ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

YEMEN – A Modern Day Concentration Camp By  Kim Sharif , Director, Human Rights for Yemen In the early hours of March 26 2015 the children of Yemen narrate hearing the sounds of massive “fireworks”, which they attributed to some sort of national celebrations, only to discover later that this was the start of a nightmare of bombardment, starvation and immense suffering that doesn’t seem to have an end in sight. Who is doing this and why? Saudi Arabia by its then Ambassador to Washington Aljubayri and its spokesperson General Al-Asseeri made the announcement in English and Arabic claiming that they have formed a coalition of nations including Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar, Sudan, Senegal, Pakistan (“the Saudico”), and attacked Yemen in order to restore the legitimate government of Yemen led by former caretaker president Abdo Rabo Mansour Hadi at his request. It later added to its claims that their aims are to prevent Iranian expansion in the region a

The Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) element of the U.S. ballistic missile defense system launches during a flight test from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., May 30, 2017. Source: Reuters The US military has successfully intercepted an intercontinental ballistic missile target during a test of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) element of the US ballistic missile defense system, the US Missile Defense Agency  said in a statement  at its website on May 30. “ This was the first live-fire test event against an ICBM-class target for GMD and the U.S. ballistic missile defense system. During the test,  an ICBM-class target was launched from the Reagan Test Site on Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.  Multiple sensors provided target acquisition and tracking data to the Command, Control, Battle Management and Communication (C2BMC) system. The Sea-Based X-band radar, positioned in the Pacific Ocean, also acquired and tracked the target.  The GMD sys

ISIS terrorists have foiled an attack of the Philippine Army on their positions in Marawi and ambushed a convoy of the Philippine military during the advance. Furthermore, ISIS fighters managed to capture at least two US-made M706 Commando 4×4 amphibious armored car, the vehicle armed with a 20mm gun and a 7.62mm machinegun. Click to see the full-size image. Source: https://twitter.com/SaladinAlDronni Click to see the full-size image. Source: https://twitter.com/SaladinAlDronni Click to see the full-size image. Source: https://twitter.com/SaladinAlDronni According to photos available online, ISIS members were armed with M16A1 assault rifles equipped with 40mm M203 grenade launchers as well as M14 tactical rifles equipped with binoculars to use them as sniper rifles. Click to see the full-size image ISIS militants captured a US-made 90 mm M67 recoilless rifle and M371A1 HEAT rounds. Click to see the full-size image. Source: https://twitter.com/SaladinAlDronni

Ryan Mashaal Rayan Masha’al (real name – Bara’a Kadek), one of the co-founders of the ISIS-linked news agency Amaq was killed on Thursday, according to pro-opposition sources. Ala’an TV reporter, Janan Musa, reported that the ISIS member was killed by a US air strike on his home in the town of Al-Mayadeen in the province of Deir Ezzor.  Follow Raveen Aujmaya   @raveenaujmaya The founder of  # ISIS -linked Aamaq News Agency Ryan Mishaal is reportedly killed in an airstrike in  # Mayadeen ,  # Syria 7:50 PM - 31 May 2017     3 3 Retweets     2 2 likes Twitter Ads info and privacy The air strike reportedly led to the death of Raya and his daughter Lian. His wife was seriously wounded and she in critical condition as for now. According to the Ala’an TV reported, Rayan had worked with the “Aleppo News” that supported the Syrian opposition and the Free Syrian Army. “Rayan” was even interviewed by Al Jazzera back then. He is

While Angela Merkel is busy sowing the seeds of the next cold war between Germany and the Trump administration (and therefore the US, if only for the next three and a half years), a troubling flashpoint for Germany continues to grow in Turkey where on Tursday, Turkey’s foreign minister said  it is not possible to allow German lawmakers to visit troops stationed at Turkey’s Incirlik air base now,  although he said Ankara may reconsider if it sees  “positive steps”  from Berlin. It was not immediately clear just what Turkey’s “demands” or expectations, monetary or otherwise, were from Merkel for it to change its view. “We see that Germany supports everything that is against Turkey,” Mevlut Cavusoglu told a news conference in Ankara. “Under these circumstances it is not possible for us to open Incirlik to German lawmakers right now … If they take positive steps in the future we can reconsider.” Turkey has prevented German lawmakers from visiting the roughly 250 troops stationed a

The US has officially started supplying weapons to the People’s Protection Units (YPG) that are a core of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, NBC NEWS reported citing  US defense officials . According to the report, the US began providing the equipment in the last 24 hours. “ Neither would give any specifics about what the U.S. is sending the Syrian Democratic Forces — also known as “YPG” — or how those items are being delivered. In the past, the U.S. military has said they will provide the Syrian Democratic Forces with ammunition, rifles, armor, radios, bulldozers, vehicles, and engineering equipment ,” the report reads. Syrian journalist, Mohammed Hassan,  released photos  of the military equipment supplied to the YPG by the US Click to see the full-size map Click to see the full-size map Click to see the full-size map Click to see the full-size map

Iraqi security forces (ISF) have captured the so-called ISIS ‘commandos school’ in the neighborhood of al-Zinjili in western Mosul. The facility had been used by terrorist group to train ‘elite’ fighters and suicide bombers. ISF troops are now tightening siege on the ISIS-held area of western Mosul. The Old Mosul area remains a key ISIS defense point in this part of the city. Click to see the full-size map

A suicide bomb was detonated near the German Embassy in Kabul during rush hour Wednesday morning, killing 80 people close to a highly secure diplomatic area, Afghan officials said. Another 300 people were injured, the health ministry said. Latest developments Taliban has denied responsibility for the blast. The BBC has confirmed the death of a BBC Afghan driver German embassy officials were injured in the blast, the German Foreign Minister said. Some Pakistani Embassy diplomats and staff suffered minor injuries, the Pakistani Prime Minister's office said. 'Busy shopping street' The bomb, concealed in a water delivery truck, detonated at 8:22 a.m. (local time) outside the offices of a major local cellphone company and a popular TV station. It hit about 400 yards from the German Embassy in one of the busiest parts of town, near big supermarkets and shops. The Taliban denied responsibility for the attack in a statement. No group has y