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A28 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 20 May 2020
Indian troops kill rebel commander in Kashmir’s main city

By AIJAZ HUSSAIN their attacks on govern-
Associated Press ment forces and alleged
SRINAGAR, India (AP) — A informants. More than two
rebel commander and his dozen militants and about
aide were killed in a gun- a dozen Indian troops were
battle with government killed in April, the most in
forces in Kashmir's main city any month since August
on Tuesday, officials said, 2019, when India revoked
triggering anti-India pro- the region's semi-autono-
tests and clashes in the dis- mous status and statehood
puted region. and imposed direct federal
Scores of counterinsurgen- rule. Indian troops killed the
cy police and paramilitary region's top commander
soldiers cordoned off a and his close aide in south-
congested neighborhood ern Kashmir valley several
in Srinagar's old quarters weeks ago. On Sunday, a
on a tip that some militants militant and a soldier were
were hiding there, said killed in a shootout in the re-
Pankaj Singh, a paramilitary mote Doda area.
spokesman. An exchange There also has been almost
of gunfire began as troops daily fighting over the last
scoured the area looking several months along the
for militants, he said. rugged and mountainous
The gunbattle, the first in Kashmiri men and fire fighters douse a fire in a house which was destroyed in a gun battle in frontier that divides Kashmir
the city in two years, lasted Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Tuesday, May 19, 2020. Associated Press between India and Paki-
about 12 hours and ended stan. Rebels have been
with the killing of Junaid the fighting as explosions between India and Paki- alties were immediately re- fighting Indian rule since
Ashraf Sehrai, a militant and gunshots rattled the stan but claimed by both in ported. Authorities did not 1989. Most Kashmiris sup-
commander with Kash- city during a tight corona- its entirety. hand over the bodies of port the rebel goal of unit-
mir's largest rebel group, virus lockdown. As the gunbattle raged, the two slain rebels to their ing the territory, either un-
Hizbul Mujahideen, and his Residents accused troops authorities cut off most mo- families under a new gov- der Pakistani rule or as an
aide. Junaid, son of senior of setting the houses on bile internet and voice call ernment policy designed to independent country.
separatist political leader fire and looting jewelry and services in Srinagar, a com- thwart large-scale funerals India accuses Pakistan of
Mohammed Ashraf Sehrai, cash from some homes. mon Indian tactic when that have become a rally- arming and training the
joined the rebel ranks in Singh said these were fighting erupts in the region. ing point for anti-India pro- anti-India rebels. Pakistan
early 2018 after graduating "baseless allegations to As news of the killings tests. Instead, police bur- denies this, saying it offers
in business management malign troops." spread, scores of young ied the bodies in a remote only moral and diplomatic
from the region's main uni- "It was a clean operation men chanting anti-India mountainous graveyard. support to the militants and
versity. Three soldiers and a with no collateral dam- and pro-rebel slogans de- India has stepped up its to Kashmiris who oppose In-
police official were injured age," he said. fied the lockdown and counterinsurgency opera- dian rule.
in the fighting, police said. Security officials said Ju- hurled stones at govern- tions across Kashmir in re- About 70,000 people have
Over a dozen houses were naid's killing was a major ment forces, who fired tear cent months during the been killed in the uprising
damaged, some com- success against militants in smoke and shotgun pellets coronavirus lockdown. Mili- and the ensuing Indian mili-
pletely destroyed, during Kashmir, which is divided to disperse them. No casu- tants have also continued tary crackdown.q

UN: Floods in central Somalia hit nearly 1 million people

temporary shelter. rains continue to pound but those who are too
At least 24 people have Somalia and the highlands weak or old are need more
died in the flash floods that of neighboring Ethiopia. help because they cannot
hit Beledweyne and Jow- Residents in Beledw- wade through these flood-
har, two agricultural cen- eyne, a city of more than ed streets because the
ters in Somalia's central 400,000, said they are water is moving too fast."
area, according to United wading through flooded The flooding also threat-
Nations Office for the Co- streets to escape waters ens to cut off the main
ordination of Humanitar- that are still rising from the road connecting Beledw-
ian Affairs. The area is still Shabelle River. eyne to the airport which
recovering from floods last They said they are wor- could disrupt deliveries of
year that displaced more ried about further flooding emergency humanitarian
than 500,000 people, in the city, the epicenter supplies to the town, ac-
Belet Weyne in Hiraan re- of last year's devastating cording to the U.N.
In this image made from video taken Sunday, May 17, 2020, gion is the most affected flood, the worst in the re- Nearly 40% of the people
people wade through a flooded street in Beledweyne, central
Somalia. district after the Shabelle cent history. in Jowhar, a smaller center
Associated Press River burst its banks on "The flooding here has af- of about 20,000 residents,
May 12, inundating 85% fected the entire city. ... have been displaced from
By ABDI GULED about 400,000 people, the of Belet Weyne town and People are very worried their homes, according to
Associated Press United Nations said Mon- 25 villages by the river, the about their safety," said the Somali government's
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — day, warning of possible U.N. said. Hassan Elmi, a resident of Ministry of Humanitarian
Flooding in central Soma- disease outbreaks be- The risk of disease out- Beledweyne. Affairs and Disaster Man-
lia has affected nearly 1 cause of crowding where breaks is high in the city "The government forces agement in Hirshabelle
million people, displacing the displaced are seeking of Beledweyne as heavy are helping some people, state.q