Rear Adm. Ahmed Mohammed Ibrahim Al Bin Ali gazes toward the horizon as if discerning the masts of distant ships, the mark of an experienced sea captain. Knowledgeable in maritime sciences, the commander of the Royal Bahrain Naval Force (RBNF) recognizes friendly boats from those that troll in troubled waters. Knowledge, experience and discernment are important qualities to command the RBNF. Its 35 ships and boats patrol a region rife with instability caused by malicious actors that threaten shipping in the Arabian Gulf, the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea. Rear Adm. Ahmed is a quiet man who chooses his…
Unipath
As the United StateS engages with Central Asia, Uzbekistan has expressed eagerness to expand its strategic partnership, highlighting what it calls its “enhanced” political dialogue on bilateral and regional issues and security cooperation. In a phone conversation in February 2025 with Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated U.S. support for the country’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, according to U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce. They discussed a joint effort through the C5+1 diplomatic platform, launched nearly a decade ago between Washington and five Central Asian republics. Saidov described his talk with Rubio as…
Qatar sought to strengthen the capabilities of its Air Force by sending fighter pilots to Europe to participate in a major multinational exercise. Qatar joined 13 other nations at Iniochos 2025, one of the largest and most complex air exercises in the region. The Hellenic Air Force hosted the event in March and April 2025 at Andravida Air Base in Greece. The two-week exercise included personnel from the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Greece, Cyprus, France, Poland and Spain. Bahrain sent observers to the exercise. Qatar participated with F-15 fighters. Iniochos 2025 engaged forces in training scenarios such…
Kuwait plays a leading role in promoting regional and international security. It has dedicated its resources and capabilities to serving as a hub for international officials to meet and discuss security and humanitarian challenges facing the world, and the Middle East in particular. Kuwait demonstrates this commitment in many ways, one of which is the NATO-Istanbul Cooperation Initiative Regional Centre (NIRC) — the first NATO office to establish a presence in the Middle East — which opened in Kuwait in 2017 to strengthen political dialogue, education and training, and public diplomacy. The NIRC serves as a platform for political and…
The United States views the Kingdom of Bahrain as one of its most dependable partners in the Middle East. To promote military professionalism and establish lasting relationships with future Bahraini leaders, U.S. military schools have educated hundreds of members of the Bahrain Armed Forces. In March 2025, four international alumni of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College were inducted into the International Hall of Fame at the U.S. Army University, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Among them was Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, graduate of Command and General Staff Officer Course Class of 1988. Dr. Al Zayani serves…
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan plays a pivotal role in supporting security, stability and prosperity in the Middle East. It continues to exert significant efforts to deepen partnership at all levels — security, diplomatic, political, social and economic — with neighboring countries. In March 2025, the kingdom hosted a meeting for officials from countries neighboring Syria to discuss security, reconstruction and the voluntary return of refugees to the country. Foreign and defense ministers, chiefs of staff and intelligence directors from Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Türkiye and Jordan attended the conference. Topics of discussion included practical cooperation on regional security challenges such…
Central Asia encompasses vast areas that are virtually inaccessible. This includes huge segments of national borders, called “green borders,” between official border control points. These remote borders, often covered by vegetation, are frequently targeted by drug and weapons smugglers. Seeking to provide better security on hundreds of kilometers of such borders, the Border Service of the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan is partnering with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to enlist unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in its mission. In January 2025, the OSCE Programme Office in Astana proposed developing a UAV Training Centre of Excellence…
Lebanon shares a 396-kilometer border with Syria that long has been a cause of instability due to overlapping and unmarked boundaries in many areas. Smugglers moved weapons and narcotics through several unofficial points, and Syrian illegal immigrants flocked into Lebanon after the outbreak of Syria’s civil war in 2011. Taking advantage of regime change in Syria, the recently formed Lebanese government is striving to improve security on its border. Lebanese Defense Minister Michel Menassa met Syrian counterpart Murhaf Abu Qasra in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in March 2025. The talks, facilitated by Saudi Minister of Defense His Royal Highness Prince Khalid…
Troops from Tajikistan and the Virginia National Guard have enjoyed a productive 22-year partnership through the U.S. National Guard’s State Partnership Program. The partners have conducted more than 200 military-to-military engagements to counter terrorism, deter violent extremism, improve emergency response and promote shared values in national sovereignty and security. Engagements continued in February 2025 when Virginia Soldiers and Airmen conducted an exchange with Tajik forces that focused on noncommissioned officer and junior officer development. The five-day exchange included Tajik participants from the Ministry of Defense, Border Guards and National Guard. The training stressed professional growth aimed at developing critical thinking…
Since its defeat in Iraq in September 2017 at the hands of Iraqi and Coalition forces, the Daesh terrorist organization has been trying to regroup and activate its fugitive remnants. Iraqi forces, in conjunction with Coalition forces, continue pursuing the group’s remnants across Iraq and Syria, killing and capturing many and forcing others to hide in remote rugged mountains and deserts. In March 2025, Iraqi authorities announced an airstrike that killed Abdullah Makki Muslih al-Rifai, also known as Abu Khadijah, a key Daesh leader, describing him as one of the most dangerous terrorists in the world. Daesh’s second-most senior decision-maker,…