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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIR Partner Force Captures ISIS Fighters in Deconfliction Zone AFPS 07 Jul 2018 -- The Maghawir al-Thowra, a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve partner force in Syria, detained nine Islamic State of Iraq and Syria fighters who were traveling through the 55-kilometer deconfliction zone located in southern Syria, OIR officials announced today.
• Taliban Overruns Afghan District Center, Anti-government Protests Intensify VOA 07 Jul 2018 -- Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan have attacked several locations in a troubled southeastern province, overrunning a key district headquarters and killing, among others, the regional commander of Afghan special police forces.
• Taliban Rockets Hit Afghan Security Meeting in Ghazni VOA 07 Jul 2018 -- Officials in Afghanistan confirmed Sunday Taliban rockets hit a high-profile emergency security meeting in the troubled southeastern Ghazni province, wounding at least two soldiers and several civilians.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Two U.S. Navy vessels sail through Taiwan Strait: MND CNA 07 Jul 2018 -- Two U.S. Navy vessels crossed into the Taiwan Strait from the south and were continuing on a northeasterly course, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) confirmed late Saturday.
• Taiwan military says two US warships pass through Taiwan Strait Press TV 07 Jul 2018 -- Taiwan says a pair of the United States Navy's guided-missile destroyers have passed through the Taiwan Strait as the US and China, which claims the self-ruled island state as its territory, are in the middle of an unprecedented trade war.
• US Warships Cross Strait Between China and Taiwan Amid Trade Row Sputnik 07 Jul 2018 -- Two US warships passed through the Taiwan Strait on Saturday in a move that is likely to be regarded on the island as a sign of support by the US. Separately, the crossing may lead to a further spike in tensions with China.
• Italy says won't buy F-35s anymore, may cut existing order Press TV 07 Jul 2018 -- The Italian government says the country will not buy any more F-35 stealth fighter jets from the United States and will review an existing order based on which it is already committed to purchase 90 of the planes.
• Italy Refuses to Continue Purchasing US F-35 Fighters - Defense Minister Sputnik 07 Jul 2018 -- The Italian air force has already received 10 F-35 fighters, while a long-term program for their production and purchase implies an eventual total of 90 aircraft, according to the Italian media.
• Romanian MiG-21 Crashes During Exhibition Leaving Pilot Dead - Defense Ministry Sputnik 07 Jul 2018 -- A Romanian MiG-21 (NATO reporting name Fishbed) fighter jet crashed on Saturday during an exhibition flight in the country's south leaving the pilot dead, the Romanian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
• Iran's missile program solely for defensive purposes: Spokesman Press TV 07 Jul 2018 -- Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi has stressed that the country's missile program is solely for defensive purposes and it does not pose any threat to other nations.
• German Officials, Trump Exchange Criticism Ahead Of NATO Summit RFE/RL 07 Jul 2018 -- Top German officials are voicing sharp criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump ahead of next week's NATO summit, even as Trump is vowing to push hard for Germany and other European nations to meet NATO's defense spending goals.
• Qatar, Russia discuss S-400 sale despite Saudi threat Press TV 07 Jul 2018 -- Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani says he has discussed purchasing Russia's state-of-the-art S-400 missile defense system with President Vladimir Putin.
• NATO Wants 'Sensible' Relations With Russia - Merkel Sputnik 07 Jul 2018 -- NATO member states would like to have sensible relations with Russia, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday ahead of NATO summit in Brussels scheduled for the next week.
• Nuclear non-proliferation treaty marks first anniversary, but still lacks sufficient numbers to become law UN News 07 Jul 2018 -- On Saturday, Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the first anniversary of the adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, previously calling it an "essential pillar" of international peace and security, and the "heart" of the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Displaced Syrians returning home in Dara'a after ceasefire deal between govt., militants Press TV 07 Jul 2018 -- Thousands of displaced Syrians are returning home after the government reached a ceasefire deal with militants in the southwestern province of Dara'a.
• Over a dozen killed as car bomb hits Dayr al-Zawr in eastern Syria Press TV 07 Jul 2018 -- More than a dozen have lost their lives when a powerful explosion ripped through Syria's eastern province of Dayr al-Zawr near the border with Iraq, a monitor group says.
• Syrian Army Regains Control Over Damascus-Amman Highway - Source Sputnik 07 Jul 2018 -- The Syrian government forces have regained control over the Damascus-Amman highway up to the Nasib crossing point on the Jordan border, a source in the Syrian Arab army told Sputnik on Saturday.
• Watchdog finds no evidence of nerve agents in Syria's Douma attack Press TV 07 Jul 2018 -- A chemical weapons watchdog says it has found no evidence of nerve gas at the site of a suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria's Douma.
• Chemical Watchdog Sees Signs Of Chlorine In Suspected Syria Chemical Attack RFE/RL 07 Jul 2018 -- The world's chemical-weapons watchdog says a substance used in an April 7 attack on a rebel-held town in Syria appeared to be a chlorine-based gas but that it has so far found no evidence of a nerve agent.
• Russian MoD: Armed Groups in Syria's Daraa Agree to Surrender Arms Sputnik 07 Jul 2018 -- A ceasefire agreement and the return of Syrian refugees from Jordan's border have been negotiated with the leaders of armed groups in the Syrian province of Daraa, the Russian Reconciliation Center for Syria reported.
• Israeli Airstrike Hits Syrian Army at Golan Heights Border Sputnik 07 Jul 2018 -- An Israeli military aircraft targeted Syrian army positions in the Golan Heights after a rogue shell fell in contested Israeli-Palestinian territory.
• Three civilians shot dead by Indian troops in Kashmir Press TV 07 Jul 2018 -- Three demonstrators, including a teenage girl, have been shot dead by Indian troops in Indian-controlled Kashmir, as tensions are escalating in the volatile region ahead of the anniversary of the killing of a popular pro-independence commander.
• Powerful blasts leave casualties in Somali capital Press TV 07 Jul 2018 -- Powerful explosions have rocked the heart of the Somali capital of Mogadishu, with the emergency services saying at least 13 people had been wounded.
• Three-out-of-four South Sudanese children have known nothing but war, says UNICEF UN News 07 Jul 2018 -- Since South Sudan became the world's youngest country in 2011, 2.6 million of the 3.4 million babies have been born in war, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) revealed Saturday.
• Eritrean, Ethiopian Leaders Meet for First Time in 18 Years VOA 07 Jul 2018 -- The leaders of Eritrea and Ethiopia embraced at Asmara International Airport Sunday, a historic moment in what has long been one of Africa's most entrenched conflicts.

News Reports

• U.S. State Department, OSCE Condemn Russian Ruling Against RFE/RL Over 'Foreign-Agents' Law RFE/RL 07 Jul 2018 -- The U.S. State Department and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) have denounced a Russian court ruling that found Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty had violated a controversial "foreign-agents" law.
• Eroding Press Freedom in Russia US Dept. of State 06 Jul 2018 -- "The Russian government continues to stifle press freedom and media independence. We condemn the selective targeting of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and Voice of America (VOA) under Russia's law on "foreign agent" media outlets."
• U.S. Delegation for DPRK-U.S. High-level Talks Here KCNA 07 Jul 2018 -- A delegation of the United States of America led by State Secretary Mike Pompeo arrived in Pyongyang Friday.
• FM Spokesman on DPRK-U.S. High-level Talks KCNA 07 Jul 2018 -- A spokesman of the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on Saturday released the following statement:
• Pompeo claims North Korea talks 'very productive' Press TV 07 Jul 2018 -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has described his negotiations with officials in North Korea on dismantling Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal as "very productive".
• US, North Korea get down to 'nitty gritty' in nuclear talks Press TV 07 Jul 2018 -- US and North Korean officials have formed working groups to deal with "nitty gritty stuff," including verification of efforts to achieve denuclearization, according to a US State Department spokeswoman.
• US Has 3 Main Requirements for North Korea in Denuclearization Talks - Reports Sputnik 07 Jul 2018 -- US State Secretary Mike Pompeo expressed his desire to reach three main goals: North Korea's denuclearization, the guarantees of the country's political order and the return of the remains of the US soldiers killed during the Korean War (1950-1953), the Kyodo News agency reported.
• Pompeo: Talks With North Korean Officials Made Progress VOA 07 Jul 2018 -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo ended two days of talks Saturday with North Korean officials. He said they "had many hours of productive conversations" and there was "progress on almost all of the central issues."
• Mogherini: G4+1 agree to maintain Iran oil & gas exports IRNA 07 Jul 2018 -- EU Foreign Policy chief Federica Mogherini said that the G 4+1 reached an agreement to maintain Iran oil and gas exports.
• Russia: JCPOA joint commission stresses deal's implementation IRNA 07 Jul 2018 -- The participants in JCPOA commission meeting emphasized continuation of implementation of international projects proposed in the nuclear deal, including Iran and Russia plan to convert the Fordow facility and modernization of the Arak heavy water reactor.
• Iran Acted Responsibly Staying in JCPOA After US' Withdrawal - Foreign Minister Sputnik 07 Jul 2018 -- Strategic Communication With Beijing
• China levies its own tariffs in self-defense People's Daily 07 Jul 2018 -- Beijing confident, protecting national interests as US initiates trade war
• US tariff move violates WTO rules, damages global trade order: FM People's Daily 07 Jul 2018 -- The United States' imposition of additional tariffs on Chinese products blatantly violates World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, and will damage global trade order, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Friday.
• Pashinian Says Armenian Law Enforcement Not Targeting Sarkisian Family RFE/RL 07 Jul 2018 -- Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian is denying that any specific family is being targeted after a series of high-profile actions by law enforcement agencies against close relatives of the country's former president, Serzh Sarkisian.
• Calls For Protests Against Kazakh 'Dictatorship' Fall Flat In Astana, Almaty RFE/RL 07 Jul 2018 -- Calls for protests against Kazakhstan's authoritarian ruler by an exiled opposition leader on the 20th anniversary celebrations of Astana's establishment as the Kazakh capital appear to have fallen flat.
• Turkey to continue Iraq operation to uproot PKK: President Erdogan Press TV 07 Jul 2018 -- President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reiterated Turkey's determination to eradicate the threat of "terror", saying Ankara will continue its military operation in northern Iraq until the elimination of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).