Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Trump Ready To Sign Peace Deal With Taliban If Truce Holds RFE/RL 23 Feb 2020 -- U.S. President Donald Trump says he is ready to sign a peace agreement with the Taliban in Afghanistan if a temporary truce between the two sides holds.
• Trump: If Partial Truce Holds, 'I Would Put My Name' on Taliban Peace Deal VOA 23 Feb 2020 -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday a seven-day partial truce with the Afghan Taliban has "been holding up" and it could eventually lead to his signing of a peace deal with the insurgent group scheduled for this week.
• Federal Government of Somalia, AFRICOM target al-Shabaab AFRICOM 23 Feb 2020 -- In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted an airstrike targeting an al-Shabaab compound in the vicinity of Dujuuma, Somalia, Feb. 23.
• Federal Government of Somalia, AFRICOM conduct airstrike against al-Shabaab AFRICOM 23 Feb 2020 -- In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted an airstrike targeting an al-Shabaab compound in the vicinity of Saakow, Somalia, Feb. 22.

Defense Policy / Programs

• USS Ross en route to the Black Sea NNS 23 Feb 2020 -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) began its north-bound international strait transit en route to the Black Sea Feb. 23, 2020, to conduct maritime security operations and enhance regional maritime stability, combined readiness, and naval capability with our NATO allies and partners in the region.
• 18th AGRS replicates threats during Cope North 2020 US Air Force 23 Feb 2020 -- Twelve Soviet-style blue, black and forest flanker-themed F-16 Fighting Falcons took flight from a frigid 20-below-zero airfield in the Alaskan frontier to traverse the Pacific to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, to unleash havoc during exercise Cope North 2020, Feb. 12-28.
• Chinese Army to procure 1.4 million body armor units in 2 years Global Times 23 Feb 2020 -- As the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) is striving to enhance its combat readiness and preparing for military conflicts, potentially against Taiwan secessionists and US provocations, the PLA Army announced its plan to procure a whopping 1.4 million units of high-quality body armor with plates for a top limit price of about 13 billion yuan ($1.85 billion) in the coming two years, which is expected to keep PLA casualty numbers as low as possible.
• Yemeni army unveils four advanced domestically-built missile defense systems Press TV 23 Feb 2020 -- Yemeni armed forces have unveiled four domestically-built long-range, surface-to-air missile defense systems, which could act as game changers and alter the course of battle in the face of the deadly campaign led by Saudi Arabia against Yemen.
• Remarks by President Trump Before Marine One Departure The White House 23 Feb 2020

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• The Joint Forces Command of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen: Targeting and Destruction of Ballistic Missile Assembly, Storage and Launch Sites, and UAV Logistic Storage Facilities of the Terrorist Iran-backed Houthi Militia in Sanaa SPA 23 Feb 2020 -- Statement by the Official Spokesman of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen COL Turki Al-Malki
• Russian, Turkish defense ministers discuss situation in Syria's Idlib People's Daily 23 Feb 2020 -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu discussed the situation in the Syrian city of Idlib with his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar during a phone conversation, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement Saturday.
• Any violation of Syrian airspace will be dealt as foreign aggression: General Command Press TV 23 Feb 2020 -- Syria has warned against any violation of its airspace, emphasizing that such an encroachment will be treated as a "foreign act of aggression" and duly confronted.
• Syria: US dismayed at Aleppo liberation due to terrorist plot failure Press TV 23 Feb 2020 -- Syria says the US is "dismayed" to see the return of normal life to the northern Aleppo province because of the "humiliating defeats" suffered by Washington-sponsored terrorists at the hands of pro-Damascus forces.
• At least 16 Turkish soldiers killed in fighting in Libya: Haftar forces Press TV 23 Feb 2020 -- Forces loyal to Libyan military strongman Khalifa Haftar say they have killed 16 Turkish soldiers in recent weeks amid ongoing violence in the North African country.
• Troika Statement: Formation of South Sudan's Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity US Dept. of State 23 Feb 2020 -- The following statement was issued jointly by the Governments of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and the Kingdom of Norway.
• Rebel leader sworn in as first vice president in South Sudan Press TV 23 Feb 2020 -- South Sudan's rebel leader Riek Machar has been sworn in for the third time as first vice president of the country.
• Mali Seeks to Negotiate with Jihadists in Efforts to End Violence VOA 23 Feb 2020 -- With violence wreaking havoc across the country, authorities in Mali are now looking for new avenues to reach a settlement with Islamist insurgents operating in the northern part of the West African country.

News Reports

• US national security adviser rejects Russia's meddling in US 2020 election Press TV 23 Feb 2020 -- The US national security adviser has dismissed claims that the Russians are interfering in the 2020 presidential election with the goal of reelecting incumbent President Donald Trump.
• U.S. National Security Chief Denies Seeing Evidence Of Russia Meddling To Help Trump RFE/RL 23 Feb 2020 -- U.S. President Donald Trump's national-security adviser says he has seen no intelligence indicating that Russia is attempting to help the president's reelection campaign.
• US National Security Adviser: Russian Election Meddling a 'Non-story' VOA 23 Feb 2020 -- U.S. national security adviser Robert O'Brien said Sunday that he has not seen "any evidence" that Russia is doing anything to help President Donald Trump get re-elected, but acknowledged he has not sought out intelligence reports that allege Moscow is interfering in the 2020 election.
• MI5 bosses reported to be wary of 'bullying' and over-ambitious Patel Press TV 23 Feb 2020 -- Britain's hard right Home Secretary, Priti Patel, is under renewed pressure today as reports emerge of a serious rift between her and the chiefs of the Security Service, MI5.
• Chinese top leader holds unprecedented meeting on epidemic control work Global Times 23 Feb 2020 -- Top Chinese leaders held an unprecedented mass meeting on Sunday. Officials top down from political Bureau of CPC Central Committee to county-level Party officials and military officials of corresponding level attended the meeting via videophone.
• China issues guideline on resuming work, production amid epidemic control People's Daily 23 Feb 2020 -- The State Council has issued a guideline on strengthening enterprises' measures preventing and containing the novel coronavirus spread in a bid to promote work and production resumption in an orderly manner.
• Iran not looking for JCPOA's end: President Rouhani ISNA 23 Feb 2020 -- Iran's President stressed that Tehran considers the nuclear deal beneficial to the region and the world, and said, "We must all try to save the deal and we have not closed the door of negotiation with the European Union in this regard".
• Over 42% of eligible voters took part in parliamentary elections: Interior minister Press TV 23 Feb 2020 -- Iran's interior minister says over 24 million Iranians, out of a total of about 58 million eligible voters, took part in the recent parliamentary elections, putting the overall voter turnout at 42.57 percent.
• Iran expects EU to stand against Washington's illegal measures: President Rouhani Press TV 23 Feb 2020 -- Iran's President Hassan Rouhani says the Islamic Republic expects the European Union to object to the illegal measures taken by the United States against Iran and ignore Washington's pressure policy in order to boost Europe's ties with Tehran.
• Hard-Liners Take All Parliamentary Seats in Tehran; Full Vote Totals Still Not Released RFE/RL 23 Feb 2020 -- Iranian officials said hard-line candidates won all 30 parliamentary seats in the capital Tehran, as a delay in the release of full countrywide results fueled questions about record low turnout.
• Iran's Lowest Election Turnout Since Islamic Revolution A Blow To Khamenei, Clerical Establishment RFE/RL 23 Feb 2020 -- Iranians have largely ignored a massive get-out-the vote effort by the government to record the lowest turnout for a nationwide election since the establishment of the Islamic republic in 1979.
• Iran Voter Turnout Below 50%; a First Since 1979 Islamic Revolution VOA 23 Feb 2020 -- Iran's Interior Ministry said Sunday voter turnout in recent parliamentary elections stood at 42.57%, the lowest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
• WHO Warns It is Running Out of Money to Tackle Ebola Epidemic in DRC VOA 23 Feb 2020 -- The World Health Organization is urgently appealing for $40 million to salvage its operation to bring the Ebola epidemic to an end in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Al-Qaida Confirms Death of AQAP Leader VOA 23 Feb 2020 -- The terror group al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula has confirmed the death of its leader, Qasim al-Rimi, the Site Intelligence Group reported Sunday.