Author: Steven Sahiounie

Amina Taylor Russia is urging an immediate de-escalation of hostilities in Libya with a plea for all sides involved in the deadly conflict to lay down their weapons. Sergei Lavrov, the foreign minister for the Russian Federation clarified his country’s stance on the issue at a press conference in the country’s capital on Tuesday. The Libyan crisis is already threatening to spill outside the country’s borders with the French president Emmanuel Macron issuing a stern warning to Turkey’s leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan saying France will not tolerate Turkey’s military intervention in Libya, accusing Ankara of playing “a dangerous game”. Turkey’s…

Documents for the Venezuelan national oil company, PDVSA, and shipping data showed that tankers carrying about two months of Venezuelan oil were are at sea. Washington is tightening sanctions to stop Venezuela’s oil exports and depriving the government of President Nicholas Maduro of its main source of revenue. There are at least 16 tankers carrying 18.1 million barrels of Venezuelan oil stuck at sea in different regions of the world because of buyers’ reluctance to receive penalties, according to Refinitiv Icon. This amount is equivalent to nearly two months worth of production at the current production rate in Venezuela, according…

The Turkish air bridge to Libya has recently intensified, as Ankara pushes more weapons to the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA). According to maritime observer Yoruk Isik, the Turkish Air Force’s Erkilet based 221st Squadron A400 turboprop transport plane traveled from Ataturk International Airport to unknown destination in Libya. The plane, which is likely carrying various weapons, is traveling to the North African nation amid a new push by the Government of National Accord forces to capture the strategic port-city of Sirte. Over the course of week, the Government of National Accord has pushed several units of reinforcements to…

The Russian Center for Reconciliation in Syria announced that two drones were shot down near the Russian Hmeimim Airbase in Latakia on Monday evening. The head of the center, Alexander Sherpetsky, said in a statement on Tuesday, that the Russian air defenses spotted around 22:30 P.M., Monday, drones that approached the Hmeimim Airbase and the city of Jableh in the Latakia countryside. He added that the Russian and Syrian air defense systems shot down two combat planes, which were fired by the jihadists. The Russian center confirmed that there were no losses or damages, noting that the Russian base operates…

Aqila Saleh, Speaker of the Libyan Parliament, announced that the Libyan people will formally ask Egypt to intervene with military forces if the necessities of maintaining Libyan national security and Egyptian national security require. He stressed that “the Libyan people ask Egypt to intervene to protect our common national security if the militias cross the red line in Sirte and Al-Jafra.” He continued: “We trust that Egypt will not let us down and will not abandon us and will not leave us unjust or an enemy that wants to attack the Libyan people,” considering that: “Egyptian intervention in Libya is…

The Turkish Ministry of Defense announced in a statement on Wednesday that a Turkish soldier was killed and two others were wounded in the southeastern part of the country after they came under fire from the Iranian side of the border. The statement did not say who shot the soldiers. The ministry indicated that the soldiers were on a reconnaissance and observation mission along a border town in the Hakkari province of southeastern Turkey when the shooting took place. Turkey has been fighting the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) on its borders with Syria and Iraq for decades, while also dealing…

By: Lilly Martin, Journalist I wish I could tell you that Syria is being rewarded for resisting terrorists and because we have returned to peace and security through blood and sacrifice that we are now able to rebuild and resume our lives. But, we cannot rebuild, and cannot live a normal life. The United States government and the European Union have place sanctions on Syria which prevent importing any medical machines, prevent importing medicines, prevent importing parts and machines for factories, prevent any and all items necessary to rebuild Syrian homes, shops, factories, schools, and hospitals. We are surviving on…

In a televised speech, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that Tehran was ready to negotiate with Washington, but only if the US first apologized for leaving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA, Iran Nuclear Deal). In a tweet in early June, Trump repeated Washington’s call for a new deal with Tehran aimed at putting stricter limits on Tehran’s nuclear work, curbs its ballistic missile program and ends its decades of regional proxy wars. Hassan Rouhani said the following, in his televised address: “We have no problem with talks with the U.S., but only if Washington fulfils its obligations under the nuclear…

On June 24th, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) begun deployment of 40 fresh companies across various locations along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in view of the escalating situation, and the apparent stagnation of negotiations between commanders. This was reported by unnamed Indian officials. According to them, these units number approximately 4,000 troops, and would make the total number positioned there approximately 7,000. The decision to induct ITBP battalions in support of the army was taken on June 20 after Director General Military Operations, India, Lt General Paramjit Singh and Director General (ITBP and BSF) S S Deswal vested…

On June 23rd, the USS Nitze, Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, navigated near the Venezuelan coast in a freedom of navigation exercise, aimed at challenging an area that the Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s “regime falsely claims control over.” The move comes after the Trump administration in April said it was deploying more US military assets to the Caribbean, in part to disrupt alleged narcotics shipments by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. A spokesman told AFP that a similar operation had taken place in January. On June 22nd, an Iranian-flagged cargo ship Golsan docked at the port of La Guaira carrying what the Tehran…