Special Emphasis on Terrorism (Feb-2026)

Combined Effort of Pathfinder Group Task Force

Bombing/IEDs
One person was killed while five others sustained injuries in a hand grenade attack near Chenak Chowk in Sibi District on January 1, reports Dawn. Station House Officer (SHO) Ghulam Ali Abro, posted in Sibi, said that the incident was a grenade attack which occurred at 7:05pm.

Terrorists on January 5 blew up the house of Awami National Party (ANP), Khyber District president Abdur Razzaq Afridi in Kalana area of Tirah tehsil (revenue unit) in Khyber District, reports Dawn. Mr Afridi had been receiving threats from some time to abandon his campaign for peace. His newly-built house in Kalana area was blown up with explosives. Terrorists had earlier in 2025 burnt a portion of the house and now the entire structure was destroyed using explosives.

Maulana Sultan, a revered religious figure who representative of the Wifaqul Madaris and also one of the senior leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam–Fazl (JUI-F), was killed in an explosion near a madrassa in South Waziristan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on January 9, reports Dawn. Maulana Sultan was critically injured in an IED bomb attack. He was rushed to Dera Ismail Khan Hospital for medical treatment. However, he succumbed to his injuries.

Targetted Killing
A Police Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Mumtaz Ali was killed in a gun attack in the Wanda Jogi area within the limits of the Shaheed Haibat Ali Khan Police Station in Darra Pezu Town of Lakki Marwat District on December 29, reports Dawn. The District Police’s spokesperson, Qudratullah, confirming the attack, said that “the official was going to his place of duty in a private pickup when terrorists riding on motorcycles intercepted the vehicle and opened fire on him”.

Four members of a peace committee were killed when unidentified assailants opened fire on their vehicle in the Gulbadin Landi Dak area of Bannu District on January 13, reports Dawn. According to an unnamed senior official of the District Police, the victims were all travelling in the same vehicle when armed men opened “indiscriminate fire” on them. They all died on the spot, the official added.

A Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) official was killed by unidentified motorcyclists in the jurisdiction of the Regi Police Station in Peshawar on January 10, reports Dawn. Police spokesperson Alam Khan said the official, identified as Sanaullah, was targeted in the Regi area and a search operation was launched.

A Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) official, identified as Saifur Rehman (40), was killed when unidentified assailants opened fire on him in Mena Bazaar of War Mamund tehsil (revenue unit) in Bajaur District on the evening of January 10, reports Dawn. An official of the Kachhi District Deputy Commissioner’s office, Babu Nisar Ahmed Hambi, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Dhadar area of Kachhi District in Balochistan on January 10, reports Dawn. According to Police, Babu Nisar Ahmed Hambi was passing through Rind Ali Bazaar when assailants opened fire on him, killing him on the spot. The attackers fled the scene immediately after the shooting.

Miscellaneous
Security Forces (SFs) killed eight Baloch insurgents [which the Pakistan military refers to as Fitna al-Hindustan] during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Kalat District on December 24, reports Dawn. According Security Forces (SFs) killed eliminated two Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists, including highly wanted figure, Dilawar, and another ‘commander’ Khayam during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Kulachi area of Dera Ismail Khan District on December 24, reports ARY News. A most-wanted terrorist ‘commander’, identified as Barkat, also known as Barkati and Abu Zar, was killed in a joint operation by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and Police in Wanda Amir Khan area of Lakki Marwat on December 25, reports Aaj TV. Barkat was described by Police as a key commander and facilitator of terrorist groups operating under multiple aliases.

Security Forces (SFs) killed five terrorists in an intelligence based operation (IBO) in Kohlu District on December 25, reports Dawn. The operation was conducted on December 25 on the “reported presence of terrorists belonging to Indian proxy, Fitna-al-Hindustan”. Weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the terrorists, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area.

Six terrorists and one civilian were killed while 19 others including three Police personnel, five children, and one woman sustained injuries during an exchange of fire with Security Forces (SFs) following Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attack in Takhti Khail area under the jurisdiction of Saraye Norang Police Station in Lakki Marwat District on December 26, reports ARY News.

Eight terrorists were killed during a joint intelligence-based operation conducted by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and Police in the Bahadur Khel area of Karak District on December 28, reports The Express Tribune. Two Police personnel were injured in the exchange of fire. Four terrorists were killed as Security Forces (SFs) conducted an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Kalat District on December 27, reports Dawn. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), IBO took place on the reports that terrorists belonging to Fitna al Hindustan were present. Weapons and ammunition were seized from the dead terrorists. Five Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists and a major-ranked personnel, Major Adeel Zaman (36) were killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Khar area of Bajaur District on December 29, reports Dawn. On December 29, “security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation in general area Khar, Bajaur district, on reported presence of Khwarij belonging to Indian Proxy, Fitna al Khwarij,” Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

On January 3, a civilian, identified as Naseem Gul (60), was killed while three others, including two Policemen, identified as Constable Suliman Khan (35) and Constable Saz Muhammad (58), and a school watchman, Sahibzada (28), were injured when unidentified terrorists attacked a Police post in Kohi Sar area of Barang tehsil (revenue unit) in Bajaur District at around 2 am, reports Dawn.

An attack by a group of 15 to 20 terrorists at the Jaday Wali check post on the Punjab-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) border in Taunsa Sharif tehsil (revenue unit) of Taunsa District of Punjab was foiled following a heavy retaliatory fire by the Police on January 4, reports ARY News. The terrorists eventually retreated and fled the area. The terrorists used rocket launchers and heavy ammunition during the encounter. Police officials credited thermal imaging cameras for the timely detection of the terrorists, which allowed for a swift and successful defensive action. Personnel at the post immediately responded with machine-gun fire and mortars. Due to this prompt and effective retaliation, the terrorists were unable to reach the perimeter of the check post. Under intense pressure from the Police, the terrorists backtracked and fled the scene.

A terror plot was averted as Security Forces (SFs) recovered over four tonnes of explosives in an operation in Raees Goth area of Karachi, on January 4, reports Geo TV. During the operation conducted on the information given by apprehended terrorists, gas cylinders and a mini truck were also seized alongside an explosives-laden drum. Noting that the bomb disposal squad defused the seized explosives, the security officials added that the explosives were loaded into drums and transported to the city. A total of 60 drums and five gas cylinders have been seized in the operation.

The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) killed three Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Dera Ismail Khan District on the morning of January 14, reports Dawn. “On the special instructions of the inspector general of Police Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, targeted operations against Fitna-al-Khawarij have been intensified in response to the attacks on the police,” said a statement by the CTD. It added that this morning, DI Khan’s CTD successfully carried out an operation on a confirmed intelligence report. Eight Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists were killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Bannu District on January 14, reports Dawn. Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said, “During the conduct of the operation, own troops effectively engaged the khawarij location and after an intense fire exchange, eight khawarij were sent to hell.”

On January 14, two Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists were killed in a retaliatory action by the Police after an attack on a check post in the Khathi area of Dera Ismail Khan District, reports ARY News. District Police Officer (DPO) Sajjad Ahmed Sahibzada while confirming the incident said that one Police officer also sustained injuries.

Pakistan
US weapons in Afghanistan fuel TTP attacks in Pakistan, says US-based journal The Geopolitics report
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is using weapons left behind by United States (US) troops in Afghanistan to carry out terrorist attacks inside Pakistan, Aaj TV reported on December 25 quoting US-based journal The Geopolitics. According to The Geopolitics report, following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, American weapons left behind in the country have emerged as a serious security threat to the region.

The report states that militants of Fitna Al Khawarij (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, TTP) are targeting Security Forces and civilians in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other areas with modern US weapons. The value of US weapons still in Afghanistan is estimated at over USD 7 billion, the report said, adding that arms include M4 and M16 rifles, night vision devices, and other military equipment. After the Taliban took control, these weapons have been sold on Afghanistan’s black market and are now accessible to terrorist networks. According to the report, the availability of these weapons has enabled the TTP to conduct more lethal and coordinated attacks to destabilise Pakistan’s security situation.

Country witnessed 34pc increase in terrorism in 2025, says PIPS annual security report
Despite record militant deaths, Pakistan saw a sharp escalation in militant violence in 2025, with terrorist attacks rising by 34 per cent and terrorism-related fatalities increasing by 21 per cent year on year, Dawn reported on January 2 quoting Islamabad-based Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS). As many as 699 terrorist attacks were recorded countrywide during the year. These are the findings of the “Pakistan Security Report 2025,” released by the PIPS on January 1. This violence claimed at least 1,034 lives and left 1,366 injured, underscoring a rising trajectory of militancy that has persisted since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021. Besides rising border violence and militant resurgence, evolving militant tactics from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to Balochistan fuel a widening security challenge, the report says. The burden of this violence fell disproportionately on the State’s defenders as security and law-enforcement personnel suffered over 42pc of all terrorism-related fatalities, with 437 lives lost, the data shows. The report notes that this stark figure highlights the frontline nature of the conflict and the relentless targeting of army, police and paramilitary forces. Civilians were also heavily affected, with 354 non-combatants losing their lives.

Meanwhile, 243 militants were killed, either in suicide attacks they carried out or during retaliatory fire by Security Forces (SFs) following some of the terrorist attacks. The PIPS report says that the conflict remained intensely regionalised, with over 95pc of attacks concentrated in KP and Balochistan. In KP, a 40pc rise in incidents illustrated the entrenched presence of groups like the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its affiliates. The province experienced the highest number of terrorist incidents in the country in 2025, with 413 attacks. These violent incidents claimed a total of 581 lives and left 698 others injured. The province faced not just more frequent attacks, but more complex ones, including a coordinated wave of assaults across 11 districts on Independence Day — a symbolic challenge to state authority, the report says.

In Balochistan, the insurgency evolved qualitatively. The province experienced 254 militant attacks in 2025, resulting in 419 deaths and injuries to 607 others. A 26pc increase in attacks was accompanied by a shift towards high-impact, coordinated operations. Sindh province recorded 21 terrorist attacks, including 16 in Karachi, two in Shikarpur, and one each in Hyderabad, Jacobabad, and Jamshoro. These incidents resulted in 14 fatalities and left 17 others injured. Punjab witnessed seven terrorist attacks in 2025, a decline from 11 incidents in the previous year. In Gilgit-Baltistan, three attacks were reported, including two in Diamer District and one in Gilgit. These incidents claimed the lives of three SF personnel, including two Scouts and one Frontier Corps official, and injured six others.

2,597 terrorists killed in 75,175 IBOs in 2025, says ISPR DG Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry
The Director General (DG) Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said on January 6 that 2025 proved to be a landmark and consequential year in Pakistan’s ongoing fight against terrorism, reports ARY News. Addressing a news conference, the DG ISPR stated that terrorism remains the biggest threat currently facing the State of Pakistan, adding that counter-terrorism operations during 2025 witnessed unprecedented intensity. Providing details of counter-terrorism efforts, the DG ISPR said that law enforcement agencies (LEAs) carried out 75,175 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) during 2025, resulting in the killing of 2,597 terrorists. He added that 1,235 Security Forces (SFs) personnel were martyred in terrorist attacks across the country. Of these operations, 14,658 were conducted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 58,778 in Balochistan, while 1,739 operations were carried out in other parts of the country. He added that 5,397 terrorist incidents took place in Pakistan in 2025, of which 3,811 were reported in KP (71%), 1,557 in Balochistan (29%), and 29 incidents in other parts of the country.

The DG ISPR emphasised that, after reviewing these facts and figures, an important question arises as to why 71% of terrorist incidents occurred in KP. He said that the primary reason was the politically conducive environment being provided in the province, along with a flourishing political–criminal–terrorist nexus. He described the Afghan Taliban Government as a “mother organisation”, stating that it is organising, training, guiding, and directing the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in line with its own structure. The DG ISPR rejected claims that Pakistan’s armed forces are using drones to carry out attacks in KP, clarifying that drones are used strictly for surveillance purposes.

He said armed quadcopters are employed with extreme caution to avoid collateral damage and are not used in populated areas. He said that terrorist groups have carried out 410 quadcopter attacks in KP, and that these groups have established dedicated quadcopter units. He said that terrorists use mosques and civilian homes for planning and launching attacks, including using children as shields.

Special protection unit is being established for the Chinese citizens in Islamabad, says Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi
A special protection unit is being established for the Chinese citizens in Islamabad, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi tells his Chinese counterpart Wang Xiaohong, Dawn reported on January 7. Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived at the headquarters of China’s Ministry of Public Security and met Chinese Interior Minister Wang Xiaohong, along with his delegation. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi held a three-and-a-half-hour-long meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Xiaohong. During the meeting, Pakistan–China bilateral relations and joint measures against terrorism were discussed.

Both sides agreed that the Joint Working Group would meet every three months. It was also agreed that Interior Ministers of both countries would meet once every year. Mohsin Naqvi invited his Chinese counterpart to visit Pakistan. The Chinese Interior Minister invited Mohsin Naqvi to participate in the Global Security Cooperation Forum to be held in China in September. “Pakistan and China are strategic partners,” said the Chinese Interior Minister. “We are ready to enhance bilateral cooperation with Pakistan at every level,” the Chinese Interior Minister said. The pair also discussed cooperation in the prevention of cybercrimes.

Afghanistan Internal Dynamics
Five SFs, including three Afghan and two Tajikistan-Border Guards killed in cross border attack
Tajikistan’s State Committee for National Security has confirmed that two of its border guards were killed during an armed attack launched from Afghan territory, officials said on December 25, reports Khaama Press. The committee said the clash occurred when attackers crossed fire from across the border, prompting an exchange in which three assailants were killed by Tajik forces. The attack was launched from Badakhshan’s Shahr-e-Buzurg District and Chah Ab District in Takhar province, officials said. Security incidents along the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border have increased since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, prompting regional governments to strengthen border patrols and raise concerns about the presence of armed groups in northern Afghanistan.

Russia cites security concerns in ruling out large-scale hiring of Afghan workers
On December 29, Zamir Kabulov, Russia’s special envoy for Afghanistan, said Russia cannot recruit migrant workers from Afghanistan on a large scale because of security concerns and the absence of mechanisms to regulate and monitor migration flows, reports Amu TV. “Without a system of filtering and regulation, such a process would pose security risks,” Kabulov was quoted as saying. He added that, in the absence of proper controls, “various elements, including destructive ones,” could enter the country under the guise of labour migration. Kabulov said Russia could consider hiring Afghan workers in the future, but only if the process were fully organised, regulated and jointly controlled by both sides, conditions he said were not currently in place. He added that Russia’s current annual quota for Afghan workers stands at about 80 people. Taliban authorities have previously proposed sending Afghan labourers to Russia, but no formal agreement has been announced.

Protests intensify over gold mining in Takhar Province
On January 6, protests against gold mining operations in Chah Ab District of Takhar Province intensified for a fifth consecutive day, leaving at least five persons killed and 16 injured, reports Amu TV. The demonstrations in Chah Ab district have entered their fifth day, as residents accuse mining companies and authorities of exploiting local resources without transparency and damaging farmland and livelihoods.

It was reported that clashes erupted a day earlier after Taliban forces opened fire during protests, prompting demonstrators to torch mining equipment, vehicles and tents and continue their protest with stones and sticks. The mine, one of Afghanistan’s largest gold deposits, is operated under a five-year contract signed by the Taliban with a Chinese firm and Afghan partners, with a declared investment of USD 310 million.

Afghan journalists in exile launch Baztab Naw News outlet in Turkey A group of Afghan journalists in exile has launched an independent news agency, Baztab Naw News, in Istanbul, Turkey, Amu TV reports on January 12. Baztab Naw announced the start of its operations at a formal event held in at the headquarters of the Refah wa Hambastagi association. The outlet described itself as a free and independent media organisation operating from exile. In a statement, the founders said Baztab Naw would focus on reporting on human rights, the situation of women, media freedom and migration, areas they said have been increasingly constrained since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021.

Bangladesh Internal Dynamics
Explosion at Madrasa in Dhaka
On December 26, an explosion occurred in Madrasa South Keraniganj, located on the outskirts of Dhaka, according to reports by The Daily Star. On December 27, Police recovered four crude bomblike objects and around 400 litres of chemical substances from madrasa in South Keraniganj on the outskirts of Dhaka following an explosion at the premises. The blast caused extensive structural damage and injured two children of the madrasa director, Al Amin Sheikh, who fled the scene. Al Amin’s wife Asiya, 28; Yasmin Akhter, 30, wife of Asiya’s elder brother Harun Or Rashid, both from Hasnabad; and Asmani Khatun, 34, from Basabo. Police conducted a thorough search and found a laptop, two monitors, explosive-like materials, chemicals stored in drums, and four crude bomb-like objects in the presence of locals. “We alerted the Bomb Disposal Unit, the Anti-Terrorism Unit, and the CID’s crime scene unit … A seizure list is being prepared by the CID.”

BNP leader shot dead in Jashore District
On January 3, a Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader, Alamgir Hossain, 55, who was the joint general secretary of Jashore Municipality Ward-7 BNP, was shot dead by unidentified miscreants in Shankarpur of Jashore town in Jashore District, reports The Daily Star. The incident occurred when Alamgir was in front of the councillor’s office in the area around 7:30 pm. A group of people suddenly opened fire, police said, quoting locals, adding that one of the bullets pierced the left side of his head and he collapsed on the spot, bleeding profusely. Anindya Islam Amit, acting organisational secretary of the BNP’s Khulna divisional unit, said BNP leaders and activists were systematically killed even during the Awami League government’s tenure, and now it is occurring in the same manner.

Jubo Dal leader shot dead in Chattogram District
On January 5, a local leader of Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal (JD), the youth wing of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jane Alam Sikder, former Joint Convener of the JD’s Purba Gujra Union unit, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Purba Gujra Union of Raozan Upazila in Chattogram District, reports The Daily Star. Police indicated the killing may be linked to a longstanding intra-party factional rivalry within the BNP in Raozan. Police stated that Sikder was known as a follower of Gias Uddin Quader Chowdhury, a BNP-nominated candidate from Raozan. Party leaders and activists are split between supporters of Gias Uddin Quader Chowdhury and those aligned with Golam Akbar Khondkar, former convener of BNP’s north district unit. Authorities noted that 14 murders occurred in the Upazila over the past year, seven politically motivated, all involving firearms.

Bangladesh holds talks with Pakistan on JF-17 Fighter Jet Procurement in Islamabad
On January 6, Bangladesh Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan met his Pakistan counterpart, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, at Pakistan Air Force (PAF) headquarters in Islamabad and held talks with Pakistan on purchasing JF-17 Thunder fighter jets, reports Daily Sun. The two sides discussed potential defence cooperation, including the possible acquisition of the JF-17 Thunder, a jointly developed fighter aircraft by China and Pakistan. Additionally, in early December, the Bangladesh Air Force signed a preliminary agreement with Italy’s Leonardo for the procurement of the Eurofighter Typhoon, signalling Dhaka’s efforts to modernise its air combat capabilities. During the talks, the Pakistan Air Force chief assured Bangladesh of advanced fighter aircraft training for its pilots, the fast-tracking of deliveries of Super Mushshak trainer aircraft, and long-term logistical and technical support.

BNP volunteer party leader shot dead in Dhaka
On January 7, a leader of the BNP’s volunteer wing, Azizur Rahman alias Musabbir, former general secretary of the Dhaka Metropolitan North branch of the Swechchhasebak Dal, was shot dead by unidentified miscreants in the Tejturi Bazar area of Tejgaon in Dhaka around 8:30 pm, reports Prothom Alo. Additionally, another person, Abu Sufian, general secretary of the Karwan Bazar Van Owners Association, was also shot and later admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. It was reported that attackers arrived on a motorcycle and opened fire indiscriminately before fleeing, after which Musabbir was taken to a private hospital in Panthapath where he was declared dead. Following the killing, angry protesters blocked the SAARC Foara intersection in Karwan Bazar, disrupting traffic until army personnel arrived and dispersed them, while police confirmed that Musabbir had previously been arrested multiple times during the Awami League government.

India Internal Dynamics
Four Maoists including Maoist ‘CCM’ Ganesh Uike killed in encounter in Odisha
Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) ‘commander’ and ‘Central Committee Member (CCM)’ Ganesh Uike alias Rupa alias Rajesh Tiwarialias Chamualias Pakka Hanumantu (69), who was carrying an INR 11 million bounty on his head was among four Maoists killed in an encounter with Security Forces (SFs) in Kandhamal District early on December 25, reports The Times of India. Ganesh was the Odisha in-charge of the outlawed organisation. He took the mantle of the banned outfit’s operations in Odisha in October following the killing of the previous state incharge Modem Balakrishna (63) in Chhattisgarh’s Gariabandh district on September 11 this year. Ganesh carried bounties of Rs 40 lakh in Chhattisgarh and Rs 25 lakh each in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. According to Additional Director General (ADG), anti-Naxal operations, Sanjeeb Panda, the Kandhamal encounter was launched in a forest under Chakapada Police limits near the Rambha range of Ganjam District, based on credible intelligence inputs from the Odisha Special Intelligence Wing (SIW). Superintendent of Police (SP), Kandhamal, Harish B C said that security personnel recovered the bodies of four Maoists—two men and two women—in uniform, along with two INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) assault rifles and one .303 rifle. Ganesh apart, the other three slain Naxals were identified as Rajni, Seema and Umesh, all CPI-Maoist party members, carrying INR 165,000 reward each.

Ladakh faces unrest, governance and economic challenges in 2025, says report
On December 30, Daily Excelsior reported that Ladakh witnessed a year of unrest, political tensions and economic setbacks. Rare violent protests erupted in Leh over statehood and constitutional safeguards, culminating in clashes on September 24 that left four dead, scores injured, and government property damaged. Authorities imposed curfew, suspended mobile internet, and detained many, including climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, under the National Security Act. The Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) intensified their mass movement demanding full statehood, Sixth Schedule inclusion, and protection of local jobs and land.

Postponed elections to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh, and uneven development concerns in Kargil fueled local grievances. Lt Governor Kavinder Gupta, appointed in July, pledged dialogue, while five new districts were approved but not yet created. Flash floods and climate concerns further strained livelihoods. Tourism and strategic infrastructure projects continued amidst political and environmental challenges.

Extremist Khalistani groups operating in Canada are using the diaspora to promote separatist agendas with India, says report
On January 3, Extremist Khalistani groups operating in Canada are reportedly using the diaspora to promote separatist agendas and tensions with India, says India New England News. The banned Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) held a “referendum” in Ottawa in November 2025 with over 53,000 participants. The report warns that such events threaten India-Canada relations, national security, and foreign policy objectives. Canada is urged to prevent future campaigns while ensuring law-abiding Sikhs are not targeted. Authorities are called upon to hold extremist actors accountable and revoke citizenship in extreme cases if they propagate hatred or interfere with diplomatic interests.

Two civilians injured in IED blasts in Manipur
On January 5, a series of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) explosions struck area under Phougakchao Ikhai Police Station (PS) in Bishnupur District of Manipur, injuring two civilians and triggering heightened security measures, India Today NE reports. The first blast occurred between 5:40 am and 5:55 am inside an abandoned house that has remained unoccupied since ethnic violence erupted in May 2023. A second explosion, around 8:45 am nearly 200 metres away, injured two civilians.

International
Sudan drone attack on market kills 10
A drone attack on a busy market in Sudan’s North Darfur state killed 10 people over the weekend, first responders said on Sunday, Dec 21, 2025 without saying who was responsible. The attack comes as fighting intensified elsewhere in the country, leading aid workers to be evacuated on Sunday from Kadugli, a besieged, famine-hit city in the south. Since April 2023, Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have been locked in a conflict which has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced nearly 12 million and created the world’s largest displacement and hunger crisis.

The North Darfur Emergency Rooms Council, one of hundreds of volunteer groups coordinating aid across Sudan, said a drone strike hit Al-Harra market in the RSF-controlled town of Malha on Saturday. The attack killed 10 people, it said. The council did not identify who carried out the attack, which it said had also sparked “fire in shops and caused extensive material damage”. There was no immediate comment from either the Sudanese army or the RSF. The war’s current focal point is now South Kordofan and clashes have escalated in Kadugli, the state capital, where a drone attack last week killed eight people as they attempted to flee the army-controlled city. A source from a humanitarian organisation operating in Kadugli said on Sunday that humanitarian groups had “evacuated all their workers” from the city because of the security conditions. The evacuation followed the United Nations’ decision to relocate its logistics hub from Kadugli, the source said on condition of anonymity, without specifying where the staff had gone. Kadugli and nearby Dilling have been besieged by paramilitary forces since the war erupted. Last week, the RSF claimed control of the Brno area, a key defensive line on the road between Kadugli and Dilling. After dislodging the army in October from the western city of El-Fasher — its last stronghold in the Darfur region — the RSF has shifted its focus to resource-rich Kordofan.

Fuel shortage forces Gaza hospital into stasis
A major Gaza hospital has suspended several services because of a critical fuel shortage in the devastated Palestinian territory, which continues to face a severe humanitarian crisis, it said. Devastated by more than two years of war, the Al-Awda Hospital in the central Gaza district of Nuseirat cares for around 60 in-patients and receives nearly 1,000 people seeking medical treatment each day. To keep these services running, the hospital has been forced to rent a small generator, he added. Under normal conditions, Al-Awda Hospital consumes between 1,000 and 1,200 litres of diesel per day. At present, however, it has only 800 litres available. Despite deal to allow 600 aid trucks to enter enclave daily, Israel only allows in 100-300 Despite a fragile truce observed since October 10, the Gaza Strip remains engulfed in a severe humanitarian crisis. While the ceasefire agreement stipulated the entry of 600 aid trucks per day into Gaza, Israel only allows 100 to 300 to enter, according to the United Nations and non-governmental organisations. The remaining convoys largely transport commercial goods that remain inaccessible to most of Gaza’s 2.2 million people. On a daily basis, the vast majority of Gaza’s residents rely on aid from UN agencies and international NGOs for survival. Gaza’s health sector has been among the hardest hit by the war. During the fighting, the Israeli military repeatedly attacked and destroyed hospitals and medical centres across Gaza. Israel’s war on Gaza has claimed the lives of at least 70,942 people, mostly civilians.

Turkiye steps up raids against IS, arrests 125
Turkiye detained another 125 persons on suspicion they belong to the militant Islamic State group, following warnings that IS planned attacks over the holidays. Nearly 600 people have now been detained in anti-IS raids over the past week. “We captured 125 Daesh suspects in simultaneous operations carried out in 25 provinces this morning,” Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya wrote on X, using the Arabic acronym for IS. On Dec 25, security forces arrested 115 IS suspects following an intelligence warning that the extremist group was “planning attacks during Christmas and New Year celebrations”. During another nationwide operation on Monday, IS militants opened fire on police in the north-western town of Yalova, killing three and wounding nine others, the interior minister said. Six IS militants were also killed in the hours-long gun battle in the town on the shores of the Sea of Marmara, about 90 kilometres southeast of Istanbul.

A day later, another 357 suspects with ties to IS were arrested in 21 different provinces. The anti-IS raids began just days after Turkiye’s intelligence agency captured a Turkish national who holds a senior IS role in a raid on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, state news agency Anadolu reported on Dec 22. The suspect, Mehmet Goren, had allegedly been tasked with organising suicide attacks in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkiye and Europe. The IS has staged several major attacks in Europe over the past decade, including one in Istanbul on New Year’s Eve. In the early hours of Jan 1, 2017, an IS gunman opened fire inside a nightclub on the banks of the Bosphorus, killing 39 people, mostly foreigners. The Uzbek gunman was captured and sentenced to 40 life jail sentences.

Israeli army fires shots near UN troops in Lebanon
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon said gunfire from an Israeli position hit close to its peacekeepers twice on Friday, Jan 02 reporting no casualties but decrying a “concerning trend”. The Unifil has repeatedly reported Israeli fire near or towards its personnel in recent months, and last week said an Israeli attack near one of its positions lightly wounded a peacekeeper. Personnel patrolling in south Lebanon on Friday “reported 15 rounds of small arms fire that struck no more than 50 metres away from them”, a Unifil statement said. Shortly afterwards, “peacekeepers in a second patrol in the same area reported approximately 100 rounds of machine-gun fire struck approximately 50 metres from them”, it added, reporting no damage or injuries. “Peacekeepers assessed that the fire came from an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) position south of the Blue Line in both cases,” the statement said, referring to the de facto border, and “sent a ‘stop fire’ request through its liaison channels”. It said Unifil had informed the Israeli army about the peacekeepers’ activities in advance. Under the November 2024 truce, Israel was to withdraw its forces from south Lebanon, but it has kept them at five areas it deems strategic and carries out regular strikes on Lebanon, usually saying it is targeting Hezbollah sites and operatives.

Saudis strike Yemen after separatist leader skips talks
A Saudi-led coalition struck the home province of Yemen’s separatist leader on Wednesday, Jan 07 after he failed to show up for talks in Riyadh and was kicked out of the country’s presidential body. The coalition said it had given Aidaros Alzubidi a 48-hour ultimatum to come to Riyadh for discussions, after his Southern Transitional Council (STC) grabbed swathes of territory last month. They were rolled back by the Saudi-led coalition and allied Yemeni forces in recent days. But he failed to board the flight carrying his delegation, and the coalition struck his home province of al-Dhale after accusing him of mobilising “large forces” there. Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, which holds executive power and includes rival separatists and Saudi-backed figures, then announced Alzubidi’s removal, accusing him of high treason.

The showdown between Yemen’s rival factions has raised fears that its second city, Aden, where the STC insisted its leader was still located, could be drawn into the violence. The STC’s advance and the Saudi response have also sent relations with the United Arab Emirates, a fellow oil power and rival powerbroker in Yemen, plummeting. The separatists said they were open to discussions but warned they had lost contact with their delegation in Riyadh, urging Saudi authorities to guarantee their safety. Alzubidi “fled to an unknown location… after he had distributed weapons and ammunition to dozens of elements inside Aden”, coalition spokesperson Major General Turki al-Maliki said in a statement. The coalition carried out strikes to prevent Alzubidi from “escalating the conflict” and extending it into Dhale governorate, he said.

Europeans rush soldiers to Greenland amid Trump claim
European countries sent small numbers of military personnel to Greenland on Thursday, Jan 15 as Denmark said it was pressing on with plans for a “larger and more permanent” Nato presence to secure the island coveted by US President Donald Trump. The modest European deployments, meant to help Denmark prepare military exercises, sent a strong message of support a day after a meeting of officials from the US, Denmark and Greenland failed to reach any break-through on the impasse. After that meeting, Trump repeated his assertion that Denmark could not be relied upon to protect its autonomous territory, Greenland, if Russia or China ever wanted to occupy it.

Trump says the strategically located and mineral-rich island is vital to US security and has not ruled out the use of force to take it. Greenland and Denmark say it is not for sale and that threats of force are reckless. On Thursday, Denmark’s defence minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, told journalists in Copenhagen he did not have a final figure for the envisaged expanded Nato presence in Greenland. “But it is clear that we now will be able to plan for a larger and more permanent presence throughout 2026 and that is crucial to show that security in the Arctic is not only for the Kingdom of Denmark it is for all of Nato.” Prominent EU countries have backed Denmark, warning that a US military seizure of Greenland could spell the end of Nato. Before Wednesday’s meeting in the US, Greenland and Denmark said they had begun to increase their military presence in and around Greenland in cooperation with Nato allies.

Denmark had about 150 military and civilian personnel working at its Joint Arctic Command on the island. Germany, France, Sweden, Norway, Finland and the Netherlands have said they are sending military staff to begin preparations for larger drills later this year. Russia said on Thursday Nato’s talk of Moscow and Beijing being a threat to Greenland was a myth designed to whip up hysteria and warned of the dangers of escalating confrontation in the region. Still, any attempt to ignore Russia’s interests in the Arctic would not go unanswered, a foreign ministry spokeswoman later said. There is currently little evidence that a large number of Chinese and Russian ships sail near Greenland’s coasts