Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Afghan Loya Jirga Meeting To Decide On Release Of Taliban Prisoners RFE/RL 08 Aug 2020 -- A traditional Afghan council is expected to back a proposal for the government to release a final group of 400 Taliban prisoners, a move that potentially paves the way for intra-Afghan peace talks.
• Taliban Believes US Can Pull Troops From Afghanistan by November Presidential Election Sputnik 08 Aug 2020 -- The Taliban militant movement believes that Washington could fulfill its obligation to withdraw its servicemen from Afghanistan before the US presidential election in November, Taliban Political Office spokesman Suhail Shaheen said, stressing that the movement would welcome such a development.
• Taliban Says Washington Not Requesting Information on Alleged Collusion With Russia Sputnik 08 Aug 2020 -- Washington has not requested that the Taliban militant movement provide any information about its alleged collusion with Russia, as the US knows that these are just allegations, Taliban Political Office spokesman Suhail Shaheen said.

Defense Policy / Programs

• 12th CAB, 173rd Soldiers train sling loads/air assaults during Saber Junction 20 Army News 08 Aug 2020 -- U.S. Soldiers assigned to 1-214th General Support Aviation Battalion, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade and the 173rd Airborne Brigade rehearsed rapidly moving equipment by sling load via CH-47 Chinook during Saber Junction 20 at Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, Aug. 5, 2020.
• Navy Commissions Littoral Combat Ship St. Louis DoD 08 Aug 2020 -- The U.S. Navy commissioned Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS St. Louis (LCS 19), Aug. 8.
• Pentagon Announces New Model for Marine Deployment in Norway Sputnik 08 Aug 2020 -- The US military began deploying Marines in Norway on a rotational basis in early 2017, and increasing their numbers from 330 to 700 in 2018. Russia called the deployments "unfriendly," and warned that they would not "remain without consequences."
• Belgian court suspends issuing arms export licenses to companies dealing with Riyadh Press TV 08 Aug 2020 -- Belgium's highest administrative court has suspended issuing arms export licenses for a number of Belgian companies in a bid to block the flow of arms to Saudi Arabia over its poor human rights record and the bloody campaign against Yemen.
• A 'Shadow' of its Former Self: General Says UK Army 'May Not be Big Enough' to Fight War Sputnik 08 Aug 2020 -- The comments come as the Ministry of Defense is carrying out a review of the military's size, structure and strategic posture. It is anticipated that the review will call for conventional soldiers to be relocated to other areas, such as cyber war, to match the changing nature of contemporary warfare. The conclusions are to be released in autumn.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Russia says oil deal between US firm, SDF shows Washington's continued violation of Syria's sovereignty Press TV 08 Aug 2020 -- Russia says an agreement signed between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and an American oil company clearly reveals Washington's persistent violation of Syria's sovereignty and international law.
• Infighting erupts among Turkish-backed militants over stolen objects in northern Syria Press TV 08 Aug 2020 -- Fierce clashes have broken out among Turkish-backed Takfiri militants in Syria's northeastern Hasakah province following dispute over the distribution of stolen objects and occupation of local people's houses.
• Militants Shell 8 Towns in Syria's Idlib, Aleppo Provinces, Russian Military Says Sputnik 08 Aug 2020 -- Syrian militants from the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham* terrorist group shelled eight towns in the northwestern Idlib and Aleppo provinces, the head of Russia's Syria reconciliation centre said Saturday.
• Tracking Missing Yazidis Increasingly Harder Six Years After IS Genocide VOA 08 Aug 2020 -- The Yazidi minority this week marked six years since the Islamic State (IS) attacked their homeland in northern Iraq. Their nightmare continues.
• India, China to Hold Sixth Round of Corps Commander-Level Talks Sputnik 08 Aug 2020 -- India has been demanding that China restore the status quo along the Ladakh border, where the military forces of the two nations have amassed troops and weaponry since April-May. The corps commanders of India and China have held five talks since June, but failed to agree upon a total disengagement process, despite a consensus.
• Israel Military Official Says Iran Behind Thwarted Attack On Syrian Border Radio Farda 08 Aug 2020 -- Israeli Defense Force (IDF) Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Aviv Kochavi, on Friday met with elite Maglan troops that Israel says thwarted an attack on the Syrian border last week "ordered by Iran".
• Suicide Bombing on Somalia Military Base Kills Nine VOA 08 Aug 2020 -- At least nine people were killed and nearly 20 others injured Saturday in a car bomb blast at the front gate of a Somali military base in Mogadishu, witnesses and security officials said.
• Eight Soldiers Killed, Over 14 Injured in Suicide Bomb Attack at Military Base in Mogadishu, Somalia Sputnik 08 Aug 2020 -- The incident comes as the Somali government has ramped up its fight against al-Shabab group in the southern regions of the country. At least six militants were killed on Thursday as a result of the government operation.
• Can the Takuba Force Turn Around the Sahel Conflict? VOA 08 Aug 2020 -- Two years after a pan-European military initiative was first proposed to help tackle the Sahel's Islamist insurgency, the Takuba task force is finally becoming reality, as its first troops arrive amid the coronavirus pandemic, political turmoil and spreading unrest.

News Reports

• For 2020 Election, Threat is Bigger than Russia DoD News 08 Aug 2020 -- As November approaches and a new general election is on the minds of most Americans, preserving the security of that election is on the minds of cyber experts at U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency. Officials there say that unlike in 2016, where Russia was the biggest threat to election security, there are now new threats that pose a risk.
• U.S. Will Watch Closely For Election Interference, Trump Says After Warning Of Iran, Russia, China Activity RFE/RL 08 Aug 2020 -- U.S. President Donald Trump says his administration will watch closely for possible interference in the November presidential election by Russia, China, and Iran.
• US Delivering Critical Emergency Aid to Lebanon VOA 08 Aug 2020 -- The United States is delivering emergency aid to Lebanon, starting with food, water, and medical supplies, under the direction of President Donald J. Trump following Tuesday's blast in Beirut, national security adviser Robert C. O'Brien said Friday.
• Lebanese Security Forces Clash With Protesters in Beirut VOA 08 Aug 2020 -- Lebanese security forces fired tear gas Saturday at thousands of demonstrators who gathered in Beirut's main square to protest the government's management of the recent explosion that devastated large parts of the city.
• US says supports Lebanese protesters, urges political reforms Press TV 08 Aug 2020 -- The US government says it supports Lebanese people who are protesting the government's handling of the aftermath of a recent huge deadly explosion in the capital that sent the country's main grain silo up in smoke.
• Thousands rally in blast-hit Beirut, police intervene Press TV 08 Aug 2020 -- The police are forced to intervene after around 7,000 take to streets in Beirut to protest the government's handling of the aftermath of a recent huge deadly explosion in the Lebanese capital that sent the country's main grain silo up in smoke.
• Liaison office director Luo ridicules Trump over latest sanctions Global Times 08 Aug 2020 -- "I don't have any assets abroad. Isn't it a waste of effort to impose sanctions? Of course, I could send $100 to Mr. Trump for him to freeze," said Luo Huining, director of the central government's liaison office in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), in a humorous response on Saturday to US' sanctions imposed on 11 officials from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong.
• 'Fearless' HK officials oppose 'meaningless' US sanctions Global Times 08 Aug 2020 -- Officials in Hong Kong on Saturday expressed strong opposition to the latest sanctions imposed by the US, stressing they will never be intimidated by such an act of hooliganism, which will have no impact on them.
• Chinese central gov't office strongly condemns so-called US sanctions on officials Global Times 08 Aug 2020 -- The Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of China's State Council on Saturday strongly condemned the so-called U.S. sanctions against heads of Chinese central government agencies responsible for Hong Kong affairs and officials of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
• Has US violated human rights by releasing HK officials' personal information: Carrie Lam Global Times 08 Aug 2020 -- Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam questioned whether the US has violated human rights by releasing Hong Kong officials' personal information when the US treasury department announced sanctions against the latter.
• NPC reviews report of delayed HK LegCo election, to 'vote on Tuesday' Global Times 08 Aug 2020 -- The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) on Saturday reviewed a report from Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam about the delayed Legislative Council (LegCo) election due to the coronavirus pandemic and the request to make an arrangement to the current term of LegCo to avoid a "vacuum period."
• US sanctions Hong Kong leader; China blasts 'barbarous' move Press TV 08 Aug 2020 -- The US administration has imposed sanctions on Hong Kong's leader and a number of other key officials over a security law that China enacted for the semi-autonomous region in late June.
• Hong Kong Gov't Slams US Sanctions Against Chinese Officials as 'Shameless, Despicable' Sputnik 08 Aug 2020 -- The government of Hong Kong has called the US sanctions against 11 high-ranking officials from mainland China and Hong Kong despicable and shameless, according to the statement on the government website.
• Hong Kong Government Will Consider Response to US Sanctions, Commerce Secretary Says Sputnik 08 Aug 2020 -- The government of Hong Kong will consider taking measures in response to the US sanctions against a number of regional officials, Hong Kong's Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau said on Saturday.
• N. China's Inner Mongolia reports second plague death in one week, plans to set up Level-III emergency response system Global Times 08 Aug 2020 -- North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region reported one new plague death on Saturday, the second one found in the region within one week. The regional government has announced a plan to build a Level-III emergency prevention system for the plague covering the whole region.
• China Seals Off Villages After Bubonic Plague Deaths VOA 08 Aug 2020 -- China on Saturday sealed off another village in Inner Mongolia after a resident died from bubonic plague, the second lockdown in the region in two days.
• Report: UN set to reject US push to extend Iran arms embargo Press TV 08 Aug 2020 -- The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is set for a showdown over a US draft resolution to extend an Iranian arms embargo, with the motion lacking the minimum votes in favor to trigger any vetoes.
• Trump And Macron Discuss Extension Of Iran Arms Embargo Radio Farda 08 Aug 2020 -- The White House said in a statement on August 7 that President Donald Trump spoke with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, about the recent explosion in Beirut and the extension of Iran's arms embargo.
• Anti-Government Protesters In Bulgaria Restore Blockades Removed By Police RFE/RL 08 Aug 2020 -- Anti-government protesters in Bulgaria have restored their traffic blockades in downtown Sofia, less than a day after they were removed by police.