Suicide bomber, gunmen attack security post in northwest Pakistan, killing 15 security personnel

-
By Associated Press | Posted by TOE A  suicide bomber backed by gunmen attacked  a security checkpoint in northwest Pakistan, killing 15 members of the security forces, the military said Friday. In a statement, the military said troops repelled the overnight assault in Tank, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and killed 12 militants. The military blamed the attack on the  Pakistani Taliban , known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP. The group is separate from but allied with Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers. Pakistan has long accused Afghanistan’s Taliban government of providing sanctuary to TTP militants, an allegation Kabul denies. There was no immediate comment from the group. According to the military, the attackers attempted to storm the checkpoint but were pushed back by security forces before ramming an explosives-laden vehicle into the perimeter wall, triggering a powerful blast that severely damaged the checkpoint. The military said those ...
Post a Comment

Peru evacuates 1,600 tourists from Machu Picchu amid protest

-

Peru has evacuated around 1,600 tourists from a train station that serves the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu after a local protest escalated into clashes with police.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983, the ancient fortified complex receives around 4,500 visitors a day, many of them foreigners, according to the tourism ministry.

Visitors travel some 110 kilometers (68 miles) by train from the city of Cusco — the Inca empire’s ancient capital — to the Aguas Calientes train station, then take a bus to the entrance of Machu Picchu.

Residents placed logs and rocks on the tracks Monday to demand that their interests be represented in the bidding process for the new bus operator, after the previous firm’s 30-year concession expired.

Authorities on Tuesday evening evacuated 156 visitors, adding to the approximately 1,400 that were brought out before.

A police statement said 14 officers were injured in clashes with protesters during Monday night’s temporary unblocking of the tracks.

Tourism Minister Desilu Leon said earlier Tuesday that around 1,400 tourists had been evacuated while another 900 were stranded.

Later in the day, Oscar Luque — representative of the Ombudsman in Cusco — told AFP that evacuations had resumed and protests paused until Wednesday morning.

“Right now, I’m on a train with all the tourists who were stranded at Machu Picchu,” he said.

– Architectural marvel –

Among the foreign tourists were French, Japanese, American, Polish, Brazilian, German, and Portuguese nationals, according to the list seen by AFP.

Luque said that any other stranded tourists will be moved by Wednesday morning, adding some had chosen to remain at the site.

The protest is organized by the Machu Picchu Defense Front, which announced in a Sunday statement that it would continue its action indefinitely until the new transport company started operations.

It argued that the new bus operator should be owned by one of the communities involved in the protest.

Machu Picchu was built in the 15th century at an altitude of 2,500 meters (about 8,200 feet) on orders from the Inca ruler Pachacutec.

It is considered a marvel of architecture and engineering, but has repeatedly been the scene of protests by locals pressing social demands.

Tourism is key to the economy of Peru.

SOURCE: AFP AND AGENCIES



from The Times Of Earth https://ift.tt/hKb2FwJ

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Myanmar earthquake death toll rises as fresh tremors further complicate rescue efforts

-
Image
A5.1-magnitude earthquake struck near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, on Sunday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The tremor was part of a series of aftershocks following Friday’s devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake, which resulted in the collapse of numerous buildings and significant infrastructure damage. The death toll has risen to over 1,600, with more than 3,400 individuals reported missing; these numbers are expected to increase as rescue operations continue. Foreign rescue teams and supplies arrived in Myanmar on Sunday to help the impoverished country cope with an earthquake that killed over 1,600 and left many near the epicentre scrambling for help without proper equipment. The 7.7-magnitude quake, one of Myanmar’s strongest in a century, jolted the Southeast Asian nation on Friday, leaving 1,644 people dead, 3,408 injured and 139 missing, the military government said. India, China and Thailand are among Myanmar’s neighbours that have sent relief ...
Read more

Israel says situation on Lebanon border ‘not sustainable’

-
By James Mackenzie Reuters  Israeli officials and media reacted with satisfaction on Monday after a  long-expected missile attack  by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement appeared to have been largely thwarted by pre-emptive Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon. Both Hezbollah and Israel seemed content to let Sunday’s attack, in retaliation for the  killing of a senior Hezbollah commander  in Beirut last month, count as settled for the moment. Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer said Hezbollah had suffered a “crushing blow” from the Israeli strikes but that a longer lasting solution was still needed. “The current situation is not sustainable,” he told a briefing, referring to the tens of thousands evacuated from their homes in northern Israel, a situation mirrored on the other side of the border in southern Lebanon. “Israel will do its duty and return its population to our sovereign territory.” Hopes that children might return for the start of the ...
Read more