On Friday the 13th of March, the Iraqi government condemned a series of overnight American air strikes. The Iraqi military stated that the latest strikes killed six people, including a civilian worker, and described them as a violation of sovereignty and a targeted aggression against the regular armed forces of
On Wednesday the 19th of February, United Nations Humanitarian Chief Mark Lowcock addressed the UN Security Council, warning them of an “unfolding humanitarian catastrophe” in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province. He noted that the crisis had already overwhelmed aid efforts, and is only likely to get worse. In the Idlib region,
On the 8th of March, the United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen warned that the nation was at a crossroads. Heavy fighting between the Houthi rebels and government troops has broken out once again, displacing tens of thousands of people over the course of February and early March. An already-dreadful
On 15 February 2020, representatives from the United States took to the stage at the 2020 Munich Security Conference to deride America’s rivals and to reinforce the nation’s commitment to Western Europe. U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper used his address to condemn China, while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
The first round of peace talks between representatives of Libya’s internationally-recognized government, and the military commander Khalifa Haftar, came to an unsuccessful conclusion on the 9th of February. The talks, facilitated by the United Nations and held in the Swiss city of Geneva, had been organized as part of an
On Friday the 31st of January, the Trump Administration rolled back restrictions on American military use of anti-personnel land mines. These policies, set in place during the Obama Administration, ensured that the United States would no longer produce or acquire anti-personnel land mines, with the long-term aim of replacing U.S.
On the 8th of January, a Boeing 737-800 jet flying for the carrier Ukraine International Airlines took off from Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport. The 176 passengers and crew on board had no clue what was about to occur. Videos posted to Twitter by Iranian users show that shortly after
On Friday 3 January, an American airstrike killed top Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani. The strike, which targeted a convoy near Baghdad airport in Iraq, was reportedly ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump. The killing has been widely condemned and threatens to upset a delicate balance in the region. President
The relationship between the United States and China could be on the mend after a phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping last week. On Friday 20 December, Trump and Xi discussed current affairs and sought an end to the ongoing trade war. While there
Talks between North Korea and the United States encountered yet another obstacle this week, with political representatives of the rogue state continuing to levy accusations of hostility towards the U.S.A. On Saturday, 7th December, a statement was released by North Korea’s envoy to the United Nations, Kim Song, which alleged
On Saturday 30 November, military officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) announced on Saturday that the army had killed a prominent leader of the rebel Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in an operation in the nation’s northeast. This successful military assault comes after two weeks of brutal attacks
On Saturday the 23rd of November, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence made an unannounced visit to Iraq. This trip marks the first time Pence has travelled to the nation, with this visit serving multiple purposes. For American troops in the region, Pence’s visit served as a morale booster, with the
On Sunday 17 November, the United States and South Korea announced that they would be postponing upcoming joint military drills. Representatives from the two nations hope that doing so will bolster peace efforts in the region. However, the move has already been criticized, with many commentators concerned that the Trump
A recent terrorist attack in Mali has left at least 54 dead, and this number may rise as more bodies are identified. Security sources report that the attack involved at least three suicide bombers, who detonated explosives inside a military camp in Indelimane, in the north of the country. The
Ongoing protests in Iraq are continuing to see the use of excessive force by local security. On Saturday, at least 10 Iraqis were killed with dozens more wounded. This violence follows the episodes on Friday which saw at least 52 killed throughout the nation. The current death toll from the
The situation in north-eastern Syria continues to worsen amidst a temporary ceasefire. The ceasefire, reached on Thursday, calls for the withdrawal of Kurdish fighters from an area of land that runs 30km into Syria and spans 440km of the Turkish-Syrian border. If this has not occurred by Tuesday, Turkey will
On Saturday 12 October, Turkish-backed Syrian rebels entered the border town of Ras al Ain. At the time of writing, reports of Turkish control of the town are uncertain; while Turkish sources claim that the town has been captured, Kurdish-led forces maintain that fighting continues. This comes only days after
On Saturday, 14th September, two oil facilities in Saudi Arabia were targeted by a drone attack. It has been widely reported that this attack has caused a major drop in Saudi Arabia’s oil output, reducing it by 5.7 million barrels per day. Responsibility for the attack has been claimed by
On Thursday, 5th September, Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed his concerns about a new global arms race at an economic forum in Russia’s Far East. Putin’s comments come at a time of increased tension between the United States and Russia, as both nations begin testing missiles which would have been
On 17 August, a terror attack was carried out on a mosque near Quetta, in southwest Pakistan. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks, but this region has seen a number of attacks in recent years attributed to Baloch separatists, the Pakistani Taliban, and local groups affiliated with
