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UN Head calls for de-escalation in Syria-Israel theatre
Iran says Israeli claim of shooting down its drone is ridiculous
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an immediate de-escalation in Syria-Israel theatre after reports of Syrian forces shooting down Israeli F-16 warplane and Tel Aviv’s claim of downing Iranian made drone in its territory.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement on Saturday,“ Guterres is following closely the alarming military escalation throughout Syria and the dangerous spillover across its borders,”
According to official SANA news agency, “Syrian Air Defense confronted an Israeli enemy aggression on one of the military positions at the central region and hit more than one Israeli aircrafts. Later, the Air Defense also confronted another Israeli aggression on Damascus countryside.”
Russian Foreign Ministry has also expressed concern about the latest developments in Syria and called on the sides to exercise restraint and avoid escalation of the situation.
In the meantime, Iran has rejected Israel’s claim of shooting down Iranian made drone in its territory on Saturday as “ridiculous” and clarified that Islamic Republic’s military advisory presence in Syria is at the request “constitutional and legitimate” government in that country.
According to Tehran based Press TV, Bahram Qassemi, the spokesman of Iranian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday, “Claims about the flight of an Iranian drone … are too ridiculous to be addressed because the Islamic Republic of Iran has advisory presence in Syria at the request of the country’s legitimate and constitutional government.”
“The government and army of Syria as an independent country have a legitimate right to defend [the country’s] territorial integrity and counter any type of foreign aggression,” he reportedly said.
The spokesman emphasized that the “illegitimate Israeli regime cannot cover up its atrocities and crimes against Muslim nations in the region by playing a blame game and spreading lies.”
Meanwhile, Ali Akbar Velayati, adviser to country’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on international affairs, while speaking to the reporters in Tehran on Saturday said that the Syrian government and nation have proved that they would sacrifice themselves to “safeguard their country’s territorial integrity, security and independence.”
He further said that Syrian people have achieved victory in an “international war”, in which more than 80 countries dispatched terrorists to that country.
On the other hand Tel Aviv based Haaretz quoted military sources saying that Israeli army decided to shoot down Iranian drone over its territory in an attempt to prove Tehran was operating in Syria against Israel.
The Israeli army said that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)’s Quds Force have been active for a long period of time from the T-4 Syrian air force base near to Palmyra. It claims that they are supported by Syrian army with approval of the Assad regime.
While describing the events leading to the crash of Israeli F-16 by Syrian forces, Haaretz said that “In response to the incursion by an Iranian drone, Israeli aircraft stuck Iranian targets in Syria, with a barrage of Syrian air-defense missiles bringing down an Israeli F-16 over Israel. Following the downing of the Israeli fighter jet, Israel said it carried out “large scale strikes” in Syria targeting Syrian air-defense batteries and four Iranian sites.”
Reuters also confirmed the situation which led to downing of Israeli F-16 warplane. A report compiled by its correspondents based in Jerusalem and Beirut said, “Anti-aircraft fire downed an Israeli warplane returning from a bombing raid on Iran-backed positions in Syria Saturday in the most serious confrontations yet between Israel and Iranian-backed forces based across the border.”
The agency, quoting an Israeli official, further reports that “The F-16, one of at least eight Israeli planes dispatched in response to what Israel said was an Iranian drone’s incursion into its airspace earlier in the day, was hit by a Syrian anti-aircraft missile and crashed in northern Israel.
Another Reuters report quoted Hezbollah condemning the Israeli aggression saying that Saturday marked the “start of a new strategic phase”. It also said that exploitation of Syrian airspace will be limited. “Today’s developments mean the old equations have categorically ended.”
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Canadian High Commission asks Centre to ensure safety, security of its diplomats, staff in India
The High Commission affirmed that all consulates in India are open and operational and will continue to serve clients.
Amidst rising tensions between India and Canada, the Canadian High Commission on Thursday asserted that some of its diplomats have received threats on social media. It urged India to provide security for Canadian diplomats and consular officers in the country. The High Commission further revealed that it has decided to temporarily adjust its staff presence in the country.
The High Commission also affirmed that all consulates in India are open and operational and will continue to serve clients. It added that in the view of the current environment where tensions have heightened, they are taking action to ascertain the safety of their diplomats. It further underlined that Global Affairs Canada is continuously supervising the safety and security of their missions and personnel as they maintain a strict security protocol to respond to any events.
On the other hand, the Vancouver Police Department has tightened security outside India’s Consulate amid planned threats from proscribed group Sikhs for Justice after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed that Indian government agents were responsible for the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Const. Tania Visintin, the department’s media relations officer, noted that Vancouver police are not aware of any specific threats to Indian consular officials, but have increased police presence at the downtown Vancouver consulate.
In a shocking claim on Monday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed the country’s security agencies were investigating a link between the Indian government and the killing of Nijjar. Following this, both India and Canada have been engaged in a diplomatic standoff. Earlier on Thursday, India suspended visa services for Canadian nationals until further notice owing to operation reasons.
In a meeting that was held on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly conveyed strong concerns about continuing anti-India activities of extremist elements in Canada, promoting secessionism and inciting violence against Indian diplomats, damaging diplomatic premises, and threatening the Indian community in Canada and their places of worship.
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Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi claims responsibility for Sukhdool Singh’s killing in Canada
Terming Sukhdool Singh, a drug addict, Bishnoi’s gang claimed that he destroyed the lives of many people and that he was untimely punished for his sins.
Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi has reportedly claimed responsibility for the killing of terrorist Sukhdool Singh in Canada’s Winnipeg city. According to reports, in a Facebook post, Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang stated that Sukhdool Singh, aka Sukha Dunuke, had played a pivotal role in the killings of gangsters Gurlal Brar and Vicky Middkhera. They further alleged that the murders were plotted by Sukhdool Singh when he was staying abroad.
Terming Sukhdool Singh, a drug addict, Bishnoi’s gang claimed that he destroyed the lives of many people and that he was untimely punished for his sins. Lawrence Bishno’s gang also alleged that Sukhdool Singh, a member of Davinder Bambiha, also got Sandeep Nangal Ambiya, another gangster, killed. They added that it gave a stern warning to their enemies, stating they would not be able to live in peace, even if they hide in India or any other country.
The Killing of Sukhdool Singh came amid growing diplomatic tensions between India and Canada over the killing of another Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British California. Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was wanted in India, was gunned down outside a gurdwara in June.
Meanwhile, Lawrence Bishnoi is currently behind bars in Ahmedabad in a drugs smuggling case probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). In addition, he is also an accused in the Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala murder case.
Sukhdool Singh is reportedly an A-category gangster, who hailed from Punjab’s Moga and earlier escaped from his state to Canada. He was an aide of Khalistani terrorist Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dala. As far as reports are concerned, in 2017, Sukhdool Singh alias Sukha Dunuke obtained a passport and a police clearance certificate on forged documents to flee to Canada despite having seven criminal cases lodged against him.
Reports suggested that Sukhdool Singh, an aide of Khalistani terrorist Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dala, was killed in an inter-gang rivalry.
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May 9 violence: Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan charged with criminal conspiracy
Khan is charged with storming the city’s Askari Tower and Lahore Corps Commander House on May 9 along with many PTI leaders and employees.
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has been accused of masterminding the attack on army sites and encouraging the populace to mutiny, a charge that carries a possible sentence of the death penalty, a senior Punjab Police official said on Wednesday.
Following Khan’s May 9 arrest by the paramilitary Rangers in a corruption case, Pakistan saw widespread anti-government demonstrations on a large scale. Later, 70-year-old Khan was released on bond.
During the riots, several of military facilities and government structures, including the military headquarters in Rawalpindi, were destroyed or set on fire. More than 100 police and other security agency vehicles caught fire.
Khan is charged with storming the city’s Askari Tower and Lahore Corps Commander House on May 9 along with many PTI leaders and employees.
Anoosh Masood, a senior investigating officer with the Lahore police, announced at a press conference that Khan and other PTI leaders and employees have been charged with criminal conspiracy for encouraging supporters to destroy military and government facilities on May 9.
The PTI chairman was masterminding the attacks on military posts and instigating people to violence, according to the police investigation into the events of May 9 in Lahore, she claimed.
Along with violating Section 120-B, Khan and others will also be held accountable for nine more offences, including inciting riots, encouraging mutiny, and attempting to wage war against Pakistan. The police detectives and prosecutors have filed a challan for the case, which will be delivered to the Anti-Terrorism Court Lahore, Masood added.
Since August 5, 2023, Khan has been detained in the Punjab province’s Attock Jail. He was detained in connection with the Toshakhana (gifts) case, and a three-year sentence was subsequently imposed. After the higher court postponed the judgement, he was later given bail in the case. He was detained once more under the Official Secrets Act in the cypher case, nevertheless.
Khan has applied for post-arrest bail in the cypher case before the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
