Turkey prepared for possible fight with YPG in Syria

Set amid an increasingly violent environment of confrontation between Syrian Kurds and the Turkish government, Turkey’s President Recep Erdogan has been upping the rhetoric against his Kurdish enemies in Syria, much to the delight of his political base at home. Speaking at a rally over the weekend, Erdogan said “We will take important steps to […]

Turkey Revamps Top Military Officials and Now Will Attack Kurds in Syria

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has just reshuffled the top leadership in the military and has spoken of military action against Kurdish fighters in Syria that could set back the progress of the U.S.-led battle against Islamic State. Kurdish militia are being armed and supplied by the US, and they are spearheading an assault against the […]

In Raqqa, a battle of attrition as civilians flee in shock

As U.S.-backed forces in Syria inch their way through Raqqa, once the Islamic State’s de facto capital and staunchest stronghold, their battle has become one of grinding attrition, and the toughest they have faced to date. At times they are fighting house-to-house, battling suicide attacks in narrow streets as they wait to see if the […]

US-backed Kurds release video showing them destroying a Turkish tank in Syria

US-backed Kurdish fighters battling ISIS in Syria released a video on Saturday showing them destroying a tank being used by Turkish-backed rebels in northwest Syria, Military Times first reported. “Today at about 9:30 am our forces targeted and destroyed a tank belonging to terrorist groups under the Turkish army’s command near Azaz hospital in Afrin’s Shera […]

US Military Conduct Airstrikes on ISIS in Iraq, Syria

With air operations continuing during Operation Inherent Resolve, the United States and other coalition military air forces pounded the Islamic State of Syria Saturday, conducting 32 air strikes consisting of 39 engagements, US military officials reported. The coalition also hit ISIS in Iraq with four strikes consisting of nine engagements. These strikes were conducted as […]

US Military Conduct Airstrikes on ISIS in Iraq, Syria

With air operations continuing during Operation Inherent Resolve, the United States and other coalition military air forces pounded the Islamic State of Syria Saturday, conducting 32 air strikes consisting of 39 engagements, US military officials reported. The coalition also hit ISIS in Iraq with four strikes consisting of nine engagements. These strikes were conducted as […]

About 2,000 Islamic State fighters remain in Syria’s Raqqa: U.S. envoy

About 2,000 Islamic State fighters are estimated to remain in the Syrian city of Raqqa, fighting for their survival in the face of an offensive by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, a senior U.S. official said on Friday. Brett McGurk, U.S. special envoy for the coalition against Islamic State, said the SDF had cleared about […]

No coordination between Lebanon and Syrian armies against IS: Lebanese military source

The Lebanese army will not coordinate with the Syrian army to fight against Islamic State in the Lebanese-Syrian border zone, a military source told Reuters on Saturday, rejecting a local media report of direct military cooperation between the two. The source said the Lebanese army had the military capability to confront and defeat the group […]

Australia details ‘sophisticated’ plot by ISIS to take down plane

SYDNEY, Australia — The Australian police described on Friday an elaborate terrorist plot in which two men from Sydney tried to place an explosive supplied by the Islamic State on a flight last month, an operation that officials said was among “the most sophisticated plots that has ever been attempted on Australian soil.” The two […]

Trump’s Advisors Taking Longer Than Expected With Afghanistan Plan

The Trump administration’s plan for Afghanistan as well as their policy toward Pakistan is taking “longer than originally announced and intended,” said Laurel Miller, the former U.S. envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Miller said to the media that, “there are no easy answers, there are no easy solutions. After 16 years, a lot of different […]

Unlikely friends: ISIS and the Italian Mafia working together to bring oil into Europe: report

A new and nefarious connection between criminal networks and jihadi groups is potentially emerging across the Mediterranean, according to Italian police. Authorities in Rome are investigating links between the country’s mafia criminal organizations and the Islamic State militant group (ISIS), suspecting them of possibly working together to smuggle oil into Europe. The police force has discovered quantities of […]

Iraq Special Forces, Rebuilding After Mosul Battle, Must Keep Standards High

The Iraqi Special Forces, the best troops in their military are looking to rebuild and re-arm after the nine-month bloody battle for Mosul. The joint US-Iraqi trained “Golden Division” suffered losses reportedly as high as 40 percent during the siege to oust the Islamic State fighters from the city, which was effectively razed to the ground. […]