Militants

Morocco says it dismantled Islamic State cell that was planning attacks

Moroccan authorities this month arrested a dozen people they said were planning attacks on behalf of the Islamic State in the Sahel, a region south of the Sahara Desert, officials said on Monday. The discovery of the terrorist cell and what authorities called an imminent dangerous terrorist plot reflect the expanding ambitions of extremist groups in the region. Authorities did not provide details of the suspects' motives or their plot, beyond saying they planned to set off bombs remotely. They released photographs and videos showing officers raiding terrorist cells throughout the country. The images showed weapons stockpiles found during police raids, Islamic State flags drawn on walls, and thousands of dollars of cash. Morocco remains a major target in the agenda of all terrorist organisations operating in the Sahel, Habboub Cherkaoui, the head of Morocco's Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations, said at a news conference. Militant groups have been expanding their presence in

Security forces arrest 11 militants in Manipur in two days, says police

Security forces have arrested 11 militants from Manipur in the last two days, including seven suspected cadres of the Kuki National Army (KNA), along with arms and ammunition, police said on Sunday. The KNA cadres were apprehended from old Khaukual area in Churachandpur district on Friday, they said. KNA is a signatory of the tripartite suspension of operations (SoO) pact signed in 2008 among the United Peoples' Front (UPF) and the Kuki National Organisation (KNO), an umbrella of 24 insurgent groups, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the Manipur government. The Manipur government, however, withdrew from the pact in March 2023. In another operation on Saturday at Huikap village in Imphal East district, four active members of the proscribed outfit Kangleipak Communist Party (PWG group), including two women, were arrested, police said. Two AK-47 rifles, pistols, live ammunition, incriminating documents and booklets were among items recovered from their possession, they added. PT

Nigerian soldiers killed 79 militants, kidnappers in the past week: Army

Nigerian soldiers killed 79 militants and suspected kidnappers over the past week, the army said Friday, in an operation targeting a decades-long insurgency by Islamic militants in the northeast and attacks by various armed groups in the northwest. The West African country has been ramping up efforts to secure the country as some 35,000 civilians have been killed and more than 2 million displaced in the northeastern region, according to the U.N. The nationwide operation by Nigeria's military led to the arrest of 252 individuals and the liberation of 67 hostages held by the militants, a Nigerian military spokesperson, Edward Buba, said in a statement. Kidnappings have become a common occurrence in Nigeria's northwest, where dozens of armed groups exploit the region's limited security presence to carry out attacks on villages and along major roads. Many victims are only released after the payment of ransoms that sometimes run into the thousands of dollars. The 2014 kidnapping of 276

Militants hit Pak minister, police officer's homes in Balochistan

Armed militants attacked the residences of a senior minister and a deputy commissioner and stormed a police checkpost in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province, police said. A senior police official said armed militants attacked the residence of Balochistan Minister for Finance and Mineral Resources Mir Shoaib Nosherwani with a hand grenade in his native town of Kharan late on Thursday night. The armed men came on motorcycles and drove away after hurling the hand grenade, he said. No casualty has been reported in the incident, he said. In a similar incident, the militants attacked the residence of the Kalat deputy commissioner with a hand grenade on Thursday night, injuring one police constable on duty at the gate. In the third incident, the armed militants attacked the police checkpost in Mastung town on Thursday night and set fire to machinery and equipment of a cement factory in the vicinity before escaping the scene, authorities said. A police official confirmed the attack t

Pakistan security forces rescue 8 of 16 mine workers abducted by militants

Pakistani security forces recovered at least eight out of 16 mine workers who were kidnapped by militants in the country's restive northwest Thursday morning, police and two security officials said. The operation was launched hours after insurgents ambushed and attacked the workers' vehicle in a narrow road in Lakki Marwat district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, police officer Mohammad Ijaz said. The attack occurred as the men were travelling from Lakki Marwat to a nearby mining project, Ijaz said. He gave no further details. Other security officials said the mining project where the men worked is related to the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, though the abducted workers are not its employees. They said an operation is still underway to recover the remaining workers. It was unclear whether those insurgents holding the men suffered casualties. No one from the commission was immediately available for comment. The latest development comes after militants se

Security forces bust camps of two banned militant organisations in Manipur

Security forces busted camps of two banned militant organisations while conducting search operations in Manipur's Imphal East district, police said on Thursday. A hideout of the banned Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) at Makou Pourabi in Imphal East district was busted on Wednesday during which one air gun, one mobile handset and one bulletproof helmet were seized, they said. Another training camp of the proscribed PREPAK also at Makou Pourabi was destroyed on Wednesday during which one INSAS LMG magazine, bayonet, five wooden dummy guns, two walkie-talkie sets, and cartridges were seized. Police also arrested nine cadres of the banned militant outfit Kangleipak Communist Party (Peoples' War Group) during the last two days for their involvement in extortion activities. On Wednesday police arrested two members of KCP (PWG) who were involved in extortion activities from Mantripukhri bazar in Imphal East district and recovered demand letters and cash receipt notes of the outfit from the

8 militants arrested in Manipur over killing of two migrant labourers

Eight cadres of the banned militant outfit Kangleipak Communist Party (People's War Group) were arrested from Manipur's Kakching district in connection with the recent killing of two migrant labourers from Bihar, police said on Tuesday. Search operations were launched across Manipur on December 14 to apprehend those who were involved in the killing of the two labourers, and an active member of the proscribed outfit was first apprehended from Kakching Lamkhai area on Monday, a police statement said. "From his inputs, a police team raided a camp located at the Kakching Mamang Ching Laipham Loknung area and arrested seven more cadres of KCP (PWG) from there," the police said. Arms and ammunition and 10 mobile phones were recovered from their possession, the police statement said. The KCP (PWG) is a faction of the banned outfit Kangleipak Communist Party, which was accused of being involved in extortion and other crimes in Imphal Valley. Chief Minister N Biren Singh had condemned the

Palestinian security forces launch crackdown on militants in West Bank

Palestinian security forces have launched a rare crackdown against local militant groups in the northern West Bank, sending in armoured cars and engaging in fierce gunbattles that have killed at least two people in the volatile area. The raid marks an unusual step for the Palestinian Authority, the governing body for semi-autonomous pockets in the occupied West Bank that is internationally recognised but has largely lost control of militant strongholds such as Jenin, where forces operated through the weekend and into Monday. Israeli troops have stepped into the vacuum in recent years, particularly since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas militant attack that triggered the ongoing war in Gaza. Palestinian health officials say 811 Palestinians have been killed since then in the West Bank, most by Israeli raids into Palestinian cities and towns. Israel says most of the dead have been militants. On Saturday, Palestinian security forces said they had begun the operation in the Jenin refugee camp, a

Arambai Tenggol chief, Kuki militants on NIA radar over Manipur attacks

Meitei radical organisation Arambai Tenggol's supremo Korou Nganba Khuman and Kuki militants are under the radar of the National Investigation Agency, which has been tasked with probing four cases of attacks on security forces and an IED explosion in strife-torn Manipur. The cases include looting of arms and ammunition from the 1st Manipur Rifles complex in Imphal, attack on Indian Reserve Battalion post in Moreh and IED explosion in Bishnupur. The Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalisation Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs has recently ordered the NIA to undertake further investigation of the four cases. The cases have recently been transferred by the Supreme court from the NIA Court in Imphal to NIA Special Court in Guwahati. A copy of the transfer petition filed by the NIA before the Supreme Court said, "The first case involving Khuman is related to an incident that occurred on November 1 last year when a large number of Arambai Tenggol members led by him and armed with

Victims autopsy report in Jiribam killings show multiple bullet wounds

The autopsy reports of the remaining three victims of the Jiribam killings showed brutal injuries, multiple bullet wounds and severe trauma, officials said on Wednesday. The post-mortem reports of two women and a child were released earlier. Three women and three children were abducted from Borobekra area in Jiribam district of Manipur by suspected Kuki militants after a gunfight with security forces on November 17. Their bodies were found in Jiri river in Jiribam district, and the nearby Barak river in Assam's Cachar over the next few days. Laishram Lamnganba, a 10-month-old infant, suffered a bullet injury to the left knee joint and had both eyeballs missing, officials said, quoting the report of the post-mortem examination conducted at the Silchar Medical College Hospital (SMCH) in Assam's Cachar district. The report said there were multiple lacerations including wounds over the front chest wall, blunt weapon injury over the right lower jaw to the chin and back of the head, hard

Gunfight in Manipur's Jiribam kills 11 militants, violence erupts in Imphal

Eleven suspected militants were killed in a fierce gunfight with security forces on Monday after insurgents in camouflage uniforms, armed with sophisticated weapons, fired indiscriminately at a police station and an adjacent CRPF camp in Manipur's Jiribam district, officials said. Two CRPF personnel also sustained injuries during the heavy exchange of fire at Borobekra, and the condition of one of them was stated to be critical, they said. Following this incident, fresh violence was reported from multiple places in Imphal Valley where armed groups from the two warring sides engaged in exchanges of fire, police said. The Kuki-Zo Council called for a total shutdown in the hill areas of the state from 5 am to 6 pm on Tuesday "to express our collective grief and solidarity who were brutally shot dead". In a series of attacks, the militants torched several shops and houses in and around the Jakurador Karong market, besides the Borobekra police station and the CRPF camp located adjacent

Eleven militants killed in gunfight with security forces in Manipur

Eleven suspected militants were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Manipur's Jiribam district on Monday, officials said. Two CRPF personnel also sustained injuries during the heavy exchange of fire that happened at Jakurador Karong in the Borobekra sub-division. The condition of one of them was stated to be critical. Militants in camouflage uniforms, armed with sophisticated weapons, fired indiscriminately at the Borobekra police station, and the CRPF camp located alongside it around 2.30 pm, officials said. A few of the militants broke out and went to the Jakurador Karong market, around 100 metres away, and torched several shops, besides attacking some houses, they said. As the security forces retaliated, a heavy exchange of fire began and 11 suspected militants were killed, they added. The gunfight lasted a little over an hour, officials said. A relief camp was also located within the premises of the police station, and five people living there went missing, they said

Security forces seize rockets, mortars after search operation in Manipur

Recovered items included two rockets measuring approximately 8 feet and two rockets measuring about 7 feet

Former Pak senator Saleh Shah's guesthouse blown-up by suspected militants

A guesthouse belonging to a former senator has been blown-up by suspected militants in Pakistan's restive northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, police said. No loss of life was reported in the incident. The guesthouse of former senator Saleh Shah, located in South Waziristan district's Tiarza tehsil, was completely levelled in the explosion late on Friday night after unidentified attackers reportedly planted explosives at his residence. I have been receiving calls for extortion from unknown people who have been threatening me and my family of dire consequences, the former lawmaker told police. No casualties have been reported so far, though the blast was powerful enough to collapse the structure entirely. Security forces cordoned off the area and initiated a search operation to apprehend the suspects. The region has witnessed periodic unrest and security forces are on high alert. Shah, who previously played a key role in mediating talks between the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)

Law enforcement agencies kill 10 TTP militants in Pakistan's Punjab

At least 10 militants from banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group were killed by law enforcement agencies in Punjab province of Pakistan on Thursday, police said. "A covert operation was launched in the hilly Malakhel area of Mianwali city based on intelligence reports about the presence of 10 to 15 terrorists. A fierce exchange of gunfire ensued between the police and the terrorists," a CTD spokesperson said. During the exchange, 10 terrorists were killed while all CTD and Elite Force officers and personnel remained unharmed, the spokesperson added. Punjab Inspector General of PoliceUsman Anwa praised the CTD team, the Mianwali police chief, and their forces for their significant success against the terrorists. The Punjab Police is on high alert and we will not rest until we crush the nefarious plans of these terrorists, Anwar said. The spokesperson said the terrorists were planning a large-scale sabotage in Punjab. A search operation is ongoing in the area and efforts to

About 150 militants waiting at launchpads across LoC to enter Kashmir: BSF

Around 150 militants are waiting at launchpads across the Line of Control (LoC) to infiltrate into the Kashmir valley as winter approaches, but security forces would foil any such bid, a senior BSF officer said on Friday. "Attempts of infiltration continue to take place. Based on the intelligence inputs we receive from various agencies, we coordinate with the army to establish a domination plan along the border. "We also keep in mind the number of terrorists at the launching pads, which helps us shape our strategy and domination plan to ensure we foil any plans," BSF Inspector General (Kashmir Frontier) Ashok Yadav told reporters here. He said the security forces would ensure any infiltration attempt is thwarted. Asked how many militants were waiting at terror launchpads now, he said, "The number of terrorists at the launching pads usually varies between 130 and 150, at times it may be slightly higher." On the challenges after conducting peaceful assembly elections in Jammu and ..

More Israelis will be displaced as militants extend rocket fire: Hezbollah

Hezbollah's acting leader said Tuesday that even more Israelis will be displaced as the militant group extends its rocket fire deeper into Israel, in a defiant televised statement marking the anniversary of fighting that escalated into war last month. Sheikh Naim Kassem, the acting leader of Hezbollah, said its military capabilities are still intact and that it has replaced all of its senior commanders after weeks of heavy Israeli airstrikes across large parts of Lebanon, including targeted strikes that killed much of its top command in a matter of days. He also said Israeli forces have not been able to advance after launching a ground incursion into Lebanon last week. The Israeli military said a fourth division is now taking part in the incursion, which has expanded to the west, but operations still appear to be confined to a narrow strip along the border. The Israeli military says it has dismantled militant infrastructure along the border and killed hundreds of Hezbollah fighters.

2 army personnel killed, 2 injured during encounter in J&K's Kishtwar

Four army personnel were injured in an encounter that broke out following a search operation in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district, officials said. Acting on a tip-off, security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the Naidgham area in Chhatroo belt, police officials said. There was an exchange of fire between search teams of security forces and hiding terrorists at Pingnal Dugadda forest area, upper reaches of Naidgham village under the jurisdiction of Police Station Chhatroo, they said. Army said tonight that a joint operation with the police was launched in area Chatroo on the basis of intelligence inputs. "A contact has been established with the terrorists at 1530 hours", White Knight Corps said in a post on X. In the ensuing firefight, four army personnel have been injured. The operation is in progress, it said. Further details are awaited.

COCOMI declares indefinite emergency in Manipur after Kuki militant attack

According to the Manipur Police the Kuki militants deployed long-range rockets among the civilian population in attacks

5 abandoned houses burnt in Manipur village, militants chased away: Police

Suspected militants burnt at least five abandoned houses at a village in Manipur's Imphal West district before they were chased away by security forces, police said on Monday. The militants had started firing indiscriminately from hilltops to the low-lying valley areas of Koutruk and neighbouring Kadangband from Sunday afternoon and managed to reach the outskirts of Koutruk village, a senior officer said. "Five abandoned houses were burnt by the militants. The residents had fled their homes after the gun and bomb attack that began around 2.30 pm on Sunday. The militants were pushed back by security forces on Sunday night," the police officer told PTI. Two persons, including a woman, were killed and nine others injured on September 1 when the suspected militants launched the attack on people in the area. Koutruk, located around 18 km from the state capital Imphal, has witnessed several attacks since ethnic violence in Manipur broke out in May last year. The attack by suspected ...