Latest Articles about Military/Security
Brief: Cameroonian President Holds Emergency Meeting to Address ISWAP Attacks
At the start of June, Cameroonian President Paul Biya ordered the nation’s army to hold an emergency meeting to address a recent resurgence in cross-border attacks by Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) (gazettengr.com, June 1). ISWAP, for example, claimed attacks in Gassama, Amchide,... MORE
Brief: Tatmadaw Uses Thermobaric Weapons on Village in Counter-Insurgency Struggle
On April 11, the Burmese air force struck a National Unity Government (NUG) ceremony at a village in country’s northern Sagaing Region (myanmar-now.org, April 11). The NUG proclaims itself as the legitimate government of Myanmar, in contrast to the military, which came to power through... MORE
Can the SAF Defeat the RSF in Sudan?
Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are nimble, capable, and self-financing. These three factors combined with the fact that corruption and cronyism have hollowed out their primary rival, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), mean that the SAF and its allies are unlikely to defeat the RSF.... MORE
The Rising Danger From Crude, Homemade Weapons and Political Violence in Japan
On April 15, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was attacked with a homemade explosive device while attending a public campaigning event in Wakayama, a city 50 miles south of Osaka (Japan Times, April 15). This attempted assassination was chillingly reminiscent of the assassination of former... MORE
Iran’s Mohajer-6 Drones May Tilt the Battlefield Balance in Ukraine
While the West is still contemplating sending sophisticated unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Ukraine, such as the Reaper and the Predator, Moscow and Tehran are taking a step further to bolster Russia’s unmanned aerial capabilities and tip the balance of power in Russia’s favor on... MORE
Gloating and Anxiety: How Russians React to War Reaching Their Homes
The war in Ukraine unleashed by President Vladimir Putin has finally reached Russian territory. This includes not only raids by sabotage groups into border regions (see EDM, May 31) but also the regular shelling of Russian cities. Furthermore, on May 30, the most massive drone... MORE
As Raids Continue, Fractures Are Growing in Russian Border Defenses
The raids in the Belgorod region of Russia on May 22 and June 1 have built on the success of earlier border incursions (see EDM, May 31). Whereas the raid on Sushany in early March 2023 was carried out by a small squad of foot... MORE
Moscow Reorganizing Russian Military for Offensive War and to Protect Putin Regime
On June 2, the Russian General Staff announced a wholesale reorganization of the Russian military, creating two new military districts centered around Moscow and St. Petersburg, an Azov naval district and two new joint forces along Russia’s western border. This plan effectively scraps the reforms... MORE
Chinese PSCs in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Cases of Francophone and Lusophone Africa
Executive Summary Due to their wealth of critical natural resources (primarily rare earth minerals), rapidly growing populations (labor and consumer markets) and strategic geographic location, many Francophone and Lusophone countries in Africa occupy strategic roles for China and its large businesses operating in, among others,... MORE
Bringing Russia Back From the Cold at Ukraine’s Expense (Part Three)
*Read Part One here. *Read Part Two here. Under the Council on Foreign Relations’ imprimatur, Washington and its allies should grant Ukraine a final chance to regain some Russian-occupied territory in one last “fighting season” this summer (Foreign Affairs, April 13). The authors expect this... MORE