Category: Conflict

LIBYA OFFICIALS : FRENCH SPECIAL FORCES ON GROUND FIGHTING ISIS

By RAMI MUSA Associated Press French special forces have been helping Libyan troops fight Islamic State militants in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi for two months, two Libyan military officials said Wednesday. The French combat squad, consisting of 15 special forces, carried out four military operations against IS and other militant groups in Benghazi,… Continue reading LIBYA OFFICIALS : FRENCH SPECIAL FORCES ON GROUND FIGHTING ISIS

SYRIA CEASE-FIRE BRINGS TURKEY CLOSER TO WAR

Turkish army tanks take up position on the Turkish-Syrian border near the southeastern town of Suruc in Sanliurfa province September 29, 2014. Turkish tanks and armoured vehicles took up positions on hills overlooking the besieged Syrian border town of Kobani on Monday as shelling by Islamic State insurgents intensified and stray fire hit Turkish soil, a Reuters correspondent said. At least 30 tanks and armoured vehicles, some with their guns pointed towards Syrian territory, were positioned near a Turkish military base just northwest of Kobani. Plumes of smoke rose up as shells hit the eastern and western sides of Kobani and sporadic bursts of machinegun fire rang out. REUTERS/Murad Sezer (TURKEY - Tags: POLITICS CONFLICT MILITARY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

By Roy Gutman Foreign Policy Secretary of State John Kerry’s agreement with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, billed as an opening to the cessation of hostilities in Syria, turned out to be the starting shot for more intensive Russian bombing of cities and towns, hospitals, and schools in the north of the country. And Russia’s… Continue reading SYRIA CEASE-FIRE BRINGS TURKEY CLOSER TO WAR

CIA: ISIS HAS CHEMICAL WEAPONS

The director of the Central Intelligence Agency said Islamic State fighters in Syria have used chemical weapons. John Brennan said there are a number of instances where the terrorist group has used “chemical munitions on the battlefield.” His comments were featured in excerpts from the television news show 60 Minutes. The full interview with Brennan… Continue reading CIA: ISIS HAS CHEMICAL WEAPONS

RUSSIAN AIRSPACE FORCES DEPLOY A BERIEV A-50 MAINSTAY AEW&C AIRCRAFT IN SYRIA

The Russian Airspace Forces detachment in Syria has started to use a Beriev A-50 Mainstay AEW&C aircraft to support the operations of the air task force deployed there. The aircraft was sent to Syria in late December 2015, one month after the downing of the Russian Su-24M from a F-16 of the Turkish Air Force.… Continue reading RUSSIAN AIRSPACE FORCES DEPLOY A BERIEV A-50 MAINSTAY AEW&C AIRCRAFT IN SYRIA

IRAN IS PREPARING TO DEPLOY TWO STRIKE JET SQUADRONS IN SYRIA

According to the newspaper, Al-Rai, Iran is preparing to deploy two strike jet squadrons in Syria to conducts strikes against ISIS and FSA targets. The aircraft will be deployed at the T4 Tiyas Syrian Air Force base, which is located to the west of the city of Palmyra. This will be the third Syrian Air… Continue reading IRAN IS PREPARING TO DEPLOY TWO STRIKE JET SQUADRONS IN SYRIA

BRITISH PARLIAMENT APPROVED AIR STRIKES AGAINST ISIS IN SYRIA – FIRST MISSION COMPLETED

A IX(B) Sqn Tornado GR4 training for deployment to Afghanistan. Pictured here on 12 October 2012 is a Tornado GR4 aircraft as it undertakes a training sortie over the North West of England. The Tornado from IX(B) Squardon is preparing for deployed operations over Afghanistan in the near future. The Tornado GR4 is a variable geometry, two-seat, day or night, all-weather attack aircraft capable of delivering a wide variety of weapons. Powered by two Rolls-Royce RB 199 Mk 103 turbofan engines, the GR4 is capable of low-level supersonic flight and can sustain a high subsonic cruise speed. The GR4 typically carries up to a maximum of 5 Paveway IV smart weapons or 2 Stormshadow cruise missiles but can be configured with various weapons, targeting pods and reconnaissance pods simultaneously including the Dual Mode Seeker (DMS) Brimstone, ALARM Mk2 missile, Litening III and the Reconnaissance Airborne Pod TORnado (RAPTOR). The Tornado GR4 is a world leader in the specialised field of all-weather, day and night tactical reconnaissance. The RAPTOR pod is one of the most advanced reconnaissance sensors in the world and greatly increases the effectiveness of the aircraft in the reconnaissance role. Its introduction into service gave the GR4 the ability to transmit real-time, Long Range Oblique Photography (LOROP) to commanders or to view this in cockpit during a mission. The stand-off range of the sensors also allows the aircraft to remain outside heavily defended areas, thus minimising the aircraft’s exposure to enemy air-defence systems. Additional capability in the Non-Traditional Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (NTISR) role is provided by the Litening III RD and the use of the ROVER data link for providing tactical operators with real time Full Motion Video (FMV) in the battle space. The Tornado GR4 is now equipped with the Storm Shadow missile and 2 variants of the Brimstone missile, including the most advanced DMS variant.

British Parliament voted yesterday in favor of bombing ISIS targets in Syria, marking the extension of UK’s operations in the region. The votes were 397 in favor and 223 against and the UK will join France, Jordan, United States and Australia, in their air campaign against ISIS in Syria. Royal Air Force has been bombing… Continue reading BRITISH PARLIAMENT APPROVED AIR STRIKES AGAINST ISIS IN SYRIA – FIRST MISSION COMPLETED

TURKISH F-16 SHOT DOWN A RUSSIAN SU-24M NEAR SYRIAN BORDER – DETAILED ANALYSIS

A Turkish Air Force F-16C Block40TM shot down on Tuesday morning at 09.24 local time a twin-engine, two-seater Su-24M bomber of the Russian Air Force Detachment in Syria in a short distance from the northwest Turkish-Syrian borders. The Russian aircraft was bombing with another Su-24M Turkmen rebels positions in the Bayir Bucak area within Syrian… Continue reading TURKISH F-16 SHOT DOWN A RUSSIAN SU-24M NEAR SYRIAN BORDER – DETAILED ANALYSIS

ISIS TERROR IN PARIS – THE CHRONOLOGICAL SEQUENCE OF THE ATTACKS AND THE FIRST REACTION OF FRANCE

Friday’s multiple terrorist attacks in Paris marked the beginning of a new phase in ISIS’ military and terror campaign. This time ISIS managed to move its war into the heart of Europe. According to the available information eight to nine terrorists organized into three groups, attacked seven different targets in Paris within 33 minutes. The… Continue reading ISIS TERROR IN PARIS – THE CHRONOLOGICAL SEQUENCE OF THE ATTACKS AND THE FIRST REACTION OF FRANCE

HOUTHIS CLAIM TO HAVE LAUNCHED AN ANTI-SHIP MISSILE AGAINST A UAE CORVETTE (VIDEO)

A video released by Almasirah TV, a channel run by the Shiia Houthi movement in Yemen, appears to show the launch of a missile against one of the UAE’s Baynunah-class corvettes. The alleged launch took place from a coastal platform close to the port of Mocha in the Red Sea. Based on the sequence of… Continue reading HOUTHIS CLAIM TO HAVE LAUNCHED AN ANTI-SHIP MISSILE AGAINST A UAE CORVETTE (VIDEO)

IRAQ AUTHORIZES RUSSIA TO DESTROY ISIS CONVOYS COMING FROM SYRIA

Russia has been authorized by the Iraqi government to use airstrikes to destroy ISIS convoys coming from Syria. This decision is part of the security coordination agreement between Iraq, Russia, Iran and Syria, which has been set up in order to facilitate the fight against ISIS in Iraq and the Levant. According to the Anadolou… Continue reading IRAQ AUTHORIZES RUSSIA TO DESTROY ISIS CONVOYS COMING FROM SYRIA