Jamie Read

About the author

I am a former UK infantry reconnaissance specialist serving worldwide, military advisor to Ukrainian special operations, a former volunteer with the YPG in Syria. Worked many years as a private security contractor in the Middle East and Africa and currently working as an executive protection officer on the UK circuit. Also, I am the owner of the Mercs Corner podcast.

Fatalities reported during Ukrainian ceasefire, conflict in Donbass region rages on

The conflict in Ukraine has continued to escalate despite an attempt at a ceasefire. Both sides rarely observe a complete ceasefire and small arms engagements and mortar strikes are very frequent. The violent start to the year has put Ukraine and Russia on track for continued clashes over the regularly contested Donbass region. In the past 48 […]

Is Somalia losing the war against terrorist group al-Shabaab?

Somalia has been engaged in a long and bloody war with al-Shabaab. Some would claim the government is losing control; others would claim they were never in control. Currently, Somalia’s central government and the terrorist organization seem to be trading blows evenly. We hear of airstrikes killing hordes of al-Shabaab fighters one day, then the […]

Boko Haram resurges, slaughters 60 Nigerian villagers in raid

On the 28th of January, 2019, in a village in northern Nigeria, Boko Haram killed at least 60 people. The onslaught took place in the border town of Rann. Amnesty International has called the attack devastating and one of the bloodiest assaults by the radical group since its formation. In what looks to be the standard […]

New insights into African terror group, the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara

Attacks have been on the rise in Burkina Faso, with the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) claiming responsibility for a number of strikes against the country’s security forces. First thought to be a relatively new splinter group originating from Al-Mourabitoun, new findings reveal that the group can be traced back to 2017, when the Islamic State […]

AFRICOM involved in capture of suspected leading member of Islamic State

United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) has helped capture a suspected leading member of the Islamic State, Khalifa Al-Barq. The arrest took place in the former Islamic State stronghold city of Sirte, Libya on the 30th of January, 2019. Residents in the city have taken to social media claiming U.S. troops took part in the operation. A […]

To Russia’s chagrin, Israel and Ukraine improve diplomatic ties

The relationship between Ukraine and Israel dates back to 1947, when Ukraine was still part of the Soviet Union. It was more widely recognized back then as the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. Ukraine was one of 33 states that pressed for a Jewish state in Mandatory Palestine during the U.N. Partition Proposal in 1947. The Soviet […]

Al-Qaeda leader gunned down in Libya (warning: graphic image)

A leader of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), referred to as Abu Talha Al-Libi, was gunned down in an assault on his compound on January 18th. Abu Talha was holed up with other insurgents in an area called Al-Qarda Al-Shati, close to Sabha in southern Libya. AQIM, formerly identified as the Salafist Group for […]

Boko Haram continues campaign of successful attacks on Nigerian military targets

An offshoot of the jihadi militant group ISWAP, otherwise known as Boko Haram, recently attacked two military establishments in the north of Nigeria. The two forward operating bases (FOBs) where the attacks occurred are located near the border with Cameroon. The assault, perpetrated by jihadis in technicals, injured six soldiers and damaged some military hardware. It […]

Cameroon rapidly destabilizing as government forces fight on two fronts

Senior Cameroon military leaders have assembled the country’s armed forces in light of recent security vulnerabilities. Troops have been ordered to stand by at their headquarters in Yaounde to await deployment assignments. In a recent report, officials say the military is redeploying more resources to hotspots around the country. ISWAP, best know as Boko Haram, […]