A bit more for Tuesday 1 December.
Regards,
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Thanks to Bill
As we Silver Surfers know, sometimes we have trouble with our computers.
Yesterday, I had a problem, so I called Georgie , the 11 year old next door, whose bedroom looks like Mission Control, and asked him to come over.
Georgie clicked a couple of buttons and solved the problem.
As he was walking away, I called after him, 'So, what was wrong?'
He replied, 'It was an ID ten T error.'
I didn't want to appear stupid, but nonetheless inquired, 'An, ID ten T error? What's that? In case I need to fix it again.'
Georgie grinned . 'Haven't you ever heard of an ID ten T error before?
'No,' I replied.
'Write it down,' he said, 'and I think you'll figure it out.'
So I wrote down:
ID10T
I used to like Georgie , the little shithead.
If you're not a Senior yet, then send this to someone who is.
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This Day in U S Military History
1863 – Belle Boyd, a Confederate spy, was released from prison in Washington. One of the most famous of Confederate spies, Belle Boyd served the Confederate forces in the Shenandoah Valley. Born in Martinsburg-now part of West Virginia-she operated her spying operations from her fathers hotel in Front Royal, providing valuable information to Generals Turner Ashby and "Stonewall" Jackson during the spring 1862 campaign in the Valley. The latter general then made her a captain and honorary aide-de-camp on his staff. As such she was able to witness troops reviews. Betrayed by her lover, she was arrested on July 29, 1862, and held for a month in the Old Capitol Prison in Washington. Exchanged a month later, she was in exile with relatives for a time but was again arrested in June 1863 while on a visit to Martinsburg. On December 1, 1863, she was released, suffering from typhoid, and was then sent to Europe to regain her health. The blockade runner she attempted to return on was captured and she fell in love with the prize master, Samuel Hardinge, who later married her in England after being dropped from the navy's rolls for neglect of duty in allowing her to proceed to Canada and then England. Hardinge attempted to reach Richmond, was detained in Union hands, but died soon after his release. While in England Belle Boyd Hardinge had a stage career and published Belle Boyd in Camp and Prison. She died while touring the western United States.
1943 – The first operational use of the American P-51D Mustang is in a fighter sweep over occupied Belgium. The P-51 was designed as the NA-73 in 1940 at Britain's request. The design showed promise and AAF purchases of Allison-powered Mustangs began in 1941 primarily for photo recon and ground support use due to its limited high-altitude performance. But in 1942, tests of P-51s using the British Rolls-Royce "Merlin" engine revealed much improved speed and service ceiling, and in Dec. 1943, Merlin-powered P-51Bs first entered combat over Europe. Providing high-altitude escort to B-17s and B-24s, they scored heavily over German interceptors and by war's end, P-51s had destroyed 4,950 enemy aircraft in the air, more than any other fighter in Europe. Mustangs served in nearly every combat zone, including the Pacific where they escorted B-29s to Japan from Iwo Jima. Between 1941-5, the AAF ordered 14,855 Mustangs (including A-36A dive bomber and F-6 photo recon versions), of which 7,956 were P-51Ds. During the Korean War, P-51Ds were used primarily for close support of ground forces until withdrawn from combat in 1953.
1944 – Office of Air-Sea Rescue set up in the Coast Guard. The Secretary of the Navy at the request of the Joint Chiefs of Staff early in 1944 established the Air-Sea Rescue Agency, an inter-department and inter-agency body, for study and improvement of rescue work with the Commandant of Coast Guard as head..
1947 – The Corps' first helicopter squadron, HMX-1, was commissioned at Quantico. HMX-1's greatest distinction may be its special place in history as the first U.S. Marine Corps helicopter squadron ever established. The establishment of HMX-1 started a revolution in Marine Corps aviation and tactical doctrine. On 23 May 1948, the first airborne ship-to-shore movement began at Onslow Beach, Camp Lejeune, N.C. The first wave of the assault commenced with all five HO3S-1s taking off from Palau and arriving 30 minutes later in the land-ing zone. HMX-1 pilots made continuous flights, putting 66 Marines in the right place at the right time. With the helicopter firmly entrenched in Marine warfighting doctrine, HMX-1's mission evolved into developmental testing of new helicopter systems and products destined for the Fleet Marine Force. Today HMX-1 is the Marine unit tasked with helicopter transportation of the President.
1950 – Eighth Army and X Corps began withdrawing in the face of the massive Chinese offensive. The U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, the British 27th Brigade and the Turkish Brigade, began to fight their way south from the Kunu-ri area through the bloody Gauntlet, under continuous fire from Chinese forces occupying the terrain commanding the route to safety. The 2nd Infantry Division was virtually destroyed during the Battle of Kunu-ri where over 4,000 men were lost. The division's overall combat capability was rated equivalent to a single regimental combat team by the end of the action. The ROK Capitol Division withdrew under heavy pressure to Pukchong.
1950 – Task Force MacLean/Faith, composed of elements of the U.S. 7th Infantry Division's 31st and 32nd Infantry Regiments, was annihilated east of the Chosin/Changjin Reservoir. Only 385 soldiers of its 3,200-man force were able-bodied following their withdrawal.
1971 – In Cambodia, communist fighters renew their assaults on government positions, forcing the retreat of Cambodian government forces from Kompong Thmar and nearby Ba Ray, six miles northeast of Phnom Penh. Premier Lon Nol and his troops had been locked in a desperate battle with the communist Khmer Rouge and their North Vietnamese allies for control of Cambodia since 1970, when Nol had taken over the government from Prince Norodom Sihanouk. The communist forces had just launched a major offensive and the government troops were reeling under the new attacks. By December 2, the North Vietnamese overran Cambodian forces trying to protect Route 6, one of the key road links between Phnom Penh and the interior. The communists gained control of a 30-mile stretch of Route 6, cutting off thousands of refugees and nearly 10,000 government troops in the northern Kompong Thmar area. On December 6, Hanoi radio reported that the Cambodian government had lost 12,000 fighting men in the past week's action. The next day, communist gunners renewed their shelling of Phnom Penh, firing three rockets into the capital and eight rockets into the international airport. As the rockets fell, the Communists troops attacked government positions all around the city and by December 11, Lon Nol's forces were in imminent danger of being encircled by the Khmer Rouge, as the communists tried to isolate Phnom Penh from the rest of the country and outside support. With most of the government forces tied down and fighting for their lives, the North Vietnamese were free to use their sanctuaries and resupply routes in Cambodia to begin building up for a major offensive they were planning in South Vietnam for the spring of 1972.
1980 – IBM delivered its 1st prototype PC to Microsoft. IBM selected Microsoft to create MS-DOS, the operating system for its first PC. Steve Ballmer arrived from Proctor & Gamble as an assistant to Gates. Paul Allen bought the QDOS operating system (Quick and Dirty Operating System) from a rival company for $50,000. It was renamed MS-DOS and licensed to IBM. The IBM 5150 PC standardized the marketplace.
1991 – The space shuttle Atlantis safely returned from a shortened military mission. Landing originally scheduled for Kennedy Space Center on December 4, but ten day mission shortened and landing rescheduled following November 30 on-orbit failure of one of three orbiter inertial measurement units. Lengthy rollout due to minimal braking for test. Orbiter returned to KSC on December 8.
2012 – The USS Enterprise, the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, is officially inactivated in ceremonies held at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, completing a 51-year career in the United States Navy. In a pre-recorded speech, U.S. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announces that the U.S. Navy's third Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier, CVN-80, will be named Enterprise. USS Enterprise (CVN-65), formerly CVA(N)-65, was the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and the eighth United States naval vessel to bear the name. Like her predecessor of World War II fame, she is nicknamed "Big E". At 1,123 ft (342 m), she is the longest naval vessel in the world, a record which still stands. Her 93,284-long-ton (94,781 t) displacement ranked her as the 11th-heaviest supercarrier, after the 10 carriers of the Nimitz class. Enterprise had a crew of some 4,600 service members. The only ship of her class, Enterprise was the third oldest commissioned vessel in the United States Navy after the wooden-hulled USS Constitution and USS Pueblo. She was originally scheduled for decommissioning in 2014 or 2015, depending on the life of her reactors and completion of her replacement, USS Gerald R. Ford, but the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 slated the ship's retirement for 2013, when she would have served for 51 consecutive years, longer than any other U.S. aircraft carrier. Enterprise's home port was Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia as of September 2012. Her final deployment, the last before her inactivation, began on 10 March 2012 and ended 4 November 2012. Her official decommissioning will take place sometime in 2016 after the completion of an extensive terminal offload program currently underway.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
DENEEF, MICHAEL
Rank and organization: Captain of the Top, U.S. Navy. Born: 1851, Massachusetts. Accredited to: Massachusetts. G.O. No.: 201, 18 January 1876. Citation: On board the U.S.S. Swatara at Para, Brazil, 1 December 1875. Displaying gallant conduct, Deneef jumped overboard and rescued one of the crew of that vessel from drowning.
*FAITH, DON C., JR.
Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, commanding officer, 1st Battalion, 32d Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Place and date: Vicinity Hagaru-ri, Northern Korea, 27 November to 1 December 1950. Entered service at: Washington, Ind. Born: 26 August 1918, Washington, Ind. G.O. No.: 59, 2 August 1951. Citation: Lt. Col. Faith, commanding 1st Battalion, distinguished himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty in the area of the Chosin Reservoir. When the enemy launched a fanatical attack against his battalion, Lt. Col. Faith unhesitatingly exposed himself to heavy enemy fire as he moved about directing the action. When the enemy penetrated the positions, Lt. Col. Faith personally led counterattacks to restore the position. During an attack by his battalion to effect a junction with another U.S. unit, Lt. Col. Faith reconnoitered the route for, and personally directed, the first elements of his command across the ice-covered reservoir and then directed the movement of his vehicles which were loaded with wounded until all of his command had passed through the enemy fire. Having completed this he crossed the reservoir himself. Assuming command of the force his unit had joined he was given the mission of attacking to join friendly elements to the south. Lt. Col. Faith, although physically exhausted in the bitter cold, organized and launched an attack which was soon stopped by enemy fire. He ran forward under enemy small-arms and automatic weapons fire, got his men on their feet and personally led the fire attack as it blasted its way through the enemy ring. As they came to a hairpin curve, enemy fire from a roadblock again pinned the column down. Lt. Col. Faith organized a group of men and directed their attack on the enemy positions on the right flank. He then placed himself at the head of another group of men and in the face of direct enemy fire led an attack on the enemy roadblock, firing his pistol and throwing grenades. When he had reached a position approximately 30 yards from the roadblock he was mortally wounded, but continued to direct the attack until the roadblock was overrun. Throughout the 5 days of action Lt. Col. Faith gave no thought to his safety and did not spare himself. His presence each time in the position of greatest danger was an inspiration to his men. Also, the damage he personally inflicted firing from his position at the head of his men was of material assistance on several occasions. Lt. Col. Faith's outstanding gallantry and noble self-sacrifice above and beyond the call of duty reflect the highest honor on him and are in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army. (This award supersedes the prior award of the Silver Star (First Oak Leaf Cluster) as announced in G.O. No. 32, Headquarters X Corps, dated 23 February 1951, for gallantry in action on 27 November 1950.)
*WINDRICH, WILLIAM G.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, Company I, 3d Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Place and date: Vicinity of Yudam-ni, Korea, 1 December 1950. Entered service at: Hammond, Ind. Born: 14 May 1921, Chicago, Ill. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a platoon sergeant of Company I, in action against enemy aggressor forces the night of 1 December 1950. Promptly organizing a squad of men when the enemy launched a sudden, vicious counterattack against the forward elements of his company's position, rendering it untenable, S/Sgt. Windrich, armed with a carbine, spearheaded the assault to the top of the knoll immediately confronting the overwhelming forces and, under shattering hostile automatic-weapons, mortar, and grenade fire, directed effective fire to hold back the attackers and cover the withdrawal of our troops to commanding ground. With 7 of his men struck down during the furious action and himself wounded in the head by a bursting grenade, he made his way to his company's position and, organizing a small group of volunteers, returned with them to evacuate the wounded and dying from the frozen hillside, staunchly refusing medical attention himself. Immediately redeploying the remainder of his troops, S/Sgt. Windrich placed them on the left flank of the defensive sector before the enemy again attacked in force. Wounded in the leg during the bitter fight that followed, he bravely fought on with his men, shouting words of encouragement and directing their fire until the attack was repelled. Refusing evacuation although unable to stand, he still continued to direct his platoon in setting up defensive positions until weakened by the bitter cold, excessive loss of blood, and severe pain, he lapsed into unconsciousness and died. His valiant leadership, fortitude, and courageous fighting spirit against tremendous odds served to inspire others to heroic endeavor in holding the objective and reflect the highest credit upon S/Sgt. Windrich and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
*ALBANESE, LEWIS
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company B, 5th Battalion (Airmobile), 7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division. Place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 1 December 1966. Entered service at: Seattle, Wash. Born: 27 April 1946, Venice, Italy. G.O. No.: 12, 3 April 1968. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life and beyond the call of duty. Pfc. Albanese's platoon, while advancing through densely covered terrain to establish a blocking position, received intense automatic weapons fire from close range. As other members maneuvered to assault the enemy position, Pfc. Albanese was ordered to provide security for the left flank of the platoon. Suddenly, the left flank received fire from enemy located in a well-concealed ditch. Realizing the imminent danger to his comrades from this fire, Pfc. Albanese fixed his bayonet and moved aggressively into the ditch. His action silenced the sniper fire, enabling the platoon to resume movement toward the main enemy position. As the platoon continued to advance, the sound of heavy firing emanated from the left flank from a pitched battle that ensued in the ditch which Pfc. Albanese had entered. The ditch was actually a well-organized complex of enemy defenses designed to bring devastating flanking fire on the forces attacking the main position. Pfc. Albanese, disregarding the danger to himself, advanced 100 meters along the trench and killed 6 of the snipers, who were armed with automatic weapons. Having exhausted his ammunition, Pfc. Albanese was mortally wounded when he engaged and killed 2 more enemy soldiers in fierce hand-to-hand combat. His unparalleled actions saved the lives of many members of his platoon who otherwise would have fallen to the sniper fire from the ditch, and enabled his platoon to successfully advance against an enemy force of overwhelming numerical superiority. Pfc. Albanese's extraordinary heroism and supreme dedication to his comrades were commensurate with the finest traditions of the military service and remain a tribute to himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
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World News for 1 December thanks to Military Periscope
USA—Army Adjusting Pre-Positioned Equipment Strategy Defense News | 12/01/2020 The new head of the Army Materiel Command (AMC) is working to ensure that Army pre-positioned stocks (APS) around the globe are correctly configured for great power competition, reports Defense News. The APS has traditionally been designed around enabling units to rapidly respond to regional conflicts. A study published a few years ago emphasized modernizing and configuring APS for combat. Since then, the service has decided that the APS needs to be realigned to focus as much on strategic competition as on conflict, said Gen. Edward Daly, the AMC chief. Potential changes include increased exercises as well as re-evaluating the location and composition of pre-positioned stocks. The requirements will be defined over the next five to 10 years, according to Daly. The changes will be different in the Pacific and European theaters. In the Pacific, APS is expected to expand beyond the traditional locations of Japan and South Korea. The need to build relationships with the island nations needed to host new facilities is expected to take time. The service will also emphasize security force assistance brigade, multidomain task force and long-range precision fires capabilities in the new equipment sets. In Europe, a second armored brigade combat team set, along with some enablers, is being added in Poland. The service also plans to use larger and more frequent exercises to ensure that its APS equipment is correctly configured and in the right locations.
USA—Space Force, AFRL Collaborate On Lunar Surveillance Satellite Breaking Defense | 12/01/2020 The Space Force and Air Force Research Laboratory are working together to develop a lunar surveillance satellite demonstrator, reports Breaking Defense. The Defense Deep Space Sentinel (D2S2) will be based on a small satellite design with an advanced electric propulsion and compact power system incorporating lightweight, high-power solar arrays. The propulsion system will enable the D2S2 to travel from a geostationary orbit (GEO) to a number of different lunar orbits, including the Earth-Moon Lagrange points and halo orbits, said AFRL officials. The primary payload will be an 8-inch (20-cm) camera "to demonstrate and characterize the sensor performance needed to identify and respond to potential threats in deep space, provide situational awareness in the cislunar environment and for lunar imaging," said James Haywood, the deputy director of the AFRL Center for Rapid Innovation. Other capabilities slated for demonstration on the D2S2 include domain awareness, rendezvous/proximity operations, space servicing, space object removal and recovery and other defensive space operations. The program began in 2019 and is aiming to launch the satellite in 2022 or 2023. Due to the emphasis on speed, a final cost estimate is still being refined.
Moldova—Incoming President Calls For Withdrawal Of Russian Troops British Broadcasting Corp. | 12/01/2020 Moldova's newly elected president has called for the withdrawal of Russian troops from the separatist Transdniester region, reports BBC News. In her first press conference on Monday, Maia Sandu said that Russian troops had never been authorized to operate in the region. Sandu called for replacing the 1,500 Russian troops under the Operational Group of Russian Forces in Transdniester (OGRF) with civilian observers under the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Russian troops have maintained a presence in the breakaway, unrecognized state since a short war with Moldova in 1992. A Kremlin spokesman rejected any withdrawal arguing that changes to the status quo could lead to destabilization, reported Reuters. Russian troops guard large Soviet-era arms depots in the region. Sandu defeated incumbent president Igor Dodon, who was backed by Moscow, in elections in November. Her inauguration is scheduled for Dec. 24.
Azerbaijan—Troops Enter Final District In Nagorno-Karabakh Following Armenian Withdrawal Trend News Agency | 12/01/2020 Azerbaijani troops have taken control of the last district of Nagorno-Karabakh surrendered by Armenia following recent fighting, reports the Trend news agency (Baku). President Ilham Aliyev confirmed that Azerbaijani troops were in control of the Lachin district in a statement on Tuesday. Agence France-Presse reporters confirmed the development. Lachin was the third and final district to be transferred from Armenian to Azerbaijani control, following Aghdam and Kalbajar. The district connects the breakaway republic with the rest of Armenia and is a crucial supply route. Under a Nov. 9 truce brokered by Russia, about 2,000 Russian peacekeepers will guard the 35-miles (60 km) road that links Armenia to Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh's main city.
Kazakhstan—Military Eyes Turkish Drones Daily Sabah | 12/01/2020 Kazakhstan is considering buying Turkish drones, according to Russian media cited by the Daily Sabah (Istanbul). According to a Nov. 27 RIA Novosti report, Kazakhstan is considering the purchasing Bayraktar TB2 uncrewed aircraft instead of Chinese drones in part due to the performance of the Turkish drone in recent fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh. A Kazakh Defense Ministry delegation visited a Turkish drone base in the southeastern Batman province from Nov. 23 to Nov. 25, said the Turkish Defense Ministry. Kazakhstan could acquire a fairly large batch of Bayraktar TB2s, said RIA Novosti.
South Korea—Upgraded Domestic SAM Handed Over To Air Force Arirang | 12/01/2020 The South Korean air force has taken delivery of its first upgraded battery of a domestically developed surface-to-air missile system, reports the Arirang News (South Korea). The Cheongung II medium-range surface-to-air missile (M-SAM) system was delivered during a Nov. 12 ceremony at the LIG Nex1 production facility in Gumi, the company said in a Nov. 26 release. Development of the upgraded system began in 2012, reported Jane's. The modernization adds the ability to shoot down ballistic missiles at altitudes up to 12 miles (20 km). The upgraded missile is believed to be able to reach speeds of Mach 5. The system was deemed suitable for combat use in 2017 and entered series production in 2018. Test launches have demonstrated a 100 percent accuracy rate, according to Agency for Defense Development officials.
Japan—Dual-Use Data Relay Satellite Launched Space News | 12/01/2020 Japan has launched a data relay satellite designed to transfer communications and data from its fleet of military and scientific surveillance spacecraft, reports Space News. On Sunday, Japan Data Relay Satellite 1 (JDRS-1) was launched into a geostationary transfer orbit on an H-IIA rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan, reported Spaceflight Now. It will use its onboard propulsion system to circularize its orbit in geosynchronous earth orbit. JDRS-1 will transfer data optical and radar data gather by Japan's Information Gathering Satellites (IGS) constellation and scientific satellites. A new Laser Utilizing Communications System (LUCAS) developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is equipped, enabling inter-satellite data transfer at up to 1.8 Gb per second. JDRS-1 replaces the Kodoma Data Relay Test Satellite that was launched in 2002 and retired in August 2017.
Australia—Air-Launched Hypersonic Missile To Be Developed With U.S. Australian Defence Business Review | 12/01/2020 Australia has signed an agreement with the U.S. to develop air-launched hypersonic missiles, reports the Australian Defence Business Review. On Tuesday, Defense Minister Linda Reynolds announced the bilateral Southern Cross Integrated Flight Research Experiment (SCiFiRE), which will develop a prototype missile able to precisely hit targets such as aircraft carriers at speeds of more than Mach 5 (3,836 mph, 6,174 kph). The project demonstrates the government's commitment to Australian defense industry and national security, she said. It builds on 15 years of research into hypersonic technologies by Australian defense scientists, industry and universities. Testing is planned to begin within months, reported the Sydney Morning Herald. Australia's recent Force Structure Plan 2020 includes Aus$6.2 billion (US$4.6 billion) to Aus$9.3 billion (US$6.9 billion) for the development of high-speed, long-range strike and missile defense capabilities, reported Defense News. The weapon is to be an air-breathing missile that can be employed by F/A-18F Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler and F-35A Lightning II tactical jets and P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. Plans call for the missile to enter service in the next five to 10 years. An industry briefing for Australian firms is scheduled for Dec. 4.
Burma—Indirect Talks Underway With Arakan Army Rebels Radio Free Asia | 12/01/2020 The Burmese government has been holding indirect talks with the rebel Arakan Army (AA), reports Radio Free Asia. An AA spokesman confirmed the talks through a third party to RFA's Myanmar Service. The discussions are focused on confidence-building to set the stage for direct talks with the government, he said. Both sides have been observing a cease-fire that began three weeks ago with elections that secured another five-year term for Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD). Following the victory, the NLD reached out to several ethnic-based parties and indicated a readiness for talks. More than 200 civilians have been killed and 226,000 displaced in two years of fighting between the government and Rakhine militants. In March, the government declared the AA an illegal terrorist organization. The designation would need to be lifted before direct talks could be held.
Saudi Arabia—King Eyes Improved Relations With Ankara New Arab | 12/01/2020 Senior advisers to Saudi King Salman bin Saud have recommended working with Turkey to strengthen relations in light of the incoming Biden administration in the U.S., reports the New Arab (London). The Biden administration is expected to be less friendly toward Riyadh than the Trump administration, which gave the Saudis a free hand. Biden has said he would reassess relations and has previously criticized the regime in Riyadh. Senior advisers told King Salman that relations with Turkey would need to improve for Saudi Arabia to maintain its regional leadership position, reported Arabi21 (U.K.). On Nov. 27, the Saudi and Turkish foreign ministers met on the sidelines of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Niger.
The meeting was the first between the sides since Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Kashoggi was murdered in Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul in 2018. The week prior to that meeting, Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan held a phone call during which they discussed improving relations.
Syria—IRGC Officer Killed Smuggling Weapons From Iraq Reuters | 12/01/2020 An Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officer has been killed in an airstrike near the Iraqi-Syrian border, reports Reuters. The officer and three other men were killed while transporting weapons from Iraq to Syria between Saturday and Sunday, said two Iraqi security officials. The vehicle they were traveling in was hit shortly after entering Syria, the officials said. Local militias confirmed that an airstrike in the area had taken place but could not confirm that an IRGC officer had been killed. There were no immediate claims of responsibility. Israel has been accused of similar strikes in the area but rarely acknowledges such attacks.
Somalia—Al-Shabaab Attacks Military Base Near Border With Ethiopia Dalsan Radio | 12/01/2020 A military base in Somalia's central Mudug region has come under attack by Al-Shabaab militants, reports Dalsan Radio (Mogadishu). On Monday, the militants attacked the base in the town of Ba'adweyne, near the Somali border with Ethiopia. A gunfight between the militants and Somali army troops lasted over two hours, said residents. No casualty figures from either side were immediately available. The militants claimed to have taken over the town in an internet post, but this could not be confirmed.
Somalia—Blast In Central Mogadishu Kills 7 Voice Of America News | 12/01/2020 A suicide attack at an ice cream parlor in Mogadishu has killed at least seven, reports the Voice of America News. On Nov. 27, the suicide bomber detonated their device at the Gelato Devino, a popular ice cream shop located on the road to the Mogadishu airport. At least seven people were killed and 10 wounded, according to a Mogadishu ambulance service. The attack occurred a day after U.S. acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller made an unannounced visit to Mogadishu to celebrate Thanksgiving with U.S. troops and contractors there. He also traveled to Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti during the trip. Al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Niger—Defense Minister Calls For Major Military Expansion To Combat Militants Agence France-Presse | 12/01/2020 Defense Minister Issoufou Katambe has proposed doubling the size of the Nigerien military to deal with the growing militant threat, reports Agence France-Presse. On Saturday, Katambe told parliament that the military should be increased to at least 50,000 personnel in the next five years. Katambe said that the force could eventually reach 100,000 or 150,000 troops, compared to the current strength of 25,000. He told reporters that "arrangements were being made to achieve this objective," though it was not immediately clear if any legislative changes would be needed. It is not clear how the impoverished country might afford such an expansion. Niger is threatened by jihadist militants crossing from Burkina Faso and Mali in the west as well as attacks by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the southeastern Diffa region, which borders Nigeria.
Sudan—Rapid Support Forces Seize Weapons Near Ethiopian Border Al Jazeera | 12/01/2020 A large cache of weapons, ammunition and military equipment has been seized by Sudanese forces near the border with Ethiopia, reports Al Jazeera (Qatar). On Saturday, the weapons were captured by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the eastern Kassala state, reported the state-run Sudan News Agency (SUNA). Among the items seized were mortar rounds and assault weapons. The RSF has been conducting operations along the border to deter potential security threats. More than 40,000 people have fled into Sudan from Ethiopia due to fighting between the federal government and Tigray regional government.
Mozambique—Marauder APCs Spotted In North Defence Web | 12/01/2020 South African-made mine-protected vehicles have been observed in northern Mozambique, where government forces are battling Islamist insurgents, reports Defence Web (South Africa). A photo emerged late last month that showed a Marauder fitted with a turret-mounted machine gun at what appeared to be a Mozambican port. Five Marauders arrived in Mozambique in November, reported Moz 24 Horas (Maputo). Two light tanks had also been delivered from South Africa. A spokesman from manufacturer Paramount declined to comment on the reports, citing confidentiality agreements. The South African government has approved the transfer of weapons to Mozambique but has not disclosed details of any such transfers. South African private military firms have been supplying equipment, expertise and personnel to support Mozambican military efforts in the northern Cabo Delgado province, where ISIS-linked militants have been conducting a bloody insurgency.
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