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Current Operations

• OIF / OND / OEF / OIR / OFS Casualty Update 23 Jun 2017[PDF]
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Colonel Dillon via teleconference from Baghdad, Iraq DoD 23 Jun 2017 -- Presenter: Colonel Ryan Dillon, Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve Spokesman; Captain Jeff Davis, Director, Defense Press Office
• Coalition Strikes Target ISIS Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 23 Jun 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria yesterday, conducting 32 strikes consisting of 103 engagements, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Coalition Forces Kill ISIS Financial Facilitator AFPS 23 Jun 2017 -- Coalition forces killed a key Islamic State of Iraq and Syria financial facilitator with an airstrike in Abu Kamal, Syria, June 16, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials announced today.
• ISIS Holdouts Cut Off in Western Mosul, OIR Spokesman Says AFPS 23 Jun 2017 -- Iraqi forces have made significant progress in the past two days in its fight to liberate western Mosul, Iraq, from Islamic State of Iraq and Syria control, said Army Col. Ryan Dillon, spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve.
• INTERVIEW: Afghans need to see their Government taking the reins - UN envoy UN News 23 Jun 2017 -- Afghans need to see their Government taking the reins for security in the country, delivering much needed services and creating jobs, says the United Nations envoy to the country, Tadamichi Yamamoto.
• Taliban Chief: US Troop Surge a 'Mistake' VOA 23 Jun 2017 -- The leader of Afghanistan's Taliban says the United States will be "making a mistake" by increasing its troop numbers to combat the insurgents, who have vowed to fight until the end of the "illegitimate [foreign] occupation" of the country.
• Defenseless: Afghan MP Blames Washington for Weakening Country's Forces Sputnik 23 Jun 2017 -- The United States has weakened the capabilities of the Afghan armed forces, a local lawmaker told Sputnik.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Norway Announces 1-Year Extension for U.S. Marines AFPS 23 Jun 2017 -- Norwegian Defense Minister Ine Eriksen Soreide announced June 21 that U.S. Marines will continue rotational training and exercises in Norway through 2018, U.S. European Command said in a news release.
• Seven nations, four branches, one mission Army News 23 Jun 2017 -- As the sun began to set on the Lithuanian countryside on June 17, the final touches were placed on the camouflage netting designed to conceal the position of the Tactical Action Center, or TAC, of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division. As part of the multinational exercise Saber Strike 17, the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division provided support to the Air Assault Task Force Commander, Col. Charles Kemper.
• Warfighter vehicles get weapons upgrade USMC News 23 Jun 2017 -- The first two Light Armored Vehicle Anti-Tank Modernization A2 models outfitted with a state of the art rocket launcher have rolled off the line at Production Plant Barstow.
• Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group to Return from Western Pacific Deployment NNS 23 Jun 2017 -- The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain (CG 57), guided-missile destroyer USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108), along with embarked Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2 and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 1 are scheduled to arrive at Naval Air Station North Island and Naval Base San Diego June 23, following a five-and-a-half-month deployment to the Western Pacific.
• U.S., NATO wrap up Saber Strike 17 AFNS 23 Jun 2017 -- Saber Strike 17, a month-long exercise including 11,000 U.S. and NATO military members from 20 countries, wraps up June 24.The exercise took place in various regions in the Baltics and Poland beginning May 28.
• Deputy Secretary General stresses value of NATO-Serbia partnership in visit to Belgrade NATO 23 Jun 2017 -- Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller underlined that NATO remains committed to the Western Balkans and to building a strong partnership with Serbia during a visit to Belgrade on Friday (23 June 2017). Ms. Gottemoeller is visiting Serbia for the inauguration ceremony of President Aleksander Vučić.
• Lavrov: NATO Unveils Facilities Near Russia Behind Far-Fetched Pretexts Sputnik 23 Jun 2017 -- NATO is trying to justify its military buildup near Russia's border by means of far-fetched pretexts, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
• Analysts: Russia's Military Threats Mainly Bluster, but Conflict Risk Rising VOA 23 Jun 2017 -- A series of close encounters this month over the Baltic Sea and U.S. shoot-downs of Russian allies' aircraft in Syria have triggered concerns among defense analysts that any direct incident between Russia and the United States, even if accidental, could quickly spiral out of control.
• Russia's Soyuz-2.1v Blasts Off From Plesetsk With Military Spacecraft Aboard Sputnik 23 Jun 2017 -- Russia has launched a spacecraft for the armed forces.
• Chinese Army strengthens supervision at grass-roots level People's Daily 23 Jun 2017 -- By early June, all brigade and corps-level military units nationwide had set up liaison offices tasked with supervising the conduct of officers and soldiers, the Central Military Commission (CMC) announced Thursday.
• Indian Navy Readies To Select Firms Specializing In Warships, Submarines Sputnik 23 Jun 2017 -- In a bid to strengthen domestic naval manufacturing capabilities, the Indian Navy has come up with a maritime plan which differentiates between the work for private and state-owned firms.
• Electric Eye: New Satellite Gives India the Edge Along the Border Sputnik 23 Jun 2017 -- With the ability to zoom in on areas less than 0.6 meters, India's Cartosat-2 series satellite will allow the Indian Army to keep an eagle eye on hostile activities on the border, said experts on the feat accomplished by India with the launch of the PSLV rocket bearing the satellite on Friday.
• THAAD deployment plan revised to bring forward delivery: S.Korea official People's Daily 23 Jun 2017 -- South Korea's presidential Blue House said Friday that plan to deploy the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) had been revised to bring forward the date of delivery and installation in the country's southeastern region.
• Air Force reports another missile glitch CNA 23 Jun 2017 -- The Air Force confirmed another missile glitch during a military drill in Pingtung County on Friday, one day after two MIM-23 Hawk missiles veered off course after launch, as part of the same annual military exercise to test precision weapons at a military base in the southern county.
• Kazakhstan Denies Talks On Sending Troops To Syria RFE/RL 23 Jun 2017 -- Kazakhstan has refuted reports of talks with Russia on the possibility of its troops taking part in a mechanism to monitor the so-called "de-escalation" agreement in Syria.
• Kazakhstan Foreign Minister Denies Talks Underway to Send Troops to Syria Sputnik 23 Jun 2017 -- Astana is not negotiating with any political power over sending Kazakh troops to Syria, the country's foreign minister said on Friday.

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for June 23, 2017

Other Conflicts

• 23 June 2017 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 23 Jun 2017
• Chinese Sub-Hunting Aircraft, Drones Now Patrolling South China Sea Sputnik 23 Jun 2017 -- Satellite imagery acquired by Defense News indicates unmanned aircraft and China's newest Y-8X maritime patrol aircraft – equipped with a seven-meter long Magnetic Anamoly Detector to detect magnetic signatures of submarine hulls – have been deployed to Hainan Island, on the fringes of the South China Sea.
• Civilian casualties continue to rise in Yemen, warns UN human rights office UN News 23 Jun 2017 -- The United Nations Human Rights Office in Yemen continues to document reports of civilian casualties in the conflict and had verified 49 civilian deaths over the past month, a UN spokesperson said today.
• Yemen cholera cases could surpass 300k by September: UN Press TV 23 Jun 2017 -- The number of Yemenis infected with cholera is expected to rise to more than 300,000 by the end of August, the United Nations children's agency says.
• US strikes killed 500 civilians in Syria last month: Monitor Press TV 23 Jun 2017 -- A London-based monitor says US airstrikes on two Syrian provinces killed 472 civilians last month, more than double a previous 30-day toll.
• Russia fires cruise missiles at Daesh in Syria, doesn't inform US Press TV 23 Jun 2017 -- Russian vessels deployed to the Mediterranean have fired cruise missiles at Daesh targets inside Syria, the Russian Defense Ministry says.
• Daesh Transferring Militants to Hama Province Via Various Routes - MoD Sputnik 23 Jun 2017 -- Russian troops in Syria are closely monitoring jihadists' movements in the area with the use of all means of intelligence.
• Bomb blast kills 8 civilians, soldier in restive western Iraq Press TV 23 Jun 2017 -- At least eight civilians and a soldier have lost their lives when a group of bombers infiltrated into a city in Iraq's troubled western province of Anbar, and one of them blew himself up among security personnel and ordinary people.
• Nearly One-Third of Iraqis Displaced by Daesh Fear Reprisal Upon Returning - UN Sputnik 23 Jun 2017 -- Nearly a third of those Iraqis who fled their homes because of Daesh terror group (banned in Russia) are frightened to come back of fear to face retribution from Islamists, according to a study by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) that was reported in a press release by the United Nations on Friday.
• Security 'number one concern' of displaced Iraqis seeking to return home - UN study UN News 23 Jun 2017 -- With three million Iraqis remaining internally displaced across the country, the United Nations migration agency today published findings of a study showing that the decision to return or remain displaced depends largely on how close their home is to the frontline of conflict.
• Blasts, shootings claim 44 lives across Pakistan Press TV 23 Jun 2017 -- Separate bomb blasts and shootings in the west, east and south of Pakistan have killed a total of 44 people as militants step up attacks on police and security forces in an apparent response to government offensives to push them out from key bastions.
• Blasts in Pakistan Kill At Least 35, Wound More Than 100 RFE/RL 23 Jun 2017 -- Pakistani officials say three blasts in two major cities killed at least 35 people and wounded more than 100 on June 23 -- the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan.
• IRGC disbands terror outfit in western Iran Press TV 23 Jun 2017 -- Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has disbanded a terrorist group in the western Iranian province of Kurdistan.
• Tajikistan's Civil War: A Nightmare The Government Won't Let Its People Forget RFE/RL 23 Jun 2017 -- Tajikistan is marking the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Tajik peace accord on June 27.
• UN opens international probe into alleged abuses in DR Congo's Kasai provinces UN News 23 Jun 2017 -- The United Nations today opened an international investigation into alleged killings, mutilations and destruction of entire villages in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's (DRC) restive Kasai provinces.
• More than $350 million pledged for refugees in Uganda; 'A good start, we cannot stop,' says UN chief UN News 23 Jun 2017 -- A 'Solidarity Summit' for refugees hosted by Uganda has raised some $358 million in pledges, the United Nations announced today.
• UN chief welcomes deployment of regional force to combat terrorism in the Sahel UN News 23 Jun 2017 -- United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has welcomed the deployment by the so-called Group of Five (G5) – Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger – of a joint force to tackle the threat of terrorism and organized crime in the Sahel region.
• Nigerian Refugees Trapped by Uptick in Boko Haram Violence VOA 23 Jun 2017 -- Thousands of Nigerian refugees fleeing Boko Haram atrocities are trapped in difficult humanitarian and security conditions near Cameroon's northern border. They are crammed in a makeshift camp not far from another camp hosting 2,000 internally displaced Cameroonians.
• Pessimism About CAR Peace Deal Widespread VOA 23 Jun 2017 -- A new peace deal between the Bangui government and 13 major rebel groups in the Central African Republic is being met with criticism and skepticism domestically.

News Reports

• List of demands by Saudi Arabia, other Arab nations MARWAN BISHARA, AL JAZEERA'S SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Clearly, there is an insult here. It is not just a question of demands. The tone of these demands, the underlining approach, not only shows total ignorance of international relations and a lack of understanding what state sovereignty means, but it also goes to the heart of the lack of coherence and preparation for putting a document like this together by the four countries.
• Turkey Stands by Qatar in Ongoing Crisis VOA 23 Jun 2017 -- Turkey is continuing to be drawn into the crisis between Qatar and Saudi Arabia and other Gulf States over Doha's alleged support of radical Islamic groups in the region. Ankara is strongly backing Qatar and has ruled out ending it's recently established military ties.
• Qatar given list of demands from Saudi, allies to end crisis Press TV 23 Jun 2017 -- Kuwait has reportedly given Doha a steep list of demands from Saudi Arabia and its allies boycotting Qatar in an attempt to end the unprecedented diplomatic crisis unfolding in the Persian Gulf region.
• UAE warns Qatar of divorce as Persian Gulf tensions simmer Press TV 23 Jun 2017 -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has asked Qatar to pay serious attention to the list of demands from Saudi Arabia and its allies, including the closure of al-Jazeera television news network and downgrade of relations with Iran, as the Persian Gulf diplomatic crisis aggravates.
• Trump: Friendship Between Leader of Russia Probe, Fired FBI Director 'Very Bothersome' VOA 23 Jun 2017 -- In his first televised face-to-face interview in six weeks, President Donald Trump said it is "very bothersome" that the man leading the probe into possible ties between his campaign and Russia is friends with former FBI Director James Comey.
• Russian Commission Rules Navalny Can't Run For President RFE/RL 23 Jun 2017 -- Russian election officials have barred opposition leader Aleksei Navalny from participating in the March 2018 presidential election, citing a criminal conviction that Navalny has said was politically motivated to block him from running.
• U.S. House Speaker Wants To Move Quickly On Russian Sanctions Bill RFE/RL 23 Jun 2017 -- The speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Paul Ryan has said he wants to move quickly on a Senate bill imposing new sanctions on Russia and Iran even as congressional committees worked to resolve a procedural issue blocking the bill.
• DPRK says death of U.S. student Warmbier "mystery" People's Daily 23 Jun 2017 -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said Friday the death of American student Otto Warmbier days after his release was a "mystery," as his health indicators and examination results were all normal when he left DPRK.
• North Korea censures US for 'smear campaign' over student's death Press TV 23 Jun 2017 -- Pyongyang has criticized Washington for its handling of the death of a student who was returned to the United States after falling ill in custody, saying accusations that Otto Warmbier was tortured in North Korea are a pure "smear campaign."
• North Korea Denies Responsibility in Warmbier's Death, Slams Washington Sputnik 23 Jun 2017 -- North Korea has denied that it put deceased American student Otto Warmbier through cruel or torturous treatment during his 17-month detention in the country. Instead, the Hermit Kingdom is arguing that the US has orchestrated a "smear campaign" against them.
• Insults in Print: North Korean Newspaper Calls Trump 'Reckless War Machine' Sputnik 23 Jun 2017 -- On Thursday a North Korean state newspaper called US President Donald Trump a "reckless war machine" and a "lunatic." The report, published in Rodong Sinmun, suggested that Trump could try to distract from political issues in his own country by launching a preemptive strike against Pyongyang.
• Beijing Opposes Pyongyang's Actions in Violation of UNSC Resolutions Sputnik 23 Jun 2017 -- China is against any provocations of North Korea involving the use of ballistic missile technology, which violates the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the country's Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Friday.
• JCPOA will survive if West adheres to commitments: Iran nuclear chief Press TV 23 Jun 2017 -- Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi says the survival of the 2015 landmark nuclear agreement between the Islamic Republic and the P5+1 group of countries depends on the resolve of the West.
• Iran Holds Annual Anti-Israel Rallies, Chant Against Saudi Leaders RFE/RL 23 Jun 2017 -- Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets of Tehran and other Iranian cities to take part in state-sponsored anti-Israeli rallies marking the annual Quds Day, state media report.
• S. Korean ex-president's confidante gets 3-year prison term over corruption scandal People's Daily 23 Jun 2017 -- Choi Soon-sil, a close confidante of impeached South Korean President Park Geun-hye, on Friday got a three-year prison term for one of her corruption charges involving her daughter.
• India launches 31 satellites in single space mission People's Daily 23 Jun 2017 -- India Friday launched 31 satellites, including an earth observation satellite, in a single space mission from the southern spaceport of Sriharikota.
• India launches 31 satellites, including 29 foreign payloads SPA 23 Jun 2017 -- India's space agency launched 31 satellites including its main earth observation satellite and 29 foreign payloads in a single mission on Friday, dpa reported.
• India Successfully Launches Rocket With 31 Satellites - Space Agency Sputnik 23 Jun 2017 -- India successfully launched rocket with nano satellites from 14 countries.
• Tainan mayor reaffirms pro-independence stance CNA 23 Jun 2017 -- Tainan Mayor Lai Ching-te (賴清德), who recently described himself as being "pro-China," said Thursday that his pro-Taiwan independence stance remains unchanged.
• Vucic To Be Inaugurated As Serbia's President RFE/RL 23 Jun 2017 -- Serbia's new president, Aleksandar Vucic, is set to be inaugurated in a ceremony attended by many foreign leaders and dignitaries amid scheduled protests against what his critics describe as his increasingly tight grip on power in the Balkan country.
• Family Connections Fuel Controversy Over Azerbaijan Grand Prix RFE/RL 23 Jun 2017 -- As the flashy Formula One circuit comes roaring into Baku for the second straight year, that the organizer of the race is the son of the country's sports minister is fueling renewed controversy and reminding outsiders of Azerbaijan's reputation for nepotism and corruption.