Pakistan’s Army: 4 Troops Killed by Iran-based Militants

A Pakistani army vehicle patrols past police officers standing guard along a road near a cantonment area in Bannu, Pakistan, December 21, 2022. REUTERS/Zahid Muhammad/File Photo
A Pakistani army vehicle patrols past police officers standing guard along a road near a cantonment area in Bannu, Pakistan, December 21, 2022. REUTERS/Zahid Muhammad/File Photo
TT

Pakistan’s Army: 4 Troops Killed by Iran-based Militants

A Pakistani army vehicle patrols past police officers standing guard along a road near a cantonment area in Bannu, Pakistan, December 21, 2022. REUTERS/Zahid Muhammad/File Photo
A Pakistani army vehicle patrols past police officers standing guard along a road near a cantonment area in Bannu, Pakistan, December 21, 2022. REUTERS/Zahid Muhammad/File Photo

A militant attack from across the border with Iran left four Pakistani soldiers dead Saturday in southwestern Baluchistan province, the army said.

The soldiers were part of a routine border patrol operating along the Pakistan-Iran border when the militants struck in the Jalgai sector of Kech district, the military said in a statement.

The army said necessary contact was being established with Iranian officials for “effective action against terrorists” to prevent such incidents in the future. It identified the casualties as Sher Ahmed, Muhammad Asghar, Muhammad Irfan and Abdur Rasheed.

No one has claimed responsibility.



Israeli Government Orders Public Entities to Stop Advertising in Haaretz Newspaper

A woman reads the 13 February issue of the Haaretz daily newspaper in Jerusalem (AFP)
A woman reads the 13 February issue of the Haaretz daily newspaper in Jerusalem (AFP)
TT

Israeli Government Orders Public Entities to Stop Advertising in Haaretz Newspaper

A woman reads the 13 February issue of the Haaretz daily newspaper in Jerusalem (AFP)
A woman reads the 13 February issue of the Haaretz daily newspaper in Jerusalem (AFP)

The Israeli government has ordered all public entities to stop advertising in the Haaretz newspaper, which is known for its critical coverage of Israel’s actions in the Palestinian territories.
Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi said Sunday that the government had approved his proposal after Haaretz’ publisher called for sanctions against Israel and referred to Palestinian militants as “freedom fighters.”
“We advocate for a free press and freedom of expression, but also the freedom of the government to decide not to fund incitement against the State of Israel,” Karhi wrote on the social platform X.
Noa Landau, the deputy editor of Haaretz, accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of “working to silence independent and critical media,” comparing him to autocratic leaders in other countries.
Haaretz regularly publishes investigative journalism and opinion columns critical of Israel’s ongoing half-century occupation of lands the Palestinians want for a future state.
It has also been critical of Israel’s war conduct in Gaza at a time when most local media support the war and largely ignore the suffering of Palestinian civilians.
In a speech in London last month, Haaretz publisher Amos Schocken said Israel has imposed “a cruel apartheid regime” on the Palestinians and was battling “Palestinian freedom fighters that Israel calls ‘terrorists.’”
He later issued a statement, saying he had reconsidered his remarks.
“For the record, Hamas are not freedom fighters,” he posted on X. “I should have said: using terrorism is illegitimate. I was wrong not to say that.”