20 April 2017 Military News

U.S., Coalition Continue Strikes Against ISIS AFPS 20 Apr 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria yesterday, conducting 26 strikes consisting of 66 engagements, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Media Availability with Secretary Mattis in Tel Aviv DoD 20 Apr 2017 -- Presenter: Defense Secretary Jim Mattis
VMA-311 lands in ROK for Max Thunder USMC News 20 Apr 2017 -- Marine Attack Squadron 311 arrived at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, April 12, 2017, in support of Exercise MAX THUNDER 17.

NATO partners conduct close air support exercise AFNS 20 Apr 2017 -- Today's fight against terrorism doesn't rest on the shoulders of one country. It's a team fight, meaning countries must be interoperable to effectively defeat that threat.
Lithuania FM Says NATO Deployment Shows Commitment RFE/RL 20 Apr 2017 -- Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius says the recent NATO deployments to the Baltic region and elsewhere in Eastern Europe are a sign that the Western alliance "will do anything" to defend the security of member nations.

Government of Canada - Sustainment Support for C-17 Aircraft DSCA 20 Apr 2017 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Canada for sustainment support for C-17 aircraft. The estimated cost is $195 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on April 19, 2017.

Security Council condemns latest 'highly destabilizing' DPRK ballistic missile test UN News 20 Apr 2017 -- Strongly condemning the 15 April ballistic-missile launch conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United Nations Security Council today demanded that the country immediately cease further actions in violation of the UN body's relevant resolutions and comply fully with its obligations under these resolutions.

Top military leadership posts to be reshuffled CNA 20 Apr 2017 -- Republic of China (ROC) Army General Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正), chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, will retire at the end of April to be replaced by Navy Admiral Lee Hsi-ming (李喜明), deputy national defense minister, the Ministry of National Defense said on Thursday.

UN seeks more 'cost-effective' flight logistics in peacekeeping, political missions UN News 20 Apr 2017 -- Secretary-General António Guterres today launched an initiative to boost efficiency of United Nations planes and flights, as it was revealed that the Organization spent close to $750 million from 2015 to 2016 on air assets in its peacekeeping and political missions.

UN expert body urges accountability for attacks against children in crisis-torn Syria UN News 20 Apr 2017 -- In the wake of the recent attack on an evacuation convoy near Aleppo, Syria, and the purported use of chemical weapons in southern Idlib, the United Nations child rights body today called for investigations into all attacks on children in the country and for bringing the perpetrators to justice.
All sides in Syria crisis felt impact of 'horrific' weekend attack on evacuee convoy, says UN envoy UN News 20 Apr 2017 -- Speaking to journalists after a meeting of the Humanitarian Taskforce (HTF), Staffan de Mistura, the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, stated that the horrific attack on a convoy of evacuees this past weekend had impacted everyone at today's talks.

Moscow Hails ICJ Ruling On Ukraine RFE/RL 20 Apr 2017 -- Russia's Foreign Ministry has hailed a ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague rejecting Ukraine's request to order Moscow to stop supporting separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Middle East engulfed by 'perfect storm' - one that threatens international peace, warns UN envoy UN News 20 Apr 2017 -- Reporting on the dire situation across the Middle East region, marked by the largest refugee crisis since the Second World War, fractured societies, proliferation of non-State actors and unbelievable human suffering, a United Nations envoy today reiterated the need for a surge in diplomacy for peace to ease the suffering of innocent civilians.

Reuters: Think Tank Linked To Putin Distributed Plans to Influence U.S. Election RFE/RL 20 Apr 2017 -- The Reuters news agency reports that a Russian government think tank run by Kremlin-appointed former intelligence officials developed a plan to influence the outcome of the U.S. presidential election last year.

Venezuelan Opposition Insists on 'Peaceful Protest' VOA 20 Apr 2017 -- Opponents of the Venezuelan government converged on downtown Caracas for a second day Thursday, pledging to sustain peaceful pressure on leftist President Nicolás Maduro to restore democracy in the crisis-ridden country.

Former Iranian President Ahmadinejad Barred From Election RFE/RL 20 Apr 2017 -- Iranian state TV says the body charged with vetting candidates has disqualified former hard-line President Mahmud Ahmadinejad from running in next month's presidential election.
Tillerson Says Iran Nuclear Deal Failed, Only Delays Arms Development RFE/RL 20 Apr 2017 -- U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on April 19 sharply criticized a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, saying it "only delays their goal of becoming a nuclear state" and does not address "alarming ongoing provocations" by Tehran in the Middle East.

Pakistan Supreme Court Rules Sharif Can Stay In Power RFE/RL 20 Apr 2017 -- Pakistan's Supreme Court has ordered further investigations into corruption allegations against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, but ruled that he can remain in office for now.

Russia Bans Jehovah's Witnesses as 'Extremist' VOA 20 Apr 2017 -- The Russian Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the Jehovah's Witnesses, a Christian sect, are an "extremist" group and ordered their Russian property turned over to the government.

Hollande: Paris Shooting Looks Like Terrorism VOA 20 Apr 2017 -- French President Francois Hollande says all signs point to terrorism in Thursday night's attack on the Champs-Elysees in Paris that killed one policeman and wounded two others.

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