drones

Iran’s IRGC seizes foreign tanker accused of smuggling fuel in Persian Gulf

Iran's IRGC has seized a tanker carrying fuel that the Islamic Republic claims was being smuggled through the Persian Gulf

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UK to send second Type 23 frigate HMS Kent to Gulf

The UK Royal Navy said it will send a second Type 23 frigate, the HMS Kent, to the Persian Gulf this autumn

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Seven Niger Tuareg leaders killed by Islamic State since April

Islamic State insurgents have killed seven leaders of the Tuareg ethnic group in southwestern Niger in less than three months

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UK Royal Navy and Marines test Thales’ Lightweight Multirole Missile

The UK Royal Navy and Royal Marines tested Thales' Lightweight Multirole Missile – also known as Martlet – against speedboats and drones

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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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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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UAE reducing troop numbers in Yemen, moving from ‘military-first’ strategy

The UAE said that it was redeploying and reducing troops fighting the Houthis in Yemen, moving from a "military-first" strategy to a "peace-first" plan

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Popular Mobilization Force reform in Iraq: Reintegration or consolidation of militia power?

Mahdi's plan to reform the Popular Mobilization Units will either reduce the risk from militias or dangerously consolidate their power in Iraq, Michael Knights says

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Mahdi orders full integration of Shia militias into Iraq’s armed forces

Iraq’s Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi ordered the Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Units) to integrate into the Iraqi armed forces or disarm

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Islamic State claims killing of Chechnya police officer in grenade and knife attack

ISIS claimed one of its Caucasus Province fighters killed a police officer in the Achkhoi-Martanovsky district Chechnya, days after an ISIS-claimed attack in Grozny

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