NATO has stepped up its air policing mission in response to increased Russian air activity around Eastern Europe in recent years. Former chief whip Gavin Williamson will commit four RAF Typhoons as part of the Nato southern air policing mission, while speaking at the Nato defence ministerial meeting in Brussels. …

The North Atlantic Alliance Organization (NATO) supports constructive and peaceful dialogue between Erbil and Baghdad to resolve their differences, said Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. “We would like very much to see constructive negotiations between the Peshmerga forces and the government of Baghdad,” Stoltenberg said on Tuesday, urging the sides not to …

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis has plenty of pressing issues as he begins talks with NATO allies on Wednesday. NATO defence ministers are meeting over two days at the alliance’s Brussels headquarters. The talks will also look at efforts to revamp NATO’s command structure to help it better combat the …

The Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Libya Bettina Muscheidt has revealed in a meeting with the Libyan Foreign Minister of the Government of National Accord Mohammed Sayala that they will reopen the border assistance mission’s bureau in Libya’s capital Tripoli soon, not specifying a date for …

At least 10 people died in attacks in Mali on Monday, as the prime minister cancelled a visit to a central town after a vehicle sent to protect his team hit a landmine. A bus travelling in the restive north was blown up by a mine on Monday, killing at …

The African Union says it has begun its withdrawal from Somalia and will cut 1 000 troops by the end of this year as security responsibilities start to shift to the local military. The continental body said on Tuesday that the move comes at a critical time, less than a …

France has sent high-level representatives to talk to the Malian government after a French anti-terror raid killed Malian troops held by the jihadists. Defence Minister Tiena Coulibaly met on October 31 with the French ambassador and the commander of France’s military force in Mali, according to a ministry communique received …

Iraqi forces threatened on Wednesday to resume operations to capture northern Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)-held territory after accusing authorities there of delaying handing over control of Iraq’s borders with Turkey, Iran and Syria. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Friday declared a pause in an offensive that began on Oct. …

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Friday announced the full liberation of the city of al-Qaim near the border with Syria from the Islamic State (IS) militants. A statement by the premier’s office said Abadi, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of Iraqi forces, “congratulated the people of Iraq for the …

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani had a phone conversation Friday in which they stressed the need for political negotiations between Erbil and Baghdad.