Military forces

A shootout broke out Monday at Kabul airport between Afghan forces and an unknown attacker, leaving one dead and three wounded, German military forces said.

German army tweeted At 4:13 a.m., gunfire broke out at the north gate between Afghan security forces and unknown assailants.

Heute Morgen um 04.13Uhr MESZ kam es am North Gate des Flughafens #Kabul zu einem Feuergefecht zwischen afghanischen Sicherheitskräften und unbekannten Angreifern. Eine afghanische Sicherheitskraft wurde dabei getötet, drei weitere verwundet. pic.twitter.com/4FLILE1NVA

– Bundeswehr im Einsatz (@Bw_Einsatz) 23 Aug 2021

US and German forces were involved in the incident, the military added.

A sniper shot and killed the member of the Afghan security forces who was trying to secure the area, but it is not known who the sniper is affiliated with, CNN reported.

Amid the chaos, Afghan forces retaliated, but in the direction of U.S. Marines who also retaliated, injuring several members of the Afghan military, CNN reported. (RELATED: Video Appears to Show Baby Being Handed Over to Kabul Airport Wall to Escape, Woman Reportedly Following)

No US soldier was injured in ‘brief firefight’, US Central Command noted.

“The incident appears to have started when an unknown hostile actor fired at Afghan security forces involved in monitoring access to the gate,” Navy Captain William Urban reportedly said. “The Afghans retaliated, and in accordance with their right to self-defense, US and coalition troops also did. “

Urban said the Afghan member was “killed by the hostile actor” but did not specify who the hostile actor was.

US troops killed two gunmen on August 16 at the airport after two men approached the troops. Few other details were provided.

The airport has been the scene of mass chaos as thousands of Afghans and Americans try to flee the country after the Taliban took control. US citizens were urged on Tuesday to “take shelter in place” as the authorities could not guarantee them safe passage to Kabul airport.

A US defense official said CNN Saturday that there are concerns about terrorist threats from ISIS around the airport and that US military officials are being forced to establish alternative routes to the airport.

Chinese fighter jets and anti-submarines, as well as warships, conducted assault drills near Taiwan on Tuesday. The military said they were necessary to protect China’s sovereignty, reports PA.

The Asian giant has stepped up military exercises around Taiwan, a territory which jealously defends its autonomy but Beijing considers its own territory.

Recent provocations from Taiwan and the United States have severely violated Chinese sovereigntyChina Eastern Theater Command spokesman Shi Yi said in a statement.

The assault exercises were conducted in waters to the southwest and southeast of the island. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said in a statement that these were actions at sea and in the air and was ready to respond in each case.

In June, 28 Chinese fighter jets flew towards Taiwan. Last week, U.S. and Taiwanese coast guard officials met to discuss cooperation and communications.

The United States has announced plans to sell 40 howitzers to Taiwan, a $ 750 million which sparked a vigorous protest from Beijing.

Washington maintains only informal relations with Taiwan, but it is its main supplier of arms and its closest political ally. He has fostered ties with the Taiwanese government as relations with China deteriorate.

With AP information

1st Space Brigade Commander Col. Donald Brooks said forces on the ground are often unaware of their reliance on satellites for all aspects of their operations.

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – Without satellites in space, military forces on the ground cannot shoot, move, or communicate. This is the mantra that the Army’s 1st Space Brigade tries to instill in troops around the world.

“We step in and we help educate,” Brigade Commander Col. Donald Brooks said.

Based at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, the Army’s 1st Space Brigade is part of the United States Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command. It was established in 2005 in response to the military’s increasing use of satellites and ground stations for combat operations. Many of its nearly 2,000 troops are deployed in 11 countries.

During deployments, members of the brigade monitor the health of satellites in orbit. They also help commanders analyze data from missile satellites and other space-based intelligence such as imagery.

Brooks, who took command of the brigade in March, said people are often surprised he is an Army officer and assume he is in the Space Force.

“I am asked every day if I am a guardian,” he said News on the sidelines of the Space and Missile Defense Symposium.

There is a bit of confusion about military space organizations and what each of them does, Brooks said. He noticed that many people don’t know the difference between Space Force (a military branch) and Space Command (a combat command).

“We’re still educating, and that’s great,” Brooks said.

“Space helps war organizations be more effective and efficient in their ability to fire, move and communicate,” Brooks said. It’s part of what Space Brigade units teach when working with other units in the U.S. Army.

Forces on the ground are often unaware of how much they depend on satellites for every aspect of their operations, and they are surprised to learn that enemies will intentionally jam or disrupt satellite signals, he said. Without a global positioning system, artillery guns cannot fire their precisely guided ammunition, and maneuvering formations cannot determine their location.

“We help them alleviate the way of fighting in denied environments,” Brooks said. “We let them know that, for example, if you are a maneuvering force and you get interference, you get behind a vehicle, go dig a hole and put your receiver in the hole, because that jammer must have line of sight. sight to the target.

“If you can break that line of sight, you can re-acquire GPS and you can re-acquire your navigation,” he said.

Brooks said the 1st Space Brigade remains in the military, although other army units that operate communications satellites are transferred to the space force.

The units transferred to the Space Force are part of the Army Satellite Operations Brigade, which is also part of the Army Space and Missile Defense Command. The Satellite Operations Brigade controls the payloads of Wideband Global Satcom and other military communications satellites.

Brooks said the 1st Space Brigade was not realigned due to its unique role. “One of the advantages of this brigade is that we don’t just focus on the military. We really support the army, navy, air force, navies, as well as the coalition and our partner countries. “

This month, the 1st Space Brigade will begin training Marines on how the military uses space capabilities to support fighters.

Marines from the new Marine Corps Forces Space Command at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska, will train at the Colorado Springs Space and Missile Defense School. The training will include situational awareness of space capabilities, space assets, space products and the impact of space on operations.

Members of the U.S. military would be required to have the COVID-19 vaccine from September 15, as part of a plan announced by the Pentagon on Monday and approved by President Joe Biden.

This time frame could be extended if the vaccine receives final FDA approval or if infection rates continue to rise.

“I will seek the president’s approval to make vaccines mandatory no later than mid-September, or immediately after ‘Food and Drug Administration clearance’ whichever comes first,” Defense Secretary Lloyd said. Austin in the note to the troops, warning them to prepare for the requirement.

He added that if infection rates increase and potentially affect military readiness, “I will not hesitate to act sooner or recommend a different course to the President if I feel the need to.” To defend this Nation, we need a healthy and ready force.

Austin’s plan gives the FDA time to give final approval to the Pfizer vaccine, which is expected early next month. Without this formal approval, Austin would need a waiver from Biden to make the shots mandatory. Biden has made it clear that he supports this.

In a statement on Monday, Biden said he strongly supports Austin’s “message to the Force today on the Defense Department’s plan to add the COVID-19 vaccine to the list of mandatory vaccinations for our people. military no later than mid-September “.

Biden said the country is still on a war footing and “being vaccinated will allow our military to stay healthy, better protect their families and ensure our force is ready to operate anywhere in the world. “.

Austin’s note to the police was released on Monday.

His move comes just over a week after Biden asked defense officials to come up with a plan requiring troops to get vaccinated as part of a larger campaign to increase vaccinations in the workforce. federal work. It reflects similar decisions made by governments and businesses around the world, as nations battle the highly contagious delta variant that has sent new cases to the United States, with hospitalizations and deaths reaching record highs since the United States. peaks from last winter.

Austin said in his memo that the military will have the next few weeks to prepare, determine how many vaccines they need and how that mandate will be implemented. The extra time, however, is also a nod to the bitter political division over the vaccine and the knowledge that making it mandatory will likely spark opposition from opponents of the vaccine across state and federal governments, Congress and the American population.

Troops often live and work closely together in barracks and on ships, increasing the risk of rapid spread. And any major virus outbreak in the military could affect America’s ability to defend itself in the event of a national security crisis.

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The decision will add the COVID-19 vaccine to a list of other vaccines that the military are already required to receive. Depending on their location in the world, military personnel may receive up to 17 different vaccines.

Austin’s memo also said that in the meantime, the Pentagon would comply with Biden’s order of further restrictions on any federal personnel who had not been vaccinated. These restrictions will include wearing masks, social distancing and travel limits.

According to the Pentagon, more than one million soldiers are fully immunized and 237,000 others have received an injection. But military services vary widely in their vaccination rates.

The Navy said more than 74% of all sailors on active and reserve duty have been vaccinated with at least one injection. The Air Force, meanwhile, said more than 65% of its active duty and 60% of its reserve forces are at least partially vaccinated, and the number for the military _ by far the largest service _ appears be closer to 50%.

Military officials said the pace of vaccines has increased across the force, with some units – such as sailors deployed on a warship – seeing nearly 100 percent of their members being vaccinated. But the totals drop dramatically, including among the National Guard and the Reserve, which are much more difficult to track.

Some unvaccinated servicemen have suggested they get vaccinated when needed, but others are adamantly opposed. Military officials have said that once the vaccine is mandatory, a refusal could constitute a breach of an order and could be punishable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

Army advice, for example, includes advice for soldiers to ensure they understand the purpose of the vaccine and the threat the disease poses. The military also notes that if a soldier “does not comply with a legal order to receive a mandatory vaccine and does not have an approved exemption, a commander can take appropriate disciplinary action.”

Military service officials said they were not collecting data on the number of soldiers who refused other mandatory vaccines, such as anthrax, hepatitis, chickenpox or flu shots during the last decade or more. And they were unable to provide details of the penalties imposed on service members as a result of the denial.

Officials said they believed the number of soldiers refusing other mandatory vaccines was low. And the discipline could vary.

In addition, members of the military may request an exemption from any vaccine – temporary or permanent – for a variety of reasons, including health concerns or religious beliefs. Regulations for other mandatory vaccines state, for example, that anyone who has had a serious adverse reaction to the vaccine may be exempt, and those who are pregnant or have other conditions may postpone an injection.

Some have argued that those who have already had the virus _ and have antibodies _ are immune and therefore should not have to be vaccinated. It is not clear how the military will act on these types of claims.

Defense officials say some senior military officials have expressed support for making the vaccine mandatory, believing it would help keep the force healthy. Military commanders also struggled to separate vaccinated and unvaccinated recruits during the early parts of basic training across all departments to prevent infections. So, for some, a warrant could make training and housing less complicated.

Navy officials said last week that there had been only one case of COVID-19 hospitalization among Sailors and Marines who were fully vaccinated. By comparison, the Navy said there had been more than 123 hospitalizations “in a similarly sized group of unvaccinated Sailors and Marines.” He said less than three percent of his immune troops have tested positive for COVID-19.

The other military services did not provide similar data.

See the link »

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army said it forced a US warship out of the hotly contested South China Sea, The Associated Press reported.

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) naval and air forces pursued the USS Benfold after the US destroyer entered an area claimed by the Chinese between the Philippines and Vietnam, Beijing said on Monday. according to at the Associated Press. The forces “warned and pushed back” the US ship, the PLA said.

“The action of the United States seriously goes against international law and fundamental norms governing international relations, which is further proof that the United States continues the hegemony of navigation and creates a militarization of the South China Sea, ”said PLA spokesman Colonel Tian Junli. a declaration. “The facts have proven that the United States is in every way a ‘security risk maker in the South China Sea’.

But the US Navy disputed the Chinese military’s version of events and denied that its ship was ever forced to leave the area, the AP reported. He added that the Benfold conducted its operation “in accordance with international law” and in international waters. (RELATED: Pentagon Official: China Developing Space Weapons)

“[The PLA statement is] the latest in a long series of [Chinese] actions to distort lawful US maritime operations and to assert its excessive and illegitimate maritime claims, ”the Navy said.

On Sunday, meanwhile, State Secretary Antony Blinken famous the fifth anniversary of an international tribunal ruling that said Beijing’s claim to the South China Sea was illegal. Blinken noted that China continues to “coerce and intimidate” the coastal nations of Southeast Asia in the disputed sea.

“It is extremely irresponsible,” said Zhao Lijian, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Recount journalists Monday. “China is strongly dissatisfied and strongly opposed to the bad act of the American side. “

“China’s sovereignty, rights and interests in the South China Sea have been formed over a long history,” he continued. “They are backed by an abundant historical and legal basis and backed by the Chinese government from the start. “

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The US Pentagon has announced that it will establish a command center in Qatar as part of a new agreement to support the security forces, in particular the Afghan Air Force.

US Department of Defense spokesman John F. Kirby said the Center will be located in Qatar to provide financial support to the country’s security and defense forces, in particular the Afghan Air Force. .

The spokesperson reiterated that a new unit called “Progressive Afghan-American Forces” was set up to ensure a diplomatic presence of that country in Afghanistan and support the security forces.

These forces will be deployed in Kabul and will be commanded by Peter Wasley, commander of the US Navy.

Ensuring the safety of American diplomats, helping secure Kabul airport, continuing to advise and assist Afghan security and defense forces as necessary, and conduct counterterrorism operations will be the responsibilities of this command, a- he added.

On the other hand, the US Department of Defense says that the responsibility for the command of US forces in Afghanistan will be transferred from Scott Miller to Kenneth McKenzie, the commander of the US central command called “CENTCOM”.

MA / FNA14000412000383

Russian military forces fired warning shots at a British warship during a clash in the Black Sea near the Crimean coast, the Russian Defense Ministry reported. The UK did not deny that the ship was crossing Crimean territorial waters on the route from Ukraine to Georgia, but insisted that it did not pass through Russian territory, because the country still does not recognize the annexed region of Crimea as part of the Russian Federation. This incident marks the first time that the manifestation of the West’s solidarity with Ukraine has resulted in an act of confrontation.

Russian warships and planes opened warning fire on the British Navy destroyer HMS Defender. According to reports from Novaya Gazeta, the incident took place on June 23 in the Black Sea near Cape Fiolent in Crimea.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the British ship violated the Russian state border and as a result an SU-24M bomber fired several warning shots and four highly explosive cluster bombs were dropped towards the destroyer. .

In addition, border patrol vessels opened the warning light.

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The British ship “did not react to the warning”, however, after the warning shots, the Defender left Russian territorial waters, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

The British military attaché in Moscow was summoned to the Russian Defense Ministry due to the incident.

The UK Ministry of Defense said the Defender crossed Ukraine’s territorial waters in accordance with international law. He was not bombarded, there was no bombardment in his direction.

Video released by the Russian Defense Ministry:

Conscious movement

BBC Air Force correspondent Jonathan Beale, who was aboard the Defender at the time of the incident, provided his own account of the events. According to him, the ship that sailed from the port of Odessa to Georgia was to sail off the coast of Crimea, which Moscow considers part of Russian territory, while the rest of the world thinks it belongs to Ukraine.

“We have just finished crossing the territorial waters of Russian-occupied Crimea. This was a deliberate decision by the Royal Navy Defender ship, which was heading for Georgia. The command says it was following an internationally recognized sea route.

Sometimes the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Defender was accompanied by more than 20 Russian planes, and warnings were issued by Russian Coast Guard ships. We heard gunshots too, but I think they were out of range.

The Defender continued to navigate in territorial waters near Crimea, within 12 miles – the coast was seen – and did not change course. We entered international waters but Russian planes were still flying over us, ”the journalist said.

According to him, throughout the passage, the Defender crew were on maximum alert, at their posts, and at one point, they donned protective gear in the event of a firefight.

Expert commentary

“The British Royal Navy is to be congratulated for its support for the principle of freedom of navigation in international waters,” said retired General Ben Hodges, former commander of NATO forces in Europe, on the BBC’s Russian service. News. “Russian encroachments on Crimea are illegal and no one else recognizes them.”

When asked if such an action could be dangerous for the British ship, Hodges said: “I am sure the Royal Navy and other NATO allies have thought of everything and made a plan in the event of the circumstances. different. This is part of an adequate response to Russia’s actions ”.

“According to international law, Crimea, of course, is not Russian, since its annexation has not been recognized. The fact that ships continue to cross its waters without provoking the Russians too much is an important way of showing that the law is above the forced seizure of land (and seas), ”Russia expert at the British Royal Institute for Defense Research Mark Galeotti stated.

Galeotti notes that the action of HMS Defender in the Black Sea was only a demonstration of support for Ukraine and a protest against the annexation of Crimea.

In turn, independent Russian military observer Pavel Felgenhauer believes that the Russian army, which does not like regular international Sea Breeze exercises in the Black Sea and the presence of Western warships in the region, have carried out a planned provocation against the British warship.

“There is a right of free passage, which the British destroyer followed. It is possible to bypass Cape Fiolent without crossing the 12-mile limit and to take a direct course in territorial and international waters. This is permitted by the 1982 Convention, which the Soviet Union and, by definition, Russia, ratified. It was therefore a provocation from Moscow. Although, perhaps, the British are not entirely innocent either, ”the military observer told Voice of America.

Tensions in the Black Sea

The Defender incident is not the first case of close contact between the Russian military and NATO member states in the Black Sea. Since 2014, when Russia announced the annexation of Crimea, not a single international exercise involving US or NATO warships near the peninsula has taken place without an active response from the Russian military.

The Ukrainian-American international exercise Sea Breeze has been held since 1997. This year, a total of 21 exercises will be held between June 28 and July 10, with the participation of military personnel from 32 countries.

The repressive regime of Vladimir Putin is enraged by the increasing number of flights of US strategic bombers near Russia’s borders. The deployments of NATO warships and the increasingly frequent and large-scale military exercises by members of the alliance near its border have also annoyed the Kremlin.

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu asserted that such actions “destroy the international security system and force us to take appropriate countermeasures”.

He announced at a meeting with senior officials this week that the Russian military “will train another 20 units and formations in the Western Military District until the end of the year.”

Western Russian units have ordered around 2,000 new pieces of weaponry this year, he added.

The explosion came amid mounting tensions between Russia and the West – mainly over its actions in Ukraine.

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All of this happened in the context of Ukraine’s rapprochement with the West.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy previously asked Biden to support Kiev’s candidacy for NATO membership.

His comments sparked an uproar in Russia, which considers Ukraine to be within its sphere of influence as a former USSR stable mate.

The fact that such a large and powerful neighbor joins an organization created to counter Russian influence poses a bold threat to Russia and the way it sees itself.

Mr Putin, who is battling a stammered economy and declining popularity, could have seen this as a way to distract from his internal woes.

It also supported his long-held narrative that the world is against Russia, which is why the country needs a strong, uncompromising leader.

So far, it seems to be working – but if the West’s influence continues to grow in the region, it threatens to unleash all-out war.

Ukraine has already expressed frustration that its application for NATO membership is not processed more quickly.

But the United States and other NATO members will be aware that accelerating such a move would only bring the region closer to war.

So far both sides have pulled out of the intake, but with tensions continuing to rise, it’s unclear how long that will remain the case.

Russia seeks to expand its military might in Kaliningrad by adding a new division that includes motorized rifle, artillery and tank regiments amid NATO strengthening along the border with the Russian Baltic enclave said a Navy admiral on Monday.

Admiral Alexander Nosatov, commander of the Russian Baltic Fleet, accused the Western military bloc of deploying an armored tank and several groups of tactical battalions on the borders of the enclave. Other NATO strike units and subunits have also been deployed in close proximity to Kaliningrad’s borders, he said.

“In response to this threat, the leaders of the armed forces were forced to take retaliatory measures. One was the formation of a full-fledged motor rifle division, which is now part of the corps of army of the Baltic Fleet, “Nosatov said. Recount the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper of the Ministry of Defense.

“The new unit comprises motorized rifles, artillery and separate tank regiments,” Nosatov said.

Nosatov said the strengthening of Kaliningrad’s forces will continue until next year.

Kaliningrad is bordered by NATO members Poland and Lithuania and is home to the Russian Baltic Fleet. Tensions between Russia and the Western military bloc remain at their post-Cold War levels following Moscow’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.

In one report released last week, NATO identified Russia as one of its main threats for the next decade and offered to strengthen NATO’s capabilities to counter threats from Russia.

“By economic and social standards, Russia is a declining power, but it has shown that it is capable of territorial aggression and that it will likely remain the main threat to NATO over the next decade.” , states the NATO report.

Paris, November 3

The French defense minister said French military forces fighting Islamic extremists in West Africa “handed over” more than 50 jihadists in a recent operation in Mali.

Defense Minister Florence Parly tweeted Monday evening that the French force in the region, called Barkhane, also confiscated weapons and equipment from fighters during the operation last Friday, which she said “once shows furthermore, terrorist groups cannot act with impunity “. Parly is currently visiting Bamako, the capital of Mali, where she met the head of the transitional government.

After the Malian president was ousted in August by a military junta, she called for democratic elections “as quickly as possible” and said the current leadership pledged to guarantee them.

France, which has suffered repeated deadly attacks from Islamist extremists, has thousands of forces in West Africa to help combat extremist groups there.

Islamic extremist rebels were ousted from power in northern Mali after a French-led military operation in 2013, but have regrouped in the desert and now launch frequent attacks against the Malian army and its allies.

Meanwhile, Mali has faced months of political upheaval. Under international pressure, the junta appointed a civilian-led government to rule the country for an 18-month transition period until new elections. – AP