Islamic State Leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi 'DEAD A Week after Being Hit by US Airstrike'

Photo: Al-Bagdhadi has reportedly died from injuries one week after a US air strike

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•  Sirajuddin Haqqani Says Taliban Open to Talks In Line With Sharia

•  Indonesian Islamic Organization Urges Google to Remove Pornographic Content

•  Ultranationalist group threatens LGBT Pride March in Istanbul

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Arab World

•  Islamic State Leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi 'DEAD A Week after Being Hit by US Airstrike'

•  Security Official Warns of S. Arabia's Plot to Help Terrorists Escape from Iraqi Prison

•  Terrorists Firing Cluster-Type Missiles at Residents of Foua'a, Kafraya

•  ISIL Withdraws from more Territories near Manbij West of Euphrates River

•  Syrian Army Drives Terrorists back from more Lands Southwest of Damascus

•  Iraqi Army Wins More Key Regions in Southern Fallujah

•  Morocco Arrests of Italian Man Linked to ISIL Attacks

•  Ansarullah Unilaterally Releases 57 PoWs in Yemen's Amran Province

•  Syria Condemns German, French Military Presence in Aleppo

•  Terrorists Sustain Heavy Losses in Clashes with Ansarullah Fighters in Sana'a, Bab al-Mandeb

•  Terrorist Groups' Arms Cargo Seized by Syrian Army in Sweida

•  ISIL Centres Hit Hard in Syrian Army Attacks near Deir Ezzur City

•  French Special Forces Building Military Base in Syria's Kobani

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South Asia

•  Sirajuddin Haqqani Says Taliban Open to Talks In Line With Sharia

•  21 ISIS Loyalists Killed In Latest Operations in East of Afghanistan

•  Gen. Dostum Targets Hideouts of Taliban in Jawzjan, 15 Killed, 7 Wounded

•  15 ISIS Loyalists Killed In Afghan Air Force Raid in Nangarhar

•  Thousands arrested in Bangladesh crackdown on suspects in murders of Christians and others

•  Heavy clash resume among Afghan and Pakistani forces in Torkham

•  US says watching the Pak-Afghan tensions in Torkham very closely

•  Zakhilwal rejects he had agreed to construction of gate in Torkham

•  Ghani chairs Security Council meeting amid tense situation in Torkham

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Southeast Asia

•  Indonesian Islamic Organization Urges Google to Remove Pornographic Content

•  Ramadan Is Special To Non-Muslims Too

•  Unilever Indonesia sees 'stabilized' sentiment

•  Teen jailed 5yrs over foiled terror plot

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Mideast

•  Ultranationalist group threatens LGBT Pride March in Istanbul

•  Fallen Soldiers Carried Out Duties Knowing They Might Be Killed: Turkish Chief Of Staff

•  Russian Woman’s Rights Violated during Naked Search, Top Turkish Court Rules

•  No one should do politics in Turkey except Erdoğan, says chief adviser Yiğit Bulut

•  PKK bomb attack wounds three soldiers in Turkey’s southeast

•  Turkey to score foreign workers upon qualifications in new system

•  Turkish PM, president congratulate Russian counterparts for National Day: Report

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America

•  'Not the America We Want': Obama Blasts Trump's Muslim Plans

•  America's First Openly Gay Imam Reflects On Orlando Massacre

•  Obama takes on Trump: 'Are we going to start treating all Muslim Americans differently?'

•  Cleric who preached death for homosexual acts and toured Orlando visits Sydney

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India

•  FIR against VHP Leader Sadhvi Prachi for 'Muslim-Free India' Remark

•  Kairana ‘mass exodus’: BJP team visits village at the centre of migration row

•  No Sign of 39 Indian Workers in Iraq, Say Kurdish Officials

•  Centre Seeks Report From UP Govt on Kairana ‘Migration’

•  Prove you are Indian, asks MHA before disclosing Ishrat probe

•  Indian ultra-nationalists laud Donald Trump as potential 'saviour' from terrorism

•  RSS planning to set up anti-terror youth forum comprising of Muslims

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Pakistan

•  Christian Man Kills Own Sister in Name of 'Honour' In Sialkot

•  Pakistan Proves Slippery Target for ISIS

•  MQM media cell head booked for ‘spreading propaganda against Rangers’

•  More cross-border firing at Torkham as US calls for resolution

•  Tahirul Qadri returns to Pakistan, announces protest against Model Town inquiry

•  Pakistan reaffirms commitment to N-test moratorium

•  16 booked for ‘ordering murder’ of couple for contracting love marriage

•  Christians protest against police ‘harassment’ in Lahore

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Africa

•  Exploring Ethiopia's Holy Islamic Walled Citadel

•  Burundi sparks Tanzania refugee time bomb

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Europe

•  Belgian Police Alerted To ISIS Fighters En Route to Europe

•  NATO to Examine Role in Fight against Islamic State

•  Europeans shun militarization & see terrorism, not Russia as biggest threat – Pew poll

•  UN Votes to Allow EU Ships off Libya to Seize Illegal Arms

Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau

URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/islamic-state-leader-abu-bakr/d/107647

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Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi 'DEAD a week after being hit by US airstrike'

June 15, 2016

ISLAMIC State's leader has been wiped out by the US-led air strikes currently raining down on Syria, according to reports.

The leading mastermind behind the lowlife terror group is believed to have died from his injuries a week after being blasted by the strike.

The self-declared caliph's death was announced by al-Amaq, a news agency linked to ISIS – also known as Daesh.

They said: “Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has been killed by coalition air strikes in Raqqa on the fifth day of Ramadan.”

There have been conflicting reports over the location of his death, with sources split between the ISIS strongholds of Raqqa and Mosul.

An Iraqi security force spokesperson said: “Iraqi aircraft hit Baghdadi’s convoy as it was moving towards Karabia to attend a meeting of the Daesh terrorist leaders.”

But Western coalition officials behind the bombing campaign have not confirmed al-Baghdadi's death.

Spokesman Colonel Chris Garver said military officials had “nothing to confirm this at this time”.

However the official did note that they had seen the reports of his death.

The UK Ministry of Defence has declined to comment.

There have been various reports of the terror leader's death and injury in the past, but none of these have been confirmed.

Last week Iraqi news channel Al Sumariya TV claimed local sources in Iraq's Nineveh province had confirmed that Baghdadi had been wounded in a coalition bombing raid on one of the ISIS command headquarters close to the Syrian border.

The Iraqi source said: “The planes of the international coalition yesterday bombed a location where there is a base of Isis members along the border area between Iraq and Syria, 65 kilometres west of Nineveh.”

He added: ”According to reports, the ISIS leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was injured along with some members of the organisation who were gathered at that meeting.

"The attack was carried out on the basis of precise intelligence information that led to strike its own that site.”

The insider said area is one of the group’s strongholds and that that "Baghdadi and the other ISIS leaders arrived in Iraq from Syria with a convoy of cars”.

express.co.uk/news/world/679959/Abu-Bakr-al-Baghdadi-Dead-air-strike-syria-al-amaq-us-coalition-confirmed

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Sirajuddin Haqqani says Taliban open to talks in line with Sharia

Wed Jun 15 2016

The leader of the notorious Haqqani terrorist network and deputy chief of the Taliban group Sirajuddin Haqqani has said Taliban is open to talks only if such negotiations are in line with Sharia.

He did not elaborate regarding his statement suggesting that the talks could be held in line with Sharia but the Taliban group and the Haqqani terrorist network have long been demanding the complete withdrawal of foreign forces and establishment a strict Sharia rule in the country.

In a rare audio message, obtained by the local media in Pakistan, Sirajuddin said “The Islamic Emirate [of Afghanistan] is not opposed to talks if they are held in line with Sharia and if the international community agrees to this.”

Sirajuddin further added “Our Political Commission deals with the issue of negotiations. If we were opposed to talks, we would have not formed this commission,” according to The Express Tribune.

“This was a consensus decision of the Taliban leadership,” he said, adding that “The international community has imposed a puppet administration on the people of Afghanistan. They are now asking and even forcing us to join it. We cannot accept this demand. The Kabul administration has no power as it cannot implement any decision.”

The audio message by Sirajuddin has been released as Quadrilateral talks involving Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and United States failed to revive the peace talks.

The Afghan government was forced to opt a strict military option against the Taliban group after the group rejected calls for peace talks  and staged a deadly attack in capital Kabul in April this year.

khaama.com/sirajuddin-haqqani-says-taliban-open-to-talks-in-line-with-sharia-01262

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Indonesian Islamic organization urges Google to remove pornographic content

14 Juni 2016

Surabaya, E. Java (ANTARA News) - Hundreds of people from the Indonesian Islamic Organization, Muhammadiyah, demonstrated in front of Grahadi building in Surabaya, East Java province to urge Google and YouTube to remove pornographic content.

A demonstration coordinator, M Arif An, said here on Tuesday that the protest was the first step taken by Muhammadiyah and its affiliated organizations such as Muhammadiyah Youth Bond, Muhammadiyah Student Bond, and Muhammadiyah Youth to act decisively in combating pornography.

Arif said porn content has destroyed younger generations and was causing immoral behavior.

"A lot of crimes involved influence of pornographic content," he added.

Muhammadiyah has urged Google and YouTube in Indonesia to immediately remove and block all porn content.

Efforts made by the Ministry of Communication and Informatics to block porn websites should be appreciated, though there are many other similar sites available on the internet.

"Any content considered propagating radical Islam is very quickly blocked by the ministry. We urge that porn content must also be removed immediately," Arif demanded.

Muhammadiyah urged Google and YouTube to block all porn pages within a week.

"We will write letters to Google and YouTube to do something real to rescue the younger generation from the devastating effect of pornography," Arif remarked.

During its demonstration, Muhammadiyah gave slogans such as, "Say No To Pornography And Think Positive", "Save Generation From Pornography", and "Pornography Destroys Nation.

antaranews.com/en/news/105206/indonesian-islamic-organization-urges-google-to-remove-pornographic-content

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Ultranationalist group threatens LGBT Pride March in Istanbul

June 15, 2016

The Alperen Hearths, an ultranationalist youth organization linked to the nationalist Great Union Party (BBP), has threatened the LGBT Pride March set to take place on June 26 in Istanbul’s Taksim Square, vowing to prevent the march from taking place.

A similar threat was also recently made by a group called the Anatolia Muslim Youth Association (MAG), which vowed to intervene to stop the “perversion.”

“Dear state officials, don’t make us struggle with these [people]. Either you do what’s necessary or we will. We will take all the risks and we will stop the march,” the organization’s Istanbul provincial head, Kürşat Mican, told journalists late on June 14 at their building in Üsküdar.

“They can do whatever they want by gathering somewhere, but we definitely don’t want them to walk naked on the sacred soil of our country in the blessed month of Ramadan. The state should stop them by taking national values into account. This is not normal freedom. We are issuing a warning and we are not responsible for what will happen after this point,” Mican added.

Vowing not to allow “immoral people to perform their fantasies,” the Alperen Hearths vowed to give a “very clear and harsh response” if the state did not interfere with the march.

“Dear state officials, who close their eyes and ears to this immorality and who allow this, we are calling on you to perform your duties to stop this immorality. Otherwise the Alperen Hearths, who are the representatives of the people, will perform their duties on this soil which was passed to us from our ancestors. Our reaction will be very clear and harsh. Things they are mocking us by ignoring our values in this holy month,” Mican stated.

hurriyetdailynews.com/ultranationalist-group-threatens-lgbt-pride-march-in-istanbul-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=100505&NewsCatID=339

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Arab World

Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi 'DEAD a week after being hit by US airstrike'

June 15, 2016

ISLAMIC State's leader has been wiped out by the US-led air strikes currently raining down on Syria, according to reports.

The leading mastermind behind the lowlife terror group is believed to have died from his injuries a week after being blasted by the strike.

The self-declared caliph's death was announced by al-Amaq, a news agency linked to ISIS – also known as Daesh.

Full report at: express.co.uk/news/world/679959/Abu-Bakr-al-Baghdadi-Dead-air-strike-syria-al-amaq-us-coalition-confirmed

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Security Official Warns of S. Arabia's Plot to Help Terrorists Escape from Iraqi Prison

June 15, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)- A senior Iraqi security official revealed that Saudi Arabia has hatched a plot to assist the terrorists imprisoned at al-Hout jail in Dhi Qar province to escape.

"Thamir al-Sabhan, the Saudi ambassador to Baghdad, is paving the ground for the implementation of the plot to assist the terrorists to escape from al-Hout prison," the source, who called for anonymity, told FNA on Wednesday.

He said that this scenario is due to be played with the attack of suicide bombers and bomb-laden cars at the main gates of al-Hout prison.

Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950326000441

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Terrorists Firing Cluster-Type Missiles at Residents of Foua'a, Kafraya

June 15, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)- Jeish al-Fatah terrorist group is using a new and highly dangerous type of missiles to attack the residents of the two towns of Foua'a and Kafraya in Idlib province, local sources revealed on Wednesday.

According to local sources, the terrorist groups stationed in Idlib are now using more modern missiles to kill a larger number of people in the two towns.

They said that the terrorists deployed in Banash town in Idlib, fire unknown missiles at Foua'a and Kafraya which perform like two-phased  missiles with double blasts in the sky and rain down on targets like cluster bombs.

Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950326000341

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ISIL Withdraws from more Territories near Manbij West of Euphrates River

June 15, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) struck the ISIL terrorist groups' defense lines in Northeastern Aleppo and captured three more villages after hours of non-stop battle.

The SDF, mainly comprising of Kurdish fighters, stormed the ISIL positions in the Eastern and Southern sides of Manbij and won back the villages of Hod Hod, al-Hamdouniyeh and Qanat al-Qarreh, which also ended in the killing or injuring of tens of the militants.

In the meantime, the ISIL suffered a heavy death toll in clashes with the SDF fighters in the villages of Owseh Jeli al-Saqir and Owseh Jeli al-Kabir.  

Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950326000407

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Syrian Army Drives Terrorists back from more Lands Southwest of Damascus

June 15, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian military forces engaged in fierce clashes with the terrorist groups in a key town in Western Ghouta, pushing them back from several building blocks.

The Syrian soldiers repelled the terrorist groups' attacks successfully in the town of Darayya and then in a rapid counter-attack forced them to retreat from at least 42 residential building blocks.

Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950326000325

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Iraqi Army Wins More Key Regions in Southern Fallujah

June 15, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Iraqi government troops continued their advances in the Southern part of the city of Fallujah, and seized back more strategic regions after heavy clashes with the ISIL Takfiri terrorists, media reports said.

"The Iraqi army purged terrorists from al-Shafaq residential area in Southern Fallujah and after inflicting heavy losses on the ISIL terrorists hoisted the Iraqi flags over buildings there," the Arabic-language media outlets quoted informed military sources as saying on Wednesday.

Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950326000483

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Morocco Arrests of Italian Man Linked to ISIL Attacks

June 15, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)- Moroccan authorities said they have arrested an Italian national on suspicion of plotting attacks in support of the ISIL terrorist group.

In a statement, Morocco's Ministry of Interior said that the unidentified man had been "brainwashed" by the extremist group and had unsuccessfully tried to join the organization's training camps back in 2014, Daily Mail reported.

The statement said the Italian was arrested Wednesday at Oujda airport near the Algerian border. It added that he was ordinarily resident in Belgium but had spent time in Casablanca, Morocco's commercial capital, after arriving in Morocco in June 2015.

Few other details were released. The arrest was one of several linked to ISIL. Last month Moroccan officials announced the arrest of a Chadian national suspected of plotting to attack Western diplomatic buildings and tourist sites.

en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950326000807

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Ansarullah Unilaterally Releases 57 PoWs in Yemen's Amran Province

June 15, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)- Spokesman of Ansarullah Movement Mohammed Abdulsalam announced that the movement has freed over 50 prisoners of war (PoWs) in the province of Amran since the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan.

"After taking some steps in the holy Ramadan, Ansarullah set free 57 PoWs in Amran province," Abdulsalam wrote on his Facebook page on Wednesday.

The Ansarullah movement's spokesman, meantime, announced that the opposite side has not taken any measure to set free Ansarullah's PoWs so far despite a request by the United Nations.

Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950326000319

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Syria Condemns German, French Military Presence in Aleppo

June 15, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)- Syria strongly condemned the presence of French and German Special Forces in the war-hit country, after media reported the deployment of the two countries’ military forces in Northern Syria.

“The Syrian government consider German and French military presence in Ain al-Arab and Manbij areas as a blatant interference, a flagrant violation of UN Charter’s principles and an overt unjustified aggression on the sovereignty and independence of Syria,” Syrian Foreign and Expatriates Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950326000771

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Terrorists Sustain Heavy Losses in Clashes with Ansarullah Fighters in Sana'a, Bab al-Mandeb

June 15, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)- A senior Ansarullah commander announced that popular forces have made significant advances in Sana'a, and inflicted heavy losses on the terrorists near the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait over the past 24 hours.

"The Yemeni army and popular forces took control of Wadi al-Ghail region near Mefraq al-Jawf paving the way for reopening Ma'rib road to Farza Na'am and Sana'a," Hossein al-Houthi told FNA on Wednesday.

Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950326000248

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Terrorist Groups' Arms Cargo Seized by Syrian Army in Sweida

June 15, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian military forces traced and seized a truck of terrorists carrying a large volume of ammunition, weapons and different types of explosive devices in Northern Sweida.

Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950326000558

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ISIL Centers Hit Hard in Syrian Army Attacks near Deir Ezzur City

June 15, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian Army, in a fresh round of attacks, targeted the ISIL concentration centers in the Southwestern and Southeastern parts of Deir Ezzur city, inflicting major losses on the militants.

The ISIL positions in Panorama in Southwestern side of Deir Ezzur and near the villages of al-Mura'yeh and its farms and near Huweijat al-Mura'yeh in Southeastern side of Deir Ezzur were massively attacked by the Syrian army men.

The ISIL suffered a heavy death toll and its booby-tapped vehicles were destroyed in the attacks.

Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950326000516

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French Special Forces Building Military Base in Syria's Kobani

June 15, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)- French special forces were tasked with training the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and building a military base near Kobani ahead of a major offensive on the ISIL-held city of Manbij, said a former Kobani official on Wednesday.

"French soldiers arrived in Kobani along with US troops to take part in liberating Manbij. They are primarily tasked with coordinating the US-led coalition airstrikes, consulting and providing training to Manbij's Military council and the Syrian Democratic Forces," said former Kobani official and political analyst Idris Nessan, Sputnik reported.

Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950326000378

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South Asia

Sirajuddin Haqqani says Taliban open to talks in line with Sharia

Wed Jun 15 2016

The leader of the notorious Haqqani terrorist network and deputy chief of the Taliban group Sirajuddin Haqqani has said Taliban is open to talks only if such negotiations are in line with Sharia.

He did not elaborate regarding his statement suggesting that the talks could be held in line with Sharia but the Taliban group and the Haqqani terrorist network have long been demanding the complete withdrawal of foreign forces and establishment a strict Sharia rule in the country.

Full report at: khaama.com/sirajuddin-haqqani-says-taliban-open-to-talks-in-line-with-sharia-01262

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21 ISIS loyalists killed in latest operations in East of Afghanistan

Wed Jun 15 2016

At least 21 loyalists of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group were killed in the latest operations conducted in East of Afghanistan.

The Ministry of Defense (MoD) said the operations were conducted jointly by the Afghan ground and Air Forces in Nangarhar province.

Full report at: khaama.com/21-isis-loyalists-killed-in-latest-operations-in-east-of-afghanistan-01264

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Gen. Dostum targets hideouts of Taliban in Jawzjan, 15 killed, 7 wounded

Tue Jun 14 2016

Dostum operations in JawzjanThe hideouts of the Taliban militants were targeted during the operations led by Vice President General Abdul Rashid Dostum in northern Jawzjan province of Afghanistan.

The militants were targeted in Al-Moghul and Bainaghoor areas of Jawzjan, leaving at least 15 dead and 7 others wounded.

Full report at: khaama.com/gen-dostum-targets-hideouts-of-taliban-in-jawzjan-15-killed-7-wounded-01258

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15 ISIS loyalists killed in Afghan Air Force raid in Nangarhar

Wed Jun 15 2016

Afghan army gunships pound militantsAt least 15 loyalists of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group were killed in an airstrike launched by the Afghan Air Force in eastern Nangarhar province.

The Ministry of Defense (MoD) said the hideouts of the ISIS loyalists were targeted by the Afghan Air Force in Achin district.

Full report at: khaama.com/15-isis-loyalists-killed-in-afghan-air-force-raid-in-nangarhar-01263

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Thousands arrested in Bangladesh crackdown on suspects in murders of Christians and others

14 June, 2016

More than 5,000 suspected militants were arrested by the police in Bangladesh in connection with the string of brutal murders of Christians, atheists, bloggers, and others.

Authorities believe that more than 80 of the arrested suspects are Islamic extremists. They were apprehended on suspicion of firearms, drugs, and other offenses, Christian Today details.

Full report at: christiandaily.com/article/thousands-arrested-in-bangladesh-crackdown-on-suspects-in-murders-of-christians-and-others/53171.htm

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Heavy clash resume among Afghan and Pakistani forces in Torkham

Tue Jun 14 2016

A heavy clash is underway between the Afghan and Pakistani forces in Torkham as the deadlock over the establishment of a gate by Pakistani forces has entered into the third day.

Full report at: khaama.com/heavy-clash-resume-among-afghan-and-pakistani-forces-in-torkham-01260

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Zakhilwal rejects he had agreed to construction of gate in Torkham

Wed Jun 15 2016

The Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal rejects that had agreed with Pakistan authorities regarding the construction of a gate in Torkham which has resulted to a heavy clash between the Afghan and Pakistani forces in the past three days.

Zakhilwal reacted towards the allegation after a private TV channel tweeted that the agreement was reached during a meeting between Zakhilwal and Pakistani army chief General Raheel Sahrif.

Full report at: khaama.com/zakhilwal-rejects-he-had-agreed-to-construction-of-gate-in-torkham-01261

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Ghani chairs Security Council meeting amid tense situation in Torkham

Tue Jun 14 2016

President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani chaired the National Security Council (NSC) meeting amid persistent tense situation in Torkham and security situation of the country.

The Office of the President, ARG Palace, said the issue of violations by Pakistani forces in Torkham was discussed during the meeting and called the move by Pakistan against the international norms.

Full report at: khaama.com/ghani-chairs-security-council-meeting-amid-tense-situation-in-torkham-01259

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Southeast Asia

Indonesian Islamic organization urges Google to remove pornographic content

14 Juni 2016

Surabaya, E. Java (ANTARA News) - Hundreds of people from the Indonesian Islamic Organization, Muhammadiyah, demonstrated in front of Grahadi building in Surabaya, East Java province to urge Google and YouTube to remove pornographic content.

A demonstration coordinator, M Arif An, said here on Tuesday that the protest was the first step taken by Muhammadiyah and its affiliated organizations such as Muhammadiyah Youth Bond, Muhammadiyah Student Bond, and Muhammadiyah Youth to act decisively in combating pornography.

Full report at: antaranews.com/en/news/105206/indonesian-islamic-organization-urges-google-to-remove-pornographic-content

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Ramadan is special to non-Muslims too

June 15, 2016

Is it really necessary to tell non-Muslims that they must respect the holy month of Ramadan, as some of our officials have been doing, especially in the last couple of years? In fact, some of these statements have come in the form of warnings.

It’s as if non-Muslims in Malaysia are in the habit of mocking the holy month in any number of ways, such as deliberately having a feast in front of their fasting compatriots. Indeed, that could well be the impression a foreigner might get if he happens to read a news item about such a warning.

Full report at: freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2016/06/15/ramadan-is-special-to-non-muslims-too/

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Unilever Indonesia sees 'stabilized' sentiment

14 Juni 2016

JAKARTA -- Consumer sentiment in Indonesia is showing signs of improvement after a slump last year, the top executive at Unilever Indonesia, the country's largest consumer goods company, said on Tuesday.

"Overall, the economic conditions have stabilized," Hemant Bakshi, the company's president, said at a conference. "We are not seeing -- at least when we look at our business and the things around us -- the steady slowdown we [saw] last year."

The remarks come a year after Bakshi said consumer markets were "clearly" slowing down amid falling commodity prices and a weak rupiah. The weakness in consumer appetite hit Unilever Indonesia, which holds the top market share in various product segments such as shampoo, tea and ice cream. The company's net profit for 2015 fell 1%, the first decline in 10 years.

Full report at: asia.nikkei.com/Business/AC/Unilever-Indonesia-sees-stabilized-sentiment

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Teen jailed 5yrs over foiled terror plot

14 Juni 2016

Ibadurrahman, also known as Ibad, was only 18 when he became the leader of a band of men, who planned to carry out a string of terrorist attacks in Solo, Central Java on August 17 last year.

Prosecutors say the group were backed and funded by the Indonesian militant Bahrun Naim, who is fighting with ISIS in Syria and is said to have ambitions to gain supremacy as a leader of Islamic State in the Southeast Asia region.

In sentencing Ibad to five years at East Jakarta District Court on Wednesday, Chief Justice Barmen Sinurat said he was the ring leader of the group and thus received the harshest sentence.

Full report at: au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/31843942/teen-jailed-5yrs-over-foiled-terror-plot/#page1

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Mideast

Ultranationalist group threatens LGBT Pride March in Istanbul

June 15, 2016

The Alperen Hearths, an ultranationalist youth organization linked to the nationalist Great Union Party (BBP), has threatened the LGBT Pride March set to take place on June 26 in Istanbul’s Taksim Square, vowing to prevent the march from taking place.

A similar threat was also recently made by a group called the Anatolia Muslim Youth Association (MAG), which vowed to intervene to stop the “perversion.”

“Dear state officials, don’t make us struggle with these [people]. Either you do what’s necessary or we will. We will take all the risks and we will stop the march,” the organization’s Istanbul provincial head, Kürşat Mican, told journalists late on June 14 at their building in Üsküdar.

Full report at: hurriyetdailynews.com/ultranationalist-group-threatens-lgbt-pride-march-in-istanbul-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=100505&NewsCatID=339

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Fallen soldiers carried out duties knowing they might be killed: Turkish chief of staff

June 15, 2016

Fallen soldiers carried out their duties knowing they might be killed, Turkish Chief of General Staff Hulusi Akar has said, referring to soldiers killed during ongoing operations against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Turkey’s eastern and southeastern regions.

Full report at: hurriyetdailynews.com/fallen-soldiers-carried-out-duties-knowing-they-might-be-killed-turkish-chief-of-staff.aspx? pageID=238&nID=100506&NewsCatID=341

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Russian woman’s rights violated during naked search, top Turkish court rules

June 15, 2016

Russian woman’s rights violated during naked search, top Turkish court rules

Turkey’s Constitutional Court has ruled there was a rights violation in failing to effectively prosecute an allegation made by a Russian woman, who claimed she was subjected to a strip search during her detention period in Turkey.

According to the court’s ruling, which was announced through the Official Gazette on June 14, the rights of Russian Albina A. were violated when her allegations that she was exposed to ill treatment during her 17-day detention period were not prosecuted. The court also ruled for an indemnity payment worth 5,000 Turkish Liras. 

Full report at: hurriyetdailynews.com/russian-womans-rights-violated-during-naked-search-top-turkish-court-rules.aspx?

pageID=238&nID=100507&NewsCatID=339

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No one should do politics in Turkey except Erdoğan, says chief adviser Yiğit Bulut

June 15, 2016

With President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the helm in Turkey, there’s no need for anyone else in the country to engage in politics, presidential adviser Yiğit Bulut has said.

“There is already a leader in this country and he is engaging in politics. There is no need for anyone else to engage in politics. He is engaging in politics both at home and abroad. Our duty is to support the leader in this country,” Bulut, Erdoğan’s chief economy adviser, said during a program on state television TRT Haber on June 14.

Full report at: hurriyetdailynews.com/no-one-should-do-politics-in-turkey-except-erdogan-says-chief-adviser-yigit-bulut.aspx? pageID=238&nID=100501&NewsCatID=338

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PKK bomb attack wounds three soldiers in Turkey’s southeast

June 15, 2016

A bomb attack by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) wounded three soldiers in the Şemdinli district of the southeastern province of Hakkari early on June 15.

The PKK militants detonated a hidden home-made bomb while an armored military vehicle was passing, according to Doğan News Agency.

The attack wounded three soldiers and the vehicle was also damaged in the blast.

The wounded soldiers received treatment at Şemdinli State Hospital.

Şemdinli District Governor Murat Öztürk was informed of the attack after he arrived at the hospital.

hurriyetdailynews.com/pkk-bomb-attack-wounds-three-soldiers-in-turkeys-southeast-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=100508&NewsCatID=341

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Turkey to score foreign workers upon qualifications in new system

June 15, 2016

Turkey will score foreign workers according to their vocational qualifications, educational background and professional experiences in the planned “turquoise card” system, according to senior officials.

Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli said on June 13 that a series of regulations would be introduced to improve the employment conditions of foreigners.

“We will unveil a turquoise card, which will provide qualified foreigners with the opportunity for permanent employment. Short-term foreign workers and interns will also get a permit to work,” he said.

Full report at: hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-to-score-foreign-workers-upon-qualifications-in-new-system.aspx?pageID=238&nID=100504&NewsCatID=345

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Turkish PM, president congratulate Russian counterparts for National Day: Report

June 15, 2016

Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan passed along greetings to Russian counterparts Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin on the occasion of National Day in Russia on June 12 despite ongoing tension between the two countries, CNN Türk has reported.

Yıldırım and Erdoğan sent letters to Medvedev and Putin, respectively, according to reports citing Prime Ministry sources.

“On behalf of the Turkish people, I celebrate the National Day of the Russian people. I also hope that relations between Russia and Turkey reach the level they deserve in the near future,” Erdoğan wrote in his letter to the Russian president.

Full report at: hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-pm-president-congratulate-russian-counterparts-for-national-day-report.aspx?

pageID=238&nID=100473&NewsCatID=510

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America

'Not the America we want': Obama blasts Trump's Muslim plans

14 Jun, 2016

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama angrily denounced Donald Trump's anti-Muslim rhetoric on Tuesday, blasting the views of the presumptive Republican presidential nominee as a threat to American security and a menacing echo of some of the most shameful moments in U.S. history.

Obama's rebuke was his most searing yet of the man seeking to take his seat in the Oval Office. While the president has frequently dismissed Trump as a buffoon or a huckster, this time he challenged the former reality television star as a "dangerous" threat to the nation's safety, religious freedom and diversity.

Full report at: usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2016-06-14/obama-meets-with-national-security-team-on-islamic-state

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America's First Openly Gay Imam Reflects on Orlando Massacre

15 Jun, 2016

Since this weekend's shooting that killed 50 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Muslim advocacy groups have denounced the gunman, who is of Afghan descent and claimed an allegiance to ISIS, as un-Islamic. In the immediate aftermath, the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Florida, along with other Muslim and interfaith leaders, urged local Florida Muslims to donate blood to support the victims who were wounded. A dozen Islamic groups have raised more than $50,000 for the families of the those who were killed. On Monday, the Muslim American Women's Policy Forum organized a vigil in Washington, DC, to denounce homophobia, transphobia, and Islamophobia.

Full report at: motherjones.com/politics/2016/06/first-openly-gay-imam-orlando-massacre

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Obama takes on Trump: 'Are we going to start treating all Muslim Americans differently?'

14 Jun, 2016

Barack Obama has launched a stinging rebuke to Donald Trump’s response to the Orlando massacre, accusing the presumptive Republican nominee of “betraying American values” by suggesting all Muslims were complicit in such attacks.

In the most forceful remarks yet of an already febrile election season, the president warned of a “dangerous mindset” and “loose talk” that was of a different order from previous partisan criticism and threatened the very nature of American democracy.

“We now have proposals from the presumptive Republican nominee to bar all Muslims from emigrating to America … suggesting entire religious communities are complicit in violence,” said Obama.

Full report at: theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jun/14/barack-obama-trump-speech-muslim-ban-proposal-republicans

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Cleric who preached death for homosexual acts and toured Orlando visits Sydney

14 Jun, 2016

A controversial British cleric who toured Orlando in March and preaches that “death is the sentence” for homosexual acts is scheduled to speak in Sydney throughout June.

Farrokh Sekaleshfar, a British-born doctor and senior Shia Muslim scholar, travelled to Orlando two months ago to give a lecture about homosexuality in Islamic law.

He said in a 2013 lecture in Michigan on the same subject that “death is the sentence for homosexual acts” in Islam and this was “nothing to be embarrassed about”.

Full report at: msn.com/en-au/news/australia/cleric-who-preached-death-for-homosexual-acts-and-toured-orlando-visits-sydney/ar-AAgY8GK?li=AAgfLCP&ocid=iehp

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India

FIR against VHP leader Sadhvi Prachi for 'Muslim-Free India' remark

June 15, 2016

The FIR was registered against Sadhvi Prachi based on a complaint lodged by Sandeep Kumar of Bahujan Mukti Morcha who alleged that her statement in which she had pitched for a "Muslim free country" in Uttrakhand recently, hurt communal feelings, they said.

The FIR has been registered under IPC 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion), IPC 153 B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national-integration), SHO, Unnao, Sanjay Pandey said.

Known for courting controversies, Sadhvi Prachi had claimed the mission of a Congress-free country has already been "accomplished" and it is now time to make India free of Muslims.

Full report at: indiatvnews.com/politics/national-fir-against-vhp-leader-sadhvi-prachi-for-muslim-free-india-remark-334495

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Kairana ‘mass exodus’: BJP team visits village at the centre of migration row

June 15, 2016

A nine-member BJP team on Wednesday visited Kairana in Uttar Pradesh to review the situation over alleged migration of Hindus that has set off a political slug fest even as Congress said the BJP leadership has been “totally exposed” after a party MP’s U-turn on the issue.

The fact-finding team was announced by BJP president Amit Shah on Monday during the course of its National Executive meeting in Allahabad after BJP MP Hukum Singh alleged there was a communal angle to the ‘migration’ from Kairana village in Shamli district in UP where elections are due next year.

Singh, who had recently alleged that several Hindu families have been forced to migrate from Kairana following atrocities from “one particular community”, did a volte face yesterday, saying that it was “not communal” in nature but had more to do with the law and order situation.

The team met some families of Hindus who had allegedly migrated, said Suresh Rana a BJP MLA, adding it also had an interaction with officials of the district administration.

“We have been raising the same issue in Vidhan Sabha for three years now. We only talk about migration when the atmosphere of fear is at its peak. Had the CM of UP wanted, he could have controlled the situation long back,” Rana said, adding a report will be sent to the party leadership.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav should visit Kairana village and assess the situation rather than accusing BJP of lying on this “sensitive matter”, he added. The team was led by Suresh Khanna, BJP’s legislature party leader in UP assembly.

Besides Khanna, the other members of the delegation included Baghpat MP Satpal Singh, Saharanpur MP RLP Sharma, Bulandshahr MP Bhola Singh, Aligarh MP Satish Gautam, Aonla MP Dharmendra Kashyap and former UP DGP Brij Lal.

“There has been mass exodus(from Kairana) due to gunda raj” of the SP government,” Sharma alleged. Congress’s in-charge of UP Ghulam Nabi Azad said the BJP leadership stood “totally exposed” on how they wanted to exploit the situation and tell the people that the alleged migration is on religious lines while it was for economic reasons.

“Exactly that is what we are afraid of because they(BJP) are having an eye on assembly elections. They might even turn small issues into big issues. They will try to polarise the situation. This is what people in UP should be cautious about,” he added.

JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav cautioned against any attempts to foment communal tension ahead of the assembly polls. “People from Kairana did come to me. They told me that what all they (BJP) are saying is a lie. It is nice that they (BJP) have taken a U-turn from what they have earlier said. Soon there will be elections in UP, there should not be any tension on communal divide,” he said.

Shamli District Magistrate Sujeet Kumar has already ruled out any communal and law and order issues behind some

people leaving the area.

“[The] party president has set up a committee, which will go there and study the situation. Such a migration is not good for democracy. The party is sensitive about it and proper steps will be taken after the report comes,” senior BJP leader and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Monday, a Shah expressed serious concern over “migration” from Kairana area in Shamli district, which had witnessed communal riots in 2013.

indianexpress.com/article/india/politics/kairana-hindu-migration-bjp-team-visit-uttar-pradesh-2854968/99/print/

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No sign of 39 Indian workers in Iraq, say Kurdish officials

Praveen Swami

June 15, 2016

Peshmerga units monitoring the Islamic State’s preparations ahead of a looming government offensive to recapture the Iraqi city of Mosul have found no evidence that Indian or other South Asian workers were being deployed to dig trenches and gun positions, highly-placed sources in the Kurdish Regional Government have told The Indian Express.

The grim Kurdish assessment comes on the back of growing disquiet about the fate of 39 Indian construction workers who were kidnapped by the Islamic State in 2014, despite assurances from the Indian government to their families that it has credible information that they are still alive.

Full report at: indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/no-sign-of-indian-workers-in-iraq-kurdish-officials/

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Centre seeks report from UP govt on Kairana ‘migration’

June 15, 2016

New Delhi: The Centre has sought a detailed report from Uttar Pradesh government on the alleged migration of Hindus from Kairana village in the state.

In a communication, the Home Ministry asked the state government to verify the allegations and send a detailed report to it as early as possible.

Official sources said the communication has been sent three days ago but no reply has been received.

Full report at: siasat.com/news/centre-seeks-report-govt-kairana-migration-972757/

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Prove you are Indian, asks MHA before disclosing Ishrat probe

June 15, 2016

New Delhi: In a rare instance, the Home Ministry has asked an RTI applicant to prove he is an Indian before disclosing details about the one-member panel looking into the missing files related to the alleged fake encounter case of Ishrat Jahan.

Senior IAS officer B K Prasad, Additional Secretary in the Home Ministry, heads the inquiry panel.

Full report at: siasat.com/news/prove-indian-asks-mha-disclosing-ishrat-probe-972671/

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Indian ultra-nationalists laud Donald Trump as potential 'saviour' from terrorism

June 15, 2016

Yesterday members of Hindu Sena gathered in New Delhi's traditional protest strip Jantar Mantar road to cut a cake and wish Mr Trump a happy 70th birthday.

Hindu Sena's leader Vishnu Gupta said Mr Trump's vows to combat Islamic State (IS) made him "a saviour of humanity".

"We and every other nationalist in India is supporting Donald Trump because he has promised that he will wipe out Islamic terror from this world," Mr Gupta said

"He is our hero and that's why we celebrated his birthday here today."

Mr Gupta dismissed the suggestion Mr Trump's protectionist and anti-immigration policies could damage India's growth prospects.

Full report at: abc.net.au/news/2016-06-15/ultra-nationalists-in-india-endorse-donald-trump/7511232

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RSS planning to set up anti-terror youth forum comprising of Muslims

June 14, 2016

Keeping in mind the growing threat of Islamic State in India, the RSS is gearing up to setup an "Anti-Terrorist Youth Forum" under the aegis of its Rashtriya Manch wing. This forum will guide the youth so that they do not get misled and join the Islamic State.

Talking to India Today, Indresh Kumar, the patron of Rashtriya Manch and senior national volunteer for the RSS, said that during the month of Ramzan, the manch is organising camps across the country to guide the Muslim youth.

Full report at: indiatoday.intoday.in/story/rss-planning-to-set-up-anti-terror-youth-forum-comprising-of-muslims/1/691810.html

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Pakistan

Christian man kills own sister in name of 'honour' in Sialkot

June 15,2016

LAHORE: A girl was killed by her brother for insisting on marrying a man of her choice, police said Tuesday, marking the country's latest gruesome “honour killing” following a string of incidents that have sparked national outrage.

Anum Ishaq Masih, in her late teens and from a Christian family, was murdered while she slept in the city of Sialkot southwest of Lahore in the early hours of Sunday.

“Saqib Ishaq Masih, 23, killed his sister by smashing her head with a wooden log while she was sleeping,” Rana Zulfiqar, the officer in-charge of the police station in Sialkot, told AFP.

Full report at: dawn.com/news/1264994/christian-man-kills-own-sister-in-name-of-honour-in-sialkot

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Pakistan Proves Slippery Target for ISIS

June 15, 2016

ISLAMABAD: As investigators probe connections between the Orlando killer and the militant Islamic State (IS) group, analysts say the militants are struggling to gain a foothold in one country repeatedly linked to their high profile attacks.

White House hopeful Donald Trump mentioned Pakistan in a speech this week in New Hampshire as he doubled down on anti-immigration threats in the wake of the bloody rampage in Orlando.

Full report at: dawn.com/news/1264981/pakistan-proves-slippery-target-for-is

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MQM media cell head booked for ‘spreading propaganda against Rangers’

June 15,2016

KARACHI: A First-Information Report (FIR) was registered Tuesday against Aminul Haq, in-charge of Muttahida Qaumi Movement's media cell, for spreading propaganda against Rangers officials on social media.

The FIR was registered at the Azizabad Police Station against Haq under sections 499, 502 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) read with section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act on a complaint of Mohammad Ishaq, an official of Rangers Sachal wing.

Full report at: dawn.com/news/1264998/mqm-media-cell-head-booked-for-spreading-propaganda-against-rangers

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More cross-border firing at Torkham as US calls for resolution

June 15,2016

ISLAMABAD: An Afghan official on Wednesday said renewed clashes at Pakistan-Afghan border crossing have killed an Afghan border guard and wounded five others, with Pakistan saying it has dispatched more troops and weapons to the volatile border amid an escalation in tension between the two neighbors.

The Afghan guard is the third fatality since Sunday night, when clashes erupted at the Torkham border crossing over the construction of a gate by Pakistan on allegedly disputed territory.

Full report at: dawn.com/news/1264990/more-cross-border-firing-at-torkham-as-us-calls-for-resolution

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Tahirul Qadri returns to Pakistan, announces protest against Model Town inquiry

June 15,2016

LAHORE: Prominent cleric and head of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Tahirul Qadri on Wednesday announced a "grand protest" against what he called the failure of authorities to deliver justice in the Model Town firing incident in which 14 people were killed and over 100 others injured.

Dr Qadri, who spoke to media representatives at Lahore airport upon his arrival from Canada after eight months, said the "protest cum sit-in" will be organised on Lahore's Mall Road on June 17.

Full report at: dawn.com/news/1264973/tahirul-qadri-returns-to-pakistan-announces-protest-against-model-town-inquiry

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Pakistan reaffirms commitment to N-test moratorium

June 15,2016

WASHINGTON: Pakistan reiterated its commitment to nuclear test moratorium at a key ministerial meeting in Vienna as India chose to stay away from the venue, a document shared with Dawn showed.

The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) held a ministerial meeting in Vienna on Monday, marking 20 years since the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) was opened for signature in 1996. The countries that have still to ratify the treaty were invited to join member states and the CTBTO to discuss the future of CTBT.

At the conference, participants pledged to take further steps towards making test ban a binding reality but India and North Korea opted to stay out.

Full report at: dawn.com/news/1264952/pakistan-reaffirms-commitment-to-n-test-moratorium

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16 booked for ‘ordering murder’ of couple for contracting love marriage

June 15,2016

MUZAFFARGARH: Sixteen people have been booked for holding a panchayat (a village jury) at Ber Band village of Shehr Sultan that allegedly gave a verdict to kill a man and a woman for contracting love marriage.

According to Shehr Sultan police, Shumaila eloped with her cousin Koura Khan and the couple contracted court marriage.

The woman told police that she was engaged to Khan since their childhood but her family was forcing her to marry an old man against her will.

Full report at: dawn.com/news/1264906/16-booked-for-ordering-murder-of-couple-for-contracting-love-marriage

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Christians protest against police ‘harassment’ in Lahore

June 15, 2016

Islamabad : Protesting against the alleged harassment by a police team at a church during a Sunday service, the Christian residents of Lahore’s Fazlia Colony blocked arterial Ferozeupur Road throwing traffic out of gear for several hours.

The protesters alleged that one of the policemen had barged into The United Church, hurled abuses at the worshipers and slapped the pastor when he was stopped from entering with his shoes on, reports The Express Tribune.

Full report at: siasat.com/news/christians-protest-police-harassment-lahore-972812/

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Africa

Exploring Ethiopia's holy Islamic walled citadel

June 15, 2016

“Faranjo! faranjo!” is the repeated shout in the backstreets of Harar, in the nearby hill villages and from the depths of the camel market. The word means quite simply “foreigner” – essentially, you’ve been spotted, usually by excited children. Otherwise Harar Jugol, a Unesco World Heritage city – said to be Islam’s fourth holiest city on account of 82 mosques – that was once a prosperous, independent kingdom, lives a strangely insular existence. This fortified desert city was built between 13th and 16th centuries and is also home to 102 shrines and townhouses that reveal exceptional interior design. During the sizzling afternoon heat, its male inhabitants seemingly disappear; I soon gather it is the khat habit that keeps them indoors in a beatific daze.

Full report at: independent.co.uk/travel/africa/harar-ethiopia-coffee-khat-a7079801.html

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Burundi sparks Tanzania refugee time bomb

Jun 14, 2016

DAR-ES-SALAAM, (CAJ News) – THE political upheavals in Burundi have presented Tanzania with a perilous refugee catastrophe as camps burst at the seams beyond their carrying capacities and diseases spread freely.

A total of 260 000 Burundian refugees have fled to the surrounding countries mainly Tanzania, the only neighbouring country enjoying  stability.

More than one year after the first influx of refugees began, some 1 000 people fleeing unrest in Burundi continue to cross the border to Tanzania each week, through Kagunga, a tiny border village along Lake Tanganyika, as well other entry points in Kigoma region.

Upon reaching Tanzania, these vulnerable members of the displaced community join thousands of their compatriots living in overcrowded and ever-expanding refugee camps.

Two of the three existing sites—Nyarugusu and Nduta—have already swelled to capacity.

A third camp, Mtendeli, is now receiving refugees transferred from the overcrowded Nyarugusu camp, as well as newly arrived refugees from the border areas.

Full report at: cajnewsafrica.com/2016/06/14/burundi-sparks-tanzania-refugee-time-bomb/

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Europe

Belgian police alerted to ISIS fighters en route to Europe

14 Jun, 2016

Belgian Police have received an anti-terror alert warning that a group of Islamic State fighters recently left Syria en route for Europe planning attacks in Belgium and France, a security source said on Wednesday.

The Belgian crisis center in charge or coordinating security responses said that an alert had been circulated to all police forces in the country but there were no immediate plans to raise the security level to the maximum that would indicate an imminent threat of an attack.

Full report at: jpost.com/Breaking-News/Belgian-police-alerted-to-ISIS-fighters-en-route-to-Europe-456806

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NATO to examine role in fight against Islamic State

14 June 2016

STUTTGART, Germany — As NATO puts the finishing touches on a plan to increase its presence in eastern Europe, allies gathered in Brussels Tuesday also will examine how the 28-nation military alliance can play a more formal role in the U.S.-led campaign against the Islamic State group, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said.

Carter, who is in Brussels for two days of talks with NATO defense ministers, told traveling reporters he expects the mission in Iraq and Syria to be a key point of discussion even as member states fine-tune plans to send rotational battalions into the Baltics and Poland.

“I’ll also remind you that I’m always asking for more and will continue to ask for more — for more from everybody, including ourselves (in the fight against the Islamic State),” Carter told reporters late Monday en route to Brussels.

Full report at: stripes.com/news/europe/nato-to-examine-role-in-fight-against-islamic-state-1.414525

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Europeans shun militarization & see terrorism, not Russia as biggest threat – Pew poll

14 Jun, 2016

Europeans are weary of hard power and are reluctant to boost defense spending despite the commitment to do so by their governments, a Pew poll has shown. Tensions with Russia are seen as a minor threat compared to international terrorism and economic instability.

Full report at: rt.com/news/346601-europeans-shun-nato-militarization/

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UN Votes to Allow EU Ships off Libya to Seize Illegal Arms

14 Jun, 2016

The U.N. Security Council on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution allowing the European Union's maritime force off Libya's coast to seize illegal weapons that are helping to fuel violence and instability in the North African nation, including by Islamic State extremists.

The British-drafted resolution authorizes EU ships in Operation Sophia — now charged with seizing migrant-smuggling vessels — to also stop vessels on the high seas off Libya's coast suspected of smuggling arms in violation of a U.N. arms embargo.

Council President Francois Delattre of France said before the vote that the resolution, if passed, had the potential to be a "game changer" for Libya.

Full report at: abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/votes-eu-ships-off-libya-seize-illegal-arms-39855020

URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/islamic-state-leader-abu-bakr/d/107647