ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

Iraqi Counter-Terrorism forces. Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) An officer in the elite Counter-Terrorism forces announced on Monday, that security forces stormed into al-Najifi Street, in central Mosul. Major Ali Mohsen said in a press statement that troops of the Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) stormed into al-Najifi Street, in central Mosul. Violent battles are currently taking place between security forces and members of the Islamic State terrorist group in the street, Mohsen added. Nineveh Province is witnessing extensive military operations, after Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced launching an offensive to liberate the western side of the city of Mosul, in addition to capturing the last stronghold of the Islamic State in the city.

Fresh sattelite photos of the Russian Khmeimim Air Base in Syria appeared online ( source ). The photos were taken on March 12, 2017. The photos allow to see four Su-25 close air support aircraft, seven Su-24 attack aircraft, three Su-30 multirole fighters, five Su-34 strike fighters (likely), five Su-35 multirole fighters (likely). There are also an An-124 strategic airlift jet aircraft, a Tu-154 narrow-body airliner, an An-30 aerial cartography Aircraft, an IL-76 transport aircraft and an IL-20 electronic, radar reconnaissance aircraft (or this cloud be IL-22). Click to see the full-size image Click to see the full-size image Click to see the full-size image

Originally appeared at ZeroHedge FBI Director James Comey and NSA head Adm. Michael Rogers hold their much anticipated testimony over Russian interference in the US elections, breaking their public silence for the first time before the House Intelligence Committee. As The Hill adds, spectators and media lined up down the hall in preparation for the hotly-anticipated open hearing, where lawmakers are expected to press Comey to respond to President Trump’s claim that former President Barack Obama “wiretapped” him during the campaign. It remains unclear how much the two officials will be able to discuss in a public setting, and many expect the hearing to quickly produce fireworks from a committee fiercely divided over what to investigate first. Frustrated Democrats will push officials for evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow — while Republicans will seek to get to the source of a series of media leaks of sensitive information believed to have come from the intellige...

Russians are in Afrin The Russian Defense Ministry denied the creation of a military base in the YPG-held area of Afrin in northwestern Syria. According to the Russian military, some unit of the Reconciliation Centre had been deployed to the area to “observe” the ceasefire. Earlier today, YPG spokesman Redur Xelil said that Russia was setting up a military base in the Afrin area and released a statement on the issue. The topic was widely covered in the media. However, the Russian statement does not deny that the Russian military and the YPG would create a joint centre for coordination of military operations and distribution of humanitarian aid. In Any case, this will clearly contribute to further improvement of the relations between Kurdish military political entities and the Syrian government.

A screenshot from the video ANNA News released a video depicting Russian military servicemen arriving the YPG-held area of Afrin in the Syrian province of Aleppo. On Monday, YPG spokesman Redur Xelil said that Russia had decided to set up a military base in the area . Later the Russian Defense Ministry denied that it was not going to create a military base and a unit of the Reconciliation Centre had been deployed to the area to “observe” the ceasefire.