Suicide bombings, attacks in Syria kill 38
Damascus, July 25 : At least 38 people were killed and 37 wounded in a series of bombings and attacks that rocked government-held areas in Syria's Sweida province on Wednesday, state media and opposition activists reported.
The Islamic State (IS) terror organisation is believed to be behind the violence.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said IS suicide bombers detonated bomb vests and explosive devices in Sweida city in tandem with an attack by the group on towns in the eastern countryside of Sweida, the BBC reported.
Three suicide bombers set off their bomb vests near a grocery market as well as the roundabouts of Mashnaqa and Najmeh in the city, adding that explosive devices were detonated in the same areas.
State news agency SANA said one bomber detonated himself in the market area, adding that two others were killed as they were hunted down by the authorities.
Reports also said government forces were "targeting positions of the IS in countryside to the east of Suweida".
The Syrian military, backed by Russian forces, recently launched an operation to drive the rebels from their remaining strongholds in the south-west.
At least 270,000 people fled their homes in the region as fighting continues, the UN said.
On Sunday, Israel allowed the evacuation of hundreds of White Helmets civil defence workers who were trapped in a war zone in southern Syria.
The Syrian government condemned the move, describing it as a "criminal operation" by Israel and others.
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Fan tries to die by suicide over Nikhil Kumaraswamy's bypoll loss
Bengaluru: Channapatna JD(S) candidate Nikhil Kumaraswamy, who lost the byelection to C.P. Yogeshwar of Congress, on Sunday consoled a fan who reportedly attempted to end his life and requested him not to repeat such acts.
Manjunath, fondly called Abhi, had even penned a letter before taking the dangerous step. Nikhil, who called on Manjunath at the latter’s home in Kudloor in Channapatna, expressed shock and sadness over the incident.
Nikhil Kumaraswamy reassured Manjunath, expressing his support during the difficult time. He told him that he was deeply troubled to learn of this incident and emphasised that he would stand by him. Nikhil also promised to offer assistance in any way he could, including helping him secure employment opportunities in the future, as reported by the Deccan Herald.
He also reminded Manjunath of the importance of his children’s well-being, urging him to focus on their future. “Please, look at the faces of your growing children. Even I have a three-year-old son. The children are young, let us take care of their future also. I will arrange some job opportunities for you. I might not be an MLA but this is a challenge. I will get you employed,” he said.
Nikhil told media persons that he is extremely hurt more by Manjunath’s attempt to die than by his loss in the election. “At 7:30 a.m., we got a message that in Valetoopu, Manjunath had consumed poison yesterday. In Channapatna, our workers and leaders have built this party with zeal. Let the admiration be there in your hearts but if it crosses the line, your families get hurt and we get very pained by it,” he was quoted as saying by the publication.
Speaking of his byelection loss, Nikhil reiterated that the JD(S) had got its traditional votes, but that the votes of a particular community went against the party.
“Deve Gowda gave reservation to a community. We tried our last attempt to take that community into confidence. But they conveyed to us that they do not require us. In future, we will take other communities into confidence,” he remarked in a veiled reference to Muslims.
Nikhil lost the election by a margin of 25,413 votes to Congress candidate C.P. Yogeshwar.
