The Trump administration announces breakthrough deals: a ceasefire between India and Pakistan and a temporary trade deal with China. Team Trump is turning up the heat on anyone obstructing immigration officials after a Democrat mayor is arrested in New Jersey. And President Donald Trump picks a new surgeon general.
It’s Monday, May 12, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
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<h2>The Art of The Deal</h2>
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Topline: The Trump administration brokers a ceasefire between India and Pakistan while also hammering out a temporary trade deal with China.
After days of deadly fighting and rising global tensions, the United States has brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, and on Monday morning announced an agreement with China to lower tariffs on each other for 90 days.
A joint statement issued by the White House and China&#8217;s Ministry of Commerce said both parties had committed to the pause.
The deal means that President Donald Trump’s 125% reciprocal tariff on China will be reduced to 10%, with a 20% fentanyl tariff still in place, a significant drop from the 145% tariff placed on Chinese goods in the last few weeks. China will drop its retaliatory tariffs on the United States from 125% to 10%. The reductions are to be in place by Wednesday, May 14.
Meanwhile, since they first gained independence in 1947, India and Pakistan have feuded over religion, border disputes, and politics. Last month, a terror attack by Pakistani Islamists on the contested territory of Kashmir sparked the most significant conflict between the two in decades. India responded with air and missile strikes on what they called terrorist camps, but a number of civilians were reportedly killed, including worshippers at two mosques. Pakistan responded with airstrikes of their own, and within 48 hours, the two sides, both of which have large nuclear arsenals, were deploying kamikaze drones, fighter jets, and conventional artillery, targeting each other’s air defense systems – but, again, also killing civilians. By Friday, both countries had begun to evacuate towns along the border, and dozens of airports and school systems were shut down, as thousands of troops were mobilized.
However, there was overwhelming global pressure on both countries to stand down. The United States, China, and Russia, who rarely agree on anything, each lobbied for de-escalation. On Saturday, President Trump stunned the world by announcing the United States had brokered a ceasefire. Writing on Truth Social, he <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=122132461766723345&amp;set=a.122114684240723345">said,</a> “After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence.”
We don’t yet know what the Trump administration may have offered, but there’s a good chance it involved economic incentives – like many other nations, India has been lobbying Washington for lower tariffs since Trump’s Liberation Day formula was announced. India refused to acknowledge America’s role in the deal, but Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif removed any doubt, saying, “We thank President Trump for his leadership and proactive role for peace in the region. Pakistan appreciates the United States for facilitating this outcome.” He went on to thank Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for their “valuable contributions for peace.”
<h2>Newark Mayor Arrested At Detention Center During Anti-Deportation Protest</h2>
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Topline: Federal authorities arrested Newark Democratic Mayor Ras Baraka outside of an immigration detention facility on Friday. The Trump administration has threatened to arrest and charge even more Democrats who intervene in immigration enforcement.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka – who is also a candidate for New Jersey governor – was charged with trespassing on Friday after he joined a protest at an ICE facility in Newark. Federal authorities say Baraka entered the compound’s gates with a mob as a bus of detainees entered the facility and refused multiple directives to leave.
“We will not stand for anybody getting in the way of getting rid of criminals in this country,” acting New Jersey U.S. Attorney Alina Habba told Fox News, adding that “[Baraka] was given multiple opportunities to remove himself, failed to do so, and has been detained and will be charged.”
Three Democratic members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation – Robert Menendez Jr., Bonnie Watson Coleman, and LaMonica McIver – also entered the facility during the protest. They said they were there to tour the facility in line with their oversight function and condemned Baraka’s arrest.
“[The arrest] was an act of intimidation not just to the mayor, not just to us, but to everyone watching,” Menendez <a href="https://x.com/Acyn/status/1920931260517806572">said</a>.
Congresswoman Coleman has <a href="https://x.com/RepBonnie/status/1920989902520340582">said</a> that the DHS lied about what happened. She claims the Democratic lawmakers entered the detention center while being escorted by the guards and then came out to talk with Baraka, and that a scuffle broke out between federal authorities and the protesters after the congressional delegation left the facility.
Meanwhile, the president has continued to make the deportation of illegal immigrants a priority. On Friday, in response to various legal challenges, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said the administration is considering suspending due process for potential deportees. “The Constitution is clear … the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus can be suspended in a time of invasion. So it&#8217;s an option we&#8217;re actively looking at.”
<h2>Trump Nominates New Surgeon General</h2>
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Topline: President Trump has nominated Dr. Casey Means – a popular MAHA figure – for the position of surgeon general.
Means is a Stanford University-trained surgeon and the author of “Good Energy,” which discusses metabolic dysfunction and chronic illness. While at Stanford, she said she became disillusioned with how she saw medicine being practiced, especially when it came to chronic disease. She’s a critic of Big Pharma, thinks Americans are overmedicated, and advocates for prevention and reversal of such diseases by addressing root causes, like food, exercise, and environment.
“While there&#8217;s absolutely a place for surgeons when it comes to acute issues,” Means told Morning Wire last September, “I really need to go out and actually address the bigger issue that is just plaguing Americans across the lifespan today, which is chronic diseases tied to food that are largely preventable and reversible and are not being talked about by the health care system.”
The sudden announcement came after President Trump withdrew his previous nomination of Dr. Janette Nesheiwat one day before she was scheduled to appear before the Senate for confirmation hearings. Nesheiwat was criticized by the MAHA crowd and conservatives over her advocacy for vaccines and masks during the COVID pandemic. Means, on the other hand, advised HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during his 2024 presidential run and reportedly helped <a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-surgeon-general-laura-loomer-794da62da02d5699683e3b1540b8a31f">broker</a> Kennedy’s endorsement of Trump.
Nicole Shanahan, who was RFK’s 2024 running mate, posted online that Kennedy had promised her Means would never work for him in HHS. Shanahan went so far as to call Casey and her brother, Calley Means, “Manchurian assets.” There’s some speculation that Shanahan’s frustration stems from Means being too pro-vaccine.
Kennedy weighed in on the drama and fully backed Means.
“The Surgeon General is a symbol of moral authority who stands against the financial and institutional gravities that tend to corporatize medicine,” Kennedy said. “Casey Means was born to hold this job.”

MorningWire-0428

Morning Brief: Dems Protest Deportation & U.S. Announces China Trade Deal

Communist China

Donald Trump

Global Politics

Illegal Immigration

India

Media

Morning Wire

Pakistan

Politics

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Tariffs

President Donald Trump on Saturday morning announced that the United States has mediated a &#8220;full and immediate ceasefire&#8221; between India and Pakistan, two nuclear-armed rivals.
&#8220;After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE,&#8221; Trump posted to Truth Social. &#8220;Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Over the past 48 hours, <a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a> Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit…
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio/status/1921175185836708140?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
Secretary of State Marco Rubio provided more details on the matter via X, writing that he and Vice President JD Vance were able to get both sides to agree to a ceasefire and to &#8220;start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site.&#8221;
&#8220;Over the past 48 hours, [Vice President] Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik,&#8221; Rubio said. &#8220;I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site.&#8221;
&#8220;We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace,&#8221; the secretary of state added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Over the past 48 hours, <a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a> Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit…
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio/status/1921175185836708140?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
The recent conflict started over a terror attack in the Indian regions of Jammu &amp; Kashmir on April 22 that left 26 civilians dead. According to India, a few of the terrorists, who are accused of specifically targeting Hindus, were from Pakistan. Pakistan denies involvement in the terror attack.
Tensions between the longtime rivals further escalated with cross-border small arms fire, the suspension of a river water-sharing treaty, the canceling of visas on both sides, and other measures, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/india-launches-airstrikes-on-pakistan-as-tensions-explode-over-terror-attack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported.
The Indian military then said it struck nine sites where “terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed,” <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cwyneele13qt?page=2">reported BBC</a>. Pakistan denied the claim, alleging that Indian strikes hit civilian areas and killed numerous children, according to its military.
Kassy Akiva contributed to this report.

Trump Admin Announces Major Development In India-Pakistan Conflict: ‘Choosing The Path Of Peace’

Trump Administration

World

Attacks between India and Pakistan move the two nuclear powers closer to war, President Donald Trump and Republicans sue Democrat-led states over restrictive energy laws, and live sports programming dominates viewing trends.
It’s Thursday, May 8, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
 
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<h2>India Strikes Pakistan, World Holds Breath For Response</h2>
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Topline: Attacks between India and Pakistan continue to escalate, causing fears of an all-out nuclear war.
In late April, a group of Islamic militants crossed from Pakistan to Indian-controlled Kashmir and slaughtered 26 tourists. India accused the Pakistani government of being involved in the attack, and responded Wednesday with military strikes on Pakistan’s heavily populated Punjab region, killing more than two dozen and injuring 46 others. India says it targeted “terror camps,” while Pakistan says civilians were killed, including worshippers at two mosques. 
Pakistan has said it is mounting a military response to the strikes, but it remains to be seen if that’s saber rattling or a declaration of war.
The Trump administration has largely avoided picking a side, despite their long-running mutual enmity, and both countries are considered U.S. allies.  The White House said it would engage the two in finding a “peaceful solution.” 
Meanwhile, President Trump is preparing for a highly anticipated visit to the Middle East as tensions rise. For security reasons, the White House has yet to release Trump&#8217;s full itinerary, but from what we’ve been told, this trip will emphasize economics. Trump is reportedly focused on securing financial deals and solidifying his relationship with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates — three of America&#8217;s most important allies in the region who often serve as middlemen to the rest of the Middle East, at times helping broker negotiations with U.S. adversaries.
This week, the president also announced that the Houthis “don’t want to fight anymore” and have agreed to a deal to end hostilities. The Houthis, the terror group backed by Iran, have disrupted international shipping in the Red Sea, with missile and drone attacks on countless vessels — some of them American. In response, the Trump administration launched hundreds of airstrikes on Houthi facilities in Yemen. Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, has been holding negotiations with Iran on a potential nuclear deal — this ceasefire with the Houthis could be a part of that larger process. 
<h2>DOJ Files Climate Lawsuits Against Blue States</h2>
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Topline: President Trump and Republicans in Congress are making moves against state climate rules that they say infringe on federal authority. The fight has sparked political and legal battles between Republicans in Washington, D.C., and Democrat-led states.
Last week, the Department of Justice filed multiple lawsuits against state governments over their climate and energy policies. Two complaints against Hawaii and Michigan aim to block lawsuits those states filed against oil and gas companies. On Thursday, the federal government filed two more lawsuits against Michigan and New York over changes to state “climate superfund” laws. Each DOJ lawsuit focuses on the Clean Air Act, which the Trump administration says the states have violated with their attempts to punish emissions.
“These burdensome and ideologically motivated laws and lawsuits threaten American energy independence and our country’s economic and national security.” Attorney General Pam Bondi said.
“The Constitution specifically solely delegates the power to regulate interstate commerce to the Congress of the United States of America,” H. Sterling Burnett, the director of the Arthur B. Robinson Center on Climate and Environmental Policy at The Heartland Institute, told The Daily Wire. “Not to California, not to New York, only to Congress…California, New York, Hawaii. Some other states…think Congress should regulate interstate commerce differently than they&#8217;ve done, and so they&#8217;re trying to use the courts to ignore the interstate commerce clause.”
Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez said in a statement that the federal lawsuit filed by the DOJ “attempts to block Hawaiʻi from holding the fossil fuel industry responsible for deceptive conduct that caused climate change damage.” Hawaii Democratic Governor Josh Green went a step further and suggested that climate change, exacerbated by fossil fuel companies, is responsible for the 2023 Lahaina wildfire that killed 102 people. For context, Hawaii’s utility company <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/28/maui-wildfires-hawaiian-electric-company">said</a> that electrical equipment damaged by high winds caused the fire, but officials have all made accusations against fossil fuel companies.
<h2>Sports Dominate New Nielsen Ratings</h2>
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Topline: The next evolution of TV ratings has arrived, and sports is the overwhelming winner. We break down the data on viewing trends.
Nielsen ratings have long been a guide to help gauge TV viewership, but new technology is delivering more accurate information. It shows that sports programming absolutely dominates the market. The rise of streaming and an increasingly fragmented media market has made it harder than ever to track how many people are actually watching programming, but a new method – Big Data + Panel – is able to synthesize and analyze disparate viewership data more quickly and accurately.
Nielsen’s CEO, Karthik Roa, announced that the Big Data + Panel tech will be used for all its clients starting this year, calling it “a massive change in measurement, at scale.”
Sports programming already dominates much of America’s media landscape. For instance, the NFL<a href="https://frontofficesports.com/the-nfl-had-70-of-top-100-live-tv-events-in-2024-down-from-93/"> delivered 70 of the top 100 broadcasts</a> across all genres in 2024, 70% for just that one league. This new analysis tool is already signaling even higher audience totals going forward. And that’s, of course, very good for sports leagues. The NFL knows it’s poised to benefit – and has publicly cheered the introduction of Big Data + Panel, calling it a move to “modernize measurement.”
The domination of sports is changing how many platforms think about programming. Amazon Prime and Netflix have spent <a href="https://www.mediaplaynews.com/ampere-streaming-services-spending-on-live-sports-rights-in-2025/">billions</a> of dollars on streaming rights for live sports. Amazon has been among the early adopters of Big Data + Panel, and said its 2024 audience for Thursday Night Football reached an average viewership of 14.2 million, 8% higher than the <a href="https://frontofficesports.com/amazons-nfl-ratings-rose-13-in-2024-a-playoff-game-is-next/">traditional, panel-based audience count of 13.2 million</a>. The tool was also the basis for Super Bowl LIX, reaching a total of 182.8 million viewers.
One of the issues Nielsen is working through is reducing the turnaround time for reporting results. The enhanced numbers typically take several days to tabulate for each broadcast. Nielsen is working to reduce that turnaround to one day, similar to how quickly traditional viewership totals now arrive.

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Morning Brief: India-Pakistan Conflict Escalates & Trump DOJ Sues Blue States

Department of Justice

Middle East

Television

Tensions between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan dramatically spiked Tuesday after India launched multiple airstrikes on several parts of Pakistan and Pakistani-controlled territory.
The Indian military said it struck nine sites where “terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed,” <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cwyneele13qt?page=2">reported BBC</a>. Pakistan denied the claim, alleging that Indian strikes hit civilian areas and killed two children, according to its military.
India’s embassy to the United States said the strike, dubbed Operation Sindoor, was in response to a terror attack in Jammu &amp; Kashmir on April 22 that left 26 civilians dead. According to India, a few of the terrorists, who are accused of specifically targeting Hindus, were from Pakistan.
The terror attack happened as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/morning-brief-vance-negotiates-india-trade-deal-rubio-cuts-state-dept-easter-egg-prices">Vice President JD Vance visited India</a> on a four-day trip, which included a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
<div class="ad-wrapper" data-testid="ad-wrapper">
<div class="text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__regular__2N1Xr text__small__1kGq2 body__full_width__ekUdw body__small_body__2vQyf article-body__paragraph__2-BtD" data-testid="paragraph-1">&#8220;Our hope here is that India responds to this terrorist attack in a way that doesn&#8217;t lead to a broader regional conflict,&#8221; <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us-vp-vance-says-indian-response-kashmir-attack-should-avoid-regional-war-2025-05-01/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vance said</a> in an interview on Fox News last week. &#8220;We hope, frankly, that Pakistan, to the extent that they&#8217;re responsible, cooperates with India to make sure that the terrorists sometimes operating in their territory are hunted down and dealt with.&#8221;</div>
</div>
Following the terror attack, tensions between the longtime rivals escalated, with cross-border small arms fire and the suspension of a river water-sharing treaty.
“India has credible leads, technical inputs, testimony of the survivors and other evidence pointing towards the clear involvement of Pakistan-based terrorists in this attack,” the embassy said in a statement, calling its actions “focused and precise.”
The statement added that India was hopeful Pakistan would take action against the terrorists, but instead “indulged in denial and made allegations of false flag operations against India.”
Despite India stating that its strikes were meant to be non-escalatory by attacking “terror camps” and not Pakistani civilian, economic, or military targets, Pakistan vowed to respond to the &#8220;cowardly attack,&#8221; and followed up by firing artillery just across the border in India-administered Kashmir, reported BBC.
&#8220;The treacherous enemy has launched a cowardly attack on five locations within Pakistan,” Pakistan&#8217;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a statement. “This heinous act of aggression will not go unpunished. Pakistan reserves the absolute right to respond decisively to this unprovoked Indian attack — a resolute response is already underway.”
Sharif added that the Pakistani people and its forces “are fully prepared to confront and defeat any threat with our strength and determination.”
Pakistan claimed it shot down two Indian jets and one drone, though India has not confirmed this report, according to BBC.
&#8220;The enemy will never be allowed to achieve its malicious aims,” the statement concluded.
President Donald Trump called the strikes “a shame” on Tuesday.
“We just heard about it just as we were walking in the doors of the Oval [Office],” Trump said. &#8220;I just hope it ends very quickly.”
India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval briefed Secretary of State Marco Rubio (who is also serving as U.S. National Security Advisor) on Wednesday about the escalating conflict.
Rubio said he is monitoring the situation and echoed Trump&#8217;s statements for the conflict to end quickly, adding that he will continue to &#8220;engage both Indian and Pakistani leadership towards a peaceful resolution.&#8221; 

A spokesperson for United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he is “very concerned” about the escalation and called for “maximum military restraint,” reported BBC.

Grunge flags of India and Pakistan divided by barb wire illustration

India Launches Airstrikes On Pakistan As Tensions Explode Over Terror Attack

Terrorism

Far-Left British Prime Minister Keir Starmer claimed on Monday that those who are demanding that there be investigations and accountability over the mass rapes of predominately white children in the country by Pakistani rape gangs — and the subsequent coverup by British officials — were trying to &#8220;jump on a bandwagon of the far-Right.&#8221;
Starmer&#8217;s remarks come after Elon Musk has repeatedly hammered the British government for days over the scandal, pumping out posts to his 210 million followers and exposing the violence that young girls have been subjected to along with the British government&#8217;s efforts to keep the scandal quiet so that riots would not break out.
“Those that are spreading lies and misinformation as far and as wide as possible are not interested in victims, they are interested in themselves,” claimed Starmer, who appeared nervous at times.
He said that those calling for investigations were doing so because they wanted to &#8220;jump on a bandwagon of the far-Right.&#8221;
“This is actually an important point about our politics, not what about what anybody may or may not say on Twitter,” he claimed.
Musk <a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1876245946348208601">fired back</a> at Starmer on X: &#8220;What an insane thing to say!&#8221;
&#8220;The real reason is that it would show how Starmer repeatedly ignored the pleas of vast numbers of little girls and their parents, in order to secure political support,&#8221; Musk said. &#8220;Starmer is utterly despicable.&#8221;
The British newspaper The Telegraph highlighted the coverup of the mass rapes by British officials who were worried that exposing the crimes could lead to mass civil unrest and disrupt social cohesion.
The <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20250104123556/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/01/04/grooming-gangs-scandal-cover-up-oldham-telford-rotherham/">report</a> highlighted extremely graphic and highly disturbing detailed accounts of the violent sexual assaults that the rape gangs inflicted upon young girls.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer Gives Speech On Plan To Cut NHS Waiting Times

Britain’s Keir Starmer: Those Who Want Probes Into Rape Gangs Are ‘Far Right’

Child rape

Great Britain

Keir Starmer

As Christians throughout the United States celebrate Christmas, tens of millions of their fellow believers face intense persecution for their beliefs and could be endangered if they choose to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
Last year, at least 365 million Christians were persecuted for faith, including thousands who were killed and nearly 300,000 who were displaced, <a href="https://www.opendoorsus.org/en-US/persecution/persecution-trends/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to persecution watchdog Open Doors. Open Doors, which puts out a top fifty watchlist every year tracking persecution, said that violent attacks on Christians have only increased in recent years, especially throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. 
“Those things are rising because the church is rising, because the church is growing, because the church is having impact and influence in areas, and the gates of hell are trying to stamp that out,” Open Doors President Ryan Brown told The Daily Wire. 
While many Christians in the West celebrate the birth of Jesus at their churches and with their friends and family, there are many countries where doing so would be dangerous. 
Here are ten of the worst places for persecution around the world, <a href="https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/countries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Open Doors.
<h3>1. North Korea </h3>
The one non-Islamic country on the list, communist North Korea is notorious for its state enforced atheism and hatred of Christianity. Whole families can be sent to work camps if someone is found with a Bible in the Hermit Kingdom. 
According to Open Doors, there are around 400,000 Christians in the DPRK who regularly face heavy persecution. 
”Those in power see Christianity as being subversive and being a threat to their power. And in some cases they make an association because they see that as some kind of a tie to the West,” Brown told The Daily Wire. “In other cases it&#8217;s just this idea that anybody willing to lay down their life for something other than the state scares them.”
Brown said that many Christians who have successfully escaped North Korea will return to the country to “seek to live as Christ called them to live, to work and minister to their neighbors.”
<div id="attachment_818433" style="width: 980px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-818433" class="size-large wp-image-818433" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/North-Korean-military-970x576.jpg" alt="North Korean military officers march during a welcoming ceremony, June 19, 2024, in Pyongyang, North Korea. Russian President Vladimir Putin is arriving to North Korea with a two-days visit. (Photo by Contributor/Getty Images)" width="970" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/North-Korean-military-970x576.jpg 970w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/North-Korean-military-300x178.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/North-Korean-military-768x456.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/North-Korean-military.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 970px) 100vw, 970px" />Contributor/Getty Images</div>
<h3>2. Somalia </h3>
Known for its constant instability, Somalia is also a very dangerous country for the few hundreds of Christians estimated to live in the country. The predominant form of persecution there comes from Islamic radicals opposed to the growth of Christianity.
Somalia is the first Sub-Saharan country on the list, a region Brown said has been seeing increased violence. 
“There’s been a continued upsurge in violence throughout sub-Saharan Africa where there is a massive issue right now where a total of over 16.2 million Christians in [the region] that have been displaced,” he said. 
Brown urges Christians to join the “<a href="https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/getinvolved/arise-africa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Arise Africa</a>” campaign which seeks to bring awareness to the widespread persecution in Sub-Saharan Africa. He urged them to pray for the African church and find ways to support them with educational and material needs.
<h3>3. Libya </h3>
This North African neighbor to Egypt was long ruled by dictator Muammar Gaddafi until 2011. The vast majority of Libyans are Sunni Muslims who adhere to Sharia Law. Libya is also home to just 35,000 Christians which is less than 1% of the country’s population. 
According to the U.S. <a href="https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-report-on-international-religious-freedom/libya/">Department of State</a>, &#8220;Muslims who converted to another religion faced intense social and economic pressure to renounce their faith and return to Islam.&#8221;
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<h3>4. Eritrea</h3>
Located on the western bank of the Red Sea, Eritrea borders Sudan, Ethiopia, and Djibouti. While Christians make up nearly half (47%) of Eritrea’s population, they face deep challenges as the dictatorial government doesn’t tolerate Christianity <a href="https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/countries/eritrea/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">outside</a> of three recognized denominations. At least 1,000 Christians are currently estimated to be imprisoned there without having faced any formal charges.
<h3>5. Yemen</h3>
Christians are subject to intense persecution from Islamic radicals in Yemen, which is located at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. In 2024, the Islamic Houthi rebels attacked numerous commercial ships and oil tankers passing through the Red Sea on their way to the Suez Canal, successfully disrupting a major international shipping lane.
According to Open Doors, only a small number of Christians live in Yemen. Like many other Islamic countries, people who convert to Christianity can face severe consequences, even from their families, for their decision.
<div id="attachment_692811" style="width: 876px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-692811" class="size-large wp-image-692811" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-454468418-866x576.jpg" alt="SANAA, YEMEN - SEPTEMBER 1: Supporters of Yemen's Shiite Houthi group stage anti government protest at Taghyeer square in capital Sanaa, Yemen on September 1, 2014. Shiite Houthi group blocked several main roads across the Yemeni capital Sanaa on Monday in response to a call by their leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi to escalate action against the government of Prime Minister Mohamed Basindawa. (Photo by Mohammed Hamoud/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)" width="866" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-454468418-866x576.jpg 866w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-454468418-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-454468418-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-454468418.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 866px) 100vw, 866px" />Mohammed Hamoud/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images</div>
<h3>6. Nigeria</h3>
While Nigeria is home to some very large churches, more Christians are killed in Nigeria than in any other country. In 2023, it was <a href="https://www.opendoorsus.org/en-US/stories/13-christians-killed-day-average/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that over 4,100 Christians were killed in the African country, largely due to Islamic persecution. 
&#8220;There were more people killed in Nigeria last year than all other places in the globe combined, nearly about 80% of those that were martyred for their faith occurred in Nigeria,&#8221; Brown said of those killed for their Christian faith. “In many ways, Nigeria is kind of a concentrated reflection of what we are seeing throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.”
Last year, over 150 Christians <a href="https://www.opendoorsuk.org/news/latest-news/nigeria-attacks-christmas/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">were</a> killed during Christmas Eve attacks by Islamic Fulani herdsmen.
<h3>7. Pakistan</h3>
Pakistan’s four million Christians also face intense persecution for their faith and are often openly prosecuted. According to <a href="https://www.opendoorsuk.org/countries-watch/pakistan/">Open Doors</a>, 1.8% of the population identify as Christian, but due to Pakistan&#8217;s strict blasphemy laws, very few can talk about their faith.
&#8220;Pakistan’s notorious blasphemy laws are often used to target minority groups, but Christians are disproportionately affected – in fact, roughly a quarter of all blasphemy accusations target Christians.&#8221;
Pakistani Christians also face &#8220;institutionalised discrimination&#8221; and are given &#8220;occupations that are deemed low, dirty and degrading – such as working as a sewer cleaner or on a brick kiln – are reserved for Christians by the authorities. Many are referred to as ‘chura’, a derogatory term meaning ‘filthy’.&#8221;
<h3>8. Sudan </h3>
Returning to Sub-Saharan Africa, Sudan’s two million Christians face intense persecution that has only been <a href="https://www.opendoorsus.org/en-US/persecution/countries/sudan/?gad_source=1&amp;gbraid=0AAAAAqQP2Ook0kQ403zkIS6qUIF6Z_g99&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiAsaS7BhDPARIsAAX5cSBeC5bPV1MmoZNdmwvLl0noggWgPui5AlY9oIlBWuEjblqyMu-YM7UaAqfVEALw_wcB" target="_blank" rel="noopener">exacerbated</a> by the civil unrest in the country as the National Army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) battle it out for control. Millions of people, including Christians, have been displaced due to the fighting.
Brown said that Christians will often be targeted and mistreated in refugee camps and not be given access to equal support and aid.
<h3>9. Iran</h3>
Iran’s government targets Christians in Iran with a number of oppressive laws, <a href="https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/countries/iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">including</a> making conversion to Christianity illegal.
“The government views conversion as an attempt by the West to undermine Islam and the Islamic government of Iran,” Open Doors reports. “This means that anyone who is discovered to be a member of a house church can be charged with a crime against national security, which can lead to long prison sentences.”
<div id="attachment_823711" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-823711" class="size-large wp-image-823711" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-1037865852-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-1037865852-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-1037865852-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-1037865852-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-1037865852.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Arnulf Stoffel/picture alliance via Getty Images</div>
<h3>10. Afghanistan</h3>
Only a few thousand Christians are estimated to be in Afghanistan, but they face intense cultural persecution from the Taliban, which has no tolerance for Christianity.
The next World Watch report from Open Doors comes out in January, and Brown urges Christians to try to remember their persecuted brethren through prayer and support on a more frequent basis. He said that much of the persecution is happening in places where the church is actually growing and active.
“Even in those places it seems most dark, and yes it is dark and yes there is evil, but that evil is there because there is a hope there, because there is a light there, because the church is present and the church is working,” he said.
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Somalia

An Islamic man from Pakistan was arrested in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/canada" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Canada</a> this week for allegedly planning a terrorist attack against Jews in New York City.
The U.S. Department of Justice said late on Friday that Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, was charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization (FTO).
Khan &#8220;attempted to travel from Canada to New York City, where he intended to use automatic and semi-automatic weapons to carry out a mass shooting in support of ISIS at a Jewish center in Brooklyn, New York,&#8221; prosecutors said.
He began posting on social media and on an encrypted messaging platform late last year that he supported ISIS and began distributing their propaganda, the DOJ said.
He allegedly told undercover law enforcement sources that he was working with a U.S.-based ISIS terrorist to carry out the attack and that he was trying to create an &#8220;offline cell&#8221; of ISIS terrorists who could launch a coordinated attack killing Jews at synagogues.
He wanted to carry out the attacks on either October 7 — the anniversary of Hamas&#8217; unprecedented terrorist attack in Israel last year in which 1,200 people were murdered — or on October 11, which is the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur.
He was originally targeting a city only referred to as &#8220;City-1&#8221; in the indictment, but changed the target to New York City.
Khan said that the Muslims were &#8220;going to NYC to slaughter them,&#8221; which he planned to do by shooting them with rifles or using knives to &#8220;slit their throats.&#8221;
&#8220;Khan repeatedly reiterated his desire to carry out the attack in support of ISIS, and discussed planning for the attack, including by identifying rental properties close to Location-1 and paying for a human smuggler to help him reach and cross the border from Canada into the United States,&#8221; the DOJ said. &#8220;During one communication, Khan noted that &#8216;if we succeed with our plan this would be the largest Attack on US soil since 9/11.&#8221;
The DOJ only charged him with a single count of attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum of 20 years in prison.
“The defendant was allegedly determined to kill Jewish people here in the United States, nearly one year after Hamas’ horrific attack on Israel. This investigation was led by the FBI, and I am proud of the terrific work by the FBI team and our partners to disrupt Khan&#8217;s plan,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI will continue to work closely with our partners to investigate and hold accountable those who seek to commit violence in the name of ISIS or other terrorist organizations. Fighting terrorism remains the FBI’s top priority.”

Islamic State/Iraq/Syria: A masked Islamic State soldier poses holding the ISIL banner somewhere in the deserts of Iraq or Syria. ISIL publicity image, 2015

Pakistani National Arrested In Canada For Allegedly Plotting Terror Attack In NYC

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A Pakistani man charged with plotting with Iran to assassinate former President Donald Trump and other U.S. officials was allowed into the U.S. even though he was on a terror watchlist.
Asif Raza Merchant, 46, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/feds-arrest-pakistani-man-with-ties-to-iran-for-alleged-plot-to-kill-trump-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was arrested</a> last month and charged in a murder-for-hire plot to assassinate a politician or U.S. government official on U.S. soil, the Department of Justice said in <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/pakistani-national-ties-iran-charged-connection-foiled-plot-assassinate-politician-or-us" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a press release</a> on Tuesday.
Just The News <a href="https://justthenews.com/government/security/fbi-let-suspect-plot-kill-trump-us-parole-despite-terror-ties-iran-trip-memos" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Merchant was allowed into the U.S. by the FBI in April with special permission known as “significant public benefit parole,” despite being flagged on a terrorism watchlist and having recently spent time in Iran. The outlet obtained government memos showing that the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force interviewed Merchant, fingerprinted him, and inspected his electronic devices when he arrived in Houston but allowed him to leave.
“Subject was polite and cooperative throughout encounter,” the FBI interview memo said. “&#8230; Subject&#8217;s notable travel outside of country of citizenship includes a recent trip to Iran.”
Merchant was arrested on July 12, just one day before Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-releases-statement-after-assassination-attempt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was nearly assassinated</a> at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Immigration records reviewed by Just The News revealed that Merchant was on a watch list with a note calling him a “Lookout Qualified Person of Interest.”
Several law enforcement officials who spoke to Just The News said Merchant’s parole designation would allow agents to attempt to flip him into cooperating against terrorists or allow them time to determine why he was coming to the U.S. and who he was working with. Those tactics also came with the risk that they would lose track of Merchant, the officials told Just The News.
Merchant was also allowed to remain in the country beyond the expiration date for his parole.
After being allowed into the U.S., Merchant immediately contacted someone he thought could help him allegedly carry out the assassination, the DOJ said. That person contacted law enforcement and became a confidential source (CS) to assist law enforcement in its investigation of Merchant.
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Merchant allegedly told the CS that he was assigned to recruit hitmen to steal documents or USB drives from a target’s home, plan protests, and kill politicians or government officials. Merchant expected the CS to plan the assassination and warned him that the target would be surrounded by security. Merchant said the assassination should take place after he left the country and indicated that he had been assigned this task by individuals in Iran or Pakistan.
Undercover federal law enforcement agents posed as hitmen and got Merchant to allegedly agree to $5,000 in payment for the assassinations.
“Notably, when the FBI arrived at his residence to execute the arrest as well as a search warrant for the residence, Merchant refused to exit his residence for approximately 20 minutes after the FBI announced their presence and the search warrant,” court documents said. “During the search, law enforcement agents searched Merchant’s wallet and found the handwritten note inside with the code words that Merchant invented to communicate with the CS about the assassination plot.”
Neither the DOJ nor court documents mentioned Trump as Merchant’s target, but The New York Daily News <a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/08/06/pakistani-man-tied-to-iran-eyed-donald-trump-in-political-assassination-plot-source/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> a source told the outlet that this was the case.

Asif Raza Merchant

Pakistani Suspect In Plot To Kill Trump Was Allowed Into U.S. Even Though He Was On Terror Watchlist

Suspect In Plot To Kill Trump Was Allowed Into U.S. Even Though He Was On Terror Watchlist

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A Pakistani national with what FBI Director Christopher Wray called “close ties to Iran” was arrested and charged with orchestrating a scheme to reportedly <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pakistani-iran-murder-plot-u-s-officials/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">assassinate</a> former President Trump as well as other government officials.
According to court documents, in April 2024, Asif Merchant, 46, who revealed he has a wife and children in both Iran and Pakistan, came to the U.S. after spending time in Iran. He contacted someone about his alleged scheme; that person, who became a confidential source (CS), then contacted the FBI. In early June in New York, Merchant met the CS and outlined his alleged plot to commit a series of assassinations in the U.S.
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“Merchant explained that his plot involved multiple criminal schemes: (1) stealing documents or USB drives from a target’s home; (2) planning a protest; and (3) killing a politician or government official,” the Department of Justice <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/pakistani-national-ties-iran-charged-connection-foiled-plot-assassinate-politician-or-us" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated.</a> &#8220;Merchant stated that the assassination would occur after he left the United States and he would communicate with the CS from overseas using code words. The CS asked whether Merchant had spoken to the unidentified ‘party’ back home with whom Merchant was working. Merchant responded that he had and that the party back home told him to ‘finalize’ the plan and leave the United States.”
On June 21, Merchant met with undercover U.S. law enforcement officers in New York, giving them $5,000 in advance.
“After Merchant paid the $5,000 to the UCs, one of the UCs stated, ‘now we’re bonded,’ to which Merchant responded ‘yes.’ The UC then stated ‘Now we know we’re going forward. We’re doing this,’ to which Merchant responded ‘Yes, absolutely,’” the DOJ stated.
Merchant was arrested on July 12, 2024, the day he planned to leave the country.
An assassination attempt against former President Trump occurred on July 13. No evidence has yet been offered to connect that event with Merchant.

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Pakistani With ‘Close Ties To Iran’ Charged In Scheme To Assassinate Trump, Others

Qassem Soleimani

Federal law enforcement officials announced on Tuesday that they have arrested a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/pakistan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pakistan national</a> with ties to the Islamic Republic of Iran for allegedly leading a serious plot to assassinate former President Donald Trump.
Authorities arrested 46-year-old Asif Raza Merchant in New York on July 12, the day before 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks shot Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
&#8220;Merchant orchestrated a plot to assassinate a politician or U.S. government officials on U.S. soil,&#8221; the DOJ said. &#8220;In approximately April 2024, after spending time in Iran, Merchant arrived in the United States from Pakistan and contacted a person he believed could assist him with the scheme.&#8221;
The person whom he contacted immediately contacted law enforcement and became a confidential source (the CS), assisting law enforcement in their investigation.
Merchant told the CS in June that his assignment was to recruit hitmen who could carry out three objectives, including stealing documents or USB drives from a target’s home, planning a protest, and killing a politician or government official, court documents said.
Merchant wanted the CS to plan the assassination and warned that the target would have security &#8220;all around,&#8221; the DOJ said. Merchant, who allegedly indicated that he was being directed by individuals in either Iran or Pakistan, said that the assassination would take place after he left the country and that they would use secret code words to communicate.
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Undercover federal law enforcement agents posed as the hitmen who would carry out Merchant&#8217;s assignments and agreed to a $5,000 payment to carry out the crimes.
&#8220;Notably, when the FBI arrived at his residence to execute the arrest as well as a search warrant for the residence, Merchant refused to exit his residence for approximately 20 minutes after the FBI announced their presence and the search warrant,&#8221; court documents said. &#8220;During the search, law enforcement agents searched Merchant’s wallet and found the handwritten note inside with the code words that Merchant invented to communicate with the CS about the assassination plot.&#8221;
While court documents did not specifically name any of the proposed targets, the New York Daily News <a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/08/06/pakistani-man-tied-to-iran-eyed-donald-trump-in-political-assassination-plot-source/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that a source indicated that Trump was one of the targets that Merchant discussed.
The U.S. Secret Service had <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/intel-of-iranian-plot-to-assassinate-trump-led-secret-service-to-boost-security-before-rally-shooting-reports" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> been tracking an Iranian assassination plot in the weeks prior to Crooks shooting the president last month. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/iran-is-working-to-ruin-trumps-presidential-campaign-u-s-intelligence-assessment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that Iran is trying to ruin Trump&#8217;s presidential campaign.
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This is Pakistani National Asif Merchant with ties to Iran who has been arrested in United States for a plot to assassinate former US President Donald Trump. <a href="https://t.co/BRhTBcKZHi">pic.twitter.com/BRhTBcKZHi</a>
&mdash; Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) <a href="https://twitter.com/AdityaRajKaul/status/1820919296974872664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Feds Arrest Pakistani Man With Ties To Iran For Alleged Plot To Kill Trump: Report

Western intelligence and defense officials are reportedly concerned about the missile that the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/iran" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Islamic Republic of Iran</a> used this week to conduct strikes in neighboring countries in the Middle East and Asia.
Iran launched attacks early this week inside Syria and Iraq, claiming that it targeted militant groups and Israel&#8217;s Mossad.
Iran then upped the stakes with their belligerent behavior when they launched attacks against militant groups inside Pakistan. Pakistan, which faces a giant adversary in India on the other side of the country, was forced to respond with its own attacks against groups inside Iran.
The attacks grabbed officials&#8217; attention due to the range and the accuracy that Iran&#8217;s missiles had, which far surpassed the capabilities of their old Soviet-era missiles.
The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/18/world/middleeast/iran-missile-program.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that the West had long believed the only threat that Iran posed was its cyberattacks, which even then were limited compared to Western cyber abilities.
However, Iran&#8217;s ability to manufacture suicide drones by the thousands — which Russia is buying and using in Ukraine — combined with its use of its new Kheibar Shekan ballistic missile in this week&#8217;s attacks have forced officials to reconsider their defense posture toward Iran.
&#8220;Unveiled in 2022, the Kheibar Shekan is a solid-propellant precision-guided missile that has a range of 1,450 kilometers, or about 900 miles — meaning it can hit Israel,&#8221; the report said. &#8220;But what makes it stand out from the rest of Iran’s arsenal is that its warhead can nimbly maneuver with tiny aerodynamic fins to evade at least some traditional air-defense systems.&#8221;
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Experts said that while Iran appears to have miscalculated with its attack on Pakistan, it was trying to showcase their newer missiles to appease their citizens after there have been multiple attacks carried out inside Iran over the last few weeks. They said Iran likely used the missiles to test them in combat conditions, send a message to Israel and the U.S., and to attract new customers as the nation becomes one of the top arms suppliers in the region.

IRAN-POLITICS-MILITARY

Western Officials Concerned About Missile That Iran Used In Recent Attacks: Report

Military Weapons

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/pakistan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pakistan</a> announced early on Thursday morning local time that it had carried out military strikes inside of Iran after Iran killed innocent civilians inside Pakistan earlier this week during military strikes against a Pakistani militant group.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said that the strikes were &#8220;highly coordinated&#8221; and specifically targeted &#8220;terrorist hideouts&#8221; in Siestan-o-Baluchistan province of Iran.
The operation, codenamed Operation Marg Bar Sarmachar, killed numerous terrorists inside Iran, the statement said.
&#8220;Over the last several years, in our engagements with Iran, Pakistan has consistently shared its serious concerns about the safe havens and sanctuaries enjoyed by Pakistani origin terrorists calling themselves *Sarmachars* on the ungoverned spaces inside Iran,&#8221; the statement said. &#8220;Pakistan also shared multiple dossiers with concrete evidence of the presence and activities of these terrorists.&#8221;
Pakistan said that Iran did not take the information seriously, did not act, and thus those terrorists have killed innocent Pakistanis.
&#8220;This morning’s action was taken in light of credible intelligence of impending large scale terrorist activities by these so called Sarmachars,&#8221; the statement said. &#8220;This action is a manifestation of Pakistan’s unflinching resolve to protect and defend its national security against all threats. The successful execution of this highly complex operation is also a testimony to the professionalism of the Pakistan Armed Forces. Pakistan will continue to take all necessary steps to preserve the safety and security of its people which is sacrosanct, inviolable and sacred.&#8221;
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The statement took a swipe at Iran, saying that Pakistan &#8220;fully respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran.&#8221; Earlier in the week, Pakistan condemned Iran for violating its sovereignty when Iran launched its strikes.
&#8220;As a responsible member of the international community, Pakistan upholds the principles and purposes of the UN Charter including territorial integrity and sovereignty of member states,&#8221; the statement said. &#8220;Guided by these principles, and in exercise of our legitimate rights within international law, Pakistan will never allow its sovereignty and territorial integrity to be challenged, under any pretext or circumstances.&#8221;

JF-17 Thunder fighter jet

Pakistan Carries Out Retaliatory Strikes Inside Of Iran

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