Asia-Pacific


  • Two Malaysians in Guantanamo plead guilty to conspiring in Bali Bombings

    January 17, 2024

    Malaysians Mohammed Nazir Bin Lep and Mohammed Farik Bin Amin have pleaded guilty to conspiring in the 2002 Bali bombings that killed more than 200 people. The two men appeared in front of a military court at the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay on Tuesday. Charges related to the 2003 attack on the Marriott Hotel ...

  • U.S. Central Command: U.S. Forces, Allies Conduct Joint Strikes

    January 12, 2024

    TAMPA, Fla. – On Jan. 12 at 2:30 a.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Central Command forces, in coordination with the United Kingdom, and support from Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and Bahrain conducted joint strikes on Houthi targets to degrade their capability to continue their illegal and reckless attacks on U.S. and international vessels and commercial shipping ...

  • Papua New Guinea: At least 15 dead after major rioting and looting

    January 11, 2024

    A state of emergency has been declared in Papua New Guinea’s capital after at least 15 people were killed in rioting. More than 1,000 troops are on standby “to step in wherever necessary”, Prime Minister James Marape said on Thursday. Shops and cars were torched and supermarkets looted after police went on strike on Wednesday over ...

  • Australia: Homemade bomb planted on car at Sydney home flying Palestinian flag

    January 8, 2024

    Bomb squad officers have been called to a south Sydney home after an improvised explosive device was planted on the car of its pro-Palestinian residents. The homemade device that appeared to be made of a jerry can with rags stuffed into it, a disposable lighter and large bolts was found on the vehicle’s bonnet in Botany ...

  • Philippines: NPA explosives unearthed in Batangas

    January 4, 2024

    A stash of explosives believed to be owned by the New People’s Army was discovered by the military in a mountainous area in Sitio Sales, Barangay Pooc, this town, on Wednesday morning, January 3. The Army 59th Infantry Battalion received information that war materials were kept in the area and conducted a security patrol. They reached the ...

  • Japan: U.S. mines from WWII found at wind farm in Kanmon Straits

    January 1, 2024

    In a two-step process on Dec. 14, the MSDF vessel cleared a mine from World War II. “We managed to dispose of it without fail,” said Lt. Cmdr. Akira Ito of the 43rd Mine Warfare Force. It was the first explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) operation carried out in the Kanmon Straits in nine years. The still-dangerous ...

  • Japan to provide more than $1 million to clear landmines and unexploded ordnance in Cambodia

    December 19, 2023

    The Royal Government of Japan, through the Embassy in Cambodia, has agreed to provide more than $1.3 million to Cambodia for the clearance of cluster munitions, landmines, and unexploded ordnance. The grant agreement under the Grant Scheme for this Japanese NGO project was signed on December 19, 2023, by Ueno Atsushi, Ambassador of Japan to Cambodia, ...

  • Australia: Risky business just another day at the office

    December 18, 2023

    It might have been a relatively simple task for Sergeant David Bailey, but rendering safe a 500lb bomb amidst vital national infrastructure in Nauru was a complex situation. The procedure on December 13 was a vital task for Sergeant Bailey, who led a team as part of Operation Render Safe. But, as he pointed out, “we ...

  • Philippines: Troops arrest Marawi bomb attack suspect

    December 9, 2023

    Troops and police have captured a suspected accomplice in the bombing at Mindanao State University (MSU) last week, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Friday. The suspect, Jafar Gamo Sultan a.k.a. Jaf/Kurot, was arrested in an operation in Barangay Dulay by the combined troops of Task Force Marawi and Marawi City police on Dec. ...

  • Australia: AFP at the cutting edge of law enforcement capability

    December 6, 2023

    The AFP is creating pilot projects and new technology to stay a step ahead of criminals to protect Australians and Australia’s interests. The AFP’s Commissioner Innovation Fund established in 2019 has supported more than 70 projects to deliver new and cutting edge-capabilities, crime prevention initiatives as well as enhancements in operational efficiency. Successful projects include High Risk ...

  • Philippines: Abu Sayyaf bomb maker killed in Basilan

    December 4, 2023

    A notorious Abu Sayyaf leader and bombmaker blamed for deadly attacks in southern Philippines had been killed while trying to evade military operations in Basilan. Brig. Gen. Alvin Luzon, commander of the Philippine Army’s 101st Infantry Brigade in Basilan, confirmed the killing of Mudzrimar “Mundi” Sawadjaan, who pledged allegiance to ISIS, near Tipo-Tipo town following a ...

  • Philippines: Bomb blast during Mass kills 4, wounds 50 at Mindanao State University

    December 4, 2023

    Four persons died and 50 others were wounded after a bomb exploded inside the Dimaporo Gym of the Mindanao State University (MSU) while a Catholic Mass attended by students was held past 7 a.m. on Sunday, police reported. Brig. Gen. Allan Cruz Nobleza, police regional director of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), said ...

  • Philippines: Basilan explosion kills 2 militiamen, injures 3 others

    November 28, 2023

    Two members of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Units (Cafgu) died on the spot when they accidentally tripped on an improvised explosive device (IED) in Sitio Bato Piyat, Barangay Limbocandis, Sumisip town of Basilan province at around 12:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 27. Brig. Gen. Alvin Luzon, commander of the Philippine Army’s 101st Brigade in Basilan, ...

  • Philippines: IED components dug up amid sustained anti-insurgency ops

    November 22, 2023

    Police operatives have recovered components for an improvised explosive device (IED) in a remote mountain village in Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental as a result of sustained operations against the communist New People’s Army (NPA). Lt. Stephen Polinar, public information officer and deputy chief of the Police Community Affairs and Development Unit of the Negros Oriental Police ...

  • Philippines: ‘Kamandag’ troops train on bomb disposal techniques in Palawan

    November 14, 2023

    Troops participating in the “Kaagapay ng mga Mandirigma mula sa Dagat” (“Kamandag”) exercises in Palawan have engaged in proficient drills that would boost their capabilities in explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) and other combat subject matter expert exchanges (SMEEs). In a statement Tuesday, Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) public affairs office chief Capt. Jarald Rea said the EOD ...

  • Philippines: Improvised bomb explosion topples power post

    November 5, 2023

    A concrete post of the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (Zamcelco) was toppled down by an improvised bomb explosion in an east coast village of this city, the police reported Saturday, November 4. Zamboanga City Police Office said the incident happened shortly after 8 p.m. Friday, November 3, in Tumitus village, east of this city. They believe ...

  • RNZN to undertake historic survey and submerged WWII bomb disposal in Pacific Islands mission

    November 1, 2023

    Operation Calypso will involve the 70-strong Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) crew carrying out maritime security patrols, hydrographic surveys and community engagement activities during visits to Niue, Fiji and Vanuatu. While in Niue, HMNZS Manawanui will take seven people from various Niuean authorities around 120 nautical miles out to sea to conduct an inspection at Beveridge ...

  • India, Malaysia conduct joint military exercise in Shillong

    October 30, 2023

    A Joint Exercise between India & Malaysia is progressing with full steam covering the vast canvas of multi domain operations in sub conventional environments at the Foreign Training Node in Shillong’s Umroi Cantonment, officials said on Monday. Lt. Col. Mahendra Rawat, PRO defence at Guwahati said that with an aim of achieving interoperability, the personnel ...