ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

Written and produced by  SF Team : Brian Kalman, Daniel Deiss, Edwin Watson China has begun construction of the first Type 075 Class Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD). Construction most likely started in January or February of this year, with some satellite imagery and digital photos appearing online of at least one pre-fabricated hull cell. The Type 075 will be the largest amphibious warfare vessel in the Peoples’ Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), with similar displacement and dimensions as the U.S. Navy  Wasp  Class LHD. The PLA has also made it known that the force plans to expand the current PLA Marine Corps from 20,000 personnel to 100,000. As China completes preparations for its new military base in Djibouti, located in the strategic Horn of Africa, it has also continued its substantial investment in developing the port of Gwadar, Pakistan. Not only will Gwadar become a key logistics hub as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the “One Belt, One Road...

FILE IMAGE On Saturday, Taliban fighters captured two checkpoints of the Afghan Army in Pashtun Kot district of Faryab Province in northern Afghanistan following a long siege on them, according to the Taliban news agency Voice of Jihad. Voice of Jihad also announced that the Said district of Faryab Province is now under the full Taliban control after its members have captured 5 checkpoints of the Afghan Army and Police in Surkhab and Karez areas in Said district. Moreover, Voice of Jihad announced that Taliban fighters attacked a checkpoint of the Afghan Army in Badghis Province in northwestern Afghanistan. 5 Afghan soldiers including a commander, Abdul Manan, were killed and 5 others were captured by the Taliban during the attack. The northern and northeastern areas of Afghanistan have been witnessing attacks by the Taliban lately. However, so far, the Afghan Army and NATO have not taken any real measures to slow down the Taliban advance in these areas. In a...

Russian troops are in Deir Ezzor. A RT video screenshot On Saturday, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its allies captured Muraieiah area and all of its farms south of Deir Ezzor airport, according to the Hezbollah media wing in Syria. The source also said that the SAA killed dozens of ISIS fighters and destroyed many armored vehicles of ISIS during its advance. Click to see the full-size map The Hezbollah media wing also reported that the SAA captured al-Kurdiah hill in al-Jafrah area east of Deir Ezzor airport. According to the Hezbollah media wing ISIS fighters are now fleeing towards Saqar Island. Government forces are at oil facilities near Deir Ezzor city: Pro-government sources also claimed that the SAA captured Abu Omar village south of Muraieiah area. Abu Omar village is located 25km north of ISIS stronghold al-Mayadin city in the southeastern Deir Ezzor countryside. However, these claims are yet to be confirmed. North of Deir Ezzor city the SAA and its allies...