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Three alleged IS members from Karnataka killed in Iraq & Syria

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Isis fighters, pictured on a militant website verified by AP.

Bengaluru: Three youths from Karnataka are among the six Indians, who had allegedly joined ISIS, are reported to be killed in different conflict zones of Iraq and Syria, says an intelligence report prepared by foreign agencies and shared with Indian agencies.

The dead have been identified as Mohammad Umar Subhan (Bengaluru), Maulana Abdul Kadir Sultan Armar (Bhatkal), Faiz Masood (Bengaluru). The others are Athif Vaseem Mohammad (Adilabad, Telangana), Saheem Farooque Tanki (Thane, Maharashtra), and Mohammad Sajid alias Bada Sajid (Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh). The report also says 23 Indians have so far joined the ISIS.

Nasheman.in tried to contact the family of Faiz Masood, but was denied request.

The intelligence report suggests that there is a disproportionately high level of casualties among South Asian and African foreign terrorist fighters, since they are forced to the frontlines as foot soldiers.

Arab fighters with better battle experience are mostly positioned behind them and hence their casualties are proportionally less in terms of total numbers. This explains why so many Indians from a small Indian contingent have died, the report says.

Refugees stranded at border sew mouths shut to protest cruel treatment

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Balkan policies banning refugees based on nationality slammed as ‘inhumane’

Rights groups have rebuked European states for erecting fences and sealing off borders in the face of the worst crisis of global displacement since World War II. (Photo: Reuters)

Rights groups have rebuked European states for erecting fences and sealing off borders in the face of the worst crisis of global displacement since World War II. (Photo: Reuters)

by Sarah Lazare, Common Dreams

At least seven people sewed their mouths shut and many more blocked trains on the Greece-Macedonia border Monday to protest the intensifying Balkan crackdown and profiling of refugees and asylum seekers that is impacting those fleeing war and poverty from across the globe.

The demonstrations have been ongoing for at least four days and were organized in response to a recent decision by some Balkan countries to block refugees according to nationality in the wake of the November 13th Paris attacks.

Many of those who have bound their lips together are Iranian nationals on hunger strike for the right to seek asylum and refuge in Europe. They protest alongside numerous others—from Morocco, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and other countries—who are stranded in the Greek village of Idomeni.

Slovenia announced last week it is barring entry to all refugees except those fleeing Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan—declaring everyone else an “economic migrant” ineligible for admittance. Croatia, Serbia, and Macedonia soon after announced they will follow the same policy.

“I cannot go back. I will be hanged,” a 34-year-old Iranian man identified as Hamid toldReuters, explaining he wished to travel to “any free country in the world.”

In lively protests that continued through Monday, demonstrators chanted, rallied, and laid down on train tracks, with many from Pakistan holding signs illustrating human rights violations in their home country.

“We are also at war you know?” Yianni, a 34-year-old dentist from Cameroon, told IRIN News last week. “We have Boko Haram! I need to continue with my studies and my life.”

The decision has been denounced by refugees, rights campaigners, and global bodies. This includes the International Organization for Migration, the United Nations Refugee Agency, and UNICEF, which released a joint statement on Friday declaring that the profiling of refugees according to nationality “is becoming increasingly untenable from every point of view—humanitarian, legal, and also safety related, not least in light of falling temperatures and the risks for children and others with specific needs.”

“These measures by States are creating tension at border crossings and a domino effect, leaving in total limbo some refugees and migrants stranded at different border points,” the joint statement continued.

“To classify a whole nation as economic migrants is not a principle recognized in international law,” Rados Djurovic, director of the Belgrade-based Asylum Protection Center, told a Serbian state television station. “We risk violating human rights and asylum law.”

Rights groups have rebuked European states for erecting fences and sealing off borders in the face of the worst crisis of global displacement since World War II. In a report released last week, Amnesty International argued that such policies do not deter those fleeing war and poverty, but merely force them to take more dangerous voyages, placing them at greater risk of death.

US coalition strikes in Syria ‘killed 250 civilians’

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CENTCOM says it takes the allegations “seriously” after monitoring group details toll of anti-ISIl campaign so far.

File photo of an air strike by the US-led coalition seen from a hilltop outside Suruc, on the Turkey-Syria border [Vadim Ghirda/AP]

File photo of an air strike by the US-led coalition seen from a hilltop outside Suruc, on the Turkey-Syria border [Vadim Ghirda/AP]

by Diana Al Rifai, Al Jazeera

At least 3,952 people have been killed in the US-led coalition’s campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group in Syria, according to a monitoring group.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said on Monday the death toll included a total of 250 civilians.

The air strikes occurred in the period between September 2014 and November 23, 2015, SOHR said.

The US announced the formation of the coalition against ISIL in Syria and Iraq in September 2014 which then included 28 countries. It now includes 65 countries.

Among those killed were 66 children below the age of eight, and 44 children above the age of 18.

At least 3,547 ISIL fighters were killed in air strikes on Hama, Aleppo, Homs, Hasaka, Raqqa and Deir Az Zor.

The air strikes also killed 136 al-Nusra Front fighters.

CENTCOM response

The US Combined Joint Task Force’s Public Affairs desk told Al Jazeera the US Central Command (CENTCOM) takes all allegations of civilian casualties seriously and applies standards in its targeting process to avoid or to minimise civilian casualties.

“We take all allegations of civilian casualties seriously, and we apply very rigorous standards in our targeting process to avoid or to minimise civilian casualties in the first place,” a CENTCOM media officer said.

“We take great care – from analysis of available intelligence to selection of the appropriate weapon to meet mission requirements – in order to minimise the risk of collateral damage, particularly any potential harm to non-combatants.

“One completed investigation into two allegations surrounding a November 5, 2014, air strike in Harim City, Syria was released May 21 and found, based on the preponderance of evidence, that two non-combatant children were likely killed from a US air strike.

“We receive and review all allegations of civilian casualties no matter the source of the information,” they said.

When asked about ISIL casualties, CENTCOM said it does not release the number of ISIL fighters killed.

“As of November 13, the coalition has damaged or destroyed 16,075 targets.”

The coalition is also involved in providing military support to their partners in Syria and Iraq, in addition to humanitarian assistance to those affected by the conflict.

Russian warplane shot down near Turkey-Syria border

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Warplane crashes in village in Latakia province in Syria and two pilots seen ejecting from the aircraft.

The alleged violation by the Russian warplane according to Turkish authorities

The alleged violation by the Russian warplane according to Turkish authorities

by Al Jazeera

Turkey says it has shot down a Russian-made warplane on the Syrian border for violating Turkish airspace.

Two Turkish officials told Al Jazeera the plane was shot down on Tuesday by the Turkish military according to the rules of engagement.

Reports said the plane crashed in Syrian territory in Latakia’s Yamadi village.

A Turkish military statement said the plane violated Turkish airspace in Hatay province and was warned “10 times in five minutes”.

“Our two F-16 planes on air patrol duty intervened … on November 24, 2015, 9:24am, according to the rules of engagement,” the statement said.

Rebel forces have told Al Jazeera that bodies of both pilots have been recovered. It is also reported that Russian helicopters were searching for the pilots close to the Turkish-Syrian border.

The Turkish president’s office identified the warplane as Russian-made and said it was warned before being shot down, according to the semi-official Anadolu agency.

The Russian defence ministry acknowledged that an Su-24 fighter jet crashed in Syria as a result of fire from the ground.

The ministry was quoted by TASS Russian News Agency as saying: “A probe is in progress into the circumstances of the Russian plane crash.”

It said the plane had stayed within Syrian airspace and that “objective monitoring data confirm this”.

President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman called the downing of the warplane a “very serious incident”, but said it was too early to draw conclusions.

Al Jazeera’s Hashem Ahelbarra, reporting from Gaziantep, said the fighter jet was shot down near the mountains of Antakya.

“What we know so far is that a plane was shot down on Syria’s border with Turkey, near the mountains of Antakya, which is a scene of a lot of violence of late.

“Witnesses saw two pilots ejecting from the plane.”

Turkey’s Dogan news agency said witnesses reported that the warplane crashed over tents built in Yamadi village and that the pilots bailed out with the help of parachutes.

Ahmed Davutoglu, Turkey’s prime minister, has ordered the foreign ministry to consult NATO, the UN and related countries on the developments, his office said in a statement on Tuesday.

Last month, Davutoglu said Russia had described its warplane’s violation of Turkey’s airspace as a “mistake”.

A Russian aircraft had entered Turkish airspace near the Syrian border, prompting Turkey to scramble two F-16 jets to intercept it and summon Russia’s ambassador in protest.

“The Turkish armed forces are clearly instructed. Even if it is a flying bird it will be intercepted,” Davutoglu had said.

He warned Turkey’s enemies and allies not to infringe on its airspace but he dismissed the notion of tensions with Russia.

Centre sanctions Rs.939 crore for Tamil Nadu

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Tamil Nadu rain

New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government on Monday sanctioned immediate release of Rs.939 crore to Tamil Nadu as flood relief assistance.

Modi took the decision to help Tamil Nadu “assist it in dealing with the situation arising from the floods”, an official statement here said.

The sanction followed a request from the Tamil Nadu government.

A central government team is also being deputed to Tamil Nadu to assess the destruction caused by the torrential rains and floods. Further action will be taken after the team submits its report.

(Agencies)

BJP MLA R Jagadish Kumar dies of cardiac arrest

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jagadish_kumar

Bengaluru: BJP MLA R.Jagadish Kumar representing Hebbal Assembly Constituency passed away due to a cardiac arrest on Monday at a private Hospital in Bengaluru on Monday, November 23. He was 57.

According to sources, Jagadish felt uneasy while participating in the legislature session. He was immediately rushed to a private hospital.

He had earlier attended the BJP’s protest rally, besides actively taking part in the legislature session on Monday.

Kumar, who holds a B.E. degree in electronics, was an expert in land-related issues, especially the affairs of Bengaluru Development Authority and Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board.

He was a trusted lieutenant of former Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu, had been given ticket by the BJP to contest the 2013 Assembly elections, after Naidu was not considered following cases of irregularities related to the KIADB.

(Agencies)

Aamir Khan alarmed over intolerance, says his wife suggested leaving India

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Aamir Khan

New Delhi: Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan on Monday joined the chorus of intelligentsia against growing intolerance, saying he has been “alarmed” by a number of incidences and his wife Kiran Rao even suggested that they should probably leave the country.

He also virtually supported those returning their awards, saying one of the ways for creative people to express their dissatisfaction or disappointment is to return their awards.

“As an individual, as part of this country as a citizen, we read in the papers what is happening, we see it on the news and certainly, I have been alarmed. I can’t deny. I have been alarmed by a number of incidents,” he said while speaking here at the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards.

The actor said he also feels that the sense of insecurity and fear has been growing in the past six or eight months.

“When I chat with Kiran at home, she says ‘Should we move out of India?’ That’s a disastrous and big statement for Kiran to make. She fears for her child. She fears about what the atmosphere around us will be. She feels scared to open the newspapers every day.

“That does indicate that there is this sense of growing disquiet, there is growing despondency apart from alarm. You feel why this is happening, you feel low. That sense does exist in me,” 50-year-old Aamir said.

The actor said for any society, it is important to have a sense of security and sense of justice.

Taking potshots at politicians, he said “… People who are our elected representatives, people who we select to look after us for five years, state or centre… when people take law into their hands, we look upon these people to take a strong stance, to make a strong statement, speed up the legal process, when we see that happening there is a sense of security but when we don’t see that happening there is a sense of insecurity.”

Endorsing the move by scientists, writers and filmmakers to return their awards to register their protest against the atmosphere of growing intolerance, he said for creative people it is important to voice what they feel.

“A number of creative people — historians, scientists — increasingly had a certain feeling in them, which they felt they need to express. For creative people, one of the ways of expressing their dissatisfaction or their disappointment is to return their awards. I think that’s one way of getting your point across,” he said.

When asked whether he endorsed the protests by the people, Aamir said he would as long as it is non-violent as “all individuals have a right to protest and they can protest in any manner that they feel is right as long as they are not taking the law into their hands.”

(Agencies)

APJ Abdul Kalam’s nephew quits BJP over memorial row

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APJ Sheikh Salim

New Delhi: APJ Abdul Kalam’s grand nephew APJ Sheikh Salim on Monday quit BJP as he was reportedly upset with the government for not making the former president’s Delhi bungalow a memorial.

The Central government had recently allotted the bungalow at 10 Rajaji Marg to Union Tourism and Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma after Kalam’s family members vacated it on October 18.

Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu had said that the allocation was made as per “rules and procedures” of the government.

“All our ministers have been allocated government accommodation one after another. Only Mahesh Sharma could not be allocated,” he said.

Ex-president Abdul Kalam died due to a cardio attack on July 27, 2015 at the age of 84.

Salim had joined the BJP in 2012 in New Delhi.

“Our family and the Indian public requested the government of India to convert the house in Delhi where Dr Kalam lived to a National Knowledge Centre, but it rejected the request,” Salim said in his resignation letter to the state BJP chief.

“The ruling party which I took part in serving the public failed to fulfill the overall demand of the people of India. This act of the BJP government is disheartening to the public, and hence I am has forced to resign from the leadership position and basic membership of BJP,” CNN-IBN quoted him as saying in the letter.

(Agencies)

Earthquake recorded in northwest Pakistan near Afghan border

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earthquake-afghanistan

by Digby Lidstone, Reuters

Chitral: An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.9 was recorded on Sunday in northwest Pakistan, according to the United States Geological Survey.

There were no immediate reports of casualties from the quake, which struck 83 km (50 miles) north-northwest of the city of Chitral, in a sparsely populated area close to the border with Afghanistan.

Sri Lanka likely venue for Indo-Pak series

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The series is likely to be confined to three ODIs and two T20 Internationals instead of the original two Tests, five ODIs and two T20 Internationals, according to top BCCI sources.

The series is likely to be confined to three ODIs and two T20 Internationals instead of the original two Tests, five ODIs and two T20 Internationals, according to top BCCI sources.

Dubai: Sri Lanka has emerged as the likely venue for the much-awaited Indo-Pak bilateral cricket series and an official announcement may be made on November 27.

While the Board of Cricket Control of India (BCCI) made it clear that they will not play in the United Arab Emirates and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) refusing to play in India, the only feasible option left was the island nation, which will act as the neutral venue.

With only a month’s window available after India finish their Test Series against South Africa on December 7, the series is likely to be confined to three ODIs and two T20 Internationals instead of the original two Tests, five ODIs and two T20 Internationals, according to top BCCI sources.

The proceedings had been fast-tracked once BCCI president and current ICC chairman Shashank Manohar met PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan and senior official Najam Sethi here in presence of ECB supremo and chairman of ‘Pakistan Task Force’Giles Clarke.

Without divulging any details, both Sethi and Khan had said on Sunday that the meeting with Manohar was “fruitful” giving an indication that the deadlock on the marquee series was broken.

“Since PCB will need the permission of Nawaz Sharif before going official, Shaharyar Khan will need to go back to Islamabad and seek the Prime Minister’s permission. Once he gets the green light from the PM, he will again come back to Dubai and intimate his decision to Clarke. Clarke is likely to officially announce the series on November 27,” said the source.

It has been learnt that Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has been approached by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and they seem to be keen to host the series.

The two stadiums earmarked for the series are Khettarama (R Premadasa Stadium) and Pallekele (Kandy). While the receding monsoon has hit the island nation badly, the weather forecast for the last part of December looks good.

While some T20 matches are scheduled at the Khettarama, the SLC will reschedule them at the first notice, once the official announcement is made.

This will be the first time that a Test playing nation has rejected playing a series in the UAE since it became Pakistan’s adopted home after the 2009 Lahore attacks.

(PTI)

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