First Turkish soldier killed during Syria operation
Akcakale (Turkey): Turkey said Friday that one of its soldiers was killed in northern Syria, the first such fatality in its offensive against a Kurdish militia.
Three more soldiers were injured in the "operation region", the defence ministry said in a statement after clashes with the militia on Thursday. It gave no further details.
Fighting broke out in several locations along the roughly 120-kilometre (75-mile) wide front where operations are focused, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and a Kurdish military official said Thursday.
Turkey Wednesday began an air and ground offensive supporting Syrian rebels against the US-backed Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia.
Ankara has long opposed US support for the YPG in the fight against the Islamic State extremist group, arguing the militia is a "terrorist" offshoot of Kurdish insurgents inside Turkey.
The ministry's statement comes after shelling from the militia into Turkey and Turkish military strikes in northern Syria, with casualties on both sides.
Seven civilians including a nine-month-old baby were killed in Turkish border towns in Sanliurfa and Mardin provinces. Nearly 70 were injured.
According to the UK-based Observatory, which relies on a network of sources in Syria, at least 29 fighters and 10 civilians have been killed in the war-ravaged country since the start of the assault.
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Fake IAS officer among 5 held at Indo-Nepal border attempting to cross sides
Bahraich (UP) (PTI): Five persons, including a man posing as an IAS officer, were arrested by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) at the India-Nepal Rupaideha border in Bahraich district while allegedly attempting to enter the neighbouring country in a vehicle that had a red-blue beacon and hooter, police said on Monday.
Circle Officer of Nanpara, Pahup Kumar Singh, told reporters that the incident occurred around 7.30 pm on Sunday when an Innova Crysta with a Uttar Pradesh registration plate and flashing beacon was stopped by SSB personnel at the border during routine checks.
During questioning, one of the occupants identified himself as Dharmendra and claimed to be an IAS officer posted at the Lucknow Secretariat.
However, the SSB, Rupaideha police and other security agencies conducted a detailed inquiry and found that none of them was an IAS officer, nor were they authorised to use a red-blue beacon, the officer said.
The vehicle was registered in Lucknow in the name of a firm, Priya Agencies, owned by the wife of the accused Dharmendra, he added.
The arrested persons were identified as Dharmendra Singh, Shubham Bajpai, Anmol Singh, Sachin Singh and Swapnal Sahay, all residents of Lucknow.
During interrogation, they admitted they were heading to casinos in Nepal to gamble.
Police recovered Rs 2.17 lakh in cash, six mobile phones, an electronic chip device and a power bank from their possession. A case has been registered against them under Section 319 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and further investigation is underway, Singh said.
