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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
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Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• US-Led Coalition, Iraqi Forces Arrest Members of Key Daesh Facilitation Group Sputnik 11 Oct 2018 -- The US-led coalition in Iraq and Iraqi Special Forces have arrested 10 members of a suspected network that provided funds to the Daesh* terrorist group, Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve said in a press release on Thursday.
• Taliban to Let Red Cross Resume Afghan Relief Operations VOA 11 Oct 2018 -- The Taliban announced Thursday that it would allow the International Committee of the Red Cross to fully resume operations in Afghanistan, restoring safety guarantees that had been withdrawn a few weeks ago.
• 'At least 15 Police Killed' In Taliban Attack In Northern Afghanistan RFE/RL 11 Oct 2018 -- At least 15 members of the Afghan security forces have been killed in a Taliban assault in the northern province of Kunduz, reports say, as the militants escalate their offensive ahead of this month's general elections.
• National Guard, other DoD assets respond to Michael Army News 11 Oct 2018 -- Before Hurricane Michael struck the Florida panhandle Wednesday, the Defense Department positioned active-duty and National Guard members to help civilians during and after the storm.
• Utah Guard special unit assists with ricin investigation Army News 11 Oct 2018 -- In support of the FBI and U.S. Postal Service, the Utah National Guard's 85th Weapons of Mass Destruction-Civil Support Team (CST) monitored Oct. 3 for hazardous materials at a home in Logan, after letters containing ground caster beans, the substance from which the deadly poison ricin is made, were mailed from the residence to President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary James Mattis and Navy Admiral John Richardson.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Second phase of Multi-Domain Task Force pilot headed to Europe Army News 11 Oct 2018 -- After recent testing of multi-domain operations in the Pacific, the Army now plans to expand its future warfighting concept to Europe this coming fiscal year.
• Airborne Soldiers test Spider networked munition system upgrade Army News 11 Oct 2018 -- Two units of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) are testing an upgrade to the Spider munition system here, used to defend perimeters and support offensive ambushes and situational obstacles.
• Special Warfare Training Wing activates to better train global combat Airmen AFNS 11 Oct 2018 -- To meet the demand for special operations warfighters and improve retention rates for these critical career fields, Air Force officials activated the Special Warfare Training Wing Oct. 10.
• Hurricane Hunters inside eye as Michael makes landfall AFNS 11 Oct 2018 -- The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron started flying into Hurricane Michael Oct. 7 and over the next four days observed it intensify from a possible tropical depression to a Category 4 storm, which made landfall near Mexico Beach, Florida, at 12:30 p.m. Oct. 10.
• 563rd RQG realigns to the 355th FW AFNS 11 Oct 2018 -- The 563rd Rescue Group, a geographically-separated unit out of Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, was realigned from the 23rd Wing to Davis-Monthan AFB's 355th Fighter Wing Oct. 1, 2018.
• SWRMC Supports On Time Delivery through Availabilities NNS 11 Oct 2018 -- Southwest Regional Maintenance Center (SWRMC) recently completed two availabilities, both of which were delivered back to the fleet on time, with the latest, USS Princeton (CG 59), finishing Sept. 27.
• Naval War College Supports New United Nations' Guide on Best Practices for Civil-Military Coordination in Disasters NNS 11 Oct 2018 -- For the past two years, U.S. Naval War College (NWC) experts, along with experts from around the world, advised and contributed on the United Nations' recently released best-practices guidelines for civil-military coordination in conflicts and disasters.
• One-third of American youth too fat to serve in military: Study Press TV 11 Oct 2018 -- At least a third of American youth are too obese to be eligible for military service, a new study has warned, prompting Pentagon officials to make promoting healthy lifestyles a priority.
• 'Deep Alliance': US Destroyer Docks in Israel For First Time in 20 Years Sputnik 11 Oct 2018 -- The US under the Trump administration has already shown support for Israel by moving its embassy to Jerusalem despite protests and warnings from not only Palestine, but most of the international community.
• Pentagon Awards Over $1Bln for Development of New Rocket Launch Systems Sputnik 11 Oct 2018 -- The US Department of Defense said in a press release on Wednesday that it has awarded more than $1 billion in contracts for launch system and rocket propulsion prototypes.
• US military grounds all F-35 fighter jets after last month's crash Press TV 11 Oct 2018 -- The US military has grounded its entire fleet of F-35 joint strike fighters after the aircraft' fuel tubes were suspected to be the cause of a crash last month in which the jet was completely destroyed.
• US, Israel Suspend F-35 Flight Operations Worldwide - Military Sputnik 11 Oct 2018 -- The United States has temporarily suspended all F-35 operations worldwide after the first-ever crash of the advanced fighter jet led investigators to suspect that a common problem exists with the jet's fuel tubes, the Pentagon's F-35 Lightning II Program said in a statement on Thursday.
• Turkey, Kuwait sign 2019 military cooperation agreement Press TV 11 Oct 2018 -- Turkey and Kuwait have signed a joint defense plan for 2019 aimed at boosting military cooperation between the two Middle Eastern countries.
• India, Russia to Soon Conclude Deals on Frigates, Kalashnikovs - Russian Envoy Sputnik 11 Oct 2018 -- The statement comes a day after US President Donald Trump said that India "will soon find out" his decision on the punitive Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) over India's decision to purchase the S-400 missile defense systems from Russia.
• India Not to Cut Ties With Russia as Trump Vows 'Swift' Response to S-400 Deal Sputnik 11 Oct 2018 -- India has signed a $5.4 billion deal to buy five S-400 air defense systems despite the looming threat of US sanctions on countries that trade with Russia's defense and intelligence sectors.
• All govt. branches must join forces to confront US bans, solve economic issues: Leader Press TV 11 Oct 2018 -- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has called on all branches of the government to join forces to counter the negative impacts of brutal American sanctions against the Iranian nation.
• Iran's security constitutes red line for Armed Forces: Top commander Press TV 11 Oct 2018 -- Iran's top military commander says the nation's security constitutes a "red line" for the armed forces, warning "counter-revolutionary grouplets" against any attempt to destabilize the Islamic Republic.
• US Senators Slam Pompeo's Approval of Military Aid to Saudi Arabia, UAE Sputnik 11 Oct 2018 -- US Secretary of State Secretary Mike Pompeo must address concerns regarding his approval of military aid to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, seven senators said in a letter.
• F-16 Destroyed After Explosion Rocks Military Air Base in Belgium - Reports Sputnik 11 Oct 2018 -- One F-16 fighter-bomber was completely destroyed Thursday afternoon by an explosion while undergoing maintenance on the ground at the Florennes base in Belgium, Sudinfo reported, citing military sources.
• Department Press Briefing - October 11, 2018 US Dept. of State 11 Oct 2018
• Remarks at the Conference on Prosperity and Security in Central America US Dept. of State 11 Oct 2018 -- Remarks by Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State; President Juan Orlando Hernandez of Honduras, President Jimmy Morales Cabrera of Guatemala, Vice President Oscar Ortiz of El Salvador and Foreign Secretary Luis Videgaray Caso of Mexico

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for October 11, 2018

Other Conflicts

• 11 October 2018 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 11 Oct 2018
• UN Committee Blasts Saudi Arabia on Yemen Child Deaths VOA 11 Oct 2018 -- The U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child has condemned Saudi Arabia's involvement in Yemen's civil war, which has killed and injured hundreds of children and been responsible for conditions leading to large-scale hunger and malnutrition.
• Saudi Arabia must halt air strikes in Yemen, says UN panel UN News 11 Oct 2018 -- The conflict in Yemen has been highlighted by a UN human rights committee which on Thursday urged Saudi Arabia to "put an end to the air strikes" against its southern neighbour, amid reports that they have resulted in the deaths of at least 1,248 children since March 2015.
• Yemeni ballistic missile hits military base in Saudi Arabia's Asir: Report Press TV 11 Oct 2018 -- Yemeni armed forces have fired a domestically-developed ballistic missile at a military base in Saudi Arabia's southwestern border region of Asir, in retaliation for the regime's campaign of military aggression, according to a report.
• UN child rights panel urges Saudi Arabia to halt strikes against civilian targets Press TV 11 Oct 2018 -- The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child has strongly urged Saudi Arabia to stop its ceaseless deadly airstrikes against civilian targets in impoverished Yemen.
• Putin: Terror fight remains absolute priority in Syria, world Press TV 11 Oct 2018 -- The Russian leader says fighting global terrorism, especially in Syria, remains an "absolute priority" for his country, emphasizing that any solution to over seven years of crisis in the Arab state should guarantee its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
• US-backed militants in Syria say holding 900 Daesh militants Press TV 11 Oct 2018 -- A US-backed Kurdish militant group says it is holding around 900 foreign members of the Daesh terrorist group in Syria.
• Al-Nusra Unwilling to Withdraw From Idlib - Reports Sputnik 11 Oct 2018 -- Militants from the terrorist organizations Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and Jabhat al-Nusra* and are not willing to withdraw their forces from the demilitarized zone in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib, as Turkey has not provided the guarantee of their security, the Al Watan newspaper reported on Thursday, citing sources.
• Iraq sentences Daesh cmdr., suspected plane bomb plotter to death Press TV 11 Oct 2018 -- A court in Iraq has sentenced a Lebanese national to death by hanging over his membership in the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group and involvement in criminal acts in the war-ravaged Arab country.
• Change in Golan Heights status constitutes violation of UN resolutions: Russia's FM Press TV 11 Oct 2018 -- Russia rebukes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for asking the international community to recognize the regime's claim to "sovereignty" over the occupied side of Syria's Golan Heights, warning that any such move would constitute a flagrant violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
• Lavrov:Changing Golan Heights status violates UN resolutions IRNA 11 Oct 2018 -- Changing the status of the Golan Heights in sidestepping the UN Security Council would come in direct violation of its resolutions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told journalists on Wednesday.
• U.S. Special Envoy Urges Moscow Not To Back 'Illegitimate Elections' In Eastern Ukraine RFE/RL 11 Oct 2018 -- The U.S. special envoy for Ukraine has said that elections planned by Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine are illegitimate and urged Moscow not to endorse them.
• Indian troops kill top militant leader, associate in Kashmir Press TV 11 Oct 2018 -- A Kashmiri scholar-turned-militant leader and an associate have been killed during a fierce gunbattle with Indian troops in the disputed Himalayan region.
• Mali not fulfilling its 'sovereign role' in protecting its people: UN human rights expert UN News 11 Oct 2018 -- In an effort to better protect people and their property throughout Mali, the international community must honour commitments to help reduce violent extremism, chronic insecurity and ineffective government, said the United Nations expert on human rights in the country, Alioune Tine, on Thursday.

News Reports

• Ecumenical Patriarchate Recognizes Independence Of Ukrainian Church RFE/RL 11 Oct 2018 -- The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople has agreed to recognize the independence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, a move immediately hailed by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko but slammed as "catastrophic" by Moscow.
• Russian Orthodox Church Forced to End Eucharistic Ties With Constantinople Sputnik 11 Oct 2018 -- Previously, a representative of the Constantinople Patriarchate announced that the synod of the church had decided to lift the anathema of two leaders of schismatic churches in Ukraine and return the metropolia under Constantinople's jurisdiction.
• UK National Detained in UAE for 5 Months on Spying Charges - Reports Sputnik 11 Oct 2018 -- A UK citizen Matthew Hedges has been held in solitary confinement in the United Arab Emirates for five months because of spying accusations, The Times newspaper reported.
• Experts See Scant Progress From Pompeo's North Korea Trip VOA 11 Oct 2018 -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is calling his recent trip to Pyongyang a success, but experts experienced in negotiating with Pyongyang remain unclear what he achieved in his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
• Trump says South Korea needs US approval to relieve sanctions against North Press TV 11 Oct 2018 -- US President Donald Trump says South Korea would need Washington's approval to relieve sanctions against North Korea imposed over the 2010 sinking of a South Korean warship.
• Seoul Not Mulling Lifting Sanctions Imposed on DPRK After 2010 Warship Incident Sputnik 11 Oct 2018 -- Seoul is not considering the possibility of lifting its sanctions imposed on Pyongyang following the March 2010 sinking of South Korean corvette Cheonan, South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon stated.
• Joint Press Release of DPRK-Russia-China Negotiations Made Public KCNA 11 Oct 2018 -- A joint press release was made public at the three-party negotiations of vice foreign ministers of the DPRK, Russia and China held in Moscow on Oct. 9, 2018.
• Russia: US withdrawal from JCPOA shortsighted move IRNA 11 Oct 2018 -- Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry Department for Non-Proliferation and Arms Control Vladimir Yermakov on Wednesday slammed US exit from the 2015 nuclear deal as a shortsighted move.
• FinCEN Issues Advisory on the Iranian Regime's Illicit and Malign Activities and Attempts to Exploit the Financial System US Treasury 11 Oct 2018 -- The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued an advisory today to help financial institutions better detect and report potentially illicit transactions related to the Islamic Republic of Iran. The advisory is also intended to help foreign financial institutions better understand the obligations of their U.S. correspondents, to avoid exposure to U.S. sanctions, and to address the Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) risks that Iranian activity poses to the international financial system.
• DOE Announces Measures to Prevent China's Illegal Diversion of U.S. Civil Nuclear Technology for Military or Other Unauthorized Purposes Department of Energy 11 Oct 2018 -- Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced measures to prevent China's illegal diversion of U.S. civil nuclear technology for military or other unauthorized purposes.
• China 'has no intention of interfering in US politics' Press TV 11 Oct 2018 -- A senior Chinese government official has rejected accusations by the United States that Beijing is seeking to meddle in upcoming midterm elections in America, saying his country has "no intention" of interfering in US politics.
• US to Restrict Civilian Nuclear Tech Exports to China - Energy Secretary Sputnik 11 Oct 2018 -- US Energy Secretary Rick Perry said in a statement Thursday that Washington would sharply curtail exports of civilian nuclear technology to Beijing over national security concerns.
• Pakistan's Khan Says Will Seek Aid From 'Friendly Countries' As Well As IMF RFE/RL 11 Oct 2018 -- Pakistan will go to friendly countries as well as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for about $12 billion in financial help to avert a looming balance of payments crisis, Prime Minister Imran Khan has said.
• Trump says won't risk $110bn in Saudi arms deals over Khashoggi Press TV 11 Oct 2018 -- US President Donald Trump says he is not willing to throw away billions of dollars in military deals with Saudi Arabia over the suspected murder of a prominent Saudi journalist at the hands of the Riyadh regime's death squads in Turkey.
• Report: Turkey Says it Has Recordings of Saudi Journalist's Killing VOA 11 Oct 2018 -- The Washington Post reported late Thursday that U.S. officials have been informed by the Turkish government that Ankara has audio and video recordings proving that Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
• Bin Salman ordered operation against Saudi critic Khashoggi: US intel Press TV 11 Oct 2018 -- The Washington Post reports that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman personally ordered an "operation" against government supporter-turned-critic Jamal Khoshoggi, which would see him lured back to the kingdom and arrested.
• Turkey Accepts Saudi Aid to Probe Into Missing Journalist - Reports Sputnik 11 Oct 2018 -- Riyadh called claims and accusations connected with the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi "baseless," vowing to find footage of him leaving the building he allegedly went missing in.
• Erdogan Says Dissatisfied With Saudi Explanations for Journalist Disappearance Sputnik 11 Oct 2018 -- The Turkish authorities are thoroughly investigating the disappearance of Saudi journalist and Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi and do not find the Saudi authorities' explanations convincing, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated.
• Trump: US Investigators in Turkey Probing Saudi Journalist's Disappearance VOA 11 Oct 2018 -- President Donald Trump said Thursday the U.S. has investigators in Turkey trying to determine what happened to Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, last seen entering Riyadh's consulate in Istanbul last week, but acknowledged his life is imperiled.
• Soyuz Booster Failure Sends Space Crew Back To Earth In Emergency Landing RFE/RL 11 Oct 2018 -- A space capsule carrying a two-man Russian-American crew that malfunctioned after liftoff has landed safely in the steppes of central Kazakhstan, the Russian and U.S. space agencies say.
• Soyuz MS-10 Emergency Lands in Kazakhstan, Crew Feels Well - Roscosmos Head Sputnik 11 Oct 2018 -- A Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft atop a Soyuz FG rocket manned by a team of two cosmonauts was set to deliver a team to the International Space Station (ISS).
• US-Russian Space Crew Makes Emergency Landing VOA 11 Oct 2018 -- A U.S. astronaut and Russian cosmonaut are safe following an emergency return to Earth minutes after launching on what was supposed to be a mission to the International Space Station.
• U.S. urges cross-strait dialogue to resolve differences CNA 11 Oct 2018 -- The U.S. State Department on Wednesday urged Taiwan and China to engage in constructive dialogue and seek a peaceful resolution to their differences.
• Turkey-US Relations at Pivotal Point Amid Speculation on US Pastor VOA 11 Oct 2018 -- Speculation is growing that Turkey could allow American Pastor Andrew Brunson to return to the United States, ending a diplomatic standoff between Ankara and Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump has condemned Brunson's prosecution on terrorism charges.
• King of Jordan Approves Cabinet Reshuffle - Royal Court Sputnik 11 Oct 2018 -- King Abdullah II of Jordan approved a cabinet reshuffle, the Royal Hashemite Court said in a statement on Thursday.
• Algeria must stop arbitrary expulsion of West African migrants in desert: UN migration rights expert UN News 11 Oct 2018 -- Atrocities suffered by child and adult migrants from West African States "should shock the conscience of humanity" into action, a UN rights investigator said on Thursday, before calling for Algeria to halt the collective expulsion of thousands of foreign nationals to Niger.
• DR Congo: Electoral process advancing despite threat of armed groups, UN envoy tells Security Council UN News 11 Oct 2018 -- December elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) remain on course, but still face "major challenges", including violence from armed groups in the country's east, the top United Nations official in the country said on Thursday.