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Egypt’s Sisi Says Turkey/Qatar-Backed Assault on Libya’s Sirte Is ‘Red Line’

Egypt’s president warned Saturday that advances by Turkey-backed Libyan forces on the Libyan city of Sirte could prompt an Egyptian military intervention in the neighboring country in support of Cairo’s ally Khalifa Haftar.  Meanwhile, Ankara has urged forces led by the eastern-based Haftar to withdraw from the strategic city for a ceasefire agreement to be reached. The UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli has made major military gains against Haftar’s forces recently thanks to increased support from its backer Turkey. The key city of Sirte, which lies some 280 miles east of the capital, is under the control of Haftar’s forces, who last year launched a recently aborted attempt to seize control of western Libya. In a televised address, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Sirte is a “red line” for Egypt, citing the need to protect its porous border as grounds for “direct intervention” in Libya. “If the Libyan people asked us to intervene, it is a signal to the world that Egypt and Libya share … common interests, security and stability,” Sisi said on Saturday. The GNA denounced Sisi’s warning, saying any intervention would be a threat to Libya’s security. “We strongly reject what was said …

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US Navy Confirms Demotion of Captain of Virus-Hit Carrier

The US Navy said Friday it would not reinstate the captain of a coronavirus-stricken aircraft carrier, saying he was in part to blame for the severity of the crisis on the warship. Admiral Michael Gilday, chief of naval operations, said Brett Crozier, who was fired as captain of the USS Theodore Roosevelt in April, was guilty of “questionable judgment” in handling an outbreak of COVID-19 aboard the nuclear-powered ship in March. Gilday likewise faulted Rear Admiral Stuart Baker, Crozier’s direct supervisor as the carrier’s strike group commander, for poor leadership. “It is my belief that both Admiral Baker and Captain Crozier fell well short of what we expect of those in command,” Gilday said. “In reviewing both Admiral Baker’s and Captain Crozier’s actions, they did not do enough, soon enough, to fulfill their primary obligation” to keep the ship’s 5,000 crew safe. After a two-month investigation, the Navy decided that Crozier would not return to the Roosevelt and not be eligible to captain another ship. Baker’s expected promotion meanwhile has been placed on hold, pending further review. The coronavirus outbreak onboard the Roosevelt was one of the first US crises of the pandemic, crippling the massive ship and forcing it …

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Nigeria Attacks Spark Fears of Bloodier Jihadist Strategy

People in northeast Nigeria are no strangers to horror after a decade-long jihadist insurgency, but a flurry of bloody assaults has ramped up fears that a powerful jihadist faction may be opening a grim new chapter.

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Turkey Hits PKK in Iraq: Why Now and How Far Could It Go?

Turkey launched a rare ground assault into northern Iraq, deploying special forces against rebels from the Kurdistan Workers' Party which is blacklisted by Ankara as a 'terrorist' group.

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North Korea Threatens to Beef up Military Presence Around DMZ

North Korea threatened Wednesday to bolster its military presence in and around the Demilitarized Zone, a day after blowing up its liaison office with the South, prompting sharp criticism from Seoul.

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Indian and Chinese Troops in Deadly Border Clash

Three Indian soldiers were killed in a violent face-off on the Chinese border, the Indian army said Tuesday, following weeks of rising tensions and the deployment of thousands of extra troops from both sides.

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Dozens of Malian Troops Dead or Missing in Jihadist Attack: Military Sources

Dozens of troops were either killed or are missing after jihadists ambushed their convoy in central Mali, military sources said on Monday.

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China, India Increasing Their Nuclear Arsenal, Doing Significant Modernization 

Nuclear powers continue to modernize their arsenals, including India and China, researchers said Monday, warning that tensions were rising and the outlook for arms control was “bleak.” “The loss of key channels of communication between Russia and the USA… could potentially lead to a new nuclear arms race,” said Shannon Kile, director of the nuclear arms control program at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) and co-author of the report. Russia and the US account for more than 90 percent of the world’s nuclear weapons. Kile was referring to the future of the New START treaty between the US and Russia, which is set to expire in February 2021. It is the final nuclear deal still in force between the two superpowers, aimed at maintaining their nuclear arsenals below Cold War levels. “Discussions to extend New START or to negotiate a new treaty made no progress in 2019,” the SIPRI researchers noted. At the same time, nuclear powers continue to modernize their weapons while China and India are increasing the size of their arsenals. “China is in the middle of a significant modernization of its nuclear arsenal. It is developing a so-called nuclear triad for the first time, made …

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What Tactical Unmanned Aerial Assets Need in Today’s Battlefields

Advanced UAS and teamed UAS/tactical missile systems can provide actionable intelligence, force protection, and increased soldier lethality.

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In rare admission, US Africa Command says it killed 2 civilians in Somalia airstrike

The US military said it inadvertently killed two civilians over a year ago in an airstrike against al-Shabaab in Somalia

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