Arsonists Torch 29 Hindu Homes In Bangladesh Over An Alleged Blasphemous Social Media Post
New
Age Islam News Bureau
18 October
2021
It
took officials over seven hours to put out the blaze
-----
• Analysts
In India See Conspiracy Against Hasina Govt In Attacks On Durga Puja Marquees
• IS’s
Weekly, Al-Naba: Shia Muslims 'Perilous', Will Be Targeted By Us Everywhere
Across The Globe, Says Islamic State
• We
Feel Mental State Of Hindus In Bangladesh, Stand By Them At This Hour: Bengal
Imams Association
• Algeria
Recalls French Massacre At Ottoman-Era Ketchaoua Mosque
• UNESCO:
Iraq's Historic Al-Nuri Mosque Being Rebuilt After Damage By Extremists In 2017
South Asia
• Non-Recognition
Of Govt In Afghanistan Is Benefitting ISIS-K: Taliban
• Mob
Burns Down 20 Hindu Homes In Fresh Communal Violence In Bangladesh's Rangpur:
Report
• Bangladesh:
Muslims, Hindus protest amid religious unrest
• Taliban
underrate Daesh, do not call it danger in Afghanistan
--------
Arab World
• Microsoft
Heiress, Bill And Melinda Gates Eldest Daughter Weds To Egyptian Muslim
• Syria’s
government, opposition agree on drafting new constitution: UN Envoy
• Hezbollah
MP says recent violence a ‘massacre,’ calls for accountability
• Damascus
accuses Israel of killing former Syrian legislator
• Syrian
shelling of opposition-held town close to Turkey border kills four
• Lebanon
Maronite patriarch says no party should resort to threats, violence
• Arab
Coalition: At least 165 Houthi militia members killed near Yemen’s Marib
-------
India
• Alert
In Assam Over Threats Of Attacks By Pakistan’s ISI, Al Qaeda Over Alleged
Violence Against Muslims
• Bangladesh
Violence: Furfura Sharif Cleric's 'Beheading' Remark Kicks Off Controversy
• Bihar:
3 Muslims Attacked In Different Incidents On Dussehra Night
• Indian
Americans Along With Their Jewish Friends Protest Against Islamic Terrorism In
Kashmir
• ‘Illegal
Funding Of Islamic Activities’: Vadodara SIT Begins Questioning Of 2 Accused
• After
2 more killings in J&K, cops want migrants corralled
--------
Africa
• Pro-military
protests in Sudan as political crisis deepens
• Tunisia
reaches out to Saudi Arabia, UAE as economic woes deepen
--------
Europe
• Pope
Francis slams attacks in Afghanistan, Norway, Britain
• Dutch
municipalities 'unlawfully' investigating mosques – report
• Muslim
Council of Britain condemns ‘cold-blooded murder’ of lawmaker
• Sweden’s
foreign minister visits Israel in effort to rebuild ties
• UN
envoy: Syrian Constitutional Committee agrees to start drafting charter
--------
Pakistan
• Pakistani
Artists Make World's Largest Copy Of Islam’s Holy Quran
• Seerat
Authority To Take Pakistan In Right Direction: Ashrafi
• Study
Finds No Evidence Of ‘Forced Religious Conversion’ In Sindh
• Rulers
have broken all records of incompetence: JI chief
--------
Southeast Asia
• PAS
Dewan Ulama Wants All Promotions For Malaysian-Made Whisky ‘Timah’ To Cease
• When
Indonesia's Blasphemy Law Turns Blasphemous
• Religious
affairs minister: Special committee meeting will discuss SOPs for mosque, surau
activities
• World
Muslim leaders should act on mosque bombings in Afghanistan
• Indonesia,
Malaysia concerned over Aukus nuclear subs plan
--------
Mideast
• Iran
Criticizes Europe's Failure in Fulfilling JCPOA Commitments
• Top
preacher urges Muslims’ presence at Al-Aqsa Mosque Tuesday
• Top
Commander: Iran, Pakistan Agree to Hold Joint Naval Drills
• Israel
expects 2,000 rockets a day in any war with Hezbollah: Army
• Israeli
officer punished for violence against protesters, military says
• EU
fails to secure commitment from Iran to resume nuclear deal negotiations:
Report
--------
North America
• Being
Tougher On Iran Is Biden’s Key To Saudi Arabia-Israel Normalization: Pompeo
• Time
for Turkish-US rapprochement: Envoy to Washington
• US
likely to attend Moscow meeting on Afghanistan
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/bangladesh-minority-blasphemous-torch/d/125601
--------
Arsonists
Torch 29 Hindu Homes In Bangladesh Over
An Alleged Blasphemous Social Media Post
Oct
18, 2021
It
took officials over seven hours to put out the blaze
-----
A
group of assailants has set on fire at least 29 homes of Hindus in Bangladesh
over an alleged blasphemous social media post amidst protests by the minority
community against temple vandalism incidents during the Durga Puja celebrations
last week, media reports said on Monday.
The
arson attack happened late on Sunday on a village in Rangpur district’s Pirgonj
upazila, about 255 kms from here, the bdnews24.com reported.
The
police rushed to a fishermen neighbourhood as tension mounted over a rumour that
a young Hindu man of the village had ‘dishonoured religion’ in a Facebook post,
the report quoted district’s superintendent of police Mohammad Qamruzzaman as
saying.
As
the police stood guard around the man’s home, the attackers set fire to other
homes nearby, the report said.
The
Fire Service Control Room said that their report from the scene indicates that
29 residential houses, two kitchens, two barns and 20 haystacks belonging to 15
different owners were torched in Pirgonj’s Majhipara, it said, adding that an
‘unruly crowd’ has been identified as the cause of fire.
The
fire service received a report of the fire at 8:45 pm and finally put it out by
4:10 am, the report said.
There
were no immediate reports of casualties.
The
arson incident occurred amid rising communal tension over an alleged blasphemy
incident at a Durga Puja venue in Cumilla which led to attacks on Hindu temples
and clashes between vandals and the police in Cumilla, Chandpur, Chattogram,
Cox’s Bazar, Bandarban, Moulvibazar, Gazipur, Chapainawabganj, Feni and other
districts.
Dozens
of people have been arrested over the attacks and the spread of communal hatred
on social media, the report said.
The
Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council alleges that at least four
Hindu devotees have died in the attacks in Chandpur and Noakhali.
Meanwhile,
the elite anti-crime force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested two more
men in connection with the looting and vandalism of temples and shops belonging
to the Hindu minority community in Feni, about 155 kms from here.
“They
were arrested for their involvement in communal violence and inciting people on
social media. They were handed over to the local police station,” said Imran
Khan, assistant director of the paramilitary force’s Legal and Media Wing.
Earlier
on Saturday, one person was arrested in connection with the attack which took
place when the Feni Puja celebration committee and its supporters were
preparing to protest against the communal violence in the country.
The
assailants also vandalised and looted several temples and a number of shops
owned by Hindus and torched vehicles. They clashed with the police for about
seven hours.
Authorities
deployed additional police forces and the paramilitary force—Border Guard
Bangladesh (BGB), after several temples and businesses owned by Hindus were
vandalised and robbed during clashes.
Approximately
40 people were injured in the violence, including Feni Model Police Station’s
Officer-in-Charge Nizam Uddin.
On
Sunday, two cases were filed against 400 unnamed people.
Meanwhile
on Monday, a group of Dhaka University students joined hands with protesting
religious groups against the attacks on the temples, puja venues and homes of
the Hindu community across Bangladesh, the report said.
The
protesters called for the formation of a separate ministry to handle affairs
related to minority groups.
In a
separate report, the bdnews24.com, quoting the prominent rights group in
Bangladesh Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), said that as many as 3,679 attacks on the
minority Hindu community took place between January 2013 and September this
year.
The
attacks included vandalism of and setting fire to 559 houses and 442 shops and
businesses of the Hindu community, it said.
At
least 1,678 cases of vandalism and arson attacks on Hindu temples, idols and
places of worship were also reported in the same period, it said.
While
11 citizens from the Hindu community have died in these incidents, another 862
were injured, the report said.
Two
Hindu women were raped in 2014 and another four were sexually assaulted, it
said, adding that at least 10 Hindu families were evicted from their homes and
land in 2016, 2017 and 2020.
On
Thursday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina promised to bring to justice the
culprits behind the violence, saying anyone involved in the attacks on Hindu
temples and Durga Puja venues in Comilla will not be spared.
“The
incidents in Comilla are being thoroughly investigated. Nobody will be spared.
It doesn’t matter which religion they belong to. They will be hunted down and
punished,” she said while exchanging greetings with the Hindu community members
during an event at Dhakeshwari National Temple in Dhaka on the occasion of
Durga Puja.
The
Durga Puja celebrations, considered to be the biggest festival of the minority
Hindu community in Bangladesh, concluded without the traditional Bijoya Dashami
procession. —PTI
Source:
Tribune India
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click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
Analysts
In India See Conspiracy Against Hasina Govt In Attacks On Durga Puja Marquees
Oct
17, 2021
Sheikh
Hasina
----
KOLKATA:
Analysts in India are worried by the turn of events in Bangladesh where
violence during Durga Puja celebrations has left four dead and fear this to be
part of a larger conspiracy to destabilise the Sheikh Hasina government there.
While
the Bangladesh government has been swift in clamping down on a series of
attacks that started in a couple of towns in Comilla district of Bangladesh,
strategic analysts and former Indian ambassadors feel that there is need for
caution given the renewed rise of Islamists emboldened by the establishment of
Taliban rule in Afghanistan.
“This
is a worrying development and requires cautious handling. It is also an attempt
to destabilise the democracy and communal harmony which the Sheikh Hasina
government has brought about,” said Ambassador Pinak R Chakravarty, former
Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh.
"A
conspiracy by a fundamentalist organisation backed by Pakistan is apparent. The
Bangladesh government has to neutralise these elements,” he said.
The
Bangladesh prime minister has in a meeting with Hindu leaders already promised
stern action against perpetrators of the attack, and several suspects have been
arrested. Police there have indicated that the spark to the violent attacks, a
Koran found in a Puja tableau, was planted by miscreants in a planned
conspiracy.
“We
have reason to believe that this is part of a larger conspiracy by elements
inimical to both India and Bangladesh. Islamist forces seem to have been
emboldened by the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan,” said Shantanu Mukharji, a
former IPS officer and security analyst who has served as National Security
Advisor to Mauritius.
Bangladesh
has in the past cracked down on hard-line Islamist terror groups like the
Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh and arrested or gunned down in fire-fights its
leaders and cadres.
The
Taliban had recruited large numbers of fighters from Bangladesh in the 1990s
who formed the core of extremists who later plagued that nation in the last two
decades.
The
Bangladesh government has in recent years also hung several Jamaat-e-Islami
leaders who were involved in war crimes against civilians during that country's
war of liberation against Pakistan in 1971. The Jamaat-e-Islami had
collaborated with the Pakistani Army in the 1971 genocide.
Ambassador
Pinak Chakravarty said, “Smarting from the blows delivered by the War Crimes
Tribunal, this is their (Islamists) way of exacting revenge which could destabilise
their government and ties with India.”
Many
analysts believe that these elements emboldened by the Taliban victory will
again try to destabilise the Sheikh Hasina government.
“We
have to worry about the future. While Sheikh Hasina has been extremely
effective in her tackling of terror groups, we must have a programme of
de-radicalisation for the future and also see to it that we cooperate with the
Bangladesh government in tackling a common menace,” said Ambassador Sarvajit
Chakravarti, member of the think tank Research Centre for Eastern & North
Eastern Studies.
Added
Sreeradha Dutta, who heads the South Asia Neighbourhood Studies Centre of the
Vivekananda International Foundation and is a former Director of Maulana Abul
Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies, Kolkata: “There is a need for vigilance
and realisation that events in the two countries are interdependent.”
Hasina,
who has been the target in the past of several coups and assassination
attempts, in her statement on Thursday too has warned that India should remain
vigilant and said nothing should happen in the larger neighbourhood which could
impact Bangladesh, without stating what she was alluding to.
Source:
Times of India
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click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
IS’s
Weekly, Al-Naba: Shia Muslims 'Perilous', Will Be Targeted By Us Everywhere
Across The Globe, Says Islamic State
October
18, 2021
Threatening
Shia Muslims living in Afghanistan particularly, the IS said they would be
targeted everywhere from Baghdad to Khorasan. (Representative Image)
------
The
Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), also known as Islamic State (IS) has
warned that Shia Muslims will be targeted by the terror group across the globe.
The IS called the Shia Muslims "perilous", news agency ANI reported.
The
warning was published in IS’s weekly, Al-Naba, which further said that the Shia
Muslims would be targeted in their homes and centres, ANI quoted a Khaama Press
report.
Threatening
Shia Muslims living in Afghanistan particularly, the IS said in the statement
that Shia Muslims would be targeted everywhere from Baghdad to Khorasan.
According
to the report, IS Khorasan — named after a province in Afghanistan —now remains
the biggest threat to peace in the country after the Taliban took control of
war-torn Afghanistan.
The
warning comes after suicide bombers attacked a Shia mosque packed with
worshippers attending Friday prayers in southern Afghanistan on October 15. At
least 47 people were killed in the attack that left 70 others wounded. The
attack was claimed by the IS-K.
On
October 8, another terrorist attack on a Shia mosque in Afghanistan's Kunduz
killed more than 100 people and injured several others. The deadly blast ripped
through Sayed Abad Mosque in a northern Afghanistan city. Local residents
attended the mosque for Friday prayers.
Source:
India Today
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click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
We
Feel Mental State Of Hindus In Bangladesh, Stand By Them At This Hour: Bengal
Imams Association
17th
October 2021
KOLKATA:
Bengal Imams Association, a representative body of Muslims in the eastern
state, has condemned the attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh during Durga Puja and
called upon everyone to stand by minorities in both India and the neighbouring
country.
The
association, in a statement issued on Saturday, said that everyone should have
been celebrating the festival of amity and brotherhood in Bangladesh, where at
least 32,000 Durga Pujas are organised.
"Instead,
some people with vested interests sowed the seeds of communal poison by
circulating images of a stray incident at a Pandal in Comilla to carry out
large-scale arson at several puja marquees. Knowledge of rocket science is not
needed to understand the sinister game plan to create a rift among members of
two communities by these forces, who are not glorifying any religion by such
acts. Being members of the minority community in India, we feel the mental
state of the Hindus in Bangladesh who are a minority in that country. We stand
by them at this hour," Association Chairman Md Yahia said in the
statement.
Md
Yahia also called upon people to be alert against efforts to foment trouble by
spreading rumours and fake information and images on social media.
At
least four people were killed in clashes between miscreants and law enforcers
and several Hindu temples and Durga Puja pandals were vandalised in Bangladesh,
following which paramilitary forces were deployed in many affected districts.
Bangladesh
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, while exchanging greetings with Hindus during a
recent event at Dhakeshwari National Temple in Dhaka, had said that all the perpetrators
would be hunted down and punished.
Ministry
of External Affairs (MEA) has noted that the government in the neighbouring
country has reacted promptly to ensure that the situation was under control and
said that the Indian mission is in close contact with the Bangladeshi
authorities over the matter.
Source:
New Indian Express
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click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
Algeria
recalls French massacre at Ottoman-era Ketchaoua Mosque
OCT
17, 2021
The
Ketchaoua Mosque, which is a piece of Ottoman heritage that Adm. Hayreddin
Barbarossa had commissioned in Algeria, witnessed the crimes committed by the
French colonial administration in the country and stands as one of the symbols
of its independence.
In an
interview with local media on Oct. 11, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune
gave an official account of the French massacre of nearly 4,000 worshipers
early on during the colonial era that spanned 1830-1962.
"France
colonized us for 132 years, years which saw heinous crimes that cannot be
erased with fine words. There are families and tribes that were completely
wiped out such as the Zaatcha (southeastern Algeria), and not even babies were
spared," said Tebboune.
He
added that in Ketchaoua "they killed 4,000 worshipers, who were martyred
after being surrounded by cannons and exterminated."
The
Ketchaoua Mosque was commissioned in 1520 by Hayreddin Barbarossa, then-Ottoman
ruler of Algeria, in the famed Casbah quarter of the capital Algiers.
Algerian
historical accounts show that the French ruler of Algeria in the early colonial
days, Anne Jean Marie Rene Savary, the Duke of Rovigo, decided at the end of
1832 to storm the mosque to turn it into a church.
When
the city's residents camped inside the building in protest, Rovigo demolished
the mosque, massacred those inside and burned copies of the Quran, the Muslim
holy book.
The
Ketchaoua Mosque on the Mediterranean coast, an important symbol of Algerian
independence, was first used as a military depot during the French occupation
and later as a residence for the archbishops of Algeria. After the mosque's
demolition in 1844, a large church was built, and the building remained a
cathedral until Algeria gained independence in 1962. With the country’s
independence, Algerians performed their first Friday prayer here.
The
mosque was closed in 2008 due to damage from a 2003 earthquake.
In
April 2018, the mosque was reopened following its restoration by the Turkish
International Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA), Turkey's state-run aid
agency. The mosque was restored in line with the original Ottoman architectural
plan according to historians and researchers from both Algeria and Turkey.
Algerian
historian Amir Rahile also told Anadolu Agency (AA) that France promised to
respect the teachings of Islam after entering Algeria in the 19th century, but
the French did not keep the promise. Reiterating that France committed a crime
against the Ketchaoua Mosque and Algerians on Dece. 18, 1832, Rahile said:
"The French army decided to turn this place into a cathedral. Algerians
marched to the capital and held a sit-in protest in the mosque to deter the
colonialists from implementing this decision. But the French killed them when
they were defenseless."
Rahile
also noted that the Ottomans were in Algeria within the framework of the
Islamic caliphate and emphasized: “Ottomans did not eliminate the Algerian
identity, unlike the French, who did. If the Ottomans had not come and
liberated Algeria from the Crusades in 1515, France's colonization of the
country would not have been delayed until 1830 and the country would have been
shared between Italy, France and Spain.”
Source:
Daily Sabah
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click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
https://www.dailysabah.com/arts/algeria-recalls-french-massacre-at-ottoman-era-ketchaoua-mosque/news
--------
UNESCO:
Iraq's Historic Al-Nuri Mosque Being Rebuilt After Damage By Extremists In 2017
17
October ,2021
To
the sound of drums, religious chants resounded on Sunday evening for the first
ceremony of its kind at Iraq's historic Al-Nuri mosque, which is being rebuilt
after damage by extremists.
The
city of Mosul's 12th-century mosque, known for its leaning minaret, was
severely damaged in 2017. Iraq's army accused the ISIS group of blowing it up.
It is
now being rebuilt under a project from the United Nations cultural agency,
UNESCO.
“For
me it's an extraordinary day. I am joyful,” said Marwan Muafak, 45, a teaching
administrator.
“This
celebration symbolizes the return of the chant of the muezzin and prayer in
this place,” he added. “The residents of Mosul want to get their old lives
back.”
Several
hundred people gathered at the site to mark the birthday of the Prophet
Mohammed, in a courtyard decorated with multi-coloured lights between the
mosque with its gaping windows, surrounded by scaffolding, and the minaret --
only the base of which survived.
It
was there, on a stage, that five men in traditional robes banged on their daf,
a traditional drum, and chanted to the glory of the Prophet after the
celebration began with a communal prayer.
“It's
the first celebration organized in Al-Nuri mosque on the occasion of the
Prophet's birthday,” said Abu Bakr Kenaan, head of Sunni religious properties
in Nineveh province.
“Our
joy is immense. Our feelings are indescribable in seeing all these people
here.”
Abu
Bakr Baghdadi made his only confirmed public appearance in July 2014 at the
Al-Nuri mosque, declaring the establishment of a “caliphate”.
Iraq's
army and an international coalition forced them out of the northern city in
2017.
Eight
Egyptian architects won an international competition to reconstruct the mosque
as part of UNESCO's “Revive the Spirit of Mosul” initiative for rehabilitating
Iraq's second city and its cultural life.
UNESCO
raised more than $100 million for the project, half of it pledged by the United
Arab Emirates. The restoration is to be finished by 2023.
“The
minaret and the prayer room will be rebuilt just as they were,” a local
antiquities official told AFP.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
South Asia
Non-recognition
of govt in Afghanistan is benefitting ISIS-K: Taliban
Oct
17, 2021
KABUL:
The Taliban have said that not recognizing the new government in Afghanistan is
benefiting Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K). However, the outfit dismissed concerns
that the terrorist group was a threat to Afghanistan.
This
comes after ISIS-K claimed responsibility for Friday's Shia mosque explosion in
Kandahar in which 47 people were killed and 70 others suffered injuries. The
attack follows several other recent attacks against religious institutions in
Afghanistan, including last week's attack against the Gozar-e-Sayed Abad Mosque
in Kunduz.
While
talking to Anadolu Agency, Afghanistan's acting foreign minister Amir Khan
Muttaqi said the official recognition of his government and international aid
held great importance to the recovery of the country's economy.
The
Taliban minister also said the freezing of Afghan foreign reserves by the US
violated international law and human rights, Ariana News reported. "The
real question is, why was this money blocked? What did the citizens of
Afghanistan do?" he asked.
"On
the other hand, the US and other countries say that humanitarian aid should be
given to Afghanistan and human rights should be respected. But, they leave the
Afghan people with a population of about 40 million without basic
necessities."
He
further added that not "recognizing the new government in Afghanistan
benefits Daesh (ISIS-K)."
After
Friday's blast, the Taliban had vowed to deploy more forces to protect Shi'ite
mosques. Abdul Ghafar Muhammadi, the commander of police in Kandahar province
has said that his forces will be working alongside the local volunteers to
ensure the security of the mosques.
Source:
Times of India
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Mob
Burns Down 20 Hindu Homes In Fresh Communal Violence In Bangladesh's Rangpur:
Report
Oct
18, 2021
NEW
DELHI: Fresh communal violence was reported in Bangladesh on Sunday when more
than 20 houses of Hindus were burned down by a mob in the city Rangpur.
As
per a news report, the incident followed a rumour after a Hindu youth allegedly
posted a status on Facebook - hurting religious sentiments of Muslims.
"Tension
erupted there after a Hindu youth allegedly posted an offensive status on
Facebook. Police secured his home after the post went viral. However, the
attackers vented their anger on neighbours and burned down 20 houses,"
Additional Police Superintendent Kamruzzaman told media.
No
one was injured during the attack and the situation was brought under control,
the report added.
The
incident took place in Pirganj upazila's Karimganj on Sunday night.
This
incident of violence comes just a day after two Hindu men were killed amid the
recent unrest in the country.
Protests
began on Wednesday after footage emerged on social media of a “blasphemous
incident” during celebrations at a Durga Puja pavilion in Cumilla, bordering
Chandpur and about 100 kms from Dhaka.
At
least four people were killed on Wednesday when police opened fire on a crowd
of around 500 people attacking a Hindu temple in Hajiganj, one of several towns
hit by the disturbances. Extreme right-wing Islamic Shashontantra Andolon on
Saturday took out a procession in downtown Dhaka area against the viral social
media image from Cumilla, saying it was insulting to the country’s Muslim
majority.
Source:
Times of India
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Bangladesh:
Muslims, Hindus protest amid religious unrest
October
17, 2021
The
Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka witnessed a second day of unrest Saturday as
thousands of Muslims and Hindus staged separate protests.
Tensions
in the South Asian country escalated on Wednesday after widely circulated
footage on social media showed the Islamic holy book of Quran being placed on
the knee of a Hindu god during celebrations for the Hindu festival Durga Puja
in the eastern district of Cumilla.
The
image was seen as insulting by many of the country’s Muslim majority.
Officials
said Saturday that two Hindu men were killed in the latest spate of communal
violence, taking the death toll to six. At least four people were killed on Wednesday
when police opened fire on a mob of around 500 people attacking a Hindu temple
in the southern town of Hajiganj.
As
tensions spiked, incidents of vandalism at Hindu temples across Bangladesh were
reported.
Protests
rock Dhaka
On
Saturday, nearly 10,000 demonstrators gathered outside the main mosque in
Dhaka, a day after protests at the same spot ended in clashes with police.
Many
were seen with banners of Islamist political parties as the crowd chanted,
“Down with the enemies of the Islam” and “Hang the culprits”.
Source:
Indian Express
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Taliban
underrate Daesh, do not call it danger in Afghanistan
17
Oct 2021
Afghanistan’s
acting foreign minister Amir Khan Motaqi during his visit to Turkey said that
ISIS-K (Daesh) is not a threat in Afghanistan and the group does not have
training centers in the country.
Amir
Khan Motaqi has apparently underestimated the militant group in Afghanistan and
added that there is no security problem in Afghanistan.
The acting
ministry has said that there has been propaganda for ISIS-K to weaken the
Taliban.
The
comments come as ISIS-K has killed and wounded more than 300 Shi’ite Muslims in
the mosques of Kunduz and Kandahar provinces in the past two weeks.
Amir
Motaqi said that the bomb blasts were carried out in places where it was
difficult to man security.
Taliban
have repeatedly underrated the ISIS-K while the group has conducted the
deadliest attacks since the Taliban takeover.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/taliban-underrates-daesh-do-not-call-it-danger-in-afghanistan-4574754/
--------
Arab World
Microsoft
heiress, Bill and Melinda Gates eldest daughter weds to Egyptian Muslim
October
18, 2021
NEW
YORK: Microsoft heiress Jennifer Gates has married Nayel Nassar, 30, during a
beautiful ceremony on Saturday afternoon at her home here in Westchester.
It
was her second set of nuptials of the weekend having previously tied the knot
with the Egyptian equestrian in a secret religious Muslim ceremony on Friday
night, foreign media reported.
The
private Muslim ceremony was held on Friday night in the garden of the family’s
142-acre estate in North Salem, New York where a much larger civil ceremony
with 300 guests took place on Saturday afternoon.
Jennifer
began dating Nassar — a businessman who, like herself, is an accomplished equestrian
and fellow Stanford University graduate — in 2017. She announced their
engagement in January 2020, which occurred while the two were on a ski trip.
After
the wedding on Saturday, Jennifer and her father, Bill, danced to Elton John's
‘Can You Feel The Love Tonight’.
The
bride, wearing a custom Vera Wang gown, stepped out of her mansion flanked by
nine bridesmaids dressed in evergreen, who all appeared to be smiling and
laughing as they posed for pictures.
One
of the bridesmaids was seen holding up Gates' long veil as the group gathered
for pictures with shades of autumn all around.
Jennifer
was seen to be clutching a white flower bouquet, her veil lifted over her face.
She wore her auburn hair half up and half down and wore a pair of earrings to
accent her dress.
She,
together with her parents then headed across the road where hundreds of guests
had begun to gather from 3pm to witness the happy couple getting married in a
civil ceremony.
Parents
Bill and Melinda Gates jointly walked 25-year-old Jennifer down the aisle at
the ceremony on Saturday afternoon.
The
reception began shortly after 4pm. Bill could be seen in a dark suit, while
Melinda was wearing a flowing purple gown.
The
crowd let out a big cheer shortly after 5pm as the couple were finally declared
man and wife. Servers could be seen standing at the ready with celebratory
glasses of champagne which were handed to guests as they passed by.
Following
the ceremony, the couple made a quick getaway to have some private wedding
photos taken on the estate.
Saturday’s
guest list mostly consists of friends and family, with few celebrities or
politicians invited. Georgina Bloomberg, the daughter of billionaire Michael
Bloomberg and a fellow professional equestrian who owns a horse farm nearby,
was invited.
The
daughter of former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was seen arriving at
the nuptials drinking a glass of what looked like a beer while sat in the back
of her SUV, arriving at the venue just after 4pm.
Friday
night’s rehearsal dinner — which secretly served as a reception for the private
religious ceremony — was catered by Jean-Georges and included a lobster dish
and pasta.
The
extravagant two-day event costing an estimated $2 million was orchestrated by
famed wedding planner Marcy Blum, whose elite client list includes Kevin Bacon,
LeBron James and Billy Joel.
At
the rehearsal, father of the bride Bill Gates and his daughter could be seen
sitting on the outdoor deck of her Westchester mansion with the pair laughing
and joking before appearing deep in thought.
Bill
and Melinda Gates, who divorced in August after 27 years of marriage, were also
seen mingling with guests at the dinner in their first appearance together
since separating.
Just
hours before the second, larger ceremony on Saturday, workers were racing to
put the finishing touches in place.
As
dark clouds formed overhead on Saturday morning, with a line of storms bearing
down on New York, an acapella group was heard rehearsing ‘Shine Your Light on
Me’ at the wedding venue.
As
the hour of the civil ceremony neared, security precautions kicked into high
gear. Local police, with the help of the New York State Police, shut down the
road outside the Gates estate to all traffic except for invited guests.
As
well, a man in a dark suit walked a German Shepherd dog into the event venue to
sniff around, possibly checking for explosives.
The
canine had a black vest reading ‘working dog-do not pet.’ No uniformed police
were spotted, so there was no suggestion of an actual threat and the precaution
was likely routine.
Meanwhile,
trucks kept rolling in, including a Gallucci Catering truck filled with trays
of food for the event.
The
owner wouldn’t reveal the menu but their prime offerings include Eggplant
Imbottito, Chicken Campagna and scallops, as well as less chichi offerings such
as franks in a blanket.
A
green truck from French luxury bakery Ladurée brought the massive wedding cake
in separate tiers for assembly, with a wooden dowel through the center to
prevent it from toppling.
As
the clock ticked down to the civil vows Saturday, workers were scrambling to
make last second adjustments. This included a debate over climate control.
“I’m
not sure what temperature to leave the venue so the dance floor doesn’t bubble,
and so we don’t kill the trees,” one crew member warned.
As if
on cue, one of the newly-erected trees toppled over onto the dance floor.
‘It’s
a bloody mess down here,” one staffer laughed.
“I’m
on it,” another replied.
Later
on, someone was heard asking to cut the air conditioning down in the artist
tent, noting “they’re freezing in there.”
Workers
were hauling in white flowers in orange Home Depot 5-gallon buckets, to be
placed along a walkway leading into the ceremony.
Choral
music could also be heard coming from the horse farm as dozens of catering
staff who were wearing black shirts walked outside the wooden barns. Silver
heaters together with lanterns were all seen waiting to be put into place.
The
workers brought in their own catering, boxes of Dunkin Donuts and gallons of
coffee.
Source:
The News Pakistan
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Syria’s
government, opposition agree on drafting new constitution: UN Envoy
17
October ,2021
The
United Nations Special Envoy for Syria said on Sunday the government and
opposition co-chairs of the Syrian Constitutional Committee had agreed to start
the process of drafting a new constitution.
The
committee, comprising 45 representatives of Syria’s government, opposition and
civil society, has a mandate to draw up a new basic law leading to
UN-supervised elections.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Special
Envoy Geir Pedersen said its Syrian co-chairs, who he met together for the
first time ahead of week-long talks, had agreed to “prepare and start drafting
constitutional reform.”
The
talks, the sixth round in two years and the first since January for the
drafting committee, will discuss “clear principles”, he told reporters in
Geneva, without elaborating.
The decade-old
war, which spiraled out of an uprising against President Bashar al-Assad's
rule, sparked the world's biggest refugee crisis. Syria's neighbors host 5.6
million refugees and European countries more than 1 million.
After
support from ally Russia, Assad has recovered most of Syria, but significant
areas remain outside his control: Turkish forces are deployed in much of the
north and northwest and US forces are stationed in the Kurdish-controlled east
and northeast.
In
January, Pedersen, a veteran Norwegian diplomat, said that Assad's
representatives had rejected proposals by the Syrian opposition as well as the
envoy’s own ideas for moving the process forward.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Hezbollah
MP says recent violence a ‘massacre,’ calls for accountability
17
October ,2021
The
deadly clashes that broke out in Beirut on Thursday amounted to a “massacre”
and its perpetrators should be held to account, local media cited a Hezbollah
representative in the Lebanese parliament as saying on Sunday.
Hezbollah
blamed the Christian Lebanese Forces party for the deaths on Thursday, an
accusation the head of that party, Samir Geagea, denied.
The
perpetrators should be held to account, the pro-Iranian al-Mayadeen TV quoted a
Hezbollah representative in the Lebanese parliament as saying on Sunday.
“What
the criminals ... did is a massacre and it will have important ramifications,”
MP Hassan Fadallah said, according to the Beirut-based channel. “Those who
incited, planned ... and opened fire should be held to account all the way up
to the top.”
On
Thursday, the army initially said rounds were fired on at protesters as they
passed through the Teyouneh traffic circle dividing Christian and Shia Muslim
neighborhoods. It later said there had been an “altercation and exchange of
fire” as protesters were on their way to the demonstration.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Damascus
accuses Israel of killing former Syrian legislator
16
October ,2021
Syria
accused Israeli forces on Saturday of shooting dead Medhat Al-Saleh, a former
member of Syrian parliament who had spent 12 years in jail in Israel, state-run
television Al-Ekhbariya quoted the cabinet as saying.
Syrian
state news agency SANA said Al-Saleh “was martyred as the Israeli enemy
targeted him with fire while returning home” on Saturday in Ain al-Tineh, a
village inside Syria that is near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
The
Syrian government denounced “this cowardly criminal act.”
An
Israeli military spokesperson said the military does not comment on foreign
reports.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Syrian
shelling of opposition-held town close to Turkey border kills four
16
October ,2021
Syrian
government shelling of an opposition-held town near the border with Turkey on
Saturday killed four people and wounded more than a dozen, Syrian opposition
activists said.
The
shelling of the town of Sarmada comes amid increasing tensions in the last
opposition stronghold in the Syrian northwest, where a truce reached in March
last year has been repeatedly violated in recent weeks.
The
Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitoring
group, said three of the dead were local policemen whose station received a
direct hit. It said 17 people were also wounded.
The
opposition’s Syrian Civil Defense, also known as White Helmets, said the
shelling was concentrated on Sarmada and a road linking it with the border
crossing point of Bab al-Hawa with Turkey. The Civil Defense also said four
persons were killed but gave a higher number of wounded, 23.
A
truce negotiated between Turkey, which supports Syria’s opposition, and Russia,
the Syrian government’s main backer, ended a crushing Russian-backed government
offensive on northwestern Syria in March last year.
In
other developments, a roadside bomb hit a Turkish military convoy on Friday
night, killing two soldiers and wounding five on the road leading to Bab
al-Hawa, according to Turkish media and the Observatory.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Lebanon
Maronite patriarch says no party should resort to threats, violence
17
October ,2021
Lebanon’s
Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai, the top Christian cleric, said on
Sunday the country’s judiciary should be free of political interference and
sectarian “activism” amid rising tensions over a probe into last year’s blast
at Beirut port.
Rai
also said that it was unacceptable for any party to resort to threats or
violence after last week’s deadly unrest around the investigation - which was
Lebanon’s worst street bloodshed in more than a decade and stirred memories of
the ruinous 1975-1990 civil war.
“We
must free the judiciary from political interference, sectarian and partisan
political activism and respect its independence according to the principle of
separation of powers,” he said in his sermon.
“No
one is above the law and judiciary.”
Rai,
head of the Maronite church, has an influential role as religious leader of the
biggest Christian community in Lebanon, where political power is divided
between its main Christian, Muslim and Druze sects.
The
inquiry into the Aug. 4, 2020 explosion, which killed more than 200 people and
devastated swathes of Beirut, has made little headway amid pushback from
powerful political factions, with Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah saying Judge
Tarek Bitar -- the lead investigator -- is biased and politicized.
Seven
Shia Muslims were killed on Thursday as crowds were on their way to a protest
against Bitar in a demonstration called by the Iran-backed Shia Hezbollah group
and its Shia ally Amal.
The
violence added to concerns over the stability of a country that is awash with
weapons and grappling with an economic meltdown.
“The
democratic system has afforded us peaceful means for freedom of expression
whether in support or opposition so it’s not acceptable that any party should
resort to threats or violence and setting up party checkpoints or tribal ones
to get what they want through force,” said Rai.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Arab
Coalition: At least 165 Houthi militia members killed near Yemen’s Marib
17
October ,2021
The
Arab Coalition on Sunday said at least 165 members of the Iran-backed Houthi
militia were killed, and ten of their vehicles were destroyed near Yemen’s
Marib in the past 24 hours.
The
coalition also said it had targeted 41 vehicles and elements belonging to the
Houthi militia in the past 24 hours in Yemen’s Abdiya and surrounding villages
near Marib.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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India
Alert
In Assam Over Threats Of Attacks By Pakistan’s ISI, Al Qaeda Over Alleged
Violence Against Muslims
By
Utpal Parashar
Oct
18, 2021
The
Assam Police have issued an alert about possible attacks in the state by
Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and al Qaeda over alleged violence
against Muslims. Based on intelligence inputs about such threats, a circular
issued on Saturday to the Guwahati police commissioner and all district police
heads asked them to remain alert and take “necessary preventive and
precautionary measures”. The circular, a copy of which HT has seen, linked the
threats to a possible response to the violent eviction drive at Dhalpur in
Darrang district last month in which two civilians (both Muslims) were killed
and nearly 20 others including 11 policemen were injured.
The
circular said ISI is planning to “target individuals including RSS (Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh) cadres and army areas in Assam and other places in India”.
It added that global terror outfits could indulge in “spectacular action by
resorting to explosion of bombs/IEDs in places of mass gathering/mass
transport, religious places etc.”
Source:
Hindustan Times
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Bangladesh
Violence: Furfura Sharif Cleric's 'Beheading' Remark Kicks Off Controversy
Anupam
Mishra
October
17, 2021
Furfura
Sharif cleric and Indian Secular Front (ISF) founder Pirzada Abbas Siddiqui
stoked controversy by saying those who allegedly placed a copy of the Quran at
a Durga Puja Pandal in Bangladesh should be "beheaded".
In a
video of the incident, Abbas Siddiqui could be seen speaking in Bangla that
those who placed a copy of the Quran near the feet of a deity at a Durga Puja
Pandal in Bangladesh should be "beheaded".
Siddiqui
made this statement during a religious program in West Bengal's North 24
Parganas on Friday.
Abbas
Siddiqui could also be heard saying in Bangla that Muslim youth are doing wrong
by attending Durga Puja. "I remember that a few years ago, a theme of
Durga Puja pandal, Kaaba was also made. If Kaaba is liked so much then why
don't you embrace Islam," he said in the video.
Earlier
this week, three people were killed in an attack on a Durga Puja pandal near
Nanuar Dighi lake in Bangladesh's Comilla. Violence was also reported near
temples in Chandpur's Hajiganj, Chattogram's Banshkhali and Cox's Bazar's
Pekua.
As
soon as the video went viral on social media, Abbas Siddiqui released a video
on Facebook and demanded an inquiry into the matter of someone allegedly
placing a copy of the Quran at a Durga Puja pandal in Bangladesh. He also
demanded strict punishment for those who attacked the pandals.
His
brother Mohammad Nawsad Siddique, who is the only MLA from the Indian Secular
Front (ISF) in the West Bengal Assembly, wrote to Bangladesh Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina seeking a probe into the incident of allegedly placing a copy of
the Quran at a Durga Puja pandal.
He
also urged the Bangladeshi PM to take stern action against perpetrators of
crimes against minorities.
BJP
demands arrest of Abbas Siddiqui
Meanwhile,
the BJP has demanded the arrest of Abbas Siddiqui over his remark. BJP MP Rahul
Sinha said that Abbas Siddiqui was trying to disturb the communal atmosphere in
the state and appealed to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to order the arrest of
Siddiqui.
Trinamool
Congress TMC leader Kunal Ghosh took a dig at the Left leaders, asking them why
they were not condemning Siddiqui's statement.
Abbas
Siddiqui's party ISF had contested the last election in alliance with the Left
Front and Congress.
Source:
India Today
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Bihar:
3 Muslims attacked in different incidents on Dussehra night
17th
October 2021
Hyderabad:
Hindu mobs on the last day of Dussehra reportedly attacked three Muslim men in
different incidents in Bihar Sharif, Nalanda district. The hate-crimes took
place on October 15, after which the state police reportedly filed an FIR in at
least one attack.
After
being identified as Muslims, Md Raza, Saddam Qureshi and Md Aasif were attacked
on Dashami, the last day of Dussehra, the victims told Maktoob media.
“There
was a rush of Dashmi. Someone from the crowd asked me: ‘Are you a Hindu or a
Muslim?’ I replied: ‘Muslim.’ Then someone said from the crowd ‘Maar Miya Saale
ko’ [attack this bloody Muslim] and then they started beating me,” said
23-year-old Md Raza, who was attacked while returning from a market. Raza
alleged that the mob looted him and raised anti-Muslim slurs while thrashing
him mercilessly.
MS
Education Academy
“Is
it a crime for me to be a Muslim in this country?” another victim, Saddam
Qureshi asked? He was hit on the head while visiting his in-laws’ house.
Sharing his story, he stated “I had gone to in-laws house at Moth Mahua Tola,
Bihar Sharif, to meet my wife. Around 7:30 pm, I was standing at the gate of the
road then suddenly 15-20 people came and asked my name. As I told my name, they
started beating me while calling me Miya”.
Qureshi
reportedly demanded the police to check footage from the CCTV installed in the
locality and arrest the assailants. The third known victim of the day, Asif,
was attacked in similar manner when he asked the crowd about the occasion.
Source:
Siasat Daily
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https://www.siasat.com/bihar-3-muslims-attacked-in-different-incidents-on-dussehra-night-2209728/
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Indian
Americans Along With Their Jewish Friends Protest Against Islamic Terrorism In
Kashmir
18
Oct 2021
Indian
Americans from South Florida along with their Jewish friends on Sunday held a
demonstration against the growing Islamist terrorism in Kashmir.
Organised
by the Kashmir Hindu Foundation, the protesters raised slogans like “stop Islamist
jihad against minorities in Kashmir" and “fight back Islamist terrorism”.
Deepak
Ganju, the founding member of the KHF, urged the global community to wake up
and understand that what is happening in Kashmir is the “worst violation” of
human rights anywhere in the world.
Many
protesters said their families were forced to flee in 1990 and they do not feel
safe in returning to their homes, a media release said.
The
protesters called upon the Government of India to take strong measures to
safeguard remaining minority members in the Valley and ensure that no more
targeted killings take place.
Former
US Congressman Joe Kaufman spoke on the relevance of exposing the
"terrorist sympathising organisations" like the Islamic Society of
North America and ICNA.
ICNA
is the American arm of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), South Asia’s largest Islamist
group.
Source:
Outlook
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‘Illegal
funding of Islamic activities’: Vadodara SIT begins questioning of 2 accused
by
Aditi Raja
October
18, 2021
The
Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Vadodara police, formed to probe the
alleged case of AFMI Charitable Trusts’ “illegal funding of Islamic
activities”, including the construction of mosques and legal aid to riot
accused and anti-CAA protesters, Sunday, began questioning the two accused —
Salahuddin Sheikh and Mohammad Umar Gautam.
Police
said that the two are being interrogated separately. Following a post-midnight
hearing — a first for a Vadodara court, the Vadodara city police was granted
seven days custody of the two accused till October 23.
Assistant
Commissioner of Police (ACP) DS Chauhan, who is overseeing the SIT probe, told
this newspaper that the police took the two into custody at around 2.30 am
Sunday after the court considered the 19-point remand application filed by the
Vadodara police.
Among
the grounds for the remand, the police told the court that an investigation is
needed into the connections of the accused with people associated with certain
prohibited organisations, in addition to the siphoning off of foreign funds for
“Islamic activities” as well as hawala transactions.
The
police will also investigate links of the accused in Maharashtra, Madhya
Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Assam, where they have allegedly funded the
construction of over 100 mosques.
Chauhan
told this newspaper, “While Salahuddin is originally from Vadodara, Umar Gautam
is from Delhi and he has said that his originally Rajput family converted to
Islam in 1984, while he was in college. We are also probing their connection
with Abdullah Fefdawala of Nabipur in Bharuch, who set up the Majlis-e-Al-Fala
Trust that transferred Rs 2.06 crore during the period under investigation.”
According
to Chauhan, Fefda-wala, a businessman, moved out of Nabipur to the United
Kingdom and the police have come across a video of him delivering a “hate
speech”. Chauhan said, “The accused have close connections with Fefdawala and
the money trail is incriminating.” The SIT has also sent summons to Fefdawala
at his Nabipur and UK residences.
Chauhan
also added that two others, including Mustafa Thanawala, have also been issued
summons to remain present before the SIT by October 21.
Police
said that the SIT has also studied the questions posed to the two accused by
the UP ATS while they were in their custody since July, especially related to
the part of the religious conversions allegedly by the Da’wah Centre run by
Umar Gautam. “On some questions, the accused are cooperating and on some, they
are not… We have also recorded statements of some more persons, which will be
used to question them,” Chauhan said.
Among
the points mentioned in the remand application is also a specific probe into
the alleged meetings held in Bharuch to “plan anti- CAA protests”. Chauhan
said, “We had put 19 points before the court in our remand application, which
includes the accused are involved in serious offences… We will also probe the
financial transaction data that the accused have said they have stored on a
hard disk.”
Source:
Indian Express
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After
2 more killings in J&K, cops want migrants corralled
M
Saleem Pandit
Oct
18, 2021
SRINAGAR:
Terrorists targeting non-Kashmiris in J&K widened the arc of their carnage
on Sunday, shooting dead two more labourers from Bihar and critically injuring
a third in south Kashmir's Kulgam district to take the count of civilian
casualties to 11 in a fortnight, including five migrant workers.
The
killings came a day after terrorists fatally shot a roadside snack vendor from
Bihar in downtown Srinagar and a carpenter from UP in Pulwama within hours of
each other.
The
victims – Raja Reshi Dev and Joginder Reshi Dev – were inside their rented
accommodation at Laran Gangipora Wanpoh in Kulgam with a fellow native of Bihar
when the terrorists barged in and opened fire indiscriminately, the police
said. Raja and Joginder died where they fell while the third person in the room,
identified as Chunchun Reshi Dev, is said to be stable after being treated in
an Anantnag hospital.
Migrant
workers in other rooms of the rented house were unharmed. A police official
quoted one of them as saying that the two deceased were shot six times each.
In a
message flashed to the 10 district police headquarters in the Valley late in
the night, IGP (Kashmir range) Vijay Kumar said, "All non-local labourers
in your respective jurisdiction should be brought to the nearest police or
central paramilitary force or army establishment just now. The matter is most
urgent."
Bihar
CM Nitish Kumar announced compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the
slain workers. He also called J&K lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha, seeking
adequate security for scores of migrants from Bihar making a living in the UT
as roadside vendors or labourers."I strongly condemn the despicable terror
attack on civilians in Kulgam... Our security forces will give a befitting
reply to the terrorists. The J&K government stands by the families in this
time of grief," Sinha said later.
Former
CM and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti tweeted, "There are no words strong enough
to condemn the repeated barbaric attacks on innocent civilians. My heart goes
out to their families because they leave the comforts of their homes to earn a
dignified livelihood. Terribly sad."
Source:
Times of India
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Africa
Pro-military
protests in Sudan as political crisis deepens
16
October ,2021
Thousands
of military-aligned demonstrators gathered in front of the presidential palace
in Khartoum on Saturday, chanting “down with the government of hunger” as Sudan
grapples with the biggest political crisis in its two-year transition.
Military
and civilian groups have been sharing power in the east African country in an
uneasy alliance since the toppling of long-standing President Omar al-Bashir in
2019.
But
following a failed coup attempt in September attributed to forces loyal to
Bashir, military leaders have been demanding reforms to the so-called Forces of
Freedom and Change (FFC) coalition and to the civilian cabinet.
Civilian
leaders, however, have accused them of aiming for a power grab.
A
military-aligned faction of the FFC, including armed groups that rebelled
against Bashir, called for Saturday’s protests.
Ahead
of the demonstrations, members of an unidentified armed group removed security
barriers around government buildings and prevented the police and security
forces from going about their work, Khartoum State governor Ayman Khalid said
in a statement.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Tunisia
reaches out to Saudi Arabia, UAE as economic woes deepen
17 October
,2021
Tunisia
is in “very advanced discussions with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates
for sorely needed financial aid, and talks with the IMF are ongoing,” a central
bank official said, as the nation’s political crisis weighs on already dire
economic ills.
An
agreement with the two Gulf states may be reached soon, the head of financing
and foreign transactions at the Tunisian regulator, Abdelkarim Lassoued, said
on Saturday in a phone interview. He didn’t give details on the amount of aid
being discussed.
Tunisia
is battling long-running economic troubles and has been mired in fresh
political upheaval since late July, when President Kais Saied suspended
parliament and assumed more powers.
The
political turmoil led Moody’s Investor Service last week to cut its assessment
of Tunisia by one notch, to Caa1. The central bank recently voiced concern over
an “acute drying up of foreign financing and the sustainability of public
debt.”
Lassoued
said the nation would be able to meet its foreign commitments through the end
of 2022, and that if a deal with the IMF is reached and reforms are launched at
the beginning of the year, “there will be no problem in repaying debts.”
Lassoued,
who earlier had stressed authorities need to act quickly to avert a deepening
of the crisis, said the central bank and Finance Ministry have had recent
discussions with the Washington-based lender about possible economic reforms
and that there has been “progress on the technical level.”
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Europe
Pope
Francis slams attacks in Afghanistan, Norway, Britain
October
18, 2021
The
head of the Catholic Church decried recent deadly attacks in Afghanistan,
Norway and Britain, calling violence “a defeat for everyone.”
“Last
week various attacks were carried out, for example in Norway, Afghanistan,
England, which caused many deaths and injuries," Pope Francis said, after
greeting the public in St. Peter's Square for his customary Sunday remarks and
blessings delivered from a window of the Apostolic Palace.
“I
express my closeness to the families of the victims,” Francis said.
In
Norway, a bow-and-arrow attack claimed five lives and left three persons
wounded.
In
southern Afghanistan, a suicide bombing at a mosque killed at least 47 people
and wounded scores more. The Daesh (ISIL or ISIS) terrorist group claimed
responsibility.
In
Britain, a lawmaker who was meeting at a church with some of his constituents
was fatally stabbed, and police are investigating the slaying as a terrorist
act.
“I
implore you, please, to abandon the path of violence, which is always a losing
one, is a defeat for all,” Francis said. “Let's remember that violence
generates violence.”
Source:
ABNA
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://en.abna24.com/news//pope-francis-slams-attacks-in-afghanistan-norway-britain_1189636.html
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Dutch
municipalities 'unlawfully' investigating mosques – report
October
18, 2021
Some
city governments in the Netherlands have been secretly investigating mosques
and Muslim institutions through private companies, local media reported.
Dutch
daily NRC reported on Saturday that at least 10 municipalities in the country
have been investigating mosques, imams, mosque association officials, and
people active in the community.
According
to the report, the municipalities involved in such investigations include
Rotterdam, Delft, Almere, Huizen, Leidschendam-Voorburg, Zoetermeer,
Veenendaal, and Ede.
The
newspaper added that the Utrecht Municipality had stopped its investigation due
to concerns about privacy and the method of the probe.
The report
claimed that the NTA (Nuance door Training en Advies), a consultancy firm that
informs the government on radicalisation, was paid by the national coordinator
for security and counterterrorism through municipalities.
Around
$347,990 (€300,000) has been spent so far on the secret investigations,
according to the report.
The
NTA employees doing investigations posed as members of the community or
visitors and met numerous people without revealing their true identities, the
report added.
According
to the daily, findings on the backgrounds of imams and administrators, such as
where they came from or their schooling, were submitted to the municipalities
as “secret information” by the NTA.
Radicalisation
problems
According
to the report, a government investigation into radicalisation due to Daesh role
in the Syrian civil war fell short, and the municipalities wanted to gauge this
problem with a separate inquiry.
The
NRC reported that the municipalities wanted to get more “realistic” results by
having mosques in their regions closely monitored.
Citing
constitutional law professor Ymre Schuurmans, the daily reported that such
investigations were “unlawful” and that the “municipalities cannot do this
through private companies.”
Also
quoting SPIOR, a Muslim umbrella group, the daily reported that the
investigation did grave damage to the Muslim community’s trust in the
government.
'Illegal
actions'
Dutch
Muslims criticised the secret investigations.
Muhsin
Koktas, head of the Dutch Muslim Organisation for Government Relations, said
that they were greatly disappointed by the news.
Underlining
that for years Muslims have been working to be good citizens in the
Netherlands, Koktas said: “With such actions the state is constantly derailing
our efforts. For this reason, they lose the trust of Muslims instead of gaining
it.”
Source:
TRTWORLD
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.trtworld.com/europe/dutch-municipalities-unlawfully-investigating-mosques-report-50825
--------
Muslim
Council of Britain condemns ‘cold-blooded murder’ of lawmaker
Karim
El-Bar
18.10.2021
LONDON
The
Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) issued a strongly worded statement Sunday in
response to the stabbing death last week of British lawmaker Sir David Amess,
who it called a friend of the Muslim community.
“The
MCB’s position is clear in its condemnation of this cold-blooded murder in the
strongest possible terms,” said MCB Secretary General Zara Mohammed.
“The
perpetrators of this, and similar despicable crimes, should know that there is
no justification for murder and the taking of innocent life.”
She
continued by saying that the vitality of Britain’s democracy depended on the
accessibility of its elected representatives.
“Within
the past five years, we have witnessed two members of Parliament killed in the
course of performing their duties,” Mohammed said.
“Those
whom we entrust with public office must be able to serve their communities
without facing such grave threats to their safety, and so we welcome steps
being taken to ensure better security for them. The killers of both Jo Cox MP
and Sir David Amess MP are not only united in their total disregard for the
sanctity of life, but their desire to sow division in society. We will not let
them succeed.”
Paying
tribute to Amess, Mohammed said he was a friend of Muslim communities, who
spoke “poignantly” about their relationship with him.
“He
was always eager to support mosques and Muslim organizations in their work,
attending Eid celebrations and the grand opening of Southend’s Essex Jamme
Mosque,” she said.
Mohammed
added that nationally, Amess championed many causes that resonated with many
across society.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Sweden’s
foreign minister visits Israel in effort to rebuild ties
Beyza
Binnur Dönmez
18.10.2021
Sweden’s
foreign minister landed in Israel late Sunday in the first visit by the
country’s top diplomat in 10 years.
"Just
arrived in Israel. This official visit marks a new beginning in the
relationship between [Israel and Sweden]," Ann Linde said on Twitter.
Noting
that she will be meeting Monday with her Israeli counterpart Yair Lapid and
President Isaac Herzog, she added: "This will be the first visit by a
Swedish foreign minister to Israel in ten years."
Linde
plans to visit the Palestinian city of Ramallah in the West Bank on the second
day of her visit.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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UN
envoy: Syrian Constitutional Committee agrees to start drafting charter
Bayram
Altug
17.10.2021
GENEVA
The
Syrian Constitutional Committee has agreed to start drafting a new
constitution, the UN’s special envoy for Syria announced on Sunday.
“The
two co-chairs now agree that we will not only prepare for constitutional
reform, but we will prepare and start drafting for constitutional reform,” Geir
Pedersen told reporters in Geneva ahead of the committee’s sixth session, which
is set to start Monday.
“So,
the new thing this week is that we will actually be starting a drafting process
for constitutional reform in Syria,” he added.
The
members of the “Middle Third” of the constitution committee, consisting of 15
members apiece from the Bashar al-Assad regime, NGOs, and the Syrian
opposition, are meeting again in Geneva after a nearly nine-month hiatus.
Pedersen
also said that he met the representatives of the Assad regime, NGOs, and the
Syrian opposition separately on Sunday morning.
“But
then also another very important meeting took place, and that was for the first
time, the two co-chairs, the one nominated by the government and the other
nominated by the opposition, were sitting down together with me for a
substantial and frank discussion on how we are to proceed with the
constitutional reform and indeed in detail how we are planning for the week
ahead of us,” he added.
He
said that the drafting committee has met five times, but after the fifth
meeting this January, it concluded that they were “not making sufficient
progress.”
Asked
by Anadolu Agency how many more rounds of meetings are expected before a
constitution is ready, he said: “Very short answer to that, I don’t know. We
will see how the meeting proceeds this week and then you (will) know.”
During
Pedersen’s meeting with Hadi Al Bahra, the committee’s opposition co-chair, and
Ahmad Nabil al-Kuzbari, the regime co-chair, Alessandra Vellucci, head of the
UN Information Service in Geneva, was also present. Anadolu Agency learned.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Pakistan
Pakistani
artists make world's largest copy of Islam’s holy Quran
OCT
17, 2021
Renowned
Pakistani artist Shahid Rassam and more than 200 of his associates have been
working on preparing the world’s largest copy of the Quran, Islam's holy book,
in the Karachi Arts Council since 2017.
The
unique project is scheduled to be completed in 2026.
The
rare artwork, measuring 8.5 feet (2.59 meters) long and 6.5 feet wide, is
poised to break the record currently held by a copy of the Quran sized at 6.5
feet by 4.5 feet, which was prepared in Afghanistan in 2017 and is now kept at
the Kul Sharif Mosque in the Russian city of Kazan.
According
to Rassam, it marks the first time in the over 1,400-year history of Islam that
the Quran is being cast in aluminum. Calligraphers have previously produced
classic art in creating copies of the holy book using conventional materials
such as wood, paper, animal skin and cloth.
"This
is my lifetime project," Rassam told Anadolu Agency (AA) as his associates
continued concentrating on their work.
Over
the past several months, Rassam, 49, who took two years to prepare the first
two pages of the holy Quran, has been spending an average of 10 hours a day on
the project.
"It's
more than a challenging task and equally sensitive (in terms of the sanctity of
the Quran). One minor mistake can ruin the whole effort," he noted.
Inspired
by Turkish, Arabic and Iranian art
Rassam
will display the first sample of his artwork, Surah Ar-Rahman – the 55th
Chapter of the Quran – at the ongoing Dubai expo 2020 in November.
The
Karachi-based artist said his work is inspired by Turkish, Arabic and Iranian
art designs.
"We
have created our own design (to cast the Quran) after studying Turkish, Arabic
and Iranian designs. It's not a mixture of these designs, but it is
inspiration," he said.
In
the first step, he said, the letters are cast in clay, which is later plastered
and finally converted into fiber before being cast in aluminum.
Over
200 kilograms (440 pounds) of gold, 2,000 kilograms of aluminum and 600 canvas
rolls will be used to cast 77,430 words on 550 pages. To illuminate and enrich
the design, precious stones such as rubies, sapphires and emeralds will also be
used, he said.
The
Italian glazing technique and acrylic colors have been used to develop the
design, as they can last for hundreds of years.
Not
all about religion
Rassam
said he had prepared a sample of the artwork at the request of a friend in
2016, which propelled him to produce it on a wider scale.
"I
kicked off this project solely on my own. I am still disbursing my own
resources on it. There has been no (financial) support by the government or any
institution," he said when asked how he would bear such large expenses.
"Some
foreign governments, however, have approached me in this regard," he said,
without mentioning the countries' names.
These
types of rare and huge projects, he observed, always require support from the
state.
Rassam
said his work is not all about religion but about art and culture as well.
"This
(work) is not meant for Muslims only but to attract people from different
religions through art. It is aimed at highlighting Islamic art and
culture," he said.
He
said a separate museum would be required to display this huge artwork.
Source:
Daily Sabah
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dailysabah.com/arts/pakistani-artists-make-worlds-largest-copy-of-islams-holy-quran/news
--------
Seerat
Authority to take Pakistan in right direction: Ashrafi
October
18, 2021
LAHORE:
PM’s Special Aide on Religious Harmony and Middle East, Hafiz Tahir Mehmood
Ashrafi while addressing a press conference Sunday stressed that the
implementation of Nizam-e-Mustafa (SAW) in the country will have to start from
our very homes.
He
said Seerat Authority is being set up to take Pakistan in the right direction
of making it Madina state. Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi, who is also chairman Pakistan
Ulema Council (PUC), said the government will hold historical events in Islamabad
in connection with the celebrations of 12th Rabi-ul-Awal. The Seerat Authority
will highlight all aspects of Seerat-e-Tayyaba (SAW) before the youth and
world. He said elimination of Islamophobia and allegations raised against Islam
can only be addressed through promoting Islamic teachings and by making public
the Seerat-e-Mustafa (SAW). He said Pakistan needs a struggle at every level to
make it a Medina-style state.
He
urged the political leadership not to target country’s security agencies,
adding that Pakistan is safe today because of the nation and the army. He
warned that enemies were conspiring to make Pakistan like Libya, Syria and
Iraq, and said such a dream will not come true.
He
welcomed the revoking of social distancing during prayers in the holy places by
the Saudi Arabian government, terming it good news for the Muslim Ummah. He
said ‘Ashra-e-Rehmatul-il-Alameen’ is being celebrated all over the country.
There is a need to adopt the Sirat-e-Taiba (SAW). The real follower is only
that one who ensures implementation of teachings of Seerat-e-Nabvi (SAW) which
makes it necessary to discharge the rights of Allah and the rights of people
with equal sincerity. He said establishment of Seerat-e-Rahmat-ul-Alamin
Authority is being lauded by scholars, ulema and Mashaikh across the country as
well as in the Islamic world. If such a step had been taken 70 years ago,
Nizam-e-Mustafa (SAW) would have been implemented in the country today, he
said, adding that the only solution to the problems is to ensure implementation
of Seerat-e-Mustafa (SAW).
Source:
The News Pakistan
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/901305-seerat-authority-to-take-pakistan-in-right-direction-ashrafi
--------
Study
finds no evidence of ‘forced religious conversion’ in Sindh
October
17, 2021
There
is no evidence suggesting that non-Muslims, including underage girls, have been
forcibly converted to Islam in Sindh, shows a groundbreaking study by Institute
of Policy Studies’ (IPS) researcher Sufi Ghulam Hussain based on his ten years
of episodical fieldwork, interviews with a cross-section of Sindhi society and
statistical analysis of data acquired from seminaries and courts across the
province.
The
study which was also consulted and by the parliamentary committee formed on the
controversial ‘anti-forced conversion bill’ rejected last week is based on exclusive
IPS datasets.
The
extensive and exhaustive fieldwork consisted of 200 in-depth interviews with a
cross-section of Muslim and non-Muslim population, content analysis of over 400
audio recordings, along with review of 19 NGO reports. The quantitative sample
comprised 6,055 cases of converts documented and collected during 2008 to 2020.
Some
32 families, 24 couples (of whom females were mostly neo-converts), 16 males,
24 leaders of the Hindu community, 22 religious clerics, 21 civil society
activists, eight lawyers, two police officers and two magistrates were
interviewed by the lead researcher Ghulam Hussain.
The
key hypothesis was to investigate whether non-Muslim girls below the age of 18
are forcibly converted to Islam. Analysis of data shows that of the total
recorded cases of conversion involving freewill marriages in this study, only a
fraction was minor. “Given the prevalence of marriages below 18 years in rural
Sindh, this is not unexpected”, said Ghulam Hussain.
None
of the cases verified by this research proved to be forcible conversion whereby
‘force’ means coercion, blackmail, deception or the threat to kill a person or
his/her parents. Contradictory to the commonly propagated perception, it was
found that coercion is often used by parents and the community of the
converting individual to revert such a person.
This
is in the form of political pressure, influencing the local administration and
state institutions, social media campaigning, NGO activism, invoking caste or
community honor, appealing to patriarchal ego, mobilizing separatist elements,
and even torture.
The
study shows that religious conversions occur at Sindh’s main seminaries and
religious sites that take care of legal requirements and relevant
documentation, including through courts. During the course of research, of
converts registered with prominent religious seminaries/centers were obtained.
These sites include Amrot Sharif (Shikarpur), Barchoondi Sharif (Ghotki),
Gulzar-i-Khaleel (Umerkot), Bait-us-Salam (Badin), Madina Masjid (Mirpurkhas),
and Jamia Binnoria (Karachi).
Source:
Pakistan Today
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Rulers
have broken all records of incompetence: JI chief
October
18, 2021
LOWER
DIR: Jamaat-i-Islami chief Sirajul Haq said on Sunday that inflation, poverty
and unemployment had made life miserable for the masses.
Addressing
concluding session of a seven-day Fahmul Quran class at the Timergara Rest
House ground as chief guest, the JI chief said the rulers had broken all records
of incompetence and inefficiency.
“The
nation as a whole shall collectively repent and seek forgiveness from Allah
Almighty,” he said, adding the Islamic justice system was not being followed in
the courts, banks and other financial institutions of the country.
The
JI chief said that Rs3.3 trillion was paid as interest on the loans this year,
which had virtually ruined the national economy. He said that the Western law
was being followed in the economy and courts of the country.
Siraj
says inflation, poverty has made life miserable for people
Following
successful conduct of Fahmul Quran classes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said that
such classes would now be arranged in Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan to unite
the people.
The
gathering was also addressed by JI provincial deputy chief Maulana Dr Mohammad
Ismail, who conducted the class for seven consecutive days.
PENSIONERS’
DEMAND: The retired government employees here on Sunday demanded increase in
pension and Shuhada package.
The
demand was made in a meeting of the ex-servicemen of civil and military
institutions held in Talash and attended by its central, provincial and local
leaders.
Speaking
on the occasion, central vice-chairman of the association retired Capt Mohammad
Rehman, provincial chairman retired Capt Sher Wali and others said that about
8,000 soldiers had embraced martyrdom for the sake of the country.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1652692/rulers-have-broken-all-records-of-incompetence-ji-chief
--------
Southeast Asia
PAS
Dewan Ulama wants all promotions for Malaysian-made whisky ‘Timah’ to cease
18
Oct 2021
BY
SOO WERN JUN
KUALA
LUMPUR, Oct 18 — The Central PAS Dewan Ulama (DUPP) has expressed its concerns
about the recent controversy over a local whisky brand called Timah.
Calling
for a stop to all promotion and sale of the liquor to the public, Dewan Ulama information
chief Mohd Nor Hamzah said this was to prevent any negative impact on society,
especially young people.
“In
fact, any liquor company should take into account religious sensitivities when
promoting their products even though Malaysia is a multiracial country,” he
said in a statement today.
Mohd
Nor was responding to criticisms linked to the liquor brand being directed at
PAS since it is a component party of the federal government.
In a
statement, the DUPP also suggested several steps that the government could
take. They are:
Conduct
a background check and due diligence on the liquor company;
Take
firm action by closing down the liquor company to avoid it setting a precedent
for the emergence of new liquor companies; and
Ensure
that any advertisements and promotions regarding liquor by any company must be
monitored in accordance with the guidelines prohibiting the promotion of liquor
and alcohol as set out in Part 3, Content Code on Advertisements, Paragraph 8.5
(Other Specific Advertisements), Code Malaysian Communications and Multimedia
Content (Content Code).
The
DUPP also suggested that the government needs to streamline monitoring and
enforcement by the authorities, such as the Home Ministry and the Ministry of
Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, so there is no repeat of the controversy.
Malaysian-made
whisky, Timah, is sold at RM190 per bottle and contains 40 per cent alcohol.
Source:
Malay Mail
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
When
Indonesia's blasphemy law turns blasphemous
Siktus
Harson
October
18, 2021
In
monotheistic religions, it’s common for blasphemy, the act of insulting or
showing contempt to a deity or sacred object, to be looked upon as a serious crime
and punishable.
This
view gave birth to anti-blasphemy laws to ensure people’s faith in God and
devotion to sacred objects are safeguarded from attacks. One such ban appears
in the Ten Commandments of the Old Testament.
In
many countries, mostly Muslim-majority ones, such laws have created a magnitude
of problems as they have become an effective weapon in the hands of the
powerful majority to restrict minority groups from exercising their faith or to
bridle freedom of expression.
The
US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) in its 2020 annual
report named many Asian nations, including India, Pakistan, China and Myanmar,
as countries of “particular concern” because of serious religious freedom
violations.
According
to International Christian Concern, false blasphemy accusations in Pakistan are
used to incite religious hatred against Christians.
One
of the most high-profile cases was Asia Bibi, a Christian woman who spent years
on death row after being convicted of blasphemy in 2010 following an argument
with a group of Muslim women. A court acquitted her of all charges eight years
later but she was forced to flee to Canada as her life was still considered in
danger.
The
USCIRF placed Indonesia on a “special watch list” because its government allows
or engages in severe religious freedom violations. Bowing to public pressure
following blasphemy accusations has contributed to this listing.
Indonesia
and Pakistan have something in common with regards to anti-blasphemy laws. The
laws are not only exploited to persecute Christians and other religious
minorities but also to settle rivalries, including against other Muslim groups
such as the Ahmadiyya and Shia.
The
blasphemy ban in Indonesia is regulated by the 1965 Prevention of Religious
Blasphemy Law, supported by Articles 156 and 157 of the Criminal Code.
Article
156 guarantees the rights of Indonesian people of different races, origins,
religions, nationalities or positions. Meanwhile, Paragraph 1 of Article 157
relates to criminal charges on a person who broadcasts, displays or publicly
posts writings or paintings containing statements of hostility, hatred or
humiliation against other people or religious groups.
The
electronic transaction law sets a punishment of up to six years in prison for those
who post blasphemous content via the internet against any of the country’s
official religions — Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism and
Confucianism.
According
to Andreas Harsono, an Indonesia researcher for Human Rights Watch, more than
150 Indonesians, mostly from religious minorities, have been convicted of
blasphemy since the blasphemy law's introduction in 1965.
Muhammad
Kece, a Christian who converted from Islam, and Muslim cleric Yahya Waloni
could become the latest victims following their arrest in August. Kece, who was
later assaulted while in detention, allegedly insulted the Prophet Muhammad,
while Waloni allegedly declared the Christian Bible as fake.
Every
time a blasphemy charge is laid, calls for a revision of the law usually
follow.
Many
calls came in 2016 after a Muslim mob damaged several Buddhist temples in
retaliation against a Buddhist woman in North Sumatra who was accused of
blasphemy for complaining about loud calls to prayer from a nearby mosque.
A
similar incident occurred in May near Jakarta when an angry mob attacked and
burned the house of a man who complained about the loudspeakers at a nearby
mosque.
Moves
to revise, or even abolish, the law have been filed by critics who say it is
haphazardly used for political purposes to target groups such as Shia Muslims,
Ahmadis or Christians.
A
case in point was when Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, the former Jakarta governor, was
accused of blasphemy and sentenced to two years in prison in 2017.
However,
the majority, including those in power claim the law, in its present form,
maintains interreligious harmony.
The
Constitutional Court said the anti-blasphemy law helps Indonesia uphold freedom
of religion.
According
to the court, punishing blasphemy is necessary because insulting a religion
cannot be justified. The court said no person or institution has the right to
harass or treat other religious elements maliciously as it could trigger anger
and public unrest.
A
multi-religious country such as Indonesia must maintain interfaith harmony. But
imposing a law that has often been abused is questionable.
Ideally,
a blasphemy law should function like traffic lights that prevent cars from
bumping into each other. It works when it protects believers from attacks by
fundamentalists who claim that their religious point of view is better than
others.
But
it fails when it is used as a weapon to oppress minority groups as happened to
members of Indonesia’s Ahmadi community in early September.
Source:
UCA News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.ucanews.com/news/when-indonesias-blasphemy-law-turns-blasphemous/94562
--------
Religious
affairs minister: Special committee meeting will discuss SOPs for mosque, surau
activities
17
Oct 2021
KUALA
LUMPUR, Oct 17 — The Muzakarah Committee of the National Council for Islamic
Religious Affairs (MKI) is set to convene a special meeting to discuss issues relating
to standard operating procedures (SOP) for mosque and surau activities,
including a proposal to reduce the gap between congregants during
congregational prayers.
Minister
in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Idris Ahmad said he had
asked the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) to arrange the
meeting to listen to a briefing on the current Covid-19 risk assessment by the
Ministry of Health (MOH).
He
said this was following the announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail
Sabri Yaakob on states transitioning to the next phase as well as relaxation of
the SOP under the National Recovery Plan (PPN).
“I
believe a decision will be achieved for the good of the public, and hope that
mosque and surau activities, especially congregational prayers will be allowed
as usual with certain SOPs,” he said in a statement today.
Apart
from the MOH and the National Security Council (MKN), Idris said all members of
the MKI comprising respective state muftis as well as appointed members among
experts were also invited to attend the meeting.
Source:
Malay Mail
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
World
Muslim leaders should act on mosque bombings in Afghanistan
10- 16-
2021
KUALA
LUMPUR: With Afghanistan again rocked by mosque bombings for the third time in
October, world Muslim leaders should immediately voice out their concern and
act to prevent the repeat of the tragic incidents.
According
to a statement quoting Global Peace Mission (GPM) Malaysia’s Chief Operating
Officer in Kabul, Syahrir Azfar Saleh, the same pattern of bombing took place
yesterday (Friday) in Kandahar with more than 23 people killed.
“Do
something before things get worse where we end up seeing never ending war in
Afghanistan,” the statement said.
The
first incident on October 3, 2021 occurred in Eid Gah Mosque in Kabul, killing
at least five. Just five days later, another suicide bombing incident took
place at a mosque in Kunduz when Afghans were performing their Friday prayers
killing more than 80 people.
GPM
in its statement of regret over the bombing incident in Kunduz had urged all
parties in the conflict to take their differences to the negotiation table, and
avoid actions that endanger the safety and the lives of the public.
Source:
The Sun Daily
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Indonesia,
Malaysia concerned over Aukus nuclear subs plan
Monday,
18 Oct 2021
JAKARTA,
Oct 18 — Malaysia and Indonesia share strong reservations over Australia’s
decision to acquire nuclear-powered submarines, even though nuclear weapons
were not part of the plan, Malaysia’s foreign minister said on Monday.
Referring
to Aukus, a trilateral security pact agreed last month between Australia, the
United States and Britain, Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said the two South-east
Asian nations were similarly concerned about its ramifications.
“We
agree on the latest issue in the region regarding a country near our territory
that is purchasing new nuclear-powered submarines,” Saifuddin told a joint news
conference after a meeting counterpart Retno Marsudi.
“Even
though that country doesn’t have the capacity for nuclear weapons, we are
worried and concerned.”
Indonesia
last month said it was concerned Aukus could lead to a regional arms race.
The
deal comes amid increasing tensions in the East and South China Seas, conduits
for trillions of dollars of shipments amounting to about a third of global
trade.
The
Philippines, a US defence treaty ally, has backed Aukus it, saying it offers a
necessary counterbalance to an increasingly assertive China.
Malaysia
previously said it would seek views on the issue with China and Asean.
The
Indonesian and Malaysian ministers also expressed disappointment with the Myanmar
junta’s lack of progress in implementing an agreed peace plan with the
Association of Southeast Asian nations (Asean).
Source:
Malay Mail
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Mideast
Iran
Criticizes Europe's Failure in Fulfilling JCPOA Commitments
2021-October-18
"After
the US withdrawal from the JCPOA, Europe failed to comply with its
obligations," Baqer Kani said during the meeting.
The
fifth round of political talks between Islamic Republic of Iran and Austria was
held in Tehran co-chaired by Baqeri Kani and Launsky-Tieffentha.
During
the meeting, Bagheri Kani pointed to the age-old history of relations between
the two countries of Iran and Ausutria and termed it as a valuable asset.
Emphasizing
Iran’s adherence to its obligations under the JCPOA, the Iranian deputy foreign
minister said, “Although Europe did not withdraw from Iran’s nuclear deal,
after withdrawal of the United States from this important international
agreement, it (Europe) did not take effective and practical action within the
framework of its obligations under JCPOA."
Peter
Launsky-Tieffentha, for his part, said that mutual respect and understanding
has institutionalized the will to cooperate by the two countries.
Referring
to the high capabilities and potentials of the two countries in enhancing
economic ties, he emphasized presence of Austrian firms for having active
presence in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
In a
relevant development on Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir
Abdollahian in a meeting with Launsky-Tieffenthal in Tehran pointed to the
recent deadly terrorist attacks in Afghanistan, and said the ISIL and other
terrorist groups are alarmingly rising their operations in Iran's neighboring
country.
"The
rise of Daesh (the ISIL) and other Takfiri terrorist groups, following a change
of government in Afghanistan, is dangerous," Amir Abdollahian said during
the meeting in the Iranian capital.
On
October 8 and 15, the ISIL terrorists attacked Shia mosques in the Afghan
cities of Kunduz and Kandahar, respectively, killing and injuring hundreds of
innocent worshipers attending Friday prayers.
The
terrorist attacks happened almost two months after the Taliban took control of
Afghanistan amid swift advances on the ground, which many attribute to a hasty
withdrawal of the US-led foreign forces.
The
Iranian foreign minister, meantime, called on the European Union to take “a
more responsible approach” in protecting the rights of Afghans displaced by
violence.
Elsewhere
in his remarks, Amir Abdollahian referred to Iran’s longstanding and old
relations with Austria, and expressed
the hope for a growth in economic and trade ties between the two countries.
Launsky-Tieffenthal,
for his part, praised the friendly relations between Tehran and Vienna.
He also
denounced the latest terrorist acts in Afghanistan, and said Iran and Austria
have common concerns concerning the ISIL.
Additionally,
he stressed Austria’s support for meetings of Afghanistan’s neighbors to help
resolve that country's problems.
In
relevant remarks earlier on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer
Qalibaf condemned the trans-regional forces for violating security in the
region, and said that the US is seeking to push the regional states into war to
deprive them of lasting peace and economic prosperity.
"The
West Asian region is in a very sensitive situation today. Some complicated
plans are underway to involve the countries of the region in civil wars,"
the Iranian Parliament speaker said while addressing the Sunday session of the
parliament.
"Creating
dispute between the countries of the region is on the agenda of the United
States and its allies to prevent economic cooperation and the establishment of
lasting peace throughout the region," he added.
Qalibaf
underlined that the occurrence of tragic events such as the killing of innocent
people at the Bibi Fatima Mosque in Kandahar, the armed and illegal riots in
Lebanon, the divisiveness in Iraq and the false and divisive statements made by
some regional leaders in the past week have revealed these conspiracies more
than before.
He
reiterated that the Islamic Republic wants to maintain stability and security
throughout the region, and said that Iran considers the will of the people in
every country as the determining factor to settle disputes, as well thwart
conspiracies.
The
Iranian parliament speaker also said that any action that violate security
throughout the region are condemned, adding that all countries must work to
establish lasting peace and stability and increase economic relations in the
region.
In a
relevant development on Thursday, Iran's Ambassador to the European Union
Gholamhossein Dehqani underlined that the US and other member-states of the
NATO military alliance should shoulder the responsibility for the negative
consequences of their invasion of Afghanistan.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Top
preacher urges Muslims’ presence at Al-Aqsa Mosque Tuesday
October
18, 2021
The
imam and preacher of Al-Aqsa Mosque called on Muslims to visit the mosque in
large numbers on Tuesday to celebrate the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH).
It is
upon Muslims to deem the auspicious occasion as an opportunity to go to the
mosque and say prayers and attend celebrations there, Sheikh Akrama Sabri said,
al-Quds daily reported.
He
also underlined the need for every Muslim man and woman to study the Seerah
(life) of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and try to follow the Seerah in all aspects
of life.
Sheikh
Sabri also called on the Muslim and Arab nations to get united in support of
Al-Aqsa Mosque and make efforts to protect holy sites in Jerusalem al-Quds and
elsewhere in Palestine.
Muslims
must also counter onslaughts on Islam and its sublime teachings that promote
moderation, justice, dignity, compassion, tolerance and respect for others’
views, he went on to say.
Source:
ABNA
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Top
Commander: Iran, Pakistan Agree to Hold Joint Naval Drills
2021-October-17
"Iran
and Pakistan have agreed to improve security along common borders and have made
great efforts to create border barriers, control border traffic, fight drugs
smuggling and human trafficking and combat other factors causing insecurity at
borders," General Baqeri said.
“Today,
fortunately, the common border between the two countries is much safer than in
the past,” the top commander added.
General
Baqeri recalled that the two neighboring states have enjoyed military
cooperation in recent years, and said, "During this visit, good agreements
were reached, including on holding joint naval drills whether in Pakistan’s
waters or in the southern waters of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the
future."
He
noted that Pakistan would attend joint maritime exercises by Iran, Russia and
China, which have been held since two years ago.
In a
relevant development on Thursday, General Baqeri and Pakistan’s Chief of Naval
Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi in a meeting in Islamabad reviewed ways
to further expand relations and cooperation between the two countries’ navies.
General
Baqeri and Admiral Amjad Niazi exchanged views on issues of mutual interest,
the latest state of fraternal relations between Iran and Pakistan, including
the level of cooperation between the two countries' navies.
The
two sides discussed maritime security in the region and a wide range of other
security developments.
Over
the past days, General Baqeri held meetings and consultations with the
Pakistani political and military leaders. He met with Army Chief General Qamar
Javed Bajwa, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Nadeem
Reza, and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan.
In
these meetings, the latest situation of the relations between the two countries
in the military, security, strategic dimensions, and strategies for the
development of these relations were reviewed.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14000725000503/Tp-Cmmander-Iran-Pakisan-Agree-Hld-Jin-Naval-Drills
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Israel
expects 2,000 rockets a day in any war with Hezbollah: Army
18
October ,2021
Israel
does not want war with Lebanon's Hezbollah but is prepared to face about 2,000
rockets a day from the armed group if conflict breaks out, a senior Israeli
military official told AFP.
In
May this year, the Israeli army fought an 11-day war against Palestinian armed
groups in the Gaza Strip, who fired around 4,400 projectiles towards Israel.
Israel
says its Iron Dome defense system, which has been in use for around a decade,
intercepted around 90 percent of the rockets headed for populated areas, while
just under 300 hit inhabited districts.
The
rate of fire surpassed that seen in Israel's 2006 war against Hezbollah, when a
similar number of rockets were launched from Lebanon -- but over the course of
around a month -- the Israeli army said.
In
May, cities like Tel Aviv and Ashdod experienced the “highest number of fire
towards them in the history of Israel”, said Uri Gordin, chief of the army's
Home Front Command.
“We
saw a pace of more than 400 rockets fired towards Israel on a daily basis.”
He
said that in the case of “conflict or a war with Hezbollah, we expect more than
five times the number of rockets fired every day from Lebanon to Israel”.
“Basically
we are looking between 1,500 and 2,500 rockets fired daily towards Israel,” he
told AFP.
‘Wake-up
call’
Set
up in 1992 after the first Gulf War, Gordin's Home Front Command is in charge
of civil defense, meaning it is responsible for readying the country in case of
threat, conflict or disaster.
The
unit was criticized for its response to the 2006 war with Hezbollah, which
killed more than 1,200 Lebanese, mostly civilians, and 160 Israelis, the
majority of them soldiers.
That
war was a “wake-up call” for the Home Front Command, Gordin said, adding that
it had since beefed up its liaison units, which are now active across 250
Israeli municipalities to provide assistance in case of any attack.
The
Home Front Command uses computer projections to predict a rocket's trajectory
after it has been launched, and advises the public, within a specific range, to
head to bomb shelters.
During
the Gaza conflict in May, this allowed emergency services to “go to every
incident within less than five minutes”, Gordin said from the control room of
the unit's headquarters in Ramla, near Tel Aviv.
He
said preparations had been made for any incidents on the border with Lebanon.
‘Source
of instability’
An
Israeli security source said the Israel army hoped for “stability” in its
northern neighbor, which is mired in a crippling economic crisis and on
Thursday saw deadly sectarian clashes in the capital Beirut that left seven
dead, including Hezbollah members.
Iran-backed
Hezbollah was “the source of instability in Lebanon”, the security source said,
adding that the group “exploits the state's resources for Iranian interests”.
Iran
is “closer to creating fissile material for nuclear weapons than they ever were
in the past” but would still need two years to obtain a bomb, the source said,
echoing a timeframe cited by other Israeli officials.
Tehran
insists its nuclear program is for civilian purposes.
“We
are preparing for all options and scenarios, including military capabilities,”
the security source said.
Israel
has been staunchly opposed to the revival of a nuclear deal agreed between
Tehran and world powers in 2015.
The
agreement has been on life support since then President Donald Trump withdrew
the US in 2018 and reimposed crippling sanctions.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Israeli
officer punished for violence against protesters, military says
18
October ,2021
The
Israeli military on Sunday said it has reprimanded an officer who was found to
have used excessive force against protesters in the occupied West Bank,
including pushing a 65-year-old Israeli peace activist to the ground.
The
army said the officer, a major, had deviated from “the professional norms and
standards” expected of him. It said he could not be promoted or attend a
commander's course for the next three years.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
The
officer was punished in connection to a pair of incidents, the army said. Among
them was a Sept. 17 demonstration in the southern West Bank in which an Israeli
activist was shoved to the ground and suffered a serious injury to his eye
socket. The activists had come to deliver water to Palestinian villages in the
parched area.
In
the second incident, it said the officer had improperly pushed a Palestinian
while forces were confronting stone-throwers.
Combatants
for Peace, the advocacy group that sponsored the project to help the village,
said the punishment was light and accused the army of encouraging further abuse
by failing to take tougher action.
“The
army’s decision to postpone the promotion of a violent officer who was caught
week after week abusing Palestinians and hitting human rights activists is a
farce and is tacit approval for the violence," it said. It also criticized
Defense Minister Benny Gantz, a former military chief, for remaining silent.
In
recent weeks, there have been a string of incidents in which Israeli settlers
attacked Palestinians and soldiers either failed to stop them or appear to have
used excessive force against Palestinians and Israeli activists.
In
one case, the Haaretz daily said that soldiers detained two Palestinian boys,
ages 13 and 15, after spotting them in a West Bank field trying to set a bottle
on fire with aluminum and cleaning fluid in a game they called “Flash.” The
report said the boys were held for 29 hours, bound, beaten and not given food.
It
published a photo of the younger boy with bruises on his face. The boy, Mustafa
Amir, said he was beaten as he was taken away.
The
army denied the accusations, saying the boy had tripped and hit his face as he
tried to run away after detonating an explosive device. It said the boy was
given medical care and that both of them were given food and water in custody.
In
another incident last week, Haaretz said that a Palestinian villager was beaten
and detained when residents in the northern West Bank tried to pick olives from
their land. The news site published a photo of a soldier standing with a boot
on the man's back. The villagers say they cannot reach their land because an
illegal Israeli outpost has been set up there.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
EU
fails to secure commitment from Iran to resume nuclear deal negotiations:
Report
17
October ,2021
An EU
mission to Iran failed this week to secure a commitment from Tehran’s
administration to resume negotiations over reviving the abandoned 2015 nuclear
deal, Politico reported on Sunday.
A
senior EU official said: “They are not yet ready for engaging in Vienna.”
Instead,
Iran committed to meeting with EU officials in Brussels to discuss “details of
texts on the table at the end of the last round of talks in June, which took
place in Vienna,” Politico reported.
“It’s
not a bad idea that we sit down in a long meeting with the new [Iranian]
delegation and we go through all the texts … and we clarify with the new
delegation different questions that they can have,” the senior EU official
said.
“This
seems to be a dead-end situation and I am very concerned,” a senior diplomat
told Politico. “I hope I am wrong, but if things continue this way, we will end
up nowhere.”
The
possibility of upcoming talks in Brussels, the official added, “cannot
substitute a resumption of indirect talks between Iran and the US in Vienna,
together with all remaining signatories of the deal.”
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
North America
Being
tougher on Iran is Biden’s key to Saudi Arabia-Israel normalization: Pompeo
17
October ,2021
US
President Joe Biden must adopt a much tougher stance against Iran to convince
Saudi Arabia to normalize ties with Israel, former Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo said.
“I'm
convinced there will be many more countries joining the Abraham Accords and one
day the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will as well,” Pompeo said in an interview with
the Telegraph.
Pompeo
was one of the main diplomats involved in the US brokered Abraham Accords which
saw four Arab countries normalize ties with Israel – the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan
and Morocco.
After
the UAE and Bahrain restored full diplomatic relations with Israel in 2020,
there was wide speculation on whether Saudi Arabia would follow suit.
At
the time, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said the
Kingdom remained open to fully normalize ties with Israel on the condition of a
Palestinian state and a peace plan between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
Pompeo,
Donald Trump’s former chief diplomat, believes that Biden’s administration may
be able to convince Saudi Arabia to sign the Abraham Accords if it adopted a
harsher stand against Iran.
“There
are a couple other pieces to the puzzle that they need to see - they need to
see strong American leadership, they need to see an America that they know will
support them, most particularly with respect to the challenge presented by
Iran,” Pompeo said.
Iran
is viewed by both Israel and Saudi Arabia as the biggest threat to peace in the
Middle East.
Pompeo
wants the US to take action against Tehran and its network of proxies – Shia
militias in the region such as Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis in Yemen,
Hezbollah in Lebanon and Kata'ib Hezbollah in Iraq.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Time
for Turkish-US rapprochement: Envoy to Washington
Servet
Gunerigok
17.10.2021
WASHINGTON
The
transatlantic alliance is being tested with recent developments in the Middle
East, North Africa, Black Sea basin, and Asia, and it is time for rapprochement
between Turkey and US, according to Turkey’s ambassador to Washington.
In an
article posted Sunday on the Defense One website, Hasan Murat Mercan said
political, social, and security fractures are triggering mass refugee flows and
increased asymmetrical threats that require both nations to revisit their
partnership.
"But
transitioning transatlantic security priorities to an era of great power
competition inevitably will necessitate exploring venues of gradual
rapprochement between Turkey and the United States," said Mercan.
In
the piece, the diplomat called the transatlantic community "complex and
delicate."
"If
left unchecked, seemingly stand-alone crises and conflicts across ‘Greater
Eurasia’ would trigger a chain reaction politically, socially, economically,
and security-wise with global repercussions," he added.
Mercan
said Ankara and Washington need "optimal" partnership engagements
"if we are to continue operating together in non-permissive and
semi-permissive environments.”
"Any
recalibration of those transatlantic engagements in the region must include
capable, willing, and reliable allies and partners if they are to produce
timely and lasting solutions," he wrote. "Turkey remains one of those
allies and partners."
Turkey's
vital role, unique capacity
He
cited Turkey's contribution in Afghanistan after US withdrawal in late August,
saying the situation there reaffirmed that transatlantic actors must continue
to work together as security providers.
"The
fall of Afghanistan’s provincial capitals in less than 10 days, which led to
the rapid collapse of the Afghan government, caught the world by surprise. The
unexpected turn of events and images of desperation coming from Kabul
International Airport will haunt the international community for a long
time," said Mercan.
Stating
that Turkey played a vital role in Afghanistan, Mercan explained how Ankara
engaged with Taliban for an inclusive government, provided humanitarian aid to
the Afghan people, and deployed technical teams to reopen the Kabul airport.
"This
once again showcased Turkish unique capacity that cannot be substituted by or
sub-contracted to any other state or non-state actor in ‘Greater
Eurasia’," Mercan wrote.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/time-for-turkish-us-rapprochement-envoy-to-washington/2395084
--------
US
likely to attend Moscow meeting on Afghanistan
Anwar
Iqbal
October
18, 2021
WASHINGTON:
The United States appears willing to attend the Extended Troika talks in Moscow
this week but is still reluctant to confirm its participation, diplomatic
sources in Washington said on Sunday.
Russia’s
presidential envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov said last week that the group
— which includes Russia, the US, China, and Pakistan — will meet soon to
discuss the latest developments in Afghanistan.
Although
he did not specify a date, Russian officials told journalists that the meeting
could be held on Oct 20.
Mr
Kabulov, however, said the participants “will try to work out a common position
on the changing situation in Afghanistan”.
At a
news briefing in Washington, US State Department’s spokesperson Ned Price
indicated that the Biden administration was willing to attend the meeting.
“We
do have an alignment of interests with countries like Russia when it comes to
Afghanistan,” he said. “And we previously have found the extended Troika format
to be useful.”
The
US official said that Washington had “taken note of the upcoming session in
Moscow” but he could not yet confirm America’s participation.
The
United States, he said, was determined to ensure that outfits like Al Qaeda and
the militant Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) group could never again use the
Afghan soil as a launching pad for attacks on other countries.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1652682/us-likely-to-attend-moscow-meeting-on-afghanistan
--------
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