Year: 2019

UK sends Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan to Gulf

The UK Royal Navy dispatched HMS Duncan to join HMS Montrose in the Persian Gulf amid heightened tensions in the region

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Iran strikes militants in Iraqi Kurdistan

Iran's IRGC said it launched strikes against militants in Iraqi Kurdistan in response to attacks against Iranian forces this week

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Turkey takes delivery of Russian-made S-400 missile defense system parts

Turkey took delivery of components for the S-400 air defense missile system from Russia

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Islamic State Turkey province video claims new wilayah in old turf

ISIS released a propaganda video from ‘Wilayah Turkey,’ showing a small group of militants pledging bayah, or allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The eighth in the “And the best outcome is for the righteous” series, the video is the first from this new province, but ISIS already has a complex presence in Turkey. The five-minute long video released on July 10 is typical of earlier bayah videos. It features three militants sitting in front of what appears to be a handmade, large black standard commonly used by ISIS. They are joined by two more when making the pledge of allegiance while a sixth presumably operates the shaking camera. The speaker is identified as Abu Qatada at-Turki, and he reaffirms the militants’ allegiance to Baghdadi while also threatening Turkey and America. A weapons researcher known as Calibre Obscura noted that the militants appear well-armed in comparison to fighters seen in other videos in this series. A Draganov sniper rifle, a PKM machine gun, an RPG-7 rocket-propelled grenade launcher, two AKMS assault rifles, a Glock pistol, and some grenades appear throughout. Islamic State in Turkey The “And the best outcome is for the righteous” video series has included ISIS militants …

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Syria: Bomb explodes outside church in Qamishli Christian neighborhood

A car bomb detonated near a church in the Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli in northeast Syria, wounding almost a dozen people

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Why America’s limited conflicts become ‘forever wars’

Interview with Donald Stoker, Naval War College professor and author of "Why America Loses Wars: Limited War and US Strategy from the Korean War to the Present"

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Libya: Casualties reported after car bomb in Benghazi

At least three people were killed and 15 wounded when a car bomb exploded in a cemetery of the Libyan city of Benghazi during an ex-army commander's funeral

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Sahel states need more support to fight extremism, UN chief Guterres says

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged international support for the G5 Sahel to help West Africa's fight against violent extremism

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EU pledges €138 million more to support G5 Sahel Joint Force

The EU is to give €138 million more to support the G5 Sahel Joint Force, including its police component, a joint statement said

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Sri Lanka negotiating military cooperation deal with US, prime minister says

Sri Lanka is negotiating a military cooperation deal with the US, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe announced as President Sirisena vowed to veto it

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