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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Kelly lashes out at ex-boss for withdrawing troops from N Syria Press TV 26 Oct 2019 -- Former White House chief of staff John Kelly has lashed out at his former boss, President Donald Trump, for pulling US forces out of northern Syria and giving Turkey the green light to attack Kurds.
• U.S. Defense Chief Says Armored Vehicles, Tanks Likely Part Of New Syria Deployment RFE/RL 26 Oct 2019 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper has confirmed reports that a new U.S. force will be sent to eastern Syria to protect oil fields from Islamic State (IS) militants, adding that the deployment will include armored vehicles and possibly tanks.
• Pentagon Confirms US Army Convoy Has Crossed Back Into Syria From Iraq Sputnik 26 Oct 2019 -- Earlier, Syrian television reported that a column of US 'occupation forces' had crossed through the al-Walid border crossing point between Iraq and Syria, and that "dozens of soldiers" and vehicles were being trailed by attack helicopters. The deployment came a day after the Pentagon pledged to maintain a "reduced presence" in Syria.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Amazon 'Surprised' As Pentagon Awards $10 Bln Cloud Contract to Microsoft Sputnik 26 Oct 2019 -- The online shopping giant claimed that a "detailed assessment purely on the comparative offerings" would lead to the conclusion that the contract should have instead been awarded to Amazon Web Services (AWS).
• Chinese peacekeepers complete special transport mission in Darfur, Sudan Global Times 26 Oct 2019 -- A unit of Chinese peacekeeping forces completed a special transport mission recently in Darfur, Sudan.

Defense Industry

• China's first domestically-built jet embarks on international route Global Times 26 Oct 2019 -- China's first domestically manufactured regional passenger jetliner ARJ 21 under Chengdu Airlines made its maiden overseas flight on Saturday, embarking from Harbin, Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, to Vladivostok in Russia.

Other Conflicts

• Yemen's Houthis, Saudi-sponsored militiamen exchange 7,000 prisoners: NCPA head Press TV 26 Oct 2019 -- The head of Yemen's National Committee for Prisoners Affairs (NCPA), Abdulqader al-Mortada, says the Houthi Ansarullah movement and Saudi-sponsored Yemeni militiamen loyal to Yemen's former president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi have exchanged thousands of detainees.
• Iran FM calls for end to killing of civilians, blockade of war-torn Yemen Press TV 26 Oct 2019 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the ongoing crisis in Yemen should only be solved through political approaches, calling for an end to the killing of civilians and the Saudi-led blockade of the war-ravaged country.
• Number of Syrian refugees crossing into Iraq increases significantly: UN People's Daily 26 Oct 2019 -- The number of refugees crossing the border from northeastern Syria into Iraq has increased significantly in recent days after Turkish military operations in the area, the United Nations warned.
• Turkish aggression, US troops deployment violate UNSC resolutions: Syrian official Press TV 26 Oct 2019 -- Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Mekdad has strongly condemned Turkish military operations against Kurdish forces in northeastern Syria, saying the offensive is a violation of the United Nations Charter and Security Council resolutions.
• Satellite images prove US smuggling of Syrian oil: Russia  Press TV 26 Oct 2019 -- Russia, citing satellite imagery, says the United States has been smuggling Syrian oil to other countries under the protection of its troops before and after the defeat of the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in the region.
• Syria Calls Israel Main Beneficiary of Middle Eastern Crises - Deputy Foreign Minister Sputnik 26 Oct 2019 -- Israel has been the main beneficiary of the Syrian war and other crises across the Middle East, and Damascus will stand by its sovereignty over the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said on Saturday speaking at the 18h Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in Baku.
• Russian Military Police Patrol Syrian-Turkish Border Area Near Qamishlo - Commander Sputnik 26 Oct 2019 -- Russia's military police carried out patrols near Qamishlo, the largest city in northeastern Syria located close to the Turkish border, Ivan Volgin, the commander of the military police unit stationed there, said in the wake of Russian-Turkish agreement to hold joined patrols in the area.
• Erdogan says Turkey will clear Kurdish militants alone if Sochi deal fails Press TV 26 Oct 2019 -- Turkey has vowed to "clear" Kurdish "terrorists" from the so-called safe zone single-handedly in its border area with northeastern Syria if they do not withdraw by the end of a deadline agreed with Russia this week, days after Ankara launched a cross-border offensive into the Arab country.
• Erdogan: Turkey Will 'Clear Terrorists' From Syria Border If Sochi Deal Fails RFE/RL 26 Oct 2019 -- President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned that Turkey will "clear terrorists" on its border in northeast Syria if Kurdish fighters do not withdraw by the end of a deadline agreed with Russia.
• Turkish President Erdogan Says Will Clear Border With Syria of 'Terrorists' if Sochi Deal Fails Sputnik 26 Oct 2019 -- Ankara will resume operations in Syria against Kurdish forces if they remain inside the 20-mile security zone agreed with Russia, Turkish leader Tayyip Erdogan said.
• Ankara Says Turkish Military Op in Northern Syria is Temporary - German Foreign Minister Sputnik 26 Oct 2019 -- Earlier this month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed that Russian military police and Syrian border guards would facilitate the withdrawal of Kurdish militants from a safe zone on the Syria-Turkey border.
• Erdogan Says Will 'Clear Terrorists' From Syria Border if Sochi Deal Fails VOA 26 Oct 2019 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday his nation's military would "clear terrorists" from its border in northern Syria if the Kurdish YPG militia does not leave by the deadline agreed upon by Turkey and Russia earlier this week.
• Israel threatens to cut off water to Jordan if terminates land lease Press TV 26 Oct 2019 -- Israel has threatened to cut off water to Jordan in response to King Abdullah II's decision to end the lease of two areas of land to the Tel Aviv regime.
• 25th Anniversary of the Israel-Jordan Peace Treaty US Dept. of State 26 Oct 2019
• Cameroon Military Frees Hostages, Kills Captors VOA 26 Oct 2019 -- Camerooon's military freed a group of people this week who had been taken hostage by rebels from the Central African Republic.

News Reports

• Judge Orders Trump Administration To Reveal Mueller's Complete Report On Russia Probe RFE/RL 26 Oct 2019 -- A U.S. judge has ordered the Justice Department to provide secret grand jury testimony from former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation to a congressional committee as lawmakers gather evidence for the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump.
• Trump administration officials subpoenaed in impeachment inquiry amid escalating partisan tensions Global Times 26 Oct 2019 -- House Democrats on Friday subpoenaed three administration officials for depositions as part of their impeachment inquiry into US President Donald Trump amid escalating partisan tensions.
• Former Trump Official Asks Court to Rule on Whether He Can Testify in Impeachment Probe – Reports Sputnik 26 Oct 2019 -- Charles Kupperman, a former Reagan administration official and defence industry executive, was one of several national security officials who allegedly 'raised concerns' before and immediately after President Trump's July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
• Sorting Out the Multiple Russia Investigations VOA 26 Oct 2019 -- If you're baffled by the U.S. Justice Department's new investigation of its old investigation of Russia election meddling, you're not alone.
• Convicted Russian Agent Butina Arrives In Moscow After Release From U.S. Prison RFE/RL 26 Oct 2019 -- Convicted Russian agent Maria Butina has arrived in Moscow, a day after she was released from a U.S. prison where she was being held on charges of acting as an unregistered foreign agent in the United States.
• 'Russian Agent' Maria Butina Heads Home VOA 26 Oct 2019 -- For some she was the spy who wasn't - just an eager Russian gun-rights enthusiast keen to improve relations between Russia and America, who was turned into a scapegoat by vengeful U.S. counterintelligence agencies.
• Lavrov Says Decision To Come 'Soon' On Pardon For Norwegian Convicted Of Spying RFE/RL 26 Oct 2019 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says a decision "will come soon" on whether to pardon a Norwegian man convicted of espionage and sentenced in April to 14 years in prison.
• Trump-Kim Relationship Can't Fix Everything, North Korea Warns VOA 26 Oct 2019 -- There has been no substantial progress in U.S.-North Korea ties, a senior North Korean official warned Sunday, stressing that continued "belligerent" relations could lead to an exchange of fire "at any moment."
• KCNA Commentary on Military Provocation of South Korea KCNA 26 Oct 2019 -- The military of south Korea has gone beyond the red line in its reckless act of belligerency.
• N. Korea to Discuss Denuclearization Only After US Abandons Hostile Policies - Politician Sputnik 26 Oct 2019 -- Pyongyang is ready to discuss the denuclearization process with Washington after the latter renounces its hostile stance on North Korea, Choe Ryong Hae, the president of the Presidium of North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly said Saturday.
• Iran ready to hear realistic JCPOA initiatives IRNA 26 Oct 2019 -- Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Russian counterpart Sergei Ryabkov dealt with latest situation surrounding JCPOA in Moscow late on Thursday.
• Ryabkov terms Iran's fourth JCPOA commitment reduction as inevitable IRNA 26 Oct 2019 -- Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said it is inevitable for Iran to take the fourth step towards reducing its commitments to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) if it sees the country's economic interests are not safeguarded by other parties of the deal.
• US grants renewed waiver for Iran-UK joint gasfield: Report Press TV 26 Oct 2019 -- The US government has granted a new waiver to sanctions affecting work at a joint Iranian-UK gasfield in the North Sea.
• China does not intend to influence US Global Times 26 Oct 2019 -- US Vice President Mike Pence made some positive statements on improving China-US relations during his policy speech on China Thursday, but he was full of prejudice in his overall description of China, which mirrors his Cold War mentality. Such mentality is typical of US political elites.
• Hong Kong urges Taiwan to clear hurdle, return homicide case to judicial system Global Times 26 Oct 2019 -- China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Friday called on Taiwan authorities to clear the hurdle for the smooth entry of the Taiwan homicide case suspect Chan Tong-kai as soon as possible and return the handling of the case to the judicial system.
• China firmly opposes US vice president's speech: spokeswoman Global Times 26 Oct 2019 -- China on Friday expressed strong indignation and firm opposition to a speech by US Vice President Mike Pence that intentionally distorted China's social system, human rights and religious conditions and wantonly criticized China's internal and foreign policies.
• Over 27% of Taiwan people support independence: MAC poll CNA 26 Oct 2019 -- A recent survey released by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), which is in charge of supervising exchanges across the Taiwan Strait, showed that more than 27 percent of respondents in the poll supported Taiwan independence.
• Several wounded as Lebanon army attempts to unblock roads in Beddawi Press TV 26 Oct 2019 -- Several people have sustained injuries during clashes between a group of protesters and Lebanese army forces when the latter sought to open a blocked road as people poured back onto streets and squares across Lebanon on the tenth day of anti-government demonstrations over the country's economic crisis.
• Watchdog Says At Least 63 Protesters Killed In Two Days Of Violence In Iraq RFE/RL 26 Oct 2019 -- At least 63 protesters have been killed in clashes with security forces across Iraq during two days of demonstrations against corruption and economic hardships, a rights watchdog said on October 26.
• US says making progress with Saudi Arabia on possible nuclear program deal Press TV 26 Oct 2019 -- US Energy Secretary Rick Perry says conversations with Saudi Arabia on a nuclear program are going forward, despite fears that Riyadh aims to acquire nuclear weapons.
• Kyrgyzstan Extends Ex-President Atambaev's Detention For Two More Months RFE/RL 26 Oct 2019 -- The pretrial detention of former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev has been extended by a further two months after he refused to attend hearings in a corruption trial where he is the main defendant, his lawyer said.
• Curfew Lifted in Chile's Santiago After Week of Unrest - Report Sputnik 26 Oct 2019 -- Earlier on Saturday, Chilean President Sebastian Pinera wrote on Twitter that the authorities had heard the message of more than a million people who took part in protests in Santiago.
• Chile's President Says Heard Message of More Than 1Mln Protesters in Santiago Sputnik 26 Oct 2019 -- Chilean President Sebastian Pinera said the authorities had heard the message of more than one million protesters who gathered in Santiago for a large-scale anti-government demonstration.
• Ahead of Argentine Election, Voting Software Company Faces Scrutiny VOA 26 Oct 2019 -- A supplier of election technology whose software was used in highly suspect Venezuelan balloting, faces a fresh test of its products during a decisive election this Sunday in Argentina.