

Afghanistan

17 unidentified militants killed in Kapisa

About 17 unidentified militants were killed during military operation led by Afghan National Army personnel in Kapisa province, reports Bhaktar News.



Afghanistan

Ten SF personnel Killed in Zabul province

Ten Security Force (SF) personnel were killed when Taliban militant attacked the Atghar District center on July 23, reports Bhaktar News. Another 12 SFs members were wounded in the clashes.



Afghanistan

Seven Taliban militants killed in Baghlan Province

Seven armed Taliban militants including a local commander were killed in an air strike in Baghlan province on July 23, reports Bhaktar News



Bangladesh

Eight Neo-JMB militants charged over Holey Artisan café attack

Police on July 24 pressed charges against eight militants over the Holey Artisan café attack in Dhaka City on July 1, 2016, where 20 people, mostly foreigners, were killed off as hostages, reports The Daily Star. The charges brought against them are based on 75 pieces of evidence and 211 witnesses to the incident of the carnage. Those made accused are: Neo-Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (Neo-JMB) cadres Rakibul Islam Regan, Hadisur Rahman Sagor, Jahangir Hossain Rajeeb alias Rajeeb Gandhi, Aslam Hossain Rashed alias Rash, Abdus Sabur Khan alias Sohel Mahfuj, Mizanur Rahman alias Baro Mizan, Mamunur Rashid alias Ripon and Shariful Islam Khaled. Of them, the first six who gave confessional statements under section 164 are now in jail while the two others - Mamunur Rashid alias Ripon and Shariful Islam Khaled - are on the run. Meanwhile, Professor Hasnat Karim, a former teacher of North South University was dropped from the charge sheet as “investigation could not relate him with them. Earlier, Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit Chief Monirul Islam at a press briefing on July 23 said that the Neo-JMB’s attack on Holey Artisan Bakery on July 1, 2016, was aimed at achieving two goals – destabilizing Bangladesh and attracting the attention of international terror groups, reports Dhaka Tribune. He said “They wanted to turn Bangladesh into a militant state, destabilize the economy, embarrass and corner the government; so that foreign investors would leave or avoid the country. Their second goal was to draw the attention of international militant organizations and get technical and financial support along with arms and ammunition from them.”



India

CRPF personnel killed in militant attack in Jammu and Kashmir

A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, identified as Shankar Lal was killed and another injured in a militant attack near Fire and Emergency Services Headquarters in Batamaloo area of Srinagar District on July 24 afternoon, reports Daily Excelsior. Militants opened fire on the CRPF party of 23rd battalion in the afternoon at Batmaloo area of Srinagar who were performing duty on the main road. Sources said that two militants came on a motor cycle and fired at the CRPF men killing one of them and injuring another. Later, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) claimed responsibility for the attack. Separately, militants hurled grenade followed with firing on 42 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) camp at Lurgam in Tral in Pulwama District on July 24 evening, reports Daily Excelsior. The security guards retaliated. However, there was no loss of life or injury and militants fled under the cover of darkness. In a similar incident, militants also hurled a grenade on CRPF camp at Akoora Mattan in Anantnag District on July 24 evening, adds Daily Excelsior. However, there was no loss of life or injury and militants fled under the cover of darkness. Meanwhile, Police in Kupwara received information that two youth, identified as Iqbal Banday (18) and Gowhar Ahmad Wani (17) were missing since July 23, reports Daily Excelsior. Later on July 24, Police tracked down their movement and they were brought back from Tral in Pulwama District. One of them had uploaded his photo on social media taken at the grave of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) ‘commander’ Burhan Wani. Police said that the duo had the intention to join militancy. After counseling, Police handed over both the youth to their parents.



India

Maoist killed in Telangana

Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) ‘divisional committee’ member and In-charge of Cherla-Shabari area, identified as Arun (30) was killed in an encounter with Police in forest area of Cherla Mandal(administrative sub-division) in Bhadradri-Kothagudem District in Telangana on July 24, reports Business Standard. He was involved in more than 10 crimes, including three killings and landmine blasts, and carried a reward of INR 400,000 on his head. The Police Personnel were on a combing operation in the forest areas of Cherla Mandal(administrative sub-division) bordering Chhattisgarh when came under attack by a group of CPI-Maoist cadresfollowing which they returned fire in self-defence. The Police recovered a .303 rifle and four kit bags from the encounter spot. Arun remained underground for the past ten years as senior Maoist cadre.



India

Boy injured in shell blast in Jammu and Kashmir

A 10-year-old boy, identified as Ashiq Hussain was injured when an unexploded shell went off near the Line of Control (LoC) in Shahpur sector in Poonch District on July 24, reports Daily Excelsior. He was injured when he reportedly started fiddling with some unexploded ammunition, sources said. Sources said small arms firing was also reported for over half-an-hour in the nearby Sawjian sector in the early hours on July 24 but further details were awaited. Sources, however, said there was no ceasefire violation and the firing were resorted by Army to challenge suspicious movements noticed along the LoC. There was no report of any casualty in the incident, they said.



India

Unidentified assailants fire at tea estate assistant manager in Assam

Assam Tribune reports that on July 24 alleged naga militants opened fire at an assistant manager of a tea garden under Selenghat Police station in Jorhat District, reports Assam Tribune. According to the manager Prodyut Phukon a group of about 15 armed persons wearing camouflaged dress with black cloth tied on their heads entered the estate. The manager also added that earlier had received an extortion demand of INR eight million in August 2017. Separately he had received an extortion demand of INR six million as well. Additionally, Nagaland Post reports that tension prevailed along Nagaland-Assam border (Mokokchung-Amgrui road) bordering Tuli. Villagers blocked near Amguri blockaded the road after the reports of the alleged shooting. According to some sources, around three unknown miscreants fired in the air to scare away some workers who were cutting jungles in the border area.



India

Two suspected JMB operatives arrested in Uttar Pradesh

In a joint operation by the Uttar Pradesh’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Noida Police, and the West Bengal Police on July 24, two Bangladesh nationals—Rubel Ahmed aka Munir ul-Islam and Musharraf Hussain aka Musa, suspected members of Jammat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), were arrested from Gautam Buddh Nagar District of Uttar Pradesh, reports The Hindu. They managed to escape from Bangladesh in March 2018 and started operating in Noida and Ghaziabad Districts, read a statement issued by the ATS. However, no recoveries of any arms, cash or narcotics were made from them upon their arrest. A joint investigation will be carried out, said Uttar Pradesh’s Director-General of Police (DGP) O.P. Singh.



India

NSCN-U linkmen arrested from Assam-Arunachal Pradesh interstate boundary

Indian Army arrested two National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Unification (NSCN-U) linkmen been identified as Dongbung Hukhun and Bhabang Hukhun on July 22 from Assam-Arunachal interstate boundary, reports The Sentinel. The arrested linkmen were carrying INR 5,00,000 of ransom money to NSCN-U camp located in Arunachal Pradesh. The linkmen also informed that two businessmen had been abducted by the outfit some days earlier and the outfit had demanded INR one million as ransom.



India

Section 144 CrPC imposed in West Kameng in Arunachal Pradesh

Section 144 CrPC has been imposed throughout the district from July 23 over apprehension of law and order issues in view of the Students United Movement of All Arunachal’s (SUMAA) ultimatum that it would hold its second phase of agitation over grievances related to the Tibetan Rehabilitation Policy, 2014, reports Northeast Today. On 13 July, the SUMAA staged a protest rally against Tibetan refugees in West Kameng district who possess permanent structures outside their designated refugee settlement areas, fake trading licences, permanent residential certificates, and Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificates alongside their refugee cards.



India

Financial assistance and skill training for 18,000 ex-militants in Assam

State Minister for skill, employment and entrepreneurship announced skill training and financial assistance to 18,000 ex-militants, reports The Telegraph on July 24. The Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary stated that We will provide three months' skill training for 18,000 ex-militants and financial assistance to set up their own units. The police department will provide the lists of the ex-militants. A sum of INR 1,00,000 lakh financial assistance per beneficiary will be provided. Our government is providing 20 per cent subsidy, INR 25,000 has to be put up by the beneficiary and INR 50,000 will be given by the bank as loan”.



India

338 ceasefire violations reported during Ramzan along border in Jammu and Kashmir, says UMHA

A total of 338 incidents of ceasefire violation and cross-border firings were reported in Jammu and Kashmir during the month of Ramzan, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said on July 24, reports Daily Excelsior. At least 14 Security Forces (SFs) personnel and 11 civilians were killed in the cross-border firing from Pakistan in April and June, he told the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Indian Parliament). “During the month of Ramzan – from May 17 to June 16 – altogether 338 incidents of ceasefire violation and cross-border firings were reported in Jammu and Kashmir as against 139 during April 16 to May 16,” the Minister said, replying to a written question. Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, responding to a separate question, on July 24 said as many as 272 infiltrations were reported along the Indo-Myanmar border, 108 along the Indo-Pakistan border and just five along the Indo-Bangladesh border in 2015-17.



India

HuM ‘commander’ pledged allegiance to Islamic State; claimed ISI threatened for his exit from HuM, says report

The Indian Intelligence agencies got information from unspecified sources that Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM)’s ‘commander’— Umar Khalifa has declared his exit from HuM and pledged allegiance with the Islamic State (IS), reports The Times of India on July 24. On unspecified channel of Telegram application, Khalifa aka Ishfaq Ahmed Sofi has denounced via text and audio message that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) are Murtad (apostate) and accused ISI for threatening his family and demanding ransom for Khalifa’s exit from HuM. "Today I publicly announce my dis-association from the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen— organisation run by Murtad (ISI) and establishment of Taghoot of democratic Pakistan. I publicly announce that Sheikh Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi al-Qureshi is my commander and Khalif," read a message from Umar Khalifa released at his Telegram channel [unspecified].



India

Maldivian jihadist beheaded in Syria, says report

Maldives’ National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) has confirmed that a man—Ahmed Zubair who had left the Maldives to join conflict in Syria with his wife and children, has been beheaded by a rival militant group in Syria, reports Avas on July 25. Reportedly, Zubair who was fighting for the Islamic State (IS) was abducted and beheaded by IS’s rival al-Nusra Front operatives. However, NCTC is looking into the circumstances surrounding Zubair’s killing, read a statement issued by NCTC.



Nepal

NC lawmakers obstruct NA over who would speak first

Nepali Congress (NC) lawmakers obstructed the National Assembly (NA) meeting on July 24 following a dispute between the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) and NC over who would speak first, reports The Himalayan Times. After NA Chairperson Ganesh Prasad Timilsina allowed NCP Chief Whip Khim Lal Bhattarai to speak first, NC lawmakers stood from their seats and obstructed the proceedings. “We were not allowed to speak in the House,” said the NC Chief Whip Surendra Pandey. However, NCP Chief Whip Bhattarai said the NC didn’t allow them to speak. “I don’t know why they didn’t allow us to speak,” Bhattarai said. According to a source, NC lawmakers obstructed the meeting as they were not in the mood to listen to NCP lawmakers. Meanwhile, Prime Minister and NCP Chairman KP Sharma Oli in his address to a programme on July 24 called on the main opposition, NC, to move ahead by accepting democratic process, reports Republica. "The parliament formulates laws and the NC is ready to accept it or not?", he questioned. He went on to say that undemocratic, reactionary and anti-people efforts were not acceptable for the Government.



Pakistan

28 persons killed in suicide attack in Quetta

At least 28 persons, including five Policemen and two minors, were killed and 30 injured in a suicide attack near a school area in the Bhosa Mandi area on the Eastern Bypass of Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, on July 25 (Today), reports The Express Tribune. The attack targeted the convoy of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Abdul Razzaq Cheema, who remained unhurt in the attack while Station House Officer (SHO) Bhosa Mandi succumbed to his injuries. Province Balochistan - 31 (PB-31) and National Assembly – 266 (NA-266) fall in this constituency. The causality figure might rise as the story is a developing. Meanwhile, the Frontier Corps (FC) on July 24 arrested three suspected militants belonging to banned outfits from different areas of Dera Bugti, Sui and Chaman of Balochistan as it foiled terror bid to disrupt peaceful conduct of General elections on July 25, reports The Express Tribune. “FC official statement said that one prepared improvised explosive device (IED) was recovered which was destroyed in Situ. Moreover, a cache of explosives, arms and ammunition were also recovered. The recovered items included: explosives weighing six kilogrammes, huge quantity of 120mm and 81mm, mortar bombs, RPG-7 rockets, hand grenades, Kalakof, sub-machine gun (SMG), pistol alongside huge quantity of ammunition, 255 rounds of sniper rifle, large number of fuses used in preparation of IEDs and accessories of 14.5 gun and China light machine gun (LMG).



Sri Lanka