Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Airstrikes Hit ISIL in Syria, Iraq AFPS 21 Feb 2015 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria, using bomber aircraft to conduct an airstrike, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Joint Press Conference with Secretary Carter and President Ghani at Presidential Palace in Kabul, Afghanistan DoD 21 Feb 2015 -- Presenters: Secretary of Defense Ash Carter and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani
• Carter Discusses Progress With Leaders During Afghanistan Visit AFPS 21 Feb 2015 -- U.S. and coalition troops have a new mission in Afghanistan but the same strong commitment to sustaining an enduring partnership, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said today during a joint press conference with Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani in Kabul.
• New Pentagon Chief in Kabul Talks With Afghan President VOA 21 Feb 2015 -- The new U.S. defense secretary, Ashton Carter, met in Kabul Saturday with Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani, who sounded optimistic about his government's efforts to promote peace and reconciliation with the Taliban. Carter revealed that Washington is reconsidering its troop-withdrawal plans in light of Mr. Ghani's comments.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Dempsey Visits Strategic, Remote Kwajalein Atoll AFPS 21 Feb 2015 -- Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, paid a visit here today to highlight Kwajalein's importance to the U.S. missile defense and space programs.
• ISIL 'a Very Complex Threat,' Dempsey Says in Marshall Islands AFPS 21 Feb 2015 -- Regional governments must take the lead in solving the 'very complex threat' posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today.
• Iran to increase home-built drones' flight range IRNA 21 Feb 2015 -- A senior Iranian official says the country is working to increase the flight range of its domestically-made drones.
• US State Department Approves Helicopters' Sales to Slovakia, But Overpriced Sputnik 21 Feb 2015 -- Slovakia may cancel the sale of the helicopters with the US and return to European manufacturers as the US raised the agreed price by a third.
• US considering arming Ukraine army against protesters in east Iran Press TV 21 Feb 2015 -- US Secretary of State John Kerry says the US is considering whether to provide the Ukrainian army with lethal weapons to suppress a pro-Russia protest in the east of the country.
• Kim Jong Un Guides Military Drill for Seizing Island KCNA 21 Feb 2015 -- Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army Kim Jong Un, first secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and first chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, guided a drill for striking and seizing island.
• The More the Better: Kim Jong Un Wants N Korean Army to Conduct More Drills Sputnik 21 Feb 2015 -- South Korea joint drills, known as Key Resolve/Foal Eagle, set to be conducted next month.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Up to 500 Ukraine soldiers trapped near Debaltseve: Pro-Russians Iran Press TV 21 Feb 2015 -- Officials in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) say there are up to 500 Ukrainian troops still trapped near the key eastern town of Debaltseve.
• 179 Ukrainian soldiers killed in battle for Debaltseve: Kiev official Iran Press TV 21 Feb 2015 -- A Ukrainian official says at least 179 government troops lost their lives in the conflict with pro-Russia forces in the key eastern town of Debaltseve over the past month.
• Kerry Says U.S., Europe Will Respond To Ukraine Cease-Fire Violations RFE/RL 21 Feb 2015 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says President Barack Obama will evaluate his options on dealing with events in eastern Ukraine "in the next few days" - including possible further sanctions against Russia and the option of arming Ukrainian troops to fight Russian-backed separatists.
• OSCE Cannot Confirm Withdrawal of Heavy Weaponry in East Ukraine - Official Sputnik 21 Feb 2015 -- The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's (OSCE) monitoring mission to Ukraine cannot confirm the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the conflict zone in Donbas, the mission's deputy chief monitor said Saturday.
• Ukrainian High-Ranking Diplomat Claims Kiev Prepares for 'Full-Scale' War Sputnik 21 Feb 2015 -- Ukrainian deputy foreign minister claimed Kiev was preparing for a 'full-scale' war and urged Canada to send lethal assistance to the country in a radio interview.
• Ukraine FM Says EU Police Mission Must Be Sent to Donbas After Peacekeepers Sputnik 21 Feb 2015 -- Ukraine's Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin has stressed that an EU police mission needs to be sent to the southeast of the country (Donbas) in order to stabilize the situation there, although a key role in that respect should be played by peacekeepers.
• ISIL destroys oldest mosque in Iraq's Al-Anbar Province IRNA 21 Feb 2015 -- The ISIL terrorist group has blown up the oldest mosque in the Iraqi province of al-Anbar.
• Rocket attack hits airfield in east Libya Iran Press TV 21 Feb 2015 -- Unknown assailants have targeted an airfield in eastern Libya with rockets without leaving any casualties or damage.
• UN Security Council, Secretary-General Condemn Terrorist Attack in Libya Sputnik 21 Feb 2015 -- UN Security Council and the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned another terrorist bombing in eastern Libya, in the city of al-Qubbah, calling for the defeat of Islamic State extremist group.
• Security Council condemns 'heinous' bomb attacks in Libya UN News Centre 21 Feb 2015 -- The United Nations Security Council has strongly condemned yesterday's deadly bomb attacks in al-Qubbah, Libya, claimed by an affiliate of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), also known by its Arabic acronym, Da'esh.
• UN Chief Calls on All Parties to Stop Shelling of Aleppo Sputnik 21 Feb 2015 -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon took note of his envoy Staffan de Mistura's statement that Syria's government is willing to stop all aerial attacks and artillery shelling over Aleppo for six weeks and urged all armed opposition groups to suspend their shelling of the city.
• 14 Boko Haram extremists killed in Niger Iran Press TV 21 Feb 2015 -- At least 14 Takfiri Boko Haram militants have been killed in clashes with Nigerien army forces after an attack by the group in southeastern Niger.
• Nigerian Military Retakes Key Town from Boko Haram VOA 21 Feb 2015 -- Nigeria's military said Saturday that it had reclaimed a strategic border town from the Boko Haram militant group, while other reports said the militants continued their deadly campaign elsewhere in the country's northeast.
• Ousted Yemeni President Calls Houthi Takeover 'Illegitimate' VOA 21 Feb 2015 -- Yemen's ousted president on Saturday rejected the Shi'ite rebel takeover of his country's capital and government, in a statement read on television channel al-Jazeera after he left the capital, Sana'a.
• Yemeni ex-president dismisses measures by Houthis Iran Press TV 21 Feb 2015 -- Yemen's ex-president, who has left his home in the capital city of Sana'a, has dismissed all measures taken by the Houthi movement after the Shia revolutionaries gained control of the capital.
• 130 killed in Myanmar's battle against ethnic Chinese rebels Iran Press TV 21 Feb 2015 -- More than 130 people have been killed in fighting between Myanmar's army and rebels near the Chinese border, casting further doubt on the prospects of a nationwide ceasefire ahead of the next general elections.
• Details Emerge as Twin Blasts in Mogadishu Are Investigated VOA 21 Feb 2015 -- Somalia's government has released new details on Friday's al-Shabab attack on a popular hotel in Mogadishu, where at least 25 people were killed and more than 50 were wounded.
• Kerry: Palestinian Financial Troubles May Bring More Security Worries VOA 21 Feb 2015 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Saturday that the Palestinian Authority's financial plight could hurt security for both Palestinians and Israelis.

News Reports

• Revelation of Secret Spyware Could Hamper US Espionage Efforts VOA 20 Feb 2015 -- The revelation of secret technology that buries spyware into computer hard drives could be a blow to espionage efforts by the U.S. National Security Agency, intelligence analysts say.
• Russian Loyalists Hold 'Anti-Maidan' March in Moscow VOA 21 Feb 2015 -- As Ukraine marks the one-year anniversary of the Euromaidan clashes that toppled its Russia-leaning president, thousands of demonstrators in Moscow on Saturday held what they called an "anti-Maidan" march.
• Russia Holds Anti-Maidan Rally RFE/RL 21 Feb 2015 -- Thousands of people have rallied in central Moscow to mark the first anniversary of what they view as a 'coup' in neighboring Ukraine.
• Yanukovych Claims Ideas of Returning to Ukraine 'Constantly' on His Mind Sputnik 21 Feb 2015 -- During an interview on the anniversary of the Maidan protests, former Ukrainian president Yanukovych claimed he wanted to return to his country and 'bend every effort to make life of Ukrainians easier.'
• US Senate Coalition Demands Penalizing Russia for Alleged Minsk Violations Sputnik 21 Feb 2015 -- The US should impose additional sanctions on Russia and increase military aid to Kiev to penalize Moscow for allegedly violating the Minsk agreement, a ten-member bipartisan group of US senators said in a letter to US Secretary of State John Kerry.
• US, Britain Weigh Additional Sanctions Against Russia VOA 21 Feb 2015 -- The United States and Britain on Saturday discussed imposing more sanctions on Russia, as Ukraine's week-old cease-fire continued to teeter on the brink of collapse.
• Rouhani's special aide joins nuclear talks IRNA 21 Feb 2015 -- An special aide to President Hassan Rouhani joined the nuclear talks underway in Geneva between Iran and the United States.
• Araqchi: Iran seeking fresh ways in nuclear talks IRNA 21 Feb 2015 -- Iran's top nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi has said that Tehran is seeking new innovative ways in nuclear talks to accelerate the pace of developments.
• Iran not to agree with two-phased N. deal ISNA 21 Feb 2015 -- Senior Iranian nuclear negotiator and Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Abbas Araqchi reiterated that the country would not agree with two-phased deal on nuclear issue.
• IAEA report verifies Iran transparency: IAEA envoy ISNA 21 Feb 2015 -- Iran's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said the agency's leaked report verifies Tehran's "full transparency" in its nuclear program.
• 'Significant Gaps' Exist in Iran Nuclear Talks, Kerry Says VOA 21 Feb 2015 -- There are still 'significant gaps' in negotiations on Iran's nuclear program, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Saturday in London ahead of Sunday talks in Geneva with Iranian officials.