Tajikistan and the United States held their seventh annual bilateral consultations in Dushanbe in October 2018. These consultations allow both sides to discuss cooperation over the previous year and identify priorities for future joint efforts. A U.S. delegation led by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Central Asia Emilia Puma went to Tajikistan for a two-day visit to discuss strategic bilateral relations, including cooperation in fighting violent extremism and drug trafficking as well as promoting regional collaboration, trade and economic relations, and political dialogue. Puma met with Tajik Minister of Foreign Affairs Sirojiddin Mukhriddin, Defense Minister Sherali Mirzo and heads…
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The warring parties in Yemen ended 2018 by agreeing to a cease-fire in the city of Hodeida, the main lifeline of two-thirds of the country’s population. The two sides reached an agreement after talks in Sweden mediated by the United Nations. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he hoped it would be the starting point for ending the nearly four-year civil war that has killed thousands and caused a humanitarian crisis. The leaders of the Yemeni government and the Houthi rebels shook hands after the cease-fire was agreed upon. Hodeida is one of the areas controlled by the Houthi. According to…
IRAQI DIRECTORATE OF MILITARY INTELLIGENCE | Photos by IRAQI MINISTRY OF DEFENSE On the 98th anniversary of the creation of the Iraqi Army, Director of Military Intelligence Maj. Gen. Saad Al Allaq received a delegation of students and teachers from Al-Ghad Primary School. Maj. Gen. Saad made an inspiring speech to the students, who also used the occasion to tour the directorate’s offices and study exhibits related to the Iraqi military’s defeat of Daesh. “You will complete the march to protect Iraq, and your group will become officers, engineers and doctors serving Iraq and protecting its people. I wish you…
Naval preparedness was the goal of Hamad 3, a joint Egyptian-Bahraini military exercise in January 2019. Egyptian Navy and Air Force formations participated in the three-day training near Salman Marine Base and Isa Air Base in Bahrain. Hamad 3 is considered to be one of the most important joint exercises in the Arabian Gulf region. Activities are designed to coordinate combat routines using up-to-date air and naval tactics to foil external attacks or terrorist threats. The Egyptian Armed Forces join their Bahraini counterparts in many exercises, contributing to military interoperability, as well as honing the skills of troops engaged in…
Oman’s military used the occasion of Armed Forces Day on December 11, 2018, to open the Joint Operations Center and Maritime Security Center, part of a plan to improve the capabilities of the Sultanate’s Armed Forces. Rear Adm. Abdullah bin Khamis Al Raisi, commander of the Royal Navy of Oman and chairman of the Maritime Security Committee, said the Joint Operations Center will streamline and standardize the efforts of the military and security sectors in the country. The maritime center will do much the same for agencies affiliated with naval affairs. “The opening of such modern edifice is an important…
As part of an effort to establish deeper military cooperation in the Red Sea/Gulf of Aden region, Saudi Arabia invited several countries to participate in the Red Waves 1 exercise in Jeddah in January 2019. Special operations and marine infantry forces from six Arabic-speaking countries participated in the drills: Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen. Somalia sent observers. Several units participated, supported by Typhoon jets, and the event included shooting at naval and air targets. Red Waves 1, along with another event called Arab Shield, are considered important steps to bolster regional cooperation and security among countries bordering…
When heavy snow and avalanches left some residents of northern Afghanistan isolated from the rest of the country, Tajikistan agreed to expand free health care for its neighbors to the south. Tajik Minister of Health Nasim Olimzoda and Afghan Ambassador to Dushanbe Saidmasum Badakhshi met in February 2019 to discuss joint cooperation in the medical field. Ambassador Badakhshi stressed the need to treat Afghan residents from Badakhshan province in Tajikistan’s nearby Gorno-Badakhshan region. Paralyzing winter storms prevented Badakhshan residents from seeking help within Afghanistan. Dozens of Afghan citizens received treatment in Tajik hospitals near the Afghan border, a number that…
I would like to express my gratitude to U.S. Central Command for its kind invitation to be the commander who introduces this edition of Unipath magazine, which addresses the importance of achieving stability amid terrorist efforts to upset the security of the region. Egypt’s counterterrorism strategy stems from a firm and steadfast position adopted by the Egyptian Armed Forces. The strategy is based on six pillars. The first pillar depends on countering extremist/terrorist ideologies with enlightened awareness based on the human principles and values of forgiveness and the concept of tolerance established by all divinely established religions. The second pillar requires…
Egypt hosts multilateral military exercise focused on building partnerships and countering terrorism EGYPTIAN ARMED FORCES As the ramps of armored vehicles drop, Soldiers pour into the Egyptian desert and take a position on the battlefield. Movements are sharp and decisive as troops assemble and expertly destroy enemy targets. Firepower from F-16s and Apache helicopters flown by Egyptian and Greek pilots have already weakened the terrorists, paving the way for the ground forces assault. The professionalism and prowess of multinational forces was clear to military leaders watching the Bright Star 2018 military exercise’s combined arms live-fire exercise. Egypt hosted Bright Star at…
Iraqis and Jordanians share lessons learned from the victorious campaign against terrorists in Iraq UNIPATH STAFF Forces that recently emerged victorious from battle — particularly the triumphant troops of the Iraqi Armed Forces — possess unique knowledge of modern urban warfare often denied troops further removed from the front lines. How do terrorists entrench themselves in cities? How do you win the trust of populations under occupation? How do you disable hostile technology like enemy drones and improvised explosive devices? How do you conduct psychological operations against violent extremists like Daesh? Iraqi commanders revealed the answers to such questions at…