31 July 2021 Military News

Taliban Assault Major Afghan Cities as US Troops Exit VOA 31 Jul 2021 -- Government forces in Afghanistan battled a major assault Saturday by Taliban insurgents on Lashkar Gah, the capital of embattled southern Helmand province, and officials said clashes were ongoing inside parts of the city.
Hazara In Afghanistan's Bamiyan Region Fear Repeat Of Taliban Atrocities RFE/RL Gandhara 31 Jul 2021 -- Returning from work in the newly developed neighborhood of Shahre Naw, Zakiya Alemzada stopped at Bamiyan's old bazaar to buy bolani - stir-fried flatbread stuffed with potato - for her usual, late lunch.
Afghan airstrikes kill 21 militants in northern Jawzjan province People's Daily 31 Jul 2021 -- A total of 21 militants were confirmed dead as fighting planes struck Taliban positions in Afghanistan's northern Jawzjan province on Friday, army spokesman in the northern region Mohammad Hanif Rezai said Saturday.
Battle in Herat forces more Afghan civilians from homes Press TV 31 Jul 2021 -- Civilians have been forced from homes in two districts of Afghanistan's western city of Herat, where clashes continue between Afghan forces and the Taliban.

US Warships Escort Oil Tanker Attacked in Indian Ocean VOA 31 Jul 2021 -- The U.S. Navy said Saturday two American warships were escorting an Israeli-operated oil tanker to a safe port after it was attacked Thursday off the coast of Oman, killing two crew members.

US Seen Bolstering Military Links in Southeast Asia to Counter China VOA 31 Jul 2021 -- U.S. President Joe Biden's administration is looking for ways to align multiple Asian countries behind the containment of rival superpower China, analysts said this week following Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's visit to the region.
F-16 receives in-flight software update during recent flight test US Air Force 31 Jul 2021 -- For the first time, an F-16 Fighting Falcon's Electronic Warfare System received an in-flight software update as part of an Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) demonstration during a recent test sortie at Nellis Air Force Base.
USS Sioux City Completes 4th Fleet Deployment US Navy 31 Jul 2021 -- The Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Sioux City (LCS 11) returned to Mayport, Fla., July 30th, following its successful deployment to the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations.
Navy Christens future USS Hyman G. Rickover US Navy 31 Jul 2021 -- The Navy's newest Virginia-class attack submarine, future USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN 795), was christened during a ceremony at General Dynamics' Electric Boat shipyard facility in Groton, Connecticut, July 31.

Xi stresses achieving goals set for Chinese PLA centenary People's Daily 31 Jul 2021 -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has called for resolute will and determination to work hard in a down-to-earth way to achieve the goals set for the centenary of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).
Xi stresses achieving goals set for Chinese PLA centenary PLA Daily 31 Jul 2021 -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has called for resolute will and determination to work hard in a down-to-earth way to achieve the goals set for the centenary of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Four nations deter and respond together on the high seas Australia DOD 31 Jul 2021 -- Australia, Canada, Japan and the Republic of Korea have united beyond the shared colours of their collective national flags during Exercise Talisman Sabre 21 (TS21).

Secretary Blinken's Call with Israeli Foreign Minister and Alternate Prime Minister Lapid US Dept. of State 31 Jul 2021

5 Years After South China Sea Ruling, Rivals Quietly Accepting China's Refusal to Comply VOA 31 Jul 2021 -- Five years after a landmark world court ruling against China's claims to a disputed sea, smaller Asian countries that contest Chinese maritime sovereignty have learned to live with Beijing's adamant rejection of the verdict, experts in the region say.

Around 90% of Tigray's People Depend on International Aid for Survival VOA 31 Jul 2021 -- A United Nations overview of conditions in northern Ethiopia's Tigray province after more than nine-months of civil strife finds a society of staggering devastation, of ruined lives and livelihoods.

US raises concern with top Israeli officials over Israeli spyware Pegasus: Report Press TV 31 Jul 2021 -- The United States has raised concern with senior Israeli officials regarding the accusations that spy software known as Pegasus sold by the Israeli surveillance company NSO Group has been used by governments around the world to carry out surveillance on journalists, activists, and political leaders, potentially those government officials with close ties to Washington.

Readout by NSC Spokesperson Emily Horne of National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's Call with President Kais Saied of Tunisia The White House 31 Jul 2021
Tunisia president denies coup, vows not to turn into 'dictator' Press TV 31 Jul 2021 -- The Tunisian president has denied allegations of staging a coup and insisted he would not turn into a dictator after ousting the nation's premier and suspending the parliament and subsequent arrest of two lawmakers after the lifting of their immunity.

1st national security case in HK hands down 9-year sentence, sets strong precedent for radicals Global Times 31 Jul 2021 -- Leon Tong Ying-kit, the first person to be convicted under the national security law for Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), was sentenced to nine years in prison due to separatism and terrorist activities, which was hailed by legal experts as a combination of deterrence and fair penalties, setting an example for upcoming national security-related cases.
Interview: Beijing Olympics Means 'Patting Xi Jinping on the Back' Amid Xinjiang, Tibet Horrors Radio Free Asia 31 Jul 2021 -- Rep. Chris Smith, a 21-term Republican congressman from New Jersey and co-chair of the Congressional Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, is a long-time critic of the Chinese Communist Party's human rights record. He spoke to Tashi Wangchuk of RFA's Tibetan Service Friday about increasingly repressive Chinese policies toward Tibet, Xinjiang, and Hong Kong.

EU adopts framework for sanctions against crisis-hit Lebanon Press TV 31 Jul 2021 -- The European Union has adopted a legal framework for targeted restrictive measures against Lebanon, which has already been grappling with an economic crisis and a political turmoil amid Western interference in the country's domestic affairs.

US seizes oil tanker vessel over alleged violation of sanctions against North Korea Press TV 31 Jul 2021 -- The United States has seized a Singaporean-owned tanker vessel over alleged violation of international sanctions by making shipments of petroleum products to North Korea.

Moldova's Prime Minister-Designate Welcomes Mandate To Form New Government RFE/RL 31 Jul 2021 -- Former Moldovan Finance Minister Natalia Gavrilita has welcomed her nomination by President Maia Sandu as prime minister-designate after her Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) won snap elections earlier this month.

International Aid Cuts Could Affect Millions Across Africa VOA 31 Jul 2021 -- The COVID-19 pandemic has led to cuts in foreign aid from donor nations such as Britain, which this month slashed its aid budget by $5.5 billion. The funding loss is being felt in Burkina Faso, where it could shut down a group that helps thousands of survivors of gender-based violence and rape.

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