Phulbani (PTI): Security forces unearthed a country-made gun factory allegedly run by Maoists in Odisha's Kandhamal district during an operation, police said on Sunday.

The BSF personnel stationed at Balliguda in the district unearthed the gun manufacturing unit while engaged in combing operation in Panaspadar village under Bamunigaon police station limit in the district on Saturday, said Shubham Bhosale, sub-divisional police officer (SDPO), Balliguda.

According to the police, the BSF personnel seized some finished country-made single-barrel guns, barrels, cutters and other gun manufacturing parts from the site.

Combing operation in Daringbadi, Kotagarh, Tumudibandha, Bamunigam and other police station areas in Kandhamal district was intensified since last week to apprehend hardcore Maoist Sukru and his associates, who belong to the KKBN (Kandhamal-Kalahandi-Boudh-Nayagarh) group, the police said.

Security personnel from SOG, BSF, CRPF and other forces were pressed into the anti-Maoist operation in an organised manner in an effort to achieve the target to eliminate Maoists by the end of this month, they said.

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Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.

President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.

The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.

Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.

However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.

Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.

They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.