Kurdish forces in northern Iraq who are fighting Islamic State (IS) militants were attacked with chemical weapons a few days ago, the German defence ministry said on Thursday
"There was a chemical weapons attack" southwest of Arbil, a ministry spokesman told AFP, adding that some Kurdish fighters suffered respiratory problems while German military trainers were unhurt
The chemical agent had been delivered with mortar or artillery shells, said the spokesman, who did not say who was suspected of carrying out the attack
Germany has been supporting the Kurdish peshmerga fighters with arms shipments and weapons training since September to back the fight against IS jihadists, and currently has about 90 personnel on the ground
IS has previously been accused of using chlorine against Kurdish forces in Iraq
Last month, the Conflict Armament Research group and Sahan Research group said IS had also targeted peshmerga with a projectile filled with an unknown chemical agent on June 21 or 22
The chemical used had characteristics and clinical effects "consistent with a chlorine chemical agent," the groups said
Russia is getting ready for a war against the United States and its NATO allies, according to a European think tank that analyzed recent Russian military drills.
The alarming warning comes a day after the British defense secretary, Michael Fallon, said that the conflict in Ukraine was “red hot” and Russian-backed rebels could yet claim more territory in the east of the country.
Fallon added that he did not see any indications that the violence could end in the nearest future, especially after this week Russian-backed separatists along with – as it is widely believed – Russian troops have launched some of their heaviest artillery attacks on the Ukrainian forces’ positions in six months.
Analysts at the European Leadership Network think tank conducted an analysis of large-scale military drills that took place in March by Russia as well as smaller military drills carried out by NATO in June. Both sides were conducting the exercises with the other side’s military capabilities and war plans in mind, according to the think tank.
The analysts concluded that the “nature and scale” of the drills showed that “Russia is actively preparing for a conflict with NATO, and NATO is preparing for a possible confrontation with Russia.”
An officer of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) stands next to a monitor showing a man, who according to SBU is a Russian army major detained by Ukrainian servicemen at the weekend, during a news briefing in Kiev, Ukraine, July 29, 2015.
As eastern Ukraine is experiencing some of its heaviest fighting since the Minsk II agreements were signed in February, a captured Russian army major tells Euronews there are about 2000 Russian servicemen fighting in Eastern Ukraine.
As eastern Ukraine is experiencing some of its heaviest fighting since the Minsk II agreements were signed in February, a captured Russian army major tells Euronews there are about 2000 Russian servicemen fighting in Eastern Ukraine.
Vladimir Starkov is currently held in a detention center in Kiev after being intercepted three weeks ago with a truck full of ammunition.
He was driving the truck from Donetsk to Yasne, a small village south of the separatist stronghold of Donetsk when he was arrested.
Starkov, who is being charged with terrorism, explained to Euronews that he was recruited to help separatists in Eastern Ukraine. He was in charge of weapon accountability.
“At the time I was detained, I was a regular serviceman in the armed forces of the Russian Federation with the rank of Major," Starkov told Euronews. "I was chief of missile and artillery weapons service in the military unit in the Russian city of Novocherkassk."
He also told Ukrainian security services that about 2,000 Russian servicemen are deployed in Ukraine at the moment, and that like himself, many did not volunteer.
“Senior officers gathered us in a conference room and announced that our positions would be the same as promised, but we should do our military service in Ukraine: in the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics," he said. "It was forbidden to inform our relatives about this."
Once he was arrested, Starkov tried to call his family but couldn't get through to them. The same happened when Euronews tried to call them.
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif met Wednesday in Lebanon with Hezbollah terror chief Hassan Nasrallah, in which the two discussed how the nuke deal recently agreed upon between Iran and the United States and world powers creates an opportunity for Tehran’s regional allies to “face threats posed by the Zionist entity,” Hezbollah’s Al Manar media outlet reported.
Hezbollah (Party of Allah), which was created by the Iranian regime with the expressed purpose of turning Lebanon into a “graveyard for Jews,” according to Nasrallah, is classified by the United States as a terrorist organization. The jihadi group has been responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American serviceman over the past few decades, and has in the 21st century established substantial roots throughout Latin America.
“Once more, I call on Muslim countries in the region to respond positively to Iran’s invitation to dialogue and cooperation for guaranteeing the interests of regional states and nations,” Zarif said, pointing to “the Zionist entity, terrorism and extremism” as the foremost threats facing the Middle East, the report added.
The two Holocaust-deniers/revisionists discussed other issues, such as how to find a solution to the political crises in Lebanon, before Zarif met with Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam.
“We value the major role played by the prime minister in providing security, fighting terrorism, and creating cooperation,” Zarif told a press conference after meeting with the Lebanese PM. Zarif added that he hoped for “more cooperation between the Lebanese and Iranian governments.”
Iran is the chief backer of the Syrian regime worldwide. The regime supported by Iran has ruled during a time in which hundreds-of-thousands of Syrians have been slaughtered over the past few years, most of whom by their own government, according to estimates.
Later in the day, Zarif arrived in Damascus and met with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, according to reports. The two are “expected to discuss a four-point proposal Iran wants to offer to the United Nations to end Syria’s civil war,” Radio Free Europe/Radio Libertyreports.
The Iranian foreign minister will also travel to Pakistan, India, and Russia in the coming days.
A representative for a pro-Islamic State hacking group issued a chilling warning to members of the U.S. military and government Wednesday, promising that “very soon” followers of the organization would retaliate for overseas bombing targeting the terror organization.
Speaking to TheBlaze using smartphone messenger application Kik, a representative for the Islamic State Hacking Division said the group is constantly spying on U.S. servicemen. The organization on Tuesday published personal information purporting to belong to U.S. military and government online.
“Just like they spy on muslims, we are spying on them, watching their employees, watching their soldiers, recording their movements and taking their location information and passing it on to the soldiers of the islamic state,” the anonymous male member told TheBlaze.
“they have no security just like their employees and military personnel have no OpSec,” he continued, “they are people who like to brag and boast and this is to our advantage.”
“the brothers don’t need to attack them in military bases or secured buildings,” the hacking group member added. “they can now turn up in their houses. in their homes. this is war, what did you expect? u think u can bomb the islamic state and we don’t do nothing back? soon, very soon you will see.”
When asked exactly what could be expected to be seen “soon,” the member replied, “you will see when US military and government personnel start getting beheaded in their homes.”
Around 1,300 active satellites cloak the Earth in a crowded nest of orbits, providing world-wide communication, GPS navigation, weather forecasting and planetary surveillance.
However, experts have now expressed fears that our and our governments increasing reliance on satellites will spark acts of space aggression.
If that were to escalate into a full-blown conflict between world powers, it would cripple the entire planet's space-based infrastructure and potentially lead to a global war on Earth.
The United States remains the undisputed dominant power in space, but Russia and China are aggressively seeking to challenge the country's superiority with space programmes of their own.
James Clapper, the US director of national intelligence, stressed his concerns as he accused Russia and China of "developing capabilities" to take out American satellites.
However, experts have now expressed fears that our and our governments increasing reliance on satellites will spark acts of space aggression.
If that were to escalate into a full-blown conflict between world powers, it would cripple the entire planet's space-based infrastructure and potentially lead to a global war on Earth.
The United States remains the undisputed dominant power in space, but Russia and China are aggressively seeking to challenge the country's superiority with space programmes of their own.
James Clapper, the US director of national intelligence, stressed his concerns as he accused Russia and China of "developing capabilities" to take out American satellites.
He said China in particular, had demonstrated the "need to interfere with, damage, and destroy" US satellites, referring to a series of Chinese anti-satellite missile tests that began in 2007.
No satellites were destroyed but that was because Beijing was "testing to miss rather than hit".
According to a report in Scientific American, there are many ways to disable and destroy satellites beyond blowing them up, making them extremely vulnerable to attack.
No satellites were destroyed but that was because Beijing was "testing to miss rather than hit".
According to a report in Scientific American, there are many ways to disable and destroy satellites beyond blowing them up, making them extremely vulnerable to attack.
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3 comments:
Scott there is an article by Donna Wasson over at Rapture Ready called "Just beggin for it". Maybe takes two minutes to read it but it is so spot on.
Waterer i accidentally deleted your comment SO sorry. It was a great comment too btw
no problem Scott!
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