ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

A screenshot from the video A firefight has been reported in the Georgian city of Tbilisi where security forces storm a multi-storey apartment building. Georgia’s state security service said a unidentified number of suspects holed up in one of the apartments opened fire on the troops that were conducting the  operation in the area. According to reports, at least 1 suspect was detained and at least one security officer was shot in the head during the operation. The officer is in a critical condition. “According to the preliminary information they are not Georgian nationals and they are members of a terrorist organisation,” Nino Giorgobiani, the deputy head of administration at Georgia’s state security service, commented the situation. “It is important to note, that Georgia’s counter-terrorism department has been conducting negotiations with them for several hours about surrendering but they rejected it.” The situation remains tense.

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool) Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Adel Jubeir  has denied  there are relations between Riyadh and Tel-Aviv, in an apparent response to Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz making the first public disclosure of such ties. Steinitz,  a member of Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu’s security cabinet,  gave the first official confirmation  of long-rumored secret contacts when he told Army Radio on November 19 that “ties are developing” with Riyadh and other Arab or Muslim states. Last week, the Israeli military chief, Lieutenant General Gadi Eizenkot,  told  to the Saudi newspaper Elaph that Israel was ready to share “intelligence information” with Saudi Arabia, saying their countries had a common interest in standing up to Iran. Jubeir  told  Egypt’s CBC television station on November 20: “There are no relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. There is the Arab peace initiative...

Colombia sent a letter to the Venezuelan foreign ministry on November 21 protesting the incursion of a military helicopter and troops from that nation over the border, the latest in a series of similar incidents that have drawn criticism from Colombia, Reuters  reported . According to a statement issued by Colombia’s foreign ministry, the incident occurred on November 15 and 16 near the town of Tibu in Norte de Santander province. “The events have already been protested by the foreign ministry and there has been a meeting arranged between the foreign ministers to analyze what happened and request that measures be taken to prevent a recurrence,” the statement said. According to the ministry, during their incursion Venezuelan military forces illegally detained several people and stole from them, having caused damage to several private properties and farms. Forays by Venezuelan troops into Colombia have increased in recent years, heightening diplomatic tension between the go...