Moscow, Russia | Xinhua | Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the country’s deterrence forces to be placed on “a special mode of combat duty” in a Sunday meeting with top defense officials. Senior officials of leading NATO members issued “aggressive statements” against Russia, Putin said at a meeting with Defense …
Read More »Biden announces additional sanctions against Russia, more troops to Europe, amid Ukraine crisis
Washington, U.S. | Xinhua | U.S. President Joe Biden announced on Thursday additional sanctions against Russia and the deployment of more troops to Europe as conflicts in Ukraine continue to evolve. Speaking from the East Room of the White House, Biden said the new measures will target major Russian banks, limit …
Read More »No intention of putting U.S. or NATO troops in Ukraine: Biden
Washington, U.S. | Xinhua | U.S. President Joe Biden reiterated Tuesday that there is no intention in his administration or within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to send troops into Ukraine, but that Russia will face serious economic consequences if it invades the former Soviet republic. “We have no intention …
Read More »Bad roads slow down UPDF armored vehicles
Bundibugyo, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda People’s Defense Forces-UPDF has halted the use of armoured vehicles in the ongoing ground offensive against the Allied Democratic Force- ADF rebels due to the poor roads in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. On Tuesday, The UPDF, in …
Read More »U.S. should withdraw troops, contractors before Aug. 31 deadline: Taliban spokesman
Kabul, Afghanistan | Xinhua | The United States should withdraw all troops and contractors before Aug. 31 deadline from Afghanistan and no extension for the ongoing evacuation process would be possible, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on Tuesday. “There will be no extension for the ongoing evacuation,” Mujahid told reporters at a …
Read More »South African gov’t extends deployment of soldiers following last month’s unrest
Cape Town, S.A. | Xinhua | Parliament of South Africa on Tuesday said it had been informed by President Cyril Ramaphosa about extending the mission of troops who were authorized to fight against last month’s unrest. The South African government deployed 25,000 army members since July 12 in cooperation with the …
Read More »Libya: strongman’s offensive to seize the capital
Tripoli, Libya | AFP | A year ago, Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar began his offensive to seize the capital Tripoli from the UN-recognised government, a conflict which has left hundreds dead and over 150,000 displaced. Here is a recap. – Haftar orders advance – On April 4, 2019, Haftar orders his …
Read More »Surviving WWII Congo troops honoured for colonial-era battles
Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | Albert Kunyuku Ngoma was a young Congolese corporal in the colonial Belgian army when he was forced to battle in WWII as far away as Myanmar. Now 97, Ngoma is one of only two surviving former members of the colonial “Public Force” military living in …
Read More »Turkey’s foreign minister visits Algeria over Libya conflict
Algiers, Algeria | AFP | Algeria’s newly-elected President Abdelmadjid Tebboune received Turkey’s foreign minister Tuesday, the official APS news agency reported, days after Ankara confirmed it was deploying troops to Libya. The meeting between Tebboune and Mevlut Cavusoglu focused on Libya’s “escalating violence resulting from foreign interventions, which complicate the search …
Read More »Macron calls for greater ‘political clarity’ from Sahel allies
Abidjan, Ivory Coast | AFP | President Emmanuel Macron called for greater “political clarity” from Sahel countries hosting French troops fighting Islamist militants on Saturday, as he visited the troubled African region amid criticism of the former colonial power’s role. Macron arrived in Ivory Coast on Friday to celebrate Christmas with …
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