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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF / OND / OEF / OIR / OFS Casualty Update 21 Aug 2018 [PDF]
• Is South Asia Strategy Working in Afghanistan? VOA 21 Aug 2018 -- Tuesday marks one year since U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled his South Asia strategy with a focus on Afghanistan. Since then, Afghanistan has seen some of the worst violence since the U.S.-led invasion almost 17 years ago.
• Militants raid area near Kabul, fire rockets in ongoing fight Press TV 21 Aug 2018 -- Afghan security forces are engaged in intense fighting with militants, who have attacked an area near the capital, Kabul, officials say.
• Taliban To Attend Afghanistan Peace Talks In Moscow, Russia Says RFE/RL 21 Aug 2018 -- Representatives of the Afghan Taliban plan to take part in peace talks in Moscow next month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said.
• Three Militants Killed In Dramatic Kabul Battle During President's Speech RFE/RL 21 Aug 2018 -- Afghan officials say three gunmen have been killed in central Kabul after they fired a barrage of rockets while President Ashraf Ghani was making a speech to mark the start of the Islamic Eid al-Adha holiday.
• Moscow Confirms Taliban's Participation in Meeting on Afghanistan Sputnik 21 Aug 2018 -- Representatives of the Taliban movement will attend the Moscow format of Afghan reconciliation talks scheduled for September 4, Russian Foreign Ministry's Second Asian Department Director Zamir Kabulov said Monday.
• IS Claims Mortar Strike on Kabul During Eid Festivities VOA 21 Aug 2018 -- Islamic State's Amaq News Agency issued a statement Tuesday claiming responsibility for what it called a mortar strike on the presidential palace earlier in the day.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Air Force improves interoperability, strengthens Indo-Pacific partnerships AFNS 21 Aug 2018 -- Airmen from the 8th Fighter Wing, Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, concluded their participation in Exercise Pitch Black 2018 Aug. 17, following three weeks of training events conducted in Northern Territory, Australia.
• Ninth Air Force adds joint flavor to STAFFEX 18-5 AFNS 21 Aug 2018 -- Ninth Air Force advanced through its fifth Staff Exercise Aug. 13 through 17, focusing on operations in the U.S. Southern Command theater.
• Multinational Snipers Strengthen Desert Capabilities in Spain AFPS 21 Aug 2018 -- Snipers from Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and Spain attended the International Special Training Centre's Desert Sniper Course last month at the Chinchilla Training Area here.
• DoD Announces the Return of the USNS Comfort to the Western Hemisphere This Fall DoD 21 Aug 2018
• Global Hawk makes historic first landing at Red Flag-Alaska AFNS 21 Aug 2018 -- An RQ-4 Global Hawk, assigned to Beale Air Force Base, California, landed at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, for Red Flag-Alaska 18-3, Aug. 16.
• Fleet Cyber Command, Information Warfare Training Group Synchronize Cybersecurity Inspections NNS 21 Aug 2018 -- U.S. Fleet Cyber Command's Office of Compliance and Assessment (OCA) and the Information Warfare Training Group (IWTG) are working together toward ensuring Navy cyber assessments and inspections are aligned, synchronized and provide greater value to operational commanders through the Command Cyber Operational Readiness Inspections (CCORI) program.
• DoD Report Details China's Growing Military, Economic Power AFPS 21 Aug 2018 -- China is not an enemy, but it is certainly an adversary of the United States, and the Defense Department's 2018 report to Congress examines the trends in Chinese military developments.
• NATO, Trump Have Fingers on Scales of German Fighter Jet Decision Sputnik 22 Aug 2018 -- Even as Berlin studies aircraft options - including the F-35 - to replace its fleet of Tornado fighters, it seems the decision may be driven more by politics than by a technical assessment of military aircraft sophistication.
• Protecting territorial integrity, Iran's Army top priority: Cmdr IRNA 21 Aug 2018 -- Safeguarding Iran's territorial integrity and its independence is the main duty of the Army, said a senior Army commander on Tuesday.
• Iran military power solely defensive: President IRNA 21 Aug 2018 -- Iran's defense preparedness not aimed at warmongering, but seeking sustainable peace, said Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday.
• Iran's defense power contributes to sustainable peace: Rouhani Press TV 21 Aug 2018 -- President Hassan Rouhani has called on the Iranian Armed Forces to strengthen their preparedness in the face of enemy threats, saying the country's defense power contributes to "sustainable peace."
• Iran unveils first domestic fighter jet Press TV 21 Aug 2018 -- Iran has unveiled its first domestically designed and manufactured fighter jet named "Kowsar" during a defense show in Tehran.
• Iran Unveils First Domestically Made Fighter Jet Sputnik 21 Aug 2018 -- Iran unveiled the country's first domestically designed and built Kowsar fighter on Tuesday ahead of the National Day of Defense Industry, Tasnim News Agency reported.
• Russia's arms producer says Turkey will receive S-400 missile system in 2019 Press TV 21 Aug 2018 -- Russia will commence delivering its advanced S-400 anti-aircraft missile defense system to Turkey next year, a report says, much to the ire of Ankara's NATO allies, particularly the United States.
• Russia Says It Will Start Delivering S-400 Defense System To Turkey In 2019 RFE/RL 21 Aug 2018 -- Russia's state arms exporter, Rosoboronexport, says it will begin delivering its advanced S-400 antiaircraft missile systems to Turkey in 2019.
• Russia to Start Deliveries of S-400 Systems to Turkey in 2019 - Rosoboronexport Sputnik 21 Aug 2018 -- Russia and Turkey signed a loan agreement on the sale of the S-400s to Ankara back in 2017, causing a backlash from the US that threatened to impose sanctions against Turkey if the latter proceeded with the agreement.
• Serbia Takes Delivery Of Two Russian MiG-29 Fighter Jets RFE/RL 21 Aug 2018 -- Serbia has taken delivery of two Russian MiG-29 fighter jets -- the first of six planes that are part of an arms deal between Belgrade and Moscow.
• Japan, Sri Lanka Agree to Boost Maritime Security Cooperation Sputnik 21 Aug 2018 -- Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera is on a two-day visit to Sri Lanka. The visit is expected to enhance the defense cooperation between the two countries amid the growing assertiveness of China in the Indian Ocean region. In addition to seeking maritime cooperation, Japan is helping Sri Lanka fulfill several economic projects.
• Swedish Air Force Fighter Jet Crashes After Collision With Bird Sputnik 21 Aug 2018 -- According to Sweden's Armed Forces, a jet fighter has crashed in southern Sweden, apparently after striking a bird.

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for August 21, 2018

Other Conflicts

• Yemeni forces shoot down two Saudi-led spy drones in Jizan Press TV 21 Aug 2018 -- Yemeni air defense units have shot down two Saudi-led reconnaissance drones in flight over a border area in the kingdom's southwestern province of Jizan.
• Houthi leader hails defeat of Saudi, allies on Yemen's west coast Press TV 21 Aug 2018 -- The leader of Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement has highlighted the failure of the Saudi regime and its allies in their push to capture the strategic port city of Hudaydah, saying the enemies have faced defeat on the country's west coast.
• Russia: No talks with US over Iran's exit from Syria IRNA 21 Aug 2018 -- Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that his country has had no talks with the US over Ira's withdrawal from Syria.
• Syrian Refugees Concerned Over Russia's Repatriation Plan VOA 21 Aug 2018 -- Syrian refugees and aid groups, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, are concerned about a plan proposed by Russia to repatriate Syrians from Lebanon and Jordan to Syria, calling the move premature and risky, as the country is still not prepared and safe enough for the return of refugees.
• Myanmar's Suu Kyi strikes cold note on ousted Muslims Press TV 21 Aug 2018 -- Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi says Bangladesh is responsible for the start of the repatriation process of the Rohingya Muslims who have fled state-sponsored violence in Myanmar – and who are awaiting safety guarantees to return – warning that the risk of "inter-communal violence" remains once the minority Muslims do return.
• Israel approves construction of 650 new settler units near Ramallah Press TV 21 Aug 2018 -- Israeli officials have approved plans for the construction of hundreds of new housing units at a settlement in the central part of the occupied West Bank irrespective of the international outcry against the Tel Aviv regime's land expropriation and settlement expansion policies in the occupied Palestinian territories.
• Secretary-General repeats call for support to Lake Chad countries after latest Boko Haram attack UN News 21 Aug 2018 -- The recent killing of villagers in Nigeria's Borno State has been condemned by the UN Secretary-General.
• Cameroon Chiefs Flee Separatist Violence in Southwest VOA 21 Aug 2018 -- Dozens of Cameroon's tribal rulers have fled their palaces in the English-speaking southwest region after armed men pulled the chief of the Balondo people out of church and killed him. Separatists have abducted and killed other chiefs in the region, allegedly for collaborating with the government.

News Reports

• Former Trump Campaign Manager Manafort Found Guilty of Tax Fraud, Bank Fraud Sputnik 21 Aug 2018 -- Among the charges he was found guilty of are five counts of tax fraud, two counts of bank fraud and one count of failing to disclose foreign bank accounts. The jury said in a note it had not reached consensus on the other 10 counts, and the judge declared a mistrial on those counts.
• Jury Convicts Ex-Trump Campaign Chair, Ex-Trump Lawyer Pleads Guilty VOA 21 Aug 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump is lamenting Tuesday's conviction on federal criminal charges of his former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, who now faces the possibility of decades in prison.
• Ukraine Launches Probe Into Suspected Business Dealings Between Ex-Officials, Manafort RFE/RL 21 Aug 2018 -- Ukrainian authorities have launched an investigation into whether former state officials paid Paul Manafort for political consulting work, the country's prosecutor-general says.
• We are taking new steps against broadening threats to democracy Microsoft 21 Aug 2018 -- "It's clear that democracies around the world are under attack. Foreign entities are launching cyber strikes to disrupt elections and sow discord. Unfortunately, the internet has become an avenue for some governments to steal and leak information, spread disinformation, and probe and potentially attempt to tamper with voting systems. We saw this during the United States general election in 2016, last May during the French presidential election, and now in a broadening way as Americans are preparing for the November midterm elections."
• Russian hackers targeted Senate, US think tanks: Microsoft Press TV 21 Aug 2018 -- US-based tech giant Microsoft has accused Russia of seeking to launch cyber attacks on the US Senate in the run-up to the November's congressional elections.
• Microsoft Reveals Russian Hacking Attempts Ahead Of U.S. Elections RFE/RL 21 Aug 2018 -- Microsoft says it has uncovered new Russian hacking attempts to target U.S. political groups ahead of the U.S. midterm elections in November.
• Trump 'Would Consider' Lifting Russia Sanctions For Concession On Ukraine, Syria RFE/RL 21 Aug 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump has said in an interview with Reuters that he isn't considering lifting sanctions on Russia, but he would consider doing so if Russia gave him something he wants in Ukraine or Syria.
• U.S. Cracks Down On Russian Nationals, Company, Threatens 'More Economic Pain' RFE/RL 21 Aug 2018 -- The U.S. Treasury has imposed sanctions on several Russian nationals and companies as Washington warned it was ready to tighten the economic screws further on Moscow if it did not change its ways.
• Statement of Assistant Secretary Marshall Billingslea Before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations US Treasury 21 Aug 2018
• Treasury Targets Attempted Circumvention of Sanctions US Treasury 21 Aug 2018 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is targeting Russian actors' efforts to circumvent U.S. sanctions. This action was taken pursuant to authority provided under Executive Order (E.O.) 13694, "Blocking Property of Certain Persons Engaging in Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities," as amended, and as codified by the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), to designate two entities and two Russian individuals in order to counter attempts to evade U.S. sanctions.
• Britain Confident Trump Will Stand Up to Putin VOA 21 Aug 2018 -- Britain's foreign secretary is calling for traditional Western allies to join in a united front against Russia's "aggressive and malign behavior," expressing confidence that the United States under President Donald Trump will lead the way.
• UK will press US for tougher sanctions against Russia Press TV 21 Aug 2018 -- Britain's new foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, is set to push the United States into slapping tougher sanctions on Russia, in response to Moscow's "malign" behavior around the world.
• Britain Calls For More EU Sanctions On Russia RFE/RL 21 Aug 2018 -- Britain's new foreign minister in his first major address has urged the European Union to increase sanctions against Russia, saying the bloc should stand "shoulder to shoulder" with the United States, which hit Moscow with new economic sanctions this month.
• 'Leakage' of Coal From North to South Korea Worries Experts VOA 21 Aug 2018 -- Following Seoul's announcement that South Korean companies have illegally imported North Korean coal, U.S. experts are worried about North Korean trade that contravenes international sanctions.
• S Korea Plans to Remove Nearly Ten Guard Posts at Border With N Korea – Minister Sputnik 21 Aug 2018 -- South Korea is planning to close nearly 10 guard posts in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) as part of efforts aimed at reducing military tensions with North Korea, the Yonhap news agency reported on Tuesday citing South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo.
• UN watchdog says no indication North Korea nuclear activities stopped Press TV 21 Aug 2018 -- The UN nuclear watchdog says there is no indication that North Korea has stopped its nuclear activities.
• Treasury Targets Russian Shipping Companies for Violations of North Korea-related United Nations Security Council Resolutions US Treasury 21 Aug 2018 -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today announced North Korea-related designations, continuing the implementation of existing United Nations (UN) and U.S. sanctions. Today's action against two entities and six vessels was taken pursuant to Executive Order 13810 of September 20, 2017, and targets persons involved in the ship-to-ship transfer of refined petroleum products with North Korea-flagged vessels, an activity expressly prohibited by the UN Security Council (UNSC).
• UN chief welcomes event reuniting families on the Korean Peninsula UN News 21 Aug 2018 -- The decision to allow scores of people from South Korea to reunite with their relatives north of the border has been welcomed by the UN Secretary-General.
• EU needs payment systems independent of US to save JCPOA: Germany Press TV 21 Aug 2018 -- German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas says European countries need to adopt payment systems independent of the United States if they seek to keep a historic nuclear deal signed with Iran alive after Washington's withdrawal from it.
• Taiwan cuts ties with El Salvador CNA 21 Aug 2018 -- Taiwan is cutting diplomatic ties with El Salvador after the Central American nation asked Taiwan for an "astronomical sum" of financial aid, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) announced Tuesday.
• Taiwan denounces China for taking its allies, brutish suppression CNA 21 Aug 2018 -- The Mainland Affairs Council lodged a strong protest Tuesday over China, which it denounced for constantly brutally wresting allies away from the Republic of China (Taiwan) in an attempt to press Taiwan into submitting to its political stance.
• China's suppression of Taiwan leaves no room for appeasement: Tsai CNA 21 Aug 2018 -- China's many actions to suppress Taiwan have implications for not only Taiwan but the world because they demonstrate Beijing's ambition to challenge and replace the existing international order, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said Tuesday.
• Taiwan summons El Salvador envoy to protest break in ties CNA 21 Aug 2018 -- Vice Foreign Minister Jose Maria Liu (劉德立) on Tuesday summoned El Salvador's ambassador to Taiwan to lodge a protest over her country's decision to change allegiance to Beijing.
• China's luring of allies infringes on Taiwan sovereignty: Tsai CNA 21 Aug 2018 -- President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said Tuesday that the way China has been pressuring the allies of the Republic of China (Taiwan) into switching diplomatic allegiance to Beijing is tantamount to "infringement on our sovereignty."
• Taiwan vents anger after losing another ally to China Press TV 21 Aug 2018 -- Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen has voiced anger at Beijing's "increasingly-out-of-control" behavior following El Salvador's move to sever ties with her self-proclaimed government in favor of China.
• El Salvador Establishes Diplomatic Relations With China, Breaks Ties With Taiwan Sputnik 21 Aug 2018 -- The government of El Salvador announced on Tuesday the establishment of diplomatic relations with China after breaking official ties with Taiwan.
• Erdogan Blames West for Turkey's Economic Turmoil VOA 21 Aug 2018 -- The world's currency markets started declining last week as Turkey's economic turmoil triggered fresh fears its fallout could spread amid predictions that Turkish woes might trigger a repeat of the 2008 global financial crash.
• Turkish foreign minister says Trump's Turkey policy self-defeating Press TV 21 Aug 2018 -- Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has described US President Donald Trump's recent sanctions policy targeting Ankara as "self-defeating."
• China pledges to lift ties with Malaysia to new high People's Daily 21 Aug 2018 -- Premier Li Keqiang held talks with visiting Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in Beijing on Monday, saying China will work with Malaysia to promote neighborly friendship to a new high.
• Czech Leaders Silent, Or Spurned, As Country Marks 50th Anniversary Of Crushing Of 'Prague Spring' RFE/RL 21 Aug 2018 -- An outpouring of sympathy and remembrances was expected to flow into the Czech Republic and Slovakia from far and wide to mark the 50th anniversary of the invasion of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact troops to crush the Prague Spring uprising. Except from one place -- Prague Castle.
• Czechs, Slovaks Mark 50 Years Since Soviet-Led Crackdown On 'Prague Spring' RFE/RL 21 Aug 2018 -- Czechs and Slovaks on August 21 are marking 50 years since Soviet tanks crushed the Prague Spring reform movement -- an attempt by Czechoslovak Communist Party leader Alexander Dubcek to put "a human face on socialism" by reforming the totalitarian regime.
• Bahrain Suspends Issuing Entry Visas for Qatari Nationals - Interior Ministry Sputnik 21 Aug 2018 -- The Bahraini Interior Ministry announced on Tuesday its decision to suspend entry visas issuance for Qatari nationals due to Doha's "irresponsible acts," the Bahrain news agency reported.
• Pro-Mnangagwa War Veterans Accuse US of Interference in Zimbabwe Elections VOA 21 Aug 2018 -- In Zimbabwe, war veterans who support President Emmerson Mnangagwa alleged Tuesday that the United States is encouraging the international community to back the opposition, and is seeking to reverse the outcome of the July 30 election, in which Mnangagwa was declared the winner. The war veterans made their remarks as a court prepares to hear the opposition's request to nullify the election.