Ukrainian forces under heavy assault from Russian-backed separatists

Russian backed separatists forced Ukrainian troops, from the 72nd Armoured Brigade based in Zolote, Luhansk region, to withdraw on February 18th, 2020. This has been the most intense engagement since the conflict broke out in 2014. This does not bode well for the ongoing peace negotiations. The Ukrainian TSN TV news service reported that not […]

Did a fitness app expose the identities of SAS operators?

A fitness app might have been responsible for exposing the identities of numerous British Special Air Service (SAS) operators. According to Nick Waters, a former British Army officer and open source analyst with Bellingcat, the fitness app Strava can be manipulated into revealing the identities of Special Operations personnel. Waters identified the security lapse during […]

Special Operations base in Syria attacked by rogue Iranian militias

What has been described as a “rogue Iranian-led militia” has breached the 55 km deconfliction zone around the U.S Special Operations base at al-Tanf and attacked MAT, an anti-ISIS unit trained by the U.S. Maghaweir al-Thowra (MAT) is a group that has been trained, equipped and led by American and coalition SOF operators in the […]

Is Belarus set to become a part of Russia?

According to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Russia has suggested offering favorable oil deals in exchange for a unified state. For roughly two decades, Moscow and Minsk have been discussing the possibility of forming such a union, though with no success. Recent developments have shown growing cracks in their relations. Following the failure to agree on […]

The Pic of the Day: American Soldiers defend the flag from Syrian militias

Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh Forces conducting a patrol to protect key terrain and natural resources were attacked at a pro-Syria regime checkpoint, near Qamishli, Syria, Feb., 12. The U.S.-led Coalition commonly patrols the area in support of the Syrian Democratic Forces to deny malign actors’ access. You can read more about the incident here. […]

What a sh!t show: Russians go after U.S., Israel and Turkey over Syria

It seems like everyone has been trying to exact a pound of flesh in Syria during the long civil war that has lasted nine years. With the Islamic State making inroads into establishing a caliphate in the power vacuum as well as rebels trying to overthrow the government of President Bashar al-Assad, the entire situation […]

Turkish, Syrian and Russian Forces about to clash in Syria

The fighting in Syria is threatening to draw the forces of Turkey, Syria, and Russia into open conflict, making an already volatile situation even worse. Syrian troops, backed by Russian fighter jets, have recaptured the al-Nairab village in Idlib province from Syrian opposition rebels as the fighting in northwestern Syria teeters back and forth. Meanwhile, […]

Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman: From zero to hero and back again

From Zero to Hero It wasn’t too long ago that the President’s foes, broadly known as “The Resistance” were saying that anyone serving on Trump’s White House staff are traitors.  Try not to be surprised that the Resistance is now outraged that the President dismissed two Army Colonels on detail to the White House NSC […]

Turkish and Syrian militaries fight it out over territory

An already tense situation has escalated into a deadly tit-for-tat violent struggle in northwest Syria. The Syrian government troops of President Assad have attacked Turkish troops killing six in an artillery barrage in Idlib. The Turkish military responded with strikes of their own, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reported that they hit over 40 Syrian […]

Pentagon suspends weapon deliveries to Iraq, leaving Iraqi F-16 fleet in the air

The United States government has suspended weapon deliveries to Iraq following growing concerns about the ultimate fate of such exports. This comes after continued tensions since the assassination of Iranian command Qassem Soleimani in the country in early January. Particularly vulnerable is Iraq’s fleet of F-16s. The current pause impacts the country’s ability to find […]