Steve Balestrieri

About the author

Steve is a SOFREP Senior Editor. He has served as a Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer before injuries forced his early separation. He writes for SOFREP and covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and his work was regularly featured in the Millbury-Sutton Chronicle and Grafton News newspapers.
Chadian military claims it killed 1000 terrorists in a multi-day operation

Chadian military claims it killed 1000 terrorists in a multi-day operation

The Chadian military recently concluded Bohoma Anger, an eight-day operation around the heavily disputed islands of Lake Chad. The military inflicted a heavy toll on Boko Haram killing 1000 terrorists and destroying 50 motorized canoes, military officials claimed. Army spokesman, Colonel Azem Bermandoa, said in a statement to the media, that the operation cleared the […]

Happy Easter: A beautiful blend of Christianity and pagan holidays

Happy Easter: A beautiful blend of Christianity and pagan holidays

On Easter Sunday, on any given year other than this, people dress in new finery and go to church services celebrating the resurrection of Christ. Bouquets of fresh flowers — usually lilies (to denote resurrection) and daffodils — lend a splash of color to end the gray, dreary winter season. Soon after church children take […]

ISIS terrorists and Syrian troops fight it out around Homs

ISIS terrorists and Syrian troops fight it out around Homs

Islamic State (ISIS) fighters attacked Syrian troops loyal to the government of President Bashar al-Assad. The intense fighting left nearly 50 dead.  The fighting took place, according to the U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), around the villages of Badiya Al-Sukhnah and Badiya Al-Sham in Syria’s central province of Homs. ISIS fighters tried to […]

American aircraft sink Yamato, the world’s largest battleship

American aircraft sink Yamato, the world’s largest battleship

By early 1945, the Japanese Empire was shrinking daily and the war had reached its home shores. Less than three and half years after Pearl Harbor, American industrial might was on full display. And it was never more apparent than during the Battle of Okinawa.  The once-proud Japanese Imperial Navy that Americans feared would threaten […]

Afghan Government releases hundreds of Taliban from prison

Afghan Government releases hundreds of Taliban from prison

The U.S. and the coalition forces are slated to withdraw from Afghanistan within 13 months if the Taliban meet certain requirements of the peace deal reached between them and the U.S.  Right now, the biggest sticking point to the implementation of the peace deal is the release of the Taliban fighters that are locked up […]

Who lives and who dies? Massachusetts ready to sacrifice old and sick people

Who lives and who dies? Massachusetts ready to sacrifice old and sick people

In a scary scenario that sounds like that of a bad B movie, Massachusetts state officials are drawing up plans on how to better serve the public. And they’re ready to cull the old, the infirm and the weak. Think it is far-fetched? Think again. The Commonwealth has been looking at the ongoing coronavirus pandemic […]

Syrian government used chemical weapons on its own people

Syrian government used chemical weapons on its own people

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has released the results of a long investigation on the use of chemical weapons in Syria. It concluded that the Syrian air force used such weapons on attacks on its own people in 2017.  Although the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad has repeatedly denied this, the […]

Testing my mettle to earn my medal: A Ragnar Trail experience

Testing my mettle to earn my medal: A Ragnar Trail experience

Editor’s note: One of our friends and readers at SOFREP, Heath Hansen, has frequently contributed to our site with his experiences. Here is another story of his, and you’ll no doubt enjoy this one as much as his other fine work.  November 1st, 2017. I get a call from my buddy — my buddy rarely […]

Jihadists kill at least 20 Malian soldiers in another deadly attack

Jihadists kill at least 20 Malian soldiers in another deadly attack

In the increasing violence that is tearing apart the country, Jihadist militants attacked a military base in the northern town of Bamba early on Monday morning. At least 20 Malian soldiers were killed in the fighting, government sources stated. Army officials confirmed that the attack occurred in Bamba. They said that there had been losses […]

Taliban cry foul, peace deal with the US on the rocks

Taliban cry foul, peace deal with the US on the rocks

The Taliban have accused the United States of violating the peace deal, saying that the U.S. has used drones to attack civilians while calling out the Afghan government for failing to release the 5,000 Taliban prisoners languishing in prisons. They say that the peace deal is in danger of breaking.   The deal was hoped would […]

US drone strike in Somalia whacks 5 Al-Shabaab terrorists

US drone strike in Somalia whacks 5 Al-Shabaab terrorists

The United States confirmed on Saturday that five Al-Shabaab terrorists were killed in a drone strike.  The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), in a statement, said that the latest drone strike, which targeted the fighters of the terrorist group, was conducted in the vicinity of Bush Madina in the Bay region of southern Somalia and did […]

Terror Stabbing in France: Police arrests 3 Sudanese immigrants

Terror Stabbing in France: Police arrests 3 Sudanese immigrants

French security officials have detained a third person in connection to a knife attack south of Lyon that left two people dead and five others wounded, one of them in critical condition, authorities reported on Sunday. French anti-terror prosecutors said that the third arrest was made late on Saturday night and that all three of […]