News Story: U.S. yet to announce exact troop number deployment in Afghanistan

KABUL, Sept. 27 (Xinhua)-- The visiting U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis said Wednesday that the exact number of additional U.S. troops to be deployed in Afghanistan was not still clear.

"Afghan security forces continue to take the lead but we are going to give them more advantages," Mattis responded to a query when asked to comment on the number of U.S. troops expected to arrive in Afghanistan.

At the moment, according to media reports, there are 11,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Pentagon, reportedly would send some 3,500 additional forces to the militancy-battered country.

Mattis who attended a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, told reporters that he would not reveal the "exact number of additional troops to the enemy."

Nevertheless, the Pentagon chief added that the Afghan security forces would take the lead in the fight against Taliban and other insurgents.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Report: Mattis Hails ‘Historic’ Opportunity to Expand US-India Ties

William Gallo

NEW DELHI — U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis took steps to reinforce a quickly growing defense partnership with India on Tuesday, declaring the relationship has “never been stronger.”

During meetings with senior Indian officials in New Delhi, Mattis stressed that the United States and India are “natural strategic partners who share common values and interests.”

“This is, again, a historic opportunity for our two democracies, a time of strategic convergence,” Mattis said alongside his Indian counterpart, Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The U.S. sees India as a counterweight to the rising influence of China, and hopes to persuade New Delhi to become more involved in bringing stability to Afghanistan.

“We applaud India’s invaluable contributions to Afghanistan, and welcome further efforts to promote Afghanistan’s democracy, stability, and security,” Mattis said.

Pakistan, India’s longtime rival, opposes New Delhi’s expanded involvement in Afghanistan, fearing a future war with its strategic rival, (India), on two fronts.

Sitharaman on Tuesday downplayed those concerns, pointing out that most of India’s support for Afghanistan has been non-military.

“We have made it very clear that there shall not be boots from India on the ground,” Sitharaman said.

India has invested billions of dollars in Afghanistan, mostly in sectors such as health, education and infrastructure. India also recently agreed to expand its support for Afghan defense forces, which includes training of Afghan army personnel.

News Report: US Government Agency Calls For Changes in Afghan Troops Training

Ayaz Gul

ISLAMABAD — A U.S. government auditor blames flawed U.S. planning, training and oversight for the inability of Afghan forces to secure their country from threats and prevent the re-establishment of terrorist havens. The head of the independent agency warns that billions of dollars could be wasted unless changes are made to the way Afghan troops are trained.

The assessment from John Sopko, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, or SIGAR, follows a U.S. decision to send more than 3,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, an increase of more than 25 percent in the number of American forces there.

America’s mission, he said, is “to try to win the hearts and minds” of the people in Afghanistan so they will fight for their country, but notes that effort first needs to be focused on Afghan forces.

"They are not going to fight if they know they are not going to get paid,” added the SIGAR chief, whose office released a report to highlight lessons learned from the past 16 years to improve future training efforts.

News Story: US military conducts controversial parachute drill in Okinawa

Parachute Training from a C-130 (File Photo)

NAHA -- The U.S. military carried out controversial parachute training at the Kadena Air Base in Okinawa Prefecture on Sept. 21 -- an act that contravenes an agreement between the Japanese and U.S. governments.

Under the pact, which was made in 1996, parachute training by the U.S. military is specifically designated to take place at the Ie Shima Airfield on the remote Okinawan island of Iejima, and should only take place at the Kadena Air Base under "exceptional circumstances."

Although the Japanese government was warned about the training in advance on Sept. 15, it later requested that the training be canceled. This is the third time this year that the U.S. military has conducted parachute training at the Kadena Air Base -- much to the displeasure of the Okinawa Prefectural Government and local municipalities, which think that the training went ahead with no regard for the agreement.

Read the full story at The Mainichi

News Report: India, Japan Expected to Increase Maritime Activity Aimed at China

Ralph Jennings

TAIPEI, TAIWAN — India and Japan, anxious to keep Asia’s dominant power Beijing in check, may send patrols into the contested South China Sea or sell arms to rival states following a pair of high-level meetings this month, experts say.

Both Asian countries could sell or donate more weapons to China’s rival maritime claimants, such as Vietnam, so they can build a defense against Beijing. Japan may also use coast guard or naval ships to patrol the sea to show it’s open despite China’s claim to some 90 percent of it.

India will probably continue joint exploration with Vietnam for oil and gas under the 3.5 million-square-kilometer sea, analysts say.

“Delhi and Tokyo have both been stepping up their capacity-building efforts in the region, with Japan focused mainly on providing patrol vessels and training for Southeast Asian states and India selling arms to and training the Vietnamese navy,” said Gregory Poling, director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative of the American think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies.

News Story: Commando Training Intensifies, Numbers To Rise

By Sharif Amiri

Following the announcement of the US’s new strategy for Afghanistan and South Asia, the training of Afghan commando forces has been intensified and numbers are expected to increase, said army officials Tuesday.

Commando trainers said these special forces are trained to defeat the enemy in any situation.

While the training of the forces has intensified, Afghan army officials said they also plan to increase the numbers from 16,000 to 23,000 by next year.

The commandos are selected from trained army , who excel in their duties, and are then given specialized training.

Most of the commando training takes place under the supervision of foreign training advisors.

“We train them professionally in the latest commando tactics to become ready to fight the enemy in any condition,” one commando trainer, Mohammad Nasir Ahmadi, said.

Read the full story at TOLOnews

News Report: Pentagon Starts Deployment of Additional Units to Afghanistan

Several weeks since President Donald Trump had unveiled the new US strategy for Afghanistan, the US military started the deployment of additional units to the country.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The process of deploying additional military units to Afghanistan is underway, US Department of Defense spokesperson Rob Manning said in a briefing on Friday.

"He [Mattis] has signed deployment orders and units have begun deploying," Manning told reporters.

However, the final number of troops is still being finalized.

The deployment comes less than a month after US President Donald Trump unveiled a new US' Afghanistan strategy in August. The president's plan presupposes, among other provisions, the expansion of the US military authority in the country. The United States, however, will not publicly announce any future military action plans in Afghanistan.

The US war in Afghanistan is the longest war the country has ever been engaged in: there has been a US military presence in the Central Asian country for nearly 16 years. Armed conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have also been “the most expensive wars in US history,” according to Linda Bilmes of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, who estimated in 2013 that $4 to $6 trillion in expenses had been racked up over the course of the conflicts.

This story first appeared on Sputnik & is reposted here with permission.

News Story: Malaysia, US vow to enhance cooperation in fighting IS

Kuala Lumpur (VNA) - Malaysia and the US plan to enhance cooperation in a range of fields, including the fight against the growing threat of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) in Southeast Asia.

In a joint statement issued following the talks between Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and US President Donald Trump at the White House on September 13, the two leaders noted Malaysia's pledge of 1 million USD for humanitarian assistance in areas liberated from IS.

While pledging to strengthen bilateral defense ties, the two leaders underscored the importance of expanding cooperation in priority areas, including maritime security, counter-terrorism and information sharing between their defence and security forces.

Read the full story at VietnamPlus

News Report: India Reinforces Massive Assistance to Afghanistan’s Fight Against Terror

India’s increased assistance to Afghanistan comes close on the heels of Donald Trump’s “new Afghan strategy” to tackle “terrorist havens” in Pakistan.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — India has announced a slew of assistance for better equipping Afghanistan in fighting terrorists along with new developmental assistance in the form of 116 high-impact community development projects to be implemented in 31 provinces of the war-torn country.

The assistance is in addition to those that are already being provided by India to the war-torn country. An agreement to this effect was reached during a meeting of the 2nd India-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Council in New Delhi. Sushma Swaraj, India's Minister of External Affairs reaffirmed that for India, strategic partnership and friendship with Afghanistan is an ‘article of faith'.

"It was agreed to strengthen security cooperation between the two countries. India agreed to extend further assistance for the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces in fighting the scourge of terrorism, organized crime, trafficking of narcotics and money laundering," joint statement issued after the meeting reads.

News Report: US Bombing Campaign in Afghanistan Intensifies, Hitting New High

Ayaz Gul

ISLAMABAD — The U.S. military dropped 555 bombs in Afghanistan against Taliban and Islamic State targets in August, the highest number in a single month since 2012.

Overall, the U.S. has conducted about 2,400 airstrikes since the beginning of the year in support of Afghan partners battling the Taliban and IS terrorists, said U.S. Navy Captain Bill Salvin, spokesman for NATO’s Resolute Support mission in the country.

About 1,700 of them were “strategic effects” strikes, Salvin told VOA, explaining "those are strikes that have an impact on the battlefield. They help the forces on the ground, essentially helping the ANDSF (Afghan National Defense Security Forces) take ground, hold ground and take the fight to the enemy."

Salvin said the spike in airstrikes conducted both by F-16 fighter planes and drones was facilitated by increased authority that the former U.S. administration under then-President Barack Obama gave last year to General John Nicholson, commander of international forces. The aim is to deny IS sanctuaries on Afghan soil and enable friendly ground forces to reverse Taliban battlefield gains.

News Story: Australia's Border Force to shift focus to IS influence in Philippines - FM

CANBERRA, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- As the war against Islamic State (IS) in the Middle East begins to wind down, Australian Border Force (ABF) officials at Australia's major airports will shift their focus to the Philippines, according to Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.

The rise of Islamic State's influence in the southern Philippines city of Marawi is cause for concern for those at Australia's borders, according to Bishop, who said 17 outbound international passengers have been stopped by security before boarding their flights since July 1.

She told News Corp on Wednesday that while the conflict in Iraq and Syria was dying down, the "consequences" of the victory could result in an influx of IS-inspired foreign fighters into the Southeast Asian and Australian region.

"We are concerned that should (foreign fighters) survive, our fear is they will seek to come back to our region. That may well be the consequence of the retaking of al Raqqa and Mosul," Bishop said.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: ALP To Expand Under New US Strategy

An Afghan Police Officer (File Photo)

By Sharif Amiri

Officials from the directorate of the Afghan Local Police (ALP) said on Tuesday that under the new US war strategy, the local police forces will take on more responsibilities in the fight against insurgents on the battlefields.

The head of the directorate, Ghulam Mohammad Azizi Gharnai, said currently the local police are responsible for maintaining security of 40 percent of the country. However, they expect the number of troops to increase in the near future.

According to the ALP, their personnel is not only involved on the battlefields, but they are also often advance teams ahead of operations by the Special Forces. 

“In every part of the country, the local police along with other forces fight the insurgents and sacrifice their lives,” Sekandar Mohammad Asghari, deputy head of the directorate of local police said.

However there have been reports regarding the misuse of weapons and authorities by the ALP in parts of the country.

The ALP said measures are being taken to prevent such incidents in future.

“Unfortunately we also have heard of such things, but we also have worked a lot to prevent such actions,” said Gharnai.

Read the full story at TOLOnews

News Report: India to Provide More Assistance to Afghan Defense Forces

Anjana Pasricha

NEW DELHI — India will provide more assistance to Afghan defense forces and implement new development projects in the war-torn country.

The announcement came at the first high-level meeting held between the two countries after U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled a new Afghan strategy in which he called on India to step up its role in Afghanistan.

A joint statement issued at the end of a day-long conference between the Afghan and Indian foreign ministers Monday in New Delhi said they have agreed to strengthen security cooperation, and India will extend assistance for the Afghan forces to fight terrorism, organized crime, trafficking of narcotics and money laundering.

Afghanistan has long pressed for greater Indian assistance in defense supplies and capacity building as it struggles to fight Taliban insurgents who have taken swathes of territory.

News Story: Rody ready to extend Marawi operations to save hostages

President Duterte plays soldier in Marawi City

By Alexis Romero and Edith Regalado

MANILA, Philippines —  President Duterte is ready to extend the operations in Marawi City by one year if it would mean saving even just one of those who are being held hostage by Maute militants.

 Duterte said launching a full assault on the mosque that serves as the last stronghold of the terrorists would offend Muslims and place the lives of the captives in danger. 

 “If you destroy that, you’d have wounded the feelings of the entire Muslim world… The moment they rush up there, there will be clashes, and the captives will be beheaded. These are terrorists,” he told reporters in Cagayan de Oro last Saturday. 

 Duterte said he is not setting a timetable for the operations in Marawi but admitted that the siege has to end. 

 “If they say ‘Well, we need another six months,’ then we’ll just have to wait it out,” the President said, referring to government forces.

“If I can save one life there, I am willing to wait one year. If I save one life, that is the job of the soldier, then, they just surround the place and camp there until kingdom come if it could save a life,” he added. 

  More than 800 people have died since the Maute terrorists, which have professed loyalty to international extremist group Islamic State, laid siege to Marawi City last May 23.

The terrorist attacks prompted Duterte to place the entire island of Mindanao under martial law.

Read the full story at PhilStar

News Story: Australia to send more troops to Philippines vs terrorists

By Jaime Laude

MANILA, Philippines — Visiting Australian Defense Minister Marise Payne disclosed on Friday that Australia would send troops to assist Philippine forces in the ongoing battle against Islamic State (IS)-inspired terrorists in Marawi City.

Small contingents of Australian soldiers will be sent to train Filipino troops, Payne said during a press conference with Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.

“We are very committed to supporting the Philippines in its efforts to defend itself against terrorist threats,” Payne said.

“This is a threat to the region (that) we all need to work together to defeat.”

Lorenzana welcomed the offer of Australia to train Filipino soldiers to combat terrorism.

“I think it doesn’t matter really if they give us those token force but the effect of the kind of help that they give us is enormous. I think that’s what we need to talk about…bigger involvement or support from Australia,” Lorenzana said.

But he stressed that when the Australian soldiers are in the country, they will be staying inside military camps and will not be allowed to engage in actual fighting.

Payne and Lorenzana discussed various security issues in the region, including the brewing tension brought about by the threat from North Korea and the ongoing terrorist atrocities in Marawi City.

Read the full story at PhilStar

News Story: Australia offers to train Philippine troops on counter-terrorism

MANILA, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Australian Defense Minister Marise Payne said on Friday that Australia offered to send military specialists to the Philippines to train Philippine troops on counter-terrorism, reiterating Australia's commitment to support Manila in combating Islamist extremism.

Payne, in Manila for a visit, met with Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana inside a military camp. She and Lorenzana spoke to reporters after her meeting with Lorenzana.

"What we have discussed today is deployment of a small ADF (Australian Defense Force) team that might be able to provide some specialized training to the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines)," Payne told reporters.

"We would be, for example, able to provide that support within Philippine military bases, so, not deploying Australian troops, but working with training ... within Philippine military bases."

Payne said the details of the proposed training activities will still be threshed out by the AFP and ADF "to make sure that we put together an arrangement that works best for both of us."

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: US Sending 3,500 Extra Troops To Afghanistan

A US official has told ABC news that the Defense Secretary James Mattis authorized 3,500 additional troops to deploy to Afghanistan as part of the troop buildup associated with President Donald Trump's South Asia Strategy.

Late last month Trump announced his new strategy on Afghanistan which included an increase in the number of US troops to the country.

Reports in the past indicated that Mattis favored the Pentagon's recommendation to send about 3,900 more troops to Afghanistan.

On Friday, Mattis told reporters that he had signed deployment orders for some of the additional troops that would be sent, though he would not disclose the number.

Read the full story at TOLOnews

News Story: China proposes joint counterterror drills with Philippines

By Michael Punongbayan

MANILA, Philippines —  China is seeking to conduct joint military exercises with the Philippines to combat terrorism.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Public Affairs Office chief Col. Edgard Arevalo said Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua relayed China’s proposal for training with the country’s special forces.

Arevalo told reporters in a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo yesterday that China’s proposal was made after its P5-million donation for the benefit of soldiers fighting the Maute group in Marawi City.

Read the full story at PhilStar

News Story: Foreign Forces Increase Support to ANSF Following New Strategy

Afghan Air Force A-29 Super Tucano Ground Attack Aircraft

President Ashraf Ghani has said that foreign forces in Afghanistan have increased their support to the Afghan security forces following president Donald Trump’s new war strategy on Afghanistan. 

He made the remarks on Sunday during a visit to eastern Nangarhar province where he also said that government will spend $6 billion USD on the air force in the next four years.

“Their (NATO’s) support will increase more than this,” he said.

Ghani also visited the military hospital at the 201 Military Corps in the province and met with a number of officials in Nangarhar.

“We are ready for both war and peace. In four years we will spend $6 billion on the country’s air force,” Ghani said.

Read the full story at TOLOnews

News Story: Defense Ministry Preparing For US Troop Surge

By Massoud Ansar

The Afghan Ministry of Defense (MoD) on Saturday said it has starting preparing for the deployment of extra US troops to the country.

“Training centers exist in Kabul, Jalalabad, Helmand, Mazar-e-Sharif and Kandahar and Gardez where we have training centers and they (the additional troops) will help us in our training centers,” said MoD spokesman Dawlat Waziri.

On August 21, US President Donald Trump outlined a revised vision for the US war against terrorism in Afghanistan, pledging to end a strategy of nation building and instead increase attacks on militants.

Trump also said that within the framework of the new strategy, the United States will deploy thousands of additional forces to Afghanistan to deal with the threats that emanate from the region.

The Pentagon in turn has announced that the new batch of US forces will be deployed to military and security training centers of the Afghan National and Defense Forces (ANDSF) around the country.

The US is however also expected to ramp up airstrikes against militant bases in the country and earlier this week, reports indicated that they could use both F-16s and B-52s.

Footage released on Saturday by the Pentagon shows a US B-52 bomber patrolling Afghanistan air space on August 29 (on Tuesday) and of it being refueled.

Read the full story at TOLOnews