Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• US military brings 30-truck convoy into Syria's oil-rich Hasakah: SANA Press TV 11 Oct 2020 -- A US military convoy of 30 vehicles, loaded with logistic reinforcement, has arrived in Syria's oil-rich northeastern province of Hasakah, media report says.
• Roadside bomb strikes US-led coalition convoy southeast of Baghdad Press TV 11 Oct 2020 -- A roadside bomb has exploded near a convoy of trucks carrying equipment belonging to the US-led military coalition purportedly formed to fight the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in Iraq's southern province of al-Muthanna.
• Iraqi resistance groups fire 'all their weapons' against US troops if they fail to withdraw: Kata'ib Hezbollah Press TV 11 Oct 2020 -- Iraq's anti-terror Kata'ib Hezbollah group says all Iraqi resistance groups and factions will "use all the weapons at their disposal" against American forces in the Arab country if Washington refuses to withdraw its forces despite a parliament's decision to expel them from Iraq.

Defense Policy / Programs

• AFMC, AFGSC establish Weapons System Lead Wing Collaboration Program US Air Force 11 Oct 2020 -- The Air Force Materiel Command expanded on the success of the Lead Wing Collaboration program set with Air Combat Command in January with a new agreement with the Air Force Global Strike Command.
• S-300s, S-400s to Be Modified to Use Various Types of Missiles Simultaneously, Report Says Sputnik 11 Oct 2020 -- Russia's air defence troops are equipped with at least 125 battalions of S-300s (about 1,500 launchers total) and 69 battalions of S-400s (552 launchers), with the latter expected to remain the most advanced road-mobile air defence system in Russia's arsenal until the arrival of the S-500 beginning next year.
• China's Type 055 destroyer has anti-stealth, anti-satellite capabilities: report Global Times 11 Oct 2020 -- China's domestically developed 10,000 ton-class Type 055 guided missile destroyer can counter stealth aircraft and low-Earth orbit satellites, a state-owned media has recently revealed for the first time, leading Chinese experts to say on Sunday that the capabilities will give Chinese forces a key edge over their opponents in modern warfare.
• Israel Will Oppose Any US Sale of F-35s to Qatar, Cabinet Minister Says Sputnik 11 Oct 2020 -- On Thursday, Reuters learned from three anonymous sources that Qatar had "in recent weeks" filed a request with the United States for the purchase of the stealth multirole fighter jets.
• UAE: Turkish base in Qatar source of instability in Persian Gulf Press TV 11 Oct 2020 -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has criticized Turkey's military presence in Qatar, saying the Turkish base in the Arab country destabilizes the Persian Gulf region.
• Turkey's Military Presence in Qatar 'Emergency' for Gulf States, UAE Diplomat Says Sputnik 11 Oct 2020 -- Turkey's military presence in Qatar contributes to negative polarization in the region and poses an emergency to the Gulf nations, Anwar Gargash, the UAE minister of state for foreign affairs, said.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Israel Will Oppose Any US Sale of F-35s to Qatar, Cabinet Minister Says Sputnik 11 Oct 2020 -- On Thursday, Reuters learned from three anonymous sources that Qatar had "in recent weeks" filed a request with the United States for the purchase of the stealth multirole fighter jets.
• Joint Forces Command of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen: Interception, Destruction of Bomb-Laden UAV Launched by Terrorist, Iran-Backed Houthi Militia Toward the Kingdom SPA 11 Oct 2020 -- A statement by the Official Spokesman of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen COL Turki Al-Malki stated that the "Joint Coalition Forces have intercepted and destroyed this morning (Sunday) a bomb-laden UAV launched systematically and deliberately by the terrorist Houthi militia to target civilians and civilian objects in (Najran)."
• First direct talks between Libyan rivals to be held in Tunisia next month: UN Press TV 11 Oct 2020 -- The United Nations mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has announced that the first in-person political talks between the North African country's rival authorities will take place in Tunisia next month.
• Libya's State Oil Firm Lifts Force Majeure to Restart Production at Largest Oil Field Sputnik 11 Oct 2020 -- Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) said on Sunday that it was lifting the state of force majeure over the al-Sharara oil field, the largest in the country, and restarting production.
• Azerbaijan Reports Shelling by Armenia; Nagorno-Karabakh Denies It VOA 11 Oct 2020 -- Azerbaijan said Sunday that Armenian forces had shelled the city of Ganja overnight.
• Nagorno-Karabakh Cease-Fire Strained As Azerbaijan, Armenia Trade Accusations RFE/RL 11 Oct 2020 -- A day-old cease-fire between Armenia and Azerbaijan has come under strain as both sides have accused the other of violations.
• UN chief welcomes Nagorno-Karabakh cease-fire agreement People's Daily 11 Oct 2020 -- Under the cease-fire agreement, the specific parameters of which will be agreed on additionally, Armenia and Azerbaijan will exchange prisoners, other detained persons, and bodies of the dead under the mediation of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
• Reports of ceasefire violations in Karabakh region extremely concerning: EU's Borrell Press TV 11 Oct 2020 -- Head of the European Union (EU) foreign policy Josep Borrell says the bloc is "extremely concerned" over the reports of violations of a freshly-clinched truce in the volatile region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
• Shelling of cities dashes hopes of ceasefire in South Caucasus Press TV 11 Oct 2020 -- Armenia and Azerbaijan have accused each other of intense shelling on civilian areas and escalating two weeks of fierce clashes, dashing hopes that a Russian-brokered ceasefire might hold.
• Cameroon Teachers Reject Military Convoys to Schools VOA 11 Oct 2020 -- At least 3,000 Cameroon teachers have refused offers by the central African state's military to transport teaching staff to schools in the conflict-prone English-speaking regions.

News Reports

• International Statement: End-To-End Encryption and Public Safety US Dept. of Justice 11 Oct 2020 -- "We, the undersigned, support strong encryption, which plays a crucial role in protecting personal data, privacy, intellectual property, trade secrets and cyber security."
• HK new civil servants required to swear to uphold Basic Law: secretary Global Times 11 Oct 2020 -- Relevant preparatory work is underway for the requirement of new civil servants employed from July 1 to pledge to uphold the Basic Law and swear allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), said the Secretary for the Civil Service in Hong Kong, Patrick Nip Tak-kuen, on Saturday.
• Once-in-a-decade census starts head count Global Times 11 Oct 2020 -- Offers fundamentals for China's further development planning: experts Across thousands of residential compounds in Beijing, a knock at the door has become common across the capital as it kicked off the seventh national census on Sunday.
• Chinese military aircraft again enters Taiwan's southwest ADIZ CNA 11 Oct 2020 -- A Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Sunday, marking the 17th such incursion by the Chinese military into the nation's ADIZ in less than a month.
• PLA holds amphibious landing drills to 'show firm will against Taiwan secessionists' Global Times 11 Oct 2020 -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) recently conducted large-scale joint amphibious landing drills off the Chinese mainland's southeastern coast amid increasingly rampant Taiwan secessionist moves, including hundreds of espionage attempts on the Chinese mainland and collusion with the US. Chinese mainland analysts said on Sunday that the PLA drills again demonstrate the mainland's strong capability and firm will against Taiwan secessionists and push for reunification, following PLA aerial and naval exercises and patrols in the Taiwan Straits that have continued for nearly a month.
• China Holds Military Invasion Drill Amid Tensions With Taiwan VOA 11 Oct 2020 -- China staged a large-scale island invasion military exercise during Taiwan's National Day as President Tsai Ing-wen called for "meaningful dialogue" with Beijing.
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• State security agency uncovers hundreds of Taiwan espionage activities against mainland Global Times 11 Oct 2020 -- Sources with the Chinese mainland's state security agency recently revealed to the Global Times that a member of a Taiwan separatist group who had been arrested in Shenzhen in 2019 for endangering national security spied on the mainland's armed police deployment in Shenzhen, and sent photos and videos he took of the deployment to the Taiwan separatist group.
• Envoy criticizes IAEA chief's remarks on Iran IRNA 11 Oct 2020 -- Iran's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna Kazem Gharibabadi criticized recent remarks made by Director General of the Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi on Iran's nuclear activities.
• China opposed to undermining JCPOA IRNA 11 Oct 2020 -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that Beijing is against any unilateral move to undermine the JCPOA and it will continue to support implementation of the agreement and UN Security Council Resolution 2231 and diplomatic settlement of Iran's nuclear issue.
• Envoy criticizes IAEA chief for using 'nonrelevant' terms on Iran nuclear program Press TV 11 Oct 2020 -- Iran's ambassador to international organizations in Vienna has criticized head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for using 'nonrelevant' terms in his remarks on Iran's nuclear program, saying such terms have no place in IAEA's documents.
• Enemy's sanctions aim to block Iran exports: Defense minister Press TV 11 Oct 2020 -- Iran's defense minister says the latest round of US sanctions, which targets Iran's financial sector and major banks, is aimed at blocking the country's exports, but will not have any effect on the Islamic Republic.
• China supports JCPOA, calls for new platform to resolve West Asia issues: FM Wang Press TV 11 Oct 2020 -- China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi has called for the formation of a new dialogue forum to resolve security issues in the West Asia region, saying the major precondition for joining the forum would be the support for the multilateral 2015 nuclear deal.
• IAEA: Iran 'doesn't have significant quantity' of material for nukes Press TV 11 Oct 2020 -- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which monitors Iran's nuclear activities, has given assurances that the country is not in possession of enough enriched uranium to develop an atomic weapon.
• Many Israelis Ready To Spy For Iran, IRGC Commander Says Radio Farda 11 Oct 2020 -- "Many people" in Israel have "a lot of motives" to cooperate with Tehran, said a top commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Mohammad Reza Naghdi, on a TV show on Friday.
• Belarus president visits opposition in jail to discuss constitutional reforms Press TV 11 Oct 2020 -- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has visited opposition leaders and political activists detained in a jail in the capital, Minsk, to discuss plans for constitutional reforms, local media say.
• More Than 500 Detained In Brutal Protest Crackdown In Belarus RFE/RL 11 Oct 2020 -- Hundreds of people were detained by Belarusian security forces in Minsk on October 11 in what observers said was the most violent crackdown in weeks against protesters demanding an end to the authoritarian rule of Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
• Dozens Arrested on 10th Straight Sunday of Belarus Protests VOA 11 Oct 2020 -- Dozens of protesters in Belarus were arrested Sunday during the 10th straight weekend of demonstrations against longtime authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko.
• Kyrgyzstan unrest: New PM named as president reshuffles security officials Press TV 11 Oct 2020 -- Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov has reshuffled top security officials after declaring a state of emergency in the Central Asian country, which has experienced unrest since a disputed parliamentary election on October 4.
• Kyrgyz Lawmakers Dispute New Prime Minister's Election As Political Crisis Continues RFE/RL 11 Oct 2020 -- Kyrgyzstan's divided parliament has controversially appointed Sadyr Japarov as prime minister, just days after the convicted kidnapper was sprung from prison during turmoil over the Central Asian country's disputed parliamentary elections.
• Will White House Follow Through On Serbia-Kosovo Deal If Trump Wins Second Term? RFE/RL 11 Oct 2020 -- When Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovar Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti signed an economic normalization deal in the Oval Office on September 4, the Trump administration called it "historic" and a sign of Washington's commitment to the Balkans.
• El Chapo's Soldiers Exchange Threats With Mexico's Most Powerful Cartel in Control for Territory Sputnik 11 Oct 2020 -- The Jalisco New Generation Cartel is a semi-militarised criminal narcotics powerhouse, operating in more than a dozen states across Mexico, including Nayarit. The organisation is headed by Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as "El Mencho", who was once an ally of the currently incarcerated drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán.