Death toll from Chitral floods rises to 33 as rescue and relief operations continue
PESHAWAR: Pakistani officials Monday revised the death toll from flooding caused by torrential rains in the country's remote north down to 33, as the military said it was flying food and medical supplies to affected areas.
On Sunday, officials had put the total number of people killed at 43, saying that 41 of them had died in a village in the Chitral district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where flash floods swept away their homes without warning.
Pakistani villagers gather after the flash flood in Ursoon village in Chitral on July 3, 2016. ─ AFP
Authorities also said two Chinese engineers had been killed at the Tarbela dam construction site in Haripur.
But on Monday officials said there had been duplication in the death count, revising the Chitral toll down to 29.
They also said two more Pakistani workers had died alongside the Chinese engineers at the dam construction site, bringing the total toll across the province to 33.Death toll from Chitral floods rises to 33 as rescue and relief operations continue
Thirteen people are still missing in Chitral, said the Chitral Deputy Commissioner Usama Waraich, adding that authorities were evacuating some residents with more rain forecast Monday.
Dozens of homes in the village of Orsoon in Chitral were damaged in the floods with the army saying Monday five of them were completely swept away.
Pakistani army personnel help villagers after their house was destroyed by flash flooding in Ursoon village in Chitral on July 3, 2016. ─ AFP
The remote village had received no evacuation warning and remained cut off Monday, with roads to it damaged by the floods.
The military said it was flying in medical aid, tents and food to Orsoon by helicopter Monday.
Afghan authorities also said they had recovered 13 bodies, including of eight Pakistani soldiers, which had been swept over the border from Chitral into Afghanistan.
"We found the bodies yesterday and they were handed over to the Pakistani authorities," Ehsanullah Fazal, head of the public health hospital in Afghanistan's Kunar province, told AFP.Death toll from Chitral floods rises to 33 as rescue and relief operations continue
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BAGHDAD: Iraq begins three days of national mourning on Monday for over 200 people killed by a suicide bombing in a busy Baghdad shopping district claimed by the militant Islamic State (IS) group, the deadliest attack in the capital this year.
At least 213 people were killed in Sunday's Baghdad suicide bombing claimed by IS, officials said, making it one of the deadliest ever militant attacks in Iraq.
The suicide car bombing, which ripped through a crowded shopping area and sparked infernos in nearby buildings, also wounded more than 200 people, security and medical officials told AFP on Monday
The blast hit the Karrada district early Sunday as the area was packed with shoppers ahead of this week's holiday marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramazan.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced three days of national mourning for the victims as he visited the site of the attack, and his office said he had vowed to “punish” the perpetrators.
Iraqis inspect the damage at the site of a suicide car bombing claimed by the Islamic State group in Baghdad's central Karrada district. — AFP.
He also ordered changes to Baghdad security measures in response to the bombing, which security officials said killed at least 213 people and wounded more than 200.
The attack came a week after Iraqi security forces recaptured Fallujah from IS, leaving Mosul as the only Iraqi city under the jihadist group's control.
The blast set buildings ablaze, and crowds of people watched from the rubble-filled street as emergency personnel carried out victims and worked on the site.
A member of the civil defence forces said it would take "a number of days" to recover the bodies of the victims.
Hussein Ali, a 24-year-old former soldier, said six workers at his family's shop were killed, their bodies so badly burned they could not be identified.
"I will return to the battlefront. At least there, I know the enemy so I can fight him. But here, I don't know who I'm fighting," Ali told AFP.
'Cowardly and heinous act'
IS issued a statement claiming responsibility for the suicide bombing, saying it was carried out by an Iraqi as part of "ongoing security operations".
The militant group said the blast targeted Iraq's Shia majority, whom the extremists frequently attack in Baghdad and elsewhere.
UN Iraq envoy Jan Kubis condemned the "cowardly and heinous act of unparalleled proportions," calling on authorities to bring those responsible to justice.
Officials said another explosion in the Shaab area of northern Baghdad killed at least one person and wounded four on Sunday, but the cause of the blast was disputed.
Iraqi men mourn over bodies after they lost five members of their family in a suicide bombing that ripped through Baghdad's busy shopping district of Karrada. — AFP
Bombings in the capital have decreased since IS overran large areas north and west of Baghdad in June 2014, with the militants apparently more concerned with operations elsewhere.
But the group has struck back against Iraqi civilians after suffering military setbacks, and in May, Baghdad was rocked by a series of blasts that killed more than 150 people in seven days.
A video posted on social media showed men ─ apparently angry at the government's failure to prevent the carnage in Karrada ─ throwing rocks at what was said to be Abadi's convoy.
But the premier struck a conciliatory tone over anger directed towards him.
IS defeat in Fallujah
"I understand the emotional feelings and actions that occurred in a moment of sadness and anger," Abadi said in a statement.
With thousands of vehicles moving in and out of the city each day, such bombings are difficult to prevent.
But there are also flaws in security measures in the city, especially the continued use of fake bomb detectors at checkpoints years after the man who sold them to Iraq was jailed for fraud in Britain.
A man lights a candle at the site after a suicide bombing in the Karrada shopping area, in Baghdad, Iraq. — Reuters
Abadi announced a series of changes to security measures following the Sunday bombing, including scrapping the fake detectors.
He also ordered the deployment of scanning devices at entrances to Baghdad to be sped up, directed that security personnel be banned from using mobile phones at checkpoints, and also called for increased aerial reconnaissance and coordination among security forces.Over 200 dead in Baghdad bombing as Iraq mourns
Iraqi forces completely recaptured Fallujah, a city 50 kilometres west of Baghdad, from the militants a week ago.
Anti-government fighters seized Fallujah in early 2014 and it later became one of IS's main strongholds in the country.
IS's defeat there was compounded by a devastating series of air strikes targeting militant forces as they sought to flee the Fallujah area.
Iraqi and US-led coalition aircraft destroyed hundreds of IS vehicles and killed dozens of fighters in two days of strikes against militant convoys after the end of the Fallujah battle, officials said.
With Fallujah retaken, Iraqi forces are now setting their sights on second city Mosul, the last major population centre held by IS in Iraq.Over 200 dead in Baghdad bombing as Iraq mourns
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Rangers want govt depts purged of ‘political, militant wings’ activists
KARACHI: The Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, vowed on Sunday that they would take action against elements helping activists of ‘political or militant wings’ infiltrate government institutions and the ‘ghost employees’, which the paramilitary force suspected might be involved in terrorist activities and lawlessness.
A Rangers spokesperson in a statement issued to the media said that a decision to take action against such political activities in institutions and against ghost employees was taken at a recent meeting of the Apex Committee.
The supreme body on law and order had decided that there would be no office of any political party or militant wing in any government institution.
In the light of this decision, the Ranges official said that all official institutions should ensure closure of all offices or activities of political or militant wing on their premises. Otherwise, the Rangers warned, legal action would be taken against all responsible people.
Furthermore, the paramilitary force said there were employees who were recruited under influence of political or militant wings in such official institutions, who usually remained absent and were described as ghost employees.
“These ghost employees were involved in terrorist activities; hence their services should be terminated immediately so that terrorism and lawlessness could be ended.”
The Rangers urged citizens to inform them about such activities by political or militant wings inside official institutions and ghost employees on their helpline, whatsapp number or through email.
MQM slams new Rangers’ move
Maintaining that it was the real target of the Rangers’s latest order, the Muttahida Quami Movement criticised the paramilitary force’s directive to government and semi-government organisations regarding shutting down the offices of trade unions or labour associations being supported by the party.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the MQM coordination committee said that the order was an attempt to “exploit MQM and Mohajirs economically and politically”.
Declaring that the Rangers’ order was an open violation of human rights and the Constitution, the MQM called upon the prime minister, the interior minister and the army chief to take notice of what it called a discriminating and prejudicial order from the Rangers.
It also appealed to human rights organisations to raise their voice against such violations of people’s rights.Rangers want govt depts purged of ‘political, militant wings’ activists
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Suicide bombing near US consulate in Saudi leaves two wounded
DUBAI: A suicide bomber blew himself up early Monday near the American consulate in Saudi Arabia's Red Sea city of Jeddah, reported the Sabq online newspaper, which is close to authorities.
It said two security officers were hurt “as a result of the failed bombing” on July 4, the day when Americans celebrate their independence.
Security officers sealed off the area after “a person blew himself up in a car in front of the US consulate in Jeddah,” the report said.
Most of the consulate's staff had reportedly moved offices to a new location.
US Embassy officials in Saudi Arabia and Interior Ministry officials could not be immediately reached for comment.
A State Department spokesperson, who was not authorised to be named and spoke on condition of anonymity, said US officials are aware of reports of an explosion in Jeddah and are working with Saudi authorities to collect more information.
A 2004 Al Qaeda-linked militant attack on the US consulate in Jeddah killed five locally hired consular employees and four gunmen.
The three-hour battle on the heavily guarded compound came amid a wave of Al Qaeda attacks targeting Westerners and Saudi security posts.
More recently, Saudi Arabia has been a target of the militant Islamic State (IS) group attacks that have killed dozens of people. The extremist group views the Western-allied Saudi monarchy and government as heretics.
Saudi Arabia is part of the US-led coalition fighting IS in Iraq and Syria.
In June, the Interior Ministry reported 26 terror attacks had taken place in the kingdom in the last two years. Local affiliates of IS have targeted minority Shias and security officials.
The attack comes just days before the end of the holy month of Ramazan, in which observant Muslims fast daily from dawn to dusk.
The US Embassy in Riyadh regularly issues advisory messages for US citizens in Saudi Arabia. On Sunday, the embassy issued a message reminding anyone taking part in religious rituals or other public events to be aware of their surroundings. The message urged Americans to “remain aware of their surroundings, and take extra precautions when travelling throughout the country”.
It also advised citizens to "carefully consider the risks of traveling to Saudi Arabia".
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ISLAMABAD: A visiting US delegation led by Senator John McCain lauded Pakistan's anti-terror efforts and expressed satisfaction over the improved security situation in North Waziristan and adjoining areas.
According to a statement released by the Foreign Office, Senator McCain and his colleagues deeply appreciated the enormous success achieved by Pakistan in its counter-terrorism campaign during a meeting with Pakistani diplomats in Islamabad.
“We come back with a message that we have a common enemy in ISIS, radical Islam and terrorism, and we look forward to closer relations and resolving the differences we have,” McCain said.
The US delegation also visited Miranshah, and said the effects of the operation were impressively visible in North Waziristan.
McCain also lauded Pakistan's role in the Afghan reconciliation process.
He called for joint efforts by the two countries to curb the menace of terrorism, adding that the US Congress will be briefed appropriately about Pakistan's efforts towards economic development and complete eradication of terrorism from its territory.
Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, who led the Pakistani delegation, reiterated the importance of regular high level contacts and added that parliamentary exchanges were particularly useful to understand each other’s perspective on issues of mutual interest and concerns.
Aziz appreciated Senator McCain for his positive comments regarding the importance of Pakistan-US relations at a time when the region is facing complex challenges.
The US delegation also included Senator Lindsey Graham, Senator Joseph Donnelly and Senator Benjamin Sasse.
The Pakistani delegation comprised Adviser to Prime Minister Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi, Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry and other senior officials
During the meeting, the army chief listed unregulated border and rocky ties with Afghanistan as major challenges for sustaining achievements borne out of Pakistan's war on terror.
“[The] COAS dilated upon security challenges faced by Pakistan and Pakistan’s contribution to regional stability and global peace. Pakistan’s successes in war on terror, [and] need for an effective border management across [the] long porous Pak-Afghan border to check illegal movement on either side of the border were also discussed,” a statement from ISPR said about the meeting.
The delegation is visiting Pakistan on an invitation by Gen Sharif. During its stay in the country, the delegation members will study the actions Pakistan has taken against terrorism and their impact on regional peace and security.
“I was very impressed with the progress (on the ground),” said McCain, who is the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
The US delegation also visited the operational area in North Waziristan and paid tribute to the achievements and sacrifices rendered by the Pakistan Army.McCain lauds Pakistan's anti-terror efforts
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Saudi Arabia elected as ICC’s 39th Associate Member
EDINBURGH: Saudi Arabia was unanimously elected as the International Cricket Council’s 39th Associate Member during its Full Council meeting in Edinburgh on Thursday.
Saudi Cricket Centre (SCC) has been an Affiliate Member of the ICC since 2003 and, as per the 2014 census, boasts 4,350 cricketers and 80 dedicated cricket facilities.
Recently, the SCC signed a lucrative three-year deal with MoneyGram, which is also one of the ICC’s valued partners.Saudi Arabia elected as ICC’s 39th Associate Member
The SCC invested a large chunk from this sponsorship towards the staging of a domestic tournament in which 1,800 players from 106 clubs participated.
The SCC’s application for Associate Membership had been pre-approved by the ICC Development Committee during its October 2015 meeting, which was followed by a full application and an ICC inspection in March 2016.
Congratulating the SCC, ICC Chairman Shashank Manohar said: “I congratulate Saudi Cricket Centre on becoming an Associate Member of the ICC and hope it will continue to play its positive and active role in promoting and developing the game in its territory.”
The ICC’s Full Council comprises 10 Full Members, 38 Associate Members and 57 Affiliate Members.Saudi Arabia elected as ICC’s 39th Associate Member
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Brendon McCullum and Eoin Morgan to take part in PSL draft
KARACHI: New Zealand batsman Brendon McCullum and England's one-day international captain Eoin Morgan have agreed to take part in Pakistan Super League's (PSL) player draft.
“Brendon McCullum and Eoin Morgan are proven international stars who not only bring a wealth of international cricket experience but also bring invaluable leadership experience to the HBL PSL player roster," said Najam Sethi, chairman PSL.
Arrangements for the second season of PSL has started gathering pace as franchise owners met the PSL management at the National Cricket Academy today under Chairman PSL, Najam Sethi.
Teams may retain up to 16 players from their existing squads. All players who were brought on board by a team, regardless of whether they played, are eligible for retention.
The retention window will also provide teams with a chance to renegotiate with existing players and the window closes on September 14, 2016. The transfer window is concurrently open with teams in a position to leverage their draft picks and or existing squads to find an ideal balance.
The player draft slated to place in the month of October, with UAE emerging as a likely venue since leading players will be engaged in Pakistan’s home series in the UAE.
The draft order will follow the principle of placing the bottom-placed team from the previous year at an advantage. Consequently, Lahore Qalandars will have the first pick in every round. Karachi Kings will have the second pick, Peshawar Zalmi third, Quetta Gladiators fourth, and Islamabad United will make the final pick in every round.Brendon McCullum and Eoin Morgan to take part in PSL draft
The five franchises have also unanimously agreed to an increase in the salary cap to $1.2 million for the new season.
“We are buoyed by the success of PSL 1 and things are now getting into an exciting phase for season 2. I can promise that PSL 2 will be bigger and better, and we will leave no stone unturned in bringing unparalleled cricketainment to the fans. We will also try our best to stage the final of PSL 2 in Pakistan,” said Sethi.
McCullum, who led the New Zealand side through a golden period culminating in a World Cup final appearance in 2015, retired from international cricket last year.
Having participated in T20 leagues across the globe, McCullum’s addition to HBL PSL marks the arrival of another modern-day T20 icon.
Eoin Morgan, who led the English side to the final of the ICC World T20 2016, is also captain of a resurgent England One Day team.Brendon McCullum and Eoin Morgan to take part in PSL draft, Brendon McCullum and Eoin Morgan to take part in PSL draft
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India's first home-built fighter jet enters service after 33 years
NEW DELHI: India's first locally-built combat aircraft officially took to the skies on Friday, 33 years after it was cleared for development, marking a long-held goal of cutting expensive imports to build a domestic defence-industrial base.
India's fighter aircraft fleet, made up of a mix of Russian, British and French planes, is down to 33 squadrons as against the air force's requirement of 45 to face Pakistan and China.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has nudged the military to accept the first version of the "Tejas" Light Combat Aircraft to make up for the shortfall while a more powerful subsequent model is under development.
Indian Air Force officers broke coconuts and priests held multi-faith ceremonies to mark the induction of two planes in the southern city of Bengaluru. Later, the aircraft took off in the colours of the air force as fire tenders sprayed water on he tarmac in a military ritual.
"Moment of national pride. Indigenously developed Tejas fighter jet inducted into Air Force. Tejas will take our air strength to new heights," Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who has led the drive for indigenisation, said in a Twitter post.
Early this month China said it is still testing its first stealth fighter, the J-20, but it would enter service soon.
The single-seat Indian fighter is considered superior to counterparts like the JF-17 aircraft jointly built by China and Pakistan.
Tejas has had no accident in 3,000 hours of flying and its use of composites helps lower its radar signature, making it harder to detect early, air force officials said.
"The LCA is as good as any in the world in its class," said retired Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur now a fellow at the Centre for Air Power Studies in New Delhi.
But the challenge for state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), which is making the aircraft, will be to stick to the production schedule as the air force seeks to arrest the decline in the number of planes it can deploy, he said.
HAL only has the capacity to produce four Tejas planes a year, a government-appointed audit committee said in a report last year.
The plan is to increase production capacity to eight, a defence ministry official said on Friday.
India is separately negotiating for the purchase of 36 top end Rafale fighter planes from France's Dassault Aviation, a scaled-back deal that has been hanging fire since 2012.India's first home-built fighter jet enters service after 33 years
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Terrorists likely to retaliate if pushed too fast, warns Aziz
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Sartaj Aziz warned on Friday that pushing too fast against all militants in the country could lead to “blowback” in the form of more terrorist attacks.
Aziz sought to deflect criticism that Pakistan has not done enough to crack down on the Haqqani network and that it still shelters Afghan Taliban leaders, highlighted by the US drone strike that killed Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour in May.
The adviser said he would defend Pakistan's record of fighting militants when meeting this weekend with a US congressional delegation headed by Senator John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Forces Committee.
“I think what we have achieved in these three years is quite remarkable,” he told Reuters, citing the ongoing military operation to destroy militant hideouts in North Waziristan near the Afghan border.
“But there are risks involved of how far we can go and in what sequence we should go and in what scale we should go.” The military operation in North Waziristan targeted loosely allied fighters, including the Pakistani branch of the Taliban — which fights to overthrow Pakistan's government.
Also based in the area were elements of the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network, which direct their attacks across the border to target the US-backed government in Afghanistan.
Critics, particularly in the US Congress, say Pakistan has spared the militants that limit their attacks to inside Afghanistan.
Sartaj said the military acted “without distinguishing between 'good and bad' Taliban” but suggested that seeking a large-scale crackdown on all at once would overstretch the armed forces and lead to more terrorist attacks.
“So we have to make sure that we move in a decisive way, but at a measured pace and according to our capacity, and ensuring that the blowback is manageable,” he said.
He also downplayed strained relations with the US following the May 21 US drone strike that killed Mansour and Congress's blocking of financing for Pakistan to buy American F-16 fighter jets.
“I don't see the relations are tense at the moment,” Aziz said. “They are moving in the right direction and there are of course differences, but I don't think there is any major crisis in the relationship.”
He also said Pakistan would continue to resist U.S. pressure to roll back development of short-range “tactical” nuclear weapons in response to regional rival India's defence strategy.Terrorists likely to retaliate if pushed too fast, warns Aziz
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Imran links Karachi woes to political interference in police affairs
KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan has said that peace cannot be restored fully to Karachi unless political interference in the affairs of police was stopped.
He said on Friday that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had stopped interfering in the affairs of police. “If Thana culture is set right, not only will police get the right direction but peace will also be restored in Karachi,” Mr Khan said.
Talking to journalists at the airport, the PTI chairman, who arrived in Karachi on a tour of the city for raising funds for the Shaukat Khanum Hospital, reiterated that the nation could not make progress until people involved in money laundering were sent to prison and corruption was eliminated from society.
He said that after Eid he would launch a movement against corruption which would end only with the removal of the “corrupt government”.
He said that it was premature to say with certainty whether PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari would join the movement.
Answering a question, he said the PML-N government was avoiding to formulate “proper” terms of reference for an inquiry into the Panama Papers issue because it knew that doing so would land Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in prison.
He alleged that people sitting in the car which hit the vehicle of his sister earlier in the day were goons of Maryam Nawaz.
“Who has given the right to money launderers to consider the country as their fiefdom? Who gave the authority to Maryam Nawaz to run the affairs of the government and roam the country like a princess?”
When asked if he planned to meet Mr Bhutto-Zardari in Karachi, Mr Khan replied in the negative.
He said he had come to Karachi to raise funds for the Shaukat Khanum Hospital and to meet Abdul Sattar Edhi and members of the late Amjad Sabri’s family.Imran links Karachi woes to political interference in police affairs
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WASHINGTON: The US State Department has said that it’s aware of reports stating that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had proposed a $3 million budget allocation for Darul Uloom Haqqania seminary.
“I would refer you to the KP government or the government of Pakistan with any questions concerning this funding,” said the department’s spokesman John Kirby when asked to comment on those reports.
When a journalist reminded him that it was the same seminary that the US government also had funded in the early 1980s, Mr Kirby said: “I’m going to let my statement stand.”
Asked for comments on Adviser to the PM on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz’s recent statement that the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor was one of the reasons for straining Washington’s relations with Islamabad, Mr Kirby said he was not going to detail diplomatic conversations.
“Look, there are enormous challenges in the region. We continue to work with Pakistan to try to address those challenges. I don’t have anything more additional for you,” he added.US aware of KP’s donation to Haqqania
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Drones killed only 64 to 116 civilians since 2009: US
WASHINGTON: The White House released a report on Friday claiming that US drones killed only 64 to 116 civilians in 473 strikes launched between Jan 20, 2009 and Dec 31, 2015.
The drone strikes also killed 2,372 to 2,581 combatants during this period, the White House added.
The report covers strikes only in areas “outside of active hostilities”, which include Pakistan, Yemen, Libya and Somalia. Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria are not covered because they fall in “areas of active hostilities”.
Along with the report, President Barack Obama issued an executive order, requiring annual reporting on civilian deaths in drone strikes and outlining how the administration tries to protect civilians.
Several independent organisations that have been tracking American drone strikes offer higher casualty numbers than disclosed in the report, ranging from at least 200 to 1,000 deaths.
The London-based Bureau of Investigative Journalism has estimated that the drones have killed 492 to 1,100 civilians in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia since 2002.
“Civilian casualties are a tragic and at times unavoidable consequence of the use of force in situations of armed conflict or in the exercise of a state’s inherent right of self-defence,” Mr Obama said.
“The US government shall maintain and promote best practices that reduce the likelihood of civilian casualties, take appropriate steps when such casualties occur, and draw lessons from our operations to further enhance the protection of civilians,” he added.
The report, however, did not reveal much about the strikes themselves or the people who were killed.
Amnesty International welcomed the executive order, saying that it was a “vital step in the right direction” as it “set a precedent for how future administrations, and other governments, use lethal drone technology”.
But another human rights group, Reprieve, said the report was “a cooked book of numbers … without the names, faces and detail necessary for real accountability to take place”.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said at a news briefing minutes before the report was released that the executive order would ensure that the counterterrorism strategy President Obama had put in place continued to be transparent and durable in the future.
“The president believes our counterterrorism strategy is more effective and has more credibility when we’re as transparent as possible,” he said. “There are obviously limitations to transparency when it comes to matters as sensitive as this.”
Mr Earnest said that some war zones had been excluded because the Pentagon, which already had a process for disclosing civilian casualties, carried out the drone strikes there. By issuing the report, the administration had created a way to disclose deaths from drone strikes conducted by entities other than the military, he said.
Most of the strikes in Pakistan are conducted by the CIA, which does not disclose details of its operations.
The White House said the Director of National Intelligence had prepared the report.
A White House fact sheet, issued with the report and the executive order, said the measures announced on Friday were meant to “institutionalise and enhance best practices” in US counterterrorism operations and to provide greater transparency and accountability regarding those operations.
The White House said the executive order would apply to all US operations, regardless of where they were conducted.
The order directed relevant US departments and agencies to sustain the measures outlined in the document in all “present and future operations”.
Such measures include conducting training on implementation of best practices that help reduce the likelihood of civilian casualties and dedicating operational resources to mitigate that risk.
The order acknowledges the US government’s responsibility for civilian casualties and offering condolences, including ex gratia payments, to civilians who are injured, or to the families of civilians who are killed.
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Gunmen attack restaurant in Dhaka's diplomatic quarter, take hostages
DHAKA: A group of as many as nine gunmen attacked a restaurant popular with foreigners in a diplomatic zone of the Bangladeshi capital on Friday night, taking hostages and exchanging gunfire with security forces in which at least one officer was killed.
Several foreigners are among a number of people taken hostage in a Dhaka restaurant, the chief of Bangladesh's special police force said.
Benjir Ahmed told reporters that police were trying to ensure the hostages' safety in a peaceful manner.
Sumon Reza, a kitchen staffer who escaped the attack at the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka's Gulshan area, told reporters that the attackers were armed with firearms and bombs as they entered the restaurant around 9:20 pm (local time) and took customers and staffers hostage at gunpoint.
Jamuna Television, quoting Reza, said the attackers chanted “Allahu Akbar” (God is Great) as they launched the attack.
Local TV stations reported that the attackers' identities were not immediately known.
A huge contingent of security guards cordoned off the area around the restaurant, trading gunfire with the attackers who set off bombs and exchanged gunfire with the security officials.
Benazir Ahmed, director general of the elite anti-crime force Rapid Action Battalion or RAB, told reporters at 11:20 pm (Dhaka time) that security forces were working to save the lives of the people trapped inside. Several foreigners are believed to be among the hostages inside the restaurant.
“Some derailed youths have entered the restaurant and launched the attack. We have talked to some of the people who fled the restaurant after the attack. We want to resolve this peacefully. We are trying to talk to the attackers, we want to listen to them about what they want,” Ahmed said.
“Some of our people have been injured. Our first priority is to save the lives of the people trapped inside,” he said.
The US Embassy in Dhaka said on its Twitter feed there were “reports of shooting and hostage situation”.
The US State Department said it was too early to say who was involved in a hostage situation at a restaurant in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka or what the motivation might be, but it confirmed that all Americans working at the US mission there had been accounted for.
“We have accounted for all Americans working for the chief of mission authority” in Dhaka, State Department spokesman John Kirby told a press briefing. He said the situation was “very fluid, very live.”Gunmen attack restaurant in Dhaka's diplomatic quarter, take hostages
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