Threatened by terrorist organizations trying to gain a foothold on the coasts of the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, Yemen created the Special Operations Forces to foil the schemes of bad actors intent on destabilizing the country. To lead these specialized military units, the country elevated one of its most highly skilled commanders. Maj. Gen. Ismail Hassan Abdullah Zahzouh, who began his career as a Yemeni Air Force officer, has assumed this important role to safeguard the country during the lengthy civil war provoked by the Iran-backed Houthis. “Special Operations Forces have been able to reduce the scope of…
Unipath
At the 15th Kuwaiti-U.S. Joint Military Commission (JMC) meeting held in Kuwait in May 2024, the U.S. pledged to strengthen its bilateral strategic partnership to rise to the challenges facing the region and the world. Chief of Staff of Kuwait Armed Forces Lt. Gen. Bander Salem Al Muzaien led the discussions in Kuwait City with U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East Daniel Shapiro. Promoting the integration of air and missile defense and early warning systems across the region was among topics discussed during the two days of talks. The meeting ended with the signing of numerous…
Marking the 10th anniversary of formal diplomatic consultations about issues of regional security, Turkmenistan and the United States reiterated their commitment to countering terrorism, arranging educational and cultural exchanges, promoting human rights, and expanding trade and investment. The annual bilateral discussions, held in April 2024 in the Turkmen capital of Ashgabat, were hosted by Rashid Meredov, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. John Mark Pommersheim, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, represented the U.S. Meredov and Pommersheim discussed issues related to combating regional and global security…
Jordanian security authorities discovered a cache of explosives in an apartment 1 kilometer from Marka Military Airport in Amman in June 2024. The investigation resulted in the discovery of more explosives two days later in a warehouse in Abu Alanda neighborhood of Amman, a few kilometers from the apartment. All of these explosives were safely detonated by the Royal Corps of Engineers, and evidence led investigators to believe that the two caches belonged to a single group of suspects. Jordanian authorities have recently thwarted several attempts to smuggle weapons, the most recent of which was in March 2024, when they…
The Kyrgyz Republic’s partnership with U.S. National Guard forces from the state of Montana continues to yield benefits for the Central Asian nation. Baktybek Amanbayev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kyrgyz Republic to the United States and Canada, arrived at Montana Technological University in May 2024 with the goal of tapping the state’s expertise in mining and engineering for the benefit of his country. The visit was the fruit of the Kyrgyz Republic’s long-term training and educational partnership with the Montana National Guard. As part of the U.S. Department of Defense State Partnership Program, Kyrgyz and U.S. troops visit…
A champion of diplomatic solutions, Qatar makes a significant contribution to international peace, exerting noticeable effort in mediating between conflicting parties in the region. Facilitating successful rounds of negotiations between warring parties has earned Qatar the trust of the international community. At the level of Arab states, Qatar hosted the 160th meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Ministerial Council in Doha in June 2024, under the chairmanship of Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Qatar’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. It was attended by ministers of foreign affairs of GCC member states. Following extensive discussions on the most essential…
Tajikistan’s Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin discussed increasing cooperation with the United States in the fields of counterterrorism, border security and transnational crime. In meetings with U.S. Ambassador Manuel Micaller in May 2024, Muhriddin proposed strengthening the two countries’ long-term security partnership. The diplomats also explored expanding business relations to promote greater economic stability in Tajikistan and the region. Tajikistan is party to the “C5+1” format — a diplomatic platform that includes the five Central Asian states and the U.S. This framework aims to address common security concerns and promote regional cooperation. Tajikistan and the U.S. expressed a desire to hold…
In their ongoing battle against terrorism, Kazakh security forces received training on combating online extremism with the help of the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security. The joint digital security training program in May 2024 engaged the Kazakh Law Enforcement Academy and the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan. As extremists increasingly use online platforms to spread their ideology and manipulate followers, the training helped law enforcement agencies use social media as an investigative tool to identify, track and disrupt extremist groups. This cooperation highlights the changing nature of security threats and the need for new methods to address them. “The…
Under the chairmanship of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain, the 33rd Arab League Summit convened at the Sakhir Palace in Manama in May 2024. “The summit is being convened today amid extremely complex regional and international situations, devastating wars, heart-wrenching humanitarian crises, and threats targeting the identity, security, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of our nation [the Arab community],” Bahrain’s King said in his opening remarks. “With the continuation of these threats surrounding our Arab community, the magnitude of the responsibility placed on us to protect our common path and to open a new page…
Adhering to the principles and values promoted by its founder, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) continues to be among leading nations responding to humanitarian crises caused by conflicts and natural disasters. In July 2024, the 18th convoy of wounded Gazan children, cancer patients and their companions arrived in Abu Dhabi for treatment at UAE hospitals. Planes began ferrying patients in batches from Gaza to the UAE in November 2023, fulfilling instructions from UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to supply treatment and health care to 1,000 wounded children…