ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

Astana, Kazakhstan © AP Photo/Sergei Grits A new meeting on the Syrian crisis will be held in Astana on February 6, Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Anuar Zhainakov said on Thursday, according to the Kazinform news agency. “The decision on setting up a mechanism for monitoring the ceasefire was made at the Astana meeting on Syria held on January 23-24,” Zhainakov said. The Joint Operational Group will focus on issues related to the separation of the moderate Syrian opposition from Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra). The implementation of the ceasefire regime across Syria will be another important topic. Earlier this week Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced that the ceasefire agreement is open to all those who may wish to join it, excepting Jabhat Fatah al-Sham and ISI. The statement was made after the fourth session of the Russian-Arab Cooperation Forum.

Original by Yuriy “yurasumy” Podolyaka published at Naspravdi ; translation from Russian by J.Hawk On February 1, combat operations in Avdeyevka’s vicinity have continued with previous intensity. Neither side undertook active offensive operations, but that was more than made up for by the stepped up artillery bombardments which became more intense and targeted more territory. One also notes an intense process of concentrating forces by both sides which, judging by the situation, are ready to undertake far more intense operations once given an order… The humanitarian situation in Avdeyevka In spite of the short-term ceasefire and efforts to restore electricity to the city, the humanitarian situation is continuing to deteriorate. There is no light, heat is almost gone (fortunately the coke plant is still supplying heat in some form, but very irregularly). The population, mainly women and children, is gradually leaving the city on their own initiative (general evacuation has not been...

SouthFront is launching a new graphic series aimed to describe and evaluate the military balance in the Asia Pacific. Our team has already spent a lot of time analysing the modern situation in the region ( please, look for more info here ) and we believe the new series will allow you to understand better this crucial part of the ongoing global geopolitical standoff. The first graphic of the series provides a general look at the naval power of China, the United States, Japan and Australia in the region. Click to see the full-size map

France plans to build a new aircraft carrier, but already meets some difficulties in its design. The Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier (Photo: Sipa Press) France has plans to build its second aircraft carrier, which will become a part of the future French President’s program, the French L’Opinion newspaper reported. According to the newspaper, the new vessel’s preliminary design, which will cost about €100 million per year, can be started during the next five years. Some experts believe that the aircraft carrier’s construction will be begun in 2020, and the vessel will be totally ready by 2035. However, the exact time limits are still unclear. As L’Opinion noted the new ship will replace the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier. At the same time, it is possible that at the moment of entering into service of the new vessel, there will be two nuclear aircraft carriers in the French fleet. It is highly likely that the new ship will be built in Saint-Nazaire, but not in Brest, where its pr...

Romanian soldiers stand guard at Mihail Kogalniceanu airbase, which was alleged to be a CIA “black site.” Photo credit: AP Black sites, renditions, and all those other War on Terror-isms that had supposedly been consigned to an earlier and darker period of America’s counter-terrorism efforts seem to be making a comeback. But they were an absolute horror show the first time around, and here’s why. The Washington Post obtained what it claims is a draft version of an executive order reauthorizing a review of interrogation guidelines, along with the continued operation of the Guantanamo Bay prison facility and the possible re-introduction of a number of Bush-era policies, including interrogation of terror suspects outside the United States. During a briefing on January 25, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer didn’t deny the document’s authenticity, opting for the classically non-denial denial-type formulation that the draft was “not a White House document.” Regardless of where in th...

Saudi Arabia has 100,000 unfilled, ventilated tents sitting unused while a large number of Syrian untouchables continue preparing in stuffed camps, yet decays to make them open. The news website TeleSur reports that the 20-square-km alternative camp of Mina is used just two or three days a year to offer beds to Hajj pioneers and sits unfilled the straggling leftovers of the year.  THE 20-SQUARE-KM ALTERNATIVE CAMP OF MINA IS USED JUST TWO OR THREE DAYS A YEAR  It says the tents are laid out advantageously, measure eight meters square, are fire safe, consolidate a kitchen and restroom, and could house three million people. As showed by the Brookings Institute, the well-off Arab states of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and UAE have not taken a single outcast, while European countries fight to deal with a surge in the few thousands.  The 20 square km temporary camp of Mina is used for five days consistently by Hajj voyagers, and deceived for whatever is left ...

Original by Yuriy “yurasumy” Podolyaka published at Naspravdi ; translation from Russian by J.Hawk It’s the third day of fighting in the area south-east of the city of Avdeyevka. The short and relatively successful UAF attack by a company from the 1st Mechanized Battalion of the 72nd Mechanized Brigade undertaken in the pre-dawn darkness of January 29 has led to consequences which were wholly unexpected by those who authorized the operation. As of early January 30, everything looked like the Svetlodarsk scenario. A short attack, then defense. Then several days of opposing artillery fire and you can record another “victory.” But already the fighting on January 30 showed that the Novorossia Armed Forces (NAF) leaders decided to not only recover several positions lost earlier but use this occasion to return the Avdeyevka industrial zone under its control. The importance of the Avdeyevka industrial zone This sector has enormous tactical importance. The zone not only provides cover for the ...

Russia wants Egypt to take part in the Syrian settlement. While Damascus actively supports this initiative, Ankara opposes it. Photo: asifpress.com Russia considers it necessary to supplement the triumvirate of mediators on the Syrian settlement with Egypt, the Izvestiya newspaper reported, citing sources in Russian diplomatic circles. As for today, the group consists of Moscow, Tehran and Ankara. Turkey has already criticized this idea, while Syria and Egypt have noted that the Russia’s initiative could lead to positive changes in solving the Syrian crisis, if implemented. The newspaper’s sources noted that Ankara has opposed the initiative, as after Egyptian President-Islamist Mohammed Morsi was removed from power by the country’s military, Turkey has a negative attitude to the Egyptian authorities. As First Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Federation Committee for Foreign Affairs Vladimir Jabbarov told Izvestiya, strengthening of the Cairo’s role would benefit Syrian negotiat...