Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• CENTCOM commander admits growing attacks on US troops in Iraq, warns Iran Press TV 13 Sep 2020 -- Commander of US military forces in the Middle East has again raised concerns about surging attacks against American installations in Iraq, linking it to Iran's vow to drive out US forces from the region but rejecting it as the reason for a major US troop reduction in the region.
• At Least 5 Killed in Attack on Afghanistan's Shinwari Checkpoint Sputnik 13 Sep 2020 -- At least five police officers were killed when the Taliban attacked the Shinwari checkpoint outside the city of Kunduz in Afghanistan, Hijratullah Akbari, a spokesman for the Kunduz police chief, said.
• Afghan Rivals Talk Peace as Battlefield Attacks Continue VOA 13 Sep 2020 -- Warring sides in Afghanistan have accused each other of staging fresh battlefield attacks as their representatives held a second day of historic, U.S.-brokered peace talks Sunday away from home in Qatar.
• Afghan forces, Taliban clash as Doha peace talks continue Press TV 13 Sep 2020 -- Peace talks between Afghan government and the Taliban were held for the 2nd day, but reports of ongoing violent clashes back in Afghanistan are stark reminder of obstacles ahead.
• Qatari Ruler Helps Kabul, Taliban Envoys Kick Off Day Two Of Intra-Afghan Talks RFE/RL 13 Sep 2020 -- Qatar's ruler helped launch the second day of long-awaited Afghan peace talks in Doha on September 13 between representatives of the Afghan government and Taliban militants, but reports of ongoing clashes back in Afghanistan were a reminder of obstacles ahead.
• Afghanistan's Abdullah Warns Government-Taliban Ceasefire Negotiations Will Take Time Sputnik 13 Sep 2020 -- The ongoing peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban in the Qatari capital of Doha will be lengthy, as a decades-long war cannot be concluded in a matter of days, Abdullah Abdullah, the chairman of Afghanistan's High Council for National Reconciliation, said at a press conference on Sunday.

Defense Policy / Programs

• U.S. Navy Conducts Joint Operations with U.S. Air Force for the second time in two months US Navy 13 Sep 2020 -- U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, and NATO units conducted a joint maritime and air training mission in the Adriatic Sea, Sept. 11, 2020.
• US Military Black Hawk Helicopters Arriving in Estonia for Training, Defence Forces Sputnik 13 Sep 2020 -- Several US military UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters will arrive at Estonia's Amari airbase, near the capital of Tallinn, on Sunday to conduct training missions in the Baltic country, the Estonian Defence Forces said in a press release.
• US moves tanks in Lithuania closer to Belarus border as Russia plans joint drills Press TV 13 Sep 2020 -- The United States has ordered its military forces and equipment in Lithuania to move closer to the Belarusian border as Minsk and Moscow gear up for a joint defense drill.
• Chief of Defence Intelligence comments on threats the UK will face in coming decades UK MOD 13 Sep 2020 -- Lieutenant-General Jim Hockenhull looks to the future, outlining the changing character of the threat and the role of UK Defence
• UK Chief of Defence Intelligence Warns of Capability of Russia's Burevestnik Missile Sputnik 13 Sep 2020 -- The United Kingdom's chief of defence intelligence, Lt. Gen. Jim Hockenhull, has warned that Russia's nuclear-powered Burevestnik (NATO name Skyfall) cruise missiles could remain in the atmosphere for multiple years if necessary and could pose a threat at any moment.
• Russia to Send Airborne Forces to Military Drills in Belarus From 14-25 September Sputnik 13 Sep 2020 -- Russian airborne forces will participate in the Slavic Fraternity military drills in Belarus from September 14-25, the Russian Defense Ministry's press office said on Sunday.
• China's 3rd aircraft carrier 'progressing smoothly' Global Times 13 Sep 2020 -- It has been nearly two years since the Xinhua News Agency revealed that China's third aircraft carrier was under construction, and recent media reports suggest that work is progressing smoothly and the launch of the warship is near.
• Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte meets Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe PLA Daily 13 Sep 2020 -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte met with the visiting Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense General Wei Fenghe in Manila on the afternoon of September 11, 2020.
• Defense spokesman: China firmly opposes US report on Chinese military PLA Daily 13 Sep 2020 -- A Chinese defense spokesman on Sunday expressed firm opposition to a recent report released by the US Department of Defense.
• China lodges solemn representations with U.S. for its report on Chinese military PLA Daily 13 Sep 2020 -- A spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense on Sunday expressed China's strong dissatisfaction with a report released by the U.S. Department of Defense on September 1, stating that it misinterpreted China's national defense policy.
• China lodges representation over Pentagon report on China's military development Global Times 13 Sep 2020 -- China has lodged stern representation to the US after the US Department of Defense released the 2020 report on China's military and security developments, another example of the US defaming China's national defense and military modernization, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense said Sunday.
• Japan to Come Up with Missile Defense Plan by year-end: PM Abe SPA 13 Sep 2020 -- Japan's outgoing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said yesterday, Friday the government, under his successor, will come up with a new plan for dealing with missile threats by the end of the year, Kyodo reported.
• Greece to Buy Warplanes, Battleships to Boost Defenses against Turkey VOA 13 Sep 2020 -- With tensions between NATO allies Greece and Turkey rising, Greece has announced plans to purchase a grab bag of new warplanes, frigates, helicopters and weapons systems. Greece's defense shopping spree comes amid a new diplomatic scramble with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visiting Cyprus to ease an energy standoff in the eastern Mediterranean.
• Greece to Buy French-Made Military Hardware Amid Ankara-Athens Tensions in East Mediterranean Sputnik 13 Sep 2020 -- The Turkish-Greek standoff over drilling in the Eastern Mediterranean has simmered for months, escalating in early August, when Athens demanded that Ankara immediately halt its "illegal" gas exploration activities in the area.
• Greece announces major weapons purchase amid tensions with Turkey Press TV 13 Sep 2020 -- Greece has announced a significant arms purchase deal with France and a decision to overhaul its military as tensions continue to rise with Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Four civilians killed in Saudi air raid on Yemen's Ma'rib Press TV 13 Sep 2020 -- The Saudi-led coalition's warplanes have targeted an area south of Yemen's Ma'rib province, killing four civilians and wounding four others.
• Saudi warplanes attack Houthi sites in Yemeni capital: Report Press TV 13 Sep 2020 -- Saudi fighter jets have reportedly conducted airstrikes on positions belonging to the Houthi Ansarullah movement in Yemen's capital city of Sana'a.
• IRGC destroys headquarters of counter-revolutionary groups in Iraqi Kurdistan IRNA 13 Sep 2020 -- Deputy commander of operations of Hamzeh Seyyed al-Shuhada (AS) Headquarters said that in response to the counter-revolutionary evil acts, the fighters of this camp have targeted the headquarters of the opposition groups in the Iraqi Kurdistan region in artillery, missile and UAV operations in recent days.
• Analysts See Israel-Bahrain Peace Deal as Protection Against Iran VOA 13 Sep 2020 -- Israelis are delighted the government has reached another peace deal with an Arab country, this time Bahrain, following last month's agreement with the United Arab Emirates. Analysts say the Gulf states see the deals as a way to discourage potential attacks from Iran. But Palestinians are furious at the deal, calling Bahrain's move "another knife in the back."
• Libyan protesters torch Haftar-backed govt. headquarters in Benghazi Press TV 13 Sep 2020 -- Libyan protesters have reportedly set fire to headquarters of the eastern administration backed by rebel forces under the command of renegade general Khalifa Haftar in the country's second city of Benghazi.
• Libya's Eastern-Based Gov't Submits Resignation to Parliament Amid Ongoing Protests Sputnik 13 Sep 2020 -- Libya's interim government led by Prime Minister Abdullah Thani has submitted a letter of resignation to Tobruk-based House of Representatives Speaker Aguila Saleh, the parliament said in a press release on Sunday.
• Pompeo Says Concerned About Eastern Mediterranean Tensions, Turkey's Actions Sputnik 13 Sep 2020 -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressed concerns over tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean during his Saturday visit to Cyprus.
• Turkey's Oruc Reis research vessel returns to near southern port: Ship tracker shows Press TV 13 Sep 2020 -- Turkish seismic research vessel Oruc Reis, which has been at the heart of a simmering standoff between Greece and Turkey over gas exploration in the eastern Mediterranean, has returned to a port in southern Turkey, a ship tracker shows.
• Turkey to Deploy Second Drilling Ship to Black Sea, Energy Minister Says Sputnik 13 Sep 2020 -- Turkey will deploy another drilling ship, named Kanuni, to the Black Sea, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Donmez said on Sunday.

News Reports

• Russians Vote In Regional Elections Seen As Test Of Putin's Ruling Party RFE/RL 13 Sep 2020 -- Russians have been voting in 41 regions in local elections that were seen as a crucial test for the increasingly unpopular ruling party ahead of next year's national legislative elections.
• Latvian Prime Minister: Navalny Poisoning Shows EU Must Open Its Eyes About Russia RFE/RL 13 Sep 2020 -- Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins says the poisoning of Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny shows that the European Union must get more realistic about its dealings with Russia.
• Expectations Lowered Ahead of Europe-China Summit VOA 13 Sep 2020 -- The European Union and China hold talks Monday with hopes to strike a trade and investment deal by the year's end. Several issues pose potential hurdles, though, from human rights and climate concerns to the outcome of November's U.S. election.
• Xi to meet European leaders Global Times 13 Sep 2020 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to attend a video conference with European leaders on Monday, the second such meeting between Chinese and European leaders in two months.
• US accuses China of 'escalation' over retaliatory measures on American diplomats Press TV 13 Sep 2020 -- The United States has accused China of "escalation" over Beijing's restrictions on all American diplomats on its soil in response to a similar move by Washington.
• 12 HK anti-govt rioters under criminal detention for illegally crossing border: Shenzhen police Global Times 13 Sep 2020 -- Twelve Hong Kong residents have been put under criminal detention for illegally cross-ing the border area, the Shenzhen police said on Sunday, adding that the case is under investigation.
• HK secessionists' detention 'a warning' for those with illusions about escape to Taiwan from justice Global Times 13 Sep 2020 -- Taiwan media reported Sunday that five fleeing Hong Kong sucessionists were detained in the island of Taiwan, and another 12 Hong Kong anti-government rioters who reportedly illegally crossed the border by water in August were announced on Sunday to be under criminal detention. These cases all represented a warning shot to Hong Kong secessionists who still hold illusions of escaping from justice.
• Siemens says it respects China's sovereignty after CEO's remark over HK drew anger Global Times 13 Sep 2020 -- German industrial conglomerate Siemens stated that it always respects China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and it will continue to uphold the "one country, two systems" principle.
• 'National dignity' most important consideration: presidential office CNA 13 Sep 2020 -- There is nothing more important than defending national dignity, a Presidential Office spokesman said Sunday, urging the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) to reconsider whether to attend a forum in China later this month.
• Rial at its Lowest Against Dollar, Again Radio Farda 13 Sep 2020 -- The Iranian rial fell to a record low against the U.S. dollar on Saturday as the Islamic Republic's economy struggles with the COVID-19 pandemic and U.S. sanctions.
• Judge Responsible For Filtering Internet Sentenced For Corruption Radio Farda 13 Sep 2020 -- A former investigator judge with the Tehran Prosecutor's Office, Bijan Qassemzadeh Sangroudi, is sentenced to "permanent dismissal from government service, ten years in prison, confiscation of properties achieved through bribery, and payment of a fine" for receiving bribery from local news outlets in Iran, as reported on Saturday, September 12.
• AEOI chief: Iran fully implements fourth step of JCPOA commitments' reduction IRNA 13 Sep 2020 -- Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi announced on Sunday that the fourth step of reducing Iran's commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) has been completely accomplished.
• Over 1,000 centrifuges doing enrichment work at Fordow facility: Iran nuclear chief Press TV 13 Sep 2020 -- Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi says 1,044 centrifuges are currently operating at Fordow uranium enrichment site as an evidence to the fact that the country has taken in full the fourth step it had promised to reduce its commitments under a landmark nuclear deal with the world powers.
• Enemy failed in all political, legal plots against Iran: Rouhani Press TV 13 Sep 2020 -- Iran's President Hassan Rouhani says the enemy has failed to achieve its objectives against the Islamic Republic in all political and legal fields, citing the abortive US push to reimpose UN sanctions as an example.
• Ayatollah Sistani supports early legislative elections following meeting with top UN official Press TV 13 Sep 2020 -- Iraq's top cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has expressed his support for early parliamentary elections, a key demand of protesters who staged months of demonstrations last year against corruption and poor economic conditions.
• Tens Of Thousands March In Belarusian Capital, Defying Threats And Detentions RFE/RL 13 Sep 2020 -- Tens of thousands of Belarusians jammed the streets of Minsk and other cities and towns, as opposition protesters pressed their nearly five-week campaign to pressure President Alyaksandr Lukashenka to call new elections.
• Anti-Lukashenko Protesters March Again in Minsk VOA 13 Sep 2020 -- At least 100,000 Belarusians took to the streets in the capital of Minsk on Sunday in one of the biggest protests yet against President Alexander Lukashenko after he claimed victory in a disputed election last month that his opponents say was rigged.
• Lebanon parliament speaker Berri says his party won't participate in next government Press TV 13 Sep 2020 -- The office of Lebanese Parliament Speaker has voiced Nabih Berri's opposition to the manner Prime Minister-designate Mustapha Adib is forming a new cabinet, saying his Amal Movement will not participate in the next administration.
• U.S. Welcomes Serbia's Intention to Designate Hizballah as a Terrorist Organization US Dept. of State 13 Sep 2020 -- Serbia's announcement that it will designate Hizballah as a terrorist organization in its entirety is another significant step limiting this Iranian backed terrorist group's ability to operate in Europe.
• Kazakh Rally Urges Toqaev To Implement Promised Reforms, Free Political Prisoners RFE/RL 13 Sep 2020 -- Dozens of activists rallied in Kazakhstan's commercial capital calling for political reforms and to demand they be allowed to form a new political party.
• Mali junta adopts 'charter' for 18-month transition government, opposition rejects it Press TV 13 Sep 2020 -- Mali's military junta has vowed to establish an 18-month transition government as fear over the role of military hampers efforts aimed at restoring political calm to the African country following a coup last month.
• Mali's Largest Opposition Party M5-RFP Rejects Military-Proposed Power Transition Plan Sputnik 13 Sep 2020 -- The June 5 Movement-Assembly of Patriotic Forces (M5-RFP) opposition party of Mali has rejected the plan, put forward by the restive military who made the old government resign last month, of how the government should organise the transitional period before new elections.