Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF / OND / OEF / OIR / OFS Casualty Update 19 Apr 2016 [PDF]
• Remarks by General MacFarland in a Media Availability in Baghdad, Iraq DoD 19 Apr 2016 -- Presenter: Lieutenant General Sean MacFarland, commander, Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve
• Counter-ISIL Strikes Hit Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 19 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.
• Update: air strikes against Daesh UK MOD 19 Apr 2016 -- British forces have continued to conduct air operations in the fight against Daesh
• Carter: Next Steps in Iraq ISIL Fight Include More Troops, Military Equipment AFPS 19 Apr 2016 -- Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced the next phase of the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant during a troop talk yesterday in Baghdad.
• Kurdish Officials: Coalition Airstrike Kills IS Military Adviser VOA 19 Apr 2016 -- Kurdish security officials say a targeted airstrike by the U.S.-led coalition has killed an Islamic State military adviser.
• US Sending More Weapons, Advisers to Iraq Without Change in Strategy Sputnik 19 Apr 2016 -- US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said that the United States will be sending hundreds more advisers along with mobile rocket launchers and Apache gunship helicopters to back up the Iraqi drive against the Mosul stronghold of Daesh.
• Taliban kill at least 28 in brazen Kabul attack Press TV 19 Apr 2016 -- At least 28 people have been killed and more than 320 others injured in a brazen attack by Taliban militants in central Kabul.
• More Than 300 Casualties In Massive Kabul Blast RFE/RL 19 Apr 2016 -- Afghan officials say Taliban militants have attacked an office of the country's main security agency in Kabul, killing at least 28 people and wounding more than 300.
• Afghanistan: UN condemns Taliban attack in Kabul UN News 19 Apr 2016 -- The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) today condemned the Taliban attack in Kabul that killed at least nine people and injured an estimated 300 others.
• Taliban Assault in Kabul Kills 30, Wounds More Than 300 VOA 19 Apr 2016 -- A group of Taliban insurgents staged a bomb and gun attack in the Afghan capital Kabul Tuesday morning, killing at least 30 people and wounding more than 327, according officials.
• Marines position for Japan earthquake relief USMC News 19 Apr 2016 -- Four MV-22B Ospreys with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265 (Reinforced), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit arrived in Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni today at the request of the Government of Japan to support the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force with relief efforts after a series of earthquakes struck the island of Kyushu earlier this week.
• Marines deliver earthquake relief supplies to Kyushu USMC News 19 Apr 2016 -- Two MV-22B Ospreys with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265 (Reinforced), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit delivered relief supplies to Hakusui Sport Park on the island of Kyushu, Japan today in support of the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force relief efforts after a series of earthquakes struck the island of Kyushu earlier this week.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Carter Thanks U.S. Troops During Baghdad Visit AFPS 19 Apr 2016 -- The men and women of the United States military have made enormous progress toward defeating the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Defense Secretary Ash Carter told troops in Baghdad yesterday.
• Readout of Secretary Carter's meeting with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince and Minister of Defense Mohammed bin Salman DoD 19 Apr 2016
• Future USS John P Murtha Completes Acceptance Trials NNS 19 Apr 2016 -- The Navy's future amphibious transport dock John P. Murtha (LPD 26) successfully completed Acceptance Trials April 15.
• John P Murtha First Ship to Successfully Test New Technology Afloat NNS 19 Apr 2016 -- Sailors aboard the Pre-Commissioning Unit John P. Murtha (LPD 26) successfully tested the Navy's first High Frequency Distribution Amplifier Group (HF DAG) system during Builder's Sea Trials March 1-3 and Acceptance Sea Trials April 13-15 in the Gulf of Mexico.
• USS Stockdale Conducts Trilateral PASSEX with Allied Navies NNS 19 Apr 2016 -- Guided-missile destroyer USS Stockdale conducted a trilateral passing exercise with ships from the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force and Royal Australian Navy in the Java Sea April 17 to 19.
• Readout of Secretary Carter's meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates DoD 19 Apr 2016
• Hurricane Hunters promote preparedness in Caribbean, Latin America AFNS 19 Apr 2016 -- The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron "Hurricane Hunters" and the National Weather Service's National Hurricane Center partnered together to promote hurricane preparedness during the Caribbean Hurricane Awareness Tour (CHAT) April 9-17.
• Stennis and ROKN work together during Foal Eagle NNS 19 Apr 2016 -- USS John C. Stennis and Republic of Korea navy destroyer Gang Gam-chan, worked together to land aircraft during exercise Foal Eagle, March 23.
• Vietnamese Distinguished Visitors Tour a P-3C Orion Aircraft NNS 19 Apr 2016 -- Distinguished visitors from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam visited the Golden Swordsmen of Patrol Squadron (VP) 47 for a tour of a P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft Apr. 13.
• NATO-Russia Council to Meet for First Time Since 2014 AFPS 19 Apr 2016 -- NATO and Russian officials have much to discuss during the NATO-Russia Council meeting in Brussels tomorrow.
• NATO Secretary General discusses stronger NATO-EU cooperation at EU Defence Ministers Meeting NATO 19 Apr 2016 -- Speaking ahead of the EU Defence Ministers meeting in Luxembourg on Tuesday (19 April) NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed close cooperation between NATO and the EU to respond to the refugee and migrant crisis.
• Russian Flyover of US Warship Shows Readiness to 'Escalate Provocations' Sputnik 19 Apr 2016 -- The Polish defense minister called the recent flyover of a US warship by a Russian jet an "aggressive actions," adding that Russia was ready to "escalate provocations."
• US, Asian Allies Warn North Korea Against 5th Nuclear Test VOA 19 Apr 2016 -- The United States, Japan and South Korea held senior level diplomatic talks Tuesday to discuss joint measures that could be taken if North Korea continues to defy the United Nations Security Council resolution banning its nuclear and ballistic missile development.
• Belarus Turns its Back on Military Allies Despite Armenian Objections Sputnik 19 Apr 2016 -- The country's parliament unveiled a new military doctrine that would see Belarus shirk on its military obligations to the Collective Security Treaty Organization.
• UK Arms Sale Licenses to Saudi Arabia Total $4Bln in 1 Year Sputnik 19 Apr 2016 -- The United Kingdom has issued 2.8 billion pounds ($4 billion) worth of arms export licenses to Saudi Arabia in a little over a year since Riyadh launched airstrikes against rebels in Yemen, British media reported Tuesday.
• April 19, 2016 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 19 Apr 2016
• Daily Press Briefing by the Press Secretary Josh Earnest, 4/19/2016 The White House 19 Apr 2016

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for April 19, 2016
• Russian Military Industrial Production Grew by Nearly 20% in 2015 Sputnik 19 Apr 2016 -- The Russian military industrial complex is becoming more and more independent from foreign deliveries. Russia will not slash its federal space program for the next 10 years, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said.

Other Conflicts

• 19 April 2016 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 19 Apr 2016
• Ban heralds opening of permanent home for ICC as 'milestone' in global effort to uphold rule of law UN News 19 Apr 2016 -- In The Hague, Netherlands, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon today attended the official opening of the permanent premises of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which he called "a milestone in global efforts to promote and defend human rights and the rule of law."
• China sends military plane to disputed island Press TV 19 Apr 2016 -- China says it has sent a military aircraft to one of its controversial islands in the South China Sea in order to evacuate workers wounded during construction work there.
• Beijing Officially Lands Military Plane on South China Sea Reef Sputnik 19 Apr 2016 -- In what appears to be the first such occasion covered by Chinese media, a transport plane has landed at an airport constructed on a disputed reef in the South China Sea as part of a rescue mission.
• 'Yemeni people deserve no less,' says Ban, urging start of peace talks UN News 19 Apr 2016 -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged all parties to the peace process in Yemen to "engage in good faith" with his envoy, so that talks can start without further delay.
• INTERVIEW: Even as some 'guns go silent' in Syria, access to besieged areas is limited, says UN aid official UN News 19 Apr 2016 -- With a cessation of hostilities largely holding in Syria, the situation is "encouraging," but areas under siege remain particularly vulnerable, according to a senior United Nations humanitarian official.
• Saudi-backed HNC leaders leave Syria talks Press TV 19 Apr 2016 -- Top negotiators of Syria's opposition group High Negotiations Committee (HNC) have quit ongoing peace talks with the government, one day after the Saudi-backed group halted its formal participation in the negotiations.
• Syria ready to discuss inclusive unity government: Ja'afari Press TV 19 Apr 2016 -- Syria's chief negotiator in peace talks with the foreign-backed opposition says Damascus is prepared to discuss the formation of a new inclusive unity government but the future of President Bashar al-Assad remains off limits.
• Syria launch counter-attacks against militants in northwest Press TV 19 Apr 2016 -- Syrian army forces and allied Russian warplanes and helicopters have carried out a series of counter-offensives against militants operating in northwest.
• Fate of Syria president non-negotiable: Ja'afari Press TV 19 Apr 2016 -- Syria's chief negotiator says President Bashar al-Assad's future is not up for discussion after the opposition insists on a transition without the Syrian leader, pushing peace talks in Geneva near collapse.
• Lavrov: Several Actors Try to Derail Syria Talks to Solve Crisis Militarily Sputnik 19 Apr 2016 -- The Russian foreign minister said that several actors were trying to derail intra-Syria talks to resolve the crisis in the country militarily.
• UN agency welcomes Jordan's measures to improve Syrian refugees' access to jobs UN News 19 Apr 2016 -- The United Nations refugee agency today welcomed a series of recent measures by the Government of Jordan that could help up to 78,000 Syrians to be able to work legally in Jordan in the short term and thousands more in the coming years.
• Syria Political Talks Hit New Snags VOA 19 Apr 2016 -- Prospects for a political resolution to Syria's crisis have dimmed after the main opposition group pulled back from U.N.-facilitated talks with the Syrian regime and called on the International Syria Support Group for help.
• New Suggestions of Russia-Ukraine Soldier Swap Deal VOA 19 Apr 2016 -- A long rumored "soldier swap" between Moscow and Kyiv seemed to gain new traction Tuesday, with Ukraine leader Petro Poroshenko claiming talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin had produced an "algorithm for freeing" an imprisoned Ukrainian pilot turned national cause celebre, Nadezhda Savchenko.
• Myanmar military officer killed in clashes with ethnic armed group in western state People's Daily Online 19 Apr 2016 -- A Myanmar military officer was killed and some wounded in clashes with an Arakan ethnic armed group in the western Rakhine state at the weekend, official media reported on Tuesday.
• Over 140 militants surrender in Pakistan's Baluchistan Press TV 19 Apr 2016 -- Pakistan says more than 140 "disillusioned" militants have laid down their arms in the southwestern Baluchistan province in what Islamabad views as a major victory in the militancy-riddled province.
• South Sudan: UN refugee agency warns of worsening civilian situation UN News 19 Apr 2016 -- The United Nations refugee agency today expressed extreme concern over a combination of new fighting in previously peaceful areas, food insecurity and severe humanitarian funding shortages, which continue to cause a worsening of the situation in South Sudan for many civilians.
• South Sudan Rebel Leader Again Fails to Return to Juba VOA 19 Apr 2016 -- South Sudanese rebel leader Riek Machar failed to return to the capital for a second straight day Tuesday, saying the government did not provide flight clearance for a plane carrying his top general.
• Thousands of South Sudanese Fleeing Previously Peaceful Areas VOA 19 Apr 2016 -- The U.N. refugee agency reports new fighting and severe food shortages in previously peaceful areas of South Sudan are causing thousands of people to flee into neighboring countries.

News Reports

• Zarif urges effective implementation of JCPOA by US IRNA 19 Apr 2016 -- Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif urged effective and real implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) by Washington.
• Rouhani: JCPOA, a political, legal honor for Iranian nation IRNA 19 Apr 2016 -- President Hassan Rouhani termed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) as a source of political and legal pride for the Iranian nation.
• Kerry: Iran has received only $3 billion since nuclear deal Press TV 19 Apr 2016 -- US Secretary of State John Kerry says Iran has so far received only about five percent of its frozen assets since it reached a historic nuclear agreement with the P5+1 group of countries in July.
• JCPOA, political victory for Iran nation: Rouhani Press TV 19 Apr 2016 -- President Hassan Rouhani has defended a nuclear agreement which has recently come under criticism at home, calling it a "political and legal honor for the Iranian nation."
• In Test Case, Top Russian Court Rejects European Rights Ruling RFE/RL 19 Apr 2016 -- Russia's Constitutional Court has ruled that Moscow may ignore part of a European court judgment in a dispute on prisoner voting rights, marking the first time Russia has used a controversial law asserting its right to reject international court rulings.
• 9/11 Bill That Angers Saudi Arabia Finds Support in Congress VOA 19 Apr 2016 -- One day before President Barack Obama is to arrive in Saudi Arabia, U.S. senators of both parties indicated varying levels of support for legislation that has infuriated Riyadh and drawn criticism from the White House.
• Obama slams 9/11 bill against Saudi Arabia Press TV 19 Apr 2016 -- US President Barack Obama has condemned legislation allowing victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks to hold the Saudi ruling family accountable in US courts.
• Obama to Meet Saudi King Amid Rising Tensions VOA 19 Apr 2016 -- U.S. President Barack Obama and Saudi Arabia's King Salman are set to meet just as relations between the White House and the monarchy have become increasingly frayed, and the two longtime allies face significant disagreements over how to combat terrorism and regional conflicts.
• World drug problem: UN adopts new framework for policies to 'put people first' UN News 19 Apr 2016 -- The United Nations today adopted a new framework putting people at the centre of global policies on drug control, which the head of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) says can help promote the "urgent, united and concerted action we need."
• IS Seeks Biological, Nuclear Materials, Counterterror Officials Warn VOA 19 Apr 2016 -- European counterterror chiefs warned at a London conference Tuesday that Islamic State militants are seeking to secure biological and nuclear materials to build rudimentary weapons of mass destruction.
• Belgium Suspects More IS Recruits to Return to Europe VOA 19 Apr 2016 -- Belgian authorities say they have evidence to suggest more Islamic State recruits are looking to return to Europe.
• UN rights chief welcomes release of 83 prisoners in Myanmar UN News 19 Apr 2016 -- The United Nations rights chief today welcomed the release of a second wave of 83 prisoners on Myanmar's New Year last Sunday, by Presidential amnesty.
• EU needs Turkey more than Turkey needs EU, Erdogan says Press TV 19 Apr 2016 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has denounced a recent report by the European Union critical of the rule of law in his country, saying the EU needs Ankara more than Turkey needs the union.
• Cuba's Raul Castro to Lead Communist Party for 5 More Years VOA 19 Apr 2016 -- Cuba's Communist Party says 84-year-old President Raul Castro will hold the party's highest post for another five years, alongside his chief lieutenant, 85-year-old hardliner Jose Ramon Machado Ventura.