Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF / OND / OEF / OIR / OFS Casualty Update 13 Apr 2016 [PDF]
• Coalition Focuses on Dismantling, Fragmenting ISIL, OIR Spokesman Says AFPS 13 Apr 2016 -- The coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant has successfully degraded the enemy, with military efforts now focused on dismantling and fragmenting ISIL, the spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve said today.
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Col.Warren via Teleconference from Baghdad, Iraq DoD 13 Apr 2016 -- Presenter: Colonel Steve Warren, Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman
• Military Strikes Hit ISIL Targets in Iraq, Syria AFPS 13 Apr 2016 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Statement by the President on Progress in the Fight Against ISIL The White House 13 Apr 2016
• Obama at CIA headquarters to discuss US war on Daesh Press TV 13 Apr 2016 -- US President Barack Obama has paid a rare visit to CIA headquarters in the state of Virginia to discuss the country's alleged war on Daesh terror group.
• Obama: US-led Coalition Has Momentum, Islamic State on 'Defensive' VOA 13 Apr 2016 -- U.S. President Barack Obama says the U.S.-led coalition has momentum and plans to keep that momentum in the fight against the Islamic State militant group.

Defense Policy / Programs

• U.S. Navy ship encounters aggressive Russian aircraft in Baltic Sea EUCOM 13 Apr 2016 -- A United States Navy Destroyer operating in international waters in the Baltic Sea experienced several close interactions by Russian aircraft on April 11 and 12. USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) encountered multiple, aggressive flight maneuvers by Russian aircraft that were performed within close proximity of the ship.
• US Navy Ship Encounters Aggressive Russian Aircraft in Baltic Sea NNS 13 Apr 2016 -- A United States Navy destroyer operating in international waters in the Baltic Sea experienced several close interactions by Russian aircraft on April 11 and 12.
• US commander raps Russia's 'old tricks' in the Baltic Sea Press TV 13 Apr 2016 -- A top US commander has censured Russia for its "old tricks" in the in the Baltic Sea, in reference to flyover of Russian military jets near a US Navy destroyer in the sensitive region.
• USS Donald Cook reports 'simulated attack' by Russian jets Press TV 13 Apr 2016 -- Two Russian fighter jets have made "simulated attack" passes near a US navy guided missile destroyer in the Baltic Sea, says a US official.
• Russian Jets Flying Over US Warships May Escalate Tensions - EUCOM Sputnik 13 Apr 2016 -- Flyovers by Russian jets in the proximity to US Navy ships could escalate tensions between the two countries.
• Russian Jets Fly Near US Destroyer in Baltic Sea VOA 13 Apr 2016 -- Several Russian military aircraft flew a series of simulated attack passes near a U.S. destroyer in the Baltic Sea over the course of two days this week, a U.S. defense official said.
• Aggressive': Pentagon Decries 'Simulated Attack' by Russian Jets in Baltic Sputnik 13 Apr 2016 -- A minor incident in the Baltic Sea has the Pentagon up in arms over what they're calling a "simulated attack" by Russian jets.
• U.S., Tunisia work to improve counter terrorism operation USMC News 13 Apr 2016 -- U.S. Marines completed a three-week training exercise with the Tunisian special forces in Bizerte, Tunisia, April 8, 2016.
• USS Fort Worth Slated for Gas Turbine Transit, Repair Period in San Diego NNS 13 Apr 2016 -- The littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) will make preparations to get underway from Singapore on its own power and transit to San Diego this summer.
• Carter: U.S.-India Relationship Will Define 21st Century AFPS 13 Apr 2016 -- The American-Indian relationship is one that will define the 21st century, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said yesterday in New Delhi.
• Mount Whitney Returns to Gaeta NNS 13 Apr 2016 -- The U.S. 6th Fleet command and control ship USS Mount Whitney returned to Gaeta, Italy, April 13.
• IKE CSG Ready for Deployment Following COMPTUEX NNS 13 Apr 2016 -- The ships and air wing of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group successfully completed a composite training unit exercise (COMPTUEX), April 12.
• Carter to Visit Philippine Base Near Disputed Spratly Islands VOA 13 Apr 2016 -- U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter is in Manila amid tensions between the Philippines and China over Chinese militarization of features in the South China Sea.
• Hyten announces Space Enterprise Vision AFNS 13 Apr 2016 -- Gen. John Hyten, the commander of Air Force Space Command, announced the command's Space Enterprise Vision April 12 at Peterson Air Force Base. The SEV is the result of an AFSPC-commissioned study that looked at how to make the nation's national security space enterprise more resilient.
• US to Build Long-Range Radar in Alaska to Eye North Korea's Rockets Sputnik 13 Apr 2016 -- The United States plans to begin construction next year of hyper-sensitive radar in the state of Alaska to monitor North Korean missiles, Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Director Vice Admiral James Syring stated in a congressional testimony on Wednesday.
• US Experimenting With 'Space-Based Kill' System - Military Official Sputnik 13 Apr 2016 -- The US Missile Defense Agency will obtain 22 sensor systems in orbit to monitor whether incoming missiles have been destroyed by interceptors.
• US Developing New Capabilities to Counter Russia's Alleged INF Violations Sputnik 13 Apr 2016 -- The United States is developing improved air defense and other capabalities to counter Russia's alleged violations of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, US Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Brian McKeon said on Wednesday.
• 2,000-ton Gilan vessel to join navy's fleet IRNA 13 Apr 2016 -- Iranian Navy will launch its 2,000-ton vessel named Gilan on Thursday and concurrent with the 26th day of the year named for implementation of the motto of Supreme Leader for this year which is 'Economy Resistance; Plan and Implementation'.
• IRGC to embark on mock offensive security operations during drills IRNA 13 Apr 2016 -- Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) will embark on mock offensive operation against terrorist groups on the second day of Grand Prophet war games going on in this southeastern province.
• Iran Army unveils new achievements ISNA 13 Apr 2016 -- Ground Force of Iranian Army unveiled its newest achievements on Wednesday.
• Russia confirms delivery of air defense system S-300 to Iran ISNA 13 Apr 2016 -- Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin confirmed Tuesday the delivery of missile-aircraft S-300 to Iran.
• Japan Self-Defense Forces 'Ready' for Possible N Korea Missile Launch Sputnik 13 Apr 2016 -- Japan's Self-Defense Forces (SDF) have implemented all readiness measures for a possible intercontinental ballistic missile launch by North Korea, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Wednesday.
• North Korea about to test missile capable of hitting US: Officials Press TV 13 Apr 2016 -- US intelligence satellites have spotted signs of activity that shows North Korea might be preparing for the test-launch of a mobile ballistic missile that can reach American soil, US officials claim.
• UK and Lebanon discuss tackling Daesh threat UK MOD 13 Apr 2016 -- The Defence Secretary has reaffirmed the UK's commitment to help Lebanon protect itself against terrorism, including the threat from Daesh.
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Josh Earnest, 4/13/2016 The White House 13 Apr 2016

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for April 13, 2016

Other Conflicts

• 13 April 2016 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 13 Apr 2016
• US Senate Committee Threatens to Reduce UN Funding Over Abuse Cases VOA 13 Apr 2016 -- The chair of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee threatened Wednesday to reduce funding to the United Nations over peacekeeper misconduct.
• China to Meet with G-7 Diplomats about South China Sea VOA 13 Apr 2016 -- Beijing has summoned diplomatic representatives from the Group of 7 industrialized nations to further express anger at a statement about the disputed South China Sea.
• Clashes kill pro-Hadi commander in Yemen: Report Press TV 13 Apr 2016 -- The commander of an army brigade loyal to Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, Yemen's resigned president, has been killed in clashes with Houthi Ansarullah fighters while a shaky truce is in place in the war-torn country.
• IS Leaves Deadly Trail of Mines in Syria, Iraq VOA 13 Apr 2016 -- More than a year after their liberation from the Islamic State (IS) group, residents in the Syrian town of Kobani are suffering from the deadly fallout of a four-month occupation.
• Turkish army shells 'Daesh positions' in northern Syria Press TV 13 Apr 2016 -- Turkish military forces have shelled northern Syria, claiming to have targeted positions of the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in the war-torn Arab country.
• Iran advisors helped kill 200 terrorists in Syria: Commander Press TV 13 Apr 2016 -- Commander of the Iranian Army's Ground Forces Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan says four military advisers recently "martyred" in Syria had helped kill as many as 200 terrorists.
• US readies 'Plan B' to supply heavy weapons to militants: Report Press TV 13 Apr 2016 -- The United States and its regional allies have prepared plans to supply more-powerful weapons to militants fighting the Syrian government, amid concerns that a landmark ceasefire is threatening to fall apart.
• CIA Prepares to Arm Syrian Rebels With Lethal Weapons if Truce Collapses Sputnik 13 Apr 2016 -- The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) prepares to supply Syrian rebels with more lethal weapons should the fledgling cessation of hostilities in the Arab republic collapse, US media reported, citing officials.
• Al-Qaeda Attempts to Launch Offensive in Syria Sputnik 13 Apr 2016 -- In a violation of the Syrian ceasefire, the al-Nusra Front, the al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, has fired on settlements and Syrian Army positions in Aleppo, Homs, and Latakia.
• Turkey Conducted Nearly 4,000 Artillery Strikes on Syria - Defense Minister Sputnik 13 Apr 2016 -- The Turkish Armed Forces have conducted nearly 4,000 strikes since January on Syrian territory, controlled by Daesh, Turkey's Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz said Friday.
• As new round of talks begins, UN envoy for Syria says cessation of hostilities must 'continue to give hope' UN News 13 Apr 2016 -- On the first day of a new round of peace talks to end the five-year conflict in Syria, the UN mediator on the crisis emphasized that despite the cessation of hostilities still holding, he is concerned about the deterioration of the security situation in some locations.
• Thousands of Iraqis Flee From IS as Iraq Army Moves to Retake Mosul VOA 13 Apr 2016 -- Just a few days ago, under cover of U.S. fighter jets roaring overhead and dropping bombs, Arif picked up his family and relatives and ran barefoot out of his village.
• South Sudan Rebels Return to Juba Amid Fighting VOA 13 Apr 2016 -- South Sudan's rebels fled Juba under gunfire more than two years ago at the start of this country's civil war. Eight months after signing a peace deal, they are returning.

News Reports

• Briefing on the 2015 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices US Dept. of State 13 Apr 2016 -- Special Briefing by Tom Malinowski, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
• US Accuses Countries Across Globe of Human Rights Abuses VOA 13 Apr 2016 -- The U.S. accused authoritarian regimes around the world Wednesday of suppressing their people with "increasing vigor and viciousness" to control any activities that might threaten their power.
• Syrian Elections Denounced as a Sham VOA 13 Apr 2016 -- In a move widely interpreted as a signal that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has no intention of stepping down, his regime went ahead Wednesday with parliamentary elections dubbed a "farce" by political activists, rebel commanders and Western governments.
• S.Korea rejects return of 13 defectors to DPRK People's Daily 13 Apr 2016 -- South Korea on Wednesday rejected the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s demand to return its 13 nationals, said to have defected to South Korea, back home, Seoul's unification ministry said.
• UN sanctions alone cannot rein in DPRK's ambitions People's Daily 13 Apr 2016 -- To implement Resolution 2270 passed by the UN Security Council on March 2 against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce has published a list of goods that cannot be imported from or exported to the DPRK.
• North Korea accuses South of abducting 13 of its citizens Press TV 13 Apr 2016 -- North Korea says Seoul has "lured" and "kidnapped" 13 of its citizens who worked in a state-run restaurant in China and demanded their repatriation.
• Exit Polls: South Korea's Ruling Party May Lose Legislative Majority VOA 13 Apr 2016 -- Exit polls in South Korea indicate opponents to President Park Geun-hye's conservative Saenuri Party are doing better than expected in Wednesday's legislative election, and may deny the ruling party a clear majority in the National Assembly.
• Certain regional states helping terrorism spread to Iran: Military cmdr. Press TV 13 Apr 2016 -- A senior Iranian military commander says several regional countries, particularly Saudi Arabia, are helping Takfiri terrorists move closer to Iranian territory, Press TV reports.
• Saudi Arabia sends ammunition to anti-Iran terror groups in Pakistan Press TV 13 Apr 2016 -- Saudi Arabia's former Crown Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz says his country is supplying anti-Iran militant groups in neighboring Pakistan with large volumes of ammunition.
• Moscow Jails Lithuanian For 13 Years On Spying Charges RFE/RL 13 Apr 2016 -- Russia's security agency says a Lithuanian national has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for spying on Moscow.
• Navalny Asks Russian Spy Agency To Investigate Media Claims He's Western Agent RFE/RL 13 Apr 2016 -- Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny has asked the country's lead domestic spy agency to launch an investigation after state television accused him of serving as a secret operative for the West.
• Taiwan protests as Kenya cites 'one China' policy in deportations CNA 13 Apr 2016 -- Taiwan issued a strong protest Wednesday after Kenya cited the "one China" policy as grounds for deporting several Taiwanese citizens to China after they were accused of phone fraud.
• Taiwan suing Kenya over illegal deportation of its nationals CNA 13 Apr 2016 -- Taiwan has taken legal action against Kenya for what it called the illegal deportation of its nationals to China, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Wednesday.
• Saudi Arabia Calls for 'Kinder, Gentler' Religious Police VOA 13 Apr 2016 -- Saudi Arabia announced Wednesday that its frequently criticized religious police force no longer has the authority to arrest citizens, and must now strive to "kindly and gently" enforce Islamic rules.
• Republic of Congo: top UN officials concerned by reported attacks against civilians UN News 13 Apr 2016 -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he is "deeply concerned" about recent reports that security operations undertaken by the Government of the Republic of the Congo in an area of southern Brazzaville known as "the Pool" allegedly resulted in attacks against civilian targets and displacement of the population from the affected areas.
• Macedonian President Slammed At Home, Abroad For 'Pardon' In Wiretapping Scandal RFE/RL 13 Apr 2016 -- Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov is being harshly criticized at home and abroad for his decision to halt all criminal proceedings against politicians and government officials suspected of involvement in a wiretapping scandal involving thousands of people.
• Jordan Shuts Down Muslim Brotherhood Branch VOA 13 Apr 2016 -- Jordanian police shuttered the main office of the Muslim Brotherhood group in the capital, Amman, Wednesday, saying its leadership, affiliated with the now-banned Egyptian branch, had not applied for a license. The group split into two competing factions several months ago.
• Amnesty Demands Trials After Nigerian Mass Grave Revealed VOA 13 Apr 2016 -- Human rights group Amnesty International is calling for trials following revelations that Nigeria's Kaduna state government secretly buried the bodies of nearly 350 slain Shi'ite Muslims in a mass grave.
• Nigeria Army killed 100s of Shias: Report Press TV 13 Apr 2016 -- Nigeria's Army mowed down as many as 347 Muslims last December while swooping on the followers of the country's leading Shia cleric, a special investigation has found.
• Zimbabwe May Amend Indigenization Law VOA 13 Apr 2016 -- Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe says the country needs to rethink its indigenization policy. His comment comes less than two weeks after the March 31 deadline for foreign companies to transfer majority shares to black Zimbabweans.
• Uganda's Main Opposition Leader Charged With Disobeying Police Order VOA 13 Apr 2016 -- The defense attorney for Uganda's main opposition leader, Dr. Kizza Besigye, says new criminal charges against his client appear to be part of a plan to discredit him following the disputed outcome of the February 18 presidential poll.