15 January 2016 Military News

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Defense Policy / Programs
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Current Operations

Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Casualty Update 15 Jan 2016 [PDF]

Dealing IS 'Lasting Defeat' Could Require Decades, Officials Caution VOA 15 Jan 2016 -- 'Lasting defeat' has become a mantra for top U.S. officials when talking about the strategy to defeat Islamic State terrorists.
Strikes Target ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 15 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.

Afghan Officials Unable to Confirm IS Commander's Death in Drone Strike VOA 15 Jan 2016 -- Officials in Afghanistan say they could not confirm the death of a top commander of the Islamic State group in Afghanistan.

Defense Policy / Programs

Navigation Error Caused U.S. Boats To Stray Into Iranian Waters RFE/RL 15 Jan 2016 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said navigation error - not equipment malfunctions - caused the crews of two Navy boats to stray into Iranian waters, where they were detained overnight by Iran and released.

Department of Defense Press Briefing by Army Officials in the Pentagon Briefing Room on the Investigation into the Inadvertent Shipment from Dugway Proving Ground of Live Anthrax Spores DoD 15 Jan 2016
Army Report: Gaps in Science, Accountability to Blame for Anthrax Shipments VOA 15 Jan 2016 -- An investigation into how a U.S. Army biodefense facility mistakenly sent live anthrax to nearly 200 labs in the U.S. and abroad found that no one person or event was directly responsible for the faulty shipments.

Bulkeley Renders Aid to Vessel in Distress NNS 15 Jan 2016 -- The guided-missile destroyer USS Bulkeley (DDG 84) rendered aid to a distressed vessel Jan. 15 while operating in the Gulf of Oman.
America reaches 75 percent milestone NNS 15 Jan 2016 -- The amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) reached its 75 percent completion milestone during post-shakedown availability (PSA) January 14.
Operation Desert Storm: 25 years later, AMC doing more with less AFNS 15 Jan 2016 -- Iraqi forces attacked Kuwait Aug. 2, 1990, setting into motion a massive military response from a coalition of nations to protect Saudi Arabia from invasion with Operation Desert Shield. After Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein refused to withdraw from Kuwait, Desert Shield gave way to Operation Desert Storm Jan. 17, 1991, and soon concluded with a ceasefire at the end of February.
A look back at Desert Storm, 25 years later AFNS 15 Jan 2016 -- Twenty-five years ago, the Air Force participated in Operation Desert Storm, the largest air campaign since the conflict in Southeast Asia. The campaign's purpose was to drive the Iraqi military out of Kuwait, release the country from Saddam Hussein's invasion and reestablish its sovereignty.
Southcom Responsible for Wide Range of Missions AFPS 15 Jan 2016 -- From interdicting illicit drugs, conducting counterterrorism missions, fighting human trafficking, responding to humanitarian crises, to training with regional partners, a typical mission at U.S. Southern Command is anything but typical.
SWRMC Divers Complete Emergent Blade Change Out, Grooming on USS Stockdale NNS 15 Jan 2016 -- Southwest Regional Maintenance Center SWRMC divers successfully completed the replacement of a damaged control pitch propeller blade and the grooming of another blade on Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Stockdale (DDG 106) Jan. 3 at Naval Base San Diego.
NAVELSG's NCHB-1 Departs in Support of Operation Deep Freeze NNS 15 Jan 2016 -- Fifty Sailors from Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group (NAVELSG) active duty battalion Navy Cargo Handling Battalion 1 (NCHB 1) and two reserve component Sailors from both Navy Cargo Handling Battalion 8 (NCHB 8) and 10 (NCHB 10), departed Williamsburg, Cheatham Annex Jan. 13, in support of the National Science Foundation Operation Deep Freeze 2016 (ODF'16).
War Games Continue: Philippines to Allow US to Use Eight Military Bases Sputnik 15 Jan 2016 -- The Philippines will offer the US military use of eight bases, a military spokesman said Wednesday after the country's Supreme Court supported a security agreement with Washington; the deal was implemented following the onset of rising tensions with China.

21st Century Deterrence - Remarks by NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow at the Snow Meeting in Trakai, Lithuania NATO 15 Jan 2016
US Heavy Gear Arrives in Lithuania in Latest NATO's Troop Rotation Sputnik 15 Jan 2016 -- US military equipment sent to Lithuania reached the town of Rukla on Friday as part of NATO's latest troop rotation of Operation Atlantic Resolve, the NATO branch in Lithuania announced via Twitter.

Sky Superiority: Su-35S Jets Enter Service in Russia's Primorsky Territory Sputnik 15 Jan 2016 -- The fighter regiment is planned to fully replace the Su-27SM with its 4++ generation successor, the Su-35S, in the framework of Russia's military modernization program.

Russian Weapons to Maintain Balance of Power in Balkans Sputnik 15 Jan 2016 -- Serbia eyes buying Russian-made Tor, Pantsir, and Buk air defense systems as well as MiG-29 jet fighters, in response to Croatia's plans to purchase US-made MGM-140 ATACMS tactical missiles.

Unprecedented Reform: Why China's Military Restructuring is Raising Concern Sputnik 15 Jan 2016 -- China is modernizing its military in light of a large-scale reform of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. Currently, the focus seems to be on organizational reform and restructuring. The reforms come at a time when Beijing is becoming more assertive about territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Janissaries Abroad: Turkey to Beef Up Military Presence in Qatar, Somalia Sputnik 15 Jan 2016 -- Ankara is determined to beef up Turkey's military presence in the Middle East and Africa; after concluding an agreement with Doha to build Turkey's first Middle Eastern military base in Qatar, Ankara has unveiled its plans to create a new military installation in Somalia.

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Josh Earnest, 1/15/2016 The White House 15 Jan 2016
January 15, 2016 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 15 Jan 2016

Defense Industry

DoD News: Contracts for January 15, 2016

Other Conflicts

15 January 2016 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 15 Jan 2016

Yemen turning into another forgotten conflict, ICRC warns Press TV 15 Jan 2016 -- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has warned about the dire situation of Yemeni patients and numerous attacks on hospitals there, saying the world should not forget the crisis.

Syrian forces recapture two key villages in Aleppo Press TV 15 Jan 2016 -- Syrian army troops have managed to retake two key villages in the province of Aleppo from Daesh terrorists, inflicting heavy losses on the foreign-backed Takfiri militants.
Russia launches humanitarian operation in Syria Press TV 15 Jan 2016 -- Russia has begun humanitarian operations in Syria, where it has been engaged in an aerial campaign against terrorist groups over the past few months.
'You cannot let more people die on your watch' in Syria, deputy UN relief chief tells Security Council UN News 15 Jan 2016 -- With hundreds of thousands of Syrians living in a "nightmarish reality dictated by a conflict that respects few rules and obeys no laws," the United Nations deputy humanitarian chief told the members of the UN Security Council today that they cannot let more people "die on their watch."
Many People in Besieged Syrian Town of Madaya Nearing Death VOA 15 Jan 2016 -- United Nations aid agencies say many people in the besieged Syrian government-controlled town of Madaya have starved to death, while children suffering from severe levels of malnutrition are barely clinging to life.
Over 10,000 Opposition Members Fight Daesh Alongside Syrian Army Sputnik 15 Jan 2016 -- Over 10,000 opposition members are fighting Daes terrorists alongside the Syrain Armed Forces, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation stated on Friday.
Russian Warplanes Launch 97 Cruise Missiles on Daesh Targets in Syria Sputnik 15 Jan 2016 -- The Russian Aerospace Forces have launched 97 cruise missiles hitting Daesh targets in Syria, the Russian General Staff said on Friday.
Run for the Hills: Syrian Army Gains More Ground in Aleppo Sputnik 15 Jan 2016 -- The Syrian Army has clawed back more territory from Daesh in the northern Aleppo province as the country's Air Force jets pounded the terrorists' positions in the region, Iran's Fars news agency reported on Thursday.

Iraqi forces flush Daesh terrorists out of another Anbar area Press TV 15 Jan 2016 -- Iraqi government forces have liberated another region in the western province of Anbar from Daesh Takfiri militants, as they continue to gain ground in battles against the foreign-backed terrorists.
Iraqi Elite Troops Still Engaged in Street Fighting in Ramadi Sputnik 15 Jan 2016 -- Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman Colonel Steve Warren told a Pentagon teleconference that elite Iraqi Counter-Terror Service forces are still bogged down in street-fighting to clear the city of Ramadi.

Can the UN patch things up in Congo? IRIN 15 Jan 2016 -- A year ago, the Congolese army and MONUSCO, the UN peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of Congo, were supposed to launch joint operations to take on Rwandan Hutu rebels. Everything was planned down to the last detail, before a major difference of opinion stopped the effort in its tracks.

Al-Shabab militants attack African Union base Somalia Press TV 15 Jan 2016 -- Al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab militants have attacked an African Union peacekeepers base in southern Somalia, with the group claiming to have killed dozens of soldiers.
UN condemns attack on African Union base in southern region of Somalia UN News 15 Jan 2016 -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the terrorist attack perpetrated by Al Shabaab this morning against an African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) base in the town of El Adde, Gedo region in Somalia.
Al-Shabab Attacks African Union Base in Somalia VOA 15 Jan 2016 -- Witnesses in Somalia's Gedo region sajd al-Shabab militants attacked an African Union military base Friday near the town of El-Adde, about 60 kilometers south of the regional capital, Garbaharey.

Poroshenko Says No More Power For Crimea Until Rejoins Ukraine RFE/RL 15 Jan 2016 -- Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Ukraine is prepared to restore electricity to Crimea after more than a month of severe outages, but only if the peninsula annexed by Russia rejoins Ukraine.

Nearly 1,200 killed by Boko Haram in Cameroon Press TV 15 Jan 2016 -- Cameroon says nearly 1,200 people have been killed in the country by the Nigeria-based Boko Haram terror group since 2013.

Mozambique: clashes between Government, opposition forces send civilians fleeing to Malawi UN News 15 Jan 2016 -- Clashes between Mozambique Government forces and the opposition Mozambican National Resistance, or RENAMO, have forced an increasing number of people to flee Mozambique and seek asylum in Malawi over the last few weeks, the United Nations refugee agency cautioned today.

Pakistan, India Postpone Talks After Air Base Attack RFE/RL 15 Jan 2016 -- India and Pakistan postponed talks scheduled for January 15 after a fatal attack on an Indian air base waged by a banned extremist group based in Pakistan.

Some 80 Pakistani militants surrender in North Waziristan Press TV 15 Jan 2016 -- Some 80 pro-Taliban militants have surrendered to government forces in Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal region near the Afghan border.

Egyptian forces kill 30 militants in Sinai Peninsula Press TV 15 Jan 2016 -- Egyptian armed forces have killed 30 militants as they foiled an attack targeting a security checkpoint in the restive Sinai Peninsula.

Army soldiers kill 5 PKK militants in southeastern Turkey Press TV 15 Jan 2016 -- The Turkish military says five members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) have been killed during separate counter-terrorism operations in the troubled southeastern part of the country.

News Reports

Ailing Economy Dominates Final Hours of Taiwan Presidential Race VOA 15 Jan 2016 -- Taiwanese voters will pick a new president Saturday after an intense final-hours campaign focused on the island's ailing economy. Voters want higher salaries, cheaper housing and more jobs. Both top candidates say they have solutions.
Taiwan to elect new president, Legislature Saturday CNA 15 Jan 2016 -- Taiwanese voters will go to the polls Saturday to elect a new president and a new Legislature, and the results are expected later in the day.
Voters to decide on a new Legislature in Taiwan CNA 15 Jan 2016 -- Besides electing a new president of the Republic of China, voters in Taiwan and its adjacent islands on Saturday will also decide on a new Legislature, the composition of which is far more uncertain but no less important.
Taiwan has no plans for second Ma-Xi meeting: MAC CNA 15 Jan 2016 -- Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) head Hsia Li-yan (夏立言) said Friday that his agency has no plans for a second meeting between the top leaders of Taiwan and mainland China before President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) steps down in May.

UN Concerned About Reports of Gang-Rapes, Mass Graves in Burundi VOA 15 Jan 2016 -- Fears are growing that the rising ethnic divide in Burundi is beginning to resemble the situation that preceded Rwanda's 1994 genocide, which killed some 800,000 people, mainly Tutsis, by Hutus.
'Alarming' new patterns of violations emerging in Burundi - UN rights chief UN News 15 Jan 2016 -- The United Nations human rights chief today warned that deeply worrying new trends are emerging in crisis-torn Burundi, including cases of sexual violence by security forces and a sharp increase in enforced disappearances and torture cases.

EU set to remove Iran sanctions upon IAEA report: Sources Press TV 15 Jan 2016 -- The European Union (EU) is ready to lift economic sanctions against Iran as soon as the UN nuclear agency verifies Tehran's compliance with its obligations under a nuclear agreement it reached with six world powers last July, sources say.
Iran Reformists Seek Electoral Gains After Nuclear Deal VOA 15 Jan 2016 -- Iranians go to the polls next month to elect two major bodies of leadership: the Parliament and the Assembly of Experts, the country's top body of clerics.
White House Not Ruling Out Anti-Iran Sanctions Over Ballistic Missile Test Sputnik 15 Jan 2016 -- White House cannot rule out imposing sanctions against Tehran 'at any time' over its ballistic missile program.

North Korean Official Reappears After Three-Month Absence VOA 15 Jan 2016 -- North Korea's top official, who disappeared from the public eye for three months, reappeared in public, according to reports Friday from the communist country's state-run media.
Certificates Awarded to Delegates to Events for Celebrating Birthday of Youth League KCNA 15 Jan 2016 -- Certificates illustrated with the portraits of smiling President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il were awarded to delegates to the events for celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League.
U.S. Should Be Accustomed to Status of DPRK as Nuclear Weapons State KCNA 15 Jan 2016 -- A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Friday in which he said that its first successful H-bomb test was a just measure for self-defense to defend the sovereignty of the country and the right of the nation to live and ensure peace on the Korean Peninsula and regional security.
DPRK Strives to Update Railways KCNA 15 Jan 2016 -- The IT Institute under the Ministry of Railways in the DPRK puts spurs to the scientific research for modernization of the country's railways.

UN chief introduces new action plan to prevent violent extremism UN News 15 Jan 2016 -- Violent extremism is a direct assault on the United Nations Charter and a grave threat to international peace and security, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today while presenting a new plan of action to prevent violence stemming from "poisonous ideologies."

Burkina Faso Hotel Raided After Suspected Militants Take Hostages VOA 15 Jan 2016 -- Elite security forces in Burkina Faso have stormed an upscale hotel frequented by foreigners in the capital where suspected Islamist militants are holding hostages.

Why Kerry Calls Terror Group 'Daesh,' not Islamic State VOA 15 Jan 2016 -- The Islamic State terror group has gained worldwide infamy with its murderous exploits. It is called many different names by various people and organizations. ISIL, ISIS and IS are all commonly heard.

Indonesia Conducts Raids Following Its First Attack by IS VOA 15 Jan 2016 -- A suspected terrorist was killed and at least two others arrested Friday, according to Indonesian police, who said they had conducted raids in multiple locations in the wake of the downtown Jakarta fatal attack the previous day.
Jakarta Attack Raises Fears of Jihad in Asia VOA 15 Jan 2016 -- Thursday's terrorist attacks in Jakarta have raised concern throughout Asia that the Islamic State group is attempting to create a caliphate in Indonesia, which has the largest Muslim population in the world.

Pakistan Continues Crackdown on IS Loyalists VOA 15 Jan 2016 -- Authorities in Pakistan have made fresh arrests as part of their crackdown on Islamic State loyalists to prevent the Middle Eastern terror group from establishing a foothold in the country.

Are Conservative Muslim Tablighi Jamaat Pacifists or Extremists? VOA 15 Jan 2016 -- For the second time in a week, at least 1 million devotees of the ultraorthodox Islamic movement Tablighi Jamaat are gathering in Bangladesh for the Bishwa Ijtema, one of the world's largest annual Muslim gatherings.

Turkey's Economy Sees Fallout from Terrorism, Russian Sanctions VOA 15 Jan 2016 -- Terrorism and Russian sanctions have left Turkey's already struggling economy bracing for the worst.
Turkey Detains Academics Who Signed Pro-Kurdish Petition VOA 15 Jan 2016 -- Turkish authorities have detained at least 12 academics accused of supporting 'terror propaganda' after they signed a petition calling for an end to the government's crackdown on Kurdish rebels.

WHO: Ebola Case Detected in Sierra Leone VOA 15 Jan 2016 -- An official in Sierra Leone said a corpse has tested positive for the Ebola virus, just a day after the World Health Organization declared an end to the outbreak in West Africa.
Sierra Leone reports new Ebola case; UN health agency stresses risk of more flare-ups UN News 15 Jan 2016 -- A new case of Ebola has been confirmed in Sierra Leone, reflecting the ongoing risk of new flare-ups of the virus in affected countries, the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) announced today, just hours after declaring that all known chains of transmission had been stopped in West Africa.

Swine Flu Outbreak Kills 11 In Armenia RFE/RL 15 Jan 2016 -- Armenian officials say an outbreak of the H1N1 swine flu virus has killed 11 people in the country in the last two months.

Kadyrov Called A Disgrace, Then Scores Apology RFE/RL 15 Jan 2016 -- An independent local legislator in Siberia's Krasnoyarsk Krai has crossed swords with the powerful head of Russia's Chechnya region in the North Caucasus. But just one day after lawmaker Konstantin Senchenko posted a scathing attack on Ramzan Kadyrov on social media, he apologized 'profoundly' following a mysterious conversation with a representative of the Chechen community whom he refused to name.

China to land probe on dark side of moon in 2018 People's Daily 15 Jan 2016 -- China has officially begun a new round of lunar exploration and will send the Chang'e-4 probe to the far side of the moon in 2018, China's State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND) announced Thursday.

Astronauts Go for a Spacewalk to Repair ISS Sputnik 15 Jan 2016 -- A US and a UK astronauts are replacing a failed voltage regulator that caused a loss of power.

Arrests As Azerbaijani Police Use Water Cannons, Tear Gas Against Protesters RFE/RL 15 Jan 2016 -- Security forces have dispersed a protest in Azerbaijan's northeastern Quba district, using water cannon and tear gas and detaining several people amid a national outbreak this week of unrest over worsening economic conditions.

Venezuela's President Declares 60-Day State of Economic Emergency Sputnik 15 Jan 2016 -- The president of Venezuela has declared a state of economic emergency for sixty days.

Saudi King to abdicate throne in favor of son: Report Press TV 15 Jan 2016 -- A report says Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud plans to renounce power in favor of his son, who is currently the second in line to the throne but is widely believed to be the real ruler.

Nigeria must probe army massacre of Shias: Rights groups Press TV 15 Jan 2016 -- Human rights organizations have called for a full investigation into the deadly attacks by Nigerian forces against Shia Muslims in the northern city of Zaria late last year.

EU Document Reflects Concerns About Pace Of Reforms In Ukraine RFE/RL 15 Jan 2016 -- Kyiv has touted the promise of a visa-free regime for Ukrainians traveling to the European Union as evidence of its success in carrying out reforms, but behind the scenes several key EU member states are bemoaning the country's slow progress of implementation and lack of engagement both with its citizens and with Brussels.

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