Suspected militants of the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM) attacked a combined team of the banned terror outfit People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the Manipur Naga People's Front (MNPF) at Makan village in Kamjong District near Border Pillar No, 8 along the Indo-Myanmar border, on September 12, 2017. NSCN-IM cadres killed five militants of the rival groups, identified as PLA 'sergeant major' Richard aka Wareppam Dinesh, PLA 'sergeant' Lalloi aka Khundrakpam Sunil, PLA 'private' Nanao aka Moirangthem Tomba, PLA 'private' Sinthouba aka Konjengbam Shyamsundar and MNPF cadre Raikham Jajo aka Nimai Jazo. The NSCN-IM militants took away the weapons of their slain rivals.
Meghalaya: GNLA: Rapid Erosion
The Supreme Court on September 1, 2017, dismissed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) moved by the Meghalaya Government for the cancellation of bail granted to Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) founder 'chairman' Pakchara R. Sangma akaChampion Sangma. The Apex Court rejected the plea arguing that, since Sangma was already in jail under other charges, the plea was infructuous.
On August 16, 2017, orchestrating the first violent incident of the current year (2017) in the State, suspected Naxalites [Left Wing Extremists (LWEs)] of the Red Flag faction of the Communist Party of India-Marxist-Leninist-New Democracy (CPI-ML-New Democracy-Red Flag), killed a farmer, identified as Rayala Bhaskar (55), of Narsampet, a hamlet under Pandurangapuram Gram Panchayat (village level local-self government institution) and a supporter of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), at Narsampet village in Palwancha mandal (administrative sub-division) in Khammam District. According to reports, around 15 Naxalites owing allegiance to CPI-ML (New Democracy) Ravi Dalam (armed squad) allegedly barged into Bhaskar's house of and dragged him out before battering him to death in full public view. The Naxalites were said to have nursed a grudge against the deceased for reportedly seeking the help of the members of Chandranna faction of the CPI-ML (New Democracy), to resolve an internal issue in the village. CPI-ML (New Democracy) had split into two in 2013 - CPI-ML (New Democracy) led by Chandranna and (CPI-ML-New Democracy-Red Flag) led by Rayala Subhash Chandra Bose aka Ravi.
On August 5, 2017, the Taliban and Islamic State (IS, formerly, Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham, also Daesh) jointly massacred 50 men, women and children in the remote Mirzawalang village of Sayad District in northern Sar-e-Pul Province. The majority of those killed were Shias. Most were shot but some were beheaded.
J&K: Onslaught against Hizb-ul-Mujahideen
On August 3, 2017, two Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) terrorists, identified as Aaqib Ahmad Itoo and Suhail Ahmad, were killed in an encounter with Security Forces (SFs) at Gopalpora village in the Damhal Hanji Pora area of Kulgam District. Their bodies were recovered along with two AK 47 rifles.
At least 26 persons, including nine Policemen, were killed and another 56 were injured, in a suicide blast near the Arfa Karim IT Tower on Ferozepur Road, Lahore, the provincial capital of Punjab, in the afternoon of July 24, 2017. The suicide attack was carried out during the demolition of the old fruit and vegetable market. The suicide bomber, aged between 16 and 18 years, apparently riding a motorcycle, reached the spot where the Police were standing guard to avert any retaliation from the owners of the buildings being demolished. The bomber - wearing a suicide jacket containing at least 12 kilogrammes of explosives and shrapnel - triggered the blast at 3:55 pm (PST). An hour after the incident, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that it had been carried out by its member Fida Hussain Sawati, and released his photograph on social media. However, on July 25, law enforcement agencies identified a new terrorist network, Taliban Special Group (TSG), an offshoot of TTP, as being responsible for the July 24 attack. This was the first assault by TSG, which reportedly includes some highly trained suicide attackers.
On July 16, 2017, four terrorists of the Neo-Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (Neo-JMB) surrendered 12 hours after Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) personnel cordoned off a tin-shed dwelling in Ashulia, a suburban area near the capital, Dhaka. The four arrested were Mozammel Huq, Rashedul Nabi, Ifranul Islam and Alamgir Hossain. Two pistols, a laptop, and some books and pamphlets were recovered from the house.
Odisha: Malkangiri: No End in Sight
On June 3, 2017, Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) 'commander' Gadda Nageswara Rao aka Chinnabbai (38), carrying INR 400,000 reward on his head, was killed in an exchange of fire between the Security Forces (SFs) and Maoists in the Kapatuti Forest under Chitrakonda Police limits in Malkangiri District. A huge cache of explosives, some ammunition, a 9 mm pistol, Maoist literature and a kit bag were seized from the encounter site after the gun battle.
On May 14, 2017, after an interregnum of 20 years, the first round of local level elections were conducted in 34 Districts of Province Nos. 3, 4 and 6, to elect representatives in 283 local level institutions, including four metropolitan cities, one sub-metropolitan city, 92 municipalities and 186 rural municipalities. 71 per cent voters took part in these elections. The last local elections in Nepal were held in May 1997.
Assam: BTAD: Discordant Accords
On May 9, 2017, a Sub-Inspector of the 15th Battalion of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and a suspected cadre of the I.K. Songbijit faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB-IKS) were killed in an encounter in the forests around the Manas National Park in Chirang District. One INSAS rifle was recovered from the encounter site.
At least 12 persons - 10 civilians and one sepoy each from the Pakistan Army and the Frontier Corps (FC) - lost their lives, and some 40 others were injured in firing and shelling after Afghan forces attacked FC personnel guarding staff conducting a census in the Kali Luqman and Kali Jahangir areas of Chaman tehsil (revenue unit) in the Qilla Abdullah District of Balochistan on May 5, 2017. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release tweeted by its Director General (DG) Major General Asif stated, "Afghan border police opened fire on FC troops detailed for security of census in a village along Chaman border. Since 30th April, Afghan Border Police had been creating hurdles in conduct of census in divided villages of Killi Luqman and Killi Jahangir in Charnan area on Pakistani side of the border. This was done despite the fact that Afghan authorities had been informed well in advance and coordination was carried out through diplomatic and military channels for conduct of census."
Northeast: A Promising Tranquility
On April 2, 2017, Security Forces (SFs) killed three militants of the United Kukigram Defence Army (UKDA) in an encounter at Jullian village under the Manza Police Station of Karbi Anglong District in Assam. Another militant was injured during the encounter.
On April 1, 2017, body parts of three terrorists, including a woman, were found lying scattered at a terrorist hideout in the Borohat area of the Moulvibazar District, when a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team wrapped up their 82-hour 'Operation Maximus' there. SWAT members suspected that the extremists killed themselves by exploding bombs. Some powerful explosives including improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were recovered and defused inside the building.
On March 25, 2017, six people, including two Policemen, were killed and 43 were injured in two powerful bomb explosions in Sylhet city of Sylhet District.
Balochistan: Violent Status Quo
At least five persons, including two Frontier Corps (FC) personnel, were injured in a targeted hand grenade attack in the Cinema Chowk area of Turbat town in Balochistan on March 12, 2017. FC sources said that two unidentified assailants riding a motorcycle lobbed a hand grenade on on-duty FC personnel, injuring two troopers and three civilians. The attackers managed to escape from the scene.