DefenceTalkWASHINGTON: America’s longest war began in Afghanistan 14 years ago, sucking in hundreds of thousands of troops and costing Washington billions of dollars and huge political capital. President Barack Obama’s announcement on Thursday he was delaying the pullout of US troops beyond 2016 marks the umpteenth change of strategy aimed at stopping the Afghan quagmire […]https://www.defencetalk.com/americas-14-years-in-the-afghan-quagmire-65640/

DefenceTalkAmerican-made anti-tank missiles are turning the tide against the Syrian regime and allied forces in a major battle in the country’s centre and northwest, rebel groups said Tuesday. Non-Islamist opposition factions say they are using the US-made TOW missiles to halt a Syrian army advance that is backed by Russian air strikes in the provinces […]https://www.defencetalk.com/rebels-say-us-made-missiles-turning-tide-against-regime-65635/

DefenceTalkSyrian government troops advanced under cover of Russian airstrikes Monday as the United States airdropped 50 tons of small arms ammunition to rebels in northern Syria. In the heaviest fighting in weeks, government forces battled rebels in a strategic area in the central province of Hama, hoping to regain the Sahl al-Ghab plain. The fighting […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-airdrops-50-tons-of-munitions-to-syrian-rebels-65624/

DefenceTalkGHAZNI, AFGHANISTAN: Fighting flared in eastern Afghanistan Monday as Taliban insurgents threatened to storm another provincial capital, two weeks after their lightning capture of northern Kunduz city that marked their biggest military victory in 14 years. The attempt to seize Ghazni city was repelled by Afghan forces but it raised security alarm bells as the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/afghan-forces-repel-taliban-attack-on-provincial-capital-of-ghazni-65601/

DefenceTalkThis night Russian aircraft carried out 22 sorties from the Hmeymim airbase. Su-34, Su-24M and Su-25 crews engaged 27 terrorist facilities on the territory of Syria. The ISIS groups, which showed particular severity towards civilians, were subjected to massive bombing. Su-24M and Su-34 bombers attacked 8 militants’ strong points in Homs province. The engagement resulted […]https://www.defencetalk.com/russian-mod-details-syrian-air-strikes-65587/

DefenceTalkA suspected Saudi-led air strike killed at least 28 people at a wedding in a rebel-held town in Yemen, witnesses and rebels said Thursday, even as UN peace efforts made headway. The Saudi-led coalition, under mounting criticism over the civilian death toll of its bombing campaign against Iran-backed rebels, denied any involvement in the latest […]https://www.defencetalk.com/suspected-saudi-led-air-strike-kills-28-at-yemen-wedding-65583/

DefenceTalkRome: Moscow has said it will work to avert potential mishaps between Russian and US pilots flying missions over Syria, Pentagon officials said Tuesday. US and Russian officials held discussions last week — at Russia’s request — on establishing measures to avoid accidents so warplanes flying over Syria would not be in the same place […]https://www.defencetalk.com/russia-willing-to-work-to-avert-air-accidents-over-syria-pentagon-65572/

DefenceTalkPresident Barack Obama has promised a full investigation into an apparent US air strike on an Afghan hospital that killed 19 people, a bombing which the UN said could amount to a war crime. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said patients burned to death in their beds during a raid that continued for more than an […]https://www.defencetalk.com/obama-pledges-probe-into-fatal-airstrike-on-afghan-hospital-65549/

DefenceTalkMoscow: Russian jets struck five more Islamic State targets in Syria on Thursday, the defence ministry said, as the country continued its air strikes against the extremist group. “Russian Sukhoi Su-24M and Sukhoi Su-25M conducted eight flights to strike five IS targets,” defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov was quoted by RIA Novosti state news agency […]https://www.defencetalk.com/russian-jets-strike-five-more-isis-targets-govt-65527/

DefenceTalkSanaa: The death toll from an alleged air strike on a Yemeni wedding soared Tuesday to 131, including women and children, as the Saudi-led coalition denied it was behind the incident. UN chief Ban Ki-moon condemned Monday’s reported bombardment, saying intentional attacks on civilians were considered a “serious violation of international humanitarian law”. Residents said […]https://www.defencetalk.com/131-dead-in-alleged-strike-on-yemen-wedding-65513/