“The U.N. secretary-general will tell the Security Council next week that both
Israel and Hamas are violating children’s rights and leaving them exposed to
danger in their war to eliminate each other. The secretary-general annually
makes a global list of states and militias that are menacing children and
threatening them. Parties on the list have ranged from the Kachin Independence
Army in Myanmar to — last year — Russia during its war with Ukraine. Now Israel
is set to join them. António Guterres sends the list to the Security Council
and the council can then decide whether to take action. The United States is
one of five veto-wielding permanent council members and has been reluctant to
act against Israel, its longtime ally. Another permanent member is Russia and
when the United Nations put Russian forces on its blacklist last year for
killing boys and girls and attacking schools and hospitals in Ukraine, the
council took no action.”











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Eye on Extremism



June 10, 2024



Associated Press: UN Will Declare That Both Israel And Hamas Are Violating
Children’s Rights In Armed Conflict
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“The U.N. secretary-general will tell the Security Council next week that both
Israel and Hamas are violating children’s rights and leaving them exposed to
danger in their war to eliminate each other. The secretary-general annually
makes a global list of states and militias that are menacing children and
threatening them. Parties on the list have ranged from the Kachin Independence
Army in Myanmar to — last year — Russia during its war with Ukraine. Now Israel
is set to join them. António Guterres sends the list to the Security Council
and the council can then decide whether to take action. The United States is
one of five veto-wielding permanent council members and has been reluctant to
act against Israel, its longtime ally. Another permanent member is Russia and
when the United Nations put Russian forces on its blacklist last year for
killing boys and girls and attacking schools and hospitals in Ukraine, the
council took no action.”



Associated Press: Gaza’s Health Ministry Says 274 Palestinians Were Killed In
Israeli Raid That Rescued 4 Hostages
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“At least 274 Palestinians, including dozens of children, were killed, and
hundreds more were wounded, in the Israeli raid that rescued four hostages held
by Hamas, Gaza’s Health Ministry said Sunday. The Israeli military said its
forces came under heavy fire and responded during the complex daytime operation
in central Gaza. The killing of so many Palestinians, in a raid that Israelis
celebrated as a stunning success, showed the heavy cost of such operations on
top of the already soaring toll of the 8-month-old war ignited by Hamas’ Oct. 7
attack. The Israeli bombing was “hell,” witness Mohamed al-Habash told The
Associated Press. “We saw many fighter jets flying over the area. We saw people
fleeing in the streets. Women and children were screaming and crying. The
operation in Nuseirat, a built-up refugee camp dating to the 1948 Arab-Israeli
war, was the largest rescue since Oct. 7, when Hamas and other militants
stormed across the border, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and
taking about 250 hostage.”




CEP Expert Analysis

* ISIS Redux: The Central Syria Insurgency in March 2024
<[link removed]>
* CEP Report: Central Syria’s ISIS Insurgency In 2023
<[link removed]>
* CEP Statement Calling For U.S. Sanctions Against Qatar, DIMDEX Conference,
And Al Thani Royal Family
<[link removed]>
* Extremist Content Online: The Base Calls For Members of Other White
Supremacist Groups to Join
<[link removed]>
* CEP Webinar: Cruel And Unusual Punishment – How The Houthis Target Women,
Journalists And Religious Minorities
<[link removed]>



CEP Mentions



Belfast Telegraph: Senior Tory Adviser From NI Quits Party Over Sunak’s
‘Stupid’ Decision To Leave D-Day Commemoration
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“A Northern Irish man who is a leading adviser to Michael Gove has quit the
Conservative party over Rishi Sunak’s “cynical” decision to leave D-Day
commemorations early. Ian Acheson, who has advised the communities secretary on
extremism, said the Prime Minister’s choice to leave for an election TV
interview was a “colossal act of disrespect” to the war veterans at what could
be the last event they attend. In his newly-published book, Screwed, Ian
Acheson lifts the lid on the “appalling state” of His Majesty’s Prison Service
by highlighting a catalogue of failings which he claims has caused the system
to crumble into “lethal disarray”. The ex-prison officer, who’s from
Enniskillen, rose through the ranks to become governor within just 10 years and
was tasked with conducting an independent review of Islamism in jails in 2016.
The Telegraph has reported that in his resignation letter Mr Acheson said: “It
was an act of either colossal stupidity or cynical calculation.”



United States



Associated Press: Blinken Returns To Mideast As Israel-Hamas Cease-Fire
Proposal Hangs In Balance After Hostage Rescue
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“U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken returns to the Middle East this week
as a proposed Israel-Hamas cease-fire deal hangs in the balance after the
dramatic rescue of four Israeli hostages held in Gaza in a major military raid
and turmoil in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. With no firm
response yet from Hamas to the proposal received 10 days ago, Blinken on Monday
will start his eighth diplomatic mission to the region since the conflict began
in October. He will meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi in Cairo
before traveling to Israel, Jordan and Qatar. While President Joe Biden,
Blinken and other U.S. officials have praised the hostage rescue, the operation
resulted in the deaths of a large number of Palestinian civilians that may
complicate the cease-fire push by emboldening Israel and hardening Hamas’
resolve to carry on fighting in the war it initiated with its Oct. 7 attacks in
Israel.”



Reuters: Biden, Macron To Discuss Israel And Ukraine In Pomp-Filled State Visit

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“Fresh from commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day, French President
Emmanuel Macron will host U.S. President Joe Biden on Saturday for a state
visit marked by pomp and a parade as well as talks on trade, Israel and
Ukraine. The two men, who share a warm relationship despite past tensions over
a submarine deal with Australia, will participate in a welcoming ceremony with
their wives at the iconic Arc de Triomphe and a parade down the Avenue des
Champs-Elysees before holding a meeting about policy issues and then attending
dinner. Biden hosted Macron for a state visit at the White House in 2022.
"France is ... our oldest and one of our deepest allies. And this will be an
important moment to affirm that alliance and also look to the future and what
we have to accomplish together," U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan
told reporters earlier this week.”



Iran



Associated Press: Iran Helicopter Crash Shows Tehran’s Reliance On An Aging
Fleet As Well As Its Challenges At Home
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“By the time Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi boarded his window seat on a
helicopter ferrying him, the foreign minister and six others, thick clouds
already had begun forming around the mountaintops along the Azerbaijan-Iran
border. Despite the worsening weather, the helicopter lifted off for a trip
about 145 kilometers (90 miles) southwest to a new oil pipeline near Tabriz.
Within an hour, the Bell 212 helicopter had crashed into a cloud-covered
mountainside. While the cause of the May 19 crash remains unknown, the sudden
death of the hard-line protégé of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
exposed the contradictions and challenges facing the country’s Shiite
theocracy. The Iranian military investigators probing the crash have previously
faced international criticism over their report on troops shooting down a
Ukrainian airliner in 2020.”



Afghanistan



Voice Of America: UN Discusses 'Doha III' Meeting Agenda, Coordination With
Taliban
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“The United Nations informed Taliban leaders Friday that it is working to
finalize the agenda for a crucial two-day international conference on
Afghanistan, and it is aiming for it to be accepted by all sides. Roza
Otunbayeva, the head of the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, met with
Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul and discussed the matter,
Muttaqi’s office said in a post-meeting statement. The two sides “exchanged
views on the detailed outlook and necessary coordination” for the June 30
U.N.-convened conference, which Doha, Qatar, will host. The gathering, referred
to as "Doha III,” will be the third in Qatar’s capital on the subject since
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres initiated the process with special
envoys on Afghanistan to promote an effective world approach to the
Taliban-governed country, which is facing dire humanitarian, economic, and
human rights crises.”



Pakistan



Voice Of America: Roadside Bomb In Northwestern Pakistan Kills 7 Soldiers
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“Pakistani authorities said Sunday that a bomb blast targeted a military
convoy in a militancy-hit northwestern region, killing at least seven soldiers.
The bombing in Lucky Marwat district was followed by a militant gunfire attack,
and an army captain was among the slain soldiers, a security official told VOA
on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
The Pakistani military’s media wing later released a formal statement
confirming the deadly ambush, saying an improvised explosive device exploded
near one of the convoy vehicles. “Sanitization of the area is being carried out
to eliminate any terrorists present in the area, and perpetrators of this
heinous act will be brought to justice,” the military stated. No group
immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing. Lucky Marwat and
surrounding districts of the country’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, bordering
Afghanistan, have routinely witnessed insurgent bomb attacks and guerrilla
raids against military and police forces in recent years.”



Yemen



Associated Press: Missile Attacks By Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Strike 2 Ships In
The Gulf Of Aden, US Military Says
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“Missile attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels struck two ships in the Gulf of
Aden, authorities said Sunday, the latest assaults on shipping in the region.
One anti-ship ballistic cruise missile hit the Antigua- and Barbuda-flagged
cargo ship Norderney forward station late Saturday, starting a fire that those
on board put out, the U.S. military’s Central Command said. It added that a
second anti-ship cruise missile also hit the Norderney. The British military’s
United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center similarly reported the attack
and fire in the same area off Aden, saying “damage control is underway.” Houthi
military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed the attack in a prerecorded
video message Sunday, saying the vessel had been targeted with both missiles
and drones. Tracking data analyzed by The Associated Press showed the Norderney
was still in the Gulf of Aden on Sunday afternoon.”



BBC: UN Confirms 11 Staff Detained By Houthis In Yemen
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“The employees were taken in various parts of the conflict-torn country, in
what appears to be a co-ordinated crackdown. UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric
said the world body was pursuing all available channels to secure their safe
and unconditional release as rapidly as possible. The armed group sees itself
as part of an Iranian-led "axis of resistance" against Israel, the US and the
wider West, and has declared its support for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
The Houthis have been targeting commercial shipping in the Red Sea, triggering
retaliatory air strikes by the US and its allies. Several employees of other
international organisations were also detained, reports quoting officials from
Yemen's internationally recognised government said. Phones and computers were
seized during the raids on the workers' homes and offices, which come after
months of Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea.”



Reuters: Yemen's Houthis Say They Targeted Two Vessels In The Red Sea
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“Yemen's Houthis on Friday said they targeted two vessels in the Red Sea with
drones and missiles, but there was no independent confirmation of the purported
attacks. The group targeted the Elbella and AAL GENOA vessels with "a number of
drones and ballistic and naval missiles", the Iran-aligned group's military
spokesman Yahya Saree said in a televised speech. Saree did not specify the
date on which the strikes were carried out. Reuters did not receive any reports
of incidents in the Red Sea on Friday. Eastern Mediterranean Maritime, manager
of the Malta-flagged Elbella container ship, declined comment. Reuters was not
immediately able to reach the owner or manager for the Cyprus-flagged AAL Genoa
general cargo vessel. Separately, the U.S. Central Command said on Friday that
Houthis launched in the past 24 hours four anti-ship ballistic missiles over
the Red Sea, but there were no injuries or damage.”



Lebanon



Reuters: Hezbollah Says It Fired Falaq 2 Rockets At Israel For First Time
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“Lebanese armed group Hezbollah said on Saturday it had fired a salvo of
Falaq 2 rockets at a military command centre in northern Israel. A security
source told Reuters it was the first time the group had used this type of
rocket, after firing the Falaq 1 on dozens of previous occasions.”



Qatar



The Wall Street Journal: Biden Enlisted Qatar And Egypt To Pressure Hamas. It
Backfired.
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“Qatar and Egypt have told Hamas leaders in recent days that they face
possible arrest, freezing of their assets, sanctions and expulsion from their
haven in Doha if they don’t agree to a cease-fire with Israel, officials
familiar with the talks said. The threats were made at the behest of the Biden
administration, which is searching for a way to cajole a U.S.-designated
terrorist group into striking a deal that the president needs amid a political
maelstrom over the war. It had the opposite of the desired effect. On Thursday,
after the threats were made, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the
group’s political bureau in exile in Qatar, said he wouldn’t agree on a deal
that doesn’t meet the group’s conditions. Bearing a message from the group’s
most important leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, Haniyeh said the current
proposal—broached by President Biden himself in a news conference a week ago—is
unacceptable for Hamas because, in the group’s eyes, it doesn’t guarantee an
end to the war.”



Middle East



Associated Press: UN Food Agency Pauses Its Aid Work At US Pier In Gaza Over
Security Concerns, In Latest Setback
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“The director of the U.N. World Food Program said Sunday the program has
“paused” its distribution of humanitarian aid from an American-built pier off
Gaza, saying she was “concerned about the safety of our people” after what had
been one of the deadliest days of the war there. Saturday saw both an Israeli
military assault that freed four hostages but left 274 Palestinians and one
Israeli commando dead, and, Cindy McCain said, two of WFP’s warehouses in Gaza
had been “rocketed” and a staffer injured. Sunday’s U.N. announcement of the
pause appears the latest setback for the U.S. sea route, set up to try to bring
more aid to Gaza’s starving people. The U.S. Agency for International
Development described the pause as a step to allow for a security review by the
humanitarian community in Gaza. USAID works with the World Food Program and
their humanitarian partners in Gaza to distribute food and other aid coming
from the U.S.-operated pier.”



Reuters: Hamas Official Urges US To Pressure Israel To End Gaza War
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“A senior Hamas official urged the United States on Monday to pressure Israel
to end the war in Gaza, ahead of the planned visit on Monday by U.S. Secretary
of State Antony Blinken to the region to push forward ceasefire efforts.
Blinken is set to visit Egypt and Israel on Monday. He also aims to ensure the
war does not expand into Lebanon. "We call upon the U.S. administration to put
pressure on the occupation to stop the war on Gaza and the Hamas movement is
ready to deal positively with any initiative that secures an end to the war,"
senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said. In his eighth visit to the region
since Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, triggering the bloodiest
episode in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Blinken is also set
to travel to Jordan and Qatar this week.”



Africa



Associated Press: Sudan’s Notorious Paramilitary Group Loots A Darfur
Hospital, Aid Group Says
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“The notorious Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group, fighting Sudan’s
military for over a year, fired shots and looted a health facility in the
western region of Darfur, forcing its closure, an international aid group said.
The RSF, attacked the South Hospital in al-Fasher, the capital city of North
Darfur province on Sunday, opening fire on medical staff and patients, Doctors
Without Borders said in a statement. This came as the group intensified its
offensive to try and wrest control of the city, the military’s last stronghold
in the sprawling Darfur region. Two weeks of fighting last month in and around
al-Fasher has killed more than 120 people. Meanwhile, the military has allied
itself with rebel groups and formed a joint force to retain control of the
city, where hundreds of thousands of displaced people have taken shelter since
the conflict began.”



BBC: Dozens Killed By Suspected DR Congo Rebels In Spate Of Attacks
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“At least 45 civilians have been killed in a spate of attacks over the past
week across the Democratic Republic of Congo's troubled North Kivu province.
Decades of fighting between armed groups over lucrative gold and mineral
deposits has devastated the region, forcing millions from their homes. The
Congolese government has not confirmed who was responsible for this week's
killings, but multiple local sources say Islamic State-linked Allied Democratic
Forces (ADF) were to blame. The attackers targeted several villages in the
region surrounding the city of Beni, to which many people have since fled.
Reports suggest that the worst-hit district was Mamove, where a number of homes
were also torched and motorbikes were stolen. "The [death] toll could rise as
the search continues, the population is fleeing and heading towards supposedly
secure areas," Leon Siviwe, an administrative leader in Beni, told the AFP news
agency on Wednesday.”



United Kingdom



Associated Press: Appeals Court Upholds Conviction Of British National Linked
To Islamic State
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“A federal appeals court upheld the conviction Friday of a British national
for his role in a hostage-taking scheme by the Islamic State group that took
roughly two dozen Westerners captive a decade ago. El Shafee Elsheikh was
convicted and sentenced to life in prison in 2022 in federal court in
Alexandria, Virginia. His jury trial established that he was one he was one of
the notorious “Beatles,” captors nicknamed for their accents and known for
torturing and beating prisoners. Elsheikh appealed his conviction. He argued
that confessions he gave in media interviews after his capture in 2018 should
have been tossed out of court. He alleged that the Kurdish-led Syrian Defense
Forces tortured him and forced him to conduct the interviews. Elsheikh’s
lawyers also argued that FBI interviews of him while he was in foreign custody
violated his constitutional rights.”



France



Reuters: France, US Intensify Efforts To Prevent Middle East Explosion, Macron
Says
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“France and the United States will work harder to prevent a broader
escalation in the Middle East with a key priority to calm the situation between
Israel and Hezbollah, President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday. "We are
redoubling efforts together to avoid a regional explosion, particularly in
Lebanon," Macron said in a joint statement with Joe Biden during the U.S.
President's state visit to France. Macron added that the sides were working on
"advancing parameters" to reduce tensions and end an institutional vacuum in
Lebanon. France and the United States have in recent months worked to try to
defuse tensions with Paris submitting written proposals to both sides aimed at
stopping worsening exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah on the border. The
United States has also worked on the issue, but diplomats have said there have
been problems in coordinating efforts.”



Associated Press: A Russian-Ukrainian Man Is Suspected Of Plotting A Terrorist
Bombing In France
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“A Russian-Ukrainian citizen was given preliminary terrorism charges Friday
in France and accused of plotting a bombing, prosecutors said. The 26-year-old
man was detained in a hotel north of Paris on Monday, and investigators are
searching for possible accomplices, the national counterterrorism prosecutor’s
office said in a statement. The arrest came the day before U.S. President Joe
Biden arrived in France, and three days before Ukrainian President Volodymyr
Zelenskyy arrived in France. Both were in the country for commemorations of the
80th anniversary of the D-Day landings and meetings with the French president.
It was unclear whether the alleged plot was linked to the the war in Ukraine.
Relations between Russia and France have become increasingly tense in recent
months over the conflict. Prosecutors said the suspect suffered serious burn
injuries after an explosive device detonated in his hotel room, and was treated
for his injuries before being handed over to France’s domestic intelligence
agency for questioning.”



Europe



Associated Press: Pope Francis Appeals For Urgent Humanitarian Aid For Gaza
And Backs Cease-Fire Proposals
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“Pope Francis called Sunday for humanitarian aid to urgently reach
Palestinians in Gaza and for Israel and Hamas to immediately accept proposals
for a cease-fire and release of hostages. During his Sunday noon blessing,
Francis also thanked Jordan, which this week will host an international
humanitarian aid conference for Palestinians. “I encourage the international
community to act urgently, with all means, to come to the aid of the people of
Gaza, worn out by the war,” he said. “Humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach
those in need, and no one can impede it.” He recalled that Saturday marked the
10-year anniversary of a peace prayer he hosted in the Vatican gardens,
attended by then-Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian leader Mahmoud
Abbas. “This meeting showed that shaking hands is possible, and that to make
peace, you need courage — much more courage than to make war,” he said.”



Southeast Asia



The Times Of India: Terrorist Attack On Pilgrims In J&K's Reasi: What We Know
So Far
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“In a tragic incident, at least ten pilgrims lost their lives, and more than
30 sustained injuries when their bus veered off the road and fell into a gorge
after being ambushed by terrorists near Teryath village in J&K's Reasi district
on Sunday. Here is what we know so far about the terrorist attack: Attack on
pilgrims The bus was on its way back from the Shiv Khori cave shrine to Katra,
a town famous for the Vaishno Devi temple, traveling along a link road of
NH144A that passes through dense forests and hilly terrain. Residents and
authorities carried out rescue efforts, while security forces, including
police, Army, and CRPF personnel, launched a search operation to apprehend the
attackers. The area, situated 100km northwest of Jammu, has been sealed off.
According to Reasi SSP Mohita Sharma, the terrorists were waiting for the bus.
The driver was hit by gunfire, causing him to lose control of the vehicle.
Bullet shells were discovered from the site.”



The Times Of India: Suspected Militants Ambush Manipur CM's Advance Security
Convoy, One Injured
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“Suspected militants on Monday ambushed security convoy of Manipur chief
minister N Biren Singh in Kangpokpi district. According to the police, one
securrity oersonnel was injured when the convoy was on its way to violence-hit
Jiribam district. Multiple gunshots were directed at the chief minister's
convoy, prompting a retaliation from the security forces.The shoout is still
ongoing near Kotlen village along a section of National Highway-53. "CM Biren
Singh, who is yet to reach Imphal from Delhi, was planning to visit Jiribam to
take stock of the situation in the district," an official told This comes days
after two police outposts, a forest beat office and at least 70 houses were
torched in Jiribam district by the suspected militants. SP Cachar district,
Numal Mahatta said, “We have heightened security along the bordering areas
following the violence that erupted in Manipur's Jiribam area 4 days ago. We
have deployed security personnel and special commando forces and they are
patrolling all the bordering areas.”



Associated Press: India Investigates Attack By Suspected Militants In Kashmir
That Killed 9 On Hindu Pilgrimage
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“India is investigating an attack in which suspected militants fired at a bus
carrying Hindu pilgrims in Indian-controlled Kashmir, killing nine and injuring
33, officials said Monday. The attack caused the vehicle to fall into a deep
gorge Sunday in Jammu province’s Reasi district. The bus was carrying pilgrims
to the base camp of the famed Hindu temple Mata Vaishno Devi. A team from the
National Investigation Agency has reached the site of the attack, the Press
Trust of India news agency reported. Security forces also were trying to track
down those suspected to be responsible. Jammu and Kashmir Lt. Gov. Manoj Sinha
announced compensation of $11,975 each for families of those killed, as well as
nearly $600 to those who were injured. Federal minister Amit Shah said Sunday
he was in touch with Sinha and the local administration was providing speedy
medical attention. “The culprits of this dastardly attack will not be spared
and will face the wrath of the law,” he posted on social media platform X.”



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