Deadly raid in Pak kills 17 TTP militants
PESHAWA, Sep 27: Pakistan’s security forces killed 17 militants linked to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) during a joint intelligence-based operation in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Conducted on Friday by the Frontier Corps and police in the Karak district, the operation was initiated following credible information regarding the militants’ presence, including members of the Mullah Nazir group. The militants opened fire on the approaching forces, leading to retaliatory action that resulted in their deaths. Additionally, a significant cache of arms and ammunition was seized. Three security personnel were injured in the conflict. The deceased militants were wanted for various serious offenses, including assaults on security forces and kidnapping for ransom. In response to the operation, the Karak district administration enforced a curfew in Darsha Khel and adjacent villages to support a comprehensive combing operation, as authorities believed that several militants had managed to escape and were hiding in the vicinity. (PTI)
Protests erupt in SE B’desh over schoolgirl’s rape
DHAKA, Sep 27: Tribals in southeastern Bangladesh held protests featuring road blockades with burning tyres in response to the alleged gang rape of an eighth-grade schoolgirl in Khagrachhari district. The demonstrators, primarily from the Chakma ethnic minority, demanded justice for the victim. They obstructed key town entry points and internal routes using tree trunks and bricks. In response to escalating tensions, Khagrachhari district administration enforced Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, prohibiting gatherings of five or more people and deploying 250 paramilitary troops to maintain order. Earlier, a protest rally highlighted ongoing violence against women in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Police arrested a suspect, Shoyon Shil, with military aid, while a manhunt for other suspects continued, leading to a five-day remand for Shil’s interrogation. The region, known for its scenic beauty, has seen a decline in tourism due to recent unrest, and it experienced a temporary tourist ban amid sectarian tensions. A peace agreement in 1997 officially ended a two-decade insurgency over regional autonomy, but sporadic unrest remains due to conflicts among tribal factions. (PTI)
Early quake injures 11 in NW China
BEIJING, Sep 27: A 5.6-magnitude earthquake occurred in Gansu province, China, at 5:49 am on Saturday, with an epicenter located about 140 km southeast of Lanzhou. The earthquake, which struck at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers, resulted in the injury of eleven people, five of whom required hospitalization for further treatment but are reported to be in stable condition. The disaster caused the destruction of seventeen houses and damage to over 3,500 residential buildings. Approximately 7,800 residents from Longxi and Zhangxian counties have been relocated for safety. Emergency workers were observed clearing rubble, and despite debris on some roads, traffic continued to flow according to reports from state media. (AP)
