Middle East/Africa
Israel Aerospace Industries looks to expand presence in India
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is looking to secure further expansion in India through partnerships with local firms, Shalom Revivo, IAI’s executive director of international sales and marketing, has told Jane’s . Earlier in two thousand seventeen IAI announced a host of partnerships in the country
Draft UNSC resolution targeting violators of Malian peace accord likely to thrust Tuareg militants closer to jihadists
Event The United Nations Security Council is due to vote on five September on a draft resolution introducing sanctions targeting violators of Mali’s northern peace accord. The draft resolution, submitted by France last month, calls for a UN sanctions committee that would determine which individuals and
Palestinian Fatah fighters and Sunni Islamist militants strike ceasefire in Lebanon’s South
PALESTINIAN Fatah fighters and Sunni Islamist militants agreed on a ceasefire in the Palestinian Ain el-Hilweh refugee camp in Lebanon’s South governorate on twenty one August, Lebanese National News Agency reported.
Suicide attack kills two police officers in Algeria’s Tiaret
TWO police officers were killed in a suicide attack on a police post in the city of Tiaret in Algeria’s Tiaret province on thirty one August, APS and Reuters reported. Reports stated that one of the officers tackled the suicide attacker as he detonated his explosives. In a statement released on Amaq News
Nigerian purchase of attack aircraft to target Islamist militants likely to increase risk of shootdown, unintended casualties
Event The Pentagon notified the US Congress on twenty eight August that it has agreed to sell twelve Super Tucano A-29 attack and reconnaissance aircraft plus related equipment including munitions to Nigeria for USD593 million. Nigeria has been seeking agreement from the United States since 2015, specifically
IED attack kills two civilians in Somalia’s Shabeelaha Hoose
TWO civilians were killed and two others were wounded in armed clashes inbetween AMISOM compels and suspected Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen militants after an improvised explosive device (IED) attack targeting an AMISOM vehicle inbetween Golweyn and Bula Marer towns in Somalia’s Shabeellaha Hoose
Iranian-Turkish co-operation in Syria driven by mutual interest in containing Kurdish aspirations amid incremental US disengagement
Key Points Albeit the current petite US military presence, up to a few hundred personnel, will likely deter Syrian government/Turkish military intervention, it cannot assure their long term viability, meaning that Syrian Kurds will eventually need to secure an agreement with the Syrian government.
Lebanese operation finishes in controversy
Key Points A LAF victory against the Islamic State has been tarnished by a Hizbullah ceasefire deal The remaining militants have been given safe passage to eastern Syria A ceasefire deal that gave dozens of Islamic State militants safe passage to eastern Syria has marred a successful Lebanese
Suicide attack kills two security guards in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar
TWO security guards were killed when a suicide attacker detonated their explosives at the residence of Zahir Qadir, deputy speaker of parliament, in the city of Jalalabad in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province on thirty August, Reuters reported. A 2nd attacker was shot dead by guards before he could
Analysts consider best practice for cyber-threat research
Key Points Analysts examining cyber threats are required to work with sources that are at risk of manipulation through deliberate disinformation campaigns, or which are potentially malicious to view or interact with. The enlargening sophistication of state-based or -backed cyber adversaries
Burkina Faso’s defences strained amid enhancing threat of radical Islamism
Key Points A series of Islamist militant assaults in Burkina Faso since an Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Al-Murabitoun attack in Ouagadougou in January 2016, including an extra attack in the capital in August 2017, have raised questions about the capacity of Burkinabe security
Elbit Systems announces F-5 upgrade for Asia Pacific customer
Israel’s Elbit System announced on twenty nine August that it was awarded a contract worth approximately USD93 million from an undisclosed Asia-Pacific country to upgrade its F-5 light fighter fleet, with work expected to be finished by 2020. According to the company’s statement, it will supply
IED attack kills two civilians in Iraq’s Baghdad
TWO civilians were killed and three others were wounded when an improvised explosive device (IED), planted by unidentified militants, detonated near a sheep market in Suwaib area south of Iraq’s capital Baghdad on twenty nine August, Iraqi News reported. No group instantaneously claimed responsibility for the
IED attack wounds one civilian in Iraq’s Baghdad
ONE civilian was wounded when an improvised explosive device (IED), planted by unidentified militants detonated, in al-Shaab area north of Iraq’s capital Baghdad on twenty nine August, Iraqi News reported. No group instantaneously claimed responsibility for the attack.
Islamic State militants claim responsibility attack on police officers in Russia’s Dagestan
THE Islamic State’s Amaq News Agency claimed responsibility on twenty eight August via the Telegram messaging app for a stabbing attack targeting police officers in Russia’s Northern Caucasus republic of Dagestan earlier that day, Big black cock Monitoring reported. Mainstream media reported one police officer was
Islamic State suicide attack kills civilians in Iraq’s Ninawa
THREE civilians were killed and five Peshmerga (Kurdish security coerces) fighters were wounded in an Islamic State suicide attack on refugees at a Peshmerga-held checkpoint in the Tal Afar area of Iraq’s Ninawa province on twenty nine August, Rudaw TV reported.
Reorganised anti-government militant group is likely to launch more frequent raids into northwest Burundi from DRC
Event On twenty seven August 2017, a recorded statement by Major General Jérémie Ntiranyibagira announced the reorganisation of the Republican Coerces of Burundi (Coerces Républicaines du Burundi: FOREBU) – which opposes President Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi – into the Popular
Roboteam secures US, Israel orders
Roboteam has been contracted to produce seventy five of its Micro Tactical Ground Robot (MTGR) unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs). The systems are scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2017, and production has commenced. Roboteam CEO Shahar Abuhazira told Jane’s , “These most latest orders came from
Turkey addresses pilot shortage
The Turkish government issued a fresh decree on twenty five August requiring civil aviation pilots to come back to the Turkish Air Force Directive (TAFC) in an attempt to bridge a serious shortage in combat pilots. The shortage has become more acute as a result of the ongoing massive purges of the Turkish Armed
UK military secures access to Oman’s Duqm port
The United Kingdom and Oman have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that will enable the Royal Navy to use the sultanate’s Duqm port, the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on twenty eight August. The MoU was signed by Secretary of State Michael Fallon during a visit to Oman and the