Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• US Failed to Train Afghan National Defense Forces on Airdrop Operations - Report Sputnik 15 Aug 2019 -- A new report by the Pentagon's Office of the Inspector General reveals that Afghan forces did not receive adequate instruction from the US on coordinating airdrop operations that provide critical supplies to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF).
• U.S. Envoy 'Disturbed' By Afghan Government's Stance On Graft RFE/RL 15 Aug 2019 -- U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan John Bass has said he is "disturbed by reports" that a former bank manager convicted of multimillion-dollar fraud has been moved into house arrest from prison in exchange for allegedly making a large campaign donation to the incumbent's presidential-election campaign.

Defense Policy / Programs

• US, Malaysia Kick-Off Maritime Training Activity 2019 NNS 15 Aug 2019 -- The U.S. Navy and Coast Guard and the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) began Maritime Training Activity (MTA) Malaysia 2019 marked by an opening ceremony at Lumut Naval Base, Aug. 14.
• U.S. 2nd Fleet Hosts Swedish and Finnish Heads of Navy Delegation NNS 15 Aug 2019 -- Vice Adm. Andrew Lewis, commander of U.S. 2nd Fleet and of Joint Force Command Norfolk, hosted the Chief of Royal Swedish Navy, Rear Adm. Jens Nykvist, and the Commander of the Finnish Navy, Commodore Jori Harju, for a series of trilateral and bilateral discussions August 12-14.
• Repairs to California Naval Facility After Quakes Estimated at $5 Billion Sputnik 15 Aug 2019 -- The earthquakes that struck California last month caused more than $5 billion worth of damage to Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, a large military installation located in China Lake, California, approximately three miles north of Ridgecrest, which was severely affected by the tremors.
• Russian Nuke-Powered Hypersonic Missile Responsible For Deadly Incident? Not So Fast... RFE/RL 15 Aug 2019 -- U.S. intelligence and some independent experts have attributed a deadly radioactive explosion in Russia's Far North on August 8 to a failed test of a nuclear-propelled cruise missile capable of flying at hypersonic speeds.
• Bolton: Russian Accident Shows Kremlin's Nuclear Ambitions RFE/RL 15 Aug 2019 -- U.S. national-security adviser John Bolton says a mysterious accident last week in northern Russia that caused a temporary spike in radiation levels shows how hard the Kremlin is working to develop delivery systems for nuclear weapons.
• 2020 national defense budget to account for 2.3 percent of GDP CNA 15 Aug 2019 -- The Executive Yuan passed the 2020 central government budget Thursday, giving the green light to the NT$411.3 billion (US$13.1 billion) in spending proposed by the Ministry of National Defense (MND).
• President tests F-16 simulator, hopes U.S. will decide on F-16V sale CNA 15 Aug 2019 -- President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Thursday made clear her intention to buy more upgraded F-16 fighter jets from the United States and expressed hope that the U.S. will reach a decision on the sale.
• Taiwan Displays Indigenous Jian Hsiang Anti-Radiation Drone at Arms Expo Sputnik 15 Aug 2019 -- Taiwan showed off its indigenous Jian Hsiang anti-radiation drone at the Taipei Aerospace and Defense Technology Exhibition on Thursday, putting on display just one of 81 pieces of military equipment for interested visitors to the three-day event.
• Turkish Foreign Minister Denies Expulsion From US F-35 Program Over S-400 Deal With Russia Sputnik 15 Aug 2019 -- Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu denied on Thursday that his country was on its way out of the United States' F-35 fighter jet program following a spat over Russian missile purchases.
• Turkey set to open new military base in Qatar: Report Press TV 15 Aug 2019 -- Turkey is reportedly expected to inaugurate a new military base in Qatar in autumn as the two countries forge closer relations amid a Saudi-led blockade on Doha.
• UK and Norway Reinforce North Atlantic Security UK MOD 15 Aug 2019 -- The UK and Norway reinforced their commitment to joint anti-submarine operations in the North Atlantic at RAF Lossiemouth today.
• US Arranged Secret Israeli-UAE Talks That Got Tel Aviv to Commit to US-led Gulf Coalition – Report Sputnik 15 Aug 2019 -- Last week, Israeli media reported that Foreign Minister Israel Katz had met with an unnamed "high ranking persona" from the United Arab Emirates to discuss the "Iranian threat," with Tel Aviv committing to provide intelligence and unspecified other forms of assistance to the US-led 'maritime security coalition' being formed in the Persian Gulf.
• VOA Interview: John Bolton's Take on World's Hotspots VOA 15 Aug 2019 -- VOA Contributor Greta Van Susteren interviews National Security Advisor John Bolton on topics including Venezuela sanctions, Russian and Chinese involvement in Venezuela, Hong Kong protests, North Korea, nuclear proliferation, Myanmar refugee crisis.
• Remarks by President Trump Before Air Force Once Departure | Morristown, NJ The White House 15 Aug 2019

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Aug. 15, 2019

Other Conflicts

• Yemeni forces, allies shoot down Saudi-led surveillance drone in Jizan Press TV 15 Aug 2019 -- Yemen's army and allied forces have reportedly intercepted and targeted an unmanned aerial vehicle belonging to the Saudi-led military coalition, in retaliation for the alliance's military campaign against the impoverished country.
• Syrian government forces advance towards terrorists' key bastion in Idlib Press TV 15 Aug 2019 -- Syrian government forces, backed by fighters from allied popular defense groups, have continued their military operations in the southern part of the country's province of Idlib, regaining control of several regions and reaching the edges of a major bastion of foreign-sponsored Takfiri militants there.
• Three more humanitarian workers killed in Syria, with civilian death toll 'rising every day' UN News 15 Aug 2019 -- An attack in the south of Syria's restive Idlib province that led to the deaths of a paramedic, an ambulance driver and a rescue worker, were added to the grim total on Thursday of more than 500 civilian fatalities documented in the country by the United Nations, over the past three and a half months alone.
• Medical Workers of US-Based Group Killed in Syria's Idlib VOA 15 Aug 2019 -- Two medical workers affiliated with a U.S.-based medical group were killed Wednesday in an attack in northwestern Syria, the medical relief group said. A third medical volunteer was killed in the same attack.
• Ankara won't tolerate any US delay over northern Syria safe zone: Turkish FM Press TV 15 Aug 2019 -- Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says his country will not tolerate any US delay in setting up a so-called safe zone in northern Syria, where US-sponsored Kurdish militants are operating.
• Haftar Army Targeted Turkish Drones When Attacking Zuwara Airport Thursday - Spokesman Sputnik 15 Aug 2019 -- Airstrikes on Libya's Zuwara International Airport that were carried out by the Libyan National Army (LNA), led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, were aimed at Turkish unmanned aerial vehicles, LNA spokesman Ahmed Mismari said in a statement obtained by Sputnik.
• Three Myanmar Ethnic Armies Stage 'Brazen Attack' in Mandalay Region And Northern Shan State Radio Free Asia 15 Aug 2019 -- An alliance of ethnic armed groups launched attacks in five locations in Myanmar's Mandalay region and northern Shan state early Thursday, with at least 11 people confirmed dead and several others injured, in retaliation for government army offenses in Shan and Rakhine states, various sources said.
• More than a Dozen People Killed in Myanmar Rebel Attacks VOA 15 Aug 2019 -- Ethnic rebel forces in Myanmar killed at least 14 people Thursday in what appeared to be coordinated attacks on an elite military college and other government targets in the country's north, according to a military spokesman.
• Pakistan says five killed by Indian fire in Kashmir flare-up Press TV 15 Aug 2019 -- Pakistan says "unprovoked firing" by India across the heavily militarized de facto border in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir has killed three soldiers and two civilians in separate incidents.
• Indian PM Defends Kashmir Changes In Independence Day Speech RFE/RL 15 Aug 2019 -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that revoking Indian-administered Kashmir of its special status will restore the region to its "past glory" and play an "important role" in the country's development.
• Indian, Pakistani Military Exchange Heavy Fire Along LoC in Kashmir, Ten Reported Dead Sputnik 15 Aug 2019 -- Decades of tensions between India and Pakistan over the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir escalated this spring after a terror attack killed dozens of Indian security personnel, and came to a head last week after New Delhi announced the suspension of the region's special status.
• Pakistani PM Imran Khan Warns of "Ethnic Cleansing of Muslims" Amid Kashmir Tensions With India Sputnik 15 Aug 2019 -- Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has claimed that the silence of the international community on the possible threat of "genocide" against Kashmiri Muslims could lead to serious consequences, including a violent response from the Muslim world.
• Pakistan Reports Deadly Clashes With India in Kashmir VOA 15 Aug 2019 -- Pakistan says three of its soldiers were killed Thursday in clashes with India across the disputed Kashmir border, known as the Line of Control (LoC), amid increasing tensions between the two nations over the Himalayan region.
• Somalia Assesses Al-Shabab Moles' Infiltration of Government VOA 15 Aug 2019 -- The July 24 suicide bombing that killed the mayor of Somalia's capital was disturbing on multiple levels, security experts say. Abdirahman Omar Osman was slain by one of his own aides, who was female and blind, and who acted in concert with another one of his employees, also female.
• Kenya, Somalia Trade Threats in Indian Ocean Dispute VOA 15 Aug 2019 -- Analysts warn that tension could rise as a U.N. hearing nears on a Kenyan-Somali territorial argument.

News Reports

• Maduro accuses former Colombian president of plotting to assassinate him Press TV 15 Aug 2019 -- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has accused former Colombian president Alvaro Uribe of plotting to assassinate him.
• Maduro Accuses Ex-Colombian President Uribe of Plotting His Assassination Sputnik 15 Aug 2019 -- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said that Colombia's former President Alvaro Uribe Velez had planned to hire mercenaries to assassinate him. The last failed assassination of Maduro took place in early August 2018 during a military parade in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas.
• US Imposes Travel Ban on Sudan's Former Security Chief VOA 15 Aug 2019 -- The United States has imposed a visa ban on the former director general of Sudan's national intelligence and security services for his alleged involvement in gross human rights violations.
• A New Era Dawns for US Intelligence VOA 15 Aug 2019 -- Washington's top two intelligence officials spent their last day on the job Thursday, leaving the nation's spy agencies in the hands of an acting director as U.S. President Donald Trump moves ahead with an overhaul of the country's intelligence leadership.
• Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova on the sidelines of the Eurasia Global International Youth Forum, Orenburg, August 15 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 15 Aug 2019
• South Korea's Moon vows reunification with North by 2045 Press TV 15 Aug 2019 -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in has vowed to work toward the reunification of the two Koreas by 2045.
• South Korea's Moon Vows to Seek Reunification With North Korea by 2045 Sputnik 15 Aug 2019 -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Thursday promised to make efforts to reunite with North Korea by 2045.
• South Korean President Calls for Speedy Resumption of US-DPRK Denuclearization Talks Sputnik 15 Aug 2019 -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Thursday called on Seoul, Pyongyang and Washington to quickly reconvene working meetings between the United States and North Korea as part of their denuclearization dialogue.
• Iranian Vessel Grace I US Dept. of State 15 Aug 2019 -- "The United States assesses that the M/T Grace I was assisting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) by transporting oil from Iran to Syria. This could result in serious consequences for any individuals associated with the Grace I."
• Iranian Oil Tanker Freed by Gibraltar Despite US Appeal VOA 15 Aug 2019 -- The British overseas territory of Gibraltar turned back U.S. objections on Thursday and released the Iranian supertanker Grace 1 from detention, after receiving assurances from Tehran that it would not send its crude oil cargo to Syria.
• Gibraltar government releases Grace 1 oil tanker despite US pressures IRNA 15 Aug 2019 -- Gibraltar government released Grace 1 oil tanker carrying Iran's oil which was held for one month by that government on UK's order.
• Gibraltar releases Iran-operated tanker despite US pressure Press TV 15 Aug 2019 -- Gibraltar's government has released an Iranian-operated supertanker, which was seized by British marines in the Strait of Gibraltar on July 4, despite pressure from the United States for the vessel's continued detainment.
• Iranian Oil Tanker Allowed To Leave Gibraltar Despite U.S. Appeal RFE/RL 15 Aug 2019 -- Gibraltar has decided to free the Iranian oil supertanker Grace 1, detained off the British overseas territory six weeks ago by Royal Marines, despite a last-minute attempt by the United States to seize the vessel.
• Gibraltar Authorities Release Iranian Tanker Grace 1 Sputnik 15 Aug 2019 -- Earlier, UK media reported that the British territory's administrators would not be renewing the order to detain the Panamanian-flagged tanker, which was boarded by Royal Marines and placed under detention in early July amid claims that it was smuggling Iranian crude oil to a refinery in Syria, in contravention of EU sanctions.
• Grace 1: UK statement on the outcome of Gibraltar's legal proceedings UK FCO 15 Aug 2019 -- The Foreign & Commonwealth Office gave a statement following the Government of Gibraltar's decision on the Grace 1 oil tanker.
• US moves to take Iranian oil tanker from UK: Gibraltar Press TV 15 Aug 2019 -- Gibraltar says the US has applied to seize an Iranian oil tanker, which is being held in the British overseas territory, on unknown grounds, after UK media reported that the vessel's release was imminent following a set of diplomatic exchanges between Tehran and London.
• US appeals to Gibraltar Court not to release Grace 1 oil tanker IRNA 15 Aug 2019 -- The US has appealed to Gibraltar court not to release the seized Grace 1 oil tanker.
• Enemies must factor Iran's global power in their calculations: IRGC's chief commander Press TV 15 Aug 2019 -- The chief commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says enemies of the Islamic Republic must take into account the country's "globalized" power when making any plan with regard to Iran.
• Iran warns enemies: Leave Persian Gulf or face humiliating exit Press TV 15 Aug 2019 -- Iran's Navy Commander Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi has warned that enemy forces in the Persian Gulf should swiftly leave the region or a "humiliating exit" awaits them, saying "the era of hypocritical stunts" in the region has come to an end.
• Iranian Navy Chief to US Mideast 'Looters': Leave Now or Face 'Humiliating Withdrawal' Sputnik 15 Aug 2019 -- Earlier, a senior Iranian army commander alleged that US warships had been "pushed to stop" 200 nautical miles from the Strait of Hormuz, and had begun withdrawing from the region "due to the [Iranian] Armed Forces' deterrence power." The US military did not comment on the claim.
• Trump Suggests China's Xi Meet With Hong Kong Protesters VOA 15 Aug 2019 -- U.S. President Donald Trump suggested Thursday that Chinese President Xi Jinping ought to meet personally with pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong to resolve 10 weeks of demonstrations against Beijing's control of the semi-autonomous territory.
• Potential PLA deployment in HK will not damage 'one country, two systems' Global Times 15 Aug 2019 -- Even if the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Hong Kong Garrison is deployed to maintain social order in Hong Kong, the "one country, two systems" approach will not be damaged, said a Chinese expert.
• Chinese military personnel parade near Hong Kong border: Report Press TV 15 Aug 2019 -- Thousands of Chinese military personnel have reportedly paraded at a sports stadium in Shenzhen, a city in mainland China that borders Hong Kong.
• Hong Kong has had enough of violent acts Global Times 15 Aug 2019 -- "Enough for Hong Kong!" Sickened by growingly violent and rampant rioting mobs, Hong Kong residents published a signed petition on the front pages of multiple local newspapers on Thursday, calling on the Hong Kong government to suspend the approval of any public demonstration until social order is restored in the city.
• Who is messing with Hong Kong? Global Times 15 Aug 2019 -- Some foreign forces have had a hand in what is happening in Hong Kong. The list includes the US Democratic politician Nancy Pelosi, Senate MajorityLeader Mitch McConnell and Republican senator Marco Rubio as well as staff from the Consulate General of the US in Hong Kong and think tanks from the US.
• Futile for Washington to play HK card Global Times 15 Aug 2019 -- Washington in recent days has ratcheted up rhetoric on the Hong Kong issue and grossly interfered in China's domestic affairs. US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi demanded that the Hong Kong chief executive and Legislative Council accept the conditions raised by the extreme opposition.
• China warns foreign forces against fomenting violent protests in Hong Kong Press TV 15 Aug 2019 -- China says unidentified foreign forces are instigating violent protest rallies in Hong Kong, warning them that Beijing has noticed their "conniving" attempts and that they only inflict damage on themselves.
• Beijing Accuses US of Being Involved in 'Anti-China Criminal Activities' in Hong Kong Sputnik 15 Aug 2019 -- China has repeatedly warned foreign nations against meddling in the affairs of Hong Kong, where a government protest movement which has lasted several months continues amid growing violence and unrest.
• China Steps Up Information War Targeting Hong Kong Protests, Media Radio Free Asia 15 Aug 2019 -- The ruling Chinese Communist Party's state propaganda machine shifted into top gear on Thursday, with the People's Daily newspaper calling for a gathering on Beijing's Tiananmen Square to honor a "hero" of the Hong Kong protests: a state media reporter who was detained by anti-extradition protesters and restrained with cable ties during a sit-in at the Hong Kong International Airport on Tuesday evening.
• Hong Kong Police Criticized Over Use of Tear Gas in Densely Populated Sham Shui Po Radio Free Asia 15 Aug 2019 -- Community leaders in Hong Kong hit out at the city's police force on Thursday over the firing of dozens of tear gas canisters in Kowloon's Sham Shui Po district.
• Hong Kong Airport Back to Normal Operation After Protests - Reports Sputnik 15 Aug 2019 -- Hong Kong International Airport is returning to the normal operation mode on Thursday after all flights were suspended earlier this week as thousands of protesters staged a sit-in there, RTHK broadcaster reported, citing the airport's administration.
• China must take countermeasures in response to latest US tariffs: Ministry Press TV 15 Aug 2019 -- China's ministry of finance says Beijing needs to take necessary countermeasures against the latest round of US tariffs imposed on $300 billion of Chinese products as part of an escalating trade war.
• Hong Kong violence faces backlash Global Times 15 Aug 2019 -- Violent activities carried out by radical protesters in Hong Kong are "purely Nazi" actions, observers said on Wednesday after the rioters' attack on a reporter and a mainland traveller Tuesday midnight at Hong Kong International Airport, which triggered outrage across the mainland.
• Indian PM Modi Addresses Independence Day Amid Kashmir Tensions, Vows to Expose Exporters of Terror Sputnik 15 Aug 2019 -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday made his sixth consecutive Independence Day address. Modi held his speech at the historic landmark Red Fort in New Delhi after a flag hoisting ceremony.
• Number of Ebola Orphans Spikes as Epidemic Spreads in Eastern DRC VOA 15 Aug 2019 -- The U.N. children's fund reports the number of children orphaned by Ebola or separated from their parents because of the disease in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has more than doubled since April.
• Defendant Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISIS US Department of Justice 15 Aug 2019 -- Azizjon Rakhmatov, 32, a citizen of Uzbekistan and resident of New Haven, Connecticut, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). Today’s plea took place before U.S. District Court Judge William F. Kuntz II.
• Russia, Iran Cite 'Ecological Concerns' In Opposing Trans-Caspian Pipeline RFE/RL 15 Aug 2019 -- The Caspian Economic Forum just took place in Turkmenistan's Caspian resort area of Avaza on August 12, exactly one year to the day after the Convention On The Legal Status Of The Caspian Sea was signed at a summit of Caspian littoral state leaders in Aqtau, Kazakhstan.
• US Diplomat: Dodik Rhetoric Undermining Bosnian Government Deal VOA 15 Aug 2019 -- U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Palmer says the U.S. welcomes an agreement that Bosnia and Herzegovina's political leaders recently signed as part of an effort to break the deadlock in forming the government, and that he hopes Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik stop with the "hard-line rhetoric."
• Exclusive: North Macedonia President Says 'Vital Institutions' Failing VOA 15 Aug 2019 -- North Macedonian President Stevo Pendarovski says government institutions are failing the small Balkan nation so drastically that it could undermine prospects for long-awaited European Union accession talks.