Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Casualty Update 13 Aug 2015 [PDF]
• General Discusses Afghan Forces, Security, ISIL Threat AFPS 13 Aug 2015 -- Afghan forces are fully responsible for their nation’s security but still need and deserve the broad support of U.S. and coalition forces .
• Top General Says U.S. Should Consider Embedding Troops In Iraq RFE/RL 13 Aug 2015 -- The fight against Islamic State (IS) militants is at a stalemate.
• US May Investigate Claims of Civilian Deaths in Coalition Airstrikes VOA 13 Aug 2015 -- U.S. military officials are assessing whether to open an investigation into a coalition airstrike earlier this week in northern Syria.
• Airstrikes Against ISIL Forces Continue AFPS 13 Aug 2015 -- U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq.
• US military data stolen by Daesh's ‘Hacking Division’ Press TV 13 Aug 2015 -- A so-called “hacking division” of the Daesh Takfiri group has released names, home addresses and other sensitive details of hundreds of US military and embassy staff in an alleged “hit list.”
• Islamic State Bombs Baghdad Market VOA 13 Aug 2015 -- Iraqi officials said a powerful truck bomb tore through a Shi'ite neighborhood in Baghdad, killing at least 67 people.
• Abadi censures US commander over remarks on splitting Iraq Press TV 13 Aug 2015 -- Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has strongly condemned a top US military commander over his remarks on the possibility of the disintegration of Iraq.
• Department of Defense Press Briefing with Brigadier General Wilson Shoffner, Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications, Resolute Support Mission, Afghanistan DoD 13 Aug 2015
• Afghanistan, Pakistan Discuss Recent Attacks VOA 13 Aug 2015 -- Pakistan and Afghanistan held high-level meetings Thursday in an attempt to ease tensions between them following a series of terror attacks in Kabul that have killed scores of people.
• Why The Taliban Criticized An IS Video As 'Horrific' And 'Un-Islamic' RFE/RL 13 Aug 2015 -- When militants affiliated with the extremist group Islamic State (IS) issued a video showing prisoners being blown up with explosives, the Afghan Taliban condemned it as "horrific."
• New Audio Message Suggests Closer al Qaida-Taliban Alliance VOA 13 Aug 2015 --Al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri appears to have pledged the group’s loyalty to the new leader of the Afghan Taliban, a move that could strengthen both terror organizations as they fend off challenges from Islamic State.
• Al-Qaida's Zawahiri Backs Taliban Leader VOA 13 Aug 2015 -- Al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri has pledged allegiance to the new head of the Taliban.
• Al-Qaeda Leader Declares Loyalty To New Afghan Taliban Leader RFE/RL 13 Aug 2015 -- Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri pledged the group's allegiance to the new head of the Afghan Taliban, showing the organization's stance on the Taliban leader’s disputed accession.

Defense Policy / Programs

• US Military Surveying Prisons to Potentially Hold Guantanamo Detainees VOA 13 Aug 2015 -- The Department of Defense has started surveying a military installation in Leavenworth, Kansas, to potentially hold detainees currently at the U.S. detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
• NC Guard's MP Battalion prepares for GITMO mission Army News 13 Aug 2015 -- This will be first deployment of a NCARNG battalion to GITMO.
• Army Reserve Chief Calls for Budget Flexibility AFPS 13 Aug 2015 -- The chief of the Army Reserve understands that the U.S. deficit is a threat to national security, but says the component needs flexibility from Congress to spend what money it gets more effectively.
• A Case for Aircraft Carriers and Air Wings NNS 13 Aug 2015 -- Today, more than ever, U.S. national interests require the speed, endurance, flexibility and autonomous nature of the U.S. Navy's nuclear powered aircraft carrier, which deploys, operates and is prepared to fight as part of a carrier strike group (CSG).
• US Navy Dreams of Stealth Jets, Carrier-Launched Drones, Laser Weapons Sputnik 13 Aug 2015 -- A top US Navy commander unveiled the force's vision for the future of its carrier-based air power, and it involves stealth fighter jets, carrier-launched drones, submarine-detecting helicopters and laser weapons.
• USS Essex Conducts Strait of Hormuz Transit NNS 13 Aug 2015 -- The Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) transited the Strait of Hormuz and entered the Arabian Gulf Aug. 6.
• USS Coronado (LCS 4) Conducts Live Fire Testing NNS 13 Aug 2015 -- USS Coronado (LCS 4) successfully tracked and neutralized both single and multiple fast inshore attack craft during live-fire testing off the coast of California July 18-22.
• F-16 crash in Bavaria: Public report expected within 90 days AFNS 13 Aug 2015 -- The investigation into the Aug. 11 F-16C Fighting Falcon crash near Engelmannreuth in the county of Bayreuth, Germany, is currently ongoing.
• Next generation biocontainment system unveiled at Dobbins AFNS 13 Aug 2015 -- The next generation in biocontainment systems was unveiled in a ceremony here Aug. 11.
• Hollande Under Fire After Newspaper Reveals True Cost of Mistral Fiasco Sputnik 13 Aug 2015 -- French President Francois Hollande faces pressure after a newspaper revealed that the true cost of breaking the Mistral contract with Russia may be more than double the declared sum.
• Belarus Air Force Boosts Orders of Ultra-Modern Russian Yak-130 Jets Sputnik 13 Aug 2015 -- Belarus has ordered new combat aircraft from Russia, according to the commander of Belarus' Air Force and Air Defense Forces.
• U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing, August 13, 2015 US Dept. of State 13 Aug 2015

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for August 13, 2015

Other Conflicts

• Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, 13 August 2015 United Nations 13 Aug 2015
• Ban addresses top peacekeeping officials amid allegations of sexual abuse by UN ‘blue helmets’ UN News 13 Aug 2015 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has conducted an urgent video conference with the heads of United Nations peacekeeping operations, Force Commanders, and Police Commissioners.
• 'Kurdish forces attacked with chemical arms in Iraq' Press TV 13 Aug 2015 -- The German Defense Ministry says Daesh terrorists have launched a chemical attack on Kurdish forces fighting the militants in northern Iraq.
• Iraqi Army Airstrike Kills 25 Civilians – Reports Sputnik 13 Aug 2015 -- At least 25 civilians, women and children, reportedly were killed on Thursday in an airstrike carried out by the Iraqi Air Force.
• Abadi Seeks To Seal Sweeping Reforms With Constitutional Change RFE/RL 13 Aug 2015 -- Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi, after winning quick approval of his sweeping government reform legislation in parliament, says he wants to correct what he calls "mistakes" in the country's constitution.
• Turkey’s prime minister says coalition talks failed Press TV 13 Aug 2015 -- Turkey’s prime minister says crucial coalition talks with the leader of the main opposition party have failed as “deep disagreements” remain between the two sides.
• Moderate Syrian Opposition Leader Rejects Russian-Iranian Peace Plan RFE/RL 13 Aug 2015 -- The leader of a political coalition of moderate Syrian opposition forces has told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that a Russian-Iranian proposal to end Syria's four-year-old civil war is unworkable.
• Head of UN food relief agency appeals for continued support to Syrian refugees UN News 13 Aug 2015 -- The head of United Nations World Food Programme called on the international community to continue supporting Syrian refugees.
• Ukraine Clashes Prompt Stern Call From Kerry to Lavrov VOA 13 Aug 2015 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has expressed “grave concern” to his Russian counterpart about a "sharp rise" in separatist attacks in eastern Ukraine.
• Ukraine Posts Video Of Captured ‘Russian Soldier’ Asking For Putin’s Help RFE/RL 13 Aug 2015 -- Ukraine’s state security agency has released a new video purporting to show a Russian army officer who was detained last month in eastern Ukraine appealing to President Vladimir Putin to secure his release.
• Ukraine: UN agency begins cash assistance programme to meet food needs in crisis-torn eastern areas UN News 13 Aug 2015 -- The United Nations World Food Programme has begun cash distributions to some 60,000 people in Government-controlled areas of the Lugansk and Donetsk region.
• Nigerian Military Confident It Can Finish Off Boko Haram VOA 13 Aug 2015 -- The Nigerian military says it is implementing new measures against Boko Haram following an order by President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday to defeat the Islamist militant group within the next three months.
• Nigerian Military Given Three Months to Stop Boko Haram VOA 13 Aug 2015 -- Nigeria's president has ordered the military to defeat the Boko Haram insurgency within three months.
• South Sudan Rebel Leader Warns of Peace Talks Failure VOA 13 Aug 2015 -- South Sudan’s former vice president and leader of the rebels, Riek Machar, has expressed concern that proposals in an agreement to be discussed at the peace talks with President Salva Kiir have been “hijacked” in the Ugandan capital, Kampala.

News Reports

• Switzerland Lifts Sanctions On Iranian Oil, Precious Metals Sales RFE/RL 13 Aug 2015 -- Switzerland is lifting some sanctions against Iran in what it calls a sign of support for the agreement between Tehran and world powers over its nuclear program.
• On His Birthday, Fidel Castro Wants US to Repay Cuba the Millions it Owes Sputnik 13 Aug 2015 -- Fidel Castro turned 89 on Thursday, and to mark his birthday, the former Cuban President requested that the United States pay back the "many millions of dollars" owed to his country because of the old embargo.
• On-the-Record Briefing on the 19th U.S.-China Human Rights Dialogue US Dept. of State 13 Aug 2015
• Myanmar Ousts Top Party Officials VOA 13 Aug 2015 -- Myanmar President Thein Sein carried out a purge of the leadership of the country’s ruling party Thursday in a major political shakeup ahead of national elections in November.
• Myanmar ruling party chairman deposed ahead of polls Press TV 13 Aug 2015 -- The head of Myanmar’s ruling party has been removed from office ahead of the country’s general elections.
• Libyan parties say ‘no alternative’ to peace outside UN-sponsored dialogue process UN News 13 Aug 2015 -- The latest round of the United Nations-facilitated Libyan political dialogue has concluded in Geneva.