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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 24 Apr 2009 [PDF]
• DoD News: DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• April 23 airpower summary: A-10s thwart attack on convoy AFNS 24 Apr 2009 -- Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the ISAF in Afghanistan during operations.
• Petraeus: US, Iraqi Forces Can Expect More Attacks VOA 24 Apr 2009 -- Former U.S. Iraq commander General David Petraeus said the latest bombings in Iraq underscore the need for vigilance to prevent the situation from deteriorating.
• Al-Qaida Cannot Sidetrack Progress, Odierno Says AFPS 24 Apr 2009 -- While al-Qaida is succeeding in launching a few spectacular attacks in Iraq, it cannot succeed in stopping progress, the commander of Multinational Force Iraq said today.
• 2/9 leaves no man behind, returns from deployment USMC News 24 Apr 2009 -- Around 300 Marines and sailors from 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, returned home, April 22, after a seven month deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
• Night mission opens Khadra neighborhood Army News 24 Apr 2009 -- MND-B Soldiers teamed up with Iraqi Security Forces to move concrete barriers in the Khadra neighborhood of Baghdad.
• Cav Troopers help keep Sadr City safe Army News 24 Apr 2009 -- Sunlight is fading in Sadr City as Soldiers of C Company, 2-5th Cavalry along with Iraqi Soldiers move down streets lined with houses.
• Petraeus: Iraq Gains Fragile; Tough Road in Afghanistan, Pakistan VOA 24 Apr 2009 -- Military commander warning that security gains in Iraq are fragile and that a tough fight lies ahead in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
• U.S. Scrambles For Civilian Crisis Management In Afghanistan, Iraq RFE/RL 24 Apr 2009 -- Having relied on force in recent years, Washington now appears to be scrambling for alternative methods.
• Gateway in Kuwait Keeps Warfighters Moving AFPS 24 Apr 2009 -- Before U.S. military troops touch ground in Iraq and Afghanistan, they must first pass through one of a handful of military portals.
• Suicide Attacks Rock Iraq, in Second Day of Carnage VOA 24 Apr 2009 -- Iraqi police say a pair of suicide bombings in Baghdad Friday killed at least 60 people and wounded more than 100 others.
• New Report Finds Over 80,000 Iraqis Killed Since 2005 VOA 24 Apr 2009 -- The Associated Press reports that the Iraqi government has counted more than 87,000 Iraqis killed in violence since 2005.
• Combined Forces in Afghanistan Kill 14 in Six-Hour Battle AFPS 24 Apr 2009 -- Coalition and Afghan forces killed 14 insurgents in a six-hour battle in the Sangin district of Afghanistan’s Helmand province.
• Taliban’s Strength in Pakistan Frustrates U.S., Chairman Says AFPS 24 Apr 2009 -- The Taliban’s growing strength in Pakistan is frustrating to the United States, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today.
• Extremists' Defeat Requires Commitment, Centcom Commander Says AFPS 24 Apr 2009 -- substantial and sustained commitment required to disrupt and ultimately defeat al-Qaida and other extremist elements.
• Mullen, Gates Share Deep Concern Over Pakistan AFPS 24 Apr 2009 -- Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff expressed deep concern that “events continue to move in the wrong direction” in Pakistan.
• Pakistani Taliban Withdraw from Key Northwestern District VOA 24 Apr 2009 -- Pakistani Taliban fighters have begun withdrawing from a key northwestern district, where the government deployed extra forces.
• Suspected militants kill policeman, kidnap two others in Pakistan IRNA 24 Apr 2009 -- Suspected Taliban militants attacked a police mobile team, killing a policeman and injuring another in Pakistan's northwest.
• Fear of Talibanization increasing gradually in Pakistan IRNA 24 Apr 2009 -- Fear of Talibanization in Pakistan increasing as a religious political leader warned that the Taliban were closing on to Islamabad .
• Pakistan shows guarded reaction to Clinton's Taliban threat IRNA 24 Apr 2009 -- Pakistan showed guarded reaction to a statement by US Secretary of State that Pakistani government is abdicating to the Taliban.
• New Flood Barriers Prove Successful in North Dakota AFPS 24 Apr 2009 -- ND National Guard finished pulling out 2 barrier systems that proved to be useful new tools in the fight against recent flooding in the state.
• Fort Riley aviation Soldiers fly to North Dakota to help with flood relief Army News 24 Apr 2009 -- Record flooding was occurring in North Dakota and Minnesota and Forces Command wanted CAB to assist.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Pentagon to Release Photos From Detainee Custody Investigations AFPS 24 Apr 2009 -- DoD will release a substantial number of photos associated with concluded past investigations of alleged abuse of detainees.
• US Defense Department to Release Prison Abuse Pictures VOA 24 Apr 2009 -- Rights group: US authorities will release photographs showing abuse of prisoners by US personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• Gates Welcomes New Senior Civilian Officials to Pentagon AFPS 24 Apr 2009 -- Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates welcomed a group of recently appointed senior defense civilian officials during a Pentagon ceremony today.
• UNITAS Ships Begin At-Sea Training Operations Navy NewsStand 24 Apr 2009 -- Ships from eleven nations got underway April 23 for UNITAS Gold, the 50th iteration of the longest-running multinational maritime exercise.
• USS George H.W. Bush Takes On AIRSpeed Navy NewsStand 24 Apr 2009 -- USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department (AIMD) stood up a new division in February, Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) Division or CPI_AIRSpeed.
• USNS Comfort Hosts Dominican Navy During Leadership Exchange Navy NewsStand 24 Apr 2009 -- Continuing Promise 2009 (CP09) military members hosted a "Leadership Exchange" for Dominican Republic Navy officers aboard hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) April 23.
• Fitzgerald Participates in China's International Fleet Review Navy NewsStand 24 Apr 2009 -- The forward-deployed Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) participated in the 2009 International Fleet Review (IFR) celebrating the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) April 20-23.
• Vietnamese Ministry of Defense Officials Visit USS John C. Stennis Navy NewsStand 24 Apr 2009 -- Vietnamese Ministry of Defense staff visited the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) April 22, marking the first visit by members of the Vietnamese military to a U.S. aircraft carrier.
• ‘America’s Battalion’ gets a taste of Afghan culture at MOUT town USMC News 24 Apr 2009 -- On today's modern battlefield, the lines between noncombatants and combatants are thinning as insurgents hide among the local populous
• Air Sovereignty Mission Needs Attention, Air Guard Chief Tells Congress AFPS 24 Apr 2009 -- New commitments need to be made to the nation’s airmen and others who defend North America.
• Altus slated to receive Reserve squadron AFNS 24 Apr 2009 -- Top military and government officials announced recently a Reserve squadron will join units here.
• Training system helps joint operators put bombs on target AFNS 24 Apr 2009 -- USAF acquisition program managers frequently talk figuratively about the ability to "put bombs on target."
• AF officials primed for officer qualifying test revamp AFNS 24 Apr 2009 -- Officials will further refine Qualifying Test by conducting surveys that ensure test content measures critical abilities and aptitudes.
• Annual Balikatan 2009 exercise at Fort Magsaysay begins Army News 24 Apr 2009 -- Soldiers from 1-294th Infantry, Guam NG, joined Philippine soldiers from the 49th Infantry Battalion at Fort Magsaysay military reservation.
• German FM urges removal of US atomic weapons from Germany IRNA 10 Apr 2009 -- German FM Steinmeier called for the removal of all US nuclear weapons from Germany.
• Russia, U.S. to hold full-scale arms reduction talks in mid-May RIA Novosti 24 Apr 2009 -- Russian-U.S. negotiations on a new strategic arms reduction treaty will take place in May in Washington.
• Russian, U.S. officials discuss strategic arms reduction in Rome RIA Novosti 24 Apr 2009 -- The first round of Russian-U.S. consultations on a new strategic arms reductions treaty began in Rome.
• Russia-NATO Council meeting to be held as scheduled - ministry RIA Novosti 24 Apr 2009 -- Russia-NATO Council ministerial-level meeting will be held as scheduled on May 19 in Brussels.
• NATO, Russia to share information on airborne threats RIA Novosti 24 Apr 2009 -- Poland, Norway and Turkey planning to set up a radar early warning network which will exchange information with Russia.
• No foreign military to join Ukraine's Sea Breeze exercises - navy RIA Novosti 24 Apr 2009 -- There will be no foreign military involvement in this summer's Sea Breeze military exercises in Ukraine's Crimea.
• Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 24 Apr 2009

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for April 24, 2009
• Oshkosh Defense Awarded $11 Million Delivery Order for Logistics Vehicle System Replacements Oshkosh 24 Apr 2009 -- Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK), has received a delivery order from the Marine Corps System Command (MARCORSYSCOM) for 30 Logistics Vehicle System Replacements (LVSR).
• Boeing Airborne Laser Team Begins Weapon System Flight Tests Boeing 24 Apr 2009 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA], industry teammates and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency have begun Airborne Laser (ABL) flight tests with the entire weapon system integrated aboard the ABL aircraft.

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 24 Apr 2009
• SRI LANKA: Risks to civilians still “extremely high” - top UN official IRIN 24 Apr 2009 -- UN Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes told IRIN there were still tens of thousands trapped in a pocket of fighting in northeastern Sri Lanka: “There may be as many as 50,000 or possibly even more people still left there," adding that heavy weapons were still being used by both sides.
• Top UN relief official heading to Sri Lanka UN News Centre 24 Apr 2009 -- With civilians still caught in crossfire between Government forces and separatist Tamil rebels in northern Sri Lanka, the top United Nations humanitarian official will head to the South Asian nation for a three-day visit, it was announced today.
• Top Sri Lankan Official Denies Humanitarian Crisis VOA 24 Apr 2009 -- Foreign secretary of Sri Lanka is denying there is a humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka's northeast.
• Indian officials leave for Colombo for talks on trapped civilians IRNA 24 Apr 2009 -- India's Foreign Secretary and National Security left for talks with Sri Lankan government.
• Russia Reports Renewed Anti-Terror Operations in Chechnya VOA 24 Apr 2009 -- Russian Operational Forces in Chechnya are reporting renewed counterterrorism operations in Chechnya.
• Russians Expand Chechen Counterterror Effort RFE/RL 24 Apr 2009 -- Russian authorities have expanded federal counterterrorism operations in Chechnya in 3 districts of the war-battered republic.
• Counter-terrorism operation re-launched in 3 Chechen districts RIA Novosti 24 Apr 2009 -- Russia has reintroduced counter-terrorism operations in 3 districts of southern Chechnya.
• DRC: Thousands of civilians trapped in east as clashes resume IRIN 24 Apr 2009 -- Thousands of civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are trapped amid clashes between government forces and Rwandan rebels.
• Global assistance could boost protection, security in Somalia - UN expert UN News Centre 24 Apr 2009 -- UN expert stressed that funds could greatly help protect civilians in the war-torn Horn of Africa nation and bolster its security forces.
• Somalia Opposition Leader Calls for Removal of AU Peacekeepers VOA 24 Apr 2009 -- A day after returning to Somalia, the country's most prominent opposition leader called for AU peacekeepers to leave the country.
• Hard-line Somali Opposition Leader Aweys Said to Have Returned to Mogadishu VOA 24 Apr 2009 -- AMISOM has heard reports that hard-line Somali opposition leader Sheik Aweys arrived in Mogadishu.
• Civilians continue to flee, in fear of reprisals, in eastern DR Congo - UN UN News Centre 24 Apr 2009 -- Congolese civilians are continuing to flee their homes, fearful of reprisal attacks by Hutu rebels.
• DRC Humanitarian Crisis Worsens as Rebel Attacks Rise VOA 24 Apr 2009 -- Raids by a Rwandan Hutu rebel group have made the humanitarian crisis in the eastern DRC even worse.
• DRC Ex-Combatants Form Political Party to Contest Future Elections VOA 24 Apr 2009 -- Sixteen of the 21 former rebel groups who recently signed a ceasefire have formed a political party.
• UGANDA: Dangers of unexploded ordnance in north IRIN 24 Apr 2009 -- Omony Obol, who recently returned to Palukere village in Amuru District, northern Uganda, after years of displacement, was clearing his gardens when he unearthed 740 rounds of ammunition and three grenades.
• BURUNDI: Repatriation of refugees from Tanzania resumes IRIN 24 Apr 2009 -- The UN Refugee Agency, (UNHCR) has resumed its repatriation of the "old caseload" of Burundian refugees in Tanzania - those who fled the country following the civil war in 1972 - with the latest returnees being a group of 473 who arrived on 22 April.
• NIGERIA: Impunity for perpetrators of sectarian violence IRIN 24 Apr 2009 -- As youths involved in recent sectarian clashes await trial in northern Nigeria, human rights groups and local residents say they are sceptical that those perpetrating violence will be held to account.
• SUDAN: NGOs accuse government of "extortion" IRIN 24 Apr 2009 -- Staff of some of the NGOs expelled from Sudan have accused the government of “extorting” large sums of money from them.
• UN official calls for full deployment of force in Chad, Central Africa UN News Centre 24 Apr 2009 -- Senior UN peacekeeping official urged Member States to bolster mission in the Central African Republic and Chad.
• South Caucasus Presents Tangled Web Of Shifting Allegiances RFE/RL 24 Apr 2009 -- Anticipation is in the air in the Armenian village of Margara.
• Abkhaz Leadership Assesses Time Frame For International Recognition RFE/RL 24 Apr 2009 -- Both Abkhaz President Bagapsh and FM Shamba have said they see little point in trying to accelerate artificially formal recognition by European states.
• Justice requires world recognize Armenian genocide - Sargsyan RIA Novosti 24 Apr 2009 -- Armenian President Sargsyan: International recognition and condemnation of the genocide of Armenians was necessary to restore historical justice.
• Four Serbian Police Jailed For 1999 Massacre Of Kosovar Albanians RFE/RL 24 Apr 2009 -- Four former Serbian police officers were sentenced by a Belgrade court to a total of 68 years in prison for killing 50 Albanian civilians in 1999.

News Reports

• CDC Briefing on Public Health Investigation of Human Cases of Swine Influenza Center for Disease Control 24 Apr 2009
• North Korea to try 2 U.S. journalists for 'hostile acts' RIA Novosti 24 Apr 2009 -- North Korea: Would try two female American journalists arrested last month for border trespass and unspecified "hostile acts."
• North Korea to Charge US Journalists VOA 24 Apr 2009 -- North Korea has announced that it will put two detained American journalists on trial.
• Many Captured Pirates Released, Analysts Say VOA 24 Apr 2009 -- Pirates have stepped up their attacks on vessels off the coast of Somalia.
• Provisional Result Shows ANC Wins South African Election Convincingly VOA 24 Apr 2009 -- With most of the vote counting done the ruling African National Congress looks set to achieve its goal of winning a two-thirds majority in South Africa's national assembly.
• Provisional Results of South Africa General Election Expected Friday VOA 24 Apr 2009 -- The leader of South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC), Jacob Zuma is expected to officially declare victory Friday from Wednesday's general election.
• Georgian opposition predicts Saakashvili to go in 'several days' RIA Novosti 24 Apr 2009 -- Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and his government will succumb to pressure to quit in several days.
• EU envoys, Moldovan opposition to take part in riots probe RIA Novosti 24 Apr 2009 -- Moldovan opposition leaders and EU representatives will be included in the make-up of a commission to look into recent riots in the Moldovan capital of Chisinau.
• Thai PM Lifts State of Emergency, Looks to End Political Crisis VOA 24 Apr 2009 -- Thailand's PM Vejjajiva has lifted a state of emergency and voiced his hope for reconciliation following violent street protests against his government.
• Australia Urges China to Stop Supporting Fiji's Military Government VOA 24 Apr 2009 -- Australia has been pressing China to reduce its support for the military government in Fiji.
• MADAGASCAR: Political events upstage humanitarian crisis IRIN 24 Apr 2009 -- International donors need to face up to the seriousness of Madagascar's deepening humanitarian crisis and, perhaps more importantly, they need to pay up, said aid agencies on the Indian Ocean Island.
• Human Rights Advocates Urge US Not to Ease Sanctions on Burma VOA 24 Apr 2009 -- International experts on Burma's human rights record are urging the Obama administration not to ease economic sanctions on the country's military rulers as part of a policy review.