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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• U.S. forces provide assistance to Somali National Army AFRICOM 27 Aug 2023 -- At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted a collective self-defense airstrike against al Shabaab terrorists in the vicinity of Seiera, Somalia, approximately 45 kilometers northwest of Kismayo.
• US Airstrike Kills 13 Al-Shabab Militants VOA 27 Aug 2023 -- The U.S. military in Africa (AFRICOM) reported a "collective self-defense" airstrike against al-Shabab militants — killing 13 fighters in Somalia.

Defense Policy / Programs

• 3 US Marines dead, 5 in 'serious condition' after aircraft crash in Australia Press TV 27 Aug 2023 -- A US military aircraft has crashed on a remote island north of Australia while taking part in war games, leaving three dead and 20 others injured.
• Marine Rotational Force - Darwin MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft crash USMC News Release 27 Aug 2023 -- Marine Rotational Force - Darwin can confirm a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey crash on Melville Island, north of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, while transporting troops during a routine training exercise
• Joint statement Prime Minister of Australia 27 Aug 2023 -- Earlier today a United States Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey crashed on Melville Island, north of Darwin, while supporting Exercise Predators Run 2023.
• Statement from Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles, regarding US Marine Corps Osprey incident Australia DOD 27 Aug 2023 -- Earlier today a United States Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey crashed on Melville Island, north of Darwin, while supporting Exercise Predators Run 2023.
• US Navy official asks Washington's allies to 'challenge' China Press TV 27 Aug 2023 -- A senior US Navy official advised Washington's allies to challenge what he called "aggressive behavior" by China following a reported incident involving China's coastguard and a Philippines vessel in the South China Sea.
• Saudi Arabia Assumes Command of Coalition Task Force Sentinel US Navy 27 Aug 2023 -- The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia assumed command of a multinational task force that monitors merchant shipping through key strategic chokepoints during an indoor ceremony here Aug. 27.
• Royal Saudi Navy Assumes Command of Combined Task Force 152 US Navy 27 Aug 2023 -- The Royal Saudi Navy assumed command of a multinational naval task force focused on maritime security in the Arabian Gulf during a ceremony here, Aug. 27.
• German Conservative Leader Backs Sending Cruise Missiles to Ukraine Sputnik 27 Aug 2023 -- Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany's conservative Christian Democrats, said in an interview out Sunday that he was in favor of giving Ukraine the long-sought-after Taurus cruise missiles.
• Taiwan's main fighter developer urges government to start building next generation jets CNA 27 Aug 2023 -- The head of Taiwan's main domestic aircraft developer has called on the government to give the green light and funding to develop the next generation indigenous fighter jets sooner rather than later, a move local defense experts said could boost the defense industry's capability and increase leverage in buying advanced fighters from the United States.
• PARTICIPATION OF INDIAN AIR FORCE IN EXERCISE BRIGHT STAR-23 AT CAIRO AIR BASE, EGYPT India PIB 27 Aug 2023 -- An Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent departed today, for participating in ExerciseBRIGHT STAR-23 a biennial multilateral tri-service exercise scheduled to be held at Cairo (West) Air Base, Egypt from 27 August to 16 September 2023
• General hails 'headway' in drone production, says Iran can export defense products at will Press TV 27 Aug 2023 -- The commander of the Iranian Army's Air Defense Force says the Islamic Republic has made significant progress in production of drones and can now export its domestically-produced defense equipment to other countries.
• EU to Launch Civil-Military Mission in West Africa in Fall - Reports Sputnik 27 Aug 2023 -- The European Union plans to launch an advisory and capacity-building mission in West Africa in fall that allegedly aims to roll back Islamist militancy on the Gulf of Guinea coast, media reported Sunday.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

Ukraine Conflict News
• Hamas warns Israel of 'unprecedented defeat' should it start 'all-out' war Press TV 27 Aug 2023 -- The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has warned the Israeli regime of an "unprecedented defeat" should they start an "all-out war" in the region.
• Lebanon's Hezbollah unveils anti-aircraft missiles in military exhibition Press TV 27 Aug 2023 -- The Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement has put on display SAM-6 anti-aircraft missiles at a military exhibition in the eastern city of Baalbek.
• Lebanese Army Says Israeli Military Boat Entered Lebanon's Territorial Waters Sputnik 27 Aug 2023 -- The Lebanese army said on Saturday that an Israeli military boat had entered the country's territorial waters near the southern Lebanese city of Naqoura.
• INTERVIEW: 'All we see is an increase in violence' Radio Free Asia 27 Aug 2023 -- Nicholas Koumjian is the chief of the United Nations Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, or IIMM, which earlier this month said that it had collected "strong evidence" that the junta and its affiliate militias are committing "increasingly frequent and brazen war crimes" in the country. Among the crimes mentioned in the agency's annual report were what it called "indiscriminate or disproportionate attacks on civilians from aerial bombing," as well as an increase in the "mass executions of civilians and detained combatants, and the large-scale and intentional burning of civilian homes and buildings."

News Reports

• Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's answer to a question from the "Moscow. Kremlin. Putin" programme on August 27, 2023 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 27 Aug 2023
• Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's answer to a question from the "Moscow. Kremlin. Putin" programme on August 27, 2023 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 27 Aug 2023
• Western leaders use their tongue, we use our brain: Russia's Lavrov Press TV 27 Aug 2023 -- Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov of Russia has censured criticism by Western politicians and mainstream media targeting the BRICS group of emerging economies.
• Russian Authorities Confirm Death Of Wagner Leader Prigozhin RFE/RL 27 Aug 2023 -- Russia's Investigative Committee has confirmed the death of Wagner mercenary group head Yevgeny Prigozhin in a private-jet crash north of Moscow on August 23.
• Russian investigators officially confirm death of Wagner chief in plane crash after genetic test Press TV 27 Aug 2023 -- Russia's Investigative Committee has officially confirmed that Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner military group, was killed in a plane crash last week.
• Wagner Head Prigozhin Identified Among Passengers of Crashed Jet Sputnik 27 Aug 2023 -- A business jet carrying Prigozhin, six other passengers and three crew went down near a remote town in Russia's Tver region on Wednesday evening. Russian aviation authorities and law enforcement, including the Investigative Committee, launched probes into the incident.
• Russia: Mercenary Leader Prigozhin Confirmed Dead in Plane Crash VOA 27 Aug 2023 -- Russian investigators said Sunday that genetic and forensic testing showed that Yevgeny Prigozhin, the chief of the Wagner mercenary fighters in Ukraine, was among the 10 people killed in a plane crash last week in Russia.
• Obituary: Yevgeny Prigozhin, Mercenary Leader Whose Mutiny Was 'Stab In The Back' For Putin RFE/RL 27 Aug 2023 -- Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the notorious mercenary company Wagner who became a key figure in Russia's war on Ukraine before staging a mutiny that brought rebel fighters to Moscow's doorstep, directly challenging President Vladimir Putin, died in a plane crash whose cause remains under investigation, state authorities said. He was 62.
• Russia's Coal Basin Struggles With Closed Mines, Pollution. And Now The Toll From Ukraine War RFE/RL 27 Aug 2023 -- In the heart of the Russia's coal-mining Kemerovo region, residents struggle with the harsh economic realities of declining wages, obsolete mine facilities, and chronic medical conditions that come from life below, and above ground.
• US commerce chief embarks on China visit; high-level contacts expected to stabilize bilateral ties Global Times 27 Aug 2023 -- US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo arrived in Beijing on Sunday night, kicking off a four-day tour that is widely anticipated to ease fraught relationship between the US and China, the world's two largest economies. She was received by Director General Lin Feng of the American and Oceania Affairs Department of China's Ministry of Commerce at the airport.
• Hong Kong Police Question Relatives of Activists Living Overseas VOA 27 Aug 2023 -- Hong Kong national security police have adopted what analysts have described as "scare tactics" targeting several overseas activists over the last few weeks, issuing arrest warrants and bounties worth more than $127,000 against them, as well as summoning dozens of their family members in Hong Kong for questioning.
• PLA holds encirclement drills around Taiwan island following US arms sale approval Global Times 27 Aug 2023 -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) recently conducted another, unannounced large-scale joint exercise encircling the island of Taiwan featuring sudden actions and sophisticated buildups after the US approved a $500 million arms sale to the island.
• PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan Aug. 27, 2023 ROC MND 27 Aug 2023
• Announcement Issued by SEEPH KCNA 27 Aug 2023 -- The State Emergency Epidemic Prevention Headquarters (SEEPH) issued the following announcement on Aug. 26:
• North Korea to allow citizens abroad to return home as pandemic eases Global Times 27 Aug 2023 -- North Korea will allow its citizens abroad to return home, the country's state-owned media reported, as they have been stranded overseas for over three years after North Korea closed its border in January 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic.
• International decisions key to settlement of Arash gas field row: Iran diplomat Press TV 27 Aug 2023 -- A senior Iranian diplomat says the dispute over the Persian Gulf Arash natural gas field shared with Kuwait and Saudi Arabia can be settled "peacefully" based on international decisions.
• Iran says disputed gas field with Kuwait 'not a big problem' Press TV 27 Aug 2023 -- Iran believes a dispute with neighboring Kuwait surrounding a gas field in the Persian Gulf is not a big problem as a senior diplomat says the issue can be resolved given the good relations that exist between the two countries.
• Iran unveils homegrown Cesium-137 radionuclide as new nuclear feat Press TV 27 Aug 2023 -- Iranian nuclear experts have for the first time managed to produce Cesium-137 radionuclide which used to be imported.
• Iran awards $2.7bn airport project to Chinese contractor Press TV 27 Aug 2023 -- Iran has awarded a contract to a Chinese company to develop its largest international airport, according to a senior transportation ministry official.
• Iranian FM, acting FM of Afghanistan discuss Helmand water right, bilateral issues ISNA 27 Aug 2023 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has held phone talks with Afghan Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Mottaqi over bilateral issues.
• Chandrayaan-3 mission is expected to send home information about Moon's atmosphere, soil, minerals etc which may be the first of its kind for the scientific community across the world and of far-reaching implications in the times to come , says Dr. Jitendra Singh India PIB 27 Aug 2023 -- Chandrayaan-3 mission is expected to send home information about Moon's atmosphere, soil, minerals etc which may be the first of its kind for the scientific community across the world and of far-reaching implications in the times to come, said Union Minister of State for Space, Dr
• Indian prime minister proposes full G20 membership for African Union Press TV 27 Aug 2023 -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has proposed to grant full membership to the African Union (AU) in the Group of 20 (G20) as the bloc is set to hold a summit in New Delhi next month.
• Protests Over Power Bill Increases Spread in Pakistan VOA 27 Aug 2023 -- Protests against soaring power prices continued in Pakistan for a third consecutive day on Sunday, with television footage showing enraged consumers at rallies burning their electricity bills.
• Zimbabwe's president dismisses allegations of vote fraud Press TV 27 Aug 2023 -- Zimbabwe's re-elected president Emmerson Mnangagwa has dismissed allegations of electoral fraud from the opposition after winning a second term in office.
• Zimbabwe Polling Commission: President Mnangagwa Wins Reelection VOA 27 Aug 2023 -- Zimbabwe's Electoral Commission has declared President Emmerson Mnangagwa the winner of Wednesday's general election. The main opposition party, the Citizens Coalition for Change, is disputing the results.
• Involuntary Volunteers: Turkmenistan Mobilizes State Workers To Pick Cotton RFE/RL 27 Aug 2023 -- Thousands of teachers, health-care workers, and other state employees in Turkmenistan have been forced to pick cotton as the annual harvest season kicked off in August amid scorching summer heat.