Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Airstrikes Continue Against ISIL in Syria, Iraq AFPS 01 Mar 2015 -- U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• HRW to Afghanistan: Include Women in Taliban Peace Talks VOA 01 Mar 2015 -- Human Rights Watch has demanded the new Afghan government ensure meaningful representation of women in future peace talks with the Taliban.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Handheld imaging tool expands aircraft inspection capability AFNS 01 Mar 2015 -- When pilots climb into the cockpit they expect their aircraft to perform as expected, regardless if take off is from a home or deployed location; but ensuring that the aircraft is healthy enough to fly has become a challenge for the Air Force.
• Russian Inspectors to Fly Over Spain, Portugal Under Open Skies Treaty Sputnik 01 Mar 2015 -- Russian inspectors will conduct observation flights over the territories of Spain and Portugal at the beginning of March, under the Treaty on Open Skies, head of Russia's National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center Sergei Ryzhkov has announced.
• Israel's army conducts major drill in fear of Palestinians attacks Iran Press TV 01 Mar 2015 -- Israeli army has recently carried out a large-scale drill to test response time of its forces to a potential attack by Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
• Unexpected Military Drill Held in West Bank by Israeli Armed Forces Sputnik 01 Mar 2015 -- The Israeli military mobilized some 13,000 soldiers for an unexpected drill on Sunday in the occupied West Bank, in the first such exercise in three years.
• N. Korea Fires Rockets as Joint US-South Korean Maneuvers Start VOA 01 Mar 2015 -- Authorities say North Korea has fired two short-range missiles into the East Sea, in an apparent protest against joint U.S. and South Korean military exercises launched elsewhere in the region Monday.
• Asia's Rising Naval Power: S Korea to Build New Attack Submarine by 2016 Sputnik 01 Mar 2015 -- Seoul announced South Korea's sixth 1,800-ton attack submarine will be delivered to the Navy in November 2016.
• Iran raises drones flights by 800 times ISNA 01 Mar 2015 -- Iran increased drones flights by 800 times over the current Iranian calendar year (which started on March 21, 2014) comparing to similar period last year, and has formed drone brigade in the Army Air Force bases.
• Russia's SMF Ready to Repel a 'Lightning-Speed' Nuclear Strike Sputnik 01 Mar 2015 -- The Russian Strategic Missile Forces are prepared to shield the country from a nuclear attack under any circumstances, the SMF Central Command's chief said.
• Tanks Made in Ukraine Cannot Take a Hit Sputnik 01 Mar 2015 -- there is a large number of destroyed tanks with strange, uncharacteristic damages on their hulls, Latvian Vesti.lv reports.
• Germany Offers to Sell Tank Howitzers to Lithuania Sputnik 01 Mar 2015 -- Germany announced they are preparing to sell tank howitzers to Lithuania.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Ukrainian Volunteers Prepare to Defend Mariupol VOA 01 Mar 2015 -- Despite the ongoing ceasefire in Ukraine, soldiers in the city of Mariupol fear that pro-Russian separatists may be getting ready to attack. The separatists must take or encircle the city if they wish to gain land access to Crimea, which was annexed by Russia early last year. But Ukrainian forces, many of them volunteers, say they are determined to defend it.
• Pro-Russians remove heavy weapons from frontline in east Ukraine Iran Press TV 01 Mar 2015 -- Pro-Russia forces in eastern Ukraine have announced that they have nearly completed the piecemeal pullback of heavy weapons from the frontline in the east of the country in compliance with a peace agreement signed last month.
• Kiev Regroups Heavy Arms Near Contact Line, Violates Minsk Deal - Donetsk Sputnik 01 Mar 2015 -- Ukraine's government troops are regrouping heavy arms near the line of contact, the deputy commander of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic's (DPR) forces said Sunday.
• Kiev to Complete First Stage of Heavy Weaponry Withdrawal Sunday Sputnik 01 Mar 2015 -- Kiev forces will complete the first stage of their heavy weapons' pullout in east Ukraine's Donbas region on Sunday, Ukrainian military spokesman Anatoliy Stelmakh told RIA Novosti.
• E Ukraine's Breakaway Republics Complete Heavy Weaponry Withdrawal Sputnik 01 Mar 2015 -- East Ukraine's self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Luhansk (DPR and LPR) completed the withdrawal of heavy weaponry from the contact line, the DPR's and LPR's officials said Sunday.
• Independence Fighters Fired at Azov Battalion - Ukraine's Interior Ministry Sputnik 01 Mar 2015 -- Advisor to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Zorian Shkiryak says independence fighters in the country have opened fire at the positions of Kiev forces, particularly the Azov battalion, although nobody from the Kiev side was injured.
• Iraqi military purges Baghdadi of ISIL terrorists ISNA 01 Mar 2015 -- Iraq's Defense Ministry said the military, with the support of volunteer forces and pro-government tribes, managed to fully purge the western town of Baghdadi of the ISIL Takfiri terrorists.
• Iraqi forces launch anti-ISIL military operation in Salahuddin Iran Press TV 01 Mar 2015 -- Iraqi forces, backed by Shia volunteers, have started fighting the ISIL Takfiri terrorists to liberate the northern province of Salahuddin.
• Iraq PM: Offensive to Retake Tikrit Under Way VOA 01 Mar 2015 -- An Iraqi coalition of government troops and militias has begun a highly publicized offensive to push Islamic State militants out of the city of Tikrit.
• Iraq violence kills over 1,100 in February: UN Iran Press TV 01 Mar 2015 -- Latest figures released by the United Nations show ongoing violence and terror activities claimed the lives of more than 1,100 people across Iraq in February.
• UN, Libya's Dawn Militia Agree on Principle of Ceasefire,Political Dialogue Sputnik 01 Mar 2015 -- In its latest attempt to establish a ceasefire in Libya, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) delegation met with the Libyan Dawn militia and agreed on the principle of a ceasefire in the country, the UN announced Sunday.
• ISIL Releases 23 Assyrian Christian Abductees in Syria Sputnik 01 Mar 2015 -- Islamic State has freed 23 Assyrian Christians abducted in Syria, over 100 prisoners still languish in captivity, according to a main Assyrian church of Lebanon priest.
• UN envoy dispatches mission to Syria to lay groundwork for Aleppo 'freeze' UN News Centre 01 Mar 2015 -- The Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, is continuing discussions with the Government of Syria on his proposed 'freeze' of localized hostilities in the city of Aleppo, the United Nations spokesperson's office said today.
• 172 militants killed in Egypt's Sinai in February: Army Iran Press TV 01 Mar 2015 -- The Egyptian army says at least 172 militants are killed in joint police and military operations in the volatile Sinai Peninsula in February.
• Mali government signs peace deal, rebels ask for more time Iran Press TV 01 Mar 2015 -- The Malian government has signed a peace deal with some rebel groups to end fighting in northern regions, but the main Tuareg rebel coalition has asked for more time for further consultations with its grassroots.
• Mali Government Signs Peace Deal While Rebels Delay VOA 01 Mar 2015 -- Mali's government signed a preliminary peace deal with some of the country's northern separatists groups, but the main Tuareg rebel alliance has asked for more time for consultations before agreeing to the accord.

News Reports

• Russian Opposition Marches in Tribute to Murdered Leader VOA 01 Mar 2015 -- Tens of thousands of people marched in central Moscow Sunday to mourn murdered opposition leader Boris Nemtsov.
• Bill Browder Tells VOA Russian About Boris Nemtsov Murder VOA 01 Mar 2015 -- British citizen Bill Browder is the co-founder of the Hermitage Capital Management fund that has been described as one of the biggest foreign investors in Russia from 1995 to 2006. A noted critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Browder was banned from Russia in 2006 after calling attention to corruption and tax evasion by Russian businessmen.
• Over 70,000 march to commemorate slain Russian opposition figure Nemtsov Iran Press TV 01 Mar 2015 -- More than 70,000 people have marched in central Moscow in commemoration of assassinated prominent Russian opposition figure Boris Nemtsov.
• Tens of Thousands Take Part In Nemtsov Memorial March In Moscow RFE/RL 01 Mar 2015 -- Tens of thousands of Russians have marched through central Moscow to mourn slain opposition politician Boris Nemtsov and express outrage at the Kremlin over his killing.
• Nemtsov: Kremlin-Watchers Find Eerie Parallel In An 80-Year-Old Murder RFE/RL 01 Mar 2015 -- On December 1, 1934, a killing took place that would set the stage for one of the blackest chapters in Soviet history.
• President: No reason to maintain sanctions IRNA 01 Mar 2015 -- President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday that basis for nuclear talks is to try to find common grounds and mutual confidence-building and that there is no reason to maintain sanctions.
• Bushehr power plant stops for two months maintenance services IRNA 01 Mar 2015 -- Bushehr power plant ceased operation from hour 23:00 on March 1, 2015 for two months maintenance services.
• Iran's Shamkhani reiterates lifting 'illegal sanctions' ISNA 01 Mar 2015 -- Secretary of Iranian National Security Council Ali Shamkhani stressed lifting all illegal sanctions on Iran.
• Iran shuts down Bushehr nuclear plant Iran Press TV 01 Mar 2015 -- Iran says it has shut down its Bushehr nuclear power plant based on a previously arranged schedule.
• Iran Nuclear Talks, IS Among Key Issues for Kerry Trip VOA 01 Mar 2015 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry begins a trip Monday to Europe and Saudi Arabia, where he will hold talks on issues including efforts to combat the Islamic State group, rising tensions between the U.S. and Russia over separatist unrest in Ukraine, and Iran nuclear negotiations.
• Netanyahu on 'Historic Mission' to Stop Iran Nuclear Deal VOA 01 Mar 2015 -- Two days ahead of a controversial speech in Washington by Israel's prime minister, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is attempting to shore up the countries' relationship amid diplomatic friction.
• Russia Expels Western Double Agent Sputnik 01 Mar 2015 -- Russia expelled senior inspector of Latvian civilian aviation Andrejs Dudarevs (Andrei Dudarev) known as 'agent Thomas'. According to the Federal Security Service (FSB) he spied for Latvian and American intelligence agencies.
• Poroshenko Signs Law on Regional Policy Based on Decentralization Principle Sputnik 01 Mar 2015 -- Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a law defining the principles of the state regional policy, the president's press service said in a statement Sunday.
• Voting Irregularities Documented In Tajik Elections RFE/RL 01 Mar 2015 -- Apparent voting irregularities have been documented as Tajikistan held parliamentary elections, including widespread cases where one person was casting ballots for an entire family, a lack of election monitors, and instances where volunteer poll workers advised people who to vote for.
• Mujica, Uruguay's champion of the poor, steps down Iran Press TV 01 Mar 2015 -- Uruguayan President Jose Mujica, commonly known as the world's poorest president, has stepped down from his post after five years of ruling the country under his spartan style.