INDIA-AUSTRALIA FIRST NAVAL EXERCISE
On September 11, the Indian Navy will host warships from Australia to conduct the two countries' first-ever joint bilateral naval exercise. Hosted at India's Vishakapatnam naval base, the exercise will focus on hunting submarines and will include an Australian frigate, fleet tanker, and submarine. India is deploying a destroyer and stealth frigate, and possible an anti-submarine warfare corvette. The two will also dispatch American-made P8 and P3C surveillance aircraft. (Telegraph August 31, 2015)
MILITANTS GET ID CARDS IN PAKISTAN FOR $100
A report by Pakistan’s intelligence agency has found that Islamic militants have been able to obtain government IDs for as little as $100. While many of the thousands of foreigners illegally securing IDs are refugees fleeing Afghanistan, more than forty are militants using the IDs to operate more freely in the country and region. Much of the corruption can be traced to the National Data Registration Authority.(Business Insider September 2, 2015)
PAKISTAN ALLOWS TALIBAN TO MEET, CHOOSE LEADER
Despite opposition from the United States and Afghanistan, Pakistan has allowed the Taliban to meet and determine a new leader after the death offormer leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar. About 1,000 Taliban members met in Quetta to resolve this issue and reunite the group and prompting further accusations from the Afghan government that Pakistan is willingly harboring terrorist groups. (Times Union August 31, 2015)
ISIS THREATENS TO KILL MALDIVES PRESIDENT
A recently-released video appears to show ISIS members threatening to kill Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen, Vice President Ahmed Adeeb, and civilians as well as hurt the national economy if opposition leader Sheikh Imran Abdulla is not released from prison within 30 days. The group plans to target the Maldives’ economy by bombing beach-side resorts. The Maldives economy remains heavily dependent on tourism. (IB Times August 31, 2015)
PAKISTAN SAYS “ALMOST ALL UIGHUR MILITANTS ELIMINATED”
In a recent visit to China, Pakistan’s president claimed almost all members of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), a Uighur militant group targeting Chinese authority in Xinjiang, have been killed as a result of Operation Zarb-e-Azb. China has been struggling against increased violence in Xinjiang as a result of attempts by ETIM to create an independent Uighur state. (Reuters September 2, 2015)