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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Casualty Update 04 Jan 2016 [PDF]
• Military Strikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 04 Jan 2016 -- 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.
• Update: air strikes in Iraq and Syria UK MOD 04 Jan 2016 -- British forces have continued to conduct air operations in the fight against Daesh
• Today's Task Force Al Asad USMC News 04 Jan 2016 -- At the height of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Al Asad was the second largest U.S. air base in Iraq, and home to thousands of deployed coalition personnel from II Marine Expeditionary Force/Multi-National Force West and other major tenant commands.
• Powerful car bomb blast hits near Kabul airport Press TV 04 Jan 2016 -- A car bomb attack has hit an area near the airport in the Afghan capital, Kabul, just hours after a bomber detonated his explosives in the city.
• US Shuts Down Drone Base in Ethiopia VOA 04 Jan 2016 -- The U.S. government has shut down a drone base in southern Ethiopia that was part of the U.S. anti-terrorism effort in the region.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Department of Defense Releases Third Quarter Calendar Year 2015 Suicide Information DoD 04 Jan 2016 -- Today, the Department of Defense released the Quarterly Suicide Report (QSR) for the third quarter of calendar year 2015.
• Maintainers keep KC-135s flying downrange AFNS 04 Jan 2016 -- The 340th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit here maintains the largest KC-135 Stratotanker fleet in the world of more than 40 aircraft valued at roughly $2 billion.
• Dunford: Command, Control Must 'Keep Pace' in 21st Century AFPS 04 Jan 2016 -- The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said during an interview today that he is taking a broader look at the unified command plan and will focus on enhancing the speed, flexibility and agility of the joint force.
• Littoral Combat Ship USS Fort Worth Arrives in Phuket NNS 04 Jan 2016 -- The littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) arrived in Phuket, Thailand for the first time Dec. 30 for a scheduled port visit.
• Pentagon Officials Thwart White House Efforts to Close Guantanamo Sputnik 04 Jan 2016 -- An investigation has revealed the tactics used by Pentagon officials to prevent the transferal or freeing of prisoners from Guantanamo, despite the wishes of the White House.
• Spanish Jets Arrive in Lithuania to Patrol Baltic Airspace Sputnik 04 Jan 2016 -- Spanish Air Force fighter aircraft arrived in the Lithuanian Siauliai Air Force Aviation Base on Monday to take part in the NATO Air Policing Mission, the country's defense ministry said.
• Russia Naming U.S. as Threat Does Not Change Chairman's Perspective AFPS 04 Jan 2016 -- The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told reporters traveling with him here that a new Russian national security strategy document naming the United States as a threat does not change his perception of the threat posed by Russia.
• Russian Strategic Missile Forces to Get 1,000 Training Simulators by 2020 Sputnik 04 Jan 2016 -- Russia's Strategic Missile Forces (SMF) will receive up to 1,000 simulator complexes designed to train missile systems' operators by 2020, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman said Monday.
• '2nd aircraft carrier to have military focus' People's Daily 04 Jan 2016 -- China's second aircraft carrier, which is now under construction, will focus on military operations rather than training and technological experiments, according to a senior military researcher.
• 'Chinese Dream': Beijing Unveils Major Military Restructure Sputnik 04 Jan 2016 -- China unveiled three new units to its military: a force to oversee strategic missiles, an army general command and strategic support force, Chinese state media reported.
• China's Air Force Conducted Four Drills over the Western Pacific in 2015 People's Daily 04 Jan 2016 -- In the past year, China's air force held 4 drills over the western Pacific, aimed at enhancing its combat capabilities over long distances and in the open sea.
• Japan's 5th Generation Stealth Fighter to Take Off Next Month Sputnik 04 Jan 2016 -- A prototype of Japan's 5th generation stealth air superiority fighter, the Mitsubishi ATD-X Shinshin, will make its maiden flight in February, Tokyo-based news magazine The Diplomat reports.
• No Thanks: Ukraine Won't Allow US Military Base on Its Soil Sputnik 04 Jan 2016 -- Ukraine doesn't want a US military base established on its soil, according to a top defense official.
• January 4, 2016 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 04 Jan 2016
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Josh Earnest, 1/4/2016 The White House 04 Jan 2016

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for January 01, 2016

Other Conflicts

• 4 January 2016 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 04 Jan 2016
• New UN refugee chief takes over at time of record numbers and unprecedented challenges UN News 04 Jan 2016 -- Filippo Grandi of Italy, a veteran of United Nations efforts to help refugees, took up his post today as head of the UN refugee agency at a time of unprecedented challenges, with record numbers of people worldwide forced to flee war and persecution.
• Hanoi protest over test flight rejected People's Daily 04 Jan 2016 -- China has dismissed a protest by Vietnam after a Chinese civilian aircraft landed on one of the Nansha Islands, saying that the operation was carried out within Chinese sovereignty.
• Saudi-backed militants fire shells at aid convoy in Yemen Press TV 04 Jan 2016 -- Saudi-backed militants have fired shells at a humanitarian aid convoy in the southwestern Yemeni province of Ta'izz.
• Saudi warplanes pound Sana'a gas tanks Press TV 04 Jan 2016 -- In a fresh wave of aerial aggression on the Yemeni capital Sana'a, Saudi warplanes have targeted private food warehouses and the city's main gas tanks.
• Saudi, Iran Tensions Risk Sinking Syria Peace Efforts VOA 04 Jan 2016 -- Boiling tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia risk dooming fragile, painstaking efforts to negotiate a Syrian peace deal as the fallout from the Saudis' execution of a Shi'ite cleric spreads across the region.
• A different sort of aid for Syria? IRIN 04 Jan 2016 -- Given the brutality that has come to characterise Syria's four-year war, it is understandable that discussion of the conflict has focused on violent deaths.
• Syrian Air Force Bombs Jaysh-al Islam and al-Nusra Meeting Sputnik 04 Jan 2016 -- After killing the previous leadership of Jaysh-al Islam in an airstrike last month, the Syrian air force has targeted a meeting between its most senior commanders and the leadership of al-Nusra, reported Fars News.
• All Clear: Syrian Army Recaptures Strategic Road in Homs Province Sputnik 04 Jan 2016 -- By pushing back militants towards the border with Homs province, the Syrian Army has reportedly managed to create a large buffer-zone along the key road linking the cities of Hama and al-Salamiyah in the country's southeast.
• Daesh militants attack key Libya oil facility Press TV 04 Jan 2016 -- Libya's army soldiers have pushed back Daesh Takfiri militants after the terrorists carried out attacks near a key oil facility in the country's north, an army official says.
• Deployment of Peacekeepers in Donbass Unacceptable - DPR Leader Sputnik 04 Jan 2016 -- Alexander Zakharchenko, the leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic said that the deployment of any peacekeeping missions in Donbass remains unacceptable as the presence of a third force will only escalate the conflict.
• Sudan rebels attack army garisson in restive southern state Press TV 04 Jan 2016 -- Sudan's army says anti-government rebels have attacked an army garrison in the volatile state of South Kordofan, with both sides giving conflicting accounts of the incident.
• Faced with Israeli denial of access to Occupied Palestinian Territory, UN expert resigns UN News 04 Jan 2016 -- The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian territories is resigning due to Israel's failure to grant him access to the areas he is tasked with monitoring.
• Lebanon: Senior UN officials urge restraint by all parties after attack, exchange of fire with Israel UN News 04 Jan 2016 -- The United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon and the commander of the UN peacekeeping force there have urged both sides to exercise utmost restraint to prevent any escalation after that two Israeli army vehicles were attacked south of the Blue Line and Israeli forces returned artillery fire.
• Hezbollah Bombing Targets Israeli Military Convoy VOA 04 Jan 2016 -- The Lebanese-based militant group Hezbollah says it was behind the bomb blast that struck an Israeli military convoy along the Israeli-Lebanese border Monday.
• Mideast Tensions Could Impact US Regional Interests VOA 04 Jan 2016 -- When it comes to the deepening rift between Saudi Arabia and Iran, a senior State Department official says the two dominant Middle East powers ultimately need to work things out for themselves.

News Reports

• UN chief calls on Iran, Saudi Arabia to avoid further exacerbating tensions after executions UN News 04 Jan 2016 -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has phoned the Foreign Ministers of Saudi Arabia and Iran to urge both countries to avoid actions that could further exacerbate tensions after the recent Saudi executions, the attack on the Saudi embassy in Iran, and the rupture in diplomatic ties.
• UN Chief Urges Saudi Arabia, Iran Not to Escalate VOA 04 Jan 2016 -- Saudi Arabia formally complained to the United Nations Monday about the storming of its embassy in the Iranian capital on Saturday, after Riyadh carried out the death penalty against a prominent Shi'ite cleric.
• US urges calm in Middle East after Sheikh Nimr's execution Press TV 04 Jan 2016 -- The United States has called for leaders in the Middle East, including Iran and Saudi Arabia, to reduce tensions in the region amid international outrage over the Saudi regime's execution of prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr.
• Saudi Arabia Allies Join Riyadh in Curbing Iran Ties VOA 04 Jan 2016 -- Saudi Arabia's allies curbed their diplomatic links with Iran Monday, following Riyadh's decision to sever its relations with Iran after protesters stormed the country's embassy in Tehran.
• Baghdad to Continue Relations With Riyadh Despite Saudi Executions Sputnik 04 Jan 2016 -- Iraq cares for the security of embassies and diplomatic missions, and cherishes its relations with Saudi Arabia, according to Iraqi Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmad Jamal.
• Spokesman: Iran committed to int'l conventions regarding diplomatic places IRNA 04 Jan 2016 -- Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hossein Jaber Ansari said here on Monday that the Islamic Republic of Iran is fully committed to the international conventions regarding diplomatic places.
• India forces searching air base for militant after battles Press TV 04 Jan 2016 -- At least one attacker still remains at an Indian air force base in the northern state of Punjab, which recently came under attack by a group of heavily-armed militants, with security troops still working to secure the place.
• Siege Ends Near Indian Consulate In Northern Afghanistan RFE/RL 04 Jan 2016 -- Afghan officials say the siege near India's consulate in northern Afghanistan has ended after all the attackers were killed.
• Pakistan-based Militants Claim Attack on Indian Air Base VOA 04 Jan 2016 -- An alliance of more than a dozen militant groups called the United Jihad Council, based in Pakistani Kashmir, has claimed responsibility for an attack by heavily armed gunmen on a strategic Indian airbase in Pathankot town, about 50 kilometers from the border with Pakistan.
• Siege Ends Near India Consulate in Afghanistan VOA 04 Jan 2016 -- Afghan officials say security forces have killed all four heavily armed assailants who have been holed up since Sunday night in a building near India's consulate in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif.
• Russian Military Intelligence Chief Dies Unexpectedly RFE/RL 04 Jan 2016 -- The Kremlin says the head of Russia's military intelligence agency, which is known as the GRU, has died unexpectedly.
• New bans, defense restrictions sabotage JCPOA: Iran Press TV 04 Jan 2016 -- A senior Iranian official says any attempt to impose new sanctions on Tehran and restrict its defense and deterrence capabilities will undermine a nuclear agreement reached between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries.
• China Punished Some 29,000 Officials in Anti-Corruption Campaign in 2015 Sputnik 04 Jan 2016 -- Beijing accused more than 29,000 of country's officials of the violations during the campaign for austerity and party discipline in 2015, Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) of the Communist Party of China (CPC) said in a report.
• Kim Jong Un Seeks Economic Development Amid Sanctions VOA 04 Jan 2016 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's New Year's speech shows the young leader is placing a high priority on the economy, analysts in Seoul said.
• South Korea Hesitant to Reenter Talks With North VOA 04 Jan 2016 -- South Korea responded cautiously Monday to Kim Jong Un's recent call to improve bilateral relations.
• Law Minister Says 100 Pakistanis Joined IS in Syria, Iraq VOA 04 Jan 2016 -- A state law minister said Monday that around 100 Pakistanis have left the country to join Islamic State fighters in Syria and Iraq.
• Britain's Cameron: IS Execution Video 'Desperate Stuff' VOA 04 Jan 2016 -- British Prime Minister David Cameron on Monday dismissed as 'desperate stuff' an Islamic State video purporting to show the militants' execution of five men it said were spying for Britain in Syria.
• Burundi Hit by More Violence Ahead of Peace Talks VOA 04 Jan 2016 -- Unidentified assailants fired three shells toward the center of Burundi's capital Monday, two days before peace talks between Burundi's government and opposition are set to start in Tanzania this week.
• Briefing: What next for the Burundi peace process? IRIN 04 Jan 2016 -- Talks aimed at a settlement to Burundi's violent political divide are due to start in neighbouring Tanzania on Wednesday, but the government is taking a hard line over what it considers interference in its internal affairs.
• Sudan Opposition Leader Accepts Talks With Government VOA 04 Jan 2016 -- A Sudan opposition leader said her party will honor an African Union invitation to hold talks in Ethiopia with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir's government to discuss a national dialogue intended to resolve the country's problems.
• C.A.R. Presidential Hopefuls Urge Halt in Vote Counting VOA 04 Jan 2016 -- Twenty of the 30 candidates seeking the presidency in the Central African Republic are demanding that authorities immediately stop vote counting from December 30 polls, which they allege were marred by ballot irregularities and voter intimidation.
• The world's clogged asylum system IRIN 04 Jan 2016 -- The teenage boys curled up atop pieces of scrap cardboard as they prepared to spend another night sleeping on the sidewalk outside the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) office in the Indonesian capital.