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Showing posts from September 20, 2015

Unity in the face of terror

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NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg | AFP PHOTO / SAMUEL KUBANI Opinion Unity in the face of terror NATO stands strong in the fight against terrorism, whether it is in Afghanistan, the Middle East or in our own countries. When terrorists target innocent civilians, they strike humanity at its core — be it in America or in Tunisia, at a newspaper’s office in Paris, or in my own country of Norway, where a right-wing extremist murdered scores of innocent people in 2011. On Sunday, I will pay my respects at the National September 11th Memorial & Museum in New York. The events of that tragic day not only changed America but profoundly altered the world. We will always remember 9/11 for the losses we suffered. 3000 lives, fathers, mothers, sons and daughters, friends. Innocent civilians from 60 countries, from all corners of the planet. It was a tremendous loss that affected us all, regardless of our nationality, religion or politics. But we also rem

Gilgit Baltistan: Womens’ Rights Violations Raised at UN Human Rights Council

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September 21, 2015 On the occasion of the 30th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Senge Sering, representative of the World Economic & Resource Council, highlighted to what extent Islamabad’s policies induce staggering challenges to womens’ rights in the UN-declared disputed Region of Gilgit-Baltistan. General debate - Agenda Item 3: Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development. Honorable Mr. President,  WERC is deeply concerned at the worsening incidences of violence against women as ensuring equal rights, and recognizing that violence against women is a manifestation of unequal gender relations and obstacle to development and peace, is essential to building a prosperous society. We believe that one cannot think of achieving poverty reduction – the first millennium development goal – if women face torture and discrimination on regular basis. It i

Pentagon confirms US-trained Syria rebels gave weapons to al-Nusra

The Pentagon on Friday said a group of US-trained Syrian rebels had handed over ammunition and equipment to al-Qaeda's affiliate in the country, al-Nusra Front, purportedly in exchange for safe passage. The startling acknowledgement contrasted with earlier Pentagon denials of reports that some fighters had either defected or handed over gear. "Unfortunately, we learned late today that the NSF (New Syrian Forces) unit now says it did in fact provide six pickup trucks and a portion of their ammunition to a suspected al-Nusra Front (group)," Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said. Colonel Patrick Ryder, a spokesman for Central Command (CENTCOM), which is overseeing efforts against the Islamic State (IS) group in Iraq and Syria, said the fighters had handed over the gear in exchange for safe passage in the al-Nusra operating area. "If accurate, the report of NSF members providing equipment to al-Nusra Front is very concerning and a violation of Syria tra

Australia Delay Test Team's Departure to Bangladesh Due to Security Concerns

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Melbourne:  Australia have delayed the departure of their Test team to Bangladesh amid security concerns raised by the Australian government that militant groups may target the tourists, Cricket Australia (CA) said on Saturday. ( Click here for latest Cricket stories ) Australia, led by new skipper Steve Smith, were due to depart their various home ports on Monday with the full squad not assembling until arrival in Dhaka, CA said in a statement. CA CEO James Sutherland said that recent advice from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) had identified a potential security risk in Bangladesh. "We have received advice from DFAT and based on that information we are working with security experts and the Bangladesh Cricket Board on a revised security plan for the tour," Sutherland said on Saturday. "We want the tour to go ahead and are planning for that, but the safety and security of our players and support staff is our number one priority and won't be comprom

No check on banned outfits against hides collection

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Punjab IG’s spokesman says police does not have list of names of banned outfits Intelligence sources say more than 70 banned outfits are still functioning and adopting different ways for collecting sacrificial animal hides Provincial governments have not made the names of religious and other welfare organisations public that have been registered and have been given permitted for collection of hides of sacrificial animals on Eidul Azha,  Pakistan Today  has learnt. Inspector General Police Punjab (IGPP) Director Public Relations Office Dr Nabeela Ghazanfar told  Pakistan Today  that no list of names of the banned outfits was available with the police. On August 26, Additional Secretary (internal security) of the Punjab Home Department Col Syed Wajahat Irfan Hamdani issued a circular with the subject: Collection of Sacrificial Hides by Defunct Jehadi Organisations. The circular was dispatched to divisional commissioners, regional police offices and the capital city police off

Islamic State greatest challenge, must delink terrorism from religion: PM Modi

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has acknowledged that the dreaded terror group Islamic State poses one of the greatest challenges facing the international community today and said there is a need to "delink terrorism from religion". During a meeting with King Abdullah of Jordan on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session, Modi discussed ways to prevent radicalisation of youth and to counteract extremist messaging, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said after the meeting on Friday. "Both leaders acknowledged that ISIS was one of the greatest challenges facing the international community. The Prime Minister said that there is a need to delink terrorism from religion," Swarup said. Modi said the only way to combat international terrorism and the menace of organisations like IS (also known as ISIS) was to have a global response. He specially referred to the long pending proposal of a comprehensive convention on internationa

3 killed in gun attacks on Saudi police posts

Gunmen open fire on two Saudi police posts in the northwest of the Gulf kingdom killing two civilians and a policeman Saudi Arabian security personnel in al-Munissiyah district, north-east of Riyadh (AFP) Friday 25 September 2015 10:17 UTC Friday 25 September 2015 11:25 UTC Gunmen opened fire on two Saudi police posts in the northwest of the Gulf kingdom killing two civilians and a policeman, the official news agency SPA reported on Friday. It said two masked assailants shot dead two Saudis in Al-Shamli, in the Hail region, on Thursday and a gunman killed a policeman at the traffic police station in a second attack in the town half an hour later. The news agency gave no motives for the attacks but said an investigation has been opened. Security forces have been on the alert in the face of mounting attacks by the Islamic State militant group. Source http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/3-killed-gun-attacks-saudi-police-posts-1105970777

Kenya finds arms, drugs ‘smuggled’ in Indian trucks for Peacekeepers

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has opened an investigation into the discovery of assault weapons and narcotics hidden amidst a consignment of trucks being shipped from Mumbai to Indian Army peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, government sources have told The Indian Express. Kenyan special forces, acting on information from the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), had seized over 34 weapons, including M19 rifles and general-purpose machine guns, from the Singapore-flagged Höegh Transporter at the port of Mombasa on September 17. However, the ship’s Indian and Philippines-origin crew are still being questioned on how the weapons, along with a packet of narcotics, were then hidden amidst the Indian Army’s trucks. “The recipient of the weapons clearly also had the means to be able to extricate the drugs and weapons at Mombasa, where they were to be delivered to Indian peacekeepers, or on their onward transit to the Democratic Republic of Congo. This

Poverty in Iraq grows as budgets squeezed by war with IS

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BAGHDAD –  Four-year-old Saja and three-year-old Huda were playing in their front yard.  In one of the capital’s random residential compounds that have spread significantly in the past few years, the two barefoot girls, wearing dusty, threadbare clothes, ran around heaps of waste and debris and down an uneven mud road, covered with coarse gravel and glass shards. Just a few miles away is Baghdad’s fancy al-Mansour neighbourhood, the country's largest mall, with expensive international clothing stores and high-end restaurants in which a meal for a couple will cost no less than $300. "It’s a free place,” said Adnan, Saja's father, of their home in the al-Wishash area in the city's north. Adnan found metallic sheets in a dump and used them, along with bed sheets, to build three rooms off the side of  an old Ba’ath Party government building. “We have been living here since 2006 when we were displaced and forced to leave our homes, stores and everything that we e

Six-month truce agreed in three Syria towns

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Pro-government forces launched an offensive to recapture Zabadani, near the border with Lebanon, in July (AFP) Pro-government and rebel forces in Syria agreed to a six-month truce on Thursday for the rebel-held town of Zabadani and two Shia towns in the northwest, a monitor and a member of one of the rebel groups has said. Rami Abdel Rahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the ceasefires were agreed under the sponsorship of the UN. In a video released on Thursday, Jaish al-Fatah official Abdullah al-Mohaisany, described as a general judge, said Iranian negotiators representing the Syrian government had been involved in talks. "We had to save our besieged sisters in Zabadani," said Mohaisany, "but we forced the Iranians to accept our truce conditions after their initial rejection." Mohaisany said several principles that had been agreed during the discussions would be implemented within 48 hours, including how to get residents safely out

Syria rebels give equipment to al-Qaeda

A group of US-trained Syrian rebels has handed over their vehicles and ammunition to fighters linked to al-Qaeda, the US military has admitted. It said one rebel unit had surrendered six pick-up trucks and ammunition to the al-Nusra Front this week - apparently to gain safe passage. Congress has approved $500m (£323m) to train and equip about 5,000 rebels to fight against Islamic State militants. But the first 54 graduates were routed by al-Nusra Front, the military said. Gen Lloyd Austin told US lawmakers last week that only "four or five" US-trained rebels were still fighting. 'Programme violation' "Unfortunately, we learned late today that the NSF (New Syrian Forces) unit now says it did in fact provide six pick-up trucks and a portion of their ammunition to a suspected al-Nusra Front (group)," Pentagon spokesman Cpt Jeff Davis said on Friday. Meanwhile, Col Patrick Ryder, a spokesman for US Central Command (Centcom), said this happened on

Boko Haram: Why The World Needs to Help Nigeria and Her Neighbours Now

Tukur Buratai Nwachukwu Okafor President Buhari, last month, while on a visit to the President of Benin Republic, made a statement, that he hoped that Boko Haram the insurgent group fighting the Nigerian Army to establish a caliphate in North Eastern Nigeria, will be defeated by the end of the year. Again, recently after swearing in a crop of newly appointed military chiefs, the President asked them to defeat Boko Haram in three months. I like that President Buhari is an optimist. I also like the fact that Nigeria is being led by a seasoned General. One who has been to the best war colleges and seen action in a conventional battles. Nigeria’s Commander-in-Chief, is eminently qualified to make military projections, he also knows the officers that he recently appointed. That might have informed his confidence. My honest prayer is that Mr. President’s projections and charge to his officers will produce the required results. I am no military strategist. I am also not a retired army officer

The Killing of an American Jihadi

What made Awlaki such a compelling figure for extremists? He was charismatic and glib, but the key was his fluent English. Since the rise of Islamic State, it’s been easy to overlook terrorist organizations like al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). Yet not long ago AQAP was the terrorist group most feared by American officials—and it is still the one most focused on American targets. Much of its international prominence came from the late Anwar al-Awlaki, who was not AQAP’s leader but instead a terrorist guru cited as inspiration by a veritable rogues’ gallery. His disciples include Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the Nigerian “underwear suicide bomber" Source http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-killing-of-an-american-jihadi-1442961640

Turkey: For peace to succeed, PKK and HDP must part

The recently reignited conflict between Turkey and the Kurdish militant group the PKK and the faltering peace process has led to a spate of international confusion over who is who, who broke the ceasefire and why. Therefore, it seems appropriate to start with some facts. The PKK are a secessionist militant Marxist group that started a war against the Turkish state in 1984. They are recognised as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United States and the EU. The PKK have mostly operated from the Kandil mountains in the north of Iraq, but they also receive support and are present in Kurdish populated areas of Turkey.  The PKK have aspired to the role of sole representation of Kurdish rights, due to the lack of a political peace process and a legitimate Kurdish political voice in the Turkish parliament. Although Kurdish parties existed before, they were either closed or Kurdish MPs entered parliament as independent candidates.  The last few years have seen a dramatic turn of events. Fi