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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Pentagon: US Is Withdrawing Troops From Syria VOA 12 Jan 2019 -- The U.S. said late Friday that it is implementing the orderly withdrawal of forces from northeast Syria that are involved in the fight against the Islamic State terrorist group.
• US Navy Sends Warship Toward Syria Amid Expected US Withdrawal - Reports Sputnik 12 Jan 2019 -- Earlier, a US official indicated that the country had begun pulling military hardware out of Syria, but that troops were not being withdrawn "at this stage".
• US Pullout From Syria Not to Alter Capacity to Perform Military Actions - Pompeo Sputnik 12 Jan 2019 -- The withdrawal of troops from Syria is only a "tactical change" that will not alter US capacity to perform necessary military actions, US State Secretary Mike Pompeo said on Saturday.
• Five killed in attack on police station in Afghanistan's Herat Press TV 12 Jan 2019 -- At least five people have been killed and four others injured during clashes between police and gunmen who stormed a police station in Afghanistan's western province of Herat.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Russia May Set Up Red Sea Naval Base After Deal on Port Calls - Senior Sudan MP Sputnik 12 Jan 2019 -- A deal between Sudan and Russia on navy port visits could morph into permanent Russian military presence on the Red Sea coast, the head of Sudan's parliamentary defense committee told Sputnik.
• NATO member Romania cancels $1.83bn Dutch warship purchase over political dispute Press TV 12 Jan 2019 -- Romania's defense ministry has cancelled a $1.83 billion deal for purchase of four Dutch warships after a dispute over which bid best suits the NATO member's interests.
• First Recorded Flight of China's New Stealthy 'Sky Hawk' Drone Sputnik 12 Jan 2019 -- First unveiled at an air show in November, China's newest stealth drone, the Sky Hawk, will have the ability to communicate with manned aircraft for both surveillance and combat operations. China Central Television (CCTV) carried footage of its first recorded flight on January 5.
• 'Fateh' submarine to join South Naval Fleet late Jan IRNA 12 Jan 2019 -- Commander of Naval Force of Iran's Army Admiral Hossein Khanzadi announced that 'Fateh' submarine will join the Southern Naval Fleet on January 29.
• Fateh-class submarine to join Iran navy ISNA 12 Jan 2019 -- Fateh- class submarine will join Iran navy fleet on January 29, Iranian Navy Commander, Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi announced on Saturday.
• Tehran calls on Paris to 'stop repeating irresponsible claims' on Iran's missile program Press TV 12 Jan 2019 -- Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi has criticized the French Foreign Ministry's provocative comments about Iran's ballistic missile program, urging Paris to avoid repeating such "irresponsible and incorrect" claims regarding the Islamic Republic's defensive programs.
• Resolution 2231 not banned Iran on conventional missile program: Spox IRNA 12 Jan 2019 -- Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi on Friday described the efforts to impose false interpretations of Resolution 2231 on Iran's missile program as irresponsible, saying that the resolution has never banned Iran's conventional and defensive missile program.
• US Team to Visit Turkey to 'Express Specific Concerns' Over S-400 Deal - Reports Sputnik 12 Jan 2019 -- Washington has been pressuring Ankara to abandon its purchase of Russian S-400 air defence systems for months, promising to sell it the Patriot missile system instead, and threatening to block the delivery of the F-35 fifth-gen fighter jets if Turkey goes forward with its deal with Russia.
• Afghan President Criticized for Installing Controversial Defense Minister VOA 12 Jan 2019 -- A global watchdog demanded Saturday international donors impose sanctions against Afghanistan's new defense minister, Asadullah Khalid, saying there is "credible evidence" linking him to serious rights abuses.
• Roundtable With Traveling Press US Dept. of State 12 Jan 2019 -- Press Statement by Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Parties to Yemeni Conflict Reject to Agree on Sanaa Airport Reopening - UN Envoy Sputnik 12 Jan 2019 -- The parties to the Yemeni conflict have not come to an agreement concerning the possible reopening of the airport in Sanaa, with the dispute on whether it should be open for international, domestic, or both flights still ongoing, UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths told Sputnik in an interview.
• Renewed clashes erupt in Hudaydah despite ceasefire between warring parties Press TV 12 Jan 2019 -- Fresh clashes have erupted between Yemeni Houthi Ansarullah fighters and militants loyal to the country's Saudi-backed former regime in Hudaydah despite a UN-brokered truce in the vital Red Sea port city.
• Yemen rejects claims on Ansarullah attack to Aden refinery IRNA 12 Jan 2019 -- Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, President of the Revolutionary Committee rejected claims as regard Ansarullah attack on Aden refinery.
• Israeli jetfighters target Damascus airport IRNA 12 Jan 2019 -- The Zionist regime of Israel's warplanes have targeted Damascus International Airport with missiles, Syrian media reported.
• Syrian Army Repel Israeli Attack on Damascus Sputnik 12 Jan 2019 -- The airstrike comes after Israeli warplanes conducted a similar attack against Syria on 25 December, destroying an ammunition depot near the capital Damascus.
• Syrian Air Defences Respond to Enemy Attack, Down Several Targets - Reports Sputnik 12 Jan 2019 -- Syrian air defences have responded to an Israeli airstrike over Damascus and managed to shoot down several targets, local media reported.
• Turkey deploys further military reinforcements to Syrian border Press TV 12 Jan 2019 -- The Turkish military has sent new reinforcements to the country's areas on the border with Syria's militant-held province of Idlib as Ankara is preparing for a military operation against US-backed Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in the wake of US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw American troops from the war-torn country.
• Turkey Gathers Military Vehicles Near Syrian Border – Reports Sputnik 12 Jan 2019 -- Turkey continues to concentrate military vehicles near the Syrian border, Anadolu news agency reported on Saturday.
• OSCE Monitoring Drone Shot Down Over Eastern Ukraine RFE/RL 12 Jan 2019 -- A surveillance drone operated by monitors for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in eastern Ukraine has been shot down near the government-controlled village of Popasna in the Luhansk region.
• Egyptian security forces kill six militants in Sohag province: Ministry Press TV 12 Jan 2019 -- Egyptian security forces have killed six militants of a terror outfit in the African country's south, the interior ministry says.

News Reports

• Trump slams Comey as 'total sleaze' in response to FBI probe reports Press TV 12 Jan 2019 -- US President Donald Trump has again blasted former FBI director James Comey and other "losers" at the agency following US media reports that the FBI began an investigation of Trump last year to find out whether he had a secret agenda to help Russia.
• FBI probed whether Trump secretly worked for Russia: Report Press TV 12 Jan 2019 -- US law enforcement officials became so concerned by President Donald Trump's behavior in the days after he fired FBI Director James Comey that they began investigating whether he had been working for Russia against American interests, according to US media reports.
• NYT: FBI Investigated Whether Trump Was Working For Russia RFE/RL 12 Jan 2019 -- The New York Times is reporting that the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation opened a counterintelligence probe in 2017 into whether President Donald Trump was working for Russian interests.
• Remarks by President Trump During Roundtable Discussion with State, Local, and Community Leaders on Border Security and Safe Communities The White House 12 Jan 2019
• Trump Says He Expects US, Russia to Eventually Restore Good Relations Sputnik 12 Jan 2019 -- Trump hinted at the need to improve relations with Russia on the campaign trail, even has his administration would go on to increase tensions with Moscow through new sanctions, diplomatic expulsions, and a NATO military buildup on Russia's western borders.
• Report: Former WADA Chief Downplays Russia Missing Lab Deadline RFE/RL 12 Jan 2019 -- The former head of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is downplaying the fact that Russia missed the latest deadline to allow international inspectors access to a Moscow laboratory.
• Poland arrests Huawei employee, fmr. Polish security official on spying charges Press TV 12 Jan 2019 -- Poland has detained an employee of the Chinese electronics giant Huawei along with a former Polish security official on suspected spying charges, in what appears to be an extension of US-fueled security fears about the telecom company.
• India to continue Iran oil imports IRNA 12 Jan 2019 -- Despite US anti-Iran sanctions, New Delhi will continue importing Iranian oil, India's Ministry of External Affairs spokesman as saying.
• Xi calls for "greater strategic achievements" in Party governance People's Daily 12 Jan 2019 -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on Friday called for efforts to advance Party building, and demanded "greater strategic achievements" in full and strict governance over the Party.
• China declares Chang'e-4 mission complete success People's Daily 12 Jan 2019 -- China announced Friday that the Chang'e-4 mission, which realized the first-ever soft-landing on the far side of the moon, was a complete success.
• Control Over Russia's Only Space Telescope Lost - Scientists Sputnik 12 Jan 2019 -- The connection with Russia's only space telescope, Spektr-R, is partially lost; the device isn't accepting commands from the Earth, Nikolai Kardashev, the head of the Astro Space Centre at the PN Lebedev Physics Institute told Sputnik.
• Saudi Arabia To Build $10 Billion Oil Refinery In Pakistan's Gwadar RFE/RL 12 Jan 2019 -- Saudi Arabia says it plans to set up a $10 billion oil refinery in Pakistan's deepwater port of Gwadar, which is being developed with the help of China.
• Macedonian Opposition Leader Urges Parl't Dissolution After Name Change Approval Sputnik 12 Jan 2019 -- Hristijan Mickoski, the leader of Macedonia's largest opposition party VMRO-DPMNE, called for the dissolution of the parliament and holding snap elections after the legislature approved constitutional amendments necessary for renaming the country under a deal with Greece.
• DR Congo Opposition Candidate Fayulu Challenges Election Results in Court VOA 12 Jan 2019 -- Democratic Republic of Congo presidential runner-up Martin Fayulu has challenged the outcome of the country's election in court, claiming he defeated opposition candidate Felix Tshisekedi by a wide margin.
• DR Congo presidential runner-up appeals against result Press TV 12 Jan 2019 -- Martin Fayulu, the runner-up in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's presidential election, has filed an appeal against the result of the election.
• Ensuring Venezuela's Constitutional Order and Safety of Elected Officials US Dept. of State 12 Jan 2019 -- Press Statement by Robert Palladino, Deputy Spokesperson
• Bolton Says US Not Recognizing President Maduro's 'Illegitimate Claim to Power' Sputnik 12 Jan 2019 -- The United States does not recognize the legitimacy of powers of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who was inaugurated earlier this week, US National Security Adviser John Bolton said.
• Pompeo: Venezuela's Maduro Gov't 'Illegitimate,' US to Restore 'Democracy There' Sputnik 12 Jan 2019 -- Earlier this week, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was sworn in for second pesidential term for the period from 2019 until 2025.
• Leader of Venezuela opposition-run congress says prepared to assume presidency Press TV 12 Jan 2019 -- The leader of Venezuela's opposition-led National Assembly says he is prepared to take on the South American country's presidency on an interim basis and call elections, only a day after socialist President Nicolas Maduro was sworn in for a disputed second mandate.
• Venezuelan National Assembly Head Intending to Use Military to Get Into Power Sputnik 12 Jan 2019 -- Juan Guaido, the head of the Venezuelan opposition-led National Assembly, said he intended to use the support of the military and the international community to take over presidential power.
• Macedonia Implements Prespa Agreement US Dept. of State 12 Jan 2019 -- Press Statement by Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State
• Macedonia to Become NATO Member Soon, Then Join EU - Prime Minister Sputnik 12 Jan 2019 -- Macedonia will soon become a member of NATO and then accede to the European Union, Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said Saturday.
• U.S. Welcomes Macedonian Parliament's Decision To Back Name Change RFE/RL 12 Jan 2019 -- The United States has welcomed the decision by Macedonia's parliament to approve a constitutional amendment that renames the country the Republic of North Macedonia.
• Thousands Rally In Serbia Against Vucic For Sixth Week RFE/RL 12 Jan 2019 -- Thousands of people have gathered in Belgrade for the sixth week of street protests against Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, whom they accuse of stifling media freedoms and suppressing the opposition.
• Colombian protesters urge chief prosecutor to step down over corruption scandal Press TV 12 Jan 2019 -- Thousands of Colombians have taken to the streets in several major cities across the South American country, demanding the resignation of Attorney General Nestor Humberto Martinez, who is accused of not probing graft cases he was aware of.
• Protesters raise pressure on Bashir to step down as unrest continue Press TV 12 Jan 2019 -- Sudanese riot police have fired tear gas at angry protesters who called for an end to President Omar al-Bashir's 30-year old rule over the county.
• UN anti-corruption body in Guatemala rebuts government's reasons for expulsion order UN News 12 Jan 2019 -- In a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Iván Velásquez, the senior UN official in charge of the International Commission Against Impunity (CICIG) in Guatemela, has responded to the accusations made by the Government to justify its decision to expel the Commission from the country.
• Is Haiti better prepared for disasters, 9 years on from the 2010 earthquake? UN News 12 Jan 2019 -- Half a capital city destroyed, 220,000 reported dead and 1 million residents displaced. This was the toll of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, which struck on 12 January, 9 years ago.