Author: Steven Sahiounie

The new chief of the General Staff said it was “a burning imperative” to be capable of defeating Russia British forces must prepare “to fight in Europe once again,” the new chief of the General Staff, General Patrick Sanders, said, according to a Sunday report from Sky News. In a letter to his charges, Sanders, whose first day in the new role was June 13, claimed that “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine” underlined the UK troops’ “core purpose to protect the UK by being ready to fight and win wars on land.” “There is now a burning imperative to forge an Army capable of…

On June 18, the al-Shamiya Front launched a large-scale attack on key positions of the Ahrar al-Sham Movement in the Turkish-occupied part of northern Syria. Both al-Shamiya Front and Ahrar al-Sham are both members of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA). The coalition, which was established in 2017, is no more than a public relations stunt with no real organization or central command. According to Syrian pro-opposition sources, including the Syrian Observatory for Human Right, al-Shamiya Front militants stormed the villages of Tall Battal and Abla in the northern Aleppo countryside, where Ahrar al-Sham maintains key positions. Al-Shamiya Front militants…

On June 18, four service men of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) Republican Guards were killed when a post they were manning near the town of al-Fatatirah in the northwestern Hama countryside was raided by militants. The deadly raid was reportedly carried out by the al-Nasir Army, a faction of the Turkish-backed National Front for Liberation (NFL). Syrian pro-government activists identified the casualties as 1st Lt. Ali Shbasi, Pvt Mahmoud Khuzami, Pvt Mohamad Ja’ara and Pvt Omar Hamdo. The raid came just two days after an ambush by the SAA that claimed the lives of two militants from the Sham Legion, also a…

Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) repelled an attack by terrorists on Saraqib on Wednesday and in the early hours of Thursday. Saraqib is a city in northwestern Syria, located east of Idlib. The small city fell to terrorists in 2012 and was liberated by the SAA in 2020. The SAA used artillery and missiles to halt the terrorists’ advance near Saraqib. Five terrorists were killed and 20 others wounded in the attack. Three Al-Sham Corps members and a member of Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham were killed when the SAA targeted their positions and outposts on…

The market drops to bear territory following the Federal Reserve’s historic rate hike US stocks plummeted on Thursday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling 700 points below 30,000 for the first time in more than a year. The S&P 500 index slid 3.2%, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 4%. They are now both in bear markets, down about 23% and 34% from their highs in January of 2022 and November of 2021, respectively. The Dow is also approaching bear market territory, down about 19% from its recent highs. The nosedive follows Wednesday’s rate hike by the US Federal Reserve, the…

Protests continue throughout Ecuador despite the release of Leonidas Iza, leader of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE). Indigenous people, who make up over a million of Ecuador’s 17.7 million citizens, took to the streets on June 13 to protest against fuel prices and living costs. Despite being an oil producer, the prices of fuel almost doubled in Ecuador over the last two years. The price of diesel went from $1 to $1.90 per gallon, while the price of gasoline rose from $1.75 to $2.55 per gallon. The CONAIE, considered a powerhouse in Ecuadorian politics, called for the…

Both sides understand that there will no longer be business as usual Russia’s envoy to the EU Vladimir Chizhov on Thursday said Russia and the EU prefer not to slam the door shut although their relations reached the lowest point ever. He made the remarks at a meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club, which is taking place at the venue of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. “As for our relations, they are at the lowest point over the entire time not only of my work (as Russian envoy to the EU – TASS), but the entire time of…

Late last week, Beijing made it clear that if anyone “dares to split Taiwan from China, the Chinese Army will definitely not hesitate to start a war no matter the cost”. The president of Taiwan’s Legislative Assembly, You Si Kun, has warned that his country would not hesitate to use supersonic cruise missiles should China invade the island. In an interview with Taiwanese press, You claimed that the Yung Fend missiles “can already hit” the Chinese capital, and that Taiwan “has the ability to attack Beijing”. The missile’s newer variant reportedly has an extended range of 1,200 miles (1,900 km),…

Furious demonstrators have torched a government building over the new military recruitment system Angry crowds have taken to the streets of India over the past two days to protest the government’s proposed overhaul of the country’s military recruitment system, which critics say could lead to unemployment and compromised security. As reported by Reuters, protests first flared up in the eastern state of Bihar on Wednesday and have since spread into neighboring states such as Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Agitated youths have so far reportedly set an office of the country’s ruling party on fire, attacked railway infrastructure, burned several trains…

Vital food supplies will be provided to the nations that need it most, the Ministry of Agriculture says Russian Minister for Agriculture Dmitry Patrushev said on Thursday that the country’s grain harvest could reach 130 million tons this year, which would be enough to cover both domestic needs and ensure export potential. Speaking on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), he pointed to numerous challenges including broken supply chains and difficulties with financial calculations. Patrushev said Russia has to overcome these obstacles in order to provide food to the countries that need it most. “Our [agricultural] products…