Asia-Pacific

  • Philippines: New ’emir’ of Daulah Islamiya, 4 others die in Maguindanao clash

    December 3, 2021

    The newly appointed emir or commander of the Islamic State (IS)-linked Daulah Islamiya (DI) group has been killed in an armed clash with the military in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, a ranking general revealed on Friday, Dec. 3. Asim Karinda alias Abu Azim, a highly trained improvised explosive device (IED) fabricator and bombmaker, was “neutralized” by troops belonging ...

  • Australia grants additional AUD1 million for landmine clearance in Sri Lanka

    December 1, 2021

    The Australian High Commission has granted an additional AUD1 million or LKR135 million for landmine clearance in Sri Lanka. The funds have been provided as continued support for landmine clearance charity, the Mine Advisory Group (MAG), until December 2022. Australia has been a consistent supporter of mine clearance in Sri Lanka since the end of the 26-year ...

  • Australia: Police seize cache of guns, bombs from property on Sydney’s outskirts

    November 25, 2021

    Police say a doomsday prepper who allegedly amassed dozens of guns and 250 kilograms of explosive material at his home on Sydney’s outskirts put the community at risk of a “catastrophic event”. Simon Mitchell Clay, 42, was arrested during a raid of his Kurrajong property yesterday morning and charged with a range of weapons offences carrying ...

  • Taiwan: Suspected letter bomb detonates at post office in Taoyuan

    November 17, 2021

    A letter bomb exploded at a Xinwu District post office in Taoyuan at 7:56 a.m. on Wednesday (Nov. 17), setting the docking area ablaze and filling the air with smoke. Postal workers sprang into action, raising the alarm and calling in firefighters, who extinguished the inferno within about half an hour, according to a UDN report. Taipower ...

  • Philippines: 9 children hurt in grenade explosion in Leyte

    November 11, 2021

    At least nine children, aged seven to 12, were wounded when a 40 mm grenade exploded in Sitio Tinago, Barangay Candadam, Baybay City, Leyte at around 3:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov 9. Police Master Sergeant Alwin Laurente, case investigator, said they received a phone call from a concerned citizen who relayed to them about an alleged ...

  • Solomon Islands: WW2 bomb kills two, injures two others

    October 26, 2021

    A bomb blast in Honiara in Solomon Islands has killed a father and his son and left other members of his family severely injured. The father died during the blast at around 7pm last night and his son two hours later at the National Referral Hospital in Honiara. The Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation reports the man’s wife ...

  • Multinational Ardent Defender counter explosive threat exercise concludes in Canada

    October 22, 2021

    CANADIAN FORCES BASE BORDEN, Ontario, Canada – Explosive ordnance disposal technicians from 11 different nations improved their life-saving and mission-enabling skills during Exercise Ardent Defender in Canada, Sept. 18 – Oct. 22. The exercise brought together military and law enforcement bomb disposal technicians from the U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, France, South Korea, Australia, Colombia, ...

  • Myanmar Capital Hit by Another Bomb Blast at Local Administration Office

    October 18, 2021

    A ward-level administrator’s office in Pyinmana Township, Naypyitaw was hit by a bomb blast on Sunday evening, local residents told The Irrawaddy. It was the second bombing in the township in a week and the latest in a string of attacks exposing security vulnerabilities in Naypyitaw, Myanmar’s capital and the military regime’s seat of office. No ...

  • Philippines: Bomb-making materials seized in Cavite province

    October 16, 2021

    Two suspects were apprehended by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) for the illegal trading of bomb-making materials on Thursday. The suspects were identified as Charlito Tenorio and Jay-ar Suson who were arrested in separate operations under Oplan Paglalansag Omega. Tenorio yielded 750 kilograms of ammonium nitrate contained in 30 25-kilogram sacks and 1,000 improvised blasting ...

  • Philippines: Thousands of dynamites intended to harm soldiers seized in Bukidnon

    October 11, 2021

    Thousands of dynamites said to be used in a planned bombing of patrolling troops and government facilities were seized by the elements of the Army’s 8 Infantry (Dependable) Battalion (8th IB) in Malinao area, Barangay Kalusangay, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon province. Public Affairs Office (PAO) chief of the Army’s 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division (4thID) Maj. Francisco P. ...

  • Philippines: Army disposes 77 IHL-banned APMs seized from CPP-NPA in Mindanao

    October 11, 2021

    Cagayan de Oro City – The Army’ 4th Infantry Division (4ID) successfully disposed of more than 70 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) seized from the communist terrorist groups (CTG), commonly known as the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army – National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF). In a press release Sunday, the 4ID said 77 assorted ...

  • Singapore: Four-legged veterans from the Military Working Dog Unit (MWDU) are looking for a new roof over their heads

    October 7, 2021

    Our four-legged veterans from the Military Working Dog Unit (MWDU) are looking for a new roof over their heads! If you’re interested in making them part of your family, you can find out more in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and fill up the application form here. For further queries, you can contact the Adoption Team ...

  • Austria: Explosive war relic kills German man at swimming lake

    October 2, 2021

    A German man has died in an explosion at Lake Ossiach in the southern Austrian state of Carinthia after retrieving a piece of ammunition from the water, local media said on Friday. The 59-year-old man was killed on Friday while handling the object, which he had found the day before and left on the shore of ...

  • Development partners to mobilise support to expand Asean ARMAC

    September 29, 2021

    Minister of Foreign Affairs Prak Sokhonn has urged development partners to mobilise support to further expand the outreach of ASEAN Regional Mine Action Center (ARMAC) to benefit Asean countries and region. Sokhonn was speaking at the inaugural launch of the Friends of the ASEAN Regional Mine Action Center or FoA. The inaugural launch of FoA last week ...

  • Philippines: US donates communication equipment, bomb disposal gears to improve PNP’s anti-terror capability

    September 23, 2021

    The United States has donated vehicles, communication equipment and bomb disposal protective gear to the Philippine National Police (PNP) in a bid to improve the country’s operational capability against terrorism. Among those donated were laptop computers, 4 units of Ford Ranger, six units of Bomb Suit and five units Logo Scanner. Veterinary Equipment and other materials that ...

  • Philippines: 8 hurt in Maguindanao IED explosion

    September 20, 2021

    Eight people were hurt after an improvised explosive device (IED) went off at the town plaza of Datu Piang in Maguindanao on Saturday, September 18, 2021, while a volleyball tournament was taking place. Datu Piang Mayor Victor Samama said the explosion happened around 3 p.m. The victims were rushed to the Abpi-Samama Clinic and Hospital for treatment. Read ...

  • Salaknib ’21; U.S. and Philippine Army Strengthen Partnership

    September 16, 2021

    Fort Magsaysay, PHILIPPINES – Approximately 60 soldiers from U.S. Army Pacific Command, led by the 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade, trained side by side with the Philippine Army’s 1st Brigade Combat Team from July 9-31, 2021 at Fort Magsaysay as part of Salaknib ’21. Salaknib is a Philippine Army-led, bilateral exercise sponsored by U.S. Army Pacific ...

  • U.S. Army EOD Soldiers to participate in multinational Ardent Defender exercise in Canada

    September 16, 2021

    CANADIAN FORCES BASE BORDEN, Ontario, Canada – U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal Soldiers will be training with military and law enforcement personnel from 11 partner nations during Exercise Ardent Defender Sept. 18 – Oct. 22. Army EOD technicians from the Fort Bragg, North Carolina-based 192nd Ordnance Battalion (EOD) will participate in the counter explosive threat exercise ...