Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Six Afghan Civilians Killed In Roadside Bomb Blast RFE/RL 28 Jun 2020 -- A roadside bomb has killed at least six Afghan civilians and wounded two others in the southern province of Helmand, officials say.
• Nine Taliban Militants Killed During Clashes in Afghan Province of Paktia Sputnik 28 Jun 2020 -- Nine Taliban* militants have been killed and five others were wounded during armed clashes in the eastern Afghan province of Paktia, Hayatullah Nizami Ahmadzai, a spokesman for the provincial police force, said on Sunday.
• At Least 5 Taliban Members Killed in Blast in Southeastern Afghan Paktia Province - Police Sputnik 28 Jun 2020 -- At least five members of the Taliban group have been killed in a blast in Afghanistan's southeastern province of Paktia, the local police said on Sunday.
• Trump Says He Wasn't Briefed on Reported Russian Bounties on US Troops in Afghanistan VOA 28 Jun 2020 -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday he had never been told about reports that a Russian military intelligence unit was secretly offering bounties to Taliban militants in Afghanistan to kill U.S. soldiers.
• Trump Denies Being Briefed On Reported Intelligence That Russia Offered Bounties RFE/RL 28 Jun 2020 -- U.S. President Donald Trump denies he has been briefed on a reported finding that Russian military intelligence offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

Defense Policy / Programs

• The Art Of The Trilateral Deal? U.S. Nuke Agreement With Russia, China Proving Difficult RFE/RL 28 Jun 2020 -- While the United States and Russia were satisfied after their jump-started nuclear talks in Vienna on June 22, Washington was clearly disappointed that China rejected its special invitation.
• Nimitz, Reagan Team Up, Advance International Rules-Based Order NNS 28 Jun 2020 -- The Nimitz and Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Groups are conducting dual carrier operations in the Philippine Sea. The ships and aircraft assigned to both strike groups began coordinated operations in international waters on June 28.
• Army facilitates Navy ship-to-shore virtual health capability Army News 28 Jun 2020 -- Information technology experts from Landstuhl Regional Medical Center recently joined forces with the U.S. Navy Health System to establish a virtual health connection between the USS Mount Whitney, an amphibious command ship, and the U.S. Naval Hospital in Naples, Italy.
• Chinese military reveals rifle-sized railgun prototypes Global Times 28 Jun 2020 -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has miniaturized an electromagnetic railgun and developed pistol- and rifle-sized synchronous induction coilgun prototypes. These weapons' technical capabilities were recently revealed to the general public for the first time in a demonstration session.
• PLA army aviation brigade conducts live-fire exercise off China's southeast coast PLA Daily 28 Jun 2020 -- Recently, an army aviation brigade under the PLA 73rd Group Army organized a round-the-clock live-fire exercise off China's southeast coast with multiple types of aircraft and ammunitions involved, aiming to improve the maritime all-dimensional penetration and strike capacities of the army aviation forces.
• Iran Creates Rocket Launcher, Anti-Tank Missile, Sniper Rifle to Save on Arms Imports – Photo, Video Sputnik 28 Jun 2020 -- The new weapons, developed by a Revolutionary Guards' agency responsible for military R&D, have been unveiled amid the Trump administration's ongoing effort to convince the international community to continue to enforce an arms embargo against Tehran after its October expiry date.
• Japan Might Let Warships Use Force to Protect Cargo Vessels in Mideast Waters - Reports Sputnik 28 Jun 2020 -- The government of Japan is inclined to authorize use of force by patrol vessels of its Self-Defence Forces to protect Japanese commercial vessels in the Middle Eastern waters, national media reported on Sunday.
• Saudi coast guard fires at Iranian fishermen Press TV 28 Jun 2020 -- The Saudi coast guard has fired at a number of Iranian fishermen whose boat or boats had inadvertently strayed into the Arab country's territorial waters, local officials say.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Pompeo Says South China Sea Disputes Must Be Resolved in Line With International Law Sputnik 28 Jun 2020 -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Saturday that Washington supports the stance of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in that China cannot be allowed to treat the South China Sea as its maritime empire.
• 22 Yemen-bound oil tankers still impounded amid Saudi naval blockade: Report Press TV 28 Jun 2020 -- A report says 22 Yemen-bound oil tankers, which have been illegally impounded, are still held by the Saudi-led military coalition that continues preventing them from reaching the impoverished war-wracked country's port city of Hudaydah.
• Yemen's Houthis: Claims of Saudi readiness for peace 'US-UK baseless propaganda' Press TV 28 Jun 2020 -- Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement says recent reports suggesting Saudi Arabia's willingness to make peace are mere "baseless propaganda" spread by the Riyadh regime's allies, namely Britain and the United States.
• Powerful Islamist Group Intensifies Crackdown on Jihadists in Syria's Idlib VOA 28 Jun 2020 -- A powerful Islamist militant group in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib has launched a military campaign against rival jihadist groups, local news reports and rights groups said Sunday.
• Syria demands UN report on legality of US, EU economic sanctions under international law Press TV 28 Jun 2020 -- Syria has called on the United Nations to prepare a report on the legality of economic sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union against the country under the international law and relevant Security Council resolutions.
• Warplanes attack Syrian positions in Bukamal, kill six: Observatory Press TV 28 Jun 2020 -- A so-called monitoring group says unidentified aircraft have bombed Syrian military positions near an Iraqi border, killing six people, including four Syrian nationals.
• Deleted Report Places Iranian Quds Force Commander In Syria RFE/RL 28 Jun 2020 -- A semiofficial Iranian news agency issued a rare public announcement on June 27 of a visit to war-torn Syria by the commander of Iran's elite Quds Force, Ismail Qaani, before deleting the report.
• Kurdish Militia Groups Say Turkey Establishing Military Bases in Northern Iraq, Reports Claim Sputnik 28 Jun 2020 -- Kurdish militia groups have accused Turkey of establishing military bases in northern Iraq as part of Ankara's ongoing offensive against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), the Al Arabiya broadcaster reports on Sunday.
• Civilians among over 100 victims of landmines in Libya's capital: UN Press TV 28 Jun 2020 -- The United Nations mission in Libya (UNSMIL) says over 100 people, including civilians, have been killed or injured due to landmine explosions in south of the capital, Tripoli.
• UN calls for 'urgent measures' to save civilians in Myanmar's conflict-torn Rakhine Press TV 28 Jun 2020 -- The United Nations has called for "urgent measures to spare civilians" in conflict-torn northwestern Myanmar, where thousands of people have fled their homes due to the ongoing fighting between the army and Buddhist militants.
• Thousands flee homes as Myanmar army plans 'clearance operations' Press TV 28 Jun 2020 -- Thousands of people have fled their homes in Myanmar's western state of Rakhine, as local officials warned them that the army was preparing "clearance operations" in the region, in what was quickly reminiscent of 2017-18 operations that led to attempted genocide against Rohingya Muslims in the region.
• U.S. anti-sub aircraft spotted near Taiwan for eighth consecutive day CNA 28 Jun 2020 -- An American P-8A maritime patrol aircraft was spotted Sunday operating over the Bashi Channel, a strategic water way connecting the South China Sea to the Pacific Ocean, according to Chinese think tank South China Sea Probing Initiative (SCSPI).
• PLA bombers approach Taiwan island from the east Global Times 28 Jun 2020 -- Two bombers of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) reportedly approached the island of Taiwan from the east after crossing the Miyako Strait on Sunday, after PLA aircraft conducted at least eight sorties to Taiwan's southwestern "airspace" in June alone.
• India's wishful thinking an illusion as PLA is prepared on all fronts Global Times 28 Jun 2020 -- As senior Indian military officers are expecting a prolonged standoff in the China-India border region with the US reportedly voicing support for India, the Chinese military is demonstrating high military readiness on all fronts, as the intensive, simultaneous military exercises in the South China Sea, near Taiwan island and near the China-India border show India's wishful thinking of taking advantage of US support is merely an illusion, Chinese analysts said Sunday.
• India Deploys Quick Reaction Air Defence System Amid Raging Chinese Jets, Helicopters Near Ladakh Sputnik 28 Jun 2020 -- India and China are engaged in massive deployments of troops, artillery, and heavy vehicles in the Ladakh region, including the Depsang Plains – very close to the Karakoram Pass. While the Indian Army has claimed that there was a "mutual consensus" on disengagement on 22 June, the military build-up continues by both sides.
• Kosovo's Thaci To Address War Crimes Charges On June 29 RFE/RL 28 Jun 2020 -- Kosovar President Hashim Thaci plans to address the nation on June 29 about the war-crimes charges laid against him.
• Over 10 killed as militants ambush convoy in northeastern Nigeria Press TV 28 Jun 2020 -- A militant attack on a convoy has killed at least nine Nigerian soldiers and two members of a civil defense militia in the country's troubled northeastern Borno state, security sources and local leaders say.

News Reports

• Russian Election Commission: Turnout Passes 28 Percent On Third Day Of Constitutional-Amendments Vote RFE/RL 28 Jun 2020 -- Russia's Central Election Commission (CEC) says overall turnout was nearly 28.5 percent on the third day of a weeklong vote for constitutional amendments that could pave the way for an extension of President Vladimir Putin's rule by 12 years.
• Australia wages espionage offensive against China: source Global Times 28 Jun 2020 -- Australia is waging an intensifying espionage offensive against China - sending agents to China to spy, gather intelligence and recruit assets, instigating defection among Chinese nationals, spying on Chinese students and organizations in Australia, feeding fake news to media to hype up the "China espionage theory" and even in early years attempting to install wiretaps in the Chinese Embassy in Canberra, the Global Times has learned from a source with a Chinese law-enforcement agency.
• Top legislators to vote on national security law for HK Global Times 28 Jun 2020 -- China's top legislature is expected to be in the final stage of voting to enact the highly expected national security law for Hong Kong, which has already shown its strong deterrent effect, in order to put an end to subversive and riotous acts that have caused an unprecedented recession in Asia's former premier financial hub.
• National security bill for HK reviewed at NPC session Sunday morning: HK deputy Global Times 28 Jun 2020 -- The national security bill for Hong Kong was reviewed at a session of China's top legislature on Sunday morning, a Hong Kong deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC) confirmed with the Global Times.
• Commentary: Playing "Hong Kong card" gets the U.S. nowhere People's Daily 28 Jun 2020 -- On June 25, the U.S. Senate passed the "Hong Kong Autonomy Act", attempting to hinder Hong Kong's legislation on safeguarding national security through imposing sanctions.
• Hong Kong Police Arrest 53 Protesters During Latest Unsanctioned Demonstration Sputnik 28 Jun 2020 -- Police in Hong Kong have arrested 53 protesters on Sunday during a unsanctioned demonstration in the Mong Kok region of the city, according to a press release.
• China to Canada: Stop megaphone diplomacy over arrests made with solid evidence Press TV 28 Jun 2020 -- China says evidence against two Canadian citizens arrested for espionage is solid, rejecting public statements by Canadian officials that the two are being held "arbitrarily."
• China Plows Ahead with High-Speed Rail Line for Southeast Asia VOA 28 Jun 2020 -- The coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe looks to have done little, at least in Laos, to slow China's grand plans for a high-speed rail line linking its landlocked interior to the bustling ports of Singapore through mainland Southeast Asia.
• Iran Would Be 'Arms Dealer of Choice' for Terrorists, if UN Embargo Expires, US Expert Says VOA 28 Jun 2020 -- Iran would become the "arms dealer of choice" for terrorists if a U.N. weapons embargo is allowed to expire, a senior U.S. official says.
• If Iranian nation does its duty, "maximum pressure" policy will be punch to US: Leader ISNA 28 Jun 2020 -- On the anniversary of the martyrdom of Ayatollah Dr. Beheshti and his companions, the National Conference of the Judiciary was held the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei's attending via videoconference.
• US envoy renews push for extending arms embargo on Iran Press TV 28 Jun 2020 -- US special representative for Iran, Brian Hook, has reiterated Washington's call for extending an expiring United Nations weapons embargo on the Islamic Republic.
• Rouhani's Man Dismisses Hardliner's Criticism, Blames All Leaders For Failures Radio Farda 28 Jun 2020 -- The Rouhani administration's spokesman Ali Rabiei has reacted strongly to an open letter by key members of the Iranian parliament who criticized President Hassan Rouhani, saying it may flare up political and social conflicts in Iran.
• Khamenei Defends Iran's Former Top Judge From Accusations Of Corruption Radio Farda 28 Jun 2020 -- The Islamic Republic Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has rushed to defend the country's former Chief-Justice, Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani, who has been accused of sheltering corrupt aides in his administration.
• Iran's Hydroelectric Power Generation Has Halved As Less Rain Fell In 2020 Radio Farda 28 Jun 2020 -- Following heavy rains and widespread floods in 2019 that replenished Iran's dams, electricity generation has again declined in 2020, according to figures published by the energy ministry on Sunday, June 28.
• With Huge Decline In Oil Sales Iran's Exports Drop Dramatically Radio Farda 28 Jun 2020 -- Customs statistics of Iran's major foreign trade partners show a significant drop in their transactions with the Islamic Republic in the first five months of 2020.
• Americans directly interfering in Lebanon's affairs, President Aoun says Press TV 28 Jun 2020 -- President Michel Aoun has censured Washington's 'direct' interference in the internal affairs of Lebanon, against the backdrop of comments by US Ambassador to Beirut Dorothy Shea.
• Analysis: Is Kyrgyz Ex-President Atambaev's Prison Sentence The Exception Or The Rule? RFE/RL 28 Jun 2020 -- On June 23, the Birinchi Mai district court in Bishkek found former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev guilty of corruption for aiding in the illegal prison release of a crime boss while Atambaev was serving as president and sentenced the former head of state to 11 years and two months in prison.
• Malawi's opposition leader wins presidential vote rerun Press TV 28 Jun 2020 -- Malawi's opposition leader Lazarus Chakwera has won the country's presidential election rerun, the country's electoral commission has announced.
• Malawi's New President Sworn in Amid High Expectations VOA 28 Jun 2020 -- Malawi's new President Lazarus Chakwera was sworn in Sunday in the capital Lilongwe, after he defeated two candidates, including former President Peter Mutharika, in the tightly contested presidential election rerun held last week.
• Somali Elections Won't Take Place on Schedule VOA 28 Jun 2020 -- Somalia's electoral commission has announced that upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections will not take place on time, as scheduled.
• Polish Presidential Election Heads to Runoff VOA 28 Jun 2020 -- Poland's presidential election appears headed for a runoff after no candidate appears to have won a majority of votes needed for an outright victory.