10 April 2018 Military News

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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

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OIF / OND / OEF / OIR / OFS Casualty Update 10 Apr 2018 [PDF]

Fight Between Security Forces, Taliban in Afghanistan Leaves 17 Killed - Reports Sputnik 10 Apr 2018 -- At least 17 individuals have been killed in a clash between the Afghan forces and the Taliban terror group in the western Herat province, Khaama Press News Agency reported.
Afghan Officials: Pakistani Cross-Border Fire Kills Civilian VOA 10 Apr 2018 -- Officials in Afghanistan say cross-border shelling by Pakistan has killed at least one civilian in the eastern province of Kunar.

Defense Policy / Programs

US Stages Annual Military Exercise as Questions Linger About Its African Role VOA 10 Apr 2018 -- Amid unresolved questions about the role of its military in Africa, the U.S. has kicked off a two-week exercise in Agadez, Niger, designed to strengthen security partnerships and train elite counterterrorism units in the volatile Sahel region.
USNS Mercy Departs Bengkulu Indonesia NNS 10 Apr 2018 -- Service members and partner nations participating in Pacific Partnership 2018 (PP18) departed Bengkulu aboard Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), April 10.
Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group to Depart for Deployment NNS 10 Apr 2018 -- Nearly 6,500 Sailors of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG) will depart Norfolk the morning of April 11, for a regularly-scheduled deployment.
USS Ralph Johnson to Visit Mexico NNS 10 Apr 2018 -- USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114) arrived in Manzanillo for a regularly scheduled port visit April 10.
Emory S. Land visits Sasebo During Indo-Pacific Deployment NNS 10 Apr 2018 -- Submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) arrived in Sasebo, Japan April 10, for a visit as part of its deployment to the Indo-Pacific region.
Bonhomme Richard Arrives in Okinawa for Port Visit, Support to White Beach Festival NNS 10 Apr 2018 -- The amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) arrived at White Beach, Okinawa on April 9, for the final time, as it prepares to sail to San Diego for a homeport shift.
USS Michael Murphy Hosts Micronesian Officials NNS 10 Apr 2018 -- Sailors from USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) met with local officials while the ship was operating off the coast of Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), April 7.

NATO Secretary General addresses German cabinet at Schloss Meseberg NATO 10 Apr 2018 -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg thanked Germany for its vital contributions to the Alliance in talks with the new German cabinet, led by Chancellor Angela Merkel, on Tuesday (10 April 2018). Speaking at Schloss Meseberg, the German government's retreat outside Berlin, Mr Stoltenberg praised Germany's leadership of a multinational battlegroup in Lithuania and its decision to add more than 300 troops to the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission to train, advise and assist the Afghan security forces.

Russia Reportedly Deploys Deep-Sea Division in the Arctic Sputnik 10 Apr 2018 -- With competition for the Arctic's mineral wealth heating up, Russia's Northern Fleet is becoming key to ensuring the country's national security and economic interests in the Far North.

China, Vanuatu reject Australian report on 'military base' Press TV 10 Apr 2018 -- Officials in China and the South Pacific nation of Vanuatu have denied Australian media reports that Beijing has approached the island country with an idea to establish a permanent military base there.
Vanuatu Refutes Reports About Talks With China on Hosting Military Base Sputnik 10 Apr 2018 -- Vanuatu is not in talks with Beijing about hosting a Chinese military base on the territory of the Pacific island nation, Foreign Minister Ralph Regenvanu said on Tuesday.
Chinese Aircraft Drill Over Mountains as War With Taiwan Becomes 'More Probable' Sputnik 10 Apr 2018 -- Warplanes from the People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theater Command recently conducted drills over rugged terrain in western China to simulate battle conditions over Taiwan, where it is ever "more probable" the planes will be sent for actual battle, the Global Times reports.

After 9-Years Wait, Indian Army to Get Ballistic Vests With Level 3+ Protection Sputnik 10 Apr 2018 -- The jackets finalized for procurement would provide Level 3+ protection as the plates used in the jacket can repel not only regular 7.62x51 ammunition but also steel-core bullets like the AK-47s 7.62x39 mm, which can shatter regular Level III body armor.

China firmly opposes U.S. arms sales to Taiwan: spokesperson People's Daily 10 Apr 2018 -- China's stance of resolutely opposing the United States selling weapons to Taiwan has been always clear and consistent, a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense said at a press conference Monday.

Taiwan a chess player, not a pawn: president CNA 10 Apr 2018 -- Taiwan is not a small country at the mercy of other countries but one endowed with formidable economic and military strength, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said Tuesday, as she sought to allay fears that Taiwan could become a pawn in the politics of global powers.
Chinese president lauds Taiwan's contributions to China CNA 10 Apr 2018 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) on Tuesday lauded Taiwanese contributions to China's development and voiced optimism about the prospects for cross-Taiwan Strait relations while welcoming a Taiwanese delegation at the Boao Forum for Asia.

US approves $300mn guided missile deal with Qatar Press TV 10 Apr 2018 -- The US State Department has given the green light to a $300 million sale of guided missiles to Qatar as Persian Gulf Arab states are stepping up purchasing state-of-the-art weaponry amid their diplomatic standoff.

Lockheed Martin Delivers More Stealthy F-35s to Australia Sputnik 10 Apr 2018 -- The Australian Ministry of Defense has officially added three F-35A aircraft to its fleet, and all fully combat capable - a feat some of the United States' F-35s have yet to achieve.

Department Press Briefing - April 10, 2018 US Dept. of State 10 Apr 2018
Remarks by President Trump and Amir Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani of the State of Qatar Before Bilateral Meeting The White House 10 Apr 2018
Press Briefing by Press Secretary Sarah Sanders The White House 10 Apr 2018

Defense Industry

DoD News: Contracts for April 10, 2018

Other Conflicts

10 April 2018 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 10 Apr 2018

China Has Right to Send Military Gear to Disputed Nanshan Island - Ministry Sputnik 10 Apr 2018 -- China has every right to deploy the necessary military equipment to Nanshan Island of the disputed Spratly archipelago to preserve the country's sovereignty and national security, the deputy director of the Chinese Defense Ministry's Information Office said on Tuesday.

Yemen targets Saudi military base IRNA 10 Apr 2018 -- Yemeni missiles and artillery shells have hit a Saudi military base located in Najran, the city in southwestern Saudi Arabia near the border with Yemen.
At least 4 Yemeni civilians killed in fresh Saudi airstrikes in Ta'izz, Sa'ada Press TV 10 Apr 2018 -- At least four civilians, including women and children, have been killed and several others wounded when Saudi fighter jets conducted multiple airstrikes against residential areas in Yemen's Ta'izz and Sa'ada provinces as Saudi Arabia continues with its atrocious bombardment campaign against its southern neighbor.
Yemeni Forces Fire Ballistic Missile at Saudi Base - Reports Sputnik 10 Apr 2018 -- According to the Yemeni Arabic-language al-Masirah television network, citing an unnamed military official, the Yemeni Forces have launched a domestic-made ballistic missile at a military base in Saudi Arabia as a retaliatory measure to the Saudi-led campaign in Yemen.

Turkey says will hand over Afrin to new Syrian govt. following elections Press TV 10 Apr 2018 -- Turkey's defense minister says Syria's northern city of Afrin would be handed over to a central government in Syria when a new administration has been formed following elections.
Ankara Reveals When Turkish Troops Will Leave Syria's Afrin Sputnik 10 Apr 2018 -- Speaking with reporters, the Turkish Deputy Prime Minister has emphasized that it is impossible to resolve the Syrian crisis militarily.

Rivaling US, Russia resolutions on Syria chemical weapons fail at UNSC Press TV 10 Apr 2018 -- Rivaling US and Russia drafted UNSC resolutions aimed at creating a new inquiry into chemical weapons attacks in Syria have both failed to garner votes at the council.
Security Council fails to adopt three resolutions on chemical weapons use in Syria UN News 10 Apr 2018 -- Days after alleged chemical weapons attack in the Damascus suburb of Douma, the United Nations Security Council failed to adopt two competing resolutions that would have established a mechanism to investigate use of such weapons in Syria, as well as another concerning a fact-finding mission in the war-torn country.
Iran rejects instrumental use of chemical weapons issue IRNA 10 Apr 2018 -- A senior advisor to Iranian foreign minister Hossein Jaberi Ansari on Tuesday dismissed instrumental use of chemical weapons issue as unacceptable, saying that Iran favors a legal approach to deal with the alleged use of such arms.
OPCW to deploy mission to Douma, Syria IRNA 10 Apr 2018 -- The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is scheduled to dispatch a fact-finding team to probe into alleged chemical attacks in Douma, Syria.
Iran vows full support for Syria's territorial integrity IRNA 10 Apr 2018 -- Iran is fully defending the Syrian territorial integrity and the sovereign government in the country, a senior advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader said on Tuesday.
Russia: No evidence of chemical attack in Douma IRNA 10 Apr 2018 -- Russian Defense Ministry announced that there is no trace of chemical weapons in the Syrian city of Douma, Russia Today (RT) reported.
Syria warns of dangerous repercussions of Israeli assaults on Syrian territories IRNA 10 Apr 2018 -- Syria has warned of the grave repercussions of the assaults launched by the Israeli occupation on the Syrian territories and its constant support for the terrorist organizations, stressing that the Israeli aggression on the T-4 Airport in the countryside of Homs would not have been possible without the US limitless support.
700,000 Syrians displaced by fighting in 2018: UN Press TV 10 Apr 2018 -- Some 700,000 people have been displaced in fighting across Syria in the first months of 2018, a regional United Nations official has announced.
Russia will propose UN resolution to probe alleged Syria gas attack: Lavorv Press TV 10 Apr 2018 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Moscow will propose a resolution to the UN to launch an investigation into the reports of a suspected chemical attack on the Syrian town of Douma.
Russia: US refusing to face reality on Douma attack Press TV 10 Apr 2018 -- Russia says the United States is refusing to accept the reality over an alleged chemical attack near the Syrian capital, Damascus, for which Moscow says there is no evidence.
US warned over 'grave repercussions' of attacking Syria: Russia Press TV 10 Apr 2018 -- Russia has said that it has warned the US of "grave repercussions" if it attacks Syria over claims of a chemical weapons attack.
Trump Cancels South America Trip As U.S. Mulls Military Action In Syria RFE/RL 10 Apr 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump has canceled a scheduled trip to South America later this week as Washington considers military action against Syria over an alleged chemical attack.
U.S. Threatens Military Action Against Syria; Russia Warns Of 'Grave' Consequences RFE/RL 10 Apr 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to take military action against Syria over a suspected chemical-weapons attack on civilians over the weekend, while Russia warned any such action would have "grave repercussions."
UN Security Council Meeting Over Syrian Crisis Sputnik 10 Apr 2018 -- The meeting takes place just days after an alleged chemical weapons incident in Syria's Douma - Moscow and Damascus maintain it was a provocation and demand an investigation into the matter, while Washington pins the blame on the Syrian government, is considering a "forceful" response, and is amplifying its naval strike group in the Mediterranean.
Trump, May, Macron Agree Not to Allow Chemical Weapons Use in Syria Sputnik 10 Apr 2018 -- US President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Theresa May have discussed over the telephone the issue of chemical weapons use in Syria and agreed not to let such weapons to be used, the White House said in a readout after the call.
OPCW to Send Experts to Syrian Douma to Probe Alleged Chemical Weapons Use Sputnik 10 Apr 2018 -- The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has requested the Syrian government to take necessary measures for the deployment of a fact-finding mission to the Syrian settlement of Douma to establish facts surrounding the alleged used of chemical weapons in the area.
Russia Denies Reports About Blocking Signals From US Drones in Syria Sputnik 10 Apr 2018 -- The Russian military has been scrambling some US military drones performing in Syria, seriously disrupting American military operations, the channel NBC announced, citing anonymous US officials.
Envoy to UN: Syria Possess No Chemical Weapons Sputnik 10 Apr 2018 -- Syria is ready to provide unlimited assistance to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) mission coming to the city of Douma after an alleged chemical attack against civilians on Saturday, Syrian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Bashar Jaafari said.
Guterres renews call for Security Council unity over Syria; UN agencies warn 'desperate' situation becoming worse for civilians UN News 10 Apr 2018 -- Reports of new alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria's Eastern Ghouta over the weekend have been condemned by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, who on Tuesday repeated his call for the Security Council to "find unity" on the issue and ensure accountability.
US Mulls 'Coordinated' Response to Syria Gas Attack VOA 10 Apr 2018 -- The United States on Tuesday consulted with allies in preparation for possible expanded military action in Syria following the latest suspected deadly chemical weapons attack on a Syrian rebel-held village.
Global Watchdog to Travel to Syria to Probe Alleged Chemical Attack VOA 10 Apr 2018 -- A global chemical weapons watchdog said Tuesday it will send a team to the Syrian town of Douma to investigate a suspected poison gas attack that killed dozens of people last weekend near Damascus.
UN: Suffering of Syrian Civilians Reaches New Heights VOA 10 Apr 2018 -- U.N. agencies report an alarming escalation of humanitarian needs in war-torn Syria as violence, displacement and the suffering of the Syrian people reach new heights.
Readout of President Donald J. Trump's Call with Prime Minister Theresa May of The United Kingdom The White House 10 Apr 2018

Lebanon to file complaint with UN against Israeli violations of airspace Press TV 10 Apr 2018 -- Lebanon's Foreign Ministry has strongly denounced recent Israeli violations of Lebanon's airspace to launch airstrikes in Syria, saying Beirut intends to lodge a formal complaint with the United Nations Security Council.

Rohingya face trauma, hunger in Bangladesh camps: Aid groups Press TV 10 Apr 2018 -- Aid agencies say Myanmar's persecuted Rohingya Muslim refugees are suffering from mental health issues, including suicidal thoughts at overcrowded camps in neighboring Bangladesh.

Arrested Ukrainian Lawmaker Savchenko's Home, Office Searched RFE/RL 10 Apr 2018 -- Ukrainian law enforcement officers have searched the home and office of lawmaker Nadia Savchenko, who is in jail pending trial on charges of plotting a terrorist attack on parliament with grenades and automatic weapons.

Two Soldiers Killed In Unprovoked Firing by Pakistan Troops: Indian Army Sputnik 10 Apr 2018 -- India has accused Pakistani forces of firing mortars and automatic guns overnight to strike at Indian positions in the Sunderbani sector along the Line of Control.

Greek Border Guards Fire Warning Shots at Turkish Helicopter - Source Sputnik 10 Apr 2018 -- Greek border security personnel fired warning shots as a Turkish helicopter approached the Greek islet of Ro in the eastern Mediterranean, a Greek law enforcement source told Sputnik on Tuesday.

News Reports

Trump Calls Raid on Lawyer's Office 'New Level of Unfairness' VOA 10 Apr 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump railed again Tuesday about FBI raids on his personal lawyer Michael Cohen's New York office and a hotel where he had been staying, calling them "a total witch hunt."

US begins work on Mexico border wall Press TV 10 Apr 2018 -- The United States has begun construction work along the US-Mexico border in southern New Mexico to replace existing barriers with a new wall.

Poisoned ex-spy's daughter released from UK hospital Press TV 10 Apr 2018 -- Former Russian double-agent Sergei Skripal's daughter, Yulia, has been released from the hospital after surviving a poisoning attack in Salisbury last month.
Poison Victim Yulia Skripal Discharged From U.K. Hospital RFE/RL 10 Apr 2018 -- Yulia Skripal, the poisoned daughter of a Russian former spy, has been discharged from a hospital in the English city of Salisbury.
Poisoned Daughter of Ex-Russian Spy Released from British Hospital VOA 10 Apr 2018 -- Yulia Skripal has been released from a British hospital after she and her father – former Russian spy Sergei Skripal – were poisoned last month.

Ruble Falls Further, Russian Officials Seek To Calm Nerves RFE/RL 10 Apr 2018 -- The Russian ruble is falling for a second straight day following the imposition of new U.S. sanctions, while the Central Bank chief and other officials are seeking to calm investors in the wake of a big sell-off in shares of Russian companies a day earlier.
Russia Faces '100 Years Of Solitude' (Or More), Putin Aide Says RFE/RL 10 Apr 2018 -- A veteran adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin says that Russia has abandoned its centuries-long hopes of integrating with the West and is bracing for a new era of geopolitical isolation.

North Korea officially confirms plans for talks with US Press TV 10 Apr 2018 -- North Korea has officially acknowledged plans for holding historic talks with the United States.
North Korea FM in Russia as activated diplomacy continues Press TV 10 Apr 2018 -- North Korea's Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho has traveled to Russia, where he is due to hold talks with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov.
Nuclear Deal Could Increase Risk for North Korean Defectors VOA 10 Apr 2018 -- China's continued forced deportation of North Korean defectors, who face imprisonment or even death upon return to the repressive state, has received muted international criticism, as diplomatic efforts have intensified to negotiate a denuclearization deal with Pyongyang.

Iran vows 'crushing response' to enemies' missteps, miscalculations Press TV 10 Apr 2018 -- Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami says the country is boosting its deterrent power and is prepared to give a devastating response to any wrong move or miscalculation by the enemies.
Iran Tries To Unify Exchange Rates To Halt Currency Decline RFE/RL 10 Apr 2018 -- Iranian authorities have vowed to enforce a single exchange rate to the U.S. dollar in a bid to stop a slide that has seen Iran's rial currency fall by more than one-third in seven months.

China's Xi Pledges to Cut Auto Tariffs, Press Ahead With Reforms VOA 10 Apr 2018 -- China's President Xi Jinping did not mention U.S. President Donald Trump by name or speak directly about rising trade frictions with Washington during a closely watched speech at the Boao Forum – China's version of Davos for Asia.
President Xi: China will take measures in deepening opening-up People's Daily 10 Apr 2018 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping promised to further open up China to the world at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2018 on Tuesday.
Guterres: China is the pillar of multilateralism of the world People's Daily 10 Apr 2018 -- Before his departure to the 2018 Boao Forum for Asia in Hainan, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who is visiting China at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, had an exclusive interview with People's Daily on Monday.

Lukashenka Hints At Shift In Belarusian Power Structure, But Not Yet RFE/RL 10 Apr 2018 -- Authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka has dangled the prospect of decreasing the ample powers of the president in Belarus, but suggested that such a change should not be expected in the near future.

Merkel: New Pipeline Impossible Without Clarity For Ukraine RFE/RL 10 Apr 2018 -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said that a new natural-gas pipeline linking Russia with Germany cannot go ahead without clarity on Ukraine's role as a gas transit route.

Azerbaijani President Can Be Confident Of Fourth Election Victory RFE/RL 10 Apr 2018 -- Barring an act of God, and despite a serious economic downturn in recent years, Azerbaijan's incumbent president, Ilham Aliyev, will almost certainly be reelected on April 11 with a landslide majority for a fourth consecutive term.

UN migration agency rolls out regional response to ongoing Venezuelans exodus UN News 10 Apr 2018 -- The United Nations migration agency on Tuesday launched a regional action plan to bolster its response to massive population outflows from Venezuela, amid the worsening political and socio-economic situation in the South American country.

Report: Sudan President Orders Immediate Release of All Political Prisoners VOA 10 Apr 2018 -- Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir ordered the immediate release of all political prisoners in the country, the state news agency SUNA said on Tuesday.

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