Militants attack Pak Air Force training base in Punjab province, 3 aircraft damaged
Islamabad (PTI): Heavily-armed militants attacked a Pakistan Air Force training base in Punjab province early Saturday, damaging three grounded aircraft, the army said, a day after 15 soldiers were killed in two separate terror strikes.
In a statement, the Pakistan Army said that the Mianwali Training Air Base of Pakistan Air Force was attacked by terrorists but soldiers foiled it by killing three of the attackers and cornering three others.
"However, during the attack, some damage to three already grounded aircraft and a fuel bowser also occurred," the statement said.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The army said that three terrorists were "neutralised while entering the base while the remaining three terrorists have been cornered/isolated due to timely and effective response by the troops".
A comprehensive joint clearance and combing operation is in the final stages to completely clear the area, it said.
"Pakistan Armed Forces remain committed to eliminating the menace of terrorism from the country at all costs," the army said.
The attack comes hours after a series of terror strikes killed at least 15 soldiers in the restive Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.
Fourteen Pakistani soldiers were killed on Friday when militants ambushed two vehicles carrying security forces from Pasni to the Ormara area of Gwadar district in the restive south-western Balochistan province.
Friday's toll is the heaviest suffered by the military in Balochistan province this year where separatists and militants have stepped up their attacks since a ceasefire deal between the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Pakistan government ended in November 2022.
Hours before the Gwadar attack, a series of bomb blasts targeting convoys of police and security forces killed six people, including a soldier, and wounded 24 others in the Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Throughout the year, terrorists and separatists have been targeting security forces in Pakistan, mainly troubled Balochistan province. Two soldiers were killed in the Khoro area of Awaran district last Sunday.
In July, 12 soldiers were killed in separate military operations in the Zhob and Sui areas of Balochistan.
Pakistan has been facing a rise in violence in the wake of the Taliban getting power in Afghanistan in August 2021.
According to a Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) report issued in September, Pakistan suffered 99 attacks in August, the highest number in a single month since November 2014. The number of militant attacks in August was the highest tally for monthly strikes in almost nine years.
The Gwadar district has seen the highest number of attacks in recent months and in August separatists belonging to the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army attacked a convoy of 23 Chinese engineers in the port town of Gwadar.
The Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), a think tank, in a report released in October, noted that the security forces lost at least 386 personnel in the first nine months of 2023, marking an eight-year high.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan were the primary centres of violence, accounting for nearly 94 per cent of all fatalities and 89 per cent of attacks (including incidents of terrorism and security forces operations) recorded during this period.
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Rains lash several parts of Tamil Nadu, cyclonic storm brewing
Chennai (PTI): Rains lashed several parts of Tamil Nadu on Tuesday, and the India Meteorological Department said the depression over Bay of Bengal has formed into a deep depression and it is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm on November 27.
Chief Minister M K Stalin chaired a high-level meeting here at the Secretariat to review the precautionary measures and rushed NDRF and State teams to Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagappatinam and Cuddalore districts.
Chennai and nearby districts of Chengelpet, Kanchipuram and Tiruvallur, the northern coastal city of Cuddalore and Cauvery delta areas, including Nagapattinam were among the places that received rainfall, which was mild to moderate in many areas and heavy in a few places.
Due to the rains, heavy traffic congestion was witnessed here in many areas including the arterial OMR Road and traffic flow was affected in several areas as roads came under sheets of water. Also, in Chennai, there was delay in the landing of 7 flights.
State-run Aavin said it has taken all steps to ensure unhindered milk supply to the people and announced that eight of its parlours here will be open 24 x 7.
Stalin, through video conferencing, reviewed the action plan to tackle the situation. Very heavy rainfall forecast covers the districts of Mayiladuthurai, Villupuram, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur and Cuddalore. District collectors and IAS officials, tasked with monitoring and coordinating rain-related tasks took part in the meeting.
Collectors apprised the chief minister that adequate number of relief camps and medical teams were on standby and all other necessary arrangements were in place too. Stalin told officials that relief centres must be 'ready with all the amenities' and people should be evacuated in advance from low lying areas.
An official release here said that two NDRF teams have been dispatched to Thanjavur district. For each of the districts of Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagappatinam and Cuddalore, two teams ---one from NDRF and the other from the State-- have been dispatched.
Also in such districts, first-responders and volunteers are also ready for deployment. "Already, fishermen have been advised against venturing into the sea and a majority of boats have returned to shore."
As regards fishermen who have gone for deep sea fishing, they have been informed to move to the nearest harbours.
The state and district level emergency operation centres are functioning 24 x 7.
Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management, KKSSR Ramachandran, Chief Secretary N Muruganandam and top state officials participated in the meeting chaired by the chief minister.
According to the IMD, the depression over Bay of Bengal intensified into a deep depression and it is about 770 km south-southeast of Chennai and 570 km south-southeast of Nagapattinam.
In its update, the IMD said on 'X': "It is very likely to continue to move north-northwestwards and intensify further into a cyclonic storm on 27th November. Thereafter, it will continue to move north-northwestwards towards Tamil Nadu coast skirting Sri Lanka coast during subsequent 2 days."
