Turkish fighter jet crashes near Syrian border
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DefenceTalkA Turkish F-16 fighter jet crashed in south-eastern Turkey on Monday near the Syrian border, and its pilot is believed to have safely ejected, an army statement said. “Radio communication was cut around 2:15 pm (1115 GMT) with the F-16 fighter plane on mission in the Amanos mountains,” shortly after the pilot signalled he was […]https://www.defencetalk.com/turkish-fighter-jet-crashes-near-syrian-border-47761/
Austria warns against arms shipments to Syrian rebels
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DefenceTalkAustria has warned its 26 European Union partners in a letter against providing weapons for rebel movements in the Syrian conflict, said a press report to be published Tuesday. The foreign ministry in Vienna confirmed late Monday that a document had been handed over to the European Union in Brussels, but did not give details. […]https://www.defencetalk.com/austria-warns-against-arms-shipments-to-syrian-rebels-47763/
Israel’s Syria hit sends warning to Iran, Hezbollah: pundits
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DefenceTalkIsraeli air strikes near Damascus send a clear message to Iran and Syria that it will not allow arms shipments to Hezbollah, pundits said, playing down fears it would spark a major response. Although Israel maintained official silence on the strikes, one at dawn on Friday and the second about 48 hours later, a senior […]https://www.defencetalk.com/israels-syria-hit-sends-warning-to-iran-hezbollah-pundits-47692/
US says Syria has beefed up air defenses
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DefenceTalkWith technical support from Russia, Syria has bolstered its air defenses, posing a threat to US aircraft if America decides to intervene in the war, a US official said Monday. The official confirmed a report that first appeared in the Wall Street Journal. Word of the upgraded defenses takes on new urgency given US assertions […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-says-syria-has-beefed-up-air-defenses-47659/
Pentagon chief heads to Israel after US arms deal unveiled
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DefenceTalkUS Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel headed to Israel on Sunday in a weeklong trip to the Middle East that will be dominated by worries over Iran’s nuclear program and Syria’s raging civil war. In his first trip to the region since taking over as Pentagon chief nearly two months ago, Hagel planned to discuss with […]https://www.defencetalk.com/pentagon-chief-heads-to-israel-after-us-arms-deal-unveiled-47550/
White House: no Patriot missiles in Syria
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DefenceTalkThe White House said Tuesday that NATO would not provide Patriot missile batteries to protect rebel strongholds in Syria, following a request from opposition chief Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib. Khatib asked for an extension of the umbrella provided by Patriot positions on the Turkish border designed to intercept any missiles fired from the Syrian side, as […]https://www.defencetalk.com/white-house-no-patriot-missiles-in-syria-47281/
Turkey awaits ‘historic’ ceasefire call by Kurdish rebel chief
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DefenceTalkJailed Kurdish rebel chief Abdullah Ocalan was set to call a “historic” ceasefire on Thursday, raising expectations for an end to a three-decade conflict with Turkey that has cost tens of thousands of lives. The widely anticipated ceasefire call is to come in a letter penned by the leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party […]https://www.defencetalk.com/turkey-awaits-historic-ceasefire-call-by-kurdish-rebel-chief-47231/
Customs Board Continues Syrian Tank Export Probe
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DefenceTalkNine Finnish citizens are suspected of involvement in the export of tank parts to Syria from Russia via Finland. The shipment of tank parts was discovered in Vuosaari harbour, in eastern Helsinki, on 8 January. The container in question was due to be shipped to Syria on board the Finnlines vessel M/S Finnsun. It contained […]https://www.defencetalk.com/customs-board-continues-syrian-tank-export-probe-47152/
Russia says supplying Syria, Mali with arms
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DefenceTalkRussia said Wednesday it was delivering military hardware and light weapons to the governments of Syria and Mali as it expands sales and maintains its footing in some of the world’s deadliest conflicts. The head of Russia’s arms exporter Rosoboronexport, Anatoly Isaikin, said Russian deliveries to the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad included air […]https://www.defencetalk.com/russia-says-supplying-syria-mali-with-arms-46792/
Israel deploys 3rd missile system to north
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DefenceTalkIsrael has deployed a third Iron Dome missile defence battery to the north of the country a few days after carrying out an air strike inside neighboring Syria, Israeli media said on Tuesday. “The deployment of several Iron Dome batteries in the north of the country comes as part of the setting up of the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/israel-deploys-3rd-missile-system-to-north-46687/