Maoist group active in Karnataka's Sullia town; Anti-Naxal Force contingent combing area
Mangaluru (Karnataka): Frequent sightings of strangers suspected to be Maoists in the Koojimalai forest area have prompted Anti-Naxal Force (ANF) jawans to take up combing in the forest area, and a contingent of ANF has been stationed in Koojimalai village, sources said on Thursday.
Another sighting of a suspected Naxalite had been reported from a heavily wooded forest area on Thursday, they said.
According to the sources, a worker in the rubber plantation claimed that he had sighted a woman in the forest area who is not from the village. Efforts to locate the woman are ongoing, with ANF teams conducting thorough searches in both the Ainekidu and Koojimale estate areas.
Sources within the ANF have suggested that Naxalite groups, previously detected in these regions, may still be active on the fringes of the Pushpagiri forest sanctuary.
ANF sources have confirmed that they have received complaints of strangers frequenting the area between Sampaje and Koojimalai.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
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.
