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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Trump's close ally admits hiding US troop numbers in northern Syria Press TV 14 Nov 2020 -- Outgoing US special representative for Syria, James Jeffrey, says he and his team routinely misled President Donald Trump into believing that that true numbers of American troops in northern Syria were a lot lower than the actual size.
• Anti-terror group vows to not allow US breaches of airspace over Iraq Press TV 14 Nov 2020 -- A senior member of an anti-terror resistance group, part of Iraq's Hashd al-Sha'abi, says his fellow fighters would not allow the United States to continue violating the Iraqi airspace.
• Afghanistan Pinned Hopes For Change On Biden, But U.S. Likely To Stay Course Set By Trump RFE/RL Gandhara 14 Nov 2020 -- Afghan officials have been angered and alienated by what they view as U.S. President Donald Trump's push for a hasty military pullout from Afghanistan without a comprehensive peace settlement.
• Esper Reportedly Warned Trump Against Speedy Afghan Pullout in Memo Before Termination Sputnik 14 Nov 2020 -- Mark Esper sent a classified memo to US President Donald Trump warning him against a rapid withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, shortly before he was "terminated" from his position as secretary of defence, media said Saturday.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Acting Pentagon Chief Strikes Contradictory Tone in Letter to Troops VOA 14 Nov 2020 -- Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller struck a contradictory tone about the U.S.-led global war on terror in his first letter to the department, amid heightened concerns that big defense policy changes might emerge during President Donald Trump's final weeks in office.
• Newly-Appointed Pentagon Chief Says 'Time to Come Home' Signalling Likely Troop Drawdown Sputnik 14 Nov 2020 -- Acting US Defence Secretary Christopher Miller said he believes all war must end and that troops must return from overseas conflicts in his first statement since being appointed to the role.
• USS Ronald Reagan Returns to Yokosuka US Navy 14 Nov 2020 -- The U.S. Navy's only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), returned to Yokosuka, Nov. 14, following a six-month Indo-Pacific deployment.
• Joint PLA combat exercises to be normalized amid intensifying situation in Taiwan Straits and South China Sea: expert Global Times 14 Nov 2020 -- The Central Military Commission (CMC) has released an outline on improving joint combat capabilities of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), which is aimed at war preparedness given the intensifying situation and increasing risk of military conflicts in some regions - such as the Taiwan Straits, the South China Sea and the China-Indian border, Chinese military analysts said, noting that more joint exercise between different forces will follow in accordance with the outline.
• Defense Minister: Iran ready to meet Iraq's defense needs IRNA 14 Nov 2020 -- Iranian Minister of Defense Brigadier-General Amir Hatami said on Saturday that Iran's Ministry of Defense is ready to meet the needs of the Iraqi armed forces to strengthen Iraq's defense power.
• Iran ready to fulfill needs of Iraqi Armed Forces to strengthen defense power: Hatami Press TV 14 Nov 2020 -- Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami has expressed the Islamic Republic's readiness to help boost Iraq's defense power and supply all requirements of the country's armed forces.
• Commander of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces Launches His Majesty-Al-Dariyah Corvette into Water, 2nd in Sarawat Ships' Project SPA 14 Nov 2020 -- In the presence of the Commander of the Naval Forces Let. Gen. Admiral Fahad bin Abdullah Al-Ghofaily, the Royal Saudi Naval Forces celebrated the ceremonial launching into water of a corvette Avanti 2200 type, the second ship within the project of Sarawat.
• Taiwan's Air Force chief test flies F-5 fighter after deadly crash CNA 14 Nov 2020 -- Taiwan's Air Force conducted a test flight of one of its F-5 fighter jets on Saturday, after completing major checkups of its fleet, following a deadly crash more than two weeks ago, according to Taiwan's military news service.
• Pompeo Begins Seven-Nation Tour, Including A Stop In Georgia RFE/RL 14 Nov 2020 -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has arrived in Paris at the start of a a seven-nation trip to Europe and the Middle East.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• 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 14 Nov 2020 -- A statement by the Official Spokesman of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen Brigadier General Turki Al-Malki stated that the "Joint Coalition Forces have intercepted and destroyed this morning (Saturday) a bomb-laden UAV launched systematically and deliberately by the terrorist Houthi militia to target civilians and civilian objects in the Southern Region."
• Libyan elections to take place in December 2021: senior UN official UN News 14 Nov 2020 -- National elections in Libya will take place on 24 December 2021, Stephanie Williams, the head of the UN mission in the country, announced on Friday during a virtual press conference.
• Niger engaged in secret talks to forge full ties with Israeli regime: Report Press TV 14 Nov 2020 -- Niger is reportedly in secret discussions with Israel about normalizing their relations, months after the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Sudan signed agreements to establish full diplomatic ties with the Tel Aviv regime.
• Ethnic Armenians burn houses in Karabakh before handing land to Azerbaijan Press TV 14 Nov 2020 -- Villagers in Nagorno-Karabakh have set their houses on fire in an area that is arranged to be handed over to Azerbaijan under a ceasefire agreement between Yerevan and Baku.
• Bankrupt UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees Forced to Cut Staff Salaries VOA 14 Nov 2020 -- The U.N. Relief and Works Agency says it has run out of cash and will be forced to cut the salaries of 28,000 staffers for the rest of the year unless it raises $70 million by the end of the month.
• Rockets Hit Airports in Eritrea's Capital, Ethiopia's Amhara State VOA 14 Nov 2020 -- Three rockets were fired Saturday at the Eritrean capital, Asmara, diplomats said, hours after the leaders of Ethiopia's Tigray region warned it might attack.
• Rockets Hit 2 Airports in Ethiopia's Amhara State VOA 14 Nov 2020 -- Ethiopia's Tigray regional government fired rockets late Friday at two airports in the nearby Amhara region, the Ethiopian and Tigray regional governments said.
• Humanitarian Crisis Grips Ethiopia's Restive Tigray Region VOA 14 Nov 2020 -- United Nations aid agencies report Ethiopia's northern Tigray region is in a worsening humanitarian crisis, as fighting intensifies and thousands continue to flee to neighboring countries.
• Ethiopia Accuses Tigray Forces of Firing Rockets Towards Two Cities in Neighbouring Region Sputnik 14 Nov 2020 -- Earlier Reuters reported that two explosions had hit the Ethiopian cities of Bahir Dar and Gondar in the northern state of Amhara amid the escalation of tensions in the nearby state of Tigray.
• Pakistan Claims 'Irrefutable Evidence' of Indian Links to Terrorism on Pakistani Soil VOA 14 Nov 2020 -- Pakistan has accused rival India of running dozens of training camps in Afghanistan for multiple globally outlawed militant groups to plot terrorism on Pakistani soil to destabilize the country.

News Reports

• 'National security crisis': John Kelly on Trump's delaying of transition Press TV 14 Nov 2020 -- Former White House chief of staff John Kelly has criticized President Donald Trump for not helping with the transition to power of Joe Biden, saying the delay is creating a "national security crisis."
• Ex-Head of Armenian National Security Service Held on Suspicion of Plotting to Kill PM Pashinyan Sputnik 14 Nov 2020 -- Earlier this week, protests took place in Yerevan, with people demanding Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's resignation after the ceasefire agreement with Azerbaijan was signed, ending weeks of military confrontation in Nagorno-Karabakh.
• Armenian Opposition Leader Detained, Accused Of Plotting To Kill PM Pashinian RFE/RL 14 Nov 2020 -- The leader of Armenia's opposition Homeland party, Artur Vanetsian, has been arrested and accused of plotting to overthrow the government and kill the country's embattled prime minister, as the country's main security body said it had thwarted an assassination attempt.
• Armenian National Security Service Says Prevented Attempt to Kill Prime Minister Pashinyan Sputnik 14 Nov 2020 -- Armenia's National Security Service (NSS) said on Saturday that it had thwarted an attempt to assassinate Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan by his political opponents.
• China-US seminar on humanitarian assistance and disaster reduction wraps up PLA Daily 14 Nov 2020 -- The US-China Disaster Management Exchange 2020, a three-day online seminar on humanitarian assistance and disaster reduction (HADR) between the Chinese and US militaries, wrapped up simultaneously in Nanjing, China and Hawaii, the United States respectively.
• US pressures Japan, South Korea to speak out against China Press TV 14 Nov 2020 -- The US administration has pressured Japan and South Korea to speak out against China over its regional policies, despite their close trading relationships with Beijing.
• U.S. takes no position on Taiwan sovereignty: State Department CNA 14 Nov 2020 -- The U.S. State Department said Saturday that the United States takes no position on the issue of Taiwan sovereignty, after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was criticized by Beijing as "meddling in China's internal affairs" with his comment that "Taiwan has not been a part of China."
• Iran rejects US media report on killing of senior al-Qaeda leader in Tehran Press TV 14 Nov 2020 -- Iran has categorically dismissed a US media report that one of the top leaders of the al-Qaeda terrorist group had been secretly killed by Washington-directed Israeli agents in the capital, Tehran.
• Iran dismisses claim about assassination of al-Qaeda official in Tehran IRNA 14 Nov 2020 -- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh on Saturday rejected the false news of the presence of al-Qaeda members in Iran and refused certain media reports claiming that one official of the terrorist group was assassinated in Iran.
• Iran dismisses report on killing of al-Qaeda element in Iran ISNA 14 Nov 2020 -- Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Saeed Khatibzadeh categorically denied media reports about the killing of an official of al-Qaeda terrorist group in Iran.
• Al-Qaeda's No. 2 Reportedly Killed In Secret Operation In Iran RFE/RL 14 Nov 2020 -- Al-Qaeda's second-highest leader, accused of orchestrating the deadly 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa, was killed by Israeli agents in Iran in August, The New York Times reported.
• Israeli Operatives Reportedly Killed in Iran One of Al-Qaeda Leaders Linked to 1998 Attacks Sputnik 14 Nov 2020 -- Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah, who was also known as Abu Muhammad al-Masri, was considered first in line to take over al-Qaeda* after its current leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri.
• German prosecutors charge 12 with plot to attack mosques, kill Muslims Press TV 14 Nov 2020 -- Twelve men in Germany have been charged with hatching a well-funded plot to stage armed attacks on mosques with the intent of killing or injuring as many Muslims as possible, say German prosecutors.
• Dozens injured as Peru protesters, police clash amid political crisis Press TV 14 Nov 2020 -- Clashes between Peruvian protesters and police have reportedly injured at least 27 people as thousands took to the streets of the Latin American nation to protest the recent impeachment of President Martin Vizcarra by legislators.
• Georgian Opposition Demonstrators Return To The Streets To Call For Repeat Elections RFE/RL 14 Nov 2020 -- Thousands of opposition demonstrators have taken to the streets of the Georgian capital to demand repeat parliamentary elections.
• Acting Kyrgyz President Japarov Steps Down to Run for Presidency in January, His Office Says Sputnik 14 Nov 2020 -- Acting Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has stepped down as president and prime minister to run in the presidential election on January 10, the leader's office said in a statement on Saturday.
• New US Diplomat: South Sudan Policy Unlikely to Change VOA 14 Nov 2020 -- U.S. government policy toward South Sudan isn't expected to change regardless of the new presidential administration, according to Jon Danilowicz, the new U.S. charge d'affaires to South Sudan.