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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
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News Reports

Current Operations

• Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby Holds a Press Briefing DoD 19 Aug 2021
• More than 2,000 Evacuated from Afghanistan in 24 Hours DoD News 19 Aug 2021 -- More than 2,000 people were evacuated from Afghanistan over the past 24 hours, DOD officials said during a Pentagon press conference today.
• Flow of Evacuees out of Kabul Continuing Apace, Officials Say DoD News 19 Aug 2021 -- The Defense Department has the capacity and the capability to move as many people out of Afghanistan as possible, and the number of aircraft is not a limiting factor, Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby said during a press conference today.
• U.S. Airlift From Kabul Gains Speed As Afghans Defy Taliban In Several Cities RFE/RL Gandhara 19 Aug 2021 -- The U.S. military has said that it has airlifted some 7,000 people out of Afghanistan over the past few days as demonstrators defied the newly installed Taliban rule for a second day in a row in several cities, taking to the streets and waving the national flag to mark the country's Independence Day.
• Biden Vows to Stay in Afghanistan Until All Willing Americans Evacuate VOA 19 Aug 2021 -- U.S. President Joe Biden vowed to stay in Afghanistan until all U.S. citizens who want to leave have been evacuated, as he stands firmly by his decision to leave the country, despite the chaos that has ensued.
• Biden Says He Doesn't Believe Taliban Has Changed RFE/RL Gandhara 19 Aug 2021 -- U.S. President Joe Biden says he doesn't believe the Taliban has changed and the militant group is now going through an "existential crisis" about whether it wants legitimacy on the global stage after seizing power in Afghanistan.
• Who Leads the Taliban? VOA 19 Aug 2021 -- Taliban fighters captured major areas in quick succession on their way to seizing Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, Sunday, 20 years after U.S.-led forces knocked the group from power. Here are some of its key leaders.
• Hardline Haqqani Network Put in Charge of Kabul Security VOA 19 Aug 2021 -- The Taliban has placed security for the Afghan capital, Kabul, in the hands of senior members of the Haqqani Network, which has close ties with foreign jihadist groups including a long-standing association with al-Qaida.
• Taliban 'Intensifying' Search For Afghans Who Helped U.S., UN Says RFE/RL Gandhara 19 Aug 2021 -- The Taliban is stepping up a search for individuals who worked with the U.S. and NATO forces and those persons and their families could be now risking torture and executions, according to a confidential UN document seen by the media.
• Taliban, Consolidating Power, Meet With Former Rivals VOA 19 Aug 2021 -- Afghanistan's Taliban are moving quickly to address governance, security and challenges related to reconciliation with former foes, just days after regaining power in Kabul and announcing the "war is over."
• US Continues Diplomatic Outreach to Host At-risk Afghans VOA 19 Aug 2021 -- The United States says it is engaging directly with the Taliban to secure safe passage for "everybody" who is trying to get to the Kabul airport.
• Secretary Blinken's Videoconference with G7 Foreign Ministers and the High Representative of the European Union on Afghanistan US Dept. of State 19 Aug 2021
• Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's Meeting with Qatar Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs, His Excellency Dr. Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Attiyah DoD 19 Aug 2021
• U.S., Qatari Defense Leaders Discuss Afghanistan, Other Issues at Pentagon Meeting DoD News 19 Aug 2021 -- U.S. and Qatari defense leaders discussed events in Afghanistan as well as a wide range of issues in the Middle East during Pentagon meetings today.
• Secretary Blinken's Call with Spanish Foreign Minister Albares US Dept. of State 19 Aug 2021
• Secretary Blinken's Call with Albanian Prime Minister Rama US Dept. of State 19 Aug 2021
• Secretary Blinken's Call with NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg US Dept. of State 19 Aug 2021
• UK doubles aid to Afghanistan UK FCDO 19 Aug 2021 -- The UK is to double its humanitarian and development aid to Afghanistan, allowing us to provide urgent life-saving assistance to millions of people suffering from the conflict, drought and covid-19.
• Thousands Of Afghans With Travel Documents Stranded In Kabul As Taliban Fighters Turn Them Away RFE/RL Gandhara 19 Aug 2021 -- Fearing for his life, Ahmad fled his home in Kabul shortly after Taliban militants seized control of the city. He now resides in a safe house in the Afghan capital, desperately waiting to be flown to safety abroad.
• Afghanistan: What We Know VOA 19 Aug 2021 -- U.S. President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he will keep U.S. troops in Afghanistan until the last Americans are evacuated from the country. He had set an August 31 deadline for the withdrawal of the last U.S. troops.
• UN Temporarily Moving Some International Staff From Afghanistan To Kazakhstan RFE/RL Gandhara 19 Aug 2021 -- NUR-SULTAN -- The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and other UN agencies accredited there have started to temporarily relocate to Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty, amid instability in Kabul caused by Taliban militants taking control of the city.
• UNESCO Appeals for Protection of Afghanistan's Cultural Heritage VOA 19 Aug 2021 -- The United Nations cultural agency, UNESCO, called Thursday for the protection and preservation of Afghanistan's cultural heritage, warning that harming it could only have adverse consequences on lasting peace.

Defense Policy / Programs

• MQ-25 Achieves Another First, Conducts Air-to-Air Refueling with E-2D US Navy 19 Aug 2021 -- The Navy's Unmanned Carrier Aviation program completed its first aerial refueling flight with an E-2D aircraft Aug.18 at Mid-America Airport in Mascoutah, Illinois.
• U.S. Navy Seabees Complete HCA Project in Ukraine US Navy 19 Aug 2021 -- U.S. Navy Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) Eleven Detail Ukraine executed the first humanitarian assistance construction (HCA) project for a school in Mykolaiv, Ukraine, July 26, 2021.
• USS Arlington Departs Norfolk for Haiti Disaster Relief Mission US Navy 19 Aug 2021 -- The San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Arlington (LPD 24) departed Naval Station Norfolk to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to Haiti in support of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) led mission, Aug. 17.
• Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's Call with Bahrain Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa DoD 19 Aug 2021
• AEGIS Ashore Romania Celebrates Five Years of BMD Contribution to NATO US Navy 19 Aug 2021 -- The Aegis Ashore Missile Defense System (AAMDS) located at Naval Support Facility (NSF) Deveselu, Romania, celebrated the fifth anniversary of its shift to NATO Command and Control, as a U.S. contribution of capability to the Alliance, August 19, 2021.
• PLA uses large civilian ferry ship for vehicle transport in cross-sea landing drills for 1st time Global Times 19 Aug 2021 -- A Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) amphibious unit recently conducted a series of cross-sea landing drills, in which the troops for the first time used a 10,000 ton-class civilian ferry ship instead of previously used thousands ton-class civilian vessels, with analysts saying on Thursday it could provide a good addition to transporting troops on a large scale in amphibious landing missions.
• Former Air Force general suspected in Chinese spy ring out on bail CNA 19 Aug 2021 -- Two retired Air Force officers, including a former major general, were released on bail Thursday morning after overnight questioning by prosecutors about their alleged involvement in a Chinese espionage ring.
• Australia and India reaffirm their commitment to enhancing naval ties Australia DOD 19 Aug 2021 -- The Royal Australian Navy and Indian Navy have reaffirmed their strong ties and continued commitment to working closely together to ensure a peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.
• UK to support Haiti earthquake response with humanitarian assistance and Royal Navy ship UK MOD 19 Aug 2021 -- The UK Government announces new support to Haiti, as the country recovers from the recent devastating earthquake.
• Secretary Blinken's Call with Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar US Dept. of State 19 Aug 2021
• Readout of President Joe Biden Call with President Emmanuel Macron of France The White House 19 Aug 2021
• Department Press Briefing – August 19, 2021 US Dept. of State 19 Aug 2021

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Aug. 19, 2021

Other Conflicts

• Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's statement and answers to media questions at a joint news conference with Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Government of National Unity of Libya, Najla Mangoush, Moscow, August 19, 2021 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 19 Aug 2021
• Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's opening remarks during talks with Najla Mangoush, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Government of National Unity of Libya, Moscow, August 19, 2021 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 19 Aug 2021
• Deadly journeys through Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea threaten 'tragic and fatal consequences' UN News 19 Aug 2021 -- Last year was the deadliest on record for Rohingya refugees journeying through the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said in a new report on Thursday, highlighting that some two-thirds of those attempting the perilous voyages were women and children – risking even further abuse by smugglers.
• Ukrainian Leader Tries To Put Spotlight Back On Russian-Occupied Crimea RFE/RL 19 Aug 2021 -- President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has lamented that the crisis in Crimea has fallen from global attention, and he pledged to "raise from the knees" the fate of the Black Sea peninsula annexed by Russia seven years ago.
• Ethiopia: UN chief gravely concerned over 'unspeakable violence' in Tigray UN News 19 Aug 2021 -- Speaking outside the Security Council chamber on Thursday, UN chief António Guterres told journalists that he is gravely concerned about the situation in Ethiopia, particularly the "unspeakable violence" against women and others in Tigray.
• UN Chief Calls for Halt to Fighting in Ethiopia VOA 19 Aug 2021 -- The U.N. secretary-general appealed Thursday for a cessation of hostilities in Ethiopia, unrestricted aid access and an Ethiopian-led political dialogue, in a bid to end the 10-month-old conflict in the northern Tigray region.

News Reports

• US Capitol Apprehend Suspect in 'Active Bomb Threat' Investigation VOA 19 Aug 2021 -- U.S. Capitol Police Thursday apprehended a man claiming to have explosives in a parked vehicle.
• Department of State Offers Reward for Information to Bring Guinea-Bissau Narcotics Trafficker to Justice US Dept. of State 19 Aug 2021 -- Today the U.S. Department of State announces a reward offer of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Guinea-Bissau national Antonio Indjai. Indjai is the former head of the Guinea-Bissau Armed Forces and has been the subject of a United Nations travel ban since May 2012, as a result of his participation in an April 2012 coup d'état in Guinea-Bissau.
• Islamic State threat moves online, expands across Africa: Senior counter-terrorism expert UN News 19 Aug 2021 -- Two decades after the 11 September terrorist attacks in New York, terror networks Al-Qaida and Islamic State – also known as Da'esh – continue to pose a grave threat to peace and security, adapting to new technologies and moving into some of the world's most fragile regions, the top UN counter-terrorism official told the Security Council on Thursday.
• Our steadfast commitment to the global fight against terrorism UK FCDO 19 Aug 2021 -- Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the Security Council open debate on terrorism
• Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Moscow, August 19, 2021 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 19 Aug 2021
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference on August 19, 2021 PRC MofA 19 Aug 2021
• China to halt direct freight train service to Lithuania: MOFA CNA 19 Aug 2021 -- Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Thursday confirmed media reports that a Chinese freight operator has decided to halt its direct train service to Lithuania, in apparent retaliation by Beijing over a spat relating to Taiwan.
• Hong Kong Activist Pleads Guilty to Charges Under National Security Law Radio Free Asia 19 Aug 2021 -- A prominent activist who tried to flee Hong Kong for democratic Taiwan and a legal worker have pleaded guilty to charges under a national security law, connected to jailed pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai.
• China Mulls Dropping Punishments For Couples Who Have More Than Three Children Radio Free Asia 19 Aug 2021 -- The Chinese government is considering amending its new 'three-child policy' to allow couples to have four or more children without facing punishment, state media reported.
• Analysis: What Does Fall of Kabul Mean for North Korea? VOA 19 Aug 2021 -- Experts are split on how the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan could affect North Korea. Some argue that the collapse of Kabul, triggered by the withdrawal of U.S. forces, could encourage North Korea's nuclear ambitions, while others suggest the fall of Kabul may work against Pyongyang because getting Washington's attention would be harder given the complex aftermath of the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
• N. Korea Issues Navigational Warning Amid Fears of Weapons Test: Reports VOA 19 Aug 2021 -- North Korea declared a no-sail zone for ships off its east coast earlier this week, suggesting it may have been planning a missile launch or other weapons test that apparently never occurred, according to South Korean reports.
• Britain, France, Germany Voice 'Grave Concern' Over Iran's Uranium Enrichment RFE/RL 19 Aug 2021 -- Britain, France, and Germany -- three of the signatories of a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers -- have expressed serious concern over the UN's nuclear watchdog reporting that Tehran has produced uranium metal and stepped up production of weapons-grade enriched uranium in violation of the deal.
• E3 Statement on the JCPoA: 19 August 2021 UK FCDO 19 Aug 2021 -- The governments of France, Germany and the United Kingdom respond to Iranian plans to produce uranium metal.
• Myanmar Junta Targets Mobile Banking in Bid to Cut Off Opposition Funding Radio Free Asia 19 Aug 2021 -- Myanmar's military regime is working to block the flow of funding to the country's shadow National Unity Government (NUG) and other anti-junta organizations by shutting down mobile banking accounts and forcing private lenders to submit daily reports on account activity, according to sources.
• Sanctioning Cuban Officials in Response to Violence against Peaceful Protestors US Dept. of State 19 Aug 2021 -- The United States has imposed additional sanctions on Cuban military and security leaders in response to the Cuban regime's continued violent suppression of freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly in the days and weeks following the protests on and after July 11.
• Treasury Sanctions Senior Cuban Officials in Response to Violence Against Peaceful Demonstrators US Treasury 19 Aug 2021 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned three Cuban individuals pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption around the world.