05 September 2018 Military News

Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

Mattis: Afghan Peace Process Gaining Steam VOA 05 Sep 2018 -- Attempts to end the 17-year-old U.S.-led war in Afghanistan are gaining traction, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis insists.
20 killed in twin bombings in Shia area of Afghan capital Press TV 05 Sep 2018 -- At least 20 people have been killed and nearly 70 others injured in twin bombings inside a sports club in a mainly Shia Muslim area of western Kabul.
At Least 20 People Reported Killed, Including Two Journalists, In Kabul Twin Blasts RFE/RL 05 Sep 2018 -- Twin bombings at a wrestling training center in a predominately Shi'ite neighborhood of Afghanistan's capital has killed at least 20 people and wounded 70 others, the Interior Ministry says.

Defense Policy / Programs

Network Support Continues for Army's SFABs Army News 05 Sep 2018 -- With the creation of the Army's first "advise and assist" unit known as the Security Forces Assistance Brigade (SFAB) in February of 2017, came an immediate need to equip these Soldiers with small team resilient communications equipment necessary for a rapid deployment into theater, and missions across a wide operational area.
Squadrons key to "Air Force We Need" AFNS 05 Sep 2018 -- Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson outlined the way the Air Force will approach its future force structure while speaking at the Defense News annual conference in Arlington, Sept. 5.
Idaho Guard conducts warfighter exercise, prepares for 2020 Army News 05 Sep 2018 -- The Idaho Army National Guard's 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team conducted a warfighter exercise, August 8 to 18, in the Idaho National Guard's Orchard Combat Training Center that prepared its command and staff teams for follow-on operations.
Remarks by Lieutenant General Charles Hooper DoD 05 Sep 2018 -- Presenter: Lieutenant General Charles Hooper, Director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency
Media Availability by Secretary Mattis En Route to India DoD 05 Sep 2018 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis
Freeze Fighter: Warmer Wetsuit Will Increase Navy Dive Time NNS 05 Sep 2018 -- Diving in icy water is extremely dangerous to humans. Within seconds, arteries tighten, blood pressure and heart rate race, and lungs gasp for air. After only minutes, hyperventilation strikes and arms and legs go numb–signaling the onset of hypothermia.
Space Support Teams Give Ground Commanders Planetary View AFPS 05 Sep 2018 -- It can sometimes be hard for commanders to get a full picture of the battlefield, whether that's on the ground in Syria or in the forests of Colorado. The "Space Cowboys" of the Colorado Army National Guard's 117th Space Battalion aim to solve that problem.

Allies reaffirm support for Georgia in NATO-Georgia Commission NATO 05 Sep 2018 -- The NATO-Georgia Commission met at NATO Headquarters on Wednesday (5 September 2018) to discuss the situation on the ground in the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and ongoing efforts to pursue peace. The meeting also coincided with the tenth anniversary of the NATO-Georgia Commission, which first met on 15 September 2008.

US Releases Aid to Egypt Amid Human Rights Concerns VOA 05 Sep 2018 -- The Trump administration is justifying the release of hundreds of millions of dollars in additional military aid to Egypt, citing the country's progress over the last year in counterterrorism efforts and some improvements in its human rights record.

The Netherlands - Patriot Recapitalization (RECAP) DSCA 05 Sep 2018 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Netherlands of four (4) Netherlands Patriot Fire Units for an estimated cost of $105 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.

China Improves WS-15 Engine to Enable Mass Production of J-20 Stealth Fighter Sputnik 05 Sep 2018 -- The engine issues preventing Beijing's J-20 stealth fighter aircraft from entering mass production have been remedied, the South China Morning Post reports.
China Carried Out Several Dozen Hypersonic Arms Tests - US Missile Defense Chief Sputnik 05 Sep 2018 -- China has moved ahead of the United States with several dozen successful hypersonic missile tests that Washington cannot ignore, Missile Defense Agency commander Lieutenant General Samuel Greaves said on Tuesday.

Indian Army Zeroes In On Israeli SpyLite Mini-Drones for Border Surveillance Sputnik 05 Sep 2018 -- Following last year's spat with Chinese forces in Doklam, the Indian Army has expedited the purchase of a range of max altitude mini-drones.
US, India Hold Meeting with 2 Sticking Points VOA 05 Sep 2018 -- The United States and India will try to expand already close defense ties when senior leaders from both countries meet for their first "two plus two" dialogue Thursday in New Delhi.

Iranian Army 'more professional' than before: Comdr IRNA 05 Sep 2018 -- In the new frame, the army of Iran has changed into 'an agile and professional force', said the commander of the ground force of the Iranian army on Wednesday.

Tel Aviv carried out hundreds of strikes in Syria in last two years, Israel admits Press TV 05 Sep 2018 -- A senior Israeli official says the Tel Aviv regime has launched hundreds of strikes against various targets inside conflict-plagued Syria in the last two years.
Interview: Israel Will Seek To 'Destroy' Any Iranian Military Presence In Syria RFE/RL 05 Sep 2018 -- Israel's defense chief has warned that his country will seek to "destroy any Iranian military presence" in Syria, where Tehran has intervened to prop up its ally President Bashar al-Assad in a war that has lasted more than seven-years.
Army Ready for Any War Scenario Amid Watchdog's Gloomy Report - IDF Chief Sputnik 05 Sep 2018 -- Israel's commander-in-chief commended the IDF's capacity in a letter to members of the government and parliament. This apparently came in response to a report by the IDF watchdog, which claimed that manpower cuts had undermined the military's efficiency.

Remarks With Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford US Dept. of State 05 Sep 2018 -- Remarks by Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State
Remarks by President Trump and Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah of the State of Kuwait at Expanded Bilateral Meeting The White House 05 Sep 2018
Remarks by President Trump and Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah of the State of Kuwait Before Bilateral Meeting The White House 05 Sep 2018

Defense Industry

DoD News: Contracts for September 05, 2018
US Defense Giant Lockheed Martin Moving F-16 Wing Production to India Sputnik 05 Sep 2018 -- Lockheed Martin and India's TASL had earlier agreed to move the entire manufacturing base of the F-16 Block 70 to India in anticipation of a sizable order for the fighter jet by the Indian armed forces. However, with India stalling the purchase, the JV has now settled for manufacturing only the wings.

Other Conflicts

5 September 2018 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 05 Sep 2018
Peace must be built 'block after block' UN General Assembly President tells key forum UN News 05 Sep 2018 -- Under the theme of charting "A Credible Pathway to Sustaining Peace," Miroslav Lajčák, President of the 72nd General Assembly, convened this year's one-day High-level Forum for Member States and others on Wednesday, to further promote a global culture of peace.

Saudi prevents Houthis from attending Geneva talks Press TV 05 Sep 2018 -- Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement says the Saudi regime, which imposes restrictions on Yemen's airspace, has banned its delegation from flying to attend peace talks brokered by the United Nations in Geneva.
Major UN push for peace to end Yemen's 'hot war' begins in Geneva UN News 05 Sep 2018 -- Efforts are under way to bring a "flickering signal of hope" to war-weary civilians in Yemen with UN-organised consultations between the Government and the Houthi opposition in Geneva set to begin, the UN's Special Envoy Martin Griffiths, said on Wednesday.
Yemen targets Aramco installations with ballistic missiles IRNA 05 Sep 2018 -- The missile unit of the Yemeni army and popular committees fired four ballistic missiles at Aramco oil installations in Jizan, south of Saudi Arabia Tuesday, Almasirah TV network reported.

Russia says airstrikes hit terrorists not populated areas in Syria's Idlib Press TV 05 Sep 2018 -- The Russian Defense Ministry says its fighter jets have bombed the positions of foreign-sponsored Takfiri terrorists in Syria's militant-held northwestern province of Idlib, as Syrian government troops and allied fighters are preparing for a ground operation to liberate the territory.
Erdogan Warns Of 'Massacre' In Idlib As Syrian Government Prepares Assault RFE/RL 05 Sep 2018 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned that an attack on Syria's Idlib Province could cause a "massacre," as government forces prepare for a major offensive against the last rebel-held region.
Drones Downed Near Hmeymim Base Launched From Idlib Zone - Russian Military Sputnik 05 Sep 2018 -- Two drones destroyed overnight to Tuesday near Russia's Hmeymim airbase in Syria were launched from the Idlib de-escalation zone, head of Russia's center for Syrian reconciliation Lt. Gen. Vladimir Savchenko said Wednesday.
Trump Says He Didn't Discuss Assad's Assassination Sputnik 05 Sep 2018 -- US President Donald Trump's statement comes after a Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward claimed in his book that Trump was outraged and wanted to assassinate Syrian President Bashar Assad after he learnt about an alleged chemical attack at Khan Shaykhun on April 4, 2017.
Four Russian Warplanes Hit Nusra Front Positions in Syria's Idlib Province - MoD Sputnik 05 Sep 2018 -- On Tuesday night, Russia's Hmeymim Airbase in Syria destroyed two terrorist drones with surface-to-air missiles, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said.
Turkish President Speaks Against Possible Operation in Syrian Idlib - Reports Sputnik 05 Sep 2018 -- Turkish President Rejep Tayyip Erdogan claimed that the possible offensive in Syria's Idlib province would be a massacre, local media reported.
Trump: Syria's Idlib 'Cannot Be a Slaughter' VOA 05 Sep 2018 -- International calls for restraint grew Wednesday for Syria and its allies, Russia and Iran, to avoid a bloodbath and humanitarian disaster in Syria's Idlib province.
Mattis: Syrian Rebels Have No Chemical Weapons VOA 05 Sep 2018 -- Defense Secretary Jim Mattis says the U.S. is watching to see if the Syrian government uses chemical weapons during its offensive on the rebel-held bastion of Idlib, noting Syrian opposition fighters are not able to carry out such attacks.

Erdogan warns against missile strikes during upcoming Idlib liberation operation Press TV 05 Sep 2018 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned against missile strikes during an upcoming military campaign by the Syrian army to liberate Idlib Province, the last major militant stronghold in the Arab country.

Paraguay to move embassy in Jerusalem al-Quds back to Tel Aviv Press TV 05 Sep 2018 -- Paraguay says it will move its embassy in Israel back to Tel Aviv, reversing a May decision by former President Horacio Cartes to move the diplomatic site to Jerusalem al-Quds.

Libya has 'lurched from one emergency to another,' high-level UN official tells Security Council UN News 05 Sep 2018 -- The status quo in Libya is "untenable," Ghassan Salamé, Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) told the Security Council on Wednesday.

UN: Some Burundi Violations May Constitute Crimes Against Humanity VOA 05 Sep 2018 -- The U.N. Commission of Inquiry on Burundi has accused that country's government and members of its allied youth league of gross violations of human rights, which it says in some cases might constitute crimes against humanity.
Burundi: 'They're hiding the bodies' after summary executions, say UN investigators UN News 05 Sep 2018 -- Serious rights violations are continuing in Burundi, including summary executions and hate speech at the highest level of government, UN-appointed investigators said on Wednesday.

New Term, Same Old Foes for Mali's Keita VOA 05 Sep 2018 -- As he was sworn in to start a second term this week, Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita promised to address insecurity in the northern and central parts of the country, caused by a continued Islamist insurgency.

News Reports

Trump Demands NYT Turn Over Anonymous White House Critic VOA 05 Sep 2018 -- President Donald Trump demanded in a tweet Wednesday night that The New York Times immediately turn over an anonymous official of his administration for prosecution:
Trump Calls New Book Critical of His Presidency 'Work of Fiction' VOA 05 Sep 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump unleashed a new attack Wednesday on a book depicting his presidency and White House as chaotic and dysfunctional, calling it a "work of fiction."

In Senate Grilling, Facebook, Twitter Vow To Tackle Election Meddling RFE/RL 05 Sep 2018 -- Senior executives at Facebook and Twitter have vowed to better protect their platforms from foreign manipulation during the 2018 midterm elections and into the future.

Russian Officials Warn Google Not To 'Meddle' In Elections By Hosting Navalny Videos RFE/RL 05 Sep 2018 -- Russian officials say they have warned U.S. Internet giant Google against "meddling" in local elections scheduled for this weekend by allowing Kremlin foe Aleksei Navalny to post videos calling for mass protests on YouTube.

Moscow accuses London of 'manipulating information' in nerve agent case Press TV 05 Sep 2018 -- Russia has accused the United Kingdom of "manipulating information" concerning a nerve agent attack in March on a former spy in the city of Salisbury after the British authorities charged two Russians.
U.K. Charges Russians In Novichok Case, May Says 'Not a Rogue Operation' RFE/RL 05 Sep 2018 -- Britain has announced charges against two Russian men they believe poisoned former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia with a deadly nerve agent, alleging they were military intelligence officers acting with approval from "a senior level of the Russian state."
May's Statement on Skripal Case Unacceptable - Russian Foreign Ministry Sputnik 05 Sep 2018 -- The Russian Foreign Ministry has issued a statement, commenting on UK Prime Minister Theresa May's speech concerning new data on the Skripal case that she delivered to Parliament earlier in the day.
May Claims 2 Suspects in Skripal Poisoning Are Officers of Russian Intelligence Sputnik 05 Sep 2018 -- "We were right to say in March the Russian state was responsible," said the UK Prime Minister Theresa May, addressing the Parliament on Wednesday with an update on the Salisbury incident.
British PM: Skripals' Attackers Were Russian Military Agents VOA 05 Sep 2018 -- Two active members of Russian military intelligence were sent to Britain in March to poison a former spy, Britain's prime minister told Parliament on Wednesday after prosecutors charged two Russian nationals with conspiracy and attempted murder.

Estonia Arrests Army Officer, His Father On Suspicion Of Spying For Russia RFE/RL 05 Sep 2018 -- An Estonian Army officer and his father have been arrested on suspicion of treason and spying for Russia, authorities say.

South Korean officials in North to arrange new summit Press TV 05 Sep 2018 -- North Korea has received a high-ranking South Korean presidential delegation in Pyongyang for talks to arrange another inter-Korean summit this month, as talks between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled over disagreements on denuclearization.
Xi's special representative to visit DPRK People's Daily 05 Sep 2018 -- China's top legislator Li Zhanshu will head a delegation to visit the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Saturday as a special representative of Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president.

HRW: Iran's 'Most Reputable Rights Defenders Are Now In Jail' RFE/RL 05 Sep 2018 -- With four more Iranian human rights defenders arrested in Tehran since August 31, Human Rights Watch (HRW) says the country's authorities have "ramped up" their crackdown against activists.
Russia, Iran Hit Back At U.S. Efforts To Pressure Tehran At UN Security Council RFE/RL 05 Sep 2018 -- Russia and Iran criticized a U.S. announcement that President Donald Trump will chair a UN Security Council meeting on Iran this month as part of efforts to step up pressure on Tehran for what Washington called its "violations of international law."
Zarif blasts Trump for seeking to hijack UNSC session to hit out at Iran Press TV 05 Sep 2018 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has blasted US President Donald Trump for attempting to hijack an upcoming United Nations Security Council meeting during the annual gathering of world leaders to turn it to an anti-Iran event.
Iran sanctions unacceptable, bound to fail: Iraqi interior minister Press TV 05 Sep 2018 -- Iraq says the policy of imposing sanctions on Iran and other countries has proven futile as resistance will always prevail.
Japan talking 'tenaciously' to US on Iran oil imports Press TV 05 Sep 2018 -- Japan says it is pressing the US for exemptions from new sanctions to continue oil imports from Iran.
Europe should pay price for standing against US on Iran deal: Araqchi Press TV 05 Sep 2018 -- A senior Iranian nuclear negotiator says Europe needs to bear the cost of standing up to US sanctions and other pressure tactics in order to keep the 2015 nuclear agreement with Tehran alive following Washington's unilateral pullout.

Beijing declaration, action plan adopted at FOCAC summit People's Daily 05 Sep 2018 -- A declaration and an action plan were adopted Tuesday at the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

U.S., Pakistani Leaders Agree to Reset Relationship AFPS 05 Sep 2018 -- Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, held talks with Pakistani leaders in Islamabad today to reset the relationship between the two countries.
Pak PM Imran, Pompeo discuss aid suspension, Afghan peace IRNA 05 Sep 2018 -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Prime Minister Imran Khan discussed Afghan peace process and blockage of $300 million in Coalition Support Fund (CSF) among other matters of mutual interest during a meeting in Islamabad on Wednesday, local media reported.
On trip to Pakistan, US secretary of state seeks 'reset' in strained ties Press TV 05 Sep 2018 -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has met with Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad, hoping to reset relations that were strained over the war in Afghanistan and a range of other issues.
Pompeo: U.S. Seeks To 'Reset' Strained Relations With Pakistan RFE/RL 05 Sep 2018 -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has held meetings with top Pakistani officials in Islamabad, after the Pentagon announced plans to suspend $300 million in aid to the South Asian country.
Secretary Pompeo's Meetings in Pakistan US Dept. of State 05 Sep 2018
Pompeo Holds Talks in Pakistan on Resetting Troubled Ties VOA 05 Sep 2018 -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held meetings Wednesday with leaders of Pakistan's newly elected government, where the two sides agreed to make efforts to reset troubled bilateral relations to jointly push peace in Afghanistan.

India's Iran, Russia Deals Not Likely to Scuttle Better US-India Ties VOA 05 Sep 2018 -- U.S. pressure on India to halt oil imports from Iran and shelve major defense purchases from Russia, countries that New Delhi sees as regional allies, will feature prominently as India and the United States prepare to hold a high-level dialogue aimed at shoring up political and strategic ties.

Second U.S.-Qatar Counterterrorism Dialogue US Dept. of State 05 Sep 2018 -- The Second U.S.-Qatar Dialogue of Counterterrorism and Terrorism Financing was held in the city of Doha on 5 September 2018.

State Department Terrorist Designation of Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) US Dept. of State 05 Sep 2018 -- The Department of State has designated Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The Department has also designated JNIM as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under section 1(b) of Executive Order (E.O.) 13224.

Massachusetts Man Inspired by ISIS Sentenced for Plotting to Engage in Terrorist Activity US Dept. of Justice 05 Sep 2018 -- Alexander Ciccolo, aka Ali Al Amriki, 26, of, Adams, Massachusetts, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni in Springfield, Massachusetts to 20 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release in connection with a plot to engage in terrorist activity inspired by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.

Chinese private space company launches suborbital rocket People's Daily 05 Sep 2018 -- A private Chinese company sent a suborbital rocket into space at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China.

Bahrain in Talks With Russia to Send Astronauts Into Space - Russian Embassy Sputnik 05 Sep 2018 -- The Bahrain Space Science Agency (NSSA) is engaged in talks with Russia on sending its astronauts to space, but no specific agreements have been reached yet, the Russian embassy in Manama told Sputnik on Wednesday.

Warnings of Disruption as Britain Prepares for Possible 'No-Deal Brexit' VOA 05 Sep 2018 -- Britain risks considerable disruption to many aspects of its economy and society, including trade, transport, health care and citizens' rights, if it crashes out of the European Union next March without a deal, according to a report into the risks of a so-called "no-deal Brexit."

U.S., EU Warn Ukraine Ruling Endangers Press Freedom, Corruption Fight RFE/RL 05 Sep 2018 -- The United States, the European Union, and international media watchdogs have expressed concern over a Ukrainian court ruling that gives the authorities access to the cellphone data of an RFE/RL investigative reporter spanning a period of 17 months.

Latin American states urge Venezuela to accept aid to alleviate migration crisis Press TV 05 Sep 2018 -- A group of Latin American countries has urged Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to accept humanitarian aid to alleviate a migration crisis originating from Venezuela and affecting the region.

Haley: Nicaragua Risks Becoming Another Venezuela or Syria VOA 05 Sep 2018 -- U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley warned Wednesday that the situation in Nicaragua risked deteriorating into another Venezuela or even Syria.
Security Council takes up Nicaragua crisis, with some reservations UN News 05 Sep 2018 -- Political turmoil in Nicaragua could pose a threat to the security of countries across Central America, the UN Security Council heard on Wednesday.

UN Chief commends Mauritania for peaceful election process UN News 05 Sep 2018 -- UN Secretary-General Antonió Gutteres has welcomed the "peaceful conduct" of the Mauritanian elections that took place on 1 September.

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