The Defense Post Agence France-Presse ISWAP Jihadists Overrun Nigerian Army Base As Residents Flee Late on Friday ISWAP fighters on board several trucks fitted with machine guns raided Dikwa, in Borno state, where the Nigerian army has one of its key "super camp" military bases. Staff Writer with AFP February 22, 2021A jihadist attack in northeast Nigeria has forced many people to flee after Islamic State-affiliated insurgents overran a key army base, military sources and residents told AFP Sunday.The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) group that split from the Boko Haram movement in 2016 has become a dominant threat in the region, attacking soldiers and bases while killing and kidnapping passengers at bogus checkpoints.Late on Friday ISWAP fighters on board several trucks fitted with machine guns raided Dikwa, in Borno state, where the Nigerian army has one of its key “super camp” military bases.“The terrorists attacked the super camp…...

 Deutsche Welle Taliban Threat In Afghanistan 'Will Significantly Rise,' Says German Defense Minister German defense chief Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer told DW that militants have vowed to carry out more attacks targeting international troops if the NATO alliance doesn't leave Afghanistan by a May deadline. NATO has made no decision on whether or when to pull out of Afghanistan, the military alliance's Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday.A peace deal struck in February 2020 between the Taliban and the United States calls for all US and NATO forces to leave Afghanistan by May 1 in exchange for the Taliban to reduce violence and cooperate with the Afghan government However, the Taliban have increased violent attacks, and the so-called "intra-Afghan" talks with the government have gone nowhere. "We are faced with many dilemmas, and there are no easy options," Stoltenberg told journalists after talks between defense ministers in Brussels."If we stay beyond May...

The Straits Times US warns Beijing against force at sea, again rejects claims on S. China Sea WASHINGTON • The United States on Friday warned China against the use of force in disputed waters as it reaffirmed its view that Beijing's assertive campaign in the South China Sea is illegal.The State Department voiced "concern" about new legislation enacted by China that authorizes its coast guard to use weapons against foreign ships that Beijing considers to be unlawfully entering its waters.The text "strongly implies this law can be used to intimidate the PRC's maritime neighbors", State Department spokesman Ned Price said, referring to the People's Republic of China."We remind the PRC and all whose forces operate in the South China Sea that responsible maritime forces act with professionalism and restraint in the exercise of their authorities," Mr Price told reporters."We are further concerned that China may invoke this new law to...

The New York Times Rocket Attack In Iraq Kills A U.S. Military Contractor Some saw the barrage of rockets aimed at an airport in the northern city of Erbil as a test of the new administration in Washington. By Sangar Khaleel and Jane ArrafERBIL, Iraq — A rocket attack on the airport in the northern Iraqi city of Erbil on Monday killed a civilian contractor with the American-led military coalition and wounded six others, including a U.S. service member, according to a coalition spokesman.Several other rockets landed in residential areas of the city, the capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, including one close to the Chinese Consulate.The attack, rare in the normally peaceful Kurdish city, raised tensions already heightened by threats of Iran-backed militias on American targets in Iraq. It was not clear who carried it out, but previous attacks have been attributed to militias funded and directed by...

Real Clear Defense Strategic Hub of Landpower Builds in the Black Sea Region By Matthew Van Wagenen & Arnel P. David The NATO alliance grows stronger. It is by no means perfect, but after 72 years, it perseveres as an international instrument to preserve peace and deter aggression. Our new administration recognizes this strategic benefit, and it is no surprise that the first callby the new secretary of defense is to the head of NATO.An area of focus for the alliance is the Black Sea Region. The U.S. Navy recently sailed two ships into the Black Sea to conduct drills and improve interoperability with partners, and on the ground, a new corps is being built in Romania to serve as a hub of land activity in the region. The beauty of belonging to an alliance means that Romania will not have to do this alone. They have many friends who...