

Afghanistan

At least 51 anti-government militias killed across 11 Provinces

At least 51 anti-government militias were killed and dozens other injured following military operations launched by Afghan Security Forces within the last 24 hours across the country, Bakhtar News reports on August 16. Ministry of National Defense press office stated that the operations were conducted in insecure areas of Nangarhar, Ghazni, Kandahar, Urozgan, Zabul, Farah, Badghis, Faryab, Balkh, Kunduz and Helmand Provinces.



Afghanistan

11 anti-government militias killed in Lashkargah Province

At least 11 anti-government militias were killed during air attack launched by Afghan Air Forces in Helmand Province the night of August 15, reports Bakhtar News. The militants were killed in Sangeen District and Lashkargah city (Lashkargah Distrcit), the provincial capital of the province. Several hideouts of militants were also destroyed following the attack.



Afghanistan

Three Haqqani Network militants killed in Khost Province

Three members of Haqqani Network were killed by Afghan Security Forces in Nader Shah Koot District of Khost Province, Bakhtar News reports on August 16.



Bangladesh

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was also involved in August 15 carnage conspiracy, says Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina while addressing a discussion organised by the Awami League (AL) at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre marking the National Mourning Day and the 43rd anniversary of martyrdom of Bangabandhu on August 16 said there is no doubt that Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Khaleda Zia was also involved in the August 15 carnage conspiracy, reports The Daily Star. “Zia's wife [Khaleda] brought self-confessed killer of the Father of the Nation [Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman] to parliament by rigging votes. What does it mean? It was not only Zia but also his wife was involved in the conspiracy of the August 15 carnage. There is no doubt,” Hasina said.



India

Woman Maoist killed in an encounter in Chhattisgarh

A woman Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadre was killed in an encounter with Security Forces (SFs) in Dantewada District of Chhattisgarh on August 16, reports PTI. The encounter took place at around 3:30 pm in the forests of Masapara village under Bhansi Police Station area when a team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) was out on an anti-Naxal [Left Wing Extremism, LWE] operation, Dantewada, Superintendent of Police (SP), Abhishek Pallava told PTI. Acting on information about the presence of 10-15 Maoists in Masapara hills, the patrolling team, comprising around 200 personnel, combed the area, located around 400 kilometers from the State capital, Raipur, he said. When SFs were encircling a particular spot, they came under fire from Maoists, triggering the encounter, Pallava said. After the exchange of fire, the Maoists fled into the core forest area. During a search of the encounter spot, the body of a woman Maoist was recovered along with two rifles of different makes, the Police said. The slain Maoist was yet to be identified, the SP said.



India

Maoists bombed under-construction cowshed site in Bihar

Suspected Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres attacked an under-construction cowshed site in Bara village in Aurangabad District of Bihar late on August 15 night, reports The Telegraph. Police said a group of heavily armed CPI-Maoist squad reached Bara village under Deo Police Station in Aurangabad District around midnight and brutally assaulted daily workers engaged in construction of the cowshed. The rebels, who were carrying explosives as well as sophisticated weapons, later set ablaze a water tank, a tractor and a motorbike. Residents told Police that explosives went off injuring a few cows. Aurangabad Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Naxal [Left Wing Extremism, LWE] operation, Rajesh Kumar said that the Maoists were protesting construction of a cow-shed in the Kaimur Plateau area. The Maoists also had threatened to stall the ongoing work, but the cow protection committee didn't adhere to the warning and continued to work. Around midnight, the Maoists attacked the construction site and set ablaze the vehicles and other equipment. They also abandoned a hand-written pamphlet at the spot, which the Police later seized. ASP, Rajesh, however, denied any worker or cow was injured in the blast.



India

Army personnel injured as Army foiled infiltration bid along LoC in Jammu and Kashmir

An Army personnel was injured as Army foiled an infiltration attempt on the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera sector of Rajouri District on August 15, reports Daily Excelsior. Official sources said alert Army troops noticed movement along the LoC in Nowshera sector at 5.15 am on August 15 morning and challenged the militants, who were trying to infiltrate into the Indian territory. When challenged, the armed intruders opened firing on the Army, who retaliated, leading to exchange of gun battle. Pakistan army posts, in a bid to facilitate the infiltration attempt, also opened firing to give cover to the intruders. Meanwhile, a joint team of Army and Police recovered three mines, three Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), three RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades), three boosters, one Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL), 13 detonators and some tablets from forward village of Sarya in Bhawani area of Nowshera sector in Rajauri District on August 16, reports Daily Excelsior. Also, Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lieutenant General Anil Chouhan on August 16 told his Pakistani counterpart that infiltration attempts by the terrorists were a major cause of concern saying these activities have increased in the areas of North of Pir Panjal mountain ranges, reports Daily Excelsior. Lieutenant General Chouhan made his stand clear during the DGMO level talks between India and Pakistan on August 16, which were initiated at the behest of latter. “The Indian DGMO emphatically stated that infiltration attempts were a major cause of concern. He also informed the Pakistan DGMO that these activities have increased in the areas of North of Pir Panjal mountain ranges. Pakistan must institute measures to prevent infiltration from the launch pads located on its side of the Line of Control (LoC),’’ official sources said. They said the Pakistani DGMO gave an assurance that Pakistan army would take prompt action against move of inimical elements in proximity to the LoC and respond to information shared by the Indian side thereby facilitating conduct of anti-terrorist operations.



India

Two Bihar-based Maoists arrested in West Bengal

Police arrested two suspected Bihar-based Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadresfrom Barakhor area near Asansol in West Burdwan District of West Bengal on August 14 evening, while they were on their way to Purulia District of the State, reports The Telegraph. Jitendra Singh alias Tiger of Aurangabad and Hareram Paswan from Sasaram in Rohtas Districts of Bihar, were arrested from Barakar bus stand in Kulti of West Burdwan. Mohammad Sana Aktar, Assistant Commissioner of Police (west), said Jitendra is a Maoist ‘zonal commander’ in Aurangabad, while Hareram is a squad member. A 9mm pistol and five rounds of cartridges were seized from their procession.



India

Woman Maoist surrenders in Odisha

A woman Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadre, carrying a reward of INR 100,000 on her head, surrendered before the Border Security Force (BSF) sector headquarters, Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Bijendra Singh in Malkangiri District of Odisha on August 16, reports The New Indian Express. A native of Sanyasiguda village under Chitrakonda Police limits, Nayana Khillo (19) was working as a party member of Gumma area committee of CPI (Maoist) Malkangiri division under Andhra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC) since 2016, said Superintendent of Police (SP), Jagmohan Meena. SP, Meena said the surrendered cadre was involved in various crimes like exchange of fire at Ramaguda jungle in cut-off region in October 2016, setting on fire of vehicles engaged in road construction at Babumundi Ghat near Mudulipada in December last year, 2017, and exchange of fire near Tikarpada village in cut-off area in February this year, 2018. SP, Meena further said intensified operations by Security Forces (SFs) after the opening of Gurupriya Bridge, mindless killings by the Maoists and the inhuman activities of Maoist leaders like Sudheer alias Dhanarjaya Gope forced Nayana to join the mainstream.



India

Surrender appeal to 19 rebels in Jharkhand

At least 38 key Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres are active in Jharkhand as listed by the State Home Department, and as many as 19 Maoists are operational in Palamu District of Jharkhand, reports The Telegraph on August 17. On August 13, Palamu, Superintendent of Police (SP), Indrajeet Mahatha issued a signed appeal to all 19 Maoists and their families, Sandeep alias Vijay Yadav (42), prominently among them, a Bihar-Jharkhand ‘special area committee member’, who operates in Burha Pahar in Latehar District and carrying INR 500,000 on his head in Bihar and INR 2.5 million in Jharkhand, asking them to surrender. SP, Mahatha asked the Maoists to return to the mainstream and "reap huge benefits of State's surrender policy". Of the 19 Maoists listed in Palamu SP's appeal, six including Sandeep, are from Bihar. From Jharkhand, nine are from Palamu, three from Chatra and one from Latehar District. Others from Bihar are Kalikaji, Vinayji, Seetaram Rajwar, Nitesh Yadav and Arvind Bhuiyan. Palamu's nine Maoists are Raheeman, Kundan, Nand Kishore, Alok Yadav, Madan Yadav, Vishwanath Bhuiyan, Santu, Godrai and Abhijit. From Chatra are Paramjit, Abhyas Bhuiyan and Navin, while Manohar Ganjhu is from Latehar. All these Maoists carry rewards anywhere between INR 500,000 and INR 1.5 million on their heads.



India

ED issues notice to APHC-G chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) issued a show cause notice to All Parties Hurriyat Conference-Geelani (APHC-G) chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani under Foreign Exchange Management Act 1999 (FEMA), reports Daily Excelsior on August 17. The ED, Srinagar Zone in a fresh notice issued on August 10 said that after considering cause shown by you to the show cause notice, the Assistant Director is of the opinion that adjudication proceedings as contemplated in sub section 13 of the FEMA should be held against you (Geelani).“You are therefore, required to present yourself personally or through authorized representative before the Assistant Director for personal hearing on September 5 or 6, 2018 at 1430 hrs in the office of ED, Srinagar zone, Raj Bagh,” the notice said. Meanwhile, HC has termed the ED notice to Geelani as biased and unrealistic.



India

Mumbai terror suspect received ‘terror training’ in Pakistan, claimed Maharashtra’s ATS

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on August 16 claimed in its chargesheet that Faisal Mirza (32)—a terror suspect arrested in May for alleged conspiracy to carry out terrorist attack in several cities of India, had received training for “explosives and suicide bombing” in Pakistan, reports The New Indian Express. With the assistance from agents of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Mirza’s unidentified cousin sent him to terror-training camp based near Rawalpindi in Pakistan. There he was trained in using weapons, making explosives and suicide bombings for the purpose of carrying out terror activities in Mumbai, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, said an unnamed ATS officer.



India

‘Sikhs For Justice’ misleading Sikhs, says Rajoana

Balwant Singh Rajoana—a prime accused of Punjab’s former Chief Minister (CM) Beant Singh’s assassination case, on August 14 has claimed that United States (US)-based pro-Khalistan group— Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) were only misleading Sikhs over the ‘Referendum 2020’, reports The Tribune. “I am against Referendum 2020. These people [SFJ] do not want to make a separate nation, but are trying to divide the Khalsa Panth [community] and collecting funds. They have been betraying Sikhs for over 34 years”, said Rajoana.



Maldives

Upcoming Presidential elections would be fair, claims Maldives’ Foreign Ministry

The Maldives’ Foreign Ministry has stated that the government is aware of concerns raised by the international allies over the transparency of upcoming Presidential elections and would like to ensure that the elections would be a free and fair elections in the Maldives, reports Maldives Times on August 17. The Presidential Election is scheduled to be held on 23 September 2018. The campaigning for the election is progressing smoothly in a peaceful environment and the Government is working closely with the Election Commission (EC) and all relevant stakeholders to ensure that the election is free, fair and credible, read the statement released by the Foreign Ministry.



Nepal

Prime Minister urges all not to doubt implementation of constitution

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli during a programme organized on 'Civil and Criminal Code and Their Implementation Challenges' on August 16 urged one and all not to doubt implementation of constitution and Government activities on exercising loktantra, reports Republica. Oli said efforts were on to establish the democratic system which is gained with much rigor and struggle.



Pakistan