ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

After latest threats from North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho against Trump at the UN, US president says Ri and Kim Jong Un 'won't be around much longer' if they continue threatening the US. US President Donald Trump said on Twitter on Saturday North Korea's Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho and leader Kim Jong Un "won't be around much longer" if Ri echoed the thoughts of "Little Rocket Man," an apparent reference to Kim. Ri told the United Nations General Assembly earlier on Saturday that targeting the US mainland with its rockets was inevitable after "Mr Evil President" Trump called Pyongyang's leader "rocket man." "Just heard Foreign Minister of North Korea speak at UN If he echoes thoughts of Little Rocket Man, they won't be around much longer!" Trump tweeted. Kim and Trump (Photo: AFP) Trump and Kim have traded increasingly threatening and personal insults

Ankara continues exerting pressure on the Kurds in hope of cancelling referendum in northern Iraq in two days; Turkish military conducts large-scale drill on Iraqi border, while parliament extended mandate to send Turkish troops to Iraq; Turkish PM says not ruling out military operation in Iraq. ISTANBUL/BAGHDAD - Turkey's parliament voted on Saturday to extend by a year a mandate authorizing the deployment of Turkish troops in Iraq and Syria, stepping up pressure against an independence referendum in northern Iraq's Kurdish region in two days' time.     Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey would take security, economic and political steps in response to the referendum, which President Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman described as a "terrible mistake" that would trigger new regional crises. The United States and other Western powers have, like Turkey, urged authorities in the semi-autonomous Iraqi region to

On Saturday, Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani said at an event in the Council on Foreign Relations in the US that Pakistan and the Taliban are responsible for the ongoing war in Afghanistan. “What would you like us to do when the capital of the country is attacked and every single civilian space is attacked, every mosque is attacked; should we hold our hands behind our back and offer surrender? We are not responsible for this war; the Taliban are. Let’s understand who is responsible for elevation of military use of force,” Ghani said at the event. Furthermore, Ghani argued that Pakistani government refused many peace proposals during previous negotiations. However, Gahni stressed that Afghanistan is still willing to negotiate with Pakistan to solve their disagreements. Ghani statement against Pakistan can be considered as an extension of statements of the US administration that accused Pakistan of hiding the Taliban leadership, and aiding its activities in Afghanistan.

AA Photo On Saturday, the Turkish Parliament voted for a motion to extend approval for the deployment of Turkish troops in Iraq and Syria for another year. The decision was made in an extraordinary session and came ahead of an independence referendum (scheduled for September 25) in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region and the nearby areas held by Peshmerga forces, a military force of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). The motion said that Turkey evaluates high the protection of Iraq’s territorial integrity, national unity, and stability. Turkey, Iran, the US as well as the UN, the Iraqi Federal Government and other sides have all stand against the KRG’s will to turn the norhern part of Iraq into an independent Kurdish state. However, the KRG remains adamant in its decision to hold the vote. The only state that publicly supports the KRG move is Israel. Meanwhile, about 100 units of battle tanks, howitzers and other military equipment are participating in the ongoing Turkish mili