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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• US, Taliban begin 'most crucial' round of talks in Qatari capital Doha Press TV 03 Aug 2019 -- A fresh round of peace talks between the United States and the Taliban militant group has resumed in the Qatari capital of Doha, with officials describing it as the “most crucial” phase of negotiations to end the 18-year war in Afghanistan.
• U.S. Envoy Ready To Sign 'Good Agreement' With Taliban As Qatar Talks Resume RFE/RL 03 Aug 2019 -- The U.S. peace envoy seeking to negotiate an end to the nearly 18-year war in Afghanistan said Washington was ready to sign a "good agreement" with the Taliban.
• UN: July Deadliest Month In Afghanistan In More Than Two Years RFE/RL 03 Aug 2019 -- The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) says more than 1,500 civilians were killed or wounded in July.
• Trump Wants All Troops Out Of Afghanistan By 2020 U.S. Election: Reports RFE/RL 03 Aug 2019 -- U.S. President Donald Trump has told aides that he wants to pull all U.S. troops out of Afghanistan before the presidential election in November 2020, U.S. news agencies are reporting, citing unnamed current and former administration officials.
• Trump Says Could Win Afghanistan War in 7 Days But Does Not Want to Kill 10 Million People Sputnik 03 Aug 2019 -- US President Donald Trump has said he could win the war in Afghanistan within a week but did not want to kill 10 million people.
• Taliban Indicate Readiness to Strike Peace Deal - US Afghan Envoy Sputnik 03 Aug 2019 -- The Taliban have given indications that they are ready to sign a peace agreement, US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad said on Friday.
• US, Taliban Seem Close to Deal but Challenges Remain VOA 03 Aug 2019 -- The United States and the Taliban have officially started their eighth round of negotiations in Doha with both sides indicating this round may result in a deal to end the longest U.S. war in history.

Defense Policy / Programs

• US looking to deploy intermediate-range missiles in Asia: Pentagon Press TV 03 Aug 2019 -- United States Defense Secretary Mark Esper says he is in favor of placing ground-launched, intermediate-range missiles in Asia, a day after the United States pulled itself from a Cold War era arms control pact.
• U.S. to "fully" develop ground-launched missiles after exiting INF treaty: Pentagon chief People's Daily 03 Aug 2019 -- The United States will fully develop ground-launched conventional missiles after withdrawing from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said Friday.
• U.S. Defense Secretary Wants To Deploy New Missiles In Asia RFE/RL 03 Aug 2019 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper says Washington wants to deploy new ground-launched, intermediate-range missiles in Asia soon.
• US Seeks to Deploy Intermediate-Range Missiles in Asia 'Sooner Rather Than Later' - Secretary of Defence Sputnik 03 Aug 2019 -- The US officially withdrew from the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty on 2 August after suspending it in February. Both Washington and Moscow have accused each other of violating the accord, but the US decided to abandon the deal, refusing to negotiate the issue with Russia.
• US Defense Secretary Wants INF-range Missiles in Asia VOA 03 Aug 2019 -- U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper says he wants to see American ground-based intermediate-range conventional missiles deployed to Asia.
• China deeply regrets and strongly opposes US withdrawal from nuclear Treaty Global Times 03 Aug 2019 -- "Withdrawing from the INF is another negative move by the US, ignoring its own international commitment and resorting to unilateralism," foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a press briefing.
• Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Guides Again Test-Fire of New-type Large-caliber Multiple Launch Guided Rocket System KCNA 03 Aug 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, guided again the test-fire of newly-developed large-caliber multiple launch guided rocket system early in the Friday morning.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• China rebukes accusation of militarizing South China Sea Global Times 03 Aug 2019 -- China rejected to be labeled as militarizing the South China Sea, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday.
• Yemeni forces hit Saudi military base with ballistic missile in Najran Press TV 03 Aug 2019 -- Yemeni army forces have targeted a military base in Saudi Arabia’s southern province of Najran with a domestically-manufactured ballistic missile, a Yemeni military official says.
• UAE redeploying troops in Yemen's Hudaydah: Minister Press TV 03 Aug 2019 -- The UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash says the Persian Gulf country has been redeploying its forces in Yemen's port city of Hudaydah.
• KSA Affirms Its Determination to Take All Measures to Protect Children in Armed Conflict in Yemen SPA 03 Aug 2019 -- The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has affirmed its determination to take all measures to protect children in the armed conflict in Yemen, pointing out that it is working with the coalition countries to form a child protection unit, established with coordination with the United Nations.
• Houthis Claim ‘Dozens’ Killed in Attack on Saudi Arabia’s Military in Najran - Report Sputnik 03 Aug 2019 -- The military wing of Yemeni movement, Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthis, has launched several drone attacks on Najran Airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia. Najran and its civilian facilities have been regular targets of Houthi attacks.
• UAE Says Coordinated Redeployment From Yemen With Saudi Arabia Sputnik 03 Aug 2019 -- The United Arab Emirates has coordinated its moves in Yemen, including the redeployment of troops from the war-torn country, with Saudi Arabia, which is heading an international coalition supporting the Yemeni government, Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, the UAE minister of state for foreign affairs, said.
• Ceasefire in Idlib Province US Dept. of State 03 Aug 2019 -- "The United States welcomes news that a ceasefire has been declared in Northwest Syria, but what is truly important is that attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure must stop. We will appreciate any efforts undertaken towards this important goal."
• At least 31 Syrian troops, allied fighters killed in blast at airbase in Homs province: Monitor Press TV 03 Aug 2019 -- At least 31 Syrian government troops and allied fighters have lost their lives in an explosion at a military airport in Syria’s central province of Homs, a UK-based monitoring group says.
• Militants Open Fire at Syria's Aleppo Leaving Some People Injured – Reports Sputnik 03 Aug 2019 -- Terrorists, who are controlling the Syrian province of Idlib and the outskirts of Aleppo, opened mortar fire at the city’s residential areas leaving several people injured, the Syrian state television reported.
• Libya's Mitiga Airport Suspends Air Traffic Following Shelling - Airport Authority Sputnik 03 Aug 2019 -- Mitiga is the only functioning airport in Tripoli, Libya's capital, and has been targeted by the Libyan National Army, commanded by General Khalifa Haftar.
• Pakistan Alleges India Used 'Cluster Munitions' in Cross-Border Fire VOA 03 Aug 2019 -- Pakistan on Saturday accused rival India of breaching international humanitarian laws by using "cluster munitions" in the latest cross-border skirmishes in Kashmir, saying the weapons killed at least two civilians and injured 11 others on the Pakistani side of the divided region.
• India Foils Infiltration Attempt by Pakistani Military Squad, Eliminates Regulars - Reports Sputnik 03 Aug 2019 -- Earlier in the day, the Pakistani military accused the Indian Army of shelling civilians with "cluster munitions", with the latter fiercely denying the allegations.

News Reports

• US Judge Shoots Down Trump Asylum Restrictions - Court Filing Press TV 03 Aug 2019 -- A US federal judge in the District of Colombia has ruled that the Trump administration's new policy restricting access for asylum-seeking migrants is illegal, a court filing revealed.
• Maduro repudiates Trump's quarantine threat, says Venezuela ready for battle Press TV 03 Aug 2019 -- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has lashed out at his American counterpart, Donald Trump, for threatening to impose a blockade or a quarantine on the South American country.
• Sudan Military Council, Opposition Agree Constitutional Declaration - Reports Sputnik 03 Aug 2019 -- Sudan's military council and its main opposition coalition have agreed to a constitutional declaration intended to usher in a transitional government, Reuters reported, citing the African Union mediator for Sudan, Mohamed Hassan Lebatt.
• U.S. imposes second round of sanctions on Russia over Salisbury poisoning People's Daily 03 Aug 2019 -- The U.S. State Department late Friday slapped a second round of sanctions on Russia over the poisoning of a former Russian spy in Southern England in March 2018.
• U.S. State Department Details New Skripal-Related Sanctions On Russia RFE/RL 03 Aug 2019 -- The U.S. State Department has detailed new sanctions imposed on Russia for its alleged involvement in the March 2018 near-fatal nerve agent attack on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Britain.
• Treasury Announces Sanctions under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act US Treasury 03 Aug 2019 -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced today that it is implementing two sanctions on the Russian Federation as part of measures imposed by the U.S. government pursuant to the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991, as amended (“CBW Act”), in response to Russia’s use of the “Novichok” nerve agent in Salisbury, United Kingdom (UK) in March 2018.
• Monitoring Group: Russian Police Detain 685 Protesters VOA 03 Aug 2019 -- Russian police detained 685 people Saturday at a protest in Moscow against what they saw as unfair elections, a monitoring group said.
• Police Detain Hundreds At Opposition Rally In Moscow RFE/RL 02 Aug 2019 -- More than 800 people, including a prominent opposition activist, were detained by riot police in Moscow on August 3 after authorities warned they would take “all necessary measures” to stop the unsanctioned rally.
• Trump says Ratcliffe no longer his pick for national intelligence chief People's Daily 03 Aug 2019 -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that lawmaker John Ratcliffe will no longer be his pick to replace Dan Coats as Director of National Intelligence.
• Three Summits. Five Launches. One Bromance. VOA 03 Aug 2019 -- After three summits and several exchanges of letters between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Washington must now deal with Pyongyang’s five missile tests since February and near muted talks on denuclearization, results generated by Trump’s lack of criticism of the launches, experts said.
• Sanctions on Zarif shows US 'lies': Iran parl. speaker IRNA 03 Aug 2019 -- The US move to sanction Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif shows that Washington “tells lies and cheats”, said Iran’s parliament speaker on Saturday as internal and international condemnation over Zarif’s designation pour in.
• Zarif: Iran will take 3rd step to reduce JCPOA commitments IRNA 03 Aug 2019 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif Iran will take the third step to reduce its commitments to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
• China slams US anti-Iran sanctions IRNA 03 Aug 2019 -- Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman once again condemned the US unilateral sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
• 3rd phase of reducing JCPOA commitments to be implemented: Zarif ISNA 03 Aug 2019 -- Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammad Javad Zarif announced Iran will implement the third phase of reducing nuclear commitments in the current situation.
• Iran to scale back more nuclear commitments as permitted under JCPOA: Zarif Press TV 03 Aug 2019 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the country will go ahead with the third phase of scaling back its nuclear deal commitments under the “current circumstances”.
• Iran Says Will Further Reduce Nuclear Deal Commitments RFE/RL 03 Aug 2019 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the country will take a third step to reduce its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.
• China's "one country, two systems" principle should not be abused: envoy Global Times 03 Aug 2019 -- A Chinese envoy said Friday that China's "one country, two systems" principle should not be abused by anybody.
• China will never buckle under Washington's old trick of trade bullying Global Times 03 Aug 2019 -- Despite calling the just-concluded China-US trade talks in Shanghai "constructive" and hoping for more "positive dialogue," the White House on Thursday announced plans to impose extra tariffs on Chinese imports from Sept. 1.
• HK radical protesters desecrate national flag, surround police station Global Times 03 Aug 2019 -- Hundreds of radical protesters in Hong Kong surrounded Tsim Sha Tsui police station on Saturday night, pointing laser pens at the building and throwing projectiles through the entrance, which are clearly provocative and may cause violence.
• China urges Western nations not to intervene in Hong Kong affairs People's Daily 03 Aug 2019 -- China on Friday urged the United States and some other Western countries to honor their commitment and stop supporting violent activities and intervening in Hong Kong affairs in any form.
• Xiplomacy fosters more solid ties, promising common prosperity People's Daily 03 Aug 2019 -- In a world that is undergoing changes unseen in a century, China will remain confident and resolute in safeguarding its sovereignty and security, and maintain its sincerity and goodwill for safeguarding world peace and promoting common prosperity, Chinese President Xi Jinping has said in his 2019 New Year speech.
• Hong Kong Protesters Build Barricades, Block Streets, Cross-Harbour Tunnel - Police Sputnik 03 Aug 2019 -- Protesters built on Saturday barricades on the streets of Hong Kong, thus blocking traffic in the city, including in the Cross-Harbour Tunnel, which connects Hong Kong with mainland China, local police said.
• Protesters Return to Hong Kong Streets in Anti-government March VOA 03 Aug 2019 -- Protesters became the target of police tear gas Saturday night after they gathered at the Tsim Sha Tsui district police station and as an estimated tens of thousands of people once again filled the streets to protest the government’s mishandling of its ongoing political crisis that has turned much of the city against leader Carrie Lam.
• Washington Lobbying Firm That Ukraine’s Zelenskiy Denied Hiring Reports $70,000 Worth Of Work For Him RFE/RL 02 Aug 2019 -- The presidential campaign of Volodymyr Zelenskiy denied hiring a Washington lobbying firm to burnish his image in the U.S. capital, but one such firm recently reported being paid nearly $70,000 to do just that for the team of the newly elected Ukrainian president.
• Censorship Feared Under Turkey's New Rules for Online Broadcasts VOA 03 Aug 2019 -- Turkish media freedom advocates are raising alarms about newly announced government powers to license, inspect and possibly censor online broadcasts in the country.
• South Korea blasts Japan's economic war amid deepening trade dispute Press TV 03 Aug 2019 -- South Korea has blasted Japan as "selfish nuisance" after Tokyo removed Seoul from its list of top trading partners, amid an escalating trade dispute linked to persisting historical tensions.
• Thai Police Suspect Southern Insurgents in Bangkok Bombings VOA 03 Aug 2019 -- Thai authorities are casting suspicion on southern separatists while suggested broader political motives for a series of bombings that shook Bangkok Friday during a summit of top diplomats from the U.S., China and the region.