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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• US base in northern Iraq targeted with several rockets: Reports Press TV 20 Feb 2021 -- Several rockets have hit a US military base in Iraq's northern province of Salahuddin.
• Iraqi officials, scholars protest NATO plan to increase troops in Iraq eightfold Press TV 20 Feb 2021 -- Iraqi officials and religious scholars have lambasted NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg's latest remarks that the US-led military alliance plans to significantly increase its forces in the Arab country, describing the measure as unacceptable and unjustified.
• Pentagon says no decision made yet regarding US troops withdrawal from Afghanistan Press TV 20 Feb 2021 -- The US says it has made no decision yet regarding the withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan, claiming that 'violence' must be reduced in the war-ravaged country, where American forces are present for the past 20 years.
• Multiple Bomb Attacks Kill At Least Five In Kabul RFE/RL Gandhara 20 Feb 2021 -- At least five people have been killed and two wounded in multiple bomb attacks in the Afghan capital.
• Secretary Blinken's Call with Afghanistan High Council for National Reconciliation Chair Dr. Abdullah US Dept. of State 20 Feb 2021

Defense Policy / Programs

• Biden tells Europe "America is back" People's Daily 20 Feb 2021 -- U.S. President Joe Biden said on Friday that the United States is returning to the transatlantic partnership and will address global challenges like climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic.
• US ready to 're-engage' with parties to Iran nuclear deal: Biden Press TV 20 Feb 2021 -- US President Joe Biden says America stands ready to "re-engage" with the group of countries that are party to a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, less than three years after his predecessor, Donald Trump, pulled Washington out of the multilateral deal.
• China's rising influence 'defining issue' in transatlantic ties: NATO chief Press TV 20 Feb 2021 -- NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has described as a "defining issue" what he calls the rise of China, urging Western allies and close partners to forge stronger ties and uphold the international rules-based order that he claims Russia and China are challenging.
• Chinese military issues decision on fostering new-type military training system PLA Daily 20 Feb 2021 -- Approved by Xi Jinping, chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), the CMC has released a decision on fostering a new-type military training system.
• Saudi Arabia announces 'aggressive' plan to spend $20bn on domestic arms Press TV 20 Feb 2021 -- Saudi Arabia has announced a "very aggressive" plan to spend more than 20 billion dollars on its domestic military industry over the next decade.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Yemen lost over $28mn in 2020 by Saudi detention of fuel tankers: YPC Press TV 20 Feb 2021 -- The Yemeni Petroleum Company (YPC) says the estimated economic damages incurred by the Saudi-led military coalition's insistence on preventing dozens of tankers from unloading essential consignments and its "maritime piracy" on fuel ships exceeded 28 million dollars in 2020.
• Battle for Ma'rib: Yemeni army, allies make big advances on eastern front Press TV 20 Feb 2021 -- Yemeni army troops and allied fighters from Popular Committees have made new advances against Saudi-led coalition militants in Yemen's central province of Ma'rib, flushing them out of several districts and edging closer to final victory.
• UN: Houthi Attacks in Northern Yemen Risk Triggering Humanitarian Crisis VOA 20 Feb 2021 -- The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is calling for the fighting to stop in northern Yemen's Marib governorate, warning escalation of hostilities there is endangering the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.
• Independence-seeking Yemen will never accept guardianship of US, Israel, Saudi Arabia: Houthi Press TV 20 Feb 2021 -- Yemen wants to be a free and independent country, strongly rejecting guardianship sought by the United States, Saudi Arabia, or any other foreign state, the leader of Yemen's Ansarullah movement says.
• China reveals truth of Galwan Valley clash after half a year, showing the country as 'a lion with wisdom and kindness' Global Times 20 Feb 2021 -- China on Friday unveiled details of the Galwan Valley conflict of June 2020 to pay respect to martyrs who sacrificed their lives to safeguard national sovereignty and territory and also to clarity the truth by revisiting the whole incident since India had hyped the casualties, distorted truth and tried to mislead the international community and defame the Chinese military, Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang, a Defense Ministry spokesperson, said on Friday.
• China unveils details of 4 PLA martyrs at Galwan Valley border clash for first time, reaffirming responsibility falls on India Global Times 20 Feb 2021 -- Five Chinese frontier officers and soldiers stationed in the Karakoram Mountains have been recognized by the Central Military Commission of China for defending national sovereignty and territorial integrity in the border confrontation with India, which occurred in the Galwan Valley in June 2020, the PLA Daily reported on Friday.
• Revealing truth on border clashes with India to help understand events: spokesperson People's Daily 20 Feb 2021 -- China has published relevant reports and revealed the truth on the border clashes with India, and this will help people understand the truth and the rights and wrongs of these events, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said here Friday.
• UN Alarmed by Atrocities by Armed Groups in Eastern DRC VOA 20 Feb 2021 -- The United Nations refugee agency UNHCR says it is alarmed by atrocities committed by armed groups against civilians in Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• Five Pakistani Soldiers Killed In Two Attacks In Balochistan RFE/RL Gandhara 20 Feb 2021 -- At least five members of Pakistan's paramilitary corps have been killed in two separate attacks in the restive province of Balochistan, officials said.
• Foreign Secretary reaffirms UK's solidarity with Ukraine on seventh anniversary of illegal annexation of Crimea UK FCDO 20 Feb 2021 -- The UK will remain at the forefront of international efforts to end Russia's illegitimate control of the Crimean peninsula.

News Reports

• US prosecutors indict 9 Oath Keepers militia members Press TV 20 Feb 2021 -- The US Justice Department has charged nine members of the far-right extremist group Oath Keepers for taking part in the deadly January 6 raid on the Capitol Hill.
• Iran culls 1.4 million poultry to stem severe bird flu Press TV 20 Feb 2021 -- Iran has culled 1.4 million poultry birds in a province east of the country to contain the spread of the severe bird flu, known as H5N8.
• Russia Reports First Case Of Bird Flu Strain In Humans RFE/RL 20 Feb 2021 -- Russia has reported the first case of a bird flu strain, H5N8, being passed from birds to humans.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Remarks on State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi's Phone Calls with Brunei's Second Minister of Foreign Affairs Haji Erywan and Indonesia's Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi PRC MofA 20 Feb 2021
• Chinese FM holds phone conversation with Indonesian FM over Myanmar situation Global Times 20 Feb 2021 -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday held a phone conversation with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. Both sides exchanged views mainly on the situation in Myanmar and coordinated positions in this regard.
• Wang Yi: Myanmar's problems are an internal affair People's Daily 20 Feb 2021 -- Both China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) believe the current situation in Myanmar is an internal affair, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday.
• Two more people shot dead at Myanmar anti-coup protests Press TV 20 Feb 2021 -- Two more people have been shot dead and 20 others injured in Myanmar's anti-coup protests, a day after a young woman succumbed to her gunshot wounds and became the first known casualty of the public display of grievance in the country.
• Two Protesters Shot Dead in Mandalay in Bloodiest Day Since Myanmar Coup Radio Free Asia 20 Feb 2021 -- Two protesters were shot dead when riot police fired rubber and live bullets at a crowd protecting government shipyard workers in Myanmar's second largest city Saturday, the bloodiest day in the nearly three weeks since the army seized power in a coup, witnesses said.
• Actor Arrested, 2 Myanmar Protesters Killed by Gunfire VOA 20 Feb 2021 -- Police arrested a famous Myanmar actor Sunday, hours after two people were killed by gunfire as security forces used live and rubber bullets, tear gas, water cannons and slingshots against protesters who were demonstrating against the military's Feb. 1 coup.
• Banks Closed in Myanmar as Anti-Coup Protests, Financial Chaos Continue VOA 20 Feb 2021 -- Myanmar's banking sector continues to be in chaos as mass anti-coup demonstrations saw armored vehicles patrol the streets in the city of Yangon this past week.
• Meeting with Head of Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin President of Russia 20 Feb 2021 -- General Director of the Roscosmos State Corporation for Space Activities Dmitry Rogozin reported to the President on the corporation's performance in 2020 and plans for the near term.
• Navalny's Prison Sentence Upheld, While He's Also Fined For Defamation RFE/RL 20 Feb 2021 -- A Moscow court has upheld opposition politician Aleksei Navalny's prison sentence relating to an embezzlement conviction, but reduced the sentence by about 50 days considering time served.
• Moscow Appeals Court Upholds Navalny's Prison Sentence VOA 20 Feb 2021 -- A Russian court has rejected an appeal in the sentencing of opposition leader Alexey Navalny — clearing the way for the Kremlin critic to spend more than two-and-a-half years in prison, despite protests at home, and a new rift in Russia's relations with the West over the case.
• Biden Administration's Additional Sanctions Over Nord Stream 2 'Inadequate,' Republicans Say RFE/RL 20 Feb 2021 -- The United States imposed additional sanctions on a Russian vessel and the ship's owner for their work on the Nord Stream 2 natural-gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, but the move was immediately criticized as inadequate by Republican lawmakers.
• Russian Political Researcher Arrested On High Treason Charge RFE/RL 20 Feb 2021 -- A Russian political researcher has been arrested in Moscow on a charge of high treason.
• New China affairs head choice 'shows goodwill to Beijing': scholar CNA 20 Feb 2021 -- The appointment of Chiu Tai-san (邱太三) to handle China affairs should be seen as a friendly gesture toward Beijing, as Chiu is known to be dovish in his approach to cross-strait issues, Taiwanese scholar Chao Chun-shan (趙春山) said Friday.
• Chinese FM refutes Western rumors about Xinjiang Global Times 20 Feb 2021 -- Some people in Canada, the US and Australia have been spreading rumors about Northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region for some time, which only makes the world see their ignorance and absurdity, and further casts their self-proclaimed aura of democracy and human rights into the shadow, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Friday.
• China rebukes certain Westerners for fabricating lies about Xinjiang People's Daily 20 Feb 2021 -- A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Friday rebuked certain Western politicians, media workers and scholars for fabricating lies about so-called "genocide" and "forced labor" in Xinjiang.
• Retired military officials indicted for alleged spying for China CNA 20 Feb 2021 -- Four former officials of the Military Intelligence Bureau were indicted on Saturday for alleged violation of the National Security Act and the National Intelligence Service Law by passing confidential intelligence to China after their retirement.
• Without verification, any signature for JCPOA return invalid: Iran's UN envoy IRNA 20 Feb 2021 -- Iran's ambassador to the United Nations Majid Takht-Ravanchi emphasized that the Islamic Republic should verify if the United States lifts nuclear-related sanctions in practice, because Tehran could not accept mere signing a letter or declaring a stance.
• US says to 'dissuade' Iran arms trade after retracting Trump claim Press TV 20 Feb 2021 -- The US says it will continue to discourage countries from supplying arms to Iran on the same day Washington claimed to have retracted a botched decision by the former Trump administration to reimpose a UN arms embargo on Tehran.
• U.S. Says It Plans No Additional Steps On Iran Ahead Of EU-Proposed 'Diplomatic Conversation' RFE/RL 20 Feb 2021 -- The United States plans no additional actions in response to pressure from Tehran ahead of proposed talks on a return to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, the White House said on February 19.
• Biden's Bid to Revive Iran Nuclear Deal Faces Long Road, Should Involve US Pressure, Analysts Say VOA 20 Feb 2021 -- As U.S. President Joe Biden begins a diplomatic push to revive a 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers, supporters of the deal say he will need a long-term effort to succeed, while opponents say he should focus instead on pressuring Tehran into a new and tougher deal.
• Iran Finishes Investigation Into Downing of Ukrainian Boeing, Court Official Says Sputnik 20 Feb 2021 -- The Iranian Armed Forces Judicial Organisation has finished investigations into the downing of the Ukrainian passenger jet PS752, shot by Iranian missiles in early 2020, the head of the organisation, Shokrollah Bahrami, said on Saturday.
• Ukraine Marks Seventh Anniversary Of Euromaidan Bloodshed RFE/RL 20 Feb 2021 -- Ukrainians have marked the seventh anniversary of the shooting deaths of dozens of participants in the Euromaidan anti-government protests that toppled the country's Russia-friendly president, Viktor Yanukovych, in 2014.
• Thousands Rally In Armenia To Demand Pashinian's Resignation RFE/RL 20 Feb 2021 -- Thousands of protesters have rallied in the Armenian capital to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian over his handling of a six-week war with Azerbaijan last year.