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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Taliban to free 20 Afghan government prisoners: Spokesman Press TV 12 Apr 2020 -- The Taliban militant group in Afghanistan says it plans to release 20 prisoners of the Afghan government in what would be a first handover since the beginning of a fragile peace process.
• Taliban Says It Released 20 Afghan Government Prisoners RFE/RL 12 Apr 2020 -- The Taliban says it has released a first group of Afghan government prisoners it has been holding captive, as part of a delayed swap considered key to paving the way for peace talks between the two sides.
• Kabul Frees Third Group of Taliban Prisoners in Latest Confidence-Building Step Sputnik 12 Apr 2020 -- The Afghan government on Sunday released a third group of Taliban prisoners hours after the Taliban announced the handover of 20 Afghan government prisoners, Kabul's National Security Council said.
• Taliban Free 20 Afghan Prisoners VOA 12 Apr 2020 -- The Taliban released a first group of 20 prisoners on Sunday, effectively moving forward a crucial swap with the Afghanistan government aimed at kick-starting peace talks between Afghan parties to the war.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Readying Fleet Aviators: Ford Prepares Pilots for Deployment NNS 12 Apr 2020 -- The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) concluded its first-ever Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) carrier qualifications (CQ) for Naval aviators while underway in the Atlantic Ocean, April 4.
• Fire on China's first amphibious assault ship to have no major impact: sources Global Times 12 Apr 2020 -- China's first Type 075 amphibious assault ship reportedly caught on fire on Saturday at the Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard in Shanghai. Although thick smoke was seen on the ship, sources in the know said the accident was not significant and will not wield any major impact on further construction.
• Aircraft carrier group's voyage shows PLA Navy's great job in virus control: expert Global Times 12 Apr 2020-- A Chinese naval flotilla led by an aircraft carrier reportedly sailed through the Miyako Strait and headed toward the Pacific Ocean, prompting Chinese military experts to say on Sunday that the fleet demonstrated success in novel coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic control work.
• Guidelines on military inspections released PLA Daily 12 Apr 2020 -- With the approval of the Central Military Commission (CMC), the CMC General Office released guidelines on military inspections recently.
• Chinese aircraft carrier group no cause for public worry: Presidential Office CNA 12 Apr 2020 -- Presidential Office spokesman Ting Yun-kung (丁允恭) said Sunday the public has no need to worry about their country's safety and security, as a Chinese aircraft carrier battle group sailed east of Taiwan the same day.
• Iran producing its own defense requirements, army official says IRNA 12 Apr 2020 -- Iran has always been producing its defense needs and never asks for the help of others in this regard, Deputy Commander of Iran's Army for Coordination Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said on Sunday.
• UAE buys Israeli missile system for Libya rebels: Report Press TV 12 Apr 2020 -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has paid the Israeli regime to deliver an advanced anti-aircraft missile system to the Libyan rebels under the command of renegade general Khalifa Haftar, a report says.
• Enemy of My Enemy? Israel Sells Missile System to UAE for Haftar's Libyan National Army - Report Sputnik 12 Apr 2020 -- The war-torn nation of Libya, which descended into a foreign-backed civil war in 2011 after NATO warplanes helped rebels topple Muammar Gaddafi, has faced a major escalation of fighting in the past year as Marshal Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) attempts a final push to drive the Government of National Accord (GNA) out of Tripoli.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Ansarullah says Saudi-led coalition's ceasefire merely aimed at misleading world Press TV 12 Apr 2020 -- A high-ranking official from Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement has roundly rejected as fraudulent a two-week ceasefire declared by the coalition led by the Saudi regime, saying the declaration deceitfully targets the world public opinion.
• Saudi-led campaign, blockade inflict over $12bn losses on Yemen education sector: Ministry Press TV 12 Apr 2020 -- The Yemeni Ministry of Education says the ongoing Saudi-led military campaign and all-out blockade against the war-ravaged Arab country have resulted in substantial losses to the education sector amounting to more than 12 billion dollars.
• Saudi-backed militants take military camp on Yemen's Socotra island Press TV 12 Apr 2020 -- Saudi-sponsored militants have reportedly seized control of a military camp in Yemen's strategic island of Socotra from UAE-backed separatists amid growing divisions.
• Yemeni government Urges Al-Houthi Militia to Stop its Barbaric Crimes against Yemeni People SPA 12 Apr 2020 -- The legitimate government in Yemen has called on Al-Houthi militia backed by Iran, to review its stances and put an end to its brutal crimes against the Yemeni people.
• Turkey dispatches some 300 allied Takfiri militants from Syria to Libya: SOHR Press TV 11 Apr 2020 -- Turkey has reportedly sent new batches of allied Takfiri militants from Syria to Libya, following a bill passed by the parliament earlier this year that allows the Ankara government to deploy forces to the North African country to intervene in the civil war.
• Indian and Pakistani Troops Exchange Fire in Kashmir, Three Dead - Police Sputnik 12 Apr 2020 -- Hostilities re-emerged between Indian and Pakistani troops at the Line of Control (LoC) earlier this week with both sets of troops involved in cross-border shooting and artillery fire.
• Sudan's Ruling Government, Opposition, Military Agree to Form Parliament in May - Reports Sputnik 12 Apr 2020 -- Sudan's ruling government, the opposition, and the military have agreed to form a parliament and appoint civilian governors by the second week of May, the Sudan Tribune news portal reports on Sunday, citing leading officials.

News Reports

• New Ebola Case in DR Congo Sets Back Hoped for End to Epidemic VOA 12 Apr 2020 -- The World Health Organization says it remains committed to ending the Ebola outbreak in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo following discovery of a new case of the disease days before DRC authorities had hoped to declare the epidemic over. An Ebola epidemic is declared over after two incubation periods or 42 days have passed without a confirmed case of the disease.
• US intelligence knew of China's coronavirus outbreak as early as November: Report Press TV 12 Apr 2020 -- US intelligence authorities became aware of the novel coronavirus outbreak in China as early as November 2019, informed sources have revealed, citing a classified report released at the time by the military's National Center for Medical Intelligence (NCMI), an arm of the American Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA).
• UK Spy Agencies Predict More Assertive China Post-Coronavirus - Reports Sputnik 12 Apr 2020 -- Successfully coping with the COVID-19 outbreak in recent months, Beijing set about restarting its massive economy a month ago. The rest of the world, meanwhile, remains on lockdown with economies virtually shut down, and hasn't even begun to play catchup.
• Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Inspects Pursuit Assault Plane Group KCNA 12 Apr 2020 -- Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and supreme commander of the armed forces of the DPRK, inspected a pursuit assault plane group under the Air and Anti-Aircraft Division in the western area.
• Political Bureau of C.C., WPK Meets under Guidance of Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un KCNA 12 Apr 2020 -- A meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) was held on Saturday at the headquarters building of the WPK Central Committee.
• Bushehr nuclear plant partially halts activity IRNA 12 Apr 2020 -- Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) deputy head said on Sunday that the activities of the first unit of Bushehr nuclear power plant have been halted to replace fuel and carry out regular maintenance measures.
• Gradual increase in oil production from the West Karoon oil fields IRNA 12 Apr 2020 -- The CEO of "Matn" Company said that his firm which is active in the field of development programs of West Karoon oil fields, last year had a plan to increase gradual production and it will be continued this year.
• Iran supports any prime minister winning Iraqi parliament's vote of confidence IRNA 12 Apr 2020 -- Iran's ambassador to Baghdad Iraj Masjedi said on Sunday that Iran supports any prime minister chosen in a legal process winning the vote of confidence of the Iraqi Parliament.
• US steps up intrusion as Iraq's new PM seeks to form govt. Press TV 12 Apr 2020 -- Iraq's Prime Minister-designate Mustafa al-Kadhimi has been trying to set up a new cabinet amid public calls for social welfare and the withdrawal of US occupation forces from the Arab country.
• Iraq's New PM-Designate Vows to Uphold Sovereignty as US Deploys Patriots Sputnik 12 Apr 2020 -- The nomination of Mustafa al-Kadhimi as prime minister has become Iraq's third attempt in 10 weeks to break a political deadlock that has lasted months. He is set to prove that he is better-equipped than two previous nominees, and the caretaker prime miniestr, to navigate the relationship with Tehran and Washington and tackle social unrest.
• Israeli president rejects Gantz's request for more time to form unity government Press TV 12 Apr 2020 -- A months-long political paralysis further persists in the Israeli regime after its President Reuven Rivlin turned down a request by Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz for a two-week extension to form a coalition government.
• Israel's President Denies Gantz's Request for Extension to Try to Form Gov't With Netanyahu Sputnik 12 Apr 2020 -- The Middle Eastern nation has been trapped in a historically unprecedented political deadlock for over a year now, with neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud nor former IDF commander Benny Gantz's Blue and White managing to achieve enough support to cobble together a ruling coalition after three rounds of voting.
• Netanyahu Gains Strength as Coalition Deadline Nears VOA 12 Apr 2020 -- Israel's president on Sunday rejected a request to extend coalition talks between the country's two most powerful political parties - appearing to give a boost to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and pushing the nation toward an unprecedented fourth consecutive election in just over a year.
• Ukraine's Emergency Services Continue to Battle Chernobyl Wildfires 1 Week On Sputnik 12 Apr 2020 -- WIldfires in Ukraine's Chernobyl exclusion zone continue to rage one week into emergency service's efforts to contain them and after hundreds of tonnes of water was sprayed onto the blaze, the State Emergency Service (SES) said Sunday.