Bombing/IEDs
Two separate improvised explosive devices (IED) struck the Shakai area of South Waziristan District on May 24, leaving one civilian dead and a Frontier Corps (FC) soldier injured, reports Dawn. District Police Officer (DPO) Khankhel said that the first explosion occurred near the Sarapal area, targeting a vehicle belonging to the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS). The second blast took place near the basic health unit along the Shakai Bypass, he added. Police said that the civilian casualty was identified as Shamrooz Khan, a private medical representative, who was passing by the area at the time of the explosion. He died on the spot, while an FC official was injured.
Tribal leader and coal mine owner Sardar Abdul Salam Bazai along with his brother Abdul Nafi Bazai were killed while six others were injured in a bomb explosion near Hanna Orak Kali Mangal area, a suburb of Quetta, on May 31, reports Aaj TV. According to Police, around 200 armed militants launched a sudden attack on coal mines near Hanna Orak Kali Mangal area. The attackers set fire to the mines and the equipment present there. Upon receiving news of the assault, mine owners rushed to the site. A gun battle ensued between the owners and the militants.
As the militants retreated towards the mountains, they planted explosive devices along their path. When the mine owners pursued them, one of the planted bombs detonated, killing Sardar Abdul Salam Bazai and his brother Abdul Nafi Bazai on the spot and injuring six of their companions.
A man was killed and four others were injured in an explosion on Bervari Road in Quetta on June 1, reports Dunya News. It is not conform that the explosives was kept in a vehicle or fixed roadside. The injured included three by-passers and man, who was sitting in the vehicle.
Six people, including three Policemen, were injured when unidentified assailants attacked a Police vehicle with a hand-grenade near Bakra Mandi at the Eastern Bypass area of Quetta on June 2, reports Dawn. The attack left six people injured, including Station House Officer (SHO) Noorullah of Manzoor Shaheed Police Station, Additional SHO Kamran, Constable Muhammad Ali and two young girls who were passing through the area at the time of the explosion.
The District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Gohar Ayoub’s father was killed in a bomb explosion at his residence in Hafizabad Mohallah of Khar town in Bajaur District in the night of June 5, reports Dawn. Amjad Khan, district emergency officer of Rescue 1122 Khar station, said that a bomb struck the private residence of DHO Dr Gohar Ayoub at around 10pm. Dr Gohar Ayoub’s father, Mian Mohammad Ayoub (58), was critically injured in the explosion at the residence’s main gate. However, Mian Mohammad Ayoub succumbed to multiple injuries.
Targetted Killings
A Policeman, identified as Waheed Ahmed, guarding a polio vaccination team, was gunned down on May 27 by unidentified assailants in Killi Muhammad Hassni area of Nushki District in Balochistan, reports Dawn.
A soldier was killed in sniper attack on the Afghan-Pakistan border in the Ursoon Valley of Chitral District on May 29, reports The Khorasan Diary. A terrorist was also killed during the encounter, adds Dawn.
A Police sub-inspector, identified as Mehmood Khan, was ambushed and shot dead by unidentified assailants when he was on routine patrol in the Deza Ghundai area under Wana town Police Station (PS) in South Waziristan District on May 30, reports The Express Tribune.
Miscellaneous
Three Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists were killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) conducted by the Security Forces (SFs) in Bagh area on May 25, reports Dawn. Weapons and ammunition were recovered from the dead terrorists, who were involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area.
Two Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists were killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) conducted by the Security Forces (SFs) in Tank District on May 25, reports Dawn.
The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) killed three Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) cadres during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Tang Krier area of Barkhan District in Balochistan on May 26, reports Dawn. A CTD spokesman said the operation was planned after intelligence reports about the movement of BLA cadres in the area. A cache of arms and ammunition, including submachine guns, pistols and IEDs were recovered.
At least six terrorists and four soldiers were killed during a clash when the terrorists attempted to attack a Security Forces (SFs) check post in Shawal area of North Waziristan District on May 29, reports Dawn.
A Policeman was killed and four other Policemen sustained injuries as a result of gunfire between the Local peace committee, Police and terrorists within the limits of the Hoyed Police Station in Bannu District on May 29, reports Dawn. The Regional Police Officer (RPO) Khanzala Quraishi said, “The members of the peace committee, along with police personnel, were patrolling the area when they were attacked by terrorists at around 12:30am.” He said that Police personnel, Murtaza Jan, embraced martyrdom, while four others, including a school teacher and a police constable, were injured in the attack. The terrorists managed to escape from the scene. Four Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists and two Policemen were killed during a Police operation to arrest terrorists hiding in a cave in the forest area of Hussain Kot in Rawalkot area of Poonch District in Kashmir on May 29, reports ARY news. According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rawalkot, Riaz Mughal, the Police had received intelligence regarding the presence of terrorists in the forest area of Hussain Kot. Acting on the tip-off, Police launched a raid during which the terrorists were found hiding in a cave. As the police surrounded the cave and attempted to apprehend the suspects, one of the terrorists hurled a grenade at the officers, prompting retaliatory fire.
In the exchange, all four terrorists were neutralized. SSP Mughal confirmed that two Police officers, Gulzar and Tariq Bashir, were killed in the operation. The killed terrorists were identified as Zarnosh Naseem, his brother Gibran Naseem, a suspect named Ulfat, and one unidentified individual. Police recovered three Kalashnikov rifles, hand grenades, four suicide vests, and several rounds of ammunition from the site. The terrorists were affiliated with the TTP and were being handled from Afghanistan by a figure identified as Dr. Rauf. Their plan was to carry out a major attack in Kashmir. An operative of the militant Islamic State (IS), Ozgur Altun, was captured at an undisclosed location along Pakistan-Afghanistan border in a joint intelligence operation conducted by Pakistan and Türkiye, on June 1 reports Dawn. Ozgur Altun, also known by the codename “Abu Yasir Al Turki”, was arrested in a precision operation jointly conducted by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organisation (MİT). Following intelligence sharing, the ISI had been briefed on Altun’s presence in Afghanistan and his intent to cross into Pakistan. After his arrest, he was deported to Türkiye for further investigation. Altun was identified as the highest-ranking Turkish member of IS and played a key role in the group’s media and logistics networks. Five unidentified terrorists were killed when Security Forces (SFs) conducted an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Mach area of Kachhi District on June 3, reports Dawn. “During the conduct of operation, [the] troops effectively engaged the Fitna al Hindustan terrorists’ location, and after an intense fire exchange, five Indian sponsored terrorists were sent to hell,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement said.
Two unidentified terrorists were killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Margand area of Kalat District on June 3, reports Dawn. A terrorist hideout was busted and two terrorists were successfully neutralised, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. Weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the slain terrorists. At least 14 terrorists were killed in an operation by Security Forces in Datta Khel area of North Waziristan District on June 3, reports Dawn. “On June 2-3 2025, an intelligence-based operation was conducted by the Security Forces in the general area Datta Khel, North Waziristan District, on the reported presence of khwarij belonging to Indian proxy, Fitna-al-Khawarij,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
The statement added that during the conduct of operation, the troops effectively engaged the terrorists’ location and “after an intense exchange of fire, fourteen Indian sponsored khwarij were sent to hell.” Three Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists and one Policeman were killed in a gun battle with the Police and local peace committee in Kot Kashmir area of Lakki Marwat District on June 9, reports Dawn.
Pakistan
CTD arrest 34 terrorists with arms and ammunition in multiple IBOs across Punjab
On May 31, Punjab’s Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) foiled a “major terror plot” by arresting 34 terrorists belonging to banned outfits, including Fitna al Khawarij, also known as Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), during 415 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) conducted in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Jhelum, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, Narowal, Pakpattan, Bahawalnagar, Bukhara, Kasur, and Nankana Sahib Districts of Punjab, reports Dawn.
The arrested individuals were identified as Muhammad Ashfaq, Ismail Khan, Naseerullah, Irshad, Saqib, Shoaib, Muhammad Usman, Muhammad Adeel, Muhammad Ki Naam, Muhammad Suleman, Hamza Tariq, Qazi Khan, and Sakhi Zaman. Recovered items included 5,841 grams of explosives, 19 detonators, 51 feet of safety fuse wire, one grenade, pamphlets, cash, and mobile phones. He added that, so far in May, 5,045 combing operations were conducted with the help of local police and security agencies, during which 209,518 people were checked, 604 suspects were arrested, 561 First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered, and 456 recoveries were made.
Baloch women and men carrying out suicide attacks, State losing control in Balochistan, says former Governor of Balochistan General (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch
The former Governor of Balochistan General (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch on May 31 warned that the security situation in the region is rapidly deteriorating, with Baloch armed groups now launching daily, coordinated attacks on State forces, seizing territory, and carrying out suicide bombings, reports The Balochistan Post. Speaking at a ceremony, General Abdul Qadir Baloch said “Young, educated women are now carrying out suicide attacks—so far, four women have done so. Men, in even greater numbers, detonate themselves, showing no regard for any conception of paradise or hell.” He said Baloch fighters have become increasingly sophisticated, ambushing convoys, targeting Government vehicles, abducting personnel, and seizing weapons. These operations, he added, have escalated significantly since 2024, with major highways across Balochistan becoming unsafe for travel. “These assaults are often carried out by large, coordinated groups who are highly skilled in such operations,” he said. “Their activities have intensified since 2024 and continue to escalate this year, making travel on Balochistan’s highways increasingly perilous.”
“In three to four districts, they have even seized territory and stockpiled arms,” he said, adding that Baloch fighters now attack law enforcement agencies with a level of training that has forced security forces into a defensive posture. “Even our intelligence agencies, who once intervened swiftly, are now being targeted directly, and personnel are reluctant to volunteer for operations out of fear”, he added.
India using terror, water as tool against Pakistan:
Bilawal Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman and former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, led a delegation to the United Nations to expose baseless Indian propaganda and present Pakistan’s position on pressing regional issues. At the United Nations he delivered a firm message advocating “peace with dignity, dialogue with purpose, and partnerships built on justice”. The acting permanent representative of the US to the United Nations, Ambassador Dorothy Shea, met the delegation.
Bilawal expressed gratitude to the US administration, in particular President Trump, for facilitating the ceasefire between Pakistan and India. He briefed Ambassador Shea on the developments following the Pahalgam attack of 22 April 2025, expressing deep concern over India’s immediate attribution of blame to Pakistan without any credible investigation or verifiable evidence.
Bilawal Bhutto urged the US to play its role in ensuring comprehensive dialogue between India and Pakistan to address all outstanding issues including the holding in abeyance of the Indus Water Treaty, he said amounted to weaponization of water.
It is important to mention that a nine-member high-level parliamentary delegation consisting of Minister, former Ministers, and members of Parliament is in the US as part of Pakistan’s global diplomatic outreach.
Shares of Chinese arms makers surge: Pakistan plans to buy J-35 jets, KJ-500 aircraft, HQ-19 missiles, says report
Shares of Chinese defence companies rallied on Monday, June 09 after Pakistan said it intends to buy one of the Asian power’s most-advanced fighter jets as a part of major arms purchase, according to Bloomberg. In a report titled ‘Chinese defence companies soar as Pakistan touts arms purchase’ and published on June 9, Bloomberg reported that shares of AVIC Shenyang Aircraft Company — the maker of China’s J-35 stealth fighter jet, which is the centerpiece of the package — soared by their 10 per cent daily limit in Shanghai, extending gains for the third consecutive session. The stock led a rally across other defence names such as Aerospace Nanhu Electronic Information Technology Co, whose shares jumped as much as 15 per cent.
The government of Pakistan said in a social media post on Friday that it would acquire 40 J-35 fifth-generation fighter jets, KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft, as well as HQ-19 ballistic missile defence systems. China’s Ministry of Defence didn’t respond to a request for comment. Shares of Chinese arms makers have been on the rise since Pakistan last month claimed that Chinese J-10Cs helped to shoot down six Indian fighters, including French-made Rafale aircraft. India has downplayed Pakistan’s claims about the effectiveness of weaponry deployed from China and other countries, saying that the Indian military was able to conduct precision airstrikes deep in Pakistani territory, Bloomberg reported.
The J-35 sale to Pakistan would mark China’s first export of the fifth-generation jet, which has advanced stealth capabilities for penetrating the airspace of an adversary. The fighter was developed by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation and publicly unveiled at the 2024 Zhuhai Airshow.
Trump’s reception for COAS Asim outrages India: report
India had hoped for a breakthrough at the G7 summit in Canada. Indian politicians and diplomats had spent much of the past month lobbying foreign governments to isolate Pakistan after its latest conflict with India, which ended on May 10th, reports Economist.
The report says America was a particular focus: Donald Trump had upset India by praising both sides, unilaterally claiming to have brokered a ceasefire and then offering to mediate in a dispute over Kashmir, despite Indian objections. Indian officials were also seeking a trade deal with America and hoped that a meeting in Calgary between Mr. Trump and Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister, would help on both fronts. It did not go according to plan. Not only did Mr. Trump leave the summit early, without meeting Mr. Modi. Two days later, on June 18, America’s president hosted Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, for lunch at the White House. Mr. Trump and Mr. Modi spoke by phone the day before, allowing India’s leader to assert that the recent conflict ended at Pakistan’s request and to reaffirm his objections to mediation on Kashmir.
But Modi declined Trump’s invitation to “stop by” Washington on the way home. Field Marshal Munir’s preferential treatment is a setback for India. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India’s foreign minister, recently drew a direct link between what he called the field marshal’s “extreme religious outlook” and a terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22. And Modi has spent much of the past decade forging closer ties with America.
The White House said it invited Field Marshal Asim Munir after he called for Mr. Trump to be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for ending the conflict with India.
Recent Senate hearings suggested further reasons for Field Marshal Asim Munir’s visit. On June 10 the commander of America’s Central Command, General Michael Kurilla, described Pakistan as a “phenomenal” counter-terrorism partner. He told the Senate Armed Services Committee that Pakistani forces had targeted leaders of ISIS-Khorasan, an offshoot of the group that set up a “caliphate” in Iraq and Syria in 2014.
On the same day S. Paul Kapur, the nominee to be the State Department’s top South Asia official, told another Senate hearing that his approach to Pakistan would be to “pursue security co-operation” while seeking trade and investment opportunities. Why have India’s efforts fallen short? They appear to have relied too much on the relationship forged between Modi and Trump during his first term. Trump is now more transactional, unpredictable and dismissive of his own staff’s advice. Despite talk of warming relations, America has not spared India from its trade and immigration offensives. While American officials see India as a counterweight to China, they also want to prevent Pakistan moving deeper into China’s orbit. And Pakistan has sought to cultivate ties with Trump family members, partly by presenting itself as a cryptocurrency hub.
But India has been frustrated elsewhere too, notably in the European Union, which called for restraint from both sides during the conflict and continues to advocate direct talks between them, despite Jaishankar urging it to view Pakistan as “Terroristan”. One problem is that India has yet to provide sufficient evidence of Pakistan’s involvement in the April 22 attack. Some governments have also been unnerved by India’s vow to respond to any more such attacks with further military strikes on Pakistan. And Western officials are wary of jeopardising counter-terrorism co-operation with Pakistan.
Afghanistan Internal Dynamics
Taliban remove 18 academic books from university curriculum
The Taliban’s Committee for Reviewing and Revising Higher Education Curriculum has removed 18 academic books from the curriculum and banned their instruction in universities 8am.media reports on May 25. A list of these books, shows that most fall within the disciplines of law, political science, and women’s studies. The Taliban’s Committee has deemed these books incompatible with “Islamic and Taliban values.” This committee, composed of 55 members, mostly clerics from religious seminaries, labeled the content of these books as promoting “Western thought” and declared them banned from university instruction. Titles such as Constitutional Law of Afghanistan, Islamic Political Movements, Good Governance, Electoral Systems, Afghanistan’s Political System, Political Sociology of Afghanistan, Gender and Development, Human Rights and Democracy, Analysis of Afghanistan’s Constitution, Globalization and Development, History of Religions, Political Sociology of Women, Philosophy of Ethics, Sexual Harassment, Diversity and Gender-Equal Employment, Small Group Leadership, Gender Communication, and The Role of Women in Public Communication are among the subjects the Taliban have prohibited from being taught in the country’s universities.
Iran escalates deportation push of Afghan migrants
The General Directorate for Migrants and Foreign Nationals of Fars Province in Iran has announced that all Afghan migrants holding return permits to Afghanistan must leave Iran by 6 July, afintl.com reports on June 5. The office warned that those who fail to comply with the deadline will face enforcement action by law enforcement authorities. The directorate urged Afghan return-permit holders to depart during June to avoid overcrowding and the challenges posed by extreme summer heat. It advised them to visit the Shiraz return centre to complete the legal departure process and “benefit from its advantages”, though the specific benefits were not detailed.
Half a million Taliban weapons missing, being smuggled to militants, says report
A large number of Taliban weapons have gone missing, been smuggled, or sold to militant groups, Khyber News on June 6. Nearly half a million of these arms are now untraceable. The United Nations believes that some of these arms have ended up with al-Qaeda linked groups. In 2021, when the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, they seized around one million weapons and military assets. Most of this gear had been funded and supplied by the United States (US). The captured stockpile included American-made M4 and M16 rifles. It also featured older firearms that had remained in Afghan possession from earlier decades of war.
Russia warns of rising ISIS threat in Afghanistan
Alexander Bortnikov, Head of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), warned that ISIS and its affiliates have intensified their operations in Afghanistan, posing a growing threat to regional security, afintl.com reports on June 11. Bortnikov said the leadership of international terrorist organisations is increasingly relying on militants active in Afghanistan and Syria.
He also highlighted the mobilisation of former prisoners released in Syria, many of whom are citizens of Russia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. He also stressed that Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) member states face rising security threats linked to instability in the Middle East, Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia. He pointed to regime change efforts in Syria, the war in Gaza, pressure on Iran, and the ongoing crisis in Libya as key drivers of global Islamic radicalism.
Bangladesh Internal Dynamics
We are in a war-like situation, states Chief Advisor Yunus
On May 25, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus stated that the country had been in a state of war since imposing the ban on the activities of the Awami League, reports thedailystar.net. Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam quoted Yunus saying, “A war-like situation emerged both inside and outside the country, preventing us from moving forward, causing everything to collapse, and pushing us back into subservience.”
Bangladesh is becoming a home for international conspiracies, states BNP leader Hafiz Uddin Ahmed
On May 29, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Standing Committee member Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed stated that Bangladesh is becoming a home for international conspiracies, reports prothomalo.com. Ahmed added that the country is being dragged into a state of war, and those in power do not want to talk about elections. Ahmed said, “Bangladesh is going to become the home of an international conspiracy. We do not know, there is a conspiracy to involve Bangladesh in a war…It is sad that there is a government here, all of them are educated people. Among them, only one is a freedom fighter. The rest of them, those we see on television, what contribution do they have for the country?”
One UPDF cadre killed and four others injured in exchange of fire between PCJSS and UPDF in Rangamati District
On June 6, a United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF) cadre (identity not yet revealed) was killed during an hourlong exchange of fire, which took place between Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS) and UPDF in Shubharanjan Karbaripara area in Baghaichhari Upazila (Sub-District) of Rangamati District, reports prothomalocom. Four people, including five-year-old child named Pragya Chakma, a UPDF cadre named Morto Chakma, and two others (identity not yet revealed) were reportedly injured in the incident.
India Internal Dynamics
JMB plot to set up modules in seven districts in West Bengal, says report
Bangladesh-based fundamentalist group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) is planning to set up modules in minority-dominated areas across seven Districts of West Bengal, reports ap7am.com on June 8. According to intelligence inputs, the two-phase module creation plan was revealed during the interrogation of three JMB associates arrested in May.
Two individuals — Aazmal Hossain and Saheb Ali Khan — were arrested from Birbhum district, while the third, Abasuddin Molla, was arrested from South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. Earlier, SATP reported this incident of arrest. In the first phase, JMB targeted the districts of Malda, Murshidabad, and North Dinajpur. After completing operations in these areas, their next targets would be North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Nadia, and Birbhum districts. Investigations also revealed links between Abasuddin Molla and Pakistan.
Encrypted messages retrieved from the mobile phones of Aazmal Hossain and Saheb Ali Khan showed connections with Bangladesh-based fundamentalist outfits such as JMB, Hizb-ut-Tahrir (HuT), and Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT). Similarly, encrypted messages from Molla’s phone showed regular communication with individuals based in Pakistan and with associates of the Jammu and Kashmir-based fundamentalist group Ansar Ghazwat-ulHind.
ASP killed, two others injured in IED blast triggered by Maoists in Chhattisgarh
A senior Police officer was killed, and two others were injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast suspected to have been planted by the cadres of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) in a quarry at Dondra village in the Konta area in Sukma District in the Bastar division of Chhattisgarh on June 9, reports The Indian Express. The incident took place when Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Akash Rao Giripunje (42), along with other officers including the Town Inspector (TI) and Sub Inspector (SI), were patrolling the area on foot where Maoists had set a JCB machine on fire. When ASP Giripunje and the team reached the spot of the fire, Giripunje accidentally stepped on the IED, triggering an explosion.
72 per cent of Indian firms hit by AI-powered cyberattacks, Fortinet-IDC survey reveals growing threat
Cybersecurity leader Fortinet reveals new findings from an International Data Corporation (IDC) survey highlighted 72 per cent of Indian organisations experienced Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered cyberattacks in the past year, and are struggling to detect or defend against such intrusions, reports Economic Times on June 9.
The survey, which covered 550 information and Technology (IT) and cybersecurity leaders across 11 Asia-Pacific markets, shows that AI is rapidly becoming a preferred tool for attackers, allowing them to launch faster, more targeted, and harder-to-detect assaults. Nearly 70 percent of Indian organisations reported a 2X surge in AI-driven threats, and 12 per cent observed a 3X increase.
These AI-powered attacks exploit human behaviour, configuration errors, and identity systems. The top threats identified include: AI-assisted credential stuffing and brute-force attacks; Deepfake impersonations in business email compromise (BEC); Polymorphic malware; Automated reconnaissance; AI-generated phishing emails; Yet only 14 per cent of organisations said they were very confident in their ability to defend against these threats. 21 per cent admitted they cannot track AI-powered threats at all.The findings indicate a shift from episodic security incidents to constant exposure. The most commonly reported threats were: Software supply chain attacks (64 per cent); Cloud vulnerabilities (60 per cent); Phishing (54 per cent); Zero-day exploits (50 per cent); Ransomware (44 per cent). The survey also underscores a resourcing crisis in cybersecurity teams.
Curfew and internet shutdown in India’s violence-hit Manipur state
Authorities imposed a curfew and shut down the internet in parts of the troubled north-eastern Indian state of Manipur after protests erupted over the arrest of leaders from an ethnic group. On Sunday, June 15 police arrested five leaders of Arambai Tenggol, an armed Meitei radical group, including their chief Asem Kanan Singh. India’s top investigation agency said Singh was arrested at Manipur’s Imphal airport for his involvement in “various criminal activities” related to the violence that broke out in the state in 2023. Manipur has been rocked by periodic violence since 2023 after ethnic clashes between the two largest groups, the majority Meitei and minority Kuki, over land and influence. More than 250 people have been killed in the conflict, with tens of thousands displaced. Arambai Tenggol identifies itself as a social outfit and wields considerable influence in the state, enjoying support from the Meitei community.
The latest round of tensions began on 7 June, when India’s top investigation agency arrested Singh and four other leaders of Arambai Tenggol, following which he was taken to Guwahati city in the neighbouring state of Assam. After the arrests, protesters demanding the release of members of Arambai Tenggol stormed a police post, set fire to a bus and blocked roads in parts of Imphal.
| Monthly Fatalities The following casualties, related to ongoing insurgencies and acts of terrorism occurred during the period May 23, 2025 to June 22, 2025: | ||||
| Civilian | Indian Security Personnel | Militant | Total | |
| Arunachal Pardesh | 00 | 00 | 02 | 02 |
| Assam | 00 | 00 | 03 | 03 |
| Chhattisgarh | 09 | 04 | 32 | 45 |
| Jharkand | 01 | 00 | 04 | 05 |
| Maharashtra | 00 | 00 | 04 | 04 |
| Manipur | 00 | 00 | 01 | 01 |
| Total | 10 | 04 | 46 | 60 |
International
Uganda suspends military cooperation with Germany
Uganda has “suspended” all military cooperation with Germany, its army said on Sunday, May 25 claiming the German ambassador “engaged in subversive activities” in the east African country.
The army earlier accused some European embassies of supporting “negative and traitorous groups”, singling out German ambassador Matthias Schauer. It followed reports that diplomats had criticised the behaviour of President Yoweri Museveni´s son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is head of the army.
Kainerugaba, who is considered most likely to succeed his 80-yearold father as president, is known for his colourful social media posts. He has frequently threatened members
of the opposition online and recently boasted of kidnapping and torturing the bodyguard of the country´s main opposition leader in his basement. “The Uganda People´s Defence Forces (UPDF) has with immediate effect suspended all ongoing defence and military cooperation activities with the Federal Republic of Germany,” said army spokesman Chris Magezi on X. “It has to do with him as a person. He is wholly unqualified to be in Uganda. It has nothing to do with the great German people. Whom I admire a lot,” Kainerugaba wrote.
China flexes military muscle with East Asian naval activity
China has flexed its muscles this month by sending an unusually large number of naval and coast guard vessels through a swathe of East Asian waters, according to security documents and officials, in moves that have unnerved regional capitals. Since early May, China deployed fleets larger than usual, including navy, coast guard and other ships near Taiwan, the southern Japanese islands and the East and South China Seas, according to three regional security officials and documents of regional military activities reviewed by Reuters. On May 21 and May 27, for instance, China deployed nearly 60 and more than 70 ships, respectively, around three-quarters of them naval, the documents show.
These included guided-missile frigates, destroyers and coast guard boats. Beijing also dispatched two aircraft carrier groups, with the Shandong now in the busy waterway of the South China Sea and the Liaoning off the southeastern coast of Taiwan, the documents show. “They are trying to reinforce their dominance,” the source said, adding that drills this month by the Liaoning, the oldest of China’s three aircraft carriers, simulated attacks on foreign ships and aircraft around the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea.
Gunmen kill 25 in restive central Nigeria state
Gunmen killed 25 people in two attacks across north-central Nigeria’s Benue state over the weekend, local authorities told AFP Monday, June 02 the latest violence in a region known for deadly land disputes and reprisals.
Attackers killed 14 people on Sunday in the community of Ankpali, said Adam Ochega, chairman of the Apa local government council, warning that “there are still some threats here and there”. Muslim ethnic Fulani nomadic herders have long clashed with settled farmers, many of whom are Christian, in Benue over access to land and resources.
In a recent report, Amnesty International tallied 6,896 people killed over the last two years in Benue, part of Nigeria’s so-called Middle Belt, a mixed-religious region where such disputes often take on a sectarian dimension. A police spokeswoman confirmed the attack but did not provide a toll.
France-India lock horns over ‘Rafale misadventure’
What happens when two allies lock horns over a major defence matter? This question is not merely hypothetical in the realm of global politics as the Dassault Rafale fighter plane is at the center of an ongoing dispute between India and France.
This saga began with a recent conflict between India and Pakistan. During the conflict, Pakistan Air Force shot down six Indian fighter jets among which three were Rafale jets. According to regional and western reports as well as analysts from the United States and France, PAF’s J-10C squadrons successfully downed multiple Indian aircraft in the opening salvo of the conflict.
In addition to the suspected loss of at least three Rafales, India is also believed to have lost one Su-30MKI, one MiG-29 and one Mirage 2000, bringing the total to six confirmed or alleged shootdowns, most of which occurred during India’s deep-strike operations against Pakistani territory.
Indian Chief of Defence Staff General Chauhan confirmed that Indian jets were downed in the opening hours of the conflict, but did not say how many were lost. “What is important is not the jet being down, but why they were being downed. What mistakes were made — those are important. Numbers are not important,” Chauhan told Bloomberg TV.
According to reports, Dassault, the French manufacturer of Rafale, has declined to provide India with the jet’s source code, further straining relations between the two nations. To defend Rafale’s reputation, Paris is also countering New Delhi’s claims by attributing any issues to maintenance and pilot error instead of flaws in France’s top fighter jet.
The Indian government is also blocking Dassault’s audit team from inspecting India’s Rafale fleet. Dassault’s auditors had wished to evaluate the Indian Rafales to verify that there were no technical issues that the Indian Air Force (IAF) may have overlooked. The Indians seem likely to be uneasy about this request. According to Indian reports, New Delhi is understandably wary that the French auditors may intend to attribute the lackluster performance of Dassault Rafales to the Indian Air Force itself.
However, the situation doesn’t conclude here. The performance of Dassault Rafale fighter jets during the India-Pakistan conflict has drawn the attention of other nations. The Indonesian government, worried about the purported deficiencies of the aircraft, has begun its own audit of a recent agreement with Dassault. This incident has also prompted Europe to reassess its military strategies. Meanwhile, it was reported that Dassault shares dropped after reports of downing came in.
Mossad agents targeted Iranian weapons system from ground: sources
Israel sent Mossad commandos deep into Iran to destroy Iranian weapons systems during Israel’s attack on nuclear and military targets on June 13, an Israeli security source said, while another official said Israel used a ploy to suggest the strike was not imminent. The Israeli officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the clandestine nature of the operations, described secret and lengthy preparations that went into an attack that sent oil prices sharply higher on fears of regional escalation. Reuters could not independently verify the accounts. Iranian officials who spoke to Reuters shortly before the attack had been dismissive about any imminent action and repeatedly said talk of strikes was just “psychological pressure” to influence US-Iranian nuclear negotiations that were due on Sunday.
Iran has not given a detailed account of what its Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called “unlawful and cowardly attacks”, but it has promised a harsh response.
Ahead of the strike, Israel gave the impression its focus was still on US diplomacy towards a nuclear deal with Iran, briefing journalists that its spy chief would go to Washington before the next negotiations.
Instead, Israel said it sent 200 warplanes to conduct a wave of air strikes across Iran. The Israeli security source said Israel’s military and Mossad had worked for years on the intelligence needed for the strikes, which killed the commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps among others. The security source said Mossad commandos had covertly deployed weapons across Iran, including explosive drones that were launched at a surface-to-surface missile base near Tehran. The Mossad commandos also fired precision-guided weapons systems at Iranian surface-to-air missile systems as the Israeli attack got underway, reducing the threat to Israeli warplanes. Some of the operation’s components would have taken years to be put together, said Sima Shine, a former chief Mossad analyst and now a researcher at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies (INSS).
The decision to strike Iran was made on Monday, the same day Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump spoke by phone, when Netanyahu, Defence Minister Israel Katz and military chief Eyal Zamir decided the operation would begin on Friday.
Strait of Hormuz closure being reviewed by Iran: lawmaker
Fresh volleys of missiles were launched as Iran and Israel continued to battle out each other on Saturday (June 14) night, the second successive night of the war.
Several missiles were seen over Jerusalem, a witness told Reuters. Air raid sirens were also going off in Haifa. The Israeli military said it identified missiles launched from Iran on Saturday, and systems were operating to intercept them. “Upon receiving an alert, the public is instructed to enter a protected space and remain there until further notice,” the IDF said in a statement.
According to Iran’s state TV, Iran’s offensive operation against Israel includes missile and drone strikes. Meanwhile, Iraq on Saturday called on the US to prevent Israeli aircraft from breaching Iraqi airspace to carry out attacks against Iran, citing bilateral agreements and international law, Reuters reported. “The Iraqi government urges the United States to uphold its responsibilities under the agreements signed between the two countries and prevent aircraft belonging to the Zionist entity from once again violating Iraqi airspace,” military spokesperson Sabah al-Numan said in a statement.
Also, Oman has announced that the latest Iran-US nuclear talks that were scheduled to be held in Muscat have been canceled. “The Iran US talks scheduled to be held in Muscat this Sunday will not now take place. But diplomacy and dialogue remain the only pathway to lasting peace,” Oman’s foreign minister, Badr Albusaidi, said in a post on X. His Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, earlier said such talks were “unjustifiable” while Israel’s attacks continued.
It was reported that top adviser to supreme leader Ali Khamenei has died in hospital following Israeli attack. Ali Shamkhani, Iran’s top adviser to its supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, has died in the hospital a day after Israel launched airstrikes across the country, Iranian media reported. Moreover, flames erupted at Iran’s South Pars natural gas field — the largest in the world — in what Iranian state media called an Israeli strike.
The closure of the strategic Strait of Hormuz was being seriously reviewed by Iran, IRINN reported, citing statements by Esmail Kosari, a member of the parliament’s security commission. The Strait of Hormuz, which lies between Oman and Iran, is the world’s most important gateway for oil shipping.
US bombs Iran’s nuclear sites
The US struck several key Iranian nuclear facilities early Sunday, June 22 including Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. US President Donald Trump claimed the sites were “totally obliterated” and warned in a White House address of more US strikes if Iran does not make peace. American B-2 bombers were used in the strikes. Sources said the US utilized a 30,000 pound “bunker buster” bomb marking its first known operational use. “The strikes were a spectacular military success,” Trump said in his televised address. “Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated,” he said, adding that “our objective was the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity”.
Iran’s foreign minister accused the US of crossing a “very big red line” and said he does not know how much “room is left for diplomacy.” Other Iranian leaders are downplaying the strikes’ impact, with one lawmaker saying they were “superficial.” The world awaits an official response from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Yet there is no independent verification yet of the extent of damage at the nuclear facilities. Mehdi Mohammadi, an adviser to the chairman of the Iranian parliament, claimed that the US attack was not surprising and that Iranian authorities had evacuated the Fordow facility in advance.
The US bombing came as the Israel-Iran conflict entered its second week of back-and-forth attacks. Israel’s military said Iran fired a fresh wave of missiles toward the country.
Suicide blast kills 20 anti-jihadists in Nigeria
A suicide attack in Nigeria’s Borno state by a woman allegedly acting for Boko Haram insurgents has killed at least 20 anti-jihadist fighters, militia members told AFP on Saturday, June 21. Police have confirmed 10 people were killed and said the overall toll could be higher.
| Current Threat Levels : | ||
| City/Region | Threat Level | |
| Islamabad | Level 2 | ** |
| Karachi | Level 2 | ** |
| Lahore | Level 2 | ** |
| Punjab | Level 2 | ** |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | Level 3 | *** |
| Peshawar | Level 2 | ** |
| Quetta | Level 2 | ** |
| Upper Balochistan | Level 3 | *** |
| Lower Balochistan | Level 2 | ** |
| Upper/ Rural Singh | Level 2 | ** |
| Gilgit and Northern areas | Level 3 | *** |
| Tribal Areas, Close to Afghan border | Level 3 | *** |
| Index to Threat Level References | |
Threat Level 1 No threat to foreigners although there may be isolated incidents involving petty crime. No security precautions are required. | * |
Threat Level 2 No specific threat to foreigners, however because of the overall general law & order situation, some security precautions are advised, especially if traveling. | ** |
Threat Level 3 Indicates that law and order situation is cause for concern and travel should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. Foreigners should rehearse plans for evacuation. | *** |
Threat Level 4 Indicates complete breakdown of civil administration and law and order leading to possible anarchy. All foreigners to remain indoors and confined to their own city. Families and staff not required to be evacuated retaining only a skeleton staff. | **** |
Threat Level 5 Indicates complete breakdown of law and order, enemy action/hostilities, invasion/ occupation by enemy. | ***** |
