PREPAK-Pro), four cadres each of Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), two cadres of Kangleipak Communist Party - Military Council (KCP-MC). Thoubal Police also seized numerous firearms, including seven 9MM pistol, one each of .32 and 7.65MM pistol, 15 hand grenade, 138 live bullets of different guns, nine detonator, three wireless detonator reviver, one each of remote control, walkie talkie and 9-volt battery. Read less...

Two Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres, one carrying a reward of INR 100,000 on his head, surrendered to Security Forces (SFs) in Sukma District of Chhattisgarh on January 7, reports The Pioneer. Lekam Gujja and Madkam Hidiya turned themselves in after being impressed with the Government’s rehabilitation policy, Sukma, Superintendent of Police (SP), Sunil Sharma said. Gujja was the Dandakaranya Adivasi Kisan Majdoor Sangathan (DAKMS) ‘President’ and carried a bounty of INR 100,000 on his head, while, Hidiya was a ‘Militia Deputy Commander’, Sharma said, adding that they were reportedly involved in several Maoist incidents in Chintagufa and Chintalnar areas in the district. Read less...

A Police Constable, identified as Pasham Khan was killed and another suffered gunshot wounds in a militants attack in Dogar Umarzai village in Bannu District, Dawn reports on January 8. Read less...

Two Army personnel were killed when Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) targeted an Army outpost with rocket-propelled grenades and other heavy weapons in Soraan area of Dhaddar in Kachhi District of Balochistan on January 7, reports Radio Zrumbesh. While claiming responsibility of the attack, BLA ‘spokesperson’ Jeehand Baloch said the attack lasted over 20 minutes in which the Army suffered heavy material losses. The enemy troops indiscriminately fired mortar rounds after the attack, however, BLA cadres completed their mission and returned to their positions. Read less...

On January 7, Mohammad Rashid the leader of Block A at camp No. 15, was killed at 7pm by masked assailants while talking to others at a shop in Teknaf Sub-District of Cox’s Bazar District, reports bdnews24.com. Read less...

On January 7, Taliban rescued a man from the grip of kidnappers in Angorbagh area of Chahar Bolak District in Balkh Province, reports Bakhtarnews.af. He was abducted few days back. Read less...

The troop of the 205th Army Corps of the Ministry of National Defence discovered a depot of various types of weapons in the area of Spin Boldak District of Kandahar Province and confiscated its ammunition, Bakhtarnews.af reported on January 8. The discovered ammunition includes 1 Pika rifle, 2 Kalashnikov, 1 mine pal, 28 fire rocket shells, 1500 Pika rounds, 1200 Kalashnikov rounds, 2300 M16 rounds, and a large number of equipment and supplies. MoD forces arrested several smugglers. Read less...

Canada-based gangster and Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) operative Arshdeep Singh Gill alias Arsh Dalla was declared a designated terrorist by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) after it found his involvement in heinous crimes such as murder, extortion and targeted killings, disturbing communal harmony and creating terror among the people in Punjab, Indian Express reported on January 9. Punjab Police officials reported that Arshdeep Singh Gill funded his associates through hawala (illegal money transactions), which the latter utilise to commit various crimes, The Tribune reports on January 11. Read less...

On January 8, one more civilian, identified as Prince Sharma, died as a result of injuries inflicted from the firing attack by terrorists in Dhangri village in Rajouri Tehsil (revenue unit) of Rajouri District in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), India on January 1, 2023, bringing the dead toll to five, reports Daily Excelsior. SATP previously reported that four civilians were killed in the Dhangri firing attack on January 1, 2023. Read less...

On January 8, Security Forces (SFs) destroyed an Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) that was found from Dandote village in Budhal Block in Rajouri District of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), India, reports Daily Excelsior. Read less...

On January 8, the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel fired 75 rounds on a Pakistani drone spotted near India-Pakistan border in Gurdaspur District in Punjab, reports Punjab Kesari. Search operation continues in the area. Read less...

On January 8, two infiltrators were killed by Indian Army troops along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Balakot sector of Poonch District in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) in India, reports Daily Excelsior. Huge quantity of arms and ammunition, including one AK 47 Rifle, one modified AK 56 Rifle, One Chinese Pistol, two Chinese hand grenades and two Improvised Explosive Device (IED), were recovered from the possession of the slain militants whose identity and group affiliation is awaited. A mobile phone, two night-vision goggles, one binocular, a camcorder with images of terrorists and their training, steel core AK ammunition, combat dress and warm clothing were also recovered from the neutralised terrorist. Read less...

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed supplementary chargesheet before the NIA Special Court, Ranchi, Jharkhand against 14 accused persons in connection with the Naxal [Left Wing Extremist, LWE] attack on former Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Gurucharan Nayak and the killing of two Police personnel in West Singhbhum, Jharkhand on January 4, 2022, reports lawbeat.in on January 9. The 14 accused charge sheeted persons are: Pradhan Korah @ Mantri, Sriram Tubid @ Sheeram Tubid, Shailendra Bahanda, Pusa Lugun @ Puse Lugun, Sunia Surin, Mangal Singh Diggi, Rangiya Lugun, Kujari, Mangal Singh Lugun @ Vikram, Kishmat Korah, Misir Besra @ Sagar da @ Bhaskar Da @ Diwakar Da @ Sunirmal, Sushant Da @ Anmol @ Samar Ji @ Lalchand Hembrom, Sameer @ Lalu Modiyam, and Ashwin @ Lachhu Korsa. All the accused persons have been charge sheeted under Sections 120B, 121, 121-A, 147, 148, 149, 201, 302, 307, 333, 353, 395, 396, 397 of IPC, Sections 16, 18, 18-A, 18-B, 19, 20, 38 & 39 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and Section 27 of Arms Act. The NIA press release stated, “Investigations have revealed that the accused persons are CPI (Maoist) [Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist)] members and they participated in meetings in which a conspiracy was hatched to target former MLA Gurucharan Nayak. They also participated in the crime which resulted in the injury and death of police personnel and the looting of arms and ammunition. Investigations also revealed that the accused persons were involved in recruiting members for the commission of terrorist acts and organized Training Camps for carrying out terrorist activities.” As per the NIA press release, the case was initially registered on January 5, 2022, at Goilkera, Police Station in West Singhbhum, and later re-registered by the NIA on June 30, 2022. Read less...

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on January 8 filed a chargesheet against five persons, identified as Gagi (dead), Surmukh Singh alias Sammu, Dilbagh Singh alias Baggo, Rajanpreet Singh, Zulfikar alias Pehalwan (Pakistani national) in a case related to a bomb explosion in Court Complex Ludhiana on December 23, 2021 reports Tribune India. In the chargesheet, NIA said that Lakhbir Singh Rode, a Pakistan-based International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) / Khalistan Liberation Front (KLF) terrorist handler, had planned to execute Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blasts at various locations in Punjab. NIA further adds that in order to execute the plans, Lakhbir Singh Rode in association with Pakistan-based smugglers, recruited India-based operatives to smuggle IEDs and to carry out blasts to cause maximum casualties and to strike terror among the general public. In furtherance of the conspiracy to carry out IED blasts in Punjab, Lakhbir Singh Rode, with the help of Zulfikar, a Pakistan based Cross-border Arms-Explosives-Narcotics smuggler, Harpreet Singh alias Happy Malaysia, Surmukh Singh, Dilbagh Singh and Rajanpreet Singh, formed a terror gang to carry out blasts and smuggle weapons into India. The accused are charged under various sections