The Taliban's Supreme Court announced that two civilians were publicly flogged with 39 lashes each and sentenced to one year in prison for theft in Ghazni Province, reports Amu TV on May 16.
On May 16, Afghanistan International reported that the clashes between Taliban forces and Pakistani border guards in the Dand wa Patan District of Paktiya Province continued for the fourth day in a "scattered" manner. The reason for this conflict is said to be the construction of a checkpoint at the zero point of the border by Pakistani forces.
In an interview with the Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union (TASS), the Russian special envoy for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, stated that the Taliban in Afghanistan are no longer considered an enemy by his country, reports Amu TV on May 16. He said, “I don’t mean to say that the Taliban are our number one friend, but obviously, they are not enemies. The Taliban openly say that they trust Russia as the former Soviet Union’s successor.” He further said, “The Taliban are former mujahideen who fought against the Soviet army and the former Afghan regime that was supported by the Soviet Union. Having fought against other foreign troops, they concluded that the Soviet Union not only waged war in Afghanistan but also built infrastructure. They acknowledge that the Soviet Union had no expansionist plans.” “Yes, the Soviet Union had specific worldviews which ran counter to Afghanistan’s traditional views. The Taliban consider that our actions were wrong but they credit the real contribution to Afghanistan’s modernization made by the Soviet Union,” he added.
On May 16, the deputy spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (MoFA), Zia Ahmad Takal said on the social media platform ‘X’ (Twitter) that Taliban held a joint meeting with the United Nations (UN), and international aid organizations based in Afghanistan, reports Amu TV. In addition to aid officials, representatives from various United Nations agencies including the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN Habitat), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) were present. Additionally, international organizations such as the International Rescue Committee (IRC), INTERSOS, NRC, the Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief and Development (ACBAR), the Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees (DACAAR), ACF, as well as senior private sector representatives, attended the meeting, according to the Taliban.
On May 16, during a search operation by Indian Army and Security Forces (SFs), two unidentified terrorists were killed along the Line of Control (LoC) in Tang Dhar sector in Kupwara District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), reports Daily Excelsior. SFs also recovered two pistols, ammunition, and other war-like stores, meanwhile four-five militants managed to evade capture.
On May 16, Security Forces (SFs) arrested a terrorist associate identified as Mushtaq Ahmad Lone, from unspecified location in Kupwara District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), reports Daily Excelsior. The authorities also recovered two pistols with magazines, 10 hand grenades, and 54 nine mm rounds from his possession.
On May 16, one militant belonging to the Kuki National Army-Burma (KNA-B) was killed in a gunfight with People’s Liberation Army (PLA) cadres at Taret Turelin Min Thar of Sagaing region of Myanmar near Moirengthel/Maringthel area along Myanmar border, reports The Sangai Express and Imphal Free Press.
On May 16, a joint operation was conducted by Manipur Police and 33 Assam Rifles in Thoubal District of Manipur, which led to the arrest of four active cadres of Kangleipak Communist Party - People's War Group (KCP-PWG), reports India TodayNE. The arrested cadres were identified as Sinam Bijen alias Mangang Meetei (38), Angom Ingo alias Apa Singh (53), Warepam Jayenta Singh (36), and Oinam Naocha alias Max Singh (24).Two 9mm pistols along with 15 live rounds, five demand letters, as well as 20 rounds of 5.56mm and four rounds of 7.62mm ammunition were recovered from their possession.
On May 16, Manipur Police arrested one active cadre of Kangleipak Communist Party-Taibanganba faction (KCP-Taibanganba)identified as Laishram Ronen Singh (48) from Imphal West District of Manipur, reports Manipur Police on X. He was involved in extortion of money from shops located at Paona and Thangal Bazar.One 32 pistol along with two magazines and four live round ammunitions were recovered from his possession.
Three Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres, allegedly involved in the murder of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) functionary in March this year, were arrested from Chintanpalli village under Toynar Police Station limits in Bijapur District of Chhattisgarh on May 16, reports The Week. Police identified those arrested as Munna Mudma (32), a ‘militia’ (people’s army of the Maoists) ‘commander’, Raju Mudma (31), a member of the Dandakaranya Adivasi Kisan Mazdoor Sangthan (DAKMS -- a front of Maoists) and Lakhmu Mudma (39), a ‘militia’ member. All three hail from Chintanpalli. "The trio was allegedly involved in the murder of Tirupati Katla, a member of Janpad Panchayat in Bijapur, in Toynar village on March 1," an official said. Katla, a functionary of the ruling BJP, was attacked by Maoists with sharp-edged weapons when he had gone to attend a wedding in Toynar. The three arrested Maoists were also allegedly involved in the murder of a Sarpanch (head of the Panchayat, village level local self-Government institution) of Mormed village in Bijapur district in 2022, the official said. Three warrants were pending against Munna Mudma at the Toynar Police Station, the official added.
National Investigation Agency (NIA) attached seven immovable properties owned by a top terrorist identified as Sartaj Ahmed Mantoo, affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), in Kusarigama area in Pulwama District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on May 15, reports Daily Excelsior. Earlier, Sartaj was apprehended on January 31, 2020, during which arms, ammunition, and explosives were recovered. Subsequently, he was charged on July 27, 2020, and is currently undergoing trial under Arms Act, Indian Penal Code (IPC), Explosive Substances Act, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), and the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act.
On May 16, the members of the State committee to oversee implementation of the rehabilitation policy to surrender/assimilate Left-Wing Extremists (LWEs) have appealed to Naxals (LWEs) to give up their armed struggle and join the mainstream, reports The Hindu. In a joint media conference in Shivamogga on May 16, writer Banjagere Jayaprakash, journalist Parvatheesh and advocate K.P. Sripal announced that Naxals willing to join the mainstream could contact the committee. They would facilitate their rehabilitation as per the policy adopted by the State Government. Jayaprakash said the State Government had revised the surrender policy by increasing the cash component and other facilities for those who surrender. “So far, 14 persons have surrendered in Karnataka. Many of them are engaged in various struggles in the democratic setup,” he said. The armed struggle would not bring desired changes in society, due to various reasons. Moreover, the violent path adopted by the Naxals resulted in the death of many Dalits, Adivasis and many highly intelligent persons. “We are here to convey that if you are looking for an easy way to assimilate with the mainstream, the committee is willing to help you. Some of you may be facing serious health issues. They can contact the committee,” he said.
A “death squad” (government-backed armed group) member, identified as Malu Gungurani, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Kahan area of Kohlu District of Balochistan on May 16, reports The Balochistan Post. No groups claimed responsibility of the killing, but the “death squad” members had been in the target of Baloch insurgent groups.
Seven Baloch people were reportedly forcibly disappeared by Security Forces (SFs) from Sui area of Dera Bugti District in Balochistan on May 14, reports The Balochistan Post. A military operation is underway in Dera Bugti since May 13. During this operation, SFs allegedly forcibly arrested seven people and shifted them to an unknown location. The disappeared persons were identified as Dost Ali son of Dostain Bugti, Balach son of Shamoor Bugti, Dilshad son of Abid Hussain, Yaseen son of Ghulam Mustafa, Saleh son of Hazar Khan, Yousuf son of Zahoor and Popal son of Lal Baksh.
One Baloch men, identified as Iqbal son of Allah Dad, forcibly disappeared by Security Forces (SFs) from his house in the Meeri Bag area of Turbat town in Kech District Balochistan on May 14, reports The Balochistan Post. Around 2:00 pm in the night, SFs along with three women officials encircled his house in the Meeri Bag area and whisked away Iqbal. SFs also took away three mobile phones and a motorcycle during the raid.
Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on May 16 claimed to arrest two target killers, affiliated with Zainabyun brigade, an Iran backed Shia militant outfit, from Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh, reports The Khorasan Diary. The target killers were identified as Waqar Abbas and Hussain Akbar. They are residents of Gilgit Baltistan. They confessed killing 13 people including people affiliated with Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ). CTD said they had a total of three teams of target killers. 23 facilitators of the shooters were arrested so far. They had sent information of 15 more people to their mastermind Syed Hussain Musawi aka Muslim who is in a foreign country. Ammunition used in target killing, motorcycle and list of information were recovered during investigation.