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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• District in western Afghan province cleared of militants People's Daily 27 Apr 2019 -- The security forces after weeks of fierce fighting were able to wipe out the militants in the restive Bala Murghab district of Afghanistan's western Badghis province and restore law and order there, said an army statement released here Saturday.
• US, Afghanistan Agree on Need for Intra-Afghan Dialogue With Taliban VOA 27 Apr 2019 -- Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Zalmay Khalilzad, chief U.S. negotiator with the Taliban, emphasized the importance of an intra-Afghan dialogue in a meeting Saturday evening between the two in Kabul.
• Pentagon to Expand Role of Military at US-Mexico Border - Report Sputnik 27 Apr 2019 -- The soldiers will be tasked with conducting immigration application hearings, picking up migrants at the border and bringing food to migrants in detention.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Trump says U.S. to withdraw from int'l arms trade treaty People's Daily 27 Apr 2019 -- President Donald Trump announced on Friday that the United States is withdrawing from an international arms trade treaty signed by the Obama administration, marking Washington's latest exit from an international pact.
• Kremlin: Trump proposals on nuclear arms disarmament 'not serious' Press TV 27 Apr 2019 -- The Kremlin says Donald Trump's proposals on nuclear arms disarmament are "not serious," after media reports said the US president had ordered his administration to prepare for a new arms-control agreement with Russia and China.
• Erdogan Vows to Further Boost Turkey's Security With S-400 Despite Spat With US Sputnik 27 Apr 2019 -- The US has threatened Turkey with expulsion from the F-35 programme as well as with sanctions if it doesn't drop its deal with Russia. Washington claims that the Russian systems could reveal weaknesses of the F-35 once deployed in the country.
• China concludes joint naval exercise with Southeast Asian countries Global Times 27 Apr 2019 -- China concluded a joint naval exercise with Southeast Asian countries on Friday, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Daily reported Saturday.
• U.S. Central Command Chief Has 'Resources Necessary' To Deter Iran RFE/RL 27 Apr 2019 -- U.S. Central Command chief General Kenneth McKenzie says the United States has the "resources necessary" to deter Iran from taking any "dangerous" actions in the Gulf region.
• Iranian Commander Says Navy Could Shut Down Strait Of Hormuz If Needed RFE/RL 27 Apr 2019 -- The Iranian army's chief of staff says Tehran could close the vital Strait of Hormuz if "hostilities reach a level where this cannot be avoided."

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Saudi airstrikes leave seven more civilians dead in southern Yemen Press TV 27 Apr 2019 -- At least seven civilians have been killed when Saudi military aircraft carried out airstrikes in Yemen's southern province of Dhale as the Riyadh regime presses ahead with its atrocious bombardment campaign against its southern neighbor.
• Yemeni forces fire 17 retaliatory missiles at Saudi Arabia's Asir Press TV 27 Apr 2019 -- Yemeni forces and allied fighters from Popular Committees have fired 17 missiles at Saudi Arabia's southwestern Asir region in retaliation for the Saudi war on the impoverished Arab nation.
• Yemeni Army Restores Torsah Area, West of Al-Azareq District SPA 27 Apr 2019 -- Yemeni army units and the Yemeni popular resistance have restored Torsah area, west of Al-Azareq District after fighting with the Iranian-backed coup Houthi militia, according to the September Net website of the Yemeni Armed Forces.
• US-Backed Syrian Forces Form Armenian Unit VOA 27 Apr 2019 -- U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) this week announced the establishment of a new force made up of ethnic Armenians.
• Daesh leader attempted to cross Syria into Iraq but failed: Report Press TV 27 Apr 2019 -- An Iraqi intelligence official says the leader of the terrorist group of Daesh, Ibrahim al-Samarrai aka Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, had attempted over the past few weeks to cross Syria into Iraq's western province of Anbar, but failed to do so due to tight security measures along the border between the two countries.
• Time not ripe for military offensive on militant-held Idlib: Russia Press TV 27 Apr 2019 -- Russia's President Vladimir Putin has not ruled out a situation where Syrian forces, backed by Russian air power, would launch a full-scale assault against terrorists in Syria's northern province of Idlib.
• Terrorist groups kill 17 Syrian government troops in Aleppo Press TV 27 Apr 2019 -- Reports say at least 17 Syrian government forces have been killed in attacks by foreign-backed terrorists in northern Aleppo province.
• ​​​​​​​US, Europe targeting Syria with 'economic terrorism': Syria's UN envoy Press TV 27 Apr 2019 -- Syria's UN envoy Bashar al-Ja'afari has slammed the United States and the European Union for waging "economic terrorism" by imposing sanctions against the war-wracked country.
• Iranian Forces in Syria Remain 50 Miles Away From Israeli Border - Putin's Envoy Sputnik 27 Apr 2019 -- Iranian forces in Syria remain around 80 kilometers (50 miles) away from the border with Israel despite Washington's statement that it recognizes Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, Russian Special Presidential Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentyev told Sputnik in an interview.
• Putin Says He May Expand Russian Citizenship Decree To Include All Ukrainians RFE/RL 27 Apr 2019 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin says his administration is considering a plan to ease the process of granting Russian citizenship to all Ukrainians, not only those in war-torn parts of eastern Ukraine.
• Palestinians will not accept US 'deal of century' at all: Haniyeh Press TV 27 Apr 2019 -- A senior leader of the Hamas resistance movement says Palestinians will never agree to US President Donald Trump's controversial proposal for peace between the Israelis and Palestinians, dubbed "the deal of the century."
• Boko Haram terrorists overrun army base in NE Nigeria, steal weapons: Sources Press TV 27 Apr 2019 -- Members of the Takfiri Boko Haram terrorist group have attacked and overrun an outpost belonging to the Nigerian government troops in the northeastern parts of the African country, stealing weapons before fleeing, military sources say.
• Opposition leader says Sudan must join ICC 'immediately' Press TV 27 Apr 2019 -- Sudan must "immediately" join the International Criminal Court (ICC), which has charged Omar al-Bashir, the ousted president, with war crimes.

News Reports

• FBI Chief Warns Of Russian Interference In 2020 U.S. Presidential Election RFE/RL 27 Apr 2019 -- FBI Director Christopher Wray has warned that Russia is continuing its attempts to meddle in U.S. elections, saying it is a "malign foreign influence" that poses a "significant counterintelligence threat" to the United States.
• Sri Lanka raids terror hideout amid fears of new bombings Press TV 27 Apr 2019 -- Fifteen people, including six children, have been killed during a gun battle between Sri Lanka police and suspected militants, nearly a week after at least 250 people lost their lives in a string of bombings.
• Sri Lankan President Bans Two Groups Suspected to Be Behind Easter Sunday Blasts Sputnik 27 Apr 2019 -- The New 1st outlet reported earlier in the day, citing a police spokesman, that Sri Lanka had arrested 20 suspects in connection with the coordinated bombings over the past 24 hours, adding that police had recovered the bodies of four suspected perpetrators of three bombings that rocked the city of Kalmunai on Friday.
• Sri Lanka Police Find 15 Dead Including 6 Minors at Daesh Hideout Sputnik 27 Apr 2019 -- The news comes after on Friday Sri Lankan security forces raided a safe house of Daesh-affiliated* militants near the eastern the city of Kalmunai and killed at least four men in an exchange of fire.
• 15 Bodies, Including Those of 6 Children, Found After Sri Lanka Raids VOA 27 Apr 2019 -- Sri Lankan security forces have exchanged gunfire with an armed group in Kalmunai in the eastern region of the country.
• Russia Accuses U.S. Of Political 'Blackmail' After Sanctions Imposed On Venezuela FM RFE/RL 27 Apr 2019 -- Russia has accused the United States of the "politics of blackmail" after Washington imposed sanctions on Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza as part of efforts to force embattled Moscow ally Nicolas Maduro to step down from the presidency.
• Russia Launches Probe Into Cause Of Druzhba Oil Pipeline Contamination RFE/RL 27 Apr 2019 -- Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has ordered Russia's energy and trade ministries to conduct an inquiry within seven days into the cause of contamination that has led to the suspension of Russian oil deliveries to Europe through the Soviet-era Druzhba pipeline.
• Putin makes first comments on Russian agent jailed in US Press TV 27 Apr 2019 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has made his first comment about a self-admitted Russia agent sentenced in the United States.
• Putin Calls Jail Sentence In U.S. For Russian Agent Maria Butina 'Arbitrary' RFE/RL 27 Apr 2019 -- President Vladimir Putin has criticized a decision by a U.S. court to sentence Russian citizen Maria Butina to 18 months in prison after she pleaded guilty of acting as a Russian agent without registering.
• Lawmakers Back US-N. Korea Talks; Analyst Questions Strategy VOA 27 Apr 2019 -- As Kim Jong Un returns from a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, questions linger as to the diplomatic support Kim garnered from Putin, and what will happen next in negotiations between Pyongyang and Washington. Meanwhile, a long-time observer of politics on the Korean Peninsula urges Washington and Seoul to re-examine the assumption underlying their strategy toward North Korea.
• Documents Show Indonesia Released Banned N. Korean Coal VOA 27 Apr 2019 -- Indonesia has released seized North Korean coal in apparent violation of U.N. sanctions, posing a challenge to U.S.-led international efforts to crack down on Pyongyang's sanctions evasion, according to U.N.monitors and court documents.
• KCNA Commentary Terms U.S.-S. Korea Joint Military Exercises Aggressive, Not Defensive KCNA 27 Apr 2019 -- The U.S. and the south Korean authorities keep pushing the situation of the Korean peninsula and the region to an undesirable phase, defying public criticism and opposition at home and abroad.
• Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Leaves Vladivostok KCNA 27 Apr 2019 -- Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and supreme commander of the armed forces of the DPRK, left Vladivostok on April 26 after successfully wrapping up his historic visit to the Russian Federation.
• Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Returns Home after Concluding Visit to Russian Federation KCNA 27 Apr 2019 -- Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and supreme commander of the armed forces of the DPRK, returned home by the private train at dawn on Saturday after successfully concluding his visit to the Russian Federation.
• DPRK's Kim returns home after Russia visit People's Daily 27 Apr 2019 -- Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), returned home by train Saturday morning after concluding his first visit to Russia, the official Korean Central News Agency reported.
• N. Korea Fumes, South Celebrates on Summit Anniversary VOA 27 Apr 2019 -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in vowed continued outreach to North Korea on Saturday, saying the path to peace on the Korean Peninsula was irreversible despite temporary setbacks.
• Iran denies asking for meeting with US ISNA 27 Apr 2019 -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Seyyed Abbas Mousavi has dismissed claims by certain foreign media outlets about Iran's request for negotiation with the United States and the beginning of Tehran's talks with Riyadh, describing them as "inaccurate and unfounded".
• Iran rejects 'baseless, false' claims about request for US talks Press TV 27 Apr 2019 -- Iran has rejected as baseless and false claims by certain foreign media outlets about the country's request for negotiations with the United States.
• No immediate hike in Russia's oil output after Iran waivers end, Putin says Press TV 27 Apr 2019 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has reiterated Moscow's commitment to an agreement with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) on keeping production at a certain level, saying his country will not immediately increase oil output after the United States ends sanctions waivers for buyers of Iranian crude next month.
• China's Iran oil imports hit 7-month high in March ahead of new sanctions Press TV 27 Apr 2019 -- China's oil imports from Iran have hit a seven-month high in March ahead of Washington's termination of sanctions waivers for major buyers of crude from the Islamic Republic.
• Trump aides, regional allies dragging US into Iran conflict: Zarif Press TV 27 Apr 2019 -- Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says hawkish politicians within the American government and their allies in the Middle East want to escalate tensions with Tehran.
• Xi hails progress achieved in BRI cooperation Global Times 27 Apr 2019 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated that the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative should focus on high quality and sustainability so that the platform would yield more beneficial results to the world.
• Xi underlines high-quality development of Belt and Road Global Times 27 Apr 2019 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday called for joint efforts of all parties to promote high-quality development of the Belt and Road.
• Pakistan Suspends Anti-Polio Drive After Deadly Attacks On Vaccination Teams RFE/RL 27 Apr 2019 -- Pakistani health officials have suspended a nationwide anti-polio campaign following the killings in less than a week of a health worker and two policemen escorting vaccination teams.
• Mass Panic, Propaganda, And Mobs: How An Anti-Polio Drive Came To A Screeching Halt In Pakistan RFE/RL 27 Apr 2019 -- It started with rumors of children fainting or vomiting after they received a vaccination against the polio virus in a village in Pakistan's northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
• Erdogan pledges to confront opponents in own party after elections loss Press TV 27 Apr 2019 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) suffered shock election defeats in the capital Ankara and commercial hub Istanbul last month, has vowed to confront opponents inside his own party.
• Aid Groups Scramble to Assess Mozambique Storm Damage VOA 27 Apr 2019 -- Aid groups scrambled Saturday to assess the damage in northern Mozambique as heavy rains fueled fears of flooding and mudslides two days after the second cyclone hit the southern African country within six weeks.