DefenceTalkThe US military is probing allegations that a strike targeting Al-Qaeda leaders near a mosque in northern Syria killed numerous civilians, the Defense Department said Monday. A US air strike on March 16 completely destroyed a building located next to an old mosque in the village of Al-Jineh in the northern province of Aleppo. The […]https://www.defencetalk.com/pentagon-launches-probe-after-strike-near-syria-mosque-69540/

DefenceTalkIsraeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Sunday threatened to destroy Syrian air defence systems after they fired ground-to-air missiles at Israeli warplanes carrying out strikes. “The next time the Syrians use their air defence systems against our planes we will destroy them without the slightest hesitation,” Lieberman said on Israeli public radio. Israeli warplanes hit […]https://www.defencetalk.com/israel-threatens-to-destroy-syrian-air-defence-systems-69533/

DefenceTalkTaiwan said for the first time publicly that it is capable of launching missiles at China, as the government on Thursday unveiled a major defence report warning of increased risk of Chinese invasion. China still sees Taiwan as part of its territory to be brought back into its fold, by force if necessary, even though […]https://www.defencetalk.com/taiwan-says-capable-of-strike-against-china-69522/

DefenceTalkTaiwan pledged Wednesday to build up its military in the face of an increased risk of invasion by China in a major defence ministry report that comes as ties with Beijing worsen. China still sees Taiwan as part of its territory to be brought back into its fold, by force if necessary, even though the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/major-taiwan-defence-report-warns-of-china-invasion-risk-69504/

DefenceTalkUp to 1,000 additional US troops could deploy to northern Syria under provisional plans drawn up by the Pentagon, a US defense official said on Wednesday. The plans, which still need to be approved by President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, would mark a significant uptick in US boots on the ground in […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-plans-for-syria-include-another-1000-troops-us-official-69500/

DefenceTalkThe civilian death toll in air strikes thought to have been conducted by a US-led coalition on a jihadist-held Syrian village on Thursday has risen to 23, a monitor said. The Islamic State group is facing simultaneous offensives in northern Syria by government forces, Turkish-backed rebels, and a US-supported alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters. […]https://www.defencetalk.com/suspected-coalition-raids-kill-23-civilians-in-syria-monitor-69442/

DefenceTalkThe United States has sent a Marine Corps artillery battery into Syria to help defeat the Islamic State group in Raqa, the capital of their supposed caliphate, a US official said. The official said troops from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit had deployed a battery of 155mm Howitzers to an outpost in Syria. The Marines […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-marines-deploy-artillery-battery-to-syria-69428/

DefenceTalkFive soldiers of the Pakistan Army and more than 10 suspected militants were reportedly killed in a cross-border “terrorist attack” on three Pakistani border posts along the Pak-Afghan border area on Sunday night, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. ISPR in a statement said “terrorists” from across the border had targeted the posts late on […]https://www.defencetalk.com/five-soldiers-killed-in-militant-attack-along-pakistan-afghan-border-69396/

DefenceTalkFrance is to send a contingent of counterterror forces to help the army in Niger after militants ambushed a military patrol killing 16, the defence ministry said. The decision, announced late Saturday, was taken following a request from President Mahamadou Issoufou after Wednesday’s attack near the border with Mali. The deadly ambush, which took place […]https://www.defencetalk.com/france-sends-backup-to-niger-after-16-troops-killed-69302/

DefenceTalkThe Pentagon’s top officer on Thursday would not say if US ground forces will deploy to Syria to fight Daesh terrorists, observing only that he is readying a “full range of options” for President Donald Trump. General Joe Dunford’s remarks come as the Pentagon finalizes a new plan to defeat Daesh that Trump ordered shortly […]https://www.defencetalk.com/top-us-general-readies-full-range-of-syria-options-for-trump-69264/