July 4, 2024

Russia’s southernmost Dagestan province has announced a temporary ban on the wearing of niqabs, a full-face veil with an opening for the eyes, as a security measure following deadly attacks by gunmen last month. Gunmen opened fire at multiple places of worship and a police traffic stop in two cities in the Muslim-majority republic on June 23, killing at least 15 police officers and at least four civilians, including an Orthodox priest, according to authorities. The niqab ban is to take place until “the identified threats are eliminated and a new theological conclusion is issued,” deputy head of the Mufti of Dagestan Abdulla Salimov said in a video message Wednesday. Assistant to the Mufti of Dagestan Muhammad Muhammadov told the Russian news agency EA Regnum on Wednesday that “the ban applies in public places where security and personal identification are necessary,” such as streets, public institutions, and other places where there are “large gatherings of people.” Gunmen kill police, priest and civilians in attacks on places of worship in Russia’s Dagestan “The Muftiyat’s recommendation is aimed at preventing potential threats and maintaining public order. The duration of the ban depends on the development of the situation in the region,” he said. The Coordination Center of Muslims of the North Caucasus issued a statement on Wednesday in which it called the wearing of the niqab, burqa and other outer garments that cover the face “harmful to Muslims, threatening discord in inter-religious and interethnic relations.” Alexander Bastrykin, the head of the Investigative Committee of Russia, called on lawmakers to “urgently” ban the wearing of niqabs in Russia on Saturday. Bastrykin blamed “Islamist terrorists” for the deadly shooting in Dagestan. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks, but law enforcement agencies told Russian state media TASS that the attackers are “adherents of an international terrorist organization.” Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/03/europe/russia-dagestan-bans-niqabs-shooting-intl-latam/index.html

 A high-profile terrorist commander was killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Bajaur district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), the military’s media affairs wing said on Wednesday. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the security forces conducted the IBO on the reported presence of local commander Irfan Ullah Adnan, who was killed during an intense exchange of fire. The slain terrorist was actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against security forces as well as extortion and target killings of innocent civilians, according to the ISPR. He was a most-wanted terrorist by the law-enforcement agencies. Locals of the area appreciated the operation and expressed their full support to the security forces in eliminating the menace of terrorism in the country. Earlier this week, nine terrorists were killed by security forces in two separate operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Security forces killed seven terrorists including HVT, terrorist commander Najeeb Abdul Ur Rehman and terrorist commander Ishfaq Muavia in an intelligence-based operation in the Tira area of Khyber district a day earlier, according to an ISPR statement. “The killed terrorists were actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area and were wanted by law enforcement agencies. Weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the killed terrorists,” the ISPR said. “In another operation, conducted in Lakki Marwat District, own troops effectively engaged terrorists’ location in which two more terrorists were killed. The security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country.” Source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1206165-high-profile-terrorist-commander-killed-in-bajaur-ibo-ispr

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/7/4/israel-war-on-gaza-live-israeli-strike-kills-7-in-khan-younis