• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Over 100 Taliban militants killed in clashes with Afghan forces: Defense Ministry Press TV 02 May 2021 -- Afghan government forces have killed more than 100 Taliban militants and wounded dozens of others in a series of clashes across the war-torn South Asian country over the past 24 hours, the Afghan Defense Ministry says.
• Major airfield comes under attack as US formally begins withdrawing from Afghanistan Press TV 02 May 2021 -- A major international airfield in Afghanistan has come under attack as the United States officially begins pulling out its troops from the country in what President Joe Biden has called ending "the forever war."
• UN condemns deadly attack at guesthouse in Afghanistan UN News 02 May 2021 -- The United Nations strongly condemned Friday's suicide attack in eastern Afghanistan, in which at least 21 persons were killed and over 100, including women and children, wounded.
• Afghanistan's Abdullah: Foreign Troop Pullout Will Embolden Taliban VOA 02 May 2021 -- The U.S. and its NATO allies officially began withdrawing their remaining forces and equipment from Afghanistan on Saturday.

Defense Policy / Programs

• China's 2nd aircraft carrier group holds 1st drill in 2021 in S.China Sea, 'training for combat preparedness' Global Times 02 May 2021 -- An aircraft carrier group led by China's second aircraft carrier, the Shandong, is conducting a series of exercises in the South China Sea in its first known voyage of the year, almost immediately after the country's first carrier, the Liaoning, left the region, and Chinese analysts said on Sunday that the move highlighted the fact that the two aircraft carriers that China currently operates are actively training for combat preparedness.
• Chinese aircraft carrier formation carries out routine training in South China Sea People's Daily 02 May 2021 -- Chinese Shandong aircraft carrier formation recently carried out training in the South China Sea, said Gao Xiucheng, a PLA Navy spokesperson.
• China's aircraft carrier group conducts exercise in South China Sea Press TV 02 May 2021 -- China's second aircraft carrier task group has conducted a series of routine exercises in the South China Sea amid heightened tensions with the United States.
• Leader: IRGC Quds Force is the biggest deterrent to passive diplomacy in West Asia IRNA 02 May 2021 -- The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khamenei, introduced the IRGC Quds Force in his speech as being the biggest, effective factor in preventing passive diplomacy in West Asia.
• Secretary Blinken's Call with Peruvian Foreign Minister Wagner US Dept. of State 02 May 2021
• Secretary Blinken's Call with Salvadoran President Bukele US Dept. of State 02 May 2021
• Secretary Blinken's Call with Czech Prime Minister Babiš US Dept. of State 02 May 2021

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Yemen reports another 'accurate hit' against Saudi airbase Press TV 02 May 2021 -- Yemen's air force carries out another precision retaliatory attack using a kamikaze drone, against the King Khaled Airbase in Saudi Arabia's southwest.
• Russia Says Half A Million Passports Issued In Eastern Ukraine In Last Two Years RFE/RL 02 May 2021 -- Russia's Interior Ministry says that more than 527,000 people in parts of eastern Ukraine where Moscow-backed separatist formations are waging a war against Kyiv have been granted Russian citizenship over the past two years.*
• US Secretary of State to Hold Talks in Ukraine About Russian Aggression VOA 02 May 2021 -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken leaves for Europe on Sunday, where he will hold meetings in London and Kyiv.
• Cease-Fire Said Holding After Worst Violence In Decades On Kyrgyz-Tajik Border RFE/RL 02 May 2021 -- Both sides have reported calm on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border as a day-old cease-fire appeared to be holding and more than 40 people were being mourned from some of the worst clashes in decades on their disputed frontier.
• Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan agree on new ceasefire after deadly border clashes Press TV 02 May 2021 -- Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan say they have agreed on another ceasefire to end days of deadly clashes at their shared border.

News Reports

• Statement by President Joe Biden on the 10th Anniversary of the Osama bin Laden Raid The White House 02 May 2021
• Biden Says Al-Qaeda 'Greatly Degraded' On 10-Year Anniversary Of Osama Bin Laden Killing RFE/RL Gandhara 02 May 2021 -- President Joe Biden has used the 10th anniversary of the raid that killed Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden to support his decision to pull troops out of Afghanistan.
• China's Central Bank Works with Ant, Tencent to Develop Digital Currency VOA 02 May 2021 -- China's central bank has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Ant Group, the fintech affiliate of Alibaba Group, to help build a technical platform for its sovereign digital currency, state media reported.
• Taiwan warned to monitor China's development of new refueling aircraft CNA 02 May 2021 -- A Taiwanese military expert has advised the nation's armed forces to closely monitor China's development of a new refueling tanker aircraft, warning that it would significantly boost the Chinese air force's capability to carry out long-range raids.
• China opposes US' unprecedented meeting invitation to Taiwan rep in France, calling it endorsement for Taiwan secessionists Global Times 02 May 2021 -- China strongly opposed to the US Embassy in France's invitation to Taiwan's representative in France to attend a lunch meeting on Friday, stating that the move seriously violated the one-China principle and endorsed the Taiwan "secessionist forces," the Chinese embassy in France responded on its official website on Sunday.
• Statement of Spokesman for DPRK Foreign Ministry KCNA 02 May 2021 -- A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK released the following statement Sunday:
• Statement of DPRK Foreign Ministry Director General of Department of U.S. Affairs KCNA 02 May 2021 -- Kwon Jong Gun, director general of the Department of U.S. Affairs of the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK, released the following statement Sunday:
• Statement of Kim Yo Jong, Vice Department Director of WPK Central Committee KCNA 02 May 2021 -- Kim Yo Jong, vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), issued the following statement Sunday:
• 14th Plenary Meeting of 14th SPA Standing Committee Held KCNA 02 May 2021 -- The 14th Plenary Meeting of the 14th Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) was held on April 30.
• DPRK warns U.S. to face worse consequences after Washington calls Pyongyang "threat" People's Daily 02 May 2021 -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) warned on Sunday that the United States "will face worse and worse crisis" after U.S. President Joe Biden called the DPRK's nuclear program a "serious threat," reported the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
• DPRK's Kim Yo Jong warns ROK over leaflets issue People's Daily 02 May 2021 -- Kim Yo Jong, first vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and the younger sister of the DPRK's top leader Kim Jong Un, slammed the Republic of Korea (ROK) for failing to stop anti-Pyongyang leaflets flown by a "defector group" last week.
• North Korea dismisses 'spurious' US diplomacy as cover for 'hostile acts', warns of corresponding response Press TV 02 May 2021 -- North Korea has lashed out at US President Joe Biden for his comments about Pyongyang's nuclear program, dismissing Washington's talk of diplomacy as "spurious" and warning of a corresponding response to its hostile policies.
• Leader rebukes Foreign Minister Zarif over leaked remarks on foreign policy Press TV 02 May 2021 -- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei rebukes Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif for the latter's "wrongful" remarks about Iran's foreign policy, the Quds Force of the country's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and the force's martyred commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani.
• JCPOA Joint Commission wraps up meeting in Vienna ISNA 02 May 2021 -- Negotiating teams from Iran and the P4+1 held the latest plenary meeting of the JCPOA Joint Commission in the Austrian capital of Vienna on Saturday afternoon.
• Iran's Supreme Leader Chides Minister Despite Apology For Leaked Comments RFE/RL 02 May 2021 -- Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has lashed out at Tehran's top diplomat in a powerful rebuke that could hobble Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif as international nuclear talks continue in Vienna and a presidential election looms.
• There's agreement on lifting sanctions on maximum part of list: Araghchi ISNA 02 May 2021 -- Iran's chief nuclear negotiator and deputy foreign minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi stressed that talks with the 4+1are progressing.
• Iran says parties to nuke talks have reached "common ground" in areas People's Daily 02 May 2021 -- Iran's senior negotiator in Vienna talks aimed at reviving the Iran nuclear deal said Saturday that negotiating parties have reached "common ground in many cases," but there are still differences.
• US national security adviser: Washington will keep working for return to JCPOA Press TV 02 May 2021 -- US national security adviser Jake Sullivan has said that American diplomats will keep working "to try to arrive at a mutual return to the JCPOA, which is the Iran nuclear deal, on a compliance-for-compliance basis."
• Iran Detentions In Spotlight As U.K. Alleges 'Torture,' U.S. Rejects Report Of Prisoner Swap RFE/RL 02 May 2021 -- U.S., U,K., and Iranian officials have all dismissed or otherwise downplayed unconfirmed reports out of Iran that suggested deals had been struck to swap prisoners against the backdrop of high-profile nuclear talks over Iran's nuclear activities.
• US Denies Hostage Deal With Iran VOA 02 May 2021 -- The United States is denying a report on Iranian state television that Tehran has reached a deal with Washington and Britain to free prisoners with Western ties in exchange for billions of dollars in new economic aid.
• Iran's military court denies nonsuit order for Ukraine plane crash culprits Press TV 02 May 2021 -- The Judicial Organization of the Iranian Armed Forces has denied rumors that a nonsuit order was issued for the culprits in the downing of a Ukrainian plane in early 2020.
• Anti-coup protesters rally in Myanmar amid reports of deadly crackdown Press TV 02 May 2021 -- Thousands have flocked to the streets in Myanmar to oppose the military rule more than three months after a coup plunged the Southeast Asian country into turmoil amid heavy-handed crackdown on protests.
• Chronicling The Bloody Belarus Crackdown An Imperative For Online News Editor, Despite Pressure RFE/RL 02 May 2021 -- Anger spilled onto the streets of Minsk and across Belarus on August 9, 2020, shortly after polls closed and a state-run exit survey pointed to a big victory for Alyaksandr Lukashenka. Protesters marched through the streets of the capital, many facing off against armed riot police who dealt with them brutally.
• UN chief welcomes Somali move to return to agreed electoral model People's Daily 02 May 2021 -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday welcomed the decision of Somalia's lower house of parliament to nullify the "Special Law on Federal Elections" and return to the modalities outlined in the Sept. 17, 2020, electoral agreement, said his spokesman.
• UN chief welcomes return to electoral agreement in Somalia UN News 02 May 2021 -- The United Nations Secretary-General on Saturday welcomed the decision by the Lower House of Somalia's Federal Parliament to nullify a special law and to return to the 17 September Electoral Agreement that will allow for indirect presidential and parliamentary elections.