Global defense news, analysis and opinion

Turkey and Russia begin joint patrols on northern Syria border

Turkish and Russian forces on Friday, November 1 began joint patrols near the Syria-Turkey border under a deal agreed in Sochi for the border area. The first joint patrol with ground units and drones began on Friday in the Darbasiyah district of Hasakah governorate, the Turkish Ministry of National Defence tweeted along with photos of the patrol. Rusya Federasyonu ile 22 Ekim 2019 tarihinde Soçi’de varılan mutabakat çerçevesinde; Türk ve Rus askeri unsurlarının ve İHA’ların iştirakiyle ilk ortak devriye, Fırat’ın doğusundaki Derbesiye bölgesinde başladı.#MSB #TSK pic.twitter.com/tseFhBlERy — T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı (@tcsavunma) November 1, 2019 The patrols were set to begin earlier this week but were delayed. After marathon talks between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Sochi on October 22, Russia and Turkey signed a deal that would see Russian military police and Syrian border guards “facilitate the removal” of Syrian Democratic Forces from border areas. On October 9, NATO-member Turkey and its Syrian proxy forces launched the Operation Peace Spring incursion into Syria to push the SDF and its predominantly-Kurdish YPG component south after U.S. President Donald Trump said American troops would withdraw from the immediate area. Ankara wants to clear a 30-km buffer zone to …

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UN extends Darfur peacekeeping mission UNAMID for one year

The UN Security Council extended the UNAMID peacekeeping mission in Sudan's Darfur region after a recommendation from the Khartoum government

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Turkey releases 18 Syrian soldiers after talks with Russia

Turkey freed 18 Syrian soldiers that its forces captured in northeastern Syria, the defense ministry said

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DR Congo army launches ‘large-scale operations’ against militias in Beni territory

Democratic Republic of Congo's army said it had launched "large-scale operations" against armed militias in the troubled Beni region

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ISIS confirms death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, announces new leader

ISIS confirmed the death of its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and the appointment of a new leader, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi

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The relevance of ground-based midcourse missile defense

Ground-based Midcourse Defense is a critical element of US national defense against ballistic missiles, David Daly argues

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UK Royal Air Force takes delivery of first Poseidon MRA1 maritime patrol aircraft

The UK Royal Air Force took delivery of the first of nine Poseidon MRA1 maritime surveillance aircraft

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Belgium court orders repatriation of ISIS-linked family from Roj camp in Syria

Belgian authorities were ordered to repatriate a woman who joined ISIS and her two children from Roj camp in Syria where she is being held

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US approves sale to Croatia of 2 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters for $115 million

The US State Department approved the estimated $115 million sale to Croatia of two UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters and related equipment

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Pentagon releases new details of raid that killed ISIS leader Baghdadi

ISIS founder Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi died in a hole in northwest Syria, but the fight against the terror group is not over, CENTCOM commander Gen. McKenzie said

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