On June 27, the Taliban-run Supreme Court announced that three civilians were publicly flogged with 30 lashes and sentenced to 11 months in prison on charges of theft and extramarital relations in Paktiya Province, reports Afghanistan International.
United Nations (UN) Secretary-General spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, stated that the upcoming third Doha meeting is not intended to be an intra-Afghan dialogue or to legitimize the Taliban, reports Amu TVon June 27. Dujarric said, “To lay out very clearly what this meeting is and what this meeting isn’t: it is not about moving forward with recognition or legitimization of the de facto authorities. Rosemary DiCarlo and others have explained that women’s groups and human rights groups will be meeting with all Afghan envoys. This is not meant to be an intra-Afghan dialogue.”
As per United Nations and local sources, poppy cultivation in Afghanistan was down sharply last year, but the plants are being grown in most provinces despite a ban imposed by the Taliban, reports bignewsnetwork.com on June 28. Local sources indicate that farmers in approximately 29 provinces have been cultivating poppies since April 2024, with Badakhshan, Helmand, Herat, and Nangarhar provinces being the largest growers. Meanwhile, the Taliban Ministry of Interior said on the social media platform X that in the past six months, Taliban Police conducted more than 15,000 poppy eradication operations on more than 3,600 hectares (8,900 acres). It also said thousands of people were arrested for violating the ban.
On June 26, a Karbhari (village head), identified as Twangthan Bom (45) was arrested on suspicionof being a Kuki-Chin National Front (KCNF) cadre, from Sharan Para of Sualak Union of Sadar Upazila (Sub-District) in Bandarban District of Chittagong Division, reports Daily Bangladesh.
Two tribals, including a woman, were injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion triggered by cadres of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) near the forested village of Tadelbaya under Barsur Police Station limits in Dantewada District in the Bastar division of Chhattisgarh on June 27, reports Deccan Herald. The incident took place when the two victims, along with their family members, were returning to their village of Mangnar after attending the funeral rites of one of their relatives in the neighbouring village of Salepal. One of the victims, Juru Ram Katlami (39), stepped on an IED planted by Maoists in the jungle, leading to an explosion. He sustained serious injuries in his legs, while his sister Sunita Katlami (25) who was behind him was injured when splinters of the IED hit her face.
On June 27, a joint operation by Counter Intelligence (CI) and local Police led to the arrest of three associates, identified as Karandeep Singh alias Kannu, Raghuveer Singh, and Kulwinder Singh alias Bittu linked to Lawrence Bishnoi gang and Canada-based Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorist Goldy Brar, in Bathinda District of Punjab, reports The Tribune. Police also recovered three pistols, six live cartridges, and six magazines from a Hyundai Verna car during the operation.
On June 27,two pistols, 12 live round ammunitions, one Hand Grenade without detonator were recovered by security forces (SFs) from Naorem Leikai Pena Khongba area in Imphal West District of Manipur, reports Manipur Police on X.
On June 26, a combined team of 33 Assam Rifles along with Manipur Police conducted a cordon and search operation at the foothills adjoining Kangpokpi and Bishnupur between Bungte Chiru, Wainem and high canal of Keinou Maning and Ngaikhong Khunou under Bishnupur District of Manipur, reports Imphal Free Press. During the operation, the combined team seized one submachine gun (SMG) (Carbine) along with one magazine, one 9 mm pistol along with one magazine, one Pompi shell, seven ILLU shell, one INSAS magazines along with six live rounds ammunition, one self-loading rifle (SLR) magazine, four Baofeng walkie-talkie sets along with one charger, nine Highly explosive (HE) 36 grenade, two grenade safety rings, two smoke bombs, one tear gas grenade, two f Anti-riots dual shell, three detonator, six 7.62mm SLR ammunitions, 20 303 ammunitions, five 5.56mm INSAS ammunitions, six AK ammunitions, one tear smoke shell and one rubber bullet.
Four Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) ‘militia’ (people’s army of the Maoists) members of Galikonda Dalam (armed squad) surrendered before Superintendent of Police (SP) Tuhin Sinha at Paderu in Alluri Sitharama Raju District of Andhra Pradesh on June 27, reports The Hindu. The surrendered members have been identified as Thambelu Sairam alias Dombu (21), a ‘militia commander’; Vanthala Kiran alias Sromani (20), a ‘militia’ member; T Ramesh, a ‘militia’ member; and Korra Baburao alias Siru, an armed ‘militia’, all hailing from Budaralla Panchayat (village level local self-government institution) in Koyyuru Mandal (administrative sub division). Influenced by Kakuri Pandanna alias Jagan and some other Maoists of the Galikonda Dalam, Sairam joined the outfit and worked as the ‘militia’ commander of Nallabilli pocket. He performed various tasks, such as showing interior routes to the Dalam members, attending Dalam meetings, and providing food to the Dalam. He has been named an accused in seven Maoist cases registered in Alluri Sitharama Raju District, which includes participation in an exchange of fire at Theegalametta village in Koyyuru Mandal in June 2021, in which five Maoists died. The other surrendered ‘militia’ members also performed similar tasks.
Two women Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres carrying a cumulative reward of INR 1.6 million on their heads surrendered in Gadchiroli District of Maharashtra on June 27, reports Deccan Herald. A release from the office of the Superintendent of Police (SP) identified them as Bali alias Rambatti alias Zarina Narote (28) and Shashikala alias Chandrakala alias Manisha Uike (29), both ‘platoon party committee’ members of the proscribed CPI-Maoist ‘company number 10’. The surrender of these two women, with rewards of INR 800,000 each on their heads, comes within a week of DKSZCM (Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee Member) Giridhar, who was the district's top Naxalite {left Wing Extremist, LWE], and his wife Sangeeta Usendi laying down arms. "A total of 21 cases are registered against Narote, comprising 10 related to encounters, one each of arson and abduction, and nine related to other offences. Uike has eight cases against her name, of which six are related to encounters," a Police official said.
On June 27, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted extensive searches at the premises of various suspects and overground workers (OGWs) of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) outfit at four locations in West Singhbhum District of Jharkhand, reports Deccan Herald. Several incriminating materials, including mobile phones, documents, and letters, were seized during the searches, conducted at four locations, a statement issued by the probe agency said. The NIA action came in a case linked with the arrest of three OGWs, who were working as couriers for CPI-Maoist. The trio had been arrested in July 2022 from Bera Kenduda School in West Singhbhum District, and an incriminating letter had been found in their possession that led the NIA to crack down against other OGWs and suspects in the district, the statement said. NIA’s investigation in the case, which it had taken over in August last year, is continuing, it added.
On June 27, Police attached properties worth INR 10 million belonging to five Pakistan-based militant handlers, identified as Bashir Ahmad Ganie, Mehraj-ud-Din Lone, Ghulam Mohammad Yatoo, Abdul Rehman Bhat, and Abdul Rashid Lone, in Baramulla District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), reports Daily Excelsior. The attachments were made under Sections 83 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) in connection with FIR No. 04/2008 under Sections 2/3 of the Egress and Internal Movement (Control) Act (EIMCO), 7/25 of the Indian Arms Act, and 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) (UAPA) Act at Kreeri Police Station
Darshana Singh and Dharmshila Gupta, Members of Parliament (MPs), Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Indian Parliament), attended the Global Conference of Women Parliamentarians at Doha in Qatar from June 26 to June 27 and spoke on the role of parliamentarians, including women policymakers and lawmakers in countering terrorism and preventing violent extremism, reports The New Indian Express. The two delegates spoke on the robust security framework and anti-terror legislative measures that India has established to counter terrorism and prevent violent extremism. Darshana Singh highlighted the measures of Central Government in increasing the recruitment of women in Police and Central Paramilitary Forces deployed in disturbed areas and its role to increase women’s representation in Police forces to 33 per cent of the total strength. Dharmshila Gupta mentioned the significant participation of women parliamentarians in the debates and discussions on anti-terror legislative framework in both Houses of Parliament and India’s contribution to counter-terrorism measures at global level effectively, including the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), to combat terrorist financing
On June 27, Director General of Police (DGP) RR Swain said Police would win the war against terrorists as he described the killings of three Pakistani terrorists in Doda District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on June 26, reports Daily Excelsior. Swain said, “We will win this war (against terrorism), maybe we have to suffer some minor losses”.
One soldier was killed in Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) sniper attack in the Pagnzan area of Zamuran tehsil (revenue unit) in Kech District of Balochistan on June 26, reports The Balochistan Post. BLA claimed responsibility for the attack.
On June 23, Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) cadres carried out a sniper attack, targeting a soldier at a security checkpoint in the Lad Kor area of Zamuran tehsil (revenue unit) in Kech District of Balochistan on June 26, killing him instantly, reports The Balochistan Post. BLA claimed responsibility for the attack.
A grenade attack targeted the residence of Aslam Khan, the leader of the Marwat Qaumi Jirga, in the Lakki Marwat District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on June 27, reports The Express Tribune. According to police, unidentified assailants threw a grenade at the hujra of the senior local leader and chief of the Marwat Qaumi Jirga, Haji Aslam Khan. The blast partially damaged the gate but fortunately caused no casualties. Police noted that Aslam Khan had previously survived a suicide attack, and two leaders of the Marwat Qaumi Jirga had been killed by terrorists' gunfire.
A rocket was fired at the Regi Model Town Police Station in Peshawar, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, following heavy firing on June 27, reports The Khorasan Diary. There was no loss of life but the building of the Police Station was damaged, said Police.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on June 27 stated that under Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, the Government could target terrorist hideouts across the border in Afghanistan, reports The Express Tribune. In an interview with Voice of America (VoA), Asif explained that the decision for Operation Azm-e-Istehkam was not made hastily. However, he acknowledged a political environment where parties are reluctant to give space to Government decisions. He assured that any political parties' concerns about the operation would be addressed, and the Government would bring the matter to the assembly to answer questions and build trust among members. Asif dismissed the possibility of negotiations with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), stating, “There is no ground for dialogue.” He questioned the success of the PTI government's reintegration of 4,000 to 5,000 TTP militants, asking, “If that experiment was successful, let us know so we can follow suit.” He claimed previous operations were successful, with the Pakistan Armed Forces being the main stakeholders then and now. However, he criticised successive civilian Governments for failing to play their part post-operation.