Ethiopia’s Somali region is mobilizing against al-Shabab militants to prevent further incursions by the group. The region had been hailed as the most peaceful in Ethiopia since Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came to power in 2018. But that was put to the test three weeks ago when al-Shabab fighters forced …

Mali on Tuesday received military jets and a combat helicopter from Russia. During a ceremony, L-39 and Sukhoi-25 jets as well as Mi-24P helicopter gunships were displayed. Defense Minister Sadio Camara paid tribute to what he called Mali’s “win-win partnership with the Russian Federation.” The new deliveries “strengthen our reconnaissance …

Russia is believed to have had 70,000 to 80,000 troops killed or wounded in fighting since it invaded Ukraine in February, a top Pentagon official confirmed Monday. The figure, which has not previously been made public, may not be precise but is “in the ballpark” as Russia remains locked in …

The Pentagon announced its latest drawdown package for Ukraine on Aug. 8, valued at $1 billion and mainly comprising munitions for key systems. But any decision on whether to provide the Ukrainian Air Force with Western combat jets is still to be made, a key Defense Department official told reporters—and …

U.S. warships will continue to make Taiwan Strait transits and perform freedom of navigation operations in the Indo-Pacific despite the recent Chinese live fire drills, the undersecretary of defense for policy told reporters Monday. The U.S. Navy is expected to conduct some freedom of navigation operations in the region in …

Ukraine’s air force said Wednesday that nine Russian warplanes were destroyed in massive explosions at an air base in Crimea amid speculation they were the result of a Ukrainian attack that would represent a significant escalation in the war. Russia denied any aircraft were damaged in Tuesday’s blasts — or …

Taiwan warned Tuesday that Chinese military drills aren’t just a rehearsal for an invasion of the self-governing island but also reflect ambitions to control large swaths of the western Pacific, as Taipei conducted its own exercises to underscore it’s ready to defend itself. Angered by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s …

In a growing challenge to Russia’s grip on occupied areas of southeastern Ukraine, guerrilla forces loyal to Kyiv are killing pro-Moscow officials, blowing up bridges and trains, and helping the Ukrainian military by identifying key targets. The spreading resistance has eroded Kremlin control of those areas and threatened its plans …

China on Monday continued its military exercises around Taiwan that were scheduled to end at noon the previous day, according to the Chinese Ministry of Defense. The Eastern Theater Command “continued to conduct practical joint exercises in the sea and airspace around Taiwan Island, focusing on organizing joint anti-submarine and …

The autonomous government in northern Iraq has an ambitious plan to curb gun violence, but some in the region have concerns about the feasibility of gun control due to societal and political factors. Gun violence in the United States continues to make headlines around the world, but Iraq’s Kurdistan Region …