Arab Joint Force to End Western Military Intervention in Middle East
Shiite fighters celebrate in front of the the provincial council building inside the northern Iraqi city of Tikrit, on March 31, 2015 (AFP Photo/)
Arab World
Arab Joint Force to End Western Military Intervention in Middle East
Scores of Terrorists Killed, Injured in Southwestern Parts of Syria
Iraq Forces Hunt Diehard Jihadists after Tikrit Victory Claim
Al-Azhar: Houthis have crushed Yemen security
Egypt's Sisi calls on Houthi rebels to retreat for ‘sake of Yemen'
King Salman consults citizens, urges unity
Grand mufti wants media to promote national cohesion
South Asia
40 Insurgents Killed and Wounded In Operation Zulfiqar In Southern Helmand
Bangladesh: Murder of Blogger Oyasiqur Must Be ‘Wake-Up Call’
Mideast
29 Dead, 24 Injured in Fresh Saudi Air Raids on Yemeni Factory
Palestine Officially Joins International Criminal Court
Iran says it can work with S. Arabia to end Yemen conflict
Ground push ‘needed to save lives’: Yemeni FM
Yemeni expatriates slam Houthi rebels on Twitter
Europe
Young British Muslims Declare Own Jihad Against Isis And Other Terrorists Who 'Hijack' Islam
Schools Fear Easter Holiday Exodus Of Teenagers Joining Isil In Syria
Syria, Iraq a 'finishing school' for foreign fighters: UN report
Muslim comedian’s anti-extremist message a big hit with British teens
At least 62 children killed in Yemen in past week: Unicef
ICC welcomes Palestinians as 123rd member
Pakistan
World Powers Unleashed Bloodletting In Muslim States For Their Interests: JI
Blast In Tirah Valley Kills Two Security Personnel
3 Taseer vigil attack suspects get bail
Army will follow govt decision on sending troops to S Arabia
IDPs’ return to North Waziristan begins
Death warrants issued for 7 convicted in Sialkot lynching
Devolution of power: Local governments ‘can help counter militancy’
Africa
Tunisian Protesters Condemn Saudi-Led Airstrikes on Yemen
Libya Fears Its Treasures Are Now In Militant Sights
Buhari claims victory in historic Nigerian vote
‘Parliament’ sacks head of Libya’s disputed govt
Southeast Asia
Jakarta Govt Says Media Bans to Restrict Islamic Fundamentalism
Govt Sends Help for More Than 4000 Indonesians Trapped in Yemen
Malaysian Cartoonist Zunar To Face Sedition Charge On Friday
North America
Pentagon Backing For Arab Military Force
Obama ends freeze on US military aid to Egypt
US Official: Dawn Ultimatum to Iran Completely False
India
India Intensifies Pullout Of Nationals From Yemen, Saudi Offers Help
A New Lease of Life for Qutb Shahi Tombs
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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Arab World
Arab joint force to end Western military intervention in Middle East
Apr 01 2015
SHARM EL-SHEIKH: The formation of a combined Arab force will gradually degrade the US and West military intervention in the Middle East, experts have said.
“This force will take care of resolving the conflicts in Arab countries in addition to countering terrorism,” retired Egyptian army general Adel Qalla told Xinhua.
“There is an Arab resilience not to let any foreign country intervene in the Arab internal affairs... This was clear in the speeches of Arab leaders during the Arab Summit who
voiced out rejection of outside intervention,” he noted.
The expert also said that the Arabs had been submissive to the United States and the West policies for decades due to their economic and military weakness, affirming the long-sought Arab force has changed the rules of the political game and turned the Western plans to spread their influence in the region upside down.
Arab leaders, who met in Egypt on March 28-29, agreed to form the joint Arab military force to counter growing security threats.
The goal of the force is to militarily counter challenges that threaten safety and security of the member states, based on request of the concerned country.
Prior to the proposal, Saudi Arabia formed an Arab military coalition last week without getting the permission of the Arab League (AL) or the United Nations Security Council.
The coalition carried airstrikes against the Shiite Houthi group which seized parts of Yemen including the capital Sanaa, and is closing in on the southern port city of Aden, the last stronghold of the fleeing Yemeni President Hadi.
The idea of forming the multinational force was initiated by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi to face common challenges that threaten Arab national security.
His initiative came after 21 Egyptian Copts were killed in Libya by Islamic State (IS) militants
in February.
Back in 1950, AL member states signed a Joint Arab Defense and Economic Cooperation Treaty to counter the expansion of Israel.
However, the Joint Arab Agreement has been frozen since it was signed.
It has never been a secret that the Western powers always wanted to control Arab oil and maintain the security of Israel, Cairo-based political analyst Saeed Lawendytold Xinhua.
The United States wanted to replace the West, mainly France and Britain which occupied most of Arab countries for decades in last century, as the leading force in the Middle East, he said.
Since the end of the Cold War, said Lawendy, use of force was US main way to become a dominant power in the region.
“The United States and the West have been intervening politically and militarily in many Arab countries in the recent couple of decades to spread their influence in the region,” he said.
The first major American intervention in the Middle East was in 2003 when the US army, supported by troops from Britain, Australia and Poland, invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein.
The United States said the occupation of the Arab country was meant to disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction, to end Saddam Hussein’s support for terrorism, and to free the Iraqi people from dictatorship.
The 2011 upheavals in the Arab world, further opened the gates for external Western military involvement in the region.
Since the beginning of regional unrest, there has been a trend of direct and indirect US and Western intervention in Libya against the regime of Muammar Gaddafi and the IS group in Syria and Iraq.
“Even before their involvement in direct military actions in Libya, Iraq and Syria, the United States and the West provided military training and equipment to particular opposition groups in those countries to keep the war against the ruling regimes going on,” Lawendy added.
Lawendy believed that the US military role in the region will not fade away rapidly for many reasons.
“The joint Arab force is opposed by many Arab countries including Iraq that has been militarily assisted by an Arab-Western coalition in the fight against the IS group,” he said.
Even if the Arab force is going to strike IS in Iraq, the leading role will be given to the United States who initiated the war against the IS, he added.
The West will also continue its anti-IS military campaign in the war-stricken Syria as the Arabs appear reluctant to play a military role in the Arab country that is strongly
backed by Russia and Iran, the expert expected.
But after all, he said, these wars will end and the role the West and United States are playing now will vanish step by step because they will not get a chance to have any military role in any future conflicts until the Arabs ask for their assistance.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/region/01-Apr-2015/arab-joint-force-to-end-western-military-intervention-in-middle-east
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Scores of Terrorists Killed, Injured in South-western Parts of Syria
Apr 01 2015
Towns and villages of the Southwestern Province of Dara'a witnessed bloody clashes between the Syrian troops and the terrorists of al-Nusra Front, who left too many killed and wounded behind and fled the battlefronts.
Al-Nusra Front's strongholds in Al-Taiybeh village at the Northern part of Nasib border crossing, Um al-Mayazen village, and al-Jeeza town in the Eastern countryside of Dara'a were massively targeted by the army, which resulted in the killing of so many terrorists whose commanders preferred to flee to safer areas leaving the wounded ones behind.
Syria has been the scene of insurgency since 2011 when certain western powers and their regional allies voiced loudly that Syrian protests have no diplomatic solution and they started supplying the country's opposition groups with their arms and funds.
Since 2014, specially after victory of President Bashar al-Assad in the country's presidential election in summer, the army has gained upper hand in its anti-terrorism campaign, and has been partly successful in sealing borders with Turkey and Jordan.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940111000727
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Iraq forces hunt diehard jihadists after Tikrit victory claim
Apr 01 2015
Iraqi forces on Wednesday picked through the rubble-strewn streets of Tikrit after storming to the city centre, searching for diehard jihadist fighters and avoiding the booby traps they left behind.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi claimed the city was liberated but the US-led coalition that has been helping Baghdad from the air said there was "still work to be done".
Celebrations began when the black jihadist flag was replaced by Iraq's tricolour on the main provincial headquarters in central Tikrit Tuesday following a big military push.
Yet the fate of hundreds of IS fighters thought to have been holed up in former president Saddam Hussein's hometown for a bloody last stand was unclear Wednesday.
Abadi initially said Tikrit's centre, south and west had been retaken and moments later announced the city's full liberation on social media, hailing it as a "historic milestone".
A spokesperson for the 60-nation US-led coalition that has carried out air strikes against IS in Tikrit and across Iraq suggested it was premature to claim victory in the month-old battle.
"Parts of the city remain under (IS) control and there is still work to be done," Major Kim Michelsen told AFP by email.
US President Barack Obama's deputy envoy for the coalition, Brett McGurk, said Iraqi forces had made "encouraging progress" in Tikrit.
A top leader in the Badr organisation, one of the most prominent Shiite militias in Iraq, admitted that IS had not been completely purged of jihadist fighters.
"Snipers are still there and many buildings are booby-trapped," Karim al-Nuri told AFP in the northern Tikrit neighbourhood of Qadisiya.
In scenes captured in an AFP video Tuesday, jubilant fighters could be seen tearing up the black flag amid extensive destruction in the city.
"We are in the centre of Tikrit. The city and all administrative buildings were completely liberated," said one of them, policeman Bahaa Abdullah Nasif.
There was no immediate information on how many fighters were killed, wounded or captured in the fighting.
The government has not provided any casualty figures since the operation started on March 2.
Iraqi army and police forces, as well as volunteers and Iran-backed Shiite militias, completely surrounded Tikrit within two weeks of launching the operation.
There was a lull in fighting when government forces and their allies apparently balked at the number of snipers, booby traps, berms and trenches which IS was using to defend its city centre redoubt.
Iran was Baghdad's top foreign partner in the early stages of the operation but Iraqi air strikes were proving insufficient to break the back of IS resistance.
Abadi's government eventually requested strikes from the US-led coalition which has been assisting Iraqi forces elsewhere in the country since August last year.
US jets began bombing IS targets in Tikrit on March 25. France also took part in the campaign.
The move sparked a freeze in the participation of the Popular Mobilisation units, an umbrella organisation for volunteers and militias which accounted for the bulk of the forces in Tikrit.
The Pentagon had expressed unease at the role played by Iran and its proxies and said it conditioned its intervention on regular forces taking the lead.
But after giving themselves political cover by declaring they do not want to work with each other, both sides took part in the operation this week.
Tikrit, once with an estimated population of about 200,000, had been largely emptied of civilians by the time the operation was launched.
The fate of the few believed to have remained in the city was unclear, however.
Thousands of people displaced last year or more recently from Salaheddin province, of which Tikrit is the capital, have started returning to their homes in outlying liberated areas.
But the level of destruction and the threat posed by unexploded bombs mean Tikrit residents could take longer to return.
Tikrit was the hometown of executed dictator Saddam Hussein. Remnants of his Baath party collaborated with IS last summer and a victory in the Sunni Arab city carries symbolic importance for Baghdad.
Iraqi forces have been working their way north from areas south of Baghdad since last year and retaking Tikrit would mark another tactical step in the march towards Mosul, the jihadists' largest hub in Iraq.
Defence Minister Khaled al-Obeidi met all his top commanders Tuesday to discuss preparations for an operation to retake the Nineveh province, of which Mosul is the capital.
"This victory is only a new starting point from which to launch the operation to liberate Nineveh province," his ministry said.
Mosul, Iraq's second city, is close to 10 times the size of Tikrit however and still holds a large civilian population.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/126606/World/Region/Iraq-forces-hunt-diehard-jihadists-after-Tikrit-vi.aspx
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Al-Azhar: Houthis have crushed Yemen security
1 April 2015
The head of Egypt’s al-Azhar, one of the most prestigious centers of Sunni Islam learning, on Wednesday accused Yemen’s Houthi rebels of tampering with the country’s security and obstructing political solutions to the crisis.
A statement issued by the Muslim Council of Elders, which top Azhar cleric Sheikh Ahmad el-Tayeb heads, said Houthis had staged a “coup against what was left of the state in an attempt to tighten their control over the country.” The statement also voiced fears that the Houthis were plunging the country in a potentially long-term civil war.
The Houthis and their allies seized the capital Sanaa last September and the internationally recognized President Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi fled the country last week.
Sheikh Tayeb spoke on the fifth day of Saudi-led air strikes targeting Houthis and allied forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
The Saudi-led coalition spokesman, Brig. Gen. Ahmed Asiri, said that operations are continuing in the cities of Dalea and Shabwa in the northern Yemen region of Saada, a Houthi stronghold. Asiri said the Houthi fighters in these areas are operating among civilians.
The strikes have also targeted militants, air defense systems, in addition to ballistic missiles, he added.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/04/01/Al-Azhar-accuses-Houthis-of-crushing-Yemen-security.html
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Egypt's Sisi calls on Houthi rebels to retreat for ‘sake of Yemen'
Apr 01 2015
Egyptian president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi called on the Houthi rebels to back away from the ongoing war with the Yemeni state in order to “preserve the unity of their country”.
In a recorded speech that he gave to the military and police officials during the 16th educational seminar on Tuesday, El-Sisi refrained from mentioning the Houthi rebels by name but said the aggressors should withdraw “for the sake of their nation’s national security”.
Egypt is taking part in a Saudi-led coalition that is trying to repel the Houthis, who have taken control of many strategic cities in the country, including the capital Sanaa.
Reports said on Monday that Egyptian warships had shelled a column of Houthi fighters and troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh as they tried to advance on the southern port city of Aden. Egypt revealed last week that its navy and air forces were participating in the military operation in Yemen.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/126601/Egypt/Politics-/Egypts-Sisi-calls-on-Houthi-rebels-to-retreat-for-.aspx
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King Salman consults citizens, urges unity
Apr 01 2015
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman consulted with former ministers, military officers and citizens at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh on Tuesday, and said the country remained unified and peaceful despite disturbances on its border.
“I am delighted to meet and see you. Thank God you are fine and your country is flourishing, enjoying security and stability. We pray to Allah Almighty to bless us, to be grateful for His grace, and keep what we have inherited from Abdul Aziz and his sons.”
The king said the Kingdom is at peace because it was founded on the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, peace be upon him.
“It is the same principles that brought you together from all countries, from all the tribes, as a single hand to strive for good,” King Salman said.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/featured/news/726246
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Grand mufti wants media to promote national cohesion
Apr 01 2015
Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh, chairman of the board of senior scholars, has urged journalists to report the truth and defend the country against rumor-mongering and attempts to undermine state security.
“Journalists have a huge responsibility on their shoulders. It is to highlight and defend the position of the Kingdom as the land of Islam and Muslims, and the two holy mosques ...”
Speaking to journalists at his home on Monday night, he said media people have to be especially careful now that the country was involved in the operation in Yemen, which was aimed at “defending our country, Muslim territories, its rulers and the people.”
He said journalists must ensure that they report the truth at all times, and work to ensure the community is unified as the country aims to “rescue our brothers in Yemen from the brutalities of the misguided Houthis.”
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/featured/news/726231
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South Asia
40 Insurgents Killed and Wounded In Operation Zulfiqar in Southern Helmand
Apr 01 2015
40 insurgents were killed and wounded during Operation Zulfiqar in southern Helmand province in past 24 hours, a statement issued by the Ministry of Defense on Tuesday stated.
MoD statement adds that Operation Zulfiqar is successfully ongoing where insurgents are suffering heavy casualties.
According to the statement 33 insurgents were killed and seven others wounded in Operation Zulfiqar during the past 24 hours.
One soldier from Afghan National Army also embraced martyrdom due to a landmine explosion in Operation Zulfiqar in past 24 hours, the statement adds.
MoD statement further adds that eight Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were also discovered and defused by the security forces during the operation in past 24 hours.
Security forces have possibly saved several lives by defusing the IEDs.
Full report at:
http://www.khaama.com/40-insurgents-killed-and-wounded-in-operation-zulfiqar-3087
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Bangladesh: Murder of Blogger Oyasiqur Must Be ‘Wake-Up Call’
Apr 01 2015
The brutal killing of blogger Oyasiqur Rahman must be a “wake up call” to the authorities on the need to create a safe environment for journalists and activists to express their views, said Amnesty International.
The international rights watchdog came up with the statement on Monday, immediate after the killing.
“The despicable murder of Avijit Roy last month should have led authorities to step up protection measures for bloggers and others at risk,” said Abbas Faiz, Bangladesh Researcher at Amnesty International.
“The killing of Washiqur Rahman today is another clear example of the Bangladeshi government’s utter failure to ensure the safety of those at risk. How many more bloggers will have to be attacked before action is taken?” he questioned.
“The message must be crystal clear: freedom of thought and expression are basic human rights which must be fully respected by all.”
Full report at:
http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2015/mar/31/amnesty-murder-blogger-oyasiqur-must-be-wake-call#sthash.cy8lqDGp.dpuf
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Mideast
29 Dead, 24 Injured in Fresh Saudi Air Raids on Yemeni Factory
Apr 01 2015
Fresh Saudi-led airstrikes in the Yemeni province of Hudaydah on Wednesday, left at least 29 people dead and 24 others injured.
According to reports on Wednesday, the Saudi-led warplanes launched several strikes against a food factory in the Western province of Hudaydah, and claimed the lives 29 people.
Earlier in the day, six people were also killed and several others injured during the Saudi-led air raids on the port of Midi in the Northwestern Yemeni province of Hajjah.
Saudi Arabia has been striking Yemen for seven days now to restore power to fugitive Yemeni president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh. The Saudi airstrikes have killed at least, 161, mostly women and children, and injured hundreds more.
Hadi stepped down in January and refused to reconsider the decision despite calls by Ansarullah revolutionaries of the Houthi movement.
Full report at:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940112000078
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Palestine officially joins International Criminal Court
Apr 01 2015
THE NETHERLANDS: Palestine formally joined the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Wednesday, opening the door to the prosecution of Israelis for war crimes amid a stalled peace process.
The accession was marked by a behind-closed doors ceremony at the court’s headquarters in The Hague; exactly 90 days after Palestine joined the court’s founding Rome Statute.
Palestine signed the court’s founding treaty in January this year and it came into force today (Wednesday). This is an event that has been welcomed by activists who see this is an opportunity to bring liability to years of conflict between Palestine and Israel.
Though Israel is not a member of the ICC, the country’s military and civilian leaders could face the charges if they have committed crimes on Palestinian territory.
A preliminary investigation was opened up in mid-January by the court’s chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, after the Palestinians formally accepted the court’s jurisdiction dating back to just before last year’s Gaza conflict.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/862385/palestine-officially-joins-international-criminal-court/
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Iran says it can work with S. Arabia to end Yemen conflict
Apr 01 2015
KUWAIT: Tehran wants all parties in Yemen to return to talks, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian has said, adding the Islamic Republic and Saudi Arabia can work together to end the conflict there.
“Iran and Saudi Arabia can cooperate to solve the Yemeni crisis,” Mr Abdollahian told reporters in Kuwait on Tuesday, speaking through a translator.
“We recommend all parties in Yemen return to calm and dialogue.”
Asked whether Iran had any channels of communication with its regional rival, Mr Abdollahian said: “We are trying.”
He gave no details but, asked whether Tehran had a plan for resolving the war, he replied: “We have a proposal.”
Iran supports the Houthi fighters who control Sanaa and have launched an offensive against forces loyal to Saudi-backed President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi in the southern port city of Aden. But it denies Saudi accusations that it has given military assistance to the Houthis.
It has also criticised the six-day Saudi-led air campaign against the Houthis and allied Yemeni army units.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1173161/iran-says-it-can-work-with-s-arabia-to-end-yemen-conflict
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Ground push ‘needed to save lives’: Yemeni FM
Apr 01 2015
CAIRO: Yemeni Foreign Minister Riad Yassine has called for an Arab ground intervention in the country “as soon as possible.”
Asked by an interviewer on Al-Arabiya Al-Hadath whether he sought an Arab ground intervention, Yassine responded: “Yes, we are asking for that, and as soon as possible, in order to save our infrastructure and save Yemenis under siege in many cities.”
Saudi officials have stressed that the current operation against Houthis is aimed at restoring the legitimate government in Yemen.
Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf, Saudi ambassador to the UK, said Saudi Arabia will negate Iran’s policy and influence in the Arab world.
“We will not stop until the legitimate government is back,” he said in a media interview.
He added: “We support the people of Yemen, regardless of their sect.”
The envoy also said: “Iran is behaving in a manner that does not help the stability of the region.”
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/featured/news/726226
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Yemeni expatriates slam Houthi rebels on Twitter
1 April 2015
Yemeni expatriates in Saudi Arabia have expressed total support for Operation 'Decisive Storm' launched by the Kingdom and its Arab allies to restore constitutional legitimacy to Yemen and protect its people against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.
To show their support for the operation, a hashtag in Arabic which translates into “I am Yemeni and Houthis do not represent me” was tweeted by a number of Yemeni expatriates to show solidarity with the Kingdom and distance themselves from the Houthis, local Arabic daily al-Madinah reported.
Twitter users who used the hashtag said they were being treated well in the Kingdom, which they described as their second home.
"The relationship between the Kingdom and Yemen is a relationship of good neighborliness with geo-strategic dimensions," a Yemeni expatriate tweeted on the microblogging website.
"Nobody will ever be able to shake the confidence of the Yemenis in their second home. On the contrary, he will make it stronger and more cohesive," he wrote.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/media/digital/2015/04/01/Yemeni-expatriates-slam-Houthi-rebels-on-Twitter.html
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Europe
Young British Muslims declare own jihad against Isis and other terrorists who 'hijack' Islam
01 April, 2015
A group of young British Muslims have declared their own “jihad” against Isis and all other terrorist groups.
The Muslim Youth League UK announced an ideological holy war against the Islamic State at a conference in Glasgow on Sunday, saying militants had “no link with Islam or the Muslim community”.
It is concerned that recruitment by the group is on the rise in the UK, targeting teenage girls and boys with gory propaganda videos and social media accounts boasting of life under the “caliphate”.
Shaykh Rehan Ahmed Raza, president of Muslim Youth League UK, said: "Our efforts are aimed at deterring further ISIS recruitment in Britain and defending the Muslim community, who feel their religion has been hijacked."
He announced a seven-point declaration calling the killing of any person un-Islamic, whatever their faith, and condemning extremists’ “deviation” from the teachings of Prophet Muhammad and the Quran.
Full report at:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/young-british-muslims-declare-own-jihad-against-isis-and-other-terrorists-who-hijack-islam-10146534.html
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Schools fear Easter holiday exodus of teenagers joining ISIL in Syria
01 April, 2015
Schools fear that their will be an exodus of teenagers joining jihadist in Syria over the Easter holidays, but have not told police as they do not want their pupils to be criminalised, it has been claimed.
Nazir Afzal, a senior prosecutor, claims that he has been approached by the heads of two London secondary schools, one in east London and one in west London, over fears that their students have been “seduced and groomed” by Islamic State (Isil).
However, they have not contacted the authorities about the concerns, raised by the teenagers’ parents, because they do not want them to be investigated.
Mr Afzal told the Times that one said he was being “approached on a daily basis by parents who fear their kids are about to go to Syria”.
Full report at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/11508104/Schools-fear-Easter-holiday-exodus-of-teenagers-joining-Isil-in-Syria.html
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Syria, Iraq a 'finishing school' for foreign fighters: UN report
Apr 01 2015
UNITED NATIONS: More than 25,000 foreign fighters from some 100 countries are linked to al Qaeda and the self-styled Islamic State, with Syria and Iraq comprising a “veritable international finishing school for extremists,” United Nations experts reported to the UN Security Council.
The experts, who monitor al Qaeda sanctions violations, said in a report seen by Reuters that along with some 22,000 foreign fighters in Syria and Iraq, there were also 6,500 in Afghanistan and hundreds more in Yemen, Libya, Pakistan and Somalia.
At a meeting of the 15-member Security Council chaired by US President Barack Obama in September, the experts were asked to report within six months on the threat from foreign fighters joining IS, which has declared a caliphate in Syria and Iraq, Nusra Front in Syria and other al Qaeda-linked groups.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1173231/syria-iraq-a-finishing-school-for-foreign-fighters-un-report
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Muslim comedian’s anti-extremist message a big hit with British teens
01 April, 2015
LONDON — The police officer had just finished an earnest presentation on counter-extremism before an audience of 200 restless teenagers at an east London high school when a young man of Pakistani origin in a black hoodie took the stage.
“How many of you people are Muslim?” the man barked.
He grinned as nearly every hand went up.
“Guys, we can take over! Sharia law coming soon!” the man cried gleefully. “Allahu akbar!”
The teens erupted in laughter even before the man had a chance to clarify: “I’m kidding. I’m kidding. I think I scared the white people.”
It’s the kind of knowing humor that has made 29-year-old Humza Arshad an Internet sensation, a hero to Muslim teenagers and perhaps the most potent new weapon in Britain’s arsenal as it wages an increasingly desperate campaign to counter violent Islamist extremism.
At a time when the flow of British Muslims to the war in Syria shows no sign of ebbing, Arshad has positioned himself as the anti-Jihadi John. Like Mohammed Emwazi, the scowling Islamic State executioner, Arshad is a London-raised Muslim from an immigrant family whose face has become instantly recognizable to millions of young Brits through videos uploaded online.
But where Emwazi seeks to terrify the world and seduce fresh recruits to join his bloodthirsty crusade, Arshad’s message is precisely the opposite: Laugh at extremism; don’t fall prey to it.
It’s a message communicated for several years through his homemade YouTube videos, which have been viewed more than 60 million times and have made him one of the most popular online comedians in the U.K.
Full report at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/muslim-comedians-anti-extremist-message-a-big-hit-with-british-teens/2015/03/31/c670cf1c-d23d-11e4-8b1e-274d670aa9c9_story.html
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At least 62 children killed in Yemen in past week: Unicef
Apr 01 2015
UNITED NATIONS: At least 62 children have been killed and 30 injured in Yemen over the past week as fighting has escalated with a Saudi-led air campaign, the UN children's agency Unicef said Tuesday.
“Children are in desperate need of protection, and all parties to the conflict should do all in their power to keep children safe,” said Unicef's representative for Yemen, Julien Harneis.
Fighting has escalated sharply in Yemen after a Saudi-led coalition launched air strikes five days ago to block an advance by Shia rebels know as Houthis.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon separately said he was "deeply concerned" by reports of numerous civilian deaths from the military campaign including an attack on Monday on a camp for displaced people that left dozens dead.
Ban reminded “all parties involved in military operations in Yemen of their obligations under international humanitarian law to ensure the protection of civilians,” a statement from his spokesman said.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1173237/at-least-62-children-killed-in-yemen-in-past-week-unicef
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ICC welcomes Palestinians as 123rd member
1 April 2015
The Palestinian Authority became a member of the International Criminal Court on Wednesday, with a low-key ceremony at the court’s headquarters marking the high-stakes move.
Joining the court is part of a broader effort by the Palestinians to put international pressure on Israel and comes at a time when the chances of resuming negotiations on Palestinian statehood are seen as slim following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent election victory and tough campaign rhetoric.
Palestinians signed the court’s founding treaty in January and Palestinian membership came into force Wednesday. International justice activists hailed the occasion as an opportunity to bring accountability to years of conflict between Palestinians and Israel.
Israel is not a member of the ICC, but the country’s military and civilian leaders could now face charges if they are believed to have committed crimes on Palestinian territory. Israel had no immediate comment Wednesday.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/04/01/International-court-welcomes-Palestinians-as-123rd-member.html
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Pakistan
World Powers Unleashed Bloodletting in Muslim States for Their Interests: JI
Apr 01 2015
LAHORE – Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq has said that the world powers had unleashed bloodletting and destruction in the Muslim states to advance their interests and the Muslims were being made the fodder of the war.
He said that the situation in Yemen was most serious and the government should decide its strategy after taking the parliament into confidence. He was addressing different gatherings in Lower Dir on Tuesday. He said that the protection of the Haramian Sharifain was the part of the faith of every Muslim. He said that Pakistan, as the sole nuclear power of the Muslim world, should play a leading role in the solution of all issues of the Muslim world including the current conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/national/31-Mar-2015/world-powers-unleashed-bloodletting-in-muslim-states-for-their-interests-ji
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Blast in Tirah Valley kills two security personnel
Apr 01 2015
PESHAWAR: At least two security forces personnel were killed when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) went off Wednesday morning in Khyber Agency's Tirah Valley.
According to a security official, the bomb which had been planted on the roadside, exploded at a security personnel check post near Tirah Valley's Narai Baba area.
As a result of the blast, two security forces personnel were killed.
The incident comes at a time when military forces are engaged in Khyber-One and Khyber-Two operations against militants in Khyber Agency.
North Waziristan is one of the seven regions in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) governed by tribal laws which is situated along the Pak-Afghan border and is rife with Taliban militant activity.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1173230/blast-in-tirah-valley-kills-two-security-personnel
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3 Taseer vigil attack suspects get bail
Apr 01 2015
LAHORE: A division bench of Lahore High Court on Monday granted bail to three suspects – Adeel, Irfan and Furqan – accused of attacking participants of a candlelight vigil held at Liberty Chowk to mark fourth death anniversary of former Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer.
Bench directed the petitioners to furnish bail bonds of Rs 100,000 each. A case against the applicants was registered under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act and Sections 365, 427, 183, 148 and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code. The accused had on January 4 attacked the activists of civil society had gathered with banners, portraits and candles at Liberty Chowk. The baton-wielding men tore apart the banners, portraits and posters and thrashed the peaceful activists. An anti-terrorism court on January 28 had rejected their bail application. The applicants’ counsel said that the police arrested them merely on suspicion. He pleaded that the police failed to produce any evidence against them. The bench heard the arguments and allowed applicants of the suspects.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/punjab/31-Mar-2015/3-taseer-vigil-attack-suspects-get-bail
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Army will follow govt decision on sending troops to S Arabia
Apr 01 2015
ISLAMABAD: Defence Secretary Lt Gen (r) Muhammad Alam Khattak on Tuesday said Pakistan military will follow the decision of federal government regarding military support to a coalition of mainly Gulf States fighting Houti fighters in Yemeni.
“Pakistan Army will abide by the government’s orders,” the secretary told the National Assembly Standing Committee on Defence. His brief comments came in response to a volley of questions by the committee members as to whether military troops would be sent to the Kingdom.
Responding to the queries, the secretary said that the government and military were on the same page on the issue.
The committee members, however, appeared divided on the issue of sending troops to Saudi Arabia.
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/national/01-Apr-2015/army-will-follow-govt-decision-on-sending-troops-to-s-arabia
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IDPs’ return to North Waziristan begins
Apr 01 2015
BANNU / TANK: Repatriation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to North Waziristan started on Tuesday.
A caravan of 26 vehicles carrying 219 IDPs belonging to 62 families left Bannu for Spin Wam and Shahmeri in North Waziristan on the first day. Stringent security arrangements were made on the Miramshah road from the Mirzail checkpost to North Waziristan.
Political Agent Atifur Rehman and other government functionaries saw the families off at Mirzail near Bakkakhel IDP camp in Bannu and Maj Gen Jamil Akhtar Rao and other military officers received them at the historical Babul Islam near Kajuri checkpost.
About 1,200 families had been registered at the sub-camp of the political agent from March 18 to 20. They will return to their homes in Sin Wam, Shamiri, Mirali and Bubali areas in the first phase of repatriation which will continue till April 24.
Besides the Pakistan Army, the political administration and the Fata Disaster Management Authority are facilitating the process.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1173162/idps-return-to-north-waziristan-begins
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Death warrants issued for 7 convicted in Sialkot lynching
Apr 01 2015
A court in Gujranwala has issued death warrants for seven individuals convicted of killing brothers Mughees and Muneeb in Sialkot in 2010, Express News reported.
The culprits are to be executed on April 8.
On September 20, 2011, Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Gujranwala sentenced seven individuals to death, six to life in prison and all policemen involved in the incident to three year imprisonment.
On August 15, 2010, a mob gathered in broad daylight in Buttran Wali, Sialkot, and lynched Mughees and Muneeb in full view of police officers, who made no attempts to stop the murder.
The bodies of the two brothers were dragged through the streets by the mob, who labelled them robbers. The bodies were then hanged against a water tank. The villagers were about to set the bodies on fire when family members of brothers reached the spot and took them home. Later, no police records were found of Mughees and Muneeb, who were both students.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/862374/death-warrants-issued-for-7-convicted-in-sialkot-lynching/
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Devolution of power: Local governments ‘can help counter militancy’
Apr 01 2015
ISLAMABAD: The best remedy to counter extremism in the country is effective devolution of power to the grassroots level, security and local government experts suggest. Decentralisation, the experts believe, is necessary to ensure government’s credibility among the masses through good governance, rule of law, reforming police and other civil departments and eradication of corruption that will ultimately leave no space for militant groups.
The election commission has decided to hold local bodies elections this year. In Sindh and Punjab, polls will be held on September 20. “The war on terrorism cannot be won without the support of the population,” said Muhammad Munir, a research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies Islamabad.
“Counter-narratives are needed to fight the war of ideas with the aim being to win hearts and minds of the population”, he said. “These counter-narratives should clearly establish the government’s credibility before the public as to why their future is with the state rather than with the non-state groups.”
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/862173/devolution-of-power-local-governments-can-help-counter-militancy/
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Africa
Tunisian Protesters Condemn Saudi-Led Airstrikes on Yemen
Apr 01 2015
Hundreds of Tunisian people and political campaigners amassed in front of Saudi Arabia's embassy in the capital, Tunis, and rapped the monarchy's military aggression against Yemen.
The protesters chanted anti-Saudi slogans, and accused Riyadh of intervening in Yemen's internal affairs and also attempting to undermine the Muslim country's unity, independence and territorial integrity.
The protesters also took swipe at Arab League's double-standards, and slammed the Persian Gulf states for supporting the Saudi regime in its airstrikes against Yemen.
Saudi Arabia has been striking Yemen for seven days now to restore power to fugitive Yemeni president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh. The Saudi airstrikes have killed at least, 161, mostly women and children, and injured hundreds more.
Hadi stepped down in January and refused to reconsider the decision despite calls by Ansarullah revolutionaries of the Houthi movement.
Full report at:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940112000344
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Libya fears its treasures are now in militant sights
Apr 01 2015
Libyan antiquities officials looked on with horror at Internet video footage that showed Islamist extremists wielding sledgehammers and power tools to grind ancient Iraqi treasures into dust.
They fear the Islamic State group jihadist movement's growing influence means the fate that befell these priceless Assyrian and Akkadian artefacts now awaits their own rich heritage dating back millennia.
Footage of the cultural atrocity showed militants smashing exhibits at the museum in Mosul, Iraq's second city and the main IS stronghold since its capture in a lighting June offensive last year.
The jihadists say the antiquities are anti-Islamic, promote paganism and must therefore be destroyed.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/126564/World/Region/Libya-fears-its-treasures-are-now-in-militant-sigh.aspx
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Buhari claims victory in historic Nigerian vote
Apr 01 2015
ABUJA — The opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) declared victory for its candidate, former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, in Nigeria’s presidential election on Tuesday and said the country was “witnessing history.”
“This is the first time in Nigeria that a sitting government will be voted out of power using purely democratic means,” APC spokesman Lai Mohammed said at the house in the capital where Buhari was watching the results come in. “The people of Nigeria have taken over.”
He said the APC had no reason to doubt that President Goodluck Jonathan would concede defeat.
“He said several times that he would relinquish power if he was voted out in a free and fair election,” Mohammed said.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20150401238947
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‘Parliament’ sacks head of Libya’s disputed govt
Apr 01 2015
TRIPOLI: The leader of the disputed government in Tripoli, Omar al-Hassi, was sacked on Tuesday by the parliament in the Libyan capital, which is under the control of an Islamist-backed militia, a lawmaker said.
“The head of the government was dismissed by the parliament in a vote on Tuesday that was backed by the rest of the ministers,” Mahmoud Abdel Aziz said.
Libya has had two governments and parliaments since Tripoli was seized in August by the Fajr Libya militia coalition and the internationally recognised government fled to the country’s far east.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1173166/parliament-sacks-head-of-libyas-disputed-govt
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Southeast Asia
Jakarta Govt Says Media Bans to Restrict Islamic Fundamentalism
Apr 01 2015
Jakarta. Coordinating Minister of Defense, Politics and Legal Affairs Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno emphasized on Wednesday that the government’s move to ban 19 Islamic news sites was a curb on radicalism rather than an attack on free speech.
“This was not done on a whim,” Tedjo said on Wednesday. “It was done as a precaution.”
The government has caused controversy by banning 19 media, including Hidayatullah.com and Muslimdaily.com. The ban was rolled out at the request of the National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT), which said the sites had published material it deemed to have crossed the line.
Some internet users accused the government of an assault on free speech, while others said a no-platform policy toward firebrand fundamentalism would drive it underground and could boost its appeal among some young people.
Full report at:
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/govt-says-media-bans-restrict-islamic-fundamentalism/
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Govt Sends Help for More Than 4000 Indonesians Trapped in Yemen
Apr 01 2015
Jakarta. The government will send more officials to help evacuate the more than 4,000 Indonesians residing in Yemen as Saudi-led forces continue to launch attacks against Shiite rebels in the gulf state.
According to Vice President Jusuf Kalla, the evacuation of 4,159 Indonesians trapped in Yemen has been slow because Indonesia’s embassy in the capital city Sanaa is only staffed by three people at the moment.
“Our embassy [in Yemen] is very small. There are only three diplomats. So we are sending more people from Jakarta to assist these three so all 4,000 Indonesians there can be evacuated,” Kalla said on Tuesday.
The vice president said the government was concerned about the ongoing offensive launched by the Saudi-led forces.
Although claiming that the majority of Indonesians living in Yemen are outside the conflict areas, violence could spread as the Houthi rebels are pushed back.
Kalla said the government was looking to evacuate Indonesians via neighboring countries Oman and Saudi Arabia by land or sea.
Full report at:
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/govt-sends-help-4000-indonesians-trapped-yemen/
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Malaysian Cartoonist Zunar To Face Sedition Charge On Friday
Apr 01 2015
Cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque, better known as Zunar, will be charged with sedition in the Kuala Lumpur High Court this Friday, over his tweet on Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy conviction.
Undeterred by the charge, Zunar said that he would keep drawing his satirical cartoons and criticising the Barisan Nasional-led goverment "until the last drop" of his ink.
"The use of Sedition Act came as no surprise for me as in a corrupt regime, the truth is seditious. Najib's regime is mentally corrupted and morally bankrupted," said Zunar in a statement.
"I would like to reiterate that the use of Sedition Act will not silence me. I will keep exposing the corruptions and wrong-doings of the BN government.
"The 'Fight Through Cartoons' will carry on with more fire. I will keep drawing until the last drop of my ink."
Zunar said his lawyer informed him that the police had served notice to charge him over his tweet.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/cartoonist-zunar-to-face-sedition-charge-on-friday
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North America
Pentagon backing for Arab military force
Apr 01 2015
The US has announced its support for Arab plans to create a unified military force to counter growing security threats in the Middle East.
“The Pentagon will cooperate where US and Arab interests coincide,” Defense Secretary Ash Carter said.
Carter told reporters during a visit to Fort Drum in New York that US military leaders who met him abroad thought that regional members of the coalition fighting ISIS should be encouraged to do more if they were able to.
“So, I think if they are willing to do more, in this case with respect to Yemen, then that is a good thing because ultimately it is their region. The willingness of the parties there to step up and do more for stability in the Middle East is a good thing,’ Carter said.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/726196
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Obama ends freeze on US military aid to Egypt
Apr 01 2015
The United States announced on March 31 it was lifting its hold on the supply of military equipment to Egypt, which was frozen when the military took power in Cairo nearly two years ago.
The White House said President Barack Obama was freeing up the equipment and making other changes to military ties with Washington's long-time ally to support U.S. interests while encouraging Egypt's political reforms.
Obama directed the release of 12 Lockheed Martin F-16 aircraft, 20 Boeing Harpoon missiles, and up to 125 M1A1 Abrams tank kits made by General Dynamics, National Security Council spokesperson Bernadette Meehan said.
This was "in the interest of U.S. national security," she said.
The decision was announced after a telephone call between Obama and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in which they also discussed the turmoil that is gripping the region.
Egypt, which has worked with the United States on Middle East peace moves, is emerging from a period of domestic upheaval and is engaged in several regional conflicts, including in neighboring Libya, and fighting Islamic State militants at home.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/obama-ends-freeze-on-us-military-aid-to-egypt.aspx?pageID=238&nID=80435&NewsCatID=359
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US Official: Dawn Ultimatum to Iran Completely False
Apr 01 2015
Iranian sources and US diplomats strongly rejected a report that the six world powers have given a dawn ultimatum to Iran to strike a deal over its nuclear program.
"Reports that the P5+1 gave Iran a dawn ultimatum are completely false," the US official said.
Earlier tonight, some western media outlets quoted a diplomat present in the nuclear talks underway in Lausanne as saying that the six world powers have told Iran it's "now or never", asking Iran to decide by "dawn".
Meantime, a source privy to the nuclear negotiations between Iran and the six world powers underway in Lausanne, Switzerland, said despite Iran's various proposals for the removal of the sanctions as enshrined under the Geneva Interim deal, the US and France are adamant to end the standoff by rejecting the offers.
Full report at:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940112000053
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India
India intensifies pullout of nationals from Yemen, Saudi offers help
Apr 1, 2015
NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday intensified efforts to pull out its around 4,000 nationals from Yemen, deploying aircraft and at least five ships, even as the Saudi Arabia-led air strikes against the Shia Houthi rebels entered the sixth day.
India's move came as Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday night and assured full assistance in safe evacuation of Indians stranded in Yemen.
King Salman assured Modi of his "full attention to the safety of Indians in Yemen and all possible assistance for their early and safe evacuation".
The Saudi monarch called up Modi at 9.30pm. The Prime Minister shared his "deep concern about the safety and welfare of approximately 4,000 Indians in Yemen".
Modi also briefed King Salman on India's evacuation plan and requested him for support and cooperation in it.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-intensifies-pullout-of-nationals-from-Yemen-Saudi-offers-help/articleshow/46760845.cms
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A new lease of life for Qutb Shahi tombs
Apr 1, 2015
The contrast is striking. On one side are blackened domes with vegetal growth sprouting and on the other, lime-mortar finished graceful structures rising in the sky. Visitors to the Qutb Shahi Heritage Park can’t help draw in their breath at the transformation taking place. The 16 century mausoleums are getting a second lease of life.
Correcting the criminal neglect suffered by the tombs during the last two centuries is no easy task. But the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), world’s leading conservation body, has almost succeeded in doing the impossible. The conservation works going on at the south western side of the royal necropolis bear this out. Most of the 30 monuments in this dense zone are nearly restored – along with their elaborate and intricate architecture.
Presspersons, who were taken around what is popularly called ‘seven tombs’ on Tuesday, saw the restoration works being carried out by a multi-disciplinary team of conservation architects, engineers and historians. “The first phase of the project will be completed by 2016 end and the entire mission in the next ten years,” Ratish Nanda, project director, AKTC, exudes confidence.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/a-new-lease-of-life-for-qutb-shahi-tombs/article7054545.ece
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6:59 AM
Moderate Islamist here
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