Pentagon official overseeing counter-IS effort has resigned
Washington: The civilian official overseeing the Pentagon's campaign to defeat the Islamic State group in the Middle East has resigned in the latest jolt to Pentagon leadership in the waning weeks of the Trump administration.
The Pentagon said in a statement that the acting defense secretary, Christopher Miller, on Monday accepted the resignation of Christopher Maier, who had provided policy oversight of the military's counter-IS effort since March 2017.
Maier was director of the Defeat-ISIS Task Force, which has been disbanded. Its responsibilities have been absorbed by counterterrorism staffs headed by appointees who President Donald Trump placed in senior Pentagon positions in a shakeup that included his firing of Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Nov. 9.
Maier's departure was first reported by CNN. The New York Times reported on Tuesday that Maier had been forced out.
In its statement, the Pentagon gave no reason for Maier's departure but said the decision to disband the task force he led was a recognition of the success of the military fight to destroy the Islamic State's grip on territory in Iraq and Syria. Critics say that while the militant group has lost its physical empire, it remains a threat and has been biding its time in search of ways to regroup and re-emerge.
The Department of Defense will continue to engage with our partners and allies to ensure the lasting defeat of ISIS and encourage the repatriation of foreign terrorist fighters for prosecution, the Pentagon said.
Nearly 900 U.S. troops are still in Syria to work with local groups aiming to prevent an IS resurgence. The U.S. also has about 3,000 troops in neighboring Iraq working with local security forces toward the same goal.
The counter-IS campaign began during the Obama administration and in some respects was accelerated by Trump.
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Rahul, Priyanka urge people to vote, say it is an election to protect democracy, Constitution
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra urged people on Tuesday to vote in large numbers in the third phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, asserting that this is an election to protect democracy and the Constitution.
Voting is being held in 93 constituencies spread over 11 states and Union territories in the third phase of the parliamentary polls.
In a post in Hindi on X, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, "Today is the third phase of voting! I request all of you to come out in large numbers and vote to protect your rights."
"Remember, this is not an ordinary election, it is an election to protect democracy and the Constitution of the country," the former Congress chief said.
In a post in Hindi on X, Priyanka Gandhi said, "Dear people of the country, this election is an election to protect democracy and the Constitution of the country. This is an election to defeat historic unemployment, rampant inflation, institutional corruption and economic crisis."
"Every single vote is important. Vote after giving it a deep thought and in large numbers, using your discretion. Vote for the future of you and your children," the Congress general secretary said.
More than 1,300 candidates, including around 120 women, are in the fray in the third phase of the election. As many as 17.24 crore people, including 8.39 crore women, are eligible to vote in this phase and 1.85 lakh polling stations manned by 18.5 lakh officials have been set up.
