Unknown armed men attacked the Imam Zaman Mosque in Andisheh town of Gozrah District in Herat Province, killing seven worshippers, including the prayer leader of the mosque, two women and a child, irna.ir reports on April 30. The attack took place during the evening (between Maghrib and Isha) prayers. No further details have been published so far. Meanwhile, Iran’s Embassy in Kabul in a statement strongly condemned a “terrorist attack” on a Shia Mosque in Herat Province.
On April 26, a member of the former government’s local Police forces, identified as Fawad, died one day after the Taliban released him from a prison in Chobbakhsh village of Bagram District in Parwan Province, reports Hahst-e Subh. According to sources, the Taliban had detained Fawad, who was deported from Iran last week, and after subjecting him to a night of torture, they released him, while he was in critical condition.
On April 26, a former military member, identified as Naazir, lost his life one year after being released from a Taliban prison in Khawaja Mohammad Khel village of Jabal al-Siraj District in Parwan Province. Naazir had become paralyzed due to torture months after his release from Taliban captivity.
A former Army Commander, identified as Abdul Jamil Zadran, lost his life at his home in Husain Khel village of Nahrin District in Baghlan Province, on April 28, just a day after his release from Taliban captivity, reports Hahst-e Subh. He commanded the Third Commando Forces of the previous government’s Army. Abdul Jamil Zadran spent nearly a month in Taliban captivity.
Taliban are paying monthly salaries to individuals who supported their fighters during the conflict with the previous government’s security forces by providing shelter and food in Kunduz Province, Hasht-e Subh reports on April 28. Most of these individuals are said to reside in the outskirts of Kunduz city and its districts. Taliban have submitted the list of these individuals to their authorities and are compensating them as “loyalty rewards.” Additionally, Taliban have assured these individuals of priority assistance in humanitarian efforts led by relief organizations.
Four Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres were killed in an encounter with Security Forces (SFs) in Narayanpur District of Chhattisgarh on April 30, reports latestly.com. Sharing details of the exchange of fire, a Police officer informed that a joint security team from the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Special Task Force (STF) were involved in the operation in Abujhmad area in the Narayanpur-Kanker border area. "We can confirm that four Naxals [Left Wing Extremists, LWEs] have been killed and many others were injured in the ongoing operation with the forces in the Narayanpur district. All security personnel are safe," an officer said. No further details were available at the time of writing.
On April 25, Meghalaya Police arrested the mastermind behind the formation of the Garo National Liberation Army-Regrouped (GNLA-R) identified as Simon G Momin along with another cadre identified asRakban Ch Momin from Gambil Apal Village under Dainadubi Police station in North Garo Hills District of Meghalaya, reports The Shillong Times. Police sources stated that Simon G Momin was earlier a member of the A’chik National Liberation Army (ANLA) and he was also associated with the now defunct Achik Matgrik Elite Force (AMEF). He was also arrested earlier in Arms Act cases in West Khasi Hills, East Garo Hills and an extortion as well as abduction case in South Garo Hills.
On April 29, an Assam Rifles team seized a significant cache of arms and communication equipment during “Operation Cloudburst” in the Mon District of Nagaland, reports Northeast Now. The recovered weapons include eleven 82 mm mortars, four RCL tubes, ten pistols of various makes and a number of communication devices – 199 Radio Sets along with Satellite Phones. One person was arrested in connection with the recovery.
On April 29, a massive search operation was conducted to track down and neutralise two groups of terrorists in the dense forests of Basantgarh in the Udhampur District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), reports the Daily Excelsior. The hunt was launched by the police, army, and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) following a case of a brief encounter with a village defence guard (VDG) in the Udhampur District. Earlier, SATP reported this news on April 28.
On April 29, Punjab Police busted an international drug syndicate with the arrest of three, identified as Satnam Singh alias Babbi, Aman Rozi, and Hardeep Singh, and recovered 48 kilograms of Heroin and INR 2.1 million drug money in Jalandhar District of Punjab, reports The Hindu. Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said, “This drug syndicate, spread across five countries—Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey, Pakistan, and Canada—was actively involved in trans-border and inter-state drug smuggling using their domestic network spanning two states—Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir’’.
On April 29, Border Security Forces (BSFs) recovered a damaged drone (DJI Mavic 3) from the fields of Neshta village, in the Amritsar District of Punjab, reports Amar Ujala.
On April 29, BSF recovered a drone (DJI Mavic 3 Classic) with one packet of heroin weighing 510 grams in Mamdot village in Ferozepur District of Punjab, reports The Tribune.
On April 28, pro-Khalistan slogans were raised at a public meeting attended by Canadian Prime Minister (PM) Justin Trudeau in Canada, reports The Hindu. During the event when Canada Prime Minister Trudeau walked up to the stage for his address to mark ‘Khalsa Day’, the chants of 'Khalistan Zindabad' kept getting louder. The Ministry of External Affairs in India said, ‘’The government of India’s deep concern and strong protest were conveyed at such disturbing actions being allowed to continue unchecked at the event. This illustrates once again the political space that has been given in Canada to separatism, extremism, and violence’’.
At least ten soldiers were killed and their military vehicle was completely destroyed in an improvised explosive device (IED) attack by Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) cadres in the Peer Ismail Indus area of Bolan District in Balochistan on April 29, reports The Balochistan Post. Jeeyand Baloch, the BLA ‘spokesperson’, claimed responsibility for the attack, vowing to keep fighting until Balochistan achieves liberation.
Two ethnic Punjabi labourers were shot dead in the Tump area of Kech District in Balochistan on April 28, reports Dawn. Both victims were in the Srenkin area of Kech (near the Iranian border), when they were targeted by armed motorcyclists. The deceased were later identified as Mohammad Shahid and Mohammad Naeem, who received multiple bullet injuries, leading to their death on the spot. “The victims belonging to Punjab had come to the Tump area to work as labourers” a senior official in the local administration said. So far, no outfit has claimed responsibility for the killings.
A Frontier Corps (FC) personnel was shot dead and three other personnel sustained injuries when unidentified terrorists attacked their security check-post guarding coal mines in the Zanda Peer area of Duki District in Balochistan on April 29, reports The Khorasan Diary.
One soldier was killed when Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) cadres used grenade launchers to target the office of Military Intelligence (MI) in Turbat town of Kech District on April 29, reports The Balochistan Post. While claiming responsibility for the attack, Jeeyand Baloch, the BLA ‘spokesperson’ said the attack caused significant material damage.
Two soldiers sustained injuries when Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) targeted a coast guard checkpoint with a hand grenade at the Baloch Ward location in Gwadar city (Gwadar District) of Balochistan on April 29, reports The Balochistan Post. BLA ‘spokesperson’ Jeeyand Baloch claimed responsibility for the attack.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) cadres targeted a communication tower operated by Ufone in the Sunni Shoran area of Kacchi District in Balochistan on April 29, reports The Balochistan Post.
Four terrorists were shot dead during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Khyber District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on April 29, reports ARY News. According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release, the Security Forces (SFs) conducted an IBO in Khyber District on reported presence of terrorists. During an intense exchange of fire, the SFs killed four terrorists, including Qari Wajid aka Qari Biryal and Raziq. Meanwhile, the troops also destroyed hideouts of the terrorists. These terrorists remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area. Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from them, the ISPR statement added.
Unidentified assailants shot dead a local from Tanchi in Daraban area of Dera Ismail Khan District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on April 29, reports The Khorasan Diary.
The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on April 29 arrested four terrorists involved in the Besham attack on the Chinese nationals on March 26, reports ARY News. According to CTD, the arrested terrorists are associated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and have admitted to attacking Chinese nationals. At least six persons – five Chinese nationals and their Pakistani driver – were killed when their convoy was attacked by a suicide bomber in the Besham area of Shangla District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). A convoy of 12 vehicles, nine of them carrying Chinese nationals and three escorting vehicles of the paramilitary Frontier Corps, were on their way to the Dasu Hydropower Project in Upper Kohistan from Islamabad, when a suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden vehicle into the convoy, targeting a bus carrying Chinese nationals. While no group has claimed responsibility for the suicide attack, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) released a statement denying involvement in the attack.