Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF / OND / OEF / OIR / OFS Casualty Update 25 Mar 2016 [PDF]
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Secretary Carter and General Dunford in the Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 25 Mar 2016 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Ash Carter; Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Joseph F. Dunford
• Carter: U.S. Military Targets Key ISIL Terrorists AFPS 25 Mar 2016 -- The U.S. military killed several key Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists this week, including a senior ISIL leader and finance minister who led certain external affairs and plots, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said here today.
• Dunford: More U.S. Troops May be Needed in Iraq to Support Counter-ISIL Forces AFPS 25 Mar 2016 -- To accelerate operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, it may be necessary to send more U.S. service members to Iraq, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today.
• Strikes Hit ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 25 Mar 2016 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Islamic State Finance Minister Killed by US Forces VOA 25 Mar 2016 -- U.S. forces have killed Abd ar-Rahman Mustafa al-Qaduli, an Islamic State finance minister also responsible for the terrorist group's external affairs, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said Friday.
• Taliban Assassinate Afghan Army General VOA 25 Mar 2016 -- Taliban suicide bombers have assassinated a senior army general and his bodyguard in Afghanistan's southern Kandahar province, Afghan officials said Friday.

Defense Policy / Programs

• ICEX 2016 Camp Operations Conclude Successfully; Submarine Ops Continue NNS 25 Mar 2016 -- The Navy announced March 25 that all primary objectives for Ice Exercise (ICEX) 2016 have been met and the breakdown of Ice Camp Sargo is underway.
• Mason Sailors Train to Defend Against Sub-Surface Threats NNS 25 Mar 2016 -- Guided-missile destroyer USS Mason (DDG 87), assigned to Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, participated in a multi-ship Naval Undersea Warfare Training Assessment Course during the Composite Training Unit Exercise, in preparation for an upcoming overseas deployment.
• Bataan Well-Deck Operations Begin with AMW 1.3 NNS 25 Mar 2016 -- Well deck operations aboard USS Bataan (LHD 5) started March 21 with the implementation of Amphibious Warfare 1.3 and the help of Assault Craft Unit 4.
• Great Green Fleet Participates in Foal Eagle NNS 25 Mar 2016 -- John C. Stennis Strike Group, the centerpiece of the U.S. Navy's Great Green Fleet, joined the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army and the Republic of Korea air force and navy to participate in Maritime Counter Special Operations Force exercise, which is part of the annual Foal Eagle exercise that wrapped up March 24 on the Korean peninsula and surrounding waters.
• VMU-2 flies RQ-21A in 'Class D' airspace USMC News 25 Mar 2016 -- Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 2 launched into a new era with its RQ-21A Blackjack flight into Class D airspace, over Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, March 21.
• Russia says reinforcing military on western border to counter NATO Press TV 25 Mar 2016 -- Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu says the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)'s growing military build-up in Europe, specially on its eastern frontier with Russia, necessitates a response from Moscow.
• Russian Army Continues Forming New Divisions in Response to NATO Buildup Sputnik 25 Mar 2016 -- Moscow continues to strengthen its Western Military District in response to NATO's ongoing buildup near Russia's borders.
• Russia to Boost Military Infrastructure in Arctic, Kurils in 2016-2020 Sputnik 25 Mar 2016 -- The Russian Defense Ministry will focus on the development of military infrastructure in the Arctic and the Kuril Islands in 2016-2020, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Friday.
• Iran: Missile tests are legitimate measures to boost defense might IRNA 25 Mar 2016 -- Permanent Representative and Ambassador to the United Nations Gholamali Khoshroo said on Friday that Iran's recent ballistic missile tests were part of ongoing efforts of the armed forces to strengthen the country's legitimate defense capabilities.
• Iran says missile tests not violate UN resolution Press TV 25 Mar 2016 -- Iran's ambassador to the UN says the country's recent ballistic missile tests do not violate a UN Security Council resolution that endorses Tehran's nuclear agreement with world powers.
• Kim Jong Un Guides Large-scale Intensive Striking Drill of Long-range Artillery Pieces KCNA 25 Mar 2016 -- Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army (KPA) Kim Jong Un, first secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and first chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, guided the large-scale intensive striking drill of long-range artillery pieces of the KPA large combined units on the front for blowing up the Chongwadae and the reactionary ruling machines in Seoul.
• DPRK carries out long-range artillery drill People's Daily 25 Mar 2016 -- Top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Unhas guided a large-scale striking exercise of long-range artillery, which targeted South Korean presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, the official KCNA news agency reported Friday.
• United Kingdom - P-8A Aircraft and Associated Support DSCA 25 Mar 2016 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the United Kingdom for P-8A Aircraft and associated equipment, training, and support. The estimated cost is $3.2 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on March 24, 2016.
• Liberia's Defense Minister Denies Politicizing Military VOA 25 Mar 2016 -- Liberia Defense Minister Brownie Samukai has denied politicizing the country's military.

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for March 25, 2016

Other Conflicts

• Syria forces, allied fighters advance in Palmyra, capture citadel from Daesh Press TV 25 Mar 2016 -- Syrian forces made a major advance against terrorists in Palmyra Friday, capturing a citadel from Daesh Takfiri terrorists after closing in on the ruins of the ancient city in Homs Province.
• Daesh Begins Counteroffensive Against Syrian Army in Palmyra - Commander Sputnik 25 Mar 2016 -- Daesh has begun a counteroffensive against Syrian government forces around the citadel of Palmyra.
• Russian Warplanes Carry Out 41 Sorties Amid Palmyra Liberation Sputnik 25 Mar 2016 -- Russian warplanes carried out 41 sorties to support Syrian army's operation aimed at Palmyra's liberation, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
• Syrian Army, Desert Falcons Gain Control Over Strategic Height Near Palmyra Sputnik 25 Mar 2016 -- Syrian government forces and Desert Falcons fighters have gained control over a strategically important height near Palmyra in the Homs province, a military source told Sputnik.
• Syrian Army, Desert Falcons Start Assault on Palmyra Citadel Sputnik 25 Mar 2016 -- The Syrian army and the Desert Falcons militia commenced an assault on the ancient citadel of Palmyra on Friday morning, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported.
• Syrian talks end with 'no drama;' early April target date set for resumption - UN envoy UN News 24 Mar 2016 -- Both the Syrian Government and opposition delegations are taking the United Nations-mediated peace talks "very seriously," the UN envoy on the discussions said today, wrapping up the second round of the process by issuing a paper on "commonalties that exist between the two negotiating parties," and announcing that the talks could pick up again by the second week of April.
• Bomb attack hits south of Baghdad, 30 dead Press TV 25 Mar 2016 -- At least 30 people have been killed in a bomb attack targeting a local football game in a village south of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad.
• Iraqi forces recapture another town in troubled Anbar Press TV 25 Mar 2016 -- Iraqi armed forces have made new advances in their fight against Takfiri terrorists, liberating the town of Kubaysah in the conflict-ridden western province of Anbar.
• Turkey Declares Curfew in Southeastern District Over Anti-PKK Operation Sputnik 25 Mar 2016 -- Turkish authorities declared a curfew in the country's Silvan district in the province of Diyarbakir due to a planned operation against the Kurdistan Workers' Party.
• Over 20 PKK Militants Killed in Clashes in Turkey's Southeast - Official Sputnik 25 Mar 2016 -- Twenty four Kurdistan Workers' Party militants were killed in over 24 hours in clashes with the Turkish army in the country's southeast.
• Leaked Memo Reveals UK Special Air Service Deployed in Libya Since January Sputnik 25 Mar 2016 -- According to a leaked memo written by King Abdullah II, Jordanian troops have operated alongside UK Special Air Service troops in Libya since January.
• 15 people killed in another round of Saudi airstrikes across Yemen Press TV 25 Mar 2016 -- At least 15 people were killed Friday in another round of airstrikes carried out by Saudi warplanes across Yemen, local media say.
• Experts: Sudan Border Closure Would Have Financial Impact VOA 25 Mar 2016 -- Sudan's president, Omar al-Bashir, has threatened again to close his country's border with South Sudan. Sudan reopened the frontier in January, after a previous shutdown in 2011.
• Who is Behind Beni Massacres in DRC? VOA 25 Mar 2016 -- Attacks on civilians in the Beni region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo have killed at least 550 people in the past 18 months. Congolese officials have placed the blame on the Allied Democratic Forces, characterized as a Ugandan Islamist movement, but a report from the Congo Research Group says it may not be that simple.

News Reports

• Remarks With Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel US Dept. of State 25 Mar 2016
• Belgian police detain three more in terror case Press TV 25 Mar 2016 -- Belgian police arrested three people Friday, one of them injured after being shot by security forces, against the backdrop of terrorist attacks in Belgium and the French capital, Paris.
• France police foil 'advanced stage' terror plot Press TV 25 Mar 2016 -- Police in France foil an "advanced stage" terror plot following the arrest of a French national suspected of membership in a militant group at a Paris suburb, the interior minister says.
• Brussels police detain six people over terrorist bombing attacks Press TV 25 Mar 2016 -- Police in Belgian capital have arrested six people in a series of operations two days after bomb attacks claimed by the Daesh terrorist group left 31 dead and some 300 others injured in Brussels.
• After Brussels Attacks, Will Europe Adopt Israeli-Style Airport Security? RFE/RL 25 Mar 2016 -- European countries are consulting Israeli security experts for advice after the deadly attacks on the main airport and the subway system in Brussels, according to a spokesman for Israel's Foreign Ministry.
• Belgium Detains 3, Ties Airport Bomber to Paris Attack VOA 25 Mar 2016 -- Belgian prosecutors say three people have been detained in a counterterrorism operation in Brussels prompted by the arrest Thursday of a Frenchman in the Paris area suspected of plotting a new attack.
• Islamic State Better Resourced Than Al-Qaida for Long Terror Campaign VOA 25 Mar 2016 -- European intelligence officials say they don't know exactly how many assassins and bombers the Islamic State terror group has trained to conduct deadly attacks in Europe like Tuesday's in Brussels. Officials fear, however, they are facing hundreds of potential assailants, either trained in camps in Syria or recruited through kinship and crime networks in Europe by returning IS volunteers.
• Experts: Further Provocations Likely Amid Deepening Standoff with N. Korea VOA 25 Mar 2016 -- North Korea's continuing drive for nuclear weapons, coupled with its growing isolation, is increasing the danger of further provocations from Pyongyang, U.S. experts warn.
• DPRK Army Ready to Launch Preemptive Attack KCNA 25 Mar 2016 -- The Park Geun Hye group of traitors in south Korea dared stage a "precision strike drill" on March 21 with 16 fighter bombers and special operation forces involved with an aim to destroy the office of the DPRK supreme leadership.
• S.Korea-born U.S. citizen confesses to espionage in Pyongyang People's Daily 25 Mar 2016 -- A South Korea-born U.S. citizen held by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) confessed in public to committing anti-DPRK crimes Friday.
• Philippines releases seized DPRK vessel People's Daily 25 Mar 2016 -- The Philippine government said Friday it had released a cargo ship of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
• Korean-American admits trying to steal N Korea secrets Press TV 25 Mar 2016 -- A Korean-American man has confessed to trying to steal military secrets from North Korea in order to overthrow the government in Pyongyang.
• North Korea threatens to 'turn Seoul into ashes' Press TV 25 Mar 2016 -- North Korea has staged a live-fire military exercise involving a simulated strike on the residence of South Korean President Park Geun-hye two days after warning her of a "miserable end."
• North Korea Receives First Humanitarian Aid Since Pyongyang's Nuclear Test Sputnik 25 Mar 2016 -- The first delivery of humanitarian aid has been made to North Korea since the imposition of sanctions against Pyongyang following it's fourth nuclear test, carried out in January, local media reported Friday.
• Kim Jong Un: North Korea Ready to Attack Seoul Government Buildings Sputnik 25 Mar 2016 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to attack Seoul government buildings if South Korea challengers Pyongyang.
• China Sends Unclear Signals on North Korean Sanctions VOA 25 Mar 2016 -- China is sending out conflicting signals on its support for tough new international sanctions against North Korea.
• Trade In Focus As Iranian President Visits Pakistan RFE/RL 25 Mar 2016 -- Iranian President Hassan Rohani is heading to Islamabad on March 25 as neighboring Iran and Pakistan seek to boost trade ties.
• Iran's Rouhani in Pakistan on 1st visit as president Press TV 25 Mar 2016 -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has arrived in Pakistan on his first landmark visit since the implementation of a nuclear agreement between Tehran and the P5+1 group of six countries.
• Pakistan Lodges Protest After Arresting 'Indian Spy' RFE/RL 25 Mar 2016 -- Pakistan says it has arrested an Indian intelligence officer, sparking a new diplomatic row between the two rival neighbors.
• Muqtada al-Sadr Calls For New Iraqi Government Members VOA 25 Mar 2016 -- Thousands of supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr held what they billed as a "joint" Sunni-Shi'ite prayer service Friday outside the main entrances to the government-controlled "Green Zone." Sadr has given Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi a Saturday deadline to carry out governmental "reform" and install a new Cabinet composed of technocrats instead of political loyalists.
• Putin Appoints Kadyrov as Acting Head of Chechen Republic Sputnik 25 Mar 2016 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed incumbent Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, whose term is about to end, as the republic's acting head on Friday.
• Saudis moving away from oil toward Hajj Press TV 25 Mar 2016 -- Saudi Arabia is reportedly planning to move away from oil and use the revenues it obtains from hosting Hajj pilgrimage as its main source of national income.