ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

Illustrative image: SERGEI BOBYLEV/ALAMY Turkey will consider buying and will likely buy Russian fifth generation Su-57 stealth fighter jets if the US suspends F-35 stealth fighters deliveries in response to the Russian-Turkish S-400 anti-missile systems deal, the Yeni Safak newspaper reported on May 27 citing sources. The newspaper said that the Russian-Turkish military technology cooperation, including a possible delivery of Su-57 jets, was discussed during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Turkey on April 3. Russia and Turkey signed the S-400 anti-missile systems deal in December 2017. Since then, US-Turkish tensions over the issue have grown significantly. On May 24, US Senate Armed Services Committee released draft of annual defense policy bill. The document implies that the delivery of US F-35 jets to Turkey should be suspended in response to the purchase of Russian S-400 anti-missile systems by Ankara. On May 25, Rus...

Illustrative image On May 27, more than 700 policemen and officers of the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Police (FSP) were deployed in the northern city of Afrin, according to the pro-opposition news outlet Enab Baladi. The source said that most of these policemen and officers will soon be redployed from the city to several towns and villages around it. Syrian opposition sources said that the the Turkish Army had trained and equipped the policemen and officers of the FSP inside Turkey over the last few months. Reportedly, the FSP in Afrin area will be commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Rami Tlass who defected from the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in 2012. The city of Afrin witnessed a large wave of looting of crimes which was mainly committed by the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) after it had been captured from the Kurdish People’s Units (YPG) on March 24. The city has even witnessed clashes between Turkish-backed groups on several occasions. Supposedly, the FSP is a part of Turk...

Illustrative image On May 27, more than 700 policemen and officers of the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Police (FSP) were deployed in the northern city of Afrin, according to the pro-opposition news outlet Enab Baladi. The source said that most of these policemen and officers will soon be redployed from the city to several towns and villages around it. Syrian opposition sources said that the the Turkish Army had trained and equipped the policemen and officers of the FSP inside Turkey over the last few months. Reportedly, the FSP in Afrin area will be commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Rami Tlass who defected from the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in 2012. The city of Afrin witnessed a large wave of looting of crimes which was mainly committed by the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) after it had been captured from the Kurdish People’s Units (YPG) on March 24. The city has even witnessed clashes between Turkish-backed groups on several occasions. Supposedly, the FSP is a part of Turk...

Click to see the full-size map On May 27, the Libyan National Army (LNA) backed by warplanes of the UAE Air Force resumed its advance south of the northeastern city of Derna and captured the Tamiskit area from the Shura Council of Mujahedeen in Derna (SCMD), according to the Libyan outlet Africa Gate News. Sources close to the LNA acknowledged that an IED planted by SCMD fighters had killed four soldiers of the LNA south of Derna, while two other soldiers had been injured during the clashes in Tamiskit area. From its side, the pro-SCMD news outlet Derna Red Line (DRL) reported that SCMD fighters repelled an attack by the LNA on their positions in al-Fataih and al-Dahr areas east of Derna. Reportedly, SCMD fighters killed two soldiers of the LNA during the clashes. The DRL also revealed that two fighters of the SCMD were killed in an airstrike on Derna, which was carried out by an Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) of the UAE Air Force on May 26. The LNA, backed by the ...