Eurasia

Yesterday, a jihadist Telegram channel published a short statement (seen below) attributed to Saif al-Adel, a wanted terrorist who has worked for al Qaeda since the 1990s. The message addresses the jihadist scene in Syria, specifically dealing with the controversies surrounding relations with Turkey and Turkish-backed rebel groups.

A US delegation has arrived in Turkey to set up an operation center in the country for the stated purpose of creating a “safe zone” in Syria.

The United States and the Taliban have concluded the eighth round of talks aimed at reaching an agreement between the two adversaries to end the 18-year-old war in Afghanistan and jumpstart intra-Afghan peace negotiations.

The South Korean Armed Forces are capable of countering the short-range missiles that are now being tested by North Korea, a spokesperson for the South Korean presidential administration said on Monday.

Fears of Beijing intervening in the Hong Kong anti-extradition bill protests were raised Monday after footage emerged showing several armored trucks belonging to China’s People’s Armed Police traveling through Shenzhen, which borders the autonomous city.

New missile technologies, including so-called hypersonic systems capable of traveling at more than 25 times the speed of sound, are fueling a new global arms race, according to a new report from analyst group the European Leadership Network.

Russia’s chief nuclear official has vowed to continue developing new weapons while attending a funeral on August 12 of five Russian nuclear researchers who were killed in an explosion in what U.S. experts suspect was a mishandled test of a new nuclear-powered engine.

Bahrain has agreed to buy the US-built Patriot anti-aircraft and missile interceptor system, the Raytheon Company said in a press release.

The US army has formally signed a contract to purchase two Iron Dome missile systems from Israel, according to a report.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has warned India that Pakistan is prepared to respond to any aggression in the disputed region of Kashmir as tensions skyrocketed between the nuclear-armed rivals in the wake of New Delhi’s revocation of the autonomy of the Muslim-majority Himalayan region.