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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Casualty Update 25 Nov 2015 [PDF]
• Military Strikes Hit ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 25 Nov 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.
• Pentagon Monitoring Reports of Aid Convoy Bombing in Syria VOA 25 Nov 2015 -- A U.S. defense official says the Pentagon is monitoring reports that a convoy of humanitarian vehicles was hit in an airstrike Wednesday near Azaz, Syria, about 6 kilometers south of the Turkish border.
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by General Campbell via teleconference from Afghanistan DoD 25 Nov 2015 -- General John F. Campbell, commander, U.S. forces in Afghanistan; Captain Jeff Davis, Director, Defense Press Office; Brigadier General Wilson Shoffner, Deputy Chief of Staff for Communication, Operation Resolute Support, Afghanistan
• Campbell: Kunduz Hospital Attack 'Tragic, Avoidable Accident' AFPS 25 Nov 2015 -- Human error, procedural missteps and technical failures contributed to the attack on a Doctors Without Borders trauma center in Kunduz, Afghanistan, on Oct. 3, Army Gen. John F. Campbell said in Kabul today.
• Kunduz Hospital Bombing 'Avoidable,' Caused by Human Error - Pentagon Sputnik 25 Nov 2015 -- US Forces Commander in Afghanistan Gen. John Campbell called the deadly bombing of the Kunduz hospital in Afghanistan by US forces 'an avoidable accident, caused primarily by human error.'
• US: Multiple Errors Led to Mistaken, Deadly Attack on Afghan Hospital VOA 25 Nov 2015 -- American forces misidentified a target in Kunduz, Afghanistan last month that resulted in a mistaken half-hour aerial attack on a hospital that killed at least 30 people, mostly doctors and patients, according to a U.S. military investigation.
• U.S. Probe Says Afghan Hospital Attack Was 'Tragic Accident' RFE/RL 25 Nov 2015 -- The U.S. investigation into a deadly attack on a hospital run by the French charity Doctors Without Borders in Afghanistan concluded that it was an 'avoidable accident' caused primarily by human error.
• US: Multiple Errors Led to Mistaken, Deadly Attack on Afghan Hospital VOA 25 Nov 2015 -- A U.S. military investigation concluded Wednesday that American and Afghan forces misidentified a target in Kunduz, Afghanistan last month that resulted in a mistaken half-hour aerial attack on a hospital that killed at least 31 people, mostly doctors and patients.
• Afghan forces start operation to rescue captured soldiers Press TV 25 Nov 2015 -- Afghan security forces have launched an operation to rescue the soldiers that were taken into captivity by the Taliban terrorist group after their helicopter made an emergency landing in a territory under the militants' control.
• Afghanistan Plagued by Violence, Corruption, Security Issues - Report Sputnik 25 Nov 2015 -- Despite a decade-long western-led war aimed at improving the situation in Afghanistan, the country remains plagued by violence and corruption, where the local population faces massive human rights and security issues, according to a confidential German Foreign Ministry analysis of the situation.
• NATO spy drone goes down in central Afghanistan Press TV 25 Nov 2015 -- An unmanned aerial vehicle belonging to the US-led NATO has reportedly gone down in Afghanistan's central province of Parwan.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Statement by the President The White House 25 Nov 2015 -- "Today I have signed into law S. 1356, the 'National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016.' I vetoed an earlier version of this legislation that failed to authorize funding for our national defense in a fiscally responsible manner."
• Developing the Fire Controlman Non Aegis Combat Systems Learning Continuum NNS 25 Nov 2015 -- Norfolk, Va. - The Center for Surface Combat Systems Unit (CSCSU) Dam Neck who manages and operates Fire Controlman (FC) Non Aegis 'C' schools, recently hosted the FC Non Aegis Combat Systems Strategic Training Ratings Review (CSSTRR) onboard Naval Station Norfolk, Nov. 17 - 19.
• USS Charlotte Visits Yokosuka during Indo-Asia-Pacific Deployment NNS 25 Nov 2015 -- The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Charlotte (SSN 766) arrived at Fleet Activities Yokosuka Nov. 24, for a port visit during its Indo-Asia-Pacific deployment.
• Air Force revamping flight, operational medicine AFNS 25 Nov 2015 -- The Air Force Medical Service is restructuring flight and operational medicine by separating primary care and occupational medicine services into two distinct clinics, with the goal of improving care and creating more efficient and patient-centered workflows.
• US Allocates $134Mln to Advance Balkan Integration With EU, NATO Sputnik 25 Nov 2015 -- The United States has invested close to $135 million to ensure the Western Balkan states are fully engulfed by the EU-NATO umbrella, the White House said in a press release on Wednesday.
• NATO discusses Montenegro's path to membership NATO 25 Nov 2015 -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg discussed Montenegro's path to membership on Wednesday (25 November 2015) in talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Igor Lukšić and Defence Minister, Professor Milica Pejanović-Đurišić.
• Russia Builds Military Capacity Taking Into Account Global Situation Sputnik 25 Nov 2015 -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that equipment criteria for modern armed forces weaponry was defined in accordance with state defense order-2015 and military infrastructure readiness.
• First Arctic Helicopter Delivered to Russian Military Sputnik 25 Nov 2015 -- The Russian Defense Ministry received its first helicopter developed for Arctic deployment, the Russian Helicopters manufacturer said Wednesday.
• Russia's Western Military District Receives 2 Triumf Air Defense Systems Sputnik 25 Nov 2015 -- According to Russian Western Military District spokesman, two units of the advanced S-400 Triumf air defense missile systems were delivered to the district.
• Ministry of Defence's settlement at the Spending Review 2015 UK MOD 25 Nov 2015-- The Chancellor has published the results of the spending review, including details of the MOD budget over the course of this parliament.
• Iran, Russia in talks over major arms deal Press TV 25 Nov 2015 -- Russia and Iran are in talks over deliveries of the Russian-made weaponry as Tehran is interested in Moscow's entire range to replace its outdated military equipment, Vladimir Kozhin, Russian presidential aide on military-technical cooperation said Wednesday.
• Iran Interested in Entire Range of Russian Arms Supplies - Putin's Aide Sputnik 25 Nov 2015 -- Iran is interested in the entire range of Russian arms, Vladimir Kozhin, Russian presidential aide on military-technical cooperation, said on Wednesday.

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for November 25, 2015

Other Conflicts

• 25 November 2015 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 25 Nov 2015
• Vietnam Media Criticize Chinese Scholars Over South China Sea VOA 25 Nov 2015 -- Official media reports in Vietnam have used harsh words to attack Chinese analysts who reportedly said Beijing has "historic sovereignty" in disputed waters of the South China Sea.
• Chinese military exercises in South China Sea raise concerns CNA 25 Nov 2015 -- A large-scale 'real confrontation' drill held by the Chinese Navy in the South China Sea Nov. 17-19, which mobilized destroyers, anti-submarine helicopters and submarines, was aimed at 'high-profile targets,' according to a Chinese military expert.
• China criticizes Philippines over South China Sea arbitration People's Daily 25 Nov 2015 -- A Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Wednesday criticized the Philippines as tribunal in the Hague began hearing a case initiated by the Philippines over the South China Sea.
• China to continue construction of civilian facilities on Nansha Islands People's Daily 25 Nov 2015 -- China will install some civilian facilities on islands and reefs to fulfill its international responsibility and offer better public goods and services to countries in the region, said China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Tuesday.
• Saudis used UK missiles on Yemeni civilian target: Rights groups Press TV 25 Nov 2015 -- Saudi Arabia used British-made cruise missiles during an attack on a civilian Yemeni factory, say Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
• Yemeni army, allied fighters kill dozens of Saudi mercenaries Press TV 25 Nov 2015 -- The Yemeni army, backed by Popular Committees loyal to the Houthi Ansarullah movement, has killed dozens of Saudi mercenaries in a retaliatory attack in the southwestern Yemeni province of Ta'izz.
• Myths and Facts: Resettling Syrian Refugees US Dept. of State 25 Nov 2015
• Turkey does not want escalation with Russia after jet downing: Erdogan Press TV 25 Nov 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Ankara does not want any escalation with Moscow following Turkey's recent downing of a Russian fighter jet inside Syria.
• Russian jet entered Turkish airspace for only 'seconds': US official Press TV 25 Nov 2015 -- The United States believes the Russian warplane that was shot down on Tuesday by Turkey near the border with Syria entered Turkish airspace for only several "seconds."
• Turkish General Staff Says Shared Data on Su-24 Incident With Russia Sputnik 25 Nov 2015 -- The Turkish General Staff said Wednesday it had shared data on circumstances surrounding the downing of a Russian warplane with Russian military attache in Ankara and expressed readiness for further information exchange.
• Turkish Prime Minister: I Gave Order to Shoot Down Russia's Plane Myself Sputnik 25 Nov 2015 -- As details continue to emerge about the downing of a Russian bomber along the Turkey-Syria border on Tuesday, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has admitted to personally giving the order to fire on the aircraft, Canadian news outlet ThinkPol reported.
• Turkey Reportedly Sends Another 20 Tanks to Syrian Border Sputnik 25 Nov 2015 -- The Anadolu news agency reports that the Turkish authorities have sent tanks to its border with Syria.
• Russia to deploy S-400 missile defense systems to Syria: Defense minister Press TV 25 Nov 2015 -- Russia will be deploying S-400 missile defense systems to Syria, the Russian defense minister says.
• The Noose Tightens: Syrian Army, Allies Hammer ISIL All Around Palmyra Sputnik 25 Nov 2015 -- The Syrian Army, National Defense Forces and Hezbollah are poised to liberate the legendary city of Palmyra.
• 'Nightmare' Scenario Looms Over Syria VOA 25 Nov 2015 -- World leaders on Wednesday scrambled to defuse tensions over Turkey's shoot-down of a Russian fighter jet flying over the Syrian-Turkish border amid concerns that the conflict in Syria could quickly deteriorate into a larger, regional war.
• Russia plane downing planned provocation: Lavrov Press TV 25 Nov 2015 -- Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has described the downing of a Russian warplane by the Turkish military as a "planned provocation," saying terrorist groups operating against the Syrian government are openly using the Turkish territory.
• Lavrov: Turkey Downing Jet 'Planned Provocation,' but Not Going to War VOA 25 Nov 2015 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday that Turkey's downing of a Russian warplane 'looks like a planned provocation,' but that Russia is not going to war with Turkey.
• Turkey Braces for Economic Repercussions After Downing of Russian Jet VOA 25 Nov 2015 -- The news that a Turkish fighter jet downed a Russian plane Tuesday could signal a further slump in Turkey's already sluggish economy. The country is trying to balance its two-pronged war with Kurdish militants and Islamic State fighters in Syria with rapidly increasing tensions with Russia, the country's No. 2 trading partner.
• Russia confirms rescue of 2nd Su-24 pilot, deployment of air defense systems in Syria People's Daily 25 Nov 2015 -- Russia on Wednesday confirmed the rescue of the second pilot of the downed Russian Su-24 warplane, while air defense missile systems would be deployed in Syria.
• Obama, Erdogan Call For 'De-Escalation' After Downing Of Russian Jet RFE/RL 25 Nov 2015 -- U.S. President Barack Obama and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have agreed on the need to reduce tensions after Turkish fighter jets shot down a Russian warplane that Ankara says had violated the country's airspace, the two leaders' offices said.
• Russia To Send Advanced Antiaircraft System To Syria RFE/RL 25 Nov 2015 -- Russia plans to deploy an advanced antiaircraft system at its military base in Syria.
• UN Welcomes Southern Libya Peace, Urges National Deal VOA 25 Nov 2015 -- The United Nations welcomed a peace agreement signed by two tribes in southern Libya and reiterated its calls for the approval of a national pact to end more than a year of political crisis in the country.
• Ukraine: UN humanitarian agencies step up aid deliveries as bitter winter takes hold UN News 25 Nov 2015 -- United Nations agencies are stepping up aid deliveries to non-Government-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine where more than 100,000 people, cut off from assistance for months, are now facing added hardship with the approach of the bitter east European winter.

News Reports

• Obama: Security Professionals Working to Keep U.S. Safe AFPS 25 Nov 2015 -- As Americans begin Thanksgiving travel, President Barack Obama wants them to know U.S. counterterrorism, intelligence, homeland security and law enforcement professionals at every level continually monitor threats at home and abroad for their safety.
• Obama: 'No Specific and Credible' Threat to US VOA 25 Nov 2015 -- In the wake of attacks claimed by the Islamic State militant group in Paris, Beirut, and Tunis, U.S. President Barack Obama is reassuring Americans on the threat of terrorism over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
• Brussels Schools, Metro Reopen Under Heavy Guard VOA 25 Nov 2015 -- With armed police officers standing guard, schools and about half of the Brussels metro system reopened Wednesday, four days after the Belgian capital was locked down in the wake of the Paris terror attacks earlier this month.
• Africa's Sahel region can become hotbed for terrorist recruitment, UN official warns UN News 25 Nov 2015 -- Without international aid to improve education and jobs, the Sahel region of sub-Saharan Africa will become fertile ground for recruiting terrorists among its tens of millions of disadvantaged people, the top United Nations official for the region warned the Security Council today.
• UN Envoy Warns of Risk of Youth Radicalization in Sahel VOA 25 Nov 2015 -- The United Nations special envoy for the Sahel warned Wednesday that drug traffickers are increasingly working with terrorist groups in this expansive region across northern Africa.
• IS Presence Shows Signs of Expanding in Bangladesh VOA 25 Nov 2015 -- Bangladesh's home minister says two Islamic State militants connected with the killing of a Japanese agricultural scientist near Dhaka have fled and crossed into India.
• Georgian IS Fighters Threaten Homeland in Chilling Video VOA 25 Nov 2015 -- Georgian authorities are investigating a video allegedly produced by the Islamic State showing Georgian-speaking men in Syria issuing threats against their homeland.
• Somali Officials Warn of Attacks by al-Shabab Faction VOA 25 Nov 2015 -- Somali authorities in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland have warned of potential attacks by an al-Shabab splinter faction that recently announced allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) group.
• Taiwan steps up security after Paris terrorist attacks CNA 25 Nov 2015 -- Minister of the Interior Chen Wei-zen (陳威仁) said Wednesday that the government has tightened its border controls and stepped up intelligence-sharing in the wake of the recent Paris terrorist attacks that killed nearly 130 people.
• Defense ministry aware of ISIS video showing Taiwan's flag (update) CNA 25 Nov 2015 -- The Ministry of National Defense (MND) said Wednesday it will continue to monitor global conditions and respond cautiously after a Republic of China flag showed up in a newly released video by the Islamic State, the militant group also known as ISIS or ISIL.
• Mirror Images: Are Putin And Erdogan Too Much Alike To Compromise? RFE/RL 25 Nov 2015
• New govt. after presidential system: Turkish PM Press TV 25 Nov 2015 -- Turkey's prime minister says his government plans to adopt a new constitution, emphasizing that the newly established administration is in favor of a presidential system.
• Chinese Investment in Africa Falls by 40% VOA 25 Nov 2015 -- China's Commerce Ministry recently caused a stir when it publicly admitted that Chinese investments to Africa had fallen by 40 percent in the first half of this year. Some saw the sharp decline as a sign of the broader impact of China's slowing economy. Others, however, say it is more related to Beijing's changing approach to investments overseas.
• China Plans for Mainland Police in HK Rail Station Spark Controversy VOA 25 Nov 2015 -- A new high-speed rail line that will link mainland China and Hong Kong is drawing criticism over Beijing's plans to place mainland Chinese police officers in the Hong Kong train station.
• Iran, IAEA hold constructive talks on JCPOA implementation: Araqchi ISNA 25 Nov 2015 -- An Iranian nuclear negotiator said he held "constructive and good" talks with the UN nuclear agency chief Yukiya Amano on how to implement a nuclear agreement reached between Iran and six world powers in July.
• Russia's Gazprom halts gas delivery to Ukraine Press TV 25 Nov 2015 -- Russia's state-owned gas giant, Gazprom, has announced halting natural gas supply to Ukraine after Kiev failed to make upfront payments for more supplies.
• Russian Gas Supplies To Ukraine Halted RFE/RL 25 Nov 2015 -- Russia's state-controlled natural-gas giant Gazprom has stopped deliveries of gas to Ukraine because of Kyiv's alleged failure to make the required prepayments.
• Crimeans Putting On Brave Faces, But Frustration Mounting Over Blackout RFE/RL 25 Nov 2015 -- As Russian authorities in Crimea scramble to restore power after a massive blackout over the weekend, residents are learning to live with thawing fridges, pitch-dark highways, and shuttered schools.
• Turkish-Russian Tensions Put Central Asia In A Tough Spot RFE/RL 25 Nov 2015 -- Turkey's downing of a Russian warplane on November 24 has put most of the Central Asian states in an extremely awkward position. No one in Central Asia wants trouble with Russia, the former colonial master, but at the same time the Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Turkmen, and Uzbeks are Turkic peoples and in the nearly 25 years since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ankara has played on cultural and linguistic affinities to successfully develop relations with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
• US Vows to Expand Sanctions on Burundi Officials 'As Needed' VOA 25 Nov 2015 -- The U.S. government has begun putting sanctions on Burundian officials who are involved in stoking the ongoing political and security crisis in that country that has forced over 200,000 refugees to flee.
• Burundi: UN rights chief deplores suspension of human rights groups, warns of 'civil war' UN News 25 Nov 2015 -- The top United Nations human rights official today deplored the Burundian authorities' suspension of 10 non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including several working on peace and human rights issues, warning against a relapse into "full-fledged civil war."
• Guinea's President Calls for New Security Measures VOA 25 Nov 2015 -- The terrorist attack that killed 21 people Friday at a hotel in Mali's capital has heightened security concerns in neighboring West African countries such as Guinea, where President Alpha Conde says he intends to roll out a host of new security measures.
• Some Experts Wary of Eritrean Currency Redemption Plan VOA 25 Nov 2015 -- The Bank of Eritrea recently announced that all Nakfa notes in circulation must be exchanged for new government-issued notes.