Assam: NDFB-IKS: Caught in a Vice
Sep 15, 2024, at 11:21 pm
Research Assistant, Institute for Conflict Management On September 3, 2015, a cadre of the IK Songbijit faction of National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB-IKS), identified as Bhaigo Boro alias B. Bilaigra, was killed in an encounter with the Security Forces (SFs) at Saumukhi Nala near Diglipara village in Kokrajhar District. He was reportedly involved in the December 23, 2014,massacre of Adivasis (the "tea tribes" from Central India, who were brought into the Northeast to work on plantations by the British prior to India's independence) in which 69 people were killed at several places in the Chirang, Sonitpur and Kokrajhar Districts.
Sep 15, 2024, at 11:22 pm
Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management On August 10, 2015, Pakistan Rangers in Sindh stated that the first stage of the ongoing 'targeted action' in Karachi, the provincial capital, had been completed. On September 4, 2013, the Federal Cabinet had empowered the Rangers to lead the 'targeted action' with the support of the Police, against criminals involved in the "four heinous crimes of target-killing, kidnapping, extortion and terrorism". The Federal Minister of Interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, laying emphasis that this was to be a 'targeted action' or 'exercise', rather than an operation, had announced that a committee headed by the provincial Chief Minister Syed Qim Ali Shah would "manage, administer and control" the action.
Sep 15, 2024, at 11:29 pm
Editor, SAIR; Executive Director, Institute for Conflict Management & South Asia Terrorism Portal The Home Minister of Punjab Province, Colonel Shuja Khanzada (Retd.) and 22 others, including Deputy Superintendent of Police Shaukat Shah, were killed, and another 23 were injured, in a suicide attack on August 15, 2015. According to reports, the attacks took place when between 50-100 people were attending a jirga at Khanzada's political office in the Shadi Khan Village of Attock District. Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mushtaq Sukhera subsequently disclosed, "There were two suicide bombers, one stood outside the boundary wall and the second one went inside and stood in front of the Minister. The blast by the bomber standing outside ripped the wall which caused the roof to fall flat on the Minister and people gathered there." Sukhera added that Police were investigating whether the attacker inside the building detonated a bomb.
Maoists: Never forgive, never forget
Sep 15, 2024, at 11:29 pm
Research Assistant, Institute for Conflict Management A former Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadre, identified as Madhav Warlu Padda (38), was killed by his former colleagues with sharp weapons near Mauja-Kotmi village in Etapally area of Gadchiroli District in Maharashtra on July 22, 2015. An unnamed official said the former Maoist was eliminated because the Maoists were against his decision to surrender. He had surrendered in November 2014. Before his surrender, Padda had been with the Kasansoor Dalam (armed squad) of the CPI-Maoist for 10 years, since 2005.
Sep 15, 2024, at 11:30 pm
Publisher, SAIR; President, Institute for Conflict Management A day-long standoff between the Punjab Police and three terrorists who had holed up in an abandoned housing complex in the Dinanagar Police Station campus in the Gurdaspur District of Punjab in the early hours of July 27, 2015, ended with the killing of the last of the three terrorists just after 5 pm. A Superintendent of Police and three Home Guards also lost their lives in this gratuitous attack, which included the killing of three civilians in random shootings by the terrorists that led up to the final denouement at the Police Station. Separately, five bombs were found and defused on the Amritsar-Pathankot railway track in Gurdaspur, and initial speculation has linked these to the same group.
Sep 15, 2024, at 11:30 pm
Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management On July 7, 2015, after weeklong deliberations, the Constituent Assembly (CA) endorsed the preliminary draft of the new Constitution, clearing the way for public consultations on its provisions. Further, on July 9, 2015, the CA endorsed an action plan for publicizing the draft Constitution and provided 15 days to the Committee on Citizen Relation and Public Opinion Collection to gather people's views on the document and submit its report to the CA.
Manipur: Kuki negotiations drag on
Sep 15, 2024, at 11:31 pm
Research Assistant, Institute for Conflict Management The Manipur State Government on June 9, 2015, agreed to extend the Suspension of Operations (SoO) with the United People's Front (UPF), an umbrella organisation of eight Kuki / Zomi militant groups, for another year till June 8, 2016. The talks with the rebel conglomerate were also upgraded to "political" from the earlier 'official' level. Later, former Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga, who was present in New Delhi and played a significant role during the whole process, stated on June 14, 2015, that delays in peace talks between the Centre and militant groups was harming mutual trust between the two sides. Zoramthanga argued, "Years have passed after signing SoO earlier, but without any formal parleys," adding that the groups had refused to sign the SoO over the preceding nine months [the previous agreement lapsed on August 21, 2014] creating an explosive situation in the North East. Zoramthanga further announced that, "The government has agreed to a political settlement with the members of eight underground groups." Zoramthanga has been facilitating contacts between the rebels and Government, and concedes, "I am neither an interlocutor nor an official mediator. My role was to build mutual trust between the Government and the groups. I just helped both the sides take part in the meeting."
Sep 15, 2024, at 11:31 pm
Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management In a major breakthrough, paving the way for promulgating a new Constitution, four major political parties - the Nepali Congress (NC), Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (UCPN-M) and Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Loktantrik (MJF-L) - signed a 16-point agreement on June 8, 2015. The agreement was signed by the NC President and Nepal Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, CPN-UML Chairman K.P. Oli, UCPN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda and MJF-L Chairman Bijay Kumar Gachhadar.
Sep 15, 2024, at 11:32 pm
Research Assistant, Institute for Conflict Management The Tripura Government on May 27, 2015, announced its recommendation to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) to issue a notification for the withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958, and the Disturbed Areas Act (DAA), 1967, from the State. The decision followed a go ahead from security agencies in the State.
Sep 15, 2024, at 11:33 pm
Research Assistant, Institute for Conflict Management As long as we rely upon the hammer when a file is needed and press Islam into service to solve situations it was never intended to solve, frustration and disappointment must dog our steps.. The Munir Report, 1954
Nagaland: Rudderless Process, Aimless Violence
Sep 15, 2024, at 11:34 pm
Research Assistant, Institute for Conflict Management As the violent incidents of last few months suggest, NSCN-K's decision to unilaterally call off the ceasefire, the split within its ranks, and the Union Government's failure to make any progress with regard to talks with NSCN-IM, could lead to greater violence in Nagaland and neighboring northeastern states. SFs, who had enjoyed clear respite from terror, will, in particular, face the brunt of escalating violence, if these developments continue. Intelligence inputs predict a spike in hit-and-run attacks on SFs over the coming days, particularly by NSCN-K militants operating from across the Indo-Myanmar border. SAIR Volume 13, No. 41, April 13, 2015
Sep 15, 2024, at 11:34 pm
Research Assistant, Institute for Conflict Management On March 31, two Assam Rifles (AR) troopers identified as Havildar N.K. Dolly and Havildar B.N. Kshetri were killed and Rifleman G.D. Shastra was wounded in an ambush by cadres of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) at a location between Kamjong and Kongkan villages in the Hill District of Ukhrul. A PLA 'sergeant', Prem, was also killed in the incident. The PLA militants exploded an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), then rained bullets on the troops. Two IEDs were recovered during the subsequent search by Security Forces (SFs) in the area. On April 1, PLA claimed that the assault was carried out by a team of its 'tactical command'.
Maoists: Chhattisgarh: TCO Escalates
Sep 15, 2024, at 11:34 pm
Research Assistant, Institute for Conflict Management .our subjective forces seriously lag behind the objective situation. Thus we see the contradiction, the glaring gap between the potential of the objective situation and the subjective capacities of the Maoist forces. The history of the world revolution teaches us that the principal way to overcome this is by waging revolution and advancing to victory.
Sep 15, 2024, at 11:35 pm
Research Fellow, Institute for Conflict Management Two cadres of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) were killed in an encounter with the Police near Janakipuram in Nalgonda District of the newly constituted Telangana State, on April 4, 2015. One Police Constable was killed while another Policeman was injured during the encounter. Telangana Director General of Police (DGP) Anurag Sharma in an April 5 release, stated that the slain duo were identified as Mohammed Aijazuddeen, a native of Kareli in the Narsinghpur District of Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Mohammed Aslam alias Bilal, who hailed from Ganesh Talai in the Khandwa District of MP. Sharma added, "Aijajuddeen and Aslam have been the active members of Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) in Madhya Pradesh and were involved in acts of terror in India."
West Bengal: Maoist Decimation
Sep 15, 2024, at 11:35 pm
Research Assistant, Institute for Conflict Management The Maoists, who were rampaging across the Jungal Mahal region of West Bengal in 2009-10, appear to be in no position to do anything to revive the movement in the State after the body blows that they suffered with the killing of politburo member Mallojula Koteswara Rao aka Kishanji, on November 24, 2011. Maoist activities have come to complete halt in the State since then. According to partial data collected by the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), West Bengal recorded zero fatalities in all categories in 2014 and, so far, in 2015. According to Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) data, not even a single incident of Maoist violence was recorded in West Bengal in 2014, while just one incident was recorded in 2013.
Chhattisgarh: Counter-offensive amidst Losses
Sep 15, 2024, at 11:40 pm
Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management Continuing the momentum after the December 1, 2014, Kasalpar [Sukma] attack on Security Forces (SFs), in which 14 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, including two officers, were killed, Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres killed at least seven civilians in six incidents, and 10 SF personnel in nine incidents, while losing just three cadres in two incidents, as of February 25, 2015, in Chhattisgarh. Interestingly, there has not been a single major incident [resulting in a total of three or more casualties] in this period, indicating that the Maoists are going about their business steadily, without drawing much attention to themselves.
Arunachal Pradesh: Persisting Irritants
Sep 15, 2024, at 11:40 pm
Research Assistant, Institute for Conflict Management Two civilian porters were killed and nine Assam Rifles troopers were injured in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast at Monmao village, near the India-Myanmar border, in the Changlang District of Arunachal Pradesh, on February 6, 2015. One of the injured AR trooper succumbed to his injuries a day later. An unnamed source from the Khaplang faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K) claimed that the attack was a joint operation by the NSCN-K and the Independent faction of United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA-I), against the Indian Army. This is the only case of terrorism related killing in the State in 2015, thus far.
Sep 15, 2024, at 11:41 pm
Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management In the night of February 12, 2014, some 15 armed cadres of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) hacked a tribal, identified as Samuel Badra (50), to death in the tribal-dominated Pattamunda village under Pallahara Police Station limits of Angul District. Maoists left some posters at the incident site claiming he was punished for being a 'police informer'.
Sep 15, 2024, at 11:41 pm
Research Assistant, Institute for Conflict Management Tripura, the location of one of India's most virulent insurgencies, has now evolved into one of the most peaceful states in India's troubled Northeastern region. The state registered no terrorism-related fatalities through 2013, but the record was tarnished by four such fatalities in 2014, according to partial data compiled by theSouth Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP). In the process, the trend of continuous decline in such fatalities recorded since 2004 (with the exception of 2012) was reversed. In 2012, Tripura had recorded two fatalities (both militants) as against one (civilian) in 2011.
Andhra Pradesh: Maoists: Waning Support
Sep 15, 2024, at 11:41 pm
Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management Communist Party of India - Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres, along with a large number of armed militia members and sympathisers, attacked and destroyed an Ashram(hermitage) of a local spiritual guru, Jaggamdora Simhachalam akaSatyanarayana, at Gurramveedhi village in the G. Madugula mandal (administrative unit) of Vishakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh, in the night of January 17, 2015. Simhachalam was not at his Ashram at the time of the attack. Maoists beat up six persons present in the Ashram and set afire furniture, vehicles and a shed. Claiming responsibility for the incident the Korukonda 'local area committee', left pamphlets and hung a banner saying that the Ashram was attacked in retaliation to the killing of Sharath and militia member P. Ganapathi on October 19, 2014, and that Simhachalam would not be spared.
Nagaland: Evasive Reconciliation
Sep 15, 2024, at 11:42 pm
Research Assistant, Institute for Conflict Management The relative peace achieved in Nagaland was further consolidated through 2014, as insurgency-related fatalities continued to decline. According to partial data compiled by the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP) the State recorded a total of 15 fatalities, including 11 civilians and four militants in 2014; as compared to 32 fatalities in 2013, including 11 civilians and 21 militants; a decline of 53.12 per cent.
Sep 15, 2024, at 11:42 pm
Research Assistant, Institute for Conflict Management The trend of rising insurgency-related fatalities in Meghalaya continued through 2014, with a total of 76 fatalities, as compared to 60 in 2013, an increase of 26.67 per cent, according to partial data compiled by the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP). Consequently, the State continued to hold the dubious distinction of being the second-worst insurgency affected State in the Northeast in terms of overall fatalities, with Assam accounting for the highest number of fatalities at 305.Meghalaya secured this unenviable position for the first time in 2013.
Sep 15, 2024, at 11:42 pm
Publisher: SAIR; President, Institute for Conflict Management
Jammu and Kashmir: Frantic Thrust
Sep 15, 2024, at 11:45 pm
With major terrorist attacks intended to disrupt the electoral process in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), India accused Pakistan of "mainstreaming terrorism", even as the first two of five phases of the State Assembly Elections conducted on November 25 and November 30, 2014, registered record turn-outs of 71.28 and 72.1 per cents, respectively. Evidently, the anxiety within the establishment at Islamabad has been pushed to a new level, and terrorist groups operating in J&K, directly under the aegis of Pakistan's external intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), unleashed a series of attacks just two days after the first round of polls.
Sep 15, 2024, at 11:47 pm
On October 9, 2014, Security Forces (SFs) killed an unidentified militant of the IK Songbijit faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB-IKS) at Tarajuli in the Sonitpur District of Assam. One pistol, a grenade and some ammunition were recovered from the slain militant.
Sep 15, 2024, at 11:52 pm
On August 24, 2014, the Border Security Force (BSF) killed two terrorists along the International Border (IB) in Jammu District. The terrorists, while attempting to intrude into Indian territory, were receiving covering fire from Pakistani Rangers across the border.
Waziristan: Terror Destination
Sep 15, 2024, at 11:59 pm
Waziristan, Pakistan's lawless tribal region, which has for long served as a safe haven for terrorist groups operating in India, Afghanistan, and other countries, is, according to the latest reports, now hosting a new terrorist formation, the Ansar Al-Tawheed fi Bilad Al-Hind (ATBH, Supporters of Monotheism in the Land of India). According to a May 22, 2014 news report, "the cadres of Ansar Al-Tawheed can be seen training at al Qaeda training camps in Pakistan's North Waziristan."
Pakistan: Self-inflicted Wounds
Sep 15, 2024, at 11:59 pm
In an attack symbolic of the deteriorating security environment across Pakistan, more than 10 terrorists, equipped with suicide vests, grenades and rocket launchers, infiltrated the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh, at mid-night on June 8-9, 2014, engaging in an extended firefight against Security Forces (SFs), that had resulted in 24 deaths till the time of writing.
Sep 16, 2024, at 12:04 am
The body blow that the Security Forces (SFs) inflicted on the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) in West Bengal with the killing of its politburo member Mallojula Koteswara Rao alias Kishanji, on November 24, 2011, has been followed through with a number of other successes, including key arrests and surrenders, resulting in a near complete halt to Maoist violence in 2012.