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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Military Strikes Target ISIS in Syria, Iraq AFPS 14 Oct 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria yesterday, conducting four strikes consisting of four engagements, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Taliban seizes Shia-dominated Mirza Olang in northern Afghanistan Press TV 14 Oct 2017 -- The Taliban militants have again captured Mirza Olnag, a town mostly populated by Shia Hazara families in northern Afghanistan, which suffered a horrific carnage by the militants as well as terrorists of the Daesh Takfiri group nearly two months ago.
• US drone attack leaves 14 Afghan civilians in Kunar Province: Lawmaker Press TV 14 Oct 2017 -- An Afghan lawmaker says more than a dozen civilians have been killed in a recent US drone strike, which was said to be aimed at a militant targets in the country's eastern province of Kunar.
• General Details Progress, What Remains to be Done in Puerto Rico AFPS 14 Oct 2017 -- Military personnel helping the people of Puerto Rico have made great progress since Hurricane Maria hit on Sept. 20, said Army Lt. Gen. Jeffrey S. Buchanan, the commander of ground forces on the island, but, he added, the scale and scope of devastation caused by the storm was so great that much remains to be done.

Defense Policy / Programs

• USS Ponce Decommissioned after 46 Years of Service NNS 14 Oct 2017 -- Following more than 46 years of honorable naval service, the afloat forward staging base (interim) USS Ponce (AFSB(I) 15) was decommissioned during a time-honored ceremony, Oct. 14.
• Future USS Fort Lauderdale Keel Authenticated NNS 14 Oct 2017 -- The keel for the future USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28) was authenticated during a ceremony at Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), Oct. 13.
• Russia may deploy more troops, missiles in Kaliningrad: Senior MP Press TV 14 Oct 2017 -- Russia may deploy additional military forces and equipment to its Western border regions -- including its Iskander-M tactical missile systems – in response to increasing US military buildup in Poland, a senior legislator says.
• Nation developing fastest amphibious multi-role vehicle People's Daily 14 Oct 2017 -- China is developing the world's fastest amphibious multi-role vehicle, which can be used in personnel and supply transportation at sea as well as for special warfare.
• Stressed Out, Undertrained: 6 in 10 French Soldiers Ready to Leave Army Ranks Sputnik 14 Oct 2017 -- A hefty 62 percent of French military personnel and police are ready to look for a new job, a report by a government committee on the state of the country's armed forces revealed.
• India Speeds Up Construction of Mountain Passes Near Chinese Border Sputnik 14 Oct 2017 -- The north Indian states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh were viewed as peace zones until recently when the Indian Army got an alarm call from border guards and the state police who claimed to have noticed Chinese troops entering several kilometers into the Indian side.
• Israel's Heron TP Armed Drone May Not Find Its Way to Indian Skies Sputnik 14 Oct 2017 -- New Delhi's ambition of obtaining technology for the manufacture of armed drones has received a major setback with the Israeli ministry of defense imposing several restrictions on the expert of Heron TP - a combat UAV India was particularly interested in.
• Iran armed forces firm to develop defense power more than ever IRNA 14 Oct 2017 -- Iran's Armed Forces are more determined today to promote the country's defensive power, Iranian Armed Forces spokesman General Masoud Jazayeri has said.
• Iran's Armed Forces to continue boosting defensive power ISNA 14 Oct 2017 -- Iran's Armed Forces have reacted to a move by the United States' Treasury Department to blacklist the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), pledging to continue the boosting of Iran's defensive power.
• Iran's Armed Forces to Trump: You'll see more all in good time Press TV 14 Oct 2017 -- Iran's Armed Forces have reacted to a move by the United States' Treasury Department to blacklist the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), pledging to continue to boost Iran's defensive power.
• Ankara had talks with Moscow on Russia's S-500 missile system: Erdogan Press TV 14 Oct 2017 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Ankara has had talks with Moscow over Russia's S-500 surface-to-air missile defense systems, announcing that Turkey has also no "problem" with the Kremlin over its previous deal on receiving batteries of S-400 systems.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Turkish Forces Move Into Syria VOA 14 Oct 2017 -- Turkey has deployed troops to Syria's Idlib province, as part of its effort to stem fighting and end jihadist control of the region.
• Syria demands 'immediate, unconditional' pullout of Turkish troops from Idlib Press TV 14 Oct 2017 -- The Syrian government has strongly denounced an incursion of Turkish military forces into the country's militant-held northwestern province of Idlib, demanding "immediate and unconditional" withdrawal of Turkish troops from the war-ravaged Arab country.
• Russia urges UN to fully investigate Khan Shaykhun 'staged' chemical attack Press TV 14 Oct 2017 -- Russia has called on the UN to fully investigate an alleged chemical attack on the Syrian town of Khan Shaykhun in April, saying evidence suggests the incident was a "staged attack."
• Syrian army forces, allies liberate Mayadin from Daesh terrorists Press TV 14 Oct 2017 -- Syrian army soldiers, supported by allied fighters from popular defense groups, have liberated the strategic eastern city of Mayadin from the clutches of Daesh Takfiri terrorists as they continue to gain more territorial gains and deal stinging blows to the extremists in the country's eastern province of Dayr al-Zawr.
• Russia: Syria chemical probe seriously flawed Press TV 14 Oct 2017 -- Russia says there are "serious problems" with an international investigation into an April chemical incident in Syria.
• U.S.-Backed Forces In Syria Say 'Final' Battle For Raqqa Is On RFE/RL 14 Oct 2017 -- A spokesman for the U.S.-backed forces fighting Islamic State militants in Syria says the "final" battle to uproot the extremists from the northern city of Raqqa is under way, as dozens of IS fighters surrender.
• Russia Questions Validity Of Syrian Gas Attack Investigation At UN RFE/RL 14 Oct 2017 -- Russia on October 13 complained that UN investigators failed to search for traces of the banned nerve gas sarin on their visit this week to a Syrian airfield that Western nations say was used to launch a sarin gas attack against civilians in April.
• Russian MoD Accuses US-Led Coalition of Bombings of Raqqa Residential Areas Sputnik 14 Oct 2017 -- The Russian Defense Ministry has commented on the liberation of the town of al-Mayadeen, the largest Daesh stronghold in the Deir ez-Zor province. The ministry also accused the US-led coalition of inaccurate bombing in Raqqa during the operation to free the former Daesh "capital."
• Damascus Demands 'Immediate' Withdrawal of Turkish Army From Syria - State Media Sputnik 14 Oct 2017 -- Few days after the Turkish troops and armed vehicles entered Syria's Idlib following the announcement of Ankara's second military operation in the Arab Republic, Damascus has reportedly strongly condemned the deployment.
• Syrian Army Gains Control of Largest Daesh Hotbed in Deir ez-Zor - State Media Sputnik 14 Oct 2017 -- Over a week after the Syrian army launched an operation to free the largest Daesh (ISIS, Islamic State, banned in Russia) stronghold in the Deir ez-Zor province after the three-year siege of the city of Deir ez-Zor had been lifted, the government forces have reportedly gained control of the area.
• IS Fighters Expected to Evacuate Raqqa VOA 14 Oct 2017 -- A spokesman for Syrian militias said Saturday that Islamic State fighters were expected to evacuate the city of Raqqa in an agreement with the U.S.-backed Syrian militias surrounding them.
• Hashd al-Sha'abi's Turkmen fighters, Kurdish forces clash in Iraq's Salahuddin province Press TV 14 Oct 2017 -- Iraqi Turkmen fighters from the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) have engaged in a two-hour gun battle with Kurdish forces in the country's central province of Salahuddin as tensions remain high between Kurdish and Turkmen political parties in the wake of last month's independence referendum in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region.
• UNSC must press Myanmar on refugee return process: EX-UN chief Press TV 14 Oct 2017 -- The former UN chief, Kofi Annan, has called on the Security Council (UNSC) to press Myanmar to facilitate the return of over 500,000 Rohingya Muslims, who were forced out of their homeland into Bangladesh amid a government-backed military crackdown.
• Burmese Army Opens Inquiry into Atrocities Against Rohingyas VOA 14 Oct 2017 -- Army officials in Myanmar say they have opened an internal probe into the behavior of Burmese troops in Rahkine State, where Myanmar military forces are accused of committing widespread atrocities
• Millions of People in Ukraine Are in Desperate Straits as Winter Approaches VOA 14 Oct 2017 -- The United Nations warns some 4 million people across Ukraine are facing a desperate situation as winter approaches and are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance to survive the bitterly cold months ahead.
• At least 22 people die in powerful bomb blasts in Somali capital Press TV 14 Oct 2017 -- Bomb explosions have killed at least 22 people in two districts of the Somali capital, Mogadishu, police say.
• Deadly Truck Bomb Rips Main Intersection in Mogadishu, Flattens Buildings VOA 14 Oct 2017 -- At least 25 people have been killed and at least 50 others wounded in a truck bomb blast near a key intersection in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, officials and witnesses said.
• Indian forces kill two militants, civilian in Kashmir Press TV 14 Oct 2017 -- Indian forces have shot dead two suspected militants, including the top commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant group, during a fierce gunfight in the India-administered part of Kashmir, triggering an anti-New Delhi protest in the area.

News Reports

• Kerry on Trump Nuclear Deal: 'Reckless Abandonment of Facts' VOA 14 Oct 2017 -- John Kerry, the former U.S. Secretary of State, had harsh criticism for President Donald Trump's decision not to certify that Iran is in compliance with the nuclear deal signed by six world powers in 2015.
• Trump Toughens Iran Strategy, Decertifies Tehran's Compliance With Accord VOA 14 Oct 2017 -- Saying Iran is not living up to the spirit of a two-year-old nuclear agreement it signed with Western powers, President Donald Trump Friday unveiled a tough new strategy toward Tehran, including additional sanctions aimed at blocking the regime's path to develop nuclear weapons.
• Trump has to tolerate int'l community pressure IRNA 14 Oct 2017 -- Iranian Foreign Ministry former spokesman pointed to President Trump's foreign policy as confusing US, saying Trump has to tolerate international community pressure.
• Interior Minister: Europe at odds with US on JCPOA IRNA 14 Oct 2017 -- Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said on Saturday that the latest allegations made by the US president against the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) has made the European countries to counter the US.
• Zarif: Iranians standing firmly with IRGC IRNA 14 Oct 2017 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a message stressed on Iranians' firm support for the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).
• Foreign ministry's statement in response to Trump's new Iran strategy ISNA 14 Oct 2017 -- Iranian foreign ministry in a statement has responded to the US President's remarks and his country's new strategy towards the Islamic Republic of Iran.
• Iran cannot afford to keep implementing the deal unilaterally: Zarif ISNA 14 Oct 2017 -- In a letter to EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned that Washington's behavior towards the nuclear deal threatened to render the entire bargain meaningless.
• Trump is in no position to verify Iran's compliance to nuclear deal: Zarif Press TV 14 Oct 2017 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has stressed that US President Donald Trump is in no position to verify Iran's compliance to the nuclear deal.
• Iran to respond to any hostile bid against its interests: Velayati Press TV 14 Oct 2017 -- A senior Iranian official has underlined the Islamic Republic's determination to deliver a befitting response to any hostile measure against the country.
• Any anti-JCPOA action to undermine global peace: Iran's Rouhani Press TV 14 Oct 2017 -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has warned that any action against the historic nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries - known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) - would undermine regional and international security and stability.
• UK works hard with US Congress to preserve valuable Iran deal: Johnson Press TV 14 Oct 2017 -- UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson says the UK government will work hard with the US Cngress to persuade them preserve the Iran nuclear deal after President Donald Trump announced he decided not to certify the landmark agreement which was negotiated by the administration of former president Barack Obama.
• Trump's Strategy For Toughening Iran Deal Faces Uncertain Future In Congress RFE/RL 14 Oct 2017 -- U.S. President Donald Trump's call for legislation aimed at toughening the Iran nuclear deal faces an uncertain future in Congress even as leading Republican senators stepped forward to champion the cause.
• Moscow Explains Why Iran Nuclear Deal Cannot Be Repealed Unilaterally Sputnik 14 Oct 2017 -- Speaker of the Russian parliament's upper house Valentina Matvienko has explained why the US can't withdraw from the nuclear agreement with Iran unilaterally, adding that Iran's compliance with the deal was confirmed by IAEA verification.
• North Korea readies missile launch ahead of US-South Korea drill: Report Press TV 14 Oct 2017 -- A South Korean newspaper has claimed that the North is "highly likely" preparing to test-launch a ballistic missile prior to an upcoming joint naval drill by Washington and Seoul.
• N Korea Threatens to Strike Guam if Trump Doesn't Reign in His Twitter Flaunting Sputnik 14 Oct 2017 -- US President Donald Trump has soundly gained the reputation of a person who does not hesitate much before taking to social media to speak out loudly, from praising jobs in the domestic labor market to waging a war of words against "little rocket man" Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea.
• Mystery Hacker Steals Australian Defense Data VOA 14 Oct 2017 -- A mystery hacker who was given the alias of a TV soap opera character has stolen sensitive information about Australia's multi-billion dollar warplane and navy projects. Intelligence officials say the break was significant, although the Australian government insists that only low-level data was taken. The identity of the cyber criminal is not known.
• Hashd al-Sha'abi's Turkmen fighters, Kurdish forces clash in Iraq's Salahuddin province Press TV 14 Oct 2017 -- Iraqi Turkmen fighters from the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) have engaged in a two-hour gun battle with Kurdish forces in the country's central province of Salahuddin as tensions remain high between Kurdish and Turkmen political parties in the wake of last month's independence referendum in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region.
• Pakistan, US Upbeat About Future Ties After Hostage Rescue VOA 14 Oct 2017 -- Pakistan and the United States, uneasy allies in the war against terrorism, appear upbeat about better cooperation and relations after a joint effort freed a U.S.-Canadian family from Taliban captivity.
• Russia's Governors Shake-Up: Fresh Ideas Or 'Illusion Of Renewal'? RFE/RL 14 Oct 2017 -- As President Vladimir Putin this week continued his run of sackings in Russia's regions, state TV told the nation the Kremlin is grooming a new generation of leaders for top posts across the country.
• Over 600 Senior Turkish Officials Asked for Asylum in Germany Since Coup Attempt Sputnik 14 Oct 2017 -- Over 600 high-ranking Turkish officials, including diplomats, have asked for asylum in Germany since the coup attempt last year amid ongoing purges in the country.
• Turkey issues arrest warrants for 100 former police officers Press TV 14 Oct 2017 -- Turkey has issued arrest warrants for 100 former police officers as part of the government's widening crackdown following last year's attempted coup.
• Kyrgyz Voters Cast Ballots Seeking Historic Peaceful Transfer Of Power In Central Asia RFE/RL 14 Oct 2017 -- Voters in Kyrgyzstan head to the polls on October 15 in an election that is expected to result in the first peaceful transfer of power from one popularly elected president to another in Central Asia since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
• Analysis: How Close Is Turkmenistan To Instability? RFE/RL 14 Oct 2017 -- A familiar kind of weird is returning to Turkmenistan.
• Venezuelans Cast Ballots Sunday in Regional Elections Viewed as Test for Maduro, Opposition VOA 14 Oct 2017 -- Venezuelans cast ballots Sunday in regional elections that are widely seen as a vital test for both President Nicolas Maduro and the opposition.
• Making Sense of Kenya's Election Surprises: A Timeline of Events VOA 14 Oct 2017 -- Kenya's 2017 election followed a predictable script. Until it didn't.