Trial begins for 40 Turkish soldiers charged with presidential ‘assassination plot’

On Monday, Turkish prosecutors charged 47 suspects, most of whom were soldiers, with a range of crimes relating to a failed coup attempt last July.  Among the charges levied were attempting to assassinate the president, breaching the constitution and belonging to an armed terrorist organization.  Prosecutors have requested life in prison for 40 of the […]

Iranian general threatens US with a ‘strong slap in the face’

Since taking office, President Trump has repeatedly pledged to take a harder line on Iran – a promise he upheld earlier this month when he levied sanctions against twenty-five individuals and organizations tied to Iran’s ballistic missile program on February 3rd.  The sanctions came days after the Iranian military tested a nuclear capable missile that […]

CIA-backed aid for Syrian rebels frozen after Islamist attack – sources

CIA-coordinated military aid for rebels in northwest Syria has been frozen since they came under major attack last month by radical Islamic militants, rebel sources said, raising doubts about foreign support key to their war against President Bashar al-Assad. Rebel officials said that no official explanation had been given for the move this month following […]

Pakistan shells border with Afghanistan as tensions rise over terrorist attacks

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — An escalating border conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan is threatening to undermine their cooperation on terrorism and peace talks with the Taliban as the Trump administration begins weighing its options to spur progress on both fronts. After a blitz of terrorist bombings across Pakistan left more than 125 people dead, Pakistani forces […]

Ex-NATO Chief praises Trump’s national security team ‘now that Flynn has been dismissed’

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — The Former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO on Tuesday praised the national security team being shaped under the Trump administration as “first class” now that retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn is out of the picture. “The good news,” said Adm. James Stavridis (Ret.) to attendees of the AFCEA West 2017 conference in a keynote address delivered […]

SOFREP reporting from Ukraine: Ceasefire update

Monday, February 20th, the new ceasefire agreement is in full swing across the front line of Ukraine, but is it going to hold up? I was in one of the front-line villages in last few days, and the Russian-backed rebels have dropped everything on them from AGS (Automatic grenade launcher), 82mm mortars, 120mm mortars to Grad rockets. […]

Lt. Gen. McMaster, Trump’s new National Security Advisor met with widespread applause

President Trump has selected Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster to serve as the new National Security Advisor after recently asking for Lt. Gen. Flynn’s resignation. It’s difficult to find outspoken critics of Lt. General H.R. McMaster in Washington, D.C. Despite his controversy, McMaster seems to be admired similar to how Petraeus is and has been admired […]

US carrier and missile destroyer enter South China Sea

The South China Sea has been at the center of recent tensions between the United States and its allies and their economic, political, and possibly even military opponent, China.  The waterway sees an estimated $5 trillion in trade on an annual basis, nearly thirty percent of the global economy, and is said to contain large […]

Pentagon officials think Russia is testing Trump

According to some officials within the Pentagon, Russia’s recent aggression toward the United States has been a part of an effort to test President Trump’s response to such actions. In the past few weeks, the Russian military has deployed a new medium-range, nuclear capable ballistic missile in to an undisclosed location, a clear violation of […]