Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF / OND / OEF / OIR / OFS Casualty Update 15 Mar 2017[PDF]
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Col. Dorrian via teleconference from Baghdad, Iraq DoD 15 Mar 2017
• Military Strikes Continue Against ISIS Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 15 Mar 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• OIR Spokesman: Iraqi Forces Remain Resolute in Counter-ISIS Fight AFPS 15 Mar 2017 -- Momentum is on the side of the Iraqi security forces that are imposing their will on Islamic State of Iraq and Syria fighters despite tactics the enemy continues to employ to keep Mosul in their grip, the spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve told Pentagon reporters today.
• Trump Expands Pentagon Authority to Conduct Counterterror Operations in Yemen Sputnik 15 Mar 2017 -- US President Donald Trump has given the Department of Defense top officials more freedom to execute counterterrorism missions in Yemen, media reported.
• Pakistani, Afghan Officials Expect London Talks to Resolve Border Dispute VOA 15 Mar 2017 -- A meeting Britain is hosting Wednesday is expected to resolve the tense border dispute between Afghanistan and Pakistan, officials told VOA hours before the talks.

Defense Policy / Programs

• US Senators Call for More Special Immigrant Visas for Afghans VOA 15 Mar 2017 -- A bipartisan group of U.S. senators Wednesday introduced legislation which calls for an increase in the number of visas available to Afghans who helped U.S. forces in positions such as interpreters.
• Artillery gun crews mass fire with NATO Allies Army News 15 Mar 2017 -- The weather was cold and wet with gray skies as Archer and Cobra Battery, Field Artillery Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment stood by their guns to await fire missions March 8 in the Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany.
• DoD Releases Report on Sexual Harassment and Violence at Military Service Academies DoD 15 Mar 2017 -- Today, the Department of Defense (DoD) released its Annual Report on Sexual Harassment and Violence at the United States Military Service Academies for Academic Program Year (APY) 2015 – 2016. The three academies include the United States Military Academy, United States Naval Academy, and United States Air Force Academy.
• Carl Vinson Strike Group Arrives in the Republic of Korea NNS 15 Mar 2017 -- Aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2 and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108) arrived in Busan, Republic of Korea (ROK) for a scheduled port visit, March 15.
• Germany warns of Turkey's NATO departure as Ankara-Amsterdam tensions soar Press TV 15 Mar 2017 -- Germany has warned against Ankara's departure from NATO as tensions continue to escalate between Turkey and the Netherlands over an upcoming constitutional referendum that would expand the Turkish president's powers.
• Turkey Blocks Cooperation With NATO Partners As EU Dispute Escalates RFE/RL 15 Mar 2017 -- Turkey has blocked some military training and other work with NATO "partner countries" in an apparent escalation of a diplomatic dispute with EU states, officials and sources said on March 15.
• Russian Naval Aviation to Overhaul, Boost Helicopter Fleet by 2025 Sputnik 15 Mar 2017 -- The Russian Navy has begun overhauling its fleet of shipborne helicopters as part of a state arms procurement program running into 2025, the Russian Defense Ministry's press office said Wednesday.
• Russia Deploys Bastion, Bereg Missile and Artillery Systems in Black Sea Drill Sputnik 15 Mar 2017 -- Russia has deployed Bastion and Bereg coastal defense missile and artillery systems during a military exercise now ongoing at a Back Sea naval base in Novorossiisk, Black Sea Fleets spokesman Vyacheslav Trukhachev told Sputnik.
• Taiwan starts to brandish 'the China threat' Press TV 15 Mar 2017 -- A Taiwanese defense report has raised concerns over China's military modernization efforts and its recent drills around Taiwan.
• Czechs Could Save Millions Opting for Upgraded Yak Jets From Russia Sputnik 15 Mar 2017 -- Within the next three years the Czech Air Force will pension off its fleet of Russian-made Yak-40 tri-jet airliners and replace them with newer aircraft, Defense Minister Martin Stropnicky said.
• Department Press Briefing - March 15, 2017 US Dept. of State 15 Mar 2017
• Press Gaggle en route to Nashville, TN The White House 15 Mar 2017
• Press Briefing by OMB Director Mick Mulvaney Previewing the President's FY18 Budget The White House 15 Mar 2017

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for March 15, 2017

Other Conflicts

• 15 March 2017 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 15 Mar 2017
• China Building Potential Military Asset on Paracel Islands in South China Sea Sputnik 15 Mar 2017 -- Satellite footage taken on March 6 reveals the construction of a port that analysts believe could turn out to be a military installation on the North Island of the Paracels Island group.
• Houthis Ready for New Talks With Yemeni Gov't, but No Longer Trust UN Sputnik 15 Mar 2017 -- The Houthis are ready for new peace talks with the Yemeni government to resolve the long-lasting conflict, though they do not trust the United Nations anymore, a member of the Houthi Ansar Allah political movement told Sputnik on Wednesday.
• Yemen 'one of worst hunger crises in the world,' UN-supported study finds UN News 15 Mar 2017 -- An estimated 17 million people in Yemen are hungry, according to analysis released today by the United Nations and humanitarian partners, up more than 20 per cent in the past nine months.
• Unaccompanied kids hardest hit by Syria crisis: UN Press TV 15 Mar 2017 -- The United Nations children's fund has expressed concerns about the plight of the Syrian children affected by the country's six-year-long conflict, saying those kids separated from their families are the most vulnerable.
• 31 killed in Damascus court house bombing Press TV 15 Mar 2017 -- A terrorist bomb explosion has rocked a court building in the Syrian capital Damascus, leaving scores of people dead and injured.
• Aid convoys reach four Syria villages: ICRC Press TV 15 Mar 2017 -- Several aid trucks have made their way into four Syrian villages, delivering relief supplies to tens of thousands of people there, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says.
• Syria peace talks in Astana constructive: Envoy Press TV 15 Mar 2017 -- Syria's ambassador to the United Nations has expressed satisfaction with the latest round of the intra-Syrian negotiations in the Kazakh capital city of Astana, saying the discussions were "constructive."
• Syrian Democratic Forces Continue to 'Build Arab Element' - Coalition Sputnik 15 Mar 2017 -- The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) continue to increase the number of Arabs among their ranks amid the advancement to liberate the Syrian city of Raqqa from the Daesh terror group (outlawed in many countries), US Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman Col. John Dorrian said in a briefing on Wednesday.
• Free Syrian Army Decision to Skip Astana Talks Final - Chief of Staff Sputnik 15 Mar 2017 -- The decision of the Free Syrian Army not to send its representatives to the talks on Syria in Astana is final, Ahmed Berri, the Chief of Staff of the Free Syrian Army told Sputnik.
• Peace in Syria an imperative 'that cannot wait,' UN chief Guterres says as war enters seventh year UN News 15 Mar 2017 -- As the brutal war in Syria enters its seventh year, peace "is a moral and political imperative both for the Syrian people and for the world," United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said today, urging the conflict parties to fully back a fragile ceasefire and ensure aid access, as well as to support UN-facilitated talks set to pick up again late this month.
• Iraqi forces liberate Mosul's 'Iron Bridge' from Daesh Press TV 15 Mar 2017 -- Amid battles to liberate the western side of Mosul from Daesh, Iraqi forces retake control of a third bridge crossing over Tigris River which divides the northern city into two parts.
• Islamic State Deploys Ideological Booby Trap As It Retreats RFE/RL 15 Mar 2017 -- The coalition battling to take the Iraqi city of Mosul from the extremist group Islamic State (IS) is closing in. Earlier this year, coalition forces captured eastern Mosul (the city is bisected by the Euphrates River) and are now squeezing the city's western half.
• Kurdistan Worker's Party Establishes Military Base Near Iraq's Refugee Camp Sputnik 15 Mar 2017 -- Rizgar Mihemed, the head of the administration of the Iraqi city of Mahmur, spoke with Sputnik Turkey in an interview revealing that the Kurdistan Worker's Party has established a military base in Mahmur.
• 90% of Mosul Retaken from Daesh - Police Chief Sputnik 15 Mar 2017 -- On Tuesday the chief of Iraq's Federal Police force announced that 90 percent of central Mosul's Old City had been retaken by security forces, signaling the reclamation of a highly-desired area in the fight against Daesh.
• Libya's unity govt. forces overrun rival militia HQ in Tripoli Press TV 15 Mar 2017 -- Forces loyal to Libya's unity government have overrun the headquarters of a rival militia following three days of fierce fighting in the capital, Tripoli.
• Reports of Russian Military on Libyan-Egyptian Border 'Untrue' - Libyan Army Sputnik 15 Mar 2017 -- Media reports of Russian military specialists allegedly deployed in Egypt near the border with Libya are not true, Libyan army's spokesman Col. Ahmed Mismari told Sputnik on Wednesday.
• Ukraine Announces Suspension Of Cargo Traffic With Separatist-Held Areas RFE/RL 15 Mar 2017 -- Ukrainian authorities have announced the suspension of all cargo traffic with areas held by Russia-backed separatists in the eastern part of the country, prompting Russia to urge Kyiv to cancel the measure to avoid a "humanitarian catastrophe."
• Full Transport Blockade of East Ukraine 'Pushing Donbass Away' From Kiev Sputnik 15 Mar 2017 -- The full transport blockade of Donbass may result in deterioration of economic situation in Ukraine as well as escalation of the conflict in eastern part of the country, Rodion Miroshnyk, a representative of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic to Minsk talks, told Sputnik on Wednesday.
• DPR Not to Lift Ban on Raw Material Exports to Kiev-Controlled Areas Yet Sputnik 15 Mar 2017 -- The self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) will not lift the ban on the export of products and raw materials to territories controlled by Kiev until the Ukrainian authorities comply with the Minsk agreements, DPR leader Alexander Zakharchenko told Sputnik while commenting on the introduction of a complete transport blockade by Kiev.

News Reports

• US House Intelligence Panel Leaders: No Evidence Obama Wiretapped Trump Tower VOA 15 Mar 2017 -- U.S. President Donald Trump's claim that his predecessor, former President Barack Obama, wiretapped him in the weeks before last November's election is unfounded, the top leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee said Wednesday.
• Judge Places Nationwide Block on Trump's Revised Travel Ban VOA 15 Mar 2017 -- An angry President Donald Trump promised to fight all the way to the Supreme Court, if necessary, after a federal judge in Hawaii put his revised travel ban on hold Wednesday, hours before it was to take effect.
• U.S. Charges Russian FSB Officers and Their Criminal Conspirators for Hacking Yahoo and Millions of Email Accounts US Dept. of Justice 15 Mar 2017 -- A grand jury in the Northern District of California has indicted four defendants, including two officers of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), for computer hacking, economic espionage and other criminal offenses in connection with a conspiracy, beginning in January 2014, to access Yahoo's network and the contents of webmail accounts.
• Acting Assistant Attorney General Mary B. McCord Delivers Remarks at Press Conference Announcing Charges Against Russian FSB Officers and Their Criminal Conspirators for Hacking Yahoo US Dept. of Justice 15 Mar 2017
• U.S. Indicts Two Russian FSB Officers In Yahoo Hack; One Charged By Moscow With Treason RFE/RL 15 Mar 2017 -- U.S. authorities have indicted two Russian intelligence officers for the massive 2014 hack against Yahoo, one of whom was arrested earlier in Moscow as part a widening scandal involving Russia's top security agency.
• US Charges 2 Alleged Russian FSB Officers, 2 Hackers Over 2014 Yahoo Attack Sputnik 15 Mar 2017 -- US Department of Justice announced Wednesday the indictment of two alleged Russian FSB officers and two alleged criminal hackers for 2014 theft of information on some 500 million Yahoo users.
• Russian Spies Indicted in Massive 2014 Yahoo Hack VOA 15 Mar 2017 -- The U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday announced indictments for two Russian spies and two other people suspected of stealing personal information from hundreds of millions of people in the 2014 hack of Yahoo.
• China committed to denuclearization, proposes dialogue to solve Korean Peninsula issue People's Daily 15 Mar 2017 -- China is committed to denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and proposes all parties de-escalate tensions through dialogue and consultation, Premier Li Keqiang said Wednesday.
• China proposes dialog to avoid potential conflict on Korean Peninsula Press TV 15 Mar 2017 -- China's prime minister has warned that escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula could lead to an armed conflict, urging action to ratchet down tensions to avoid war.
• Rosatom starts construction of second unit of Bushehr nuclear power plant IRNA 15 Mar 2017 -- Russia's State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom) said on Wednesday it has begun construction of the second unit of Bushehr nuclear power plant.
• Construction Begins on Iran's Bushehr-2 Nuclear Power Plant- Rosatom Sputnik 15 Mar 2017 -- Construction and installation works on the future Bushehr-2 Nuclear Power Plant in Iran began on Tuesday, press service of the Rosatom's ASE company said on Wednesday.
• Two spies arrested at Abu Musa Island IRNA 15 Mar 2017 -- Hormuzgan Border Commander at Hormuzgan colonel Ali Mirshamsi said on Wednesday that two spies under the guise of tourist were arrested at Abu Musa Island in the second half of the Iranian year.
• Netherlands PM Mark Rutte Defeats Nationalist Challenger VOA 15 Mar 2017 -- Early results from the Netherlands election say Prime Minister Mark Rutte's party has won the most seats in Parliament, defeating that of anti-immigrant, anti-Islam nationalist Geert Wilders by a larger margin than expected.
• Dutch Vote in Parliamentary Elections VOA 15 Mar 2017 -- The Dutch cast ballots Wednesday in an election closely followed in the rest of Europe.
• Dutch Election Tests Anti-Immigrant Sentiment Amid Dispute With Turkey RFE/RL 15 Mar 2017 -- Dutch voters have been casting ballots in an election that is considered an indicator of anti-immigrant and nationalist feeling and comes amid a dispute with Turkey.
• Highlights of Premier Li's press conference People's Daily 15 Mar 2017 -- Premier Li Keqiang met reporters from home and abroad at a news conference on Wednesday at the end of the annual meeting of the National People's Congress. Premier Li answered questions on various topics such as the economy, financial reforms and diplomacy. Here are highlights of the event.
• Indian Prime Minister Modi Recasts Image as Pro-poor Leader VOA 15 Mar 2017 -- After sealing a landslide victory for his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in India's most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised to usher in a "New India" by 2022 by enhancing opportunities for poor people.
• Estonia Court Denies Parole for Convicted Russian Spy Sputnik 15 Mar 2017 -- Estonia's Tartu County Court on Wednesday denied parole for a former chief of the Estonian Defense Ministry's security department, Herman Simm, who was sentenced to 12.5 years in prison for espionage on behalf of Russia, the press service of the court said.
• Stripped of immunity, South Korea's ex-president faces prosecution Press TV 15 Mar 2017 -- South Korean prosecutors have summoned ousted president Park Geun-hye for questioning over her role in the corruption scandal that has led to her ouster.
• China urged to respect Taiwan's democracy CNA 15 Mar 2017 -- Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) called China on Wednesday to respect Taiwan's democracy and recognize the reality of its existence, so as to facilitate the development of constructive cross-strait relations.
• British FM Makes Rare Visit to Somali Capital VOA 15 Mar 2017 -- Flying unannounced into a still-dangerous city, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson told Somalia's president Wednesday that Britain is committed to helping Somalia to boost security and avert a full-blown famine.