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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
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Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF / OND / OEF / OIR / OFS Casualty Update 30 Aug 2018 [PDF]
• Watchdog: Over 700 Civilians Killed, Hurt in Nangarhar in '18 VOA 30 Aug 2018 -- Since the beginning of 2018, Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province has experienced more than 70 terror attacks, killing 260 and injuring over 500, according to an Afghan watchdog organization that monitors violence and civilian casualties around the country. A large number of those killings have been the result of suicide bombings.
• Centcom Officials Provide Update on Counterterrorism Strikes in Yemen AFPS 30 Aug 2018 -- U.S. Central Command has conducted six counterterrorism airstrikes targeting the al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula terrorist network in Yemen in three separate governorates since May 16, bringing the total number of airstrikes to 34, Centcom officials announced today.
• Jason Dunham Seizes Illicit Arms in Gulf of Aden NNS 30 Aug 2018 -- The guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109), deployed to U.S. 5th Fleet, seized an illicit shipment of arms from a stateless skiff in the international waters of the Gulf of Aden, on Aug. 28.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Statement by Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis on US-ROK military exercises DoD 30 Aug 2018 -- "The Department of Defense suspended three individual military exercises in order to provide space for our diplomats to negotiate the verifiable, irreversible and complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula."
• Pentagon says no change on U.S. military posture regarding Korean Peninsula People's Daily 30 Aug 2018 -- U.S. Pentagon spokesperson Dana White said on Wednesday that the United States has not changed its military posture regarding the Korean Peninsula after the historic meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Kim Jong Un, in June.
• Trump: No Need for Expensive War Games with South Korea Sputnik 30 Aug 2018 -- A statement released by the White House on Tuesday affirmed that US President Donald Trump doesn't believe joint war games with South Korea are necessary at present time and that China is placing a "tremendous" amount of pressure on North Korea as Washington and Pyongyang continue delicate negotiations.
• Truman, Lincoln Strike Groups Conduct Dual-Carrier Ops NNS 30 Aug 2018 -- USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) and USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) began dual-carrier sustainment and qualification operations Aug. 29 in the western Atlantic Ocean.
• Navy awards Boeing $805.3 million contract to design, build MQ-25A Stingray NNS 30 Aug 2018 -- The Navy awarded a contract to The Boeing Co. Aug. 30 for the MQ-25A Stingray, the first operational carrier-based unmanned refueling aircraft.
• Deputy Secretary General discusses cooperation with EU Ministers and OSCE Ambassadors NATO 30 Aug 2018 -- Visiting Vienna (29-30 August), NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller reaffirmed the importance that NATO places on close relations with key partner organisations, including the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the European Union (EU).
• Russian navy to hold military drills in Mediterranean Sea Press TV 30 Aug 2018 -- The Russian Defense Ministry says the country's naval forces will hold eight days of military exercises in the Mediterranean Sea starting from September 1, amid escalating tensions with Washington.
• Russian Military to Receive 2 Upgraded AWACS Aircraft by Year End Sputnik 30 Aug 2018 -- The Russian Defense Ministry will receive two upgraded Beriev A-50U (NATO reporting name: Mainstay) airborne early warning and control (AWACS) aircraft in 2018, Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko said Thursday.
• Russian Military Successfully Test-Fires New Interceptor Missile Sputnik 30 Aug 2018 -- According to the Russian Defense Ministry's statement, the new missile interceptor has reliably confirmed its performance specifications and successfully accomplished the set task by destroying a simulated target with a required accuracy.
• Russia, South Korea Agree Air Force Hotline After Trespass Claims Sputnik 30 Aug 2018 -- The communication channel was discussed Tuesday after South Korea accused Russian aircraft of flying in July through its air defense identification zone.
• Pentagon Says It Can't Guarantee A Waiver For India From Russian Military Sanctions RFE/RL 30 Aug 2018 -- The United States cannot guarantee that it will provide India with a waiver from sanctions if it purchases major weapons from Russia like the S-400 missile system, a top Pentagon official has said.
• British-armed F-35B Lightning jet takes to the skies UK MOD 30 Aug 2018 -- Britain's new stealth fighter jet, the F-35B Lightning, has carried out its first trials armed with UK-built weapons, showcasing the major role that the UK plays in the supersonic aircraft and bringing it a step closer to operations on the frontline.
• Ukraine Successfully Tests New Anti-Ship Cruise Missile Sputnik 30 Aug 2018 -- Ukraine's state-run defense firm Ukroboronprom announced a successful test of a new cruise missile, dubbed Neptun, in August. One DC think tank says it's "visually similar" to the Russian Kh-35.
• Military Aircraft Crash in Ethiopia Kills 18, Including Children – Reports Sputnik 30 Aug 2018 -- Among the victims of the crash were fifteen members of the country's armed forces and three civilians, according to state-affiliated news agency Fana.

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for August 11, 2018
• Boeing will provide the carrier-based unmanned aerial refuelers to extend the range of deployed fighters Boeing 30 Aug 2018 -- Boeing will build the U.S. Navy's first operational carrier-based unmanned aircraft, the MQ-25 aerial refueler, through an $805 million contract awarded today.

Other Conflicts

• 30 August 2018 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 30 Aug 2018
• Yemen downs Saudi drone in Jizan IRNA 30 Aug 2018 -- Yemen downed an advanced CH-4 drone belonging to Saudi-led coalition in Jizan, south of Saudi Arabia.
• Yemen conducts missile attack on Saudis' positions IRNA 30 Aug 2018 -- The Yemeni Army and the popular committees conducted a missile attack on Saudi-led coalition positions in Najran, southwest of Saudi Arabia, Yemeni TV Channel 'Al-Masirah' reported on Wednesday night.
• Thousands of Yemeni Civilians Caught in Conflict Need Protection, UN Says VOA 30 Aug 2018 -- The U.N. refugee agency reports it is scaling up its operation in Yemen to meet the urgent protection needs of thousands of Yemenis displaced by fighting in the strategic port city of Hodeidah.
• Army establishes control over new areas in al-Safa hills IRNA 30 Aug 2018 -- Syrian army units, in cooperation with the supporting forces, expanded control over new areas in the northern and northwestern part of al-Safa hills in the depth of Sweida Badyia (desert).
• Syrian troops will 'go all the way' in militant-held Idlib: FM Press TV 30 Aug 2018 -- Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem says the country's government troops will "go all the way" in the militant-held northwestern province of Idlib, stressing that Damascus's main targets are members of the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham Takfiri terrorist group, formerly known as al-Nusra Front.
• Russia says Syria's Idlib province hotbed for terrorists, warns of inaction consequences Press TV 30 Aug 2018 -- Russia says Syria's militant-held province of Idlib is a "hotbed of terrorists," warning that the situation in the Arab country can get more complicated if the problem in the northwestern region is not tackled as growing evidence shows the Idlib-based Takfiris are preparing to staging a false flag chemical weapons attack meant to frame Damascus.
• Russia tells US not to go for another 'unlawful' aggression against Syria Press TV 30 Aug 2018 -- Russia says it has voiced alarm over signs that the US may conduct a new military attack against Syria, warning Washington against any such "baseless and unlawful aggression" under the pretext of punishing Damascus for a possible false-flag gas attack.
• Russia Warns U.S. Against Striking Syria Over Possible Chemical Attacks RFE/RL 30 Aug 2018 -- The Russian Embassy in Washington says it has warned top U.S. officials not to engage in any "unjustified and illegal act of aggression," in response to recent U.S. warnings that it will retaliate against any new chemical-weapons attacks by the Syrian government.
• Syria Says Military Set For Major Offensive In Idlib As Russia Plans Major Naval Drills In Mediterranean RFE/RL 30 Aug 2018 -- Syria has acknowledged it is preparing an all-out offensive against rebel fighters in Idlib Province as its ally Russia plans major naval maneuvers in the Mediterranean Sea amid growing tensions with the West in the region.
• Turkey Working With Iran, Russia to Avoid Provocation in Syria's Idlib - Erdogan Sputnik 30 Aug 2018 -- The situation around Idlib has recently escalated with both Moscow and Damascus suggesting that militants are planning to stage a false-flag chemical attack against civilians there to frame the Syrian government.
• Some 10,000 Nusra, Al-Qaeda Terrorists in Idlib Have to Be Defeated - De Mistura Sputnik 30 Aug 2018 -- There are approximately 10,000 members of the al-Qaeda* and Nusra Front* terrorist groups, UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said Thursday.
• UN envoy says he 'is ready to go to Idlib' to help ensure civilian safety amid rising fears of government offensive UN News 30 Aug 2018 -- A massive military escalation by the Government of Syria to retake Idlib risks a "worst case scenario", United Nations negotiator Staffan de Mistura said on Thursday.
• UN hints Myanmar leader complicit in Rohingya genocide Press TV 30 Aug 2018 -- The United Nations (UN)'s top human rights official says Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi should have resigned last year over a state-sponsored campaign of terror against Rohingya Muslims in the country's northwestern state of Rakhine.
• Fighting In Eastern Ukraine Appears To Ease Amid School-Year Truce RFE/RL 30 Aug 2018 -- Ukraine's army and Russia-backed separatists have accused each other of breaching a new truce agreement coinciding with the start of the school year.
• U.S. Blasts Russian 'Harassment' Of Shipping In Sea Of Azov RFE/RL 30 Aug 2018 -- The United States has condemned what it calls Russia's "harassment" of international shipping in the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait, saying it is a further example of Moscow's attempts to "destabilize" Ukraine.
• Russia's Harassment of International Shipping Transiting the Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov US Dept. of State 30 Aug 2018-- "The United States condemns Russia's harassment of international shipping in the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait. Russia has delayed hundreds of commercial vessels since April and in recent weeks has stopped at least 16 commercial ships attempting to reach Ukrainian ports."
• Kashmir tense ahead of controversial court hearing Press TV 30 Aug 2018 -- A curfew and general strike have brought Indian-controlled Kashmir to a standstill ahead of a court hearing affecting the Himalayan region's autonomy.
• Hamas Says Short-Term Truce With Israel Possible, But Keeps Missiles at Hand Sputnik 30 Aug 2018 -- The United States and Egypt are trying to ramp up pressure on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to reach an agreement on restoring calm to Gaza and to have the Palestinian Authority gradually reassume responsibility for the long-troubled enclave.
• Security Council extends mandate of UN Interim Force in Lebanon for a year UN News 30 Aug 2018 -- In a unanimous action, the United Nations Security Council extended the mandate of the Organization's peacekeeping mission in Lebanon until 31 August next year.
• Guinea-Bissau: Upcoming elections vital to prevent 'relapse' into instability, says UN envoy UN News 30 Aug 2018 -- Highlighting the importance of the upcoming legislative elections in Guinea-Bissau, the top United Nations official in the country reiterated the importance of "far-reaching" reforms to prevent a relapse into political and institutional instability.
• After Delay, Rebel Leader Inks South Sudan Peace Deal VOA 30 Aug 2018 -- Rebel leader Riek Machar and leaders of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance have signed a final, revitalized peace deal aimed at ending the country's nearly five-year civil war.

News Reports

• Khodorkovsky Ends Funding For News Site After Russian Journalists Killed In Africa RFE/RL 30 Aug 2018 -- Former Russian oil tycoon and Kremlin foe Mikhail Khodorkovsky is halting funding for an investigative news site whose journalists were killed last month in the Central African Republic (CAR) while reporting on Russian private military contractors there.
• US Extends Travel Ban to North Korea VOA 30 Aug 2018 -- The U.S. on Thursday extended the ban on Americans' travel to North Korea for another year, saying it was too dangerous to go there.
• IAEA once again verifies Iran's compliance with JCPOA IRNA 30 Aug 2018 -- Iran's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the international organizations including International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna Kazem Gharib Abadi announced release of the 12th report of the international body's on the implementation of JCPOA, saying that report once again confirmed Iran's compliance with the international deal.
• Iran remains compliant with 2015 nuclear deal, IAEA reports Press TV 30 Aug 2018 -- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has once again reaffirmed Iran's full compliance with its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal in the second such report after the US stopped fulfilling its side of the bargain and left the multilateral agreement in violation of international law.
• Zarif slams Netanyahu for 'shameless' threat of 'nuclear annihilation' against Iran Press TV 30 Aug 2018 -- Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has fired back at "warmonger" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for threatening Iran with "atomic annihilation" right from the regime's secretive atomic weapons facility.
• IAEA Says Iran Still In Compliance With 2015 Nuclear Deal RFE/RL 30 Aug 2018 -- Iran has kept its nuclear program within the main limits imposed by the 2015 nuclear deal with major powers despite the U.S. pullout from the agreement, the United Nations nuclear watchdog says.
• China slams US sanctions over Uighur Muslims Press TV 30 Aug 2018 -- Beijing has lashed out at US lawmakers for calling on the Trump administration to impose sanctions on Chinese officials over what they call internment of a Muslim minority in the Xinjiang region.
• Previewing the Upcoming U.S.-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue US Dept. of State 30 Aug 2018 -- Special Briefing by Senior Administration Officials
• India Readies Baby Rockets to Tap Small Satellites' Market Sputnik 30 Aug 2018 -- The ISRO is developing a small rocket of not more than 100 tons that can send a 500 kg satellite into a 500 km orbit. The ISRO, which is earning around $40 million annually through launching small satellites of foreign customers, aims to increase its revenue manifold by using the baby rocket.
• UN food relief agency airlifts aid to DR Congo province hit by Ebola outbreak UN News 30 Aug 2018 -- Emergency food aid is being delivered to people affected by the Ebola virus in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the World Food Programme (WFP) reported on Thursday.