Lookit Pakistan’s pet Taliban trying to seduce the Afghan populace with games.
[Dawn] The announcer roared over the public address system as a lone rider separated from a melee of horses and galloped towards a chalk circle drawn in the middle of a muddy field in the Afghan capital.
Despite being pursued by what appeared to be a cavalry charge, the rider dumped his "prize" in the circle and raised an arm in triumph.
Kandahar had taken the lead against Kunduz in Sunday’s grand final of Afghanistan’s national Buzkashi championships.
Banned as "immoral" when the Taliban ...the Pashtun equivalent of men... first ruled from 1996 to 2001, the Islamists have embraced Buzkashi since returning to power in August, and the winning team hails from their heartland despite it having no real tradition of the sport.
"Unfortunately, Buzkashi was not allowed previously and was only played in provinces where the Taliban didn’t rule," Qais Hassan, the owner of the winning Kandahar team, said.
"Today, luckily, Buzkashi is not only being played all over Afghanistan, but the government, the Islamic Emirate, is organising this competition."
The sport is both spectacular and violent mostly peaceful — a lot like the country, many Afghans are quick to tell you — and steeped in history.
Two teams with six horsemen a side fight for possession of, traditionally, a beheaded animal carcass — Buzkashi means "dragging the goat" in Persian — with the aim of dropping it into the "circle of truth".
It has been played for centuries in Central Asia, with slight variations from country to country.
These days a 30-kilogram stuffed leather bag resembling a carcass is used instead of the real thing, but the skills required to compete remain the same.
More on this story from yesterday, with more photos of the “acting” minister of interior affairs boldly walking around with his face naked to the elements for all to see. Note the alternate spelling of the gentleman’s name.
[DeutscheWelle] Taliban ...Arabic for students... officials released images of Sirajuddin Haqqani ...son of Pashtun warlord Jalaluddin Haqqani, still titular head of the Haqqani Network....
...yesterday spelt Sarajudin Haqqani, demonstrating the problem of transliterating names from another alphabet, he’s #2 in the Taliban organization as well as regional vice president for Afghanistan on the Al Qaeda organization chart, and Very Special Contact for Pakistan's ISI when they want attacks on Indian projects in Afghanistan...
for the first time as he made a rare public appearance in Kabul. Haqqani has long been wanted by the US over a string of terror attacks.
Afghanistan's Taliban government for the first time published clear photos of acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani on Saturday.
Haqqani, wearing a black turban and white shawl, made a rare public appearance at a graduation ceremony for newly recruited Afghan coppers. They are the first class to graduate from the police academy under the Taliban's rule.
More details from the speech he made, for those interested in the Taliban’s easy promises.
[Khaama] Someone left the irony on: Bombing in 5...4....3...
A week after the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC)
...founded in 1969 as the 57-member Islamic Conference. It claims to be the collective voice of the Muslim world, to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world. It looks like they’re Muslim bagmen, transferring donations from the wealthy to various charities and deserving governments...
special representative for Afghanistan Dr. Muhammad Saeed Ayash began its mission in Afghanistan, the organization’s office opened in Kabul on Sunday, March 6, 202.
OIC in a press release said that the office aims to oversee pledges made by foreign ministers of the organization about addressing the situation in Afghanistan.
As per the statement, the office will coordinate humanitarian activities with international agencies, and no effort will be spared to address the ongoing situation of the Afghan people.
The organization in an extraordinary summit over Afghanistan set up an exclusive bank account named Afghanistan’s Humanitarian Trust Fund.
The Department of Military Engineering of the General Staff of the Libyan Army announced that it had removed 12 tons of mines, booby-traps, and remnants of war, detonating them in the Bir Al-Ghanam area.
In a statement on Saturday, it said that these explosives were collected from several areas south of Tripoli.
Notably, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) announced that it has managed to remove or destroy 13,000 explosive items from Libya during 2021.
It noted that it has completed surveys of 500 square kilometers, in partnership with the Libyan Center for Mine Action and Remnants of War. It tweeted that it has provided awareness activities to 47,000 beneficiaries.
UNMAS is a service within the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations that specializes in coordinating and implementing activities to reduce the threat posed by mines, explosive remnants of war, and other explosive devices.
Earlier this month, the Explosives Bureau team at the Libyan Police’s Technical Affairs Department cleared anti-personnel mines from a farm in the Ain Zara area of Tripoli.
The Ministry of Interior said in a statement that the team combed the farm, as they believed that mines had been planted extensively on the land.
This came after a report was received that three people had been killed on the farm, which has become known as the “death farm, according to the statement.
In March 2021, UNICEF said that estimates indicate that there are more than 500,000 people at risk in Libya due to remnants of war. This includes 63,000 displaced people, 123,000 returnees, 145,000 residents, and 175,000 migrants.
[AlAhram] Burkina Faso ...The country in west Africa that they put where Upper Volta used to be. Its capital is Oogadooga, or something like that. Its president is currently Blaise Compaoré, who took office in 1987 and will leave office feet first, one way or the other... strongman Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba has named a 25-member government to lead the West African country during a three-year transition following January's coup.
It started with a mutiny in an army barracks on January 23rd.
General Barthelemy Simpore retains the job of defence minister that he held under Roch Marc Christian Kabore who was ousted after troops mutinied over his strategy against jihadists.
Simpore has even been elevated to the rank of minister of state, according to a Damiba decree published late Saturday.
Six women have been appointed to the cabinet, including Olivia Rouamba who will serve as foreign minister.
Yero Boly, who was a minister in various governments under the previous president Blaise Compaore, was named minister of state to the president and tasked with national reconciliation.
Civil society and union leaders such as Lionel Bilgo and Bassolma Bazie have also been appointed ministers, the former to handle national education and literacy.
Damiba on Thursday named economist Albert Ouedraogo the new prime minister.
Damiba, a 41-year-old lieutenant-colonel, seized power on January 24, toppling elected president Kabore.
He was sworn in as president and head of the armed forces by the top constitutional body on February 16.
Brief ceremonies to officialise his position were held Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Damiba signed a so-called transition charter that declared elections would be held 36 months after his inauguration.
The period was longer than the 30 months that had been proposed by a commission set up by the junta.
The charter stipulates that the president is not eligible for the "presidential, legislative and municipal elections which will be organised to put an end to the transition."
In addition to the 25-member cabinet, a 71-member legislature is being set up to ensure the transition.
Their members will also be barred from contesting the post-transition ballot.
On Wednesday the head of state ordered a general audit of the public sector, a measure aimed at promoting good governance.
One of the poorest countries in the world, the landlocked Sahel state has had a long history of volatility since gaining independence from La Belle France in 1960.
They're only Shiites, after all. Being blown up is why Allah made them, donchaknow. ISIS-K was just doing what comes naturally.
[Dawn] A senior police official on Sunday said that the mosque in Beautiful Downtown Peshawar ...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, administrative and economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Peshawar is situated near the eastern end of the Khyber Pass, convenient to the Pak-Afghan border. Peshawar has evolved into one of Pakistain's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire... that was attacked by a jacket wallah on Friday was not categorised as the most sensitive or sensitive and that security had been deployed there as per routine.
The official, who is based in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, told Dawn on condition of anonymity that although there had been no threat alert, police personnel had been deployed outside the mosque. The terrorist first shot and killed one of the two coppers and injured the other before entering the mosque and detonating the explosive wrapped around his body.
Meanwhile, ...back at the shouting match, Bart was wondering if fisticuffs would be appropriate at this point... security in Rawalpindi division has been placed on high alert.
Regional Police Officer (RPO) Ashfaq Ahmad Khan directed the police in Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum and Chakwal districts to improve the security measures, especially for worship places, educational institutions and public places.
He also directed the senior coppers to deploy extra police at sensitive places and launch intelligence-based search operations in their respective areas.
On the third day of the Test match between Pakistain and Australia in Rawalpindi, the RPO and City Police Officer (CPO) Omer Saeed Malik went into a session with bigwigs of the Pakistain Cricket Board (PCB) and also reviewed the security measures put in place for the players, cricket lovers and officials.
The RPO, who visited the cricket stadium’s surroundings, directed the police to ensure foolproof security and streamline traffic movement during the matches. About 4,500 police personnel, four companies of the army and two companies of Rangers have already been deployed for the security of the stadium.
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03/07/2022 02:08 ||
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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned the suicide blast in the Pakistani city of Peshawar, saying that “houses of worship should be havens, not targets”. Whadda ya know, they are, most of 'em!
“I condemn today’s horrific attack on a mosque in Peshawar, Pakistan, during Friday prayers. My condolences to those who have lost loved ones, and my solidarity with the people of Pakistan,” the UN chief tweetedOf course, you liver spotted rotten marshmallow.
[Dawn] Jamaat Ulema-e-Islam ...the political wing of the Pak Taliban... -Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman ...Deobandi holy man, known as Mullah Diesel during the war against the Soviets, his sympathies for the Taliban have never been tempered by honesty... has said that people reserve the right to ask the security agencies why they are not safe despite years of operations against turbans and claims that they have been neutralised.
He visited Beautiful Downtown Peshawar ...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, administrative and economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Peshawar is situated near the eastern end of the Khyber Pass, convenient to the Pak-Afghan border. Peshawar has evolved into one of Pakistain's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire... on Sunday to condole with the victims’ families of the Friday bombing at a mosque that left 63 people dead and some 200 maimed.
Recall, dear Reader, that’s the one ISIS in the Khorasan claimed, possibly even truthfully.
Speaking to media, the JUI-F chief said that security forces conducted operations across the country, particularly in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, for years to stamp out terrorism and provide safety to citizens.
"As a result of these operations millions were displaced, especially from the tribal districts. Thousands of them have yet to return to their homes. But the government and the security organizations have failed to provide security to people," he said.
Mr Rehman said that they asked the institutions as to why they failed to safeguard the lives and properties of people. "We will foil the nefarious designs of forces bent on creating chaos and fueling sectarianism," he added.
To a question, he said that opposition would table a no-confidence motion against the government within a few days. "We have the strength and have prepared a draft of the resolution to push through the motion," he added.
The JUI-F chief alleged that government was spending money of taxpayers to send members of National Assembly abroad on tours. He dispelled the impression that the opposition movement failed, claiming that government was isolated through the combined and sustained efforts of the opposition parties.
Meanwhile, ...back at the pie fight, Bella opened her mouth at precisely the wrong moment... the special representative of prime minister on religious harmony, Maulana Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, also visited Peshawar to condole with the families of the victims.
On this occasion, he said that the Friday’s incident did not belong to a particular school of thought. He said that it was their joint issue.
Their (the victims) only sin was that they raised slogan of Allah-o-Akbar (God is Great). That was why they were targeted. "We are all Hussaini and we are ready to render sacrifices for our country," he said.
Hussaini? That proves they were Shiites.
He added that the culprits would be brought to justice and the case would be sent to anti-terrorism court for speedy trail.
Meanwhile, ...back at the pie fight, Bella opened her mouth at precisely the wrong moment... the families of the bombing victims staged a protest demonstration in the city. A large number of people including families of the victims participated in the rally, which was started from Church Road.
"Targeting faithful in a mosque is height of brutality," said Allama Shabir Hassan Maisami, general secretary of Shia Ulema Council. "There is no religion of those bombing a mosque," he added.
He said that as citizens of Pakistain, the people were prepared for any sacrifice for their country. "But for the last 20 years, the blood of the people has been spilled for no reason. Why is the state not answerable for this carnage? Why is it silent and not acting against the murderers," he questioned.
Allama Shabir said that Shia community had been at the forefront of those, who offered sacrifices for the country, and would continue to do so. "But why are we not safe against the threat from foreign elements," he questioned.
He said that Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid claimed that there was no security alert but they knew that there was one. "We should be informed about who facilitated the terrorists? We should know why the killers of APS children have not been arrested yet," he added.
He said if the victims of the bombing did not get justice, the council would give a call for a nationwide protest.
[Oneindia] With the Karnataka police invoking the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 in the case relating to the murder of a Bajrang Dal worker in Karnataka, there is a likelihood of the National Investigation Agency taking over the probe.
The UAPA is usually invoked when there is a suspicion of a larger conspiracy which could potentially threaten national security. Shivamogga resident, Harsha was hacked to death by a group of men and the police suspect that this could be due to an ongoing feud since 2016.
While prime facie the police feel that this was due to a rivalry, the fact that this incident took place during the hijab issue is something that would require a closer look.
The UAPA in Karnataka has been invoked in the past several times. The UAPA was invoked in the murder case of RSS worker, Rudresh in Bengaluru. The same was also invoked against one Abid Pasha in Mysuru, for his alleged involvement in six murders. All these cases were handed over to the NIA to probe the larger conspiracy.
South India has reported several cases relating to the killing and targeting of Hindu leaders. In 2020, the NIA raided 25 locations in South India in connection with an Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems.... case.
The case pertained to a criminal conspiracy with an objective of murdering Hindu Leaders, creating communal riots and to do anti-national activities by forming a terrorist gang, being inspired by ISIS, a proscribed terrorist organization. The members of the terrorist gang conducted meetings at Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and propagated ISIS ideology, procured arms and ammunition and other incriminating material for executing their plans.
In this case 5 accused namely Mehaboob Pasha, Mohammed Mansoor Ali Khan, Saleem Khan, Zabiulla, Syed Azmathulla were arrested earlier and other accused are absconding.
In 2019, the NIA took over the the probe into the Ramalingam murder case. he arrested was identified as one Shali alias Muden Ahmed Shali, a 51 year old resident of Thenkasi, Tamil Nadu. Earlier the NIA had arrested Mohammad Faruk, near Trichy. The case pertains to the brutal attack and murder of Ramalingam by radical Islamists on February 5 2019.
Muden Ahmed Shali was head of the dawah
...“outreach”, ie. proselytizing, love jihad, and a variety of other methods to convert thetargets to Islam and the Islamic jihad...
team that had entered into an altercation with Ramalingam on the morning of 5th February, 2019 and the accused had also participated in the subsequent conspiracy meetings, wherein it was decided to attack Ramalingam, the NIA said.
The NIA in a dossier speaks about the Darul Khada an outfit comprising Moslem scholars, social workers and advocates. The NIA says that they run a parallel judiciary which settles a host of issues. The NIA dossier also states that in July 2009, a Kerala level declaration was passed by the Darul Khada in Malappuram in which it had called upon the Moslem community not to attend civil courts, but get all issues sorted out by it.
[OneIndia] The National Investigation Agency has taken over the probe into the Delhi gold smuggling case. The NIA had earlier probed the Kerala gold smuggling case.
The case pertains to the smuggling of gold into the Delhi Airport from the United Arab Emirates. Sources tell OneIndia that the NIA would look at the possibility of a terror link in this case.
The Kerala case was first busted by the Customs following the recovery of 30 kilograms of gold which arrived from the UAE on June 30 2020. The NIA probe found that the gold was smuggled in a diplomatic cargo using forged authorisation letters.
On January 12 this year, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, Mohammad Shahjan was caught with 175 grams of gold and fake Indian currency notes worth Rs 10 lakh. He had arrived at Delhi from Ras-al-Khaimah in Dubai. Shahjan was arrested along with Amir-ul-Haq had come to the Delhi Airport to collect the consignment.
The NIA will investigate all angles and one primary one would be relating to the use of the UAE route to bring in gold into India. The NIA would also look to find out if the proceeds were going to be used for terror funding. The larger conspiracy in this case would also be looked into, the source cited above also said.
Initial investigation against arrested accused Abdul Wahid Saddam has revealed that he is an active member of a gang involved in smuggling of FICNs and gold into India.
[CFP] This is the lead Russian negotiator for the Iran nuclear talks, Mikhail Ulyanov. He’s bragging about how Russia, Iran, and China teamed up to deliver huge wins for Iran’s nuclear program in Vienna negotiations.
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03/07/2022 00:00 ||
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Wait, what?
Posted by: Chaith Dark Lord of the Gepids8952 ||
03/07/2022 15:07 Comments ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
...the Pashtun equivalent of men...
...son of Pashtun warlord Jalaluddin Haqqani, still titular head of the Haqqani Network....
[Khaama] 
...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, administrative and economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Peshawar is situated near the eastern end of the Khyber Pass, convenient to the Pak-Afghan border. Peshawar has evolved into one of Pakistain's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire...
...Deobandi holy man, known as 
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling 
