ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

mod.gov.sy The Syrian Arab Army (SAA), Hezbollah and their allies are advancing against  ISIS in the area of Jaffrah located on the western bank of the Euphrates River near Deir Ezzor Airport. Jaffrah is one of the key remaining ISIS strong points near Deir Ezzor Airport.  If government troops are able to fully secure it, they will further tighten siege on ISIS units inside the  northern part of Deir Ezzor city and to set a foothold for a possible operation to corss the Euphrates River. It looks that ISIS commanders understand this. This is why the terrorist group strongly opposes to the SAA advance in the area. Map shows a possible SAA operation aimed at crossig the Euphrates River: Click to see the full-size image Despite some reports that the SAA is not going to cross the Euphrates River.  It’s unlikely that the idea is abandoned by the Syrian-Iranian-Russian alliance. The full liberation of Deir Ezzor city will take a notable time that...

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspects the defence detachment on Mahap Islet in the western sector of the front in this undated photo released by KCNA. KCNA via Reuters North Korea has vowed to increase its military strength and to boost its nuclear program in response to a new round of “evil” United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions. North Korean Foreign Ministry called the sanctions an act of “heinous provocation” adding that the new economic restrictions strengthened the country’s desire to build nuclear weapons. The ministry said in a statement that the resolution “served as  an occasion for the DPRK to verify that the road it chose to go down was absolutely right , and to strengthen its resolve to follow this road at a faster pace without the slightest diversion until this fight to the finish is over.” “ Since the scheme of the U.S. to impede the DPRK’s development, disarm it through the unprecedented sanctions and pressure, and conquer it with...

German soldiers after taking part in a drill on June 29. JOHN MACDOUGALL / AFP – Getty Images Germany has frozen all major arms exports to Turkey, the country’s foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel said on Monday explaining that the decision was made due to the deteriorating human rights situation in the country and increasingly strained ties to its NATO ally. “ We have put on hold all big requests (for arms exports) that Turkey has sent to us, and these are really not a few, ” the minister said during a panel discussion organized by German business daily Handelsblatt. He added that Germany is obliged to send arms to a NATO ally, if requested. However, this is currently not possible. On Tuesday, Turkey’s EU Affairs Minister, Omer Celic, responded to Germany’s decision. “ This decision will weaken Turkey’s fight against terrorism, and weakening the Turkish fight would mean making Europe’s future more vulnerable, ” he said. “Germany must leave security issu...