southfront--2020-11-23--Armenia Is Trolling Russia, Digging Its Own Grave Around The Clock

As of November 23 , the Russian peacekeeping force has finished its deployment in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone , that included the sending 1960 personnel and 552 units of equipment .
The total number of observation posts currently kept by Russian forces in the region is 23 .
At the same time , planes of the Russian Aerospace Forces have not halted their flights to Armenia .
They are currently involved in the deployment of additional equipment and civil defense and disaster response specialists that will participate in the humanitarian aid campaign in Karabakh .
While the Azerbaijani side insists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ territories that it is gaining under the peace deal , the area to which the Azerbaijani military will have no access to will remain within the zone of the responsibility of the Russian peacekeepers and the authorities of the self-proclaimed Armenian Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh .
Another factor is the return of displaced persons .
Since November 14 , over 9,000 civilians have returned to their homes under the protection of the Russian military .
Most of the activities needed to avoid an acute humanitarian crisis are now being conducted with direct involvement or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meanwhile , the Armenian government , led by Nikol ‘ The Basement ’ Pashinyan that is openly cracking down on opposition to its rule with force and threats of jail terms , continues demonstrating its brilliant skills in undermining the Armenian regional position and destroying the already weakened partnership with the only guarantor of its statehood and security .
On November 21 , a high-ranking Russian delegation , including Prime Minister Sergey Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu , visited Armenia and Azerbaijan holding a series of meetings with the leadership of both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ region and the settlement of the Karabakh question .
Accepting the high-ranking Russian delegation , the Armenian side ‘ accidentally ’ forgot to put out the Russian flag .
Such a position of Armenia towards its only real ally in the region that has just rescued Armenian forces from total annihilation in the war with Azerbaijan for Nagorno-Karabakh is at least surprising .
In the worst case scenario , it just demonstrates that the government led by the Western puppet is rock solid in its anti-Armenian policy could easily lead to the full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It is interesting to note that the Armenian Foreign Ministry claimed that the absence of the Russian flags is completely fine and this is an ordinary practice for Yerevan .
However , the fact that the Russian flag appeared on photos after media drew attention to the incident and that demonstrates that the original situation was not so okay because it revealed the real aim of the current Armenian government .
The Russian visit to Baku expectedly led to no diplomatic scandals of such kind and Azerbaijan is now preparing to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should hand over to it under the reached deal .
On November 25 , Azerbaijani troops are set to enter Kalbajar District .
The Armenian leaders are reaping the benefits of its destructive policies of the previous years .

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As of November 23, the Russian peacekeeping force has finished its deployment in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, that included the sending 1960 personnel and 552 units of equipment. The total number of observation posts currently kept by Russian forces in the region is 23. At the same time, planes of the Russian Aerospace Forces have not halted their flights to Armenia. They are currently involved in the deployment of additional equipment and civil defense and disaster response specialists that will participate in the humanitarian aid campaign in Karabakh.
While the Azerbaijani side insists that it would demine and restore all territories that it is gaining under the peace deal, the area to which the Azerbaijani military will have no access to will remain within the zone of the responsibility of the Russian peacekeepers and the authorities of the self-proclaimed Armenian Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Another factor is the return of displaced persons. Since November 14, over 9,000 civilians have returned to their homes under the protection of the Russian military. Most of the activities needed to avoid an acute humanitarian crisis are now being conducted with direct involvement or under the supervision of the peacekeepers.
Meanwhile, the Armenian government, led by Nikol ‘The Basement’ Pashinyan that is openly cracking down on opposition to its rule with force and threats of jail terms, continues demonstrating its brilliant skills in undermining the Armenian regional position and destroying the already weakened partnership with the only guarantor of its statehood and security.
On November 21, a high-ranking Russian delegation, including Prime Minister Sergey Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, visited Armenia and Azerbaijan holding a series of meetings with the leadership of both countries on the current situation in the region and the settlement of the Karabakh question. Accepting the high-ranking Russian delegation, the Armenian side ‘accidentally’ forgot to put out the Russian flag.
Such a position of Armenia towards its only real ally in the region that has just rescued Armenian forces from total annihilation in the war with Azerbaijan for Nagorno-Karabakh is at least surprising. In the worst case scenario, it just demonstrates that the government led by the Western puppet is rock solid in its anti-Armenian policy could easily lead to the full destruction of the country’s statehood.
It is interesting to note that the Armenian Foreign Ministry claimed that the absence of the Russian flags is completely fine and this is an ordinary practice for Yerevan. However, the fact that the Russian flag appeared on photos after media drew attention to the incident and that demonstrates that the original situation was not so okay because it revealed the real aim of the current Armenian government.
The Russian visit to Baku expectedly led to no diplomatic scandals of such kind and Azerbaijan is now preparing to take control of another district that Armenian forces should hand over to it under the reached deal. On November 25, Azerbaijani troops are set to enter Kalbajar District. The Armenian leaders are reaping the benefits of its destructive policies of the previous years.
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southfront--2020-11-23--Karabakh Rambo: Azerbaijani President Drives Armoured Vehicle In Another District Captured From Arme

Karabakh Rambo: Azerbaijani President Drives Armoured Vehicle In Another District Captured From Armenians

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was filmed driving an armoured vehicle in Agdam District in the Nagorno-Karabakh region .
The district @ @ @ @ @ the Armenians to Azerbaijan under the peace deal reached to end the Second Nagorno-Karabakh war @ @ @ @ @ leader already paid visits to areas captured by Azerbaijani forces in the south of the @ @ @ @ @ bridge at the border with Iran .
Aliyev visits to captured areas are a part @ @ @ @ @ propaganda campaign aimed at showcasing the historic military victory of the country and the return @ @ @ @ @ areas that it lost during the First Karabakh War .
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Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was filmed driving an armoured vehicle in Agdam District in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. The district was recently handed over by the Armenians to Azerbaijan under the peace deal reached to end the Second Nagorno-Karabakh war.
Earlier, the Azerbaijani leader already paid visits to areas captured by Azerbaijani forces in the south of the region, including the Khodaafarin bridge at the border with Iran.
#Iran's IRGC released the photos of the scope of an Iranian sniper while President Aliyev was visiting Khodaafarin bridge at the Karabakh-Iran border.#Azerbaijan
? pic.twitter.com/soE8TR6ipV — Mete Sohtaoğlu (@metesohtaoglu) November 17, 2020
Aliyev visits to captured areas are a part of the wider Azerbaijani internal propaganda campaign aimed at showcasing the historic military victory of the country and the return of a large part of areas that it lost during the First Karabakh War.
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southfront--2020-11-23--Russian Peacekeepers Suffered First Casualties In Nagorno-Karabkah

A Russian peacekeeper and four employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic ( NKR ) were @ @ @ @ @ soldier was killed in a mine explosion near the village of Magadiz in the Nagorno-Karabkah @ @ @ @ @ The incident took place , when a group of Russian peacekeepers , representatives of the @ @ @ @ @ the NKR Ministry of Emergency Situations , as well as the International Committee of the @ @ @ @ @ of those killed in clashes during the recent armed conflict in the region .
Earlier @ @ @ @ @ Russian sappers started the demining operation in the conflict zone .
MORE ON THE TOPIC @ @ @ @ @ Putin For Help In Ending Karabakh War , Russian Defense Minister Visits Azerbaijan

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A Russian peacekeeper and four employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) were wounded, and an Azerbaijani soldier was killed in a mine explosion near the village of Magadiz in the Nagorno-Karabkah region on November 23.
The incident took place, when a group of Russian peacekeepers, representatives of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan, the NKR Ministry of Emergency Situations, as well as the International Committee of the Red Cross were searching bodies of those killed in clashes during the recent armed conflict in the region.
Earlier today, a group of Russian sappers started the demining operation in the conflict zone.
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southfront--2020-11-23--Map Update: Federal Government’s Ultimatum To Tigray Rebels Nears Its Deadline

The civil war in Ethiopia does not seem to be nearing its end : • On November 22 , Prime @ @ @ @ @ stated that attack on the capital of Tigray will begin within 72 hours unless the @ @ @ @ @ army told people of Mekelle to move away from Tigray People ’ s Liberation Front @ @ @ @ @ positions ; • On November 23 , two rockets reportedly landed in Bahir Dar airport @ @ @ @ @ been heavily damaged by the TPLF , according to Ethiopian gevenment ; • On November @ @ @ @ @ live from Adigrat denying ENDF claims about the control of the city ; • On @ @ @ @ @ ENDF and TPLF continue in the Korem area .
More details on the background and @ @ @ @ @ in Ethiopia can be found here : “ Civil War In Ethiopia : Conflict Developments @ @ @ @ @ THE TOPIC : • Ethiopian Military Develops Its Advance On Capital Of Tigray Province Amid @ @ @ @ @ ( Map Update )

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The civil war in Ethiopia does not seem to be nearing its end:
On November 22, Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed stated that attack on the capital of Tigray will begin within 72 hours unless the regional forces surrender. The army told people of Mekelle to move away from Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TFLP) facilities and positions;
On November 23, two rockets reportedly landed in Bahir Dar airport;
Axum Airport has been heavily damaged by the TPLF, according to Ethiopian gevenment;
On November 22, Tigray TV reported live from Adigrat denying ENDF claims about the control of the city;
On November 23, clashes between ENDF and TPLF continue in the Korem area.
More details on the background and reasons behind the ongoing war in Ethiopia can be found here: “Civil War In Ethiopia: Conflict Developments And Background”
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southfront--2020-11-23--Military Situation In Afghanistan On November 23, 2020 (Map Update)

Click to see the full-size image A brief overview of the recent developments in Afghanistan : • On Novmeber 23 @ @ @ @ @ security forces were reported in the Dasht-e-Qaleh area ; • On Novmeber 23 , clashes @ @ @ @ @ forces erupted in the Balkh area ; • On Novmeber 23 , pro-Taliban sources claimed @ @ @ @ @ Nazar Mohammad , in the Zurmat area of Paktia province ; • On Novmeber 22 @ @ @ @ @ said that NATO would have to make the decision early next year on whether to @ @ @ @ @ ; • On Novmeber 22 , Taliban ambushed and destroyed an Afghan military vehicle in @ @ @ @ @ THE TOPIC :

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A brief overview of the recent developments in Afghanistan:
On Novmeber 23, clashes between Taliban and security forces were reported in the Dasht-e-Qaleh area;
On Novmeber 23, clashes between Taliban and Afghan security forces erupted in the Balkh area;
On Novmeber 23, pro-Taliban sources claimed capturing an army pilot, Nazar Mohammad, in the Zurmat area of Paktia province;
On Novmeber 22, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that NATO would have to make the decision early next year on whether to stay or to leave Afghanistan;
On Novmeber 22, Taliban ambushed and destroyed an Afghan military vehicle in Baghlan city.
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southfront--2020-11-24--Map Update: Military Situation In Nagorno-Karabakh On November 24, 2020

Click to see the full-size image A brief overview of the recent developments in the Nagorno-Karabakh region : • On @ @ @ @ @ peacekeeper , 4 employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic were @ @ @ @ @ was killed in a mine explosion near Mataghis ; • On November 23 , President @ @ @ @ @ the city of Agdam ; • On November 24 , Russian engineering units continue their @ @ @ @ @ mine clearance in the areas of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping forces in Karabakh ; @ @ @ @ @ the district of Kalbajar is expected to be transfered to Azerbaijan .
MORE ON THE @ @

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A brief overview of the recent developments in the Nagorno-Karabakh region:
On November 23, a Russian peacekeeper, 4 employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic were wounded and an Azerbaijani soldier was killed in a mine explosion near Mataghis;
On November 23, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev visited the city of Agdam;
On November 24, Russian engineering units continue their work on engineering reconnaissance and mine clearance in the areas of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping forces in Karabakh;
On November 25, the district of Kalbajar is expected to be transfered to Azerbaijan.
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southfront--2020-11-24--Skewed Responsibility: Australian War Crimes in Afghanistan

The Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force Afghanistan Inquiry was always going to make for a gruesome read – and that was only the redacted version .
The findings of the four-year investigation , led by New South Wales Court of Appeal Justice and Army Reserve Major-General Paul Brereton , point to “ credible evidence ” that 39 Afghan non-combatants and prisoners were allegedly killed by Australian special forces personnel .
Two others were also treated with cruelty .
The Report recommends referring 36 cases for criminal investigation to the Australian Federal Police .
These involve 23 incidents and 19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ newly created Office of the Special Prosecutor .
The Report goes into some detail about various practices adopted by Australia ’ s special forces in Afghanistan .
The initiation rites for junior soldiers tasked with “ blooding ” – the first kill initiated by means of shooting a prisoner – come in for mention .
“ This would happen after the target compound had been secured , and local nationals had been secured as ‘ persons under control ’ .
” “ Throwdowns ” – equipment such as radios or weapons – would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A “ cover story ” would thereby be scripted “ for purposes of operational reporting to deflect scrutiny.
” A “ warrior culture ” also comes in for some withering treatment , which is slightly odd given the kill and capture tasks these men have been given with mind numbing regularity .
“ Special Force operators should pride themselves on being model professional soldiers , not on being ‘ warrior heroes.
’ ” When one is in the business of killing , be model about it .
As with any revelation of war @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bemusement , bewilderment and even horror .
The rule at play here is to always assume the enemy is terrible and capable of the worst , whereas somehow , your own soldiers are capable of something infinitely better .
“ I would never have conceived an Australian would be doing this in the modern era , ” claimed Australian Defence Force Chief General Angus Campbell .
History has precedent for such self-delusions of innocence abroad .
The atrocity is either unbelievable , or , if it does take place , aberrant and capable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 500 unarmed women , children and elderly men in the Vietnamese hamlet of My Lai on March 16 , 1968 by soldiers of the US Americal Division was not , at least initially , seen as believable .
When it came to light it was conceived as a horror both exceptional and cinematic .
A veteran of the Twenty-Fifth Infantry Division went so far as to regard My Lai as “ bizarre , an unusual aberration .
Things like that were strictly for the movies.
” The investigating subcommittee of the House Armed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much the same way , suggesting a lack of sanity on the part of the perpetrators .
The massacre “ was so wrong and so foreign to the normal character and actions of our military forces as to immediately raise a question as to the legal sanity at the time of those men involved.
” The Brereton Report also has a good deal of hand washing in so far as it confines responsibility to the institution of the army itself .
“ The events discovered by this Inquiry occurred within the Australian Defence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Defence Force , under the command of the Australian Defence Force.
” Even here , troop and squadron commanders , along with headquartered senior officers , are spared the rod of responsibility .
The Report “ found no evidence that there was knowledge of , or reckless indifference to , the commission of war crimes , on the part of commanders at troop/platoon , squadron/company or Task Group Headquarters level , let alone at higher levels such as Commander of Joint Task Force 633 , Joint Operations Command , or Australian Defence Headquarters.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If accurate , it suggests a degree of profound ignorance within the ADF command structure .
For his part , Campbell acknowledged those “ many , many people at all sorts of levels across the defence force involved in operations in Afghanistan or in support of those operations who do wonder what didn ’ t they see , what did they walk past , what did they not appreciate they could have done to prevent this.
” The Report also sports a glaring absence .
The political context in terms of decisions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forces drawn from a small pool is totally lacking .
Such omissions lend a stilted quality to the findings , which , on that score , prove misleading and patently inaccurate .
Armies , unless they constitute the government of a state , are merely the instruments of political wish and folly .
Nonetheless , the Report insists that , “ It was not a risk [ the unlawful killings ] to which any government , of any persuasion , was ever alerted .
Ministers were briefed that the task was manageable .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Force , not with the government of the day.
” Prime ministerial and executive exemption of responsibility is thereby granted , much aided by the persistent fiction , reiterated by General Campbell , that Australian soldiers found themselves in Afghanistan because the Afghans had “ asked for our help.
” History may not be the ADF chief ’ s forte , given that the government at the time was the Taliban , accused of providing sanctuary to al Qaeda ’ s Osama bin Laden , responsible for the 9/11 attacks on the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was no invitation to special forces troops of any stripes to come to the country .
The mission to Afghanistan became a conceit of power , with Australia ’ s role being justified , in the words of the Defence Department ’ s website , to “ help contain the threat from international terrorism ” .
It is also accurate to claim that Australian government officials were unaware of the enthusiastic , and sometimes incompetently murderous activities of the SAS in the country .
On May 17 , 2002 , Australian special troops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least 11 Afghan civilians .
They had been misidentified as al-Qaeda members .
The defence minister at the time , Robert Hill , told journalist Brian Toohey via fax that the special forces had “ well-defined personnel identification matrices ” including “ tactical behaviour ” , weapons and equipment .
These suggested the slain were not “ local Afghan people.
” This turned out to be nonsense : the dead were from Afghan tribes opposed to the Taliban .
John Howard , the prime minister responsible for deploying special operations troops to Afghanistan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adopt the line of aberrance in responding to the Report ’ s findings .
The ADF was characterised by “ bravery and professionalism ” , and the disease of atrocity and poor behaviour could be confined to “ a small group of special forces personnel who , it is claimed , amongst other things , were responsible for the unlawful killing of 39 Afghan citizens.
” This is much wilful thinking , though it will prove persuasive to most Australian politicians .
In Canberra , there are few voices arguing for a spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the West Australian Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John .
“ The politicians who sent [ the special forces ] to # Afghanistan & kept them there for over a decade , ” tweeted the sensible senator , “ must be held to account , as must the chain of command who either didn ’ t know when they should ’ ve or knew & failed to act ” .
Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College , Cambridge .
He lectures at RMIT University , Melbourne .
Email : bkampmark @ @ @ @ @ @ @

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Submitted by Dr. Binoy Kampmark
The Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force Afghanistan Inquiry was always going to make for a gruesome read – and that was only the redacted version. The findings of the four-year investigation, led by New South Wales Court of Appeal Justice and Army Reserve Major-General Paul Brereton, point to “credible evidence” that 39 Afghan non-combatants and prisoners were allegedly killed by Australian special forces personnel. Two others were also treated with cruelty. The Report recommends referring 36 cases for criminal investigation to the Australian Federal Police. These involve 23 incidents and 19 individuals who have been referred to the newly created Office of the Special Prosecutor.
The Report goes into some detail about various practices adopted by Australia’s special forces in Afghanistan. The initiation rites for junior soldiers tasked with “blooding” – the first kill initiated by means of shooting a prisoner – come in for mention. “This would happen after the target compound had been secured, and local nationals had been secured as ‘persons under control’.” “Throwdowns” – equipment such as radios or weapons – would then be placed upon the body. A “cover story” would thereby be scripted “for purposes of operational reporting to deflect scrutiny.”
A “warrior culture” also comes in for some withering treatment, which is slightly odd given the kill and capture tasks these men have been given with mind numbing regularity. “Special Force operators should pride themselves on being model professional soldiers, not on being ‘warrior heroes.’” When one is in the business of killing, be model about it.
As with any revelation of war crimes, the accused parties often express bemusement, bewilderment and even horror. The rule at play here is to always assume the enemy is terrible and capable of the worst, whereas somehow, your own soldiers are capable of something infinitely better. “I would never have conceived an Australian would be doing this in the modern era,” claimed Australian Defence Force Chief General Angus Campbell.
History has precedent for such self-delusions of innocence abroad. The atrocity is either unbelievable, or, if it does take place, aberrant and capable of isolation. The killing of some 500 unarmed women, children and elderly men in the Vietnamese hamlet of My Lai on March 16, 1968 by soldiers of the US Americal Division was not, at least initially, seen as believable. When it came to light it was conceived as a horror both exceptional and cinematic. A veteran of the Twenty-Fifth Infantry Division went so far as to regard My Lai as “bizarre, an unusual aberration. Things like that were strictly for the movies.”
The investigating subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee responded to My Lai in much the same way, suggesting a lack of sanity on the part of the perpetrators. The massacre “was so wrong and so foreign to the normal character and actions of our military forces as to immediately raise a question as to the legal sanity at the time of those men involved.”
The Brereton Report also has a good deal of hand washing in so far as it confines responsibility to the institution of the army itself. “The events discovered by this Inquiry occurred within the Australian Defence Force, by members of the Australian Defence Force, under the command of the Australian Defence Force.”
Even here, troop and squadron commanders, along with headquartered senior officers, are spared the rod of responsibility. The Report “found no evidence that there was knowledge of, or reckless indifference to, the commission of war crimes, on the part of commanders at troop/platoon, squadron/company or Task Group Headquarters level, let alone at higher levels such as Commander of Joint Task Force 633, Joint Operations Command, or Australian Defence Headquarters.”
Such a finding seems adventurously confident. If accurate, it suggests a degree of profound ignorance within the ADF command structure. For his part, Campbell acknowledged those “many, many people at all sorts of levels across the defence force involved in operations in Afghanistan or in support of those operations who do wonder what didn’t they see, what did they walk past, what did they not appreciate they could have done to prevent this.”
The Report also sports a glaring absence. The political context in terms of decisions made by Australian governments to use such forces drawn from a small pool is totally lacking. Such omissions lend a stilted quality to the findings, which, on that score, prove misleading and patently inaccurate. Armies, unless they constitute the government of a state, are merely the instruments of political wish and folly. Nonetheless, the Report insists that, “It was not a risk [the unlawful killings] to which any government, of any persuasion, was ever alerted. Ministers were briefed that the task was manageable. The responsibility lies in the Australian Defence Force, not with the government of the day.”
Prime ministerial and executive exemption of responsibility is thereby granted, much aided by the persistent fiction, reiterated by General Campbell, that Australian soldiers found themselves in Afghanistan because the Afghans had “asked for our help.”
History may not be the ADF chief’s forte, given that the government at the time was the Taliban, accused of providing sanctuary to al Qaeda’s Osama bin Laden, responsible for the 9/11 attacks on the United States. Needless to say, there was no invitation to special forces troops of any stripes to come to the country. The mission to Afghanistan became a conceit of power, with Australia’s role being justified, in the words of the Defence Department’s website, to “help contain the threat from international terrorism”.
It is also accurate to claim that Australian government officials were unaware of the enthusiastic, and sometimes incompetently murderous activities of the SAS in the country. On May 17, 2002, Australian special troops were responsible for the deaths of at least 11 Afghan civilians. They had been misidentified as al-Qaeda members. The defence minister at the time, Robert Hill, told journalist Brian Toohey via fax that the special forces had “well-defined personnel identification matrices” including “tactical behaviour”, weapons and equipment. These suggested the slain were not “local Afghan people.” This turned out to be nonsense: the dead were from Afghan tribes opposed to the Taliban.
John Howard, the prime minister responsible for deploying special operations troops to Afghanistan in 2001, is understandably keen to adopt the line of aberrance in responding to the Report’s findings. The ADF was characterised by “bravery and professionalism”, and the disease of atrocity and poor behaviour could be confined to “a small group of special forces personnel who, it is claimed, amongst other things, were responsible for the unlawful killing of 39 Afghan citizens.”
This is much wilful thinking, though it will prove persuasive to most Australian politicians. In Canberra, there are few voices arguing for a spread of responsibility. One of them is the West Australian Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John. “The politicians who sent [the special forces] to #Afghanistan & kept them there for over a decade,” tweeted the sensible senator, “must be held to account, as must the chain of command who either didn’t know when they should’ve or knew & failed to act”.
Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College, Cambridge. He lectures at RMIT University, Melbourne. Email: bkampmark@gmail.com
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southfront--2020-11-24--State Department & Patriarch Bartholomew Coordinate Efforts In Pushing Globalist Agenda

In November , US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople in Turkey , as well as visited Georgia and Israel .
Pompeo said that he considered the Patriarch a “ key partner ” of the United States .
In recent days , US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has held several meetings with the heads of the Middle Eastern and Eastern European states , as well as with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and Patriarch Elijah II of Georgia .
These meetings actually took place on the eve of the Holy Synod of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely , will consider the question of the unauthorized commemoration of Metropolitan Epiphanius ( the head of the non-canonical Orthodox Church of Ukraine ) by Archbishop Chrysostom .
Therefore , it is not difficult to assume that Pompeo ’ s visits to Turkey and Georgia are directly related to the recognition of the Ukrainain pseudo-church , which was originally created with a direct help from the State Department , Constantinople and the Kiev regime .
The program of Mike Pompeo ’ s visit to Turkey did not include any meetings with representatives of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was supposed to meet with Erdogan , but the latter suddenly changed his intentions and the head of the State Department was content with only meeting with Patriarch Bartholomew .
US diplomats convince the public that they do not see any political subtext in this , but the fact remains – the Turkish authorities defiantly ignored Pompeo .
The Secretary of State himself said that he was meeting with Patriarch Bartholomew solely to discuss issues of religious freedom in the world .
Later , after the meeting , the State Department said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Phanar issues related to the Ecumenical Patriarchate , the Greek Diaspora , Orthodox believers in Turkey , Orthodoxy in the world , and the course of inter-Christian dialogue .
The Phanar stressed that during the meeting “ an exchange of views took place on the issue of respect for fundamental rights and religious freedom in the world , in strengthening which , as you know , the United States is interested in.
” Turkey , however , appeared confident that the interaction between the State Department and the Phanar should be considered not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terms .
However , in Ankara , and in Turkey as a whole , behind these streamlined statements they saw not only a “ religious component ” , but also something else .
Thus , the Turkish Foreign Ministry called on the United States to “ look in the mirror ” before discussing the problems of Turkey in terms of religion .
This advice clearly demonstrated that the Turkish authorities see in Pompeo ’ s visit not a desire to promote “ religious freedoms ” , but a desire to use religion for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Turkish newspaper “ Αydinlik ” almost on the day of the meeting of the two “ key partners ” published an article in which it gave specific ( in its opinion ) examples of the Phanar ’ s alleged ties with “ FETÖ ” – the “ Fethullahçı Terör Örgütü ( FETÖ ) ) .
According to the Turkish authorities , it was this organization and its head Fethullah Gulen who organized the putsch against Erdogan in 2016 .
So , the newspaper published data on the correspondence between the priest of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the head of the Rumi Forum program Rasit Telbisoglu .
In turn , the journalists say , “ Rumi Forum ” is one of the most important structures of “ FETÖ ” in the United States , with its center in Washington .
In another article , the same publication essentially accused Patriarch Bartholomew of being a “ spy ” of the United States .
An article titled “ It seems like the US patriarchy ” argues that “ Phanar today is much more on the side of the US than Turkey and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not only religious but also geopolitical issues.
” In other words , Patriarch Bartholomew was once again reminded of his friendship with FETO and was hinted that his “ extremely active pro-American activities could end badly .
“ In this context , the actions of the Turkish authorities to turn the Hagia Sophia and the Chora monastery into mosques become understandable – the Phanar made it clear that the United States would not be able to protect them .
The US , will likely need to undertake some actions to protect the Phanar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempts to further split the world of Orthodoxy are nowhere near over .
This is also likely related to the US Administration being changed , and it is unknown ( but rather unlikely ) that Mike Pompeo would remain as the US Secretary of State .
However , there is no doubt that the next head of the State Department will continue his work – both because in America they are trying to preserve the continuity of power , and because geopolitical and geostrategic plans in the country are developed for years in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department will continue to promote the issue of recognition of the ‘ independent ’ Orthodox Church of Ukraine ( OCU ) by Local Churches of the world .
In this regard , the activation of Pompeo is not surprising .
Firstly , he may vacate the posts , which means that at the moment the head of the State Department is trying , at least , to consolidate the “ successes ” achieved in regard to the split of Orthodoxy , so that his successor does not have to start everything from scratch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that an extremely quick response to the “ Cyprus problem ” is needed .
After all , if the Synod of this Church does take place on November 23rd , it is far from a fact that the necessary decisions for the American-Phanariote alliance will be taken there .
Moreover , if the synodals of Cyprus succeed in upholding the canons of the Church , then the process of “ hybrid recognition ” of the OCU , at least , risks stopping for many years .
If not forever .
If the synodals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Church , then the process of “ hybrid recognition ” of the OCU , at least , risks stopping for many years .
Thirdly , acting under the guise of the concept of “ religious freedom ” , the State Department is promoting various beneficial projects for itself , among which the OCU is not the last .
Recall that almost immediately after its appearance , the US State Department announced that the creation of the OCU “ was a historic event for Ukraine , ” and the United States “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that freedom of religion should not be impeded from outside.
” Moreover , the recognition of the OCU has a mutual benefit : Phanar strengthens its position in the Orthodox world and actually subjugates the Orthodox Local Churches , and the State Department receives a powerful weapon to implement its plans regarding Eastern Europe , the Balkans and Russia .
In other words , Pompeo ’ s last voyage in the Middle East testifies to the fact that the United States continues to put pressure on Local Churches to recognize the OCU .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this , the more radical measures they have to resort to – from blackmail by “ tomos ” to political pressure or direct intimidation .
But no matter how much the rope twists , the end will come .
In other words , at the moment more and more Orthodox Christians understand that the Ukrainian schism is a purely political project that has nothing to do with faith in God and the Church .
This is the case in Cyprus , as mentioned , as well as in Georgia , which could potentially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not part of Tbilisi ’ s area of political control .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Cypriot Orthodox Riots Against Its Leader Over Ukraine Question

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In November, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople in Turkey, as well as visited Georgia and Israel. Pompeo said that he considered the Patriarch a “key partner” of the United States.
In recent days, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has held several meetings with the heads of the Middle Eastern and Eastern European states, as well as with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and Patriarch Elijah II of Georgia. These meetings actually took place on the eve of the Holy Synod of the Cypriot Orthodox Church, which, most likely, will consider the question of the unauthorized commemoration of Metropolitan Epiphanius (the head of the non-canonical Orthodox Church of Ukraine) by Archbishop Chrysostom.
Therefore, it is not difficult to assume that Pompeo’s visits to Turkey and Georgia are directly related to the recognition of the Ukrainain pseudo-church, which was originally created with a direct help from the State Department, Constantinople and the Kiev regime.
The program of Mike Pompeo’s visit to Turkey did not include any meetings with representatives of Turkish authorities. That is, Pompeo was supposed to meet with Erdogan, but the latter suddenly changed his intentions and the head of the State Department was content with only meeting with Patriarch Bartholomew.
US diplomats convince the public that they do not see any political subtext in this, but the fact remains – the Turkish authorities defiantly ignored Pompeo.
The Secretary of State himself said that he was meeting with Patriarch Bartholomew solely to discuss issues of religious freedom in the world.
Later, after the meeting, the State Department said that they discussed with the head of the Phanar issues related to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Greek Diaspora, Orthodox believers in Turkey, Orthodoxy in the world, and the course of inter-Christian dialogue.
The Phanar stressed that during the meeting “an exchange of views took place on the issue of respect for fundamental rights and religious freedom in the world, in strengthening which, as you know, the United States is interested in.”
Turkey, however, appeared confident that the interaction between the State Department and the Phanar should be considered not in religious, but primarily in political terms.
However, in Ankara, and in Turkey as a whole, behind these streamlined statements they saw not only a “religious component”, but also something else.
Thus, the Turkish Foreign Ministry called on the United States to “look in the mirror” before discussing the problems of Turkey in terms of religion.
This advice clearly demonstrated that the Turkish authorities see in Pompeo’s visit not a desire to promote “religious freedoms”, but a desire to use religion for their own purposes.
In particular, the Turkish newspaper “Αydinlik” almost on the day of the meeting of the two “key partners” published an article in which it gave specific (in its opinion) examples of the Phanar’s alleged ties with “FETÖ” – the “Fethullahçı Terör Örgütü (FETÖ )).
According to the Turkish authorities, it was this organization and its head Fethullah Gulen who organized the putsch against Erdogan in 2016.
So, the newspaper published data on the correspondence between the priest of the Phanariot Archdiocese in the USA and the head of the Rumi Forum program Rasit Telbisoglu.
In turn, the journalists say, “Rumi Forum” is one of the most important structures of “FETÖ” in the United States, with its center in Washington.
In another article, the same publication essentially accused Patriarch Bartholomew of being a “spy” of the United States.
An article titled “It seems like the US patriarchy” argues that “Phanar today is much more on the side of the US than Turkey and continues to take action against Turkey on not only religious but also geopolitical issues.”
In other words, Patriarch Bartholomew was once again reminded of his friendship with FETO and was hinted that his “extremely active pro-American activities could end badly. “
In this context, the actions of the Turkish authorities to turn the Hagia Sophia and the Chora monastery into mosques become understandable – the Phanar made it clear that the United States would not be able to protect them.
The US, will likely need to undertake some actions to protect the Phanar, as it is likely that the attempts to further split the world of Orthodoxy are nowhere near over.
This is also likely related to the US Administration being changed, and it is unknown (but rather unlikely) that Mike Pompeo would remain as the US Secretary of State.
However, there is no doubt that the next head of the State Department will continue his work – both because in America they are trying to preserve the continuity of power, and because geopolitical and geostrategic plans in the country are developed for years in advance.
This means that the State Department will continue to promote the issue of recognition of the ‘independent’ Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) by Local Churches of the world. In this regard, the activation of Pompeo is not surprising.
Firstly, he may vacate the posts, which means that at the moment the head of the State Department is trying, at least, to consolidate the “successes” achieved in regard to the split of Orthodoxy, so that his successor does not have to start everything from scratch.
Secondly, the State Department understands that an extremely quick response to the “Cyprus problem” is needed. After all, if the Synod of this Church does take place on November 23rd, it is far from a fact that the necessary decisions for the American-Phanariote alliance will be taken there.
Moreover, if the synodals of Cyprus succeed in upholding the canons of the Church, then the process of “hybrid recognition” of the OCU, at least, risks stopping for many years. If not forever.
If the synodals of Cyprus succeed in upholding the canons of the Church, then the process of “hybrid recognition” of the OCU, at least, risks stopping for many years.
Thirdly, acting under the guise of the concept of “religious freedom”, the State Department is promoting various beneficial projects for itself, among which the OCU is not the last.
Recall that almost immediately after its appearance, the US State Department announced that the creation of the OCU “was a historic event for Ukraine,” and the United States “continues to strongly support Ukraine and believes that freedom of religion should not be impeded from outside.”
Moreover, the recognition of the OCU has a mutual benefit: Phanar strengthens its position in the Orthodox world and actually subjugates the Orthodox Local Churches, and the State Department receives a powerful weapon to implement its plans regarding Eastern Europe, the Balkans and Russia.
In other words, Pompeo’s last voyage in the Middle East testifies to the fact that the United States continues to put pressure on Local Churches to recognize the OCU.
And the longer they fail to do this, the more radical measures they have to resort to – from blackmail by “tomos” to political pressure or direct intimidation. But no matter how much the rope twists, the end will come. In other words, at the moment more and more Orthodox Christians understand that the Ukrainian schism is a purely political project that has nothing to do with faith in God and the Church.
This is the case in Cyprus, as mentioned, as well as in Georgia, which could potentially also pressure Abkhazia, which is obviously not part of Tbilisi’s area of political control.
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southfront--2020-11-24--Tigray’s Forces Reject Ultimatum, Claim They Destroyed Government Forces Mechanized Division

– On November 24 , clashes between ENDF and TPLF were reported near the Adi- Harush Refugee Camp – 40,000 Ethiopian refugees fled to Sudan escaping the fighting in the Tigray region , according to the UN – On November 24 , TPLF forces destroyed an armored vehicle of the Ethiopian Army near Mekele , according to Al-Arabiya – On November 23 , TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael rejected Abiy Ahmed ’ s ultimatum .
The TPLF is set to continue the war .
On November 24th , the Tigray People ’ s Liberation Front ( TPLF ) claimed that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ division in battles to control the northern region .
TPLF spokesman Getachew Reda told Tigray TV a prestigious army unit – which he termed the 21st mechanized division – had been “ completely destroyed ” in an assault at Raya-Wahirat led by a former commander of that unit now fighting for the TPLF .
Initially , the Ethiopian government forces under the command of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed expected to have a quick and easy victory , but the fights have gone on for a third week , and the conflict could potentially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minister ’ s spokeswoman , told Reuters that the TPLF ’ s claims were not true .
The government said many Tigrayan soldiers were surrendering in line with a 72-hour ultimatum before a threatened attack on the regional capital Mekelle .
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ’ s troops launched an offensive against the Tigray People ’ s Liberation Front ( TPLF ) local government on November 4th and currently claim they are closing in on Mekelle in a final push to win the conflict .
Mekelle is the capital of the Tigray region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ troops are keeping the federal army at bay and scoring some big victories .
So far , the conflict has spread to Eritrea , where the TPLF has fired rockets , and also affected Somalia where Ethiopia has disarmed several hundred Tigrayans in a peacekeeping force fighting al Qaeda-linked militants .
Abiy , who won the Nobel Peace Prize last year for ending a standoff with Eritrea , has said he will not negotiate with the TPLF though he does plan to receive AU envoys .
He has given Tigrayan forces until November @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the highland city of Mekelle , home to about half a million people .
TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael has disputed the government version that Mekelle is encircled at a roughly 50km distance and claimed that the ultimatum was a cover for government forces to regroup after defeats .
The United Nations Security Council ( UNSC ) will hold its first meeting on the Ethiopian Tigray region conflict , upon a request from Tunisia , South Africa , and “ Saint Vincent and the Grenadines ” .
The meeting comes after the leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( TPLF ) Debretsion Gebremichael , said that his people are “ ready to die ” defending their homeland , rejecting Ethiopian Prime Minister ( PM ) Abiy Ahmed ’ s surrender ultimatum period .
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In brief:
– On November 24, clashes between ENDF and TPLF were reported near the Adi- Harush Refugee Camp
– 40,000 Ethiopian refugees fled to Sudan escaping the fighting in the Tigray region, according to the UN
– On November 24, TPLF forces destroyed an armored vehicle of the Ethiopian Army near Mekele, according to Al-Arabiya
– On November 23, TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael rejected Abiy Ahmed’s ultimatum. The TPLF is set to continue the war.
On November 24th, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) claimed that it had “destroyed” an Ethiopian army division in battles to control the northern region.
TPLF spokesman Getachew Reda told Tigray TV a prestigious army unit – which he termed the 21st mechanized division – had been “completely destroyed” in an assault at Raya-Wahirat led by a former commander of that unit now fighting for the TPLF.
Initially, the Ethiopian government forces under the command of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed expected to have a quick and easy victory, but the fights have gone on for a third week, and the conflict could potentially escalate.
Billene Seyoum, the prime minister’s spokeswoman, told Reuters that the TPLF’s claims were not true.
The government said many Tigrayan soldiers were surrendering in line with a 72-hour ultimatum before a threatened attack on the regional capital Mekelle.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s troops launched an offensive against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) local government on November 4th and currently claim they are closing in on Mekelle in a final push to win the conflict. Mekelle is the capital of the Tigray region.
But the battle-hardened TPLF say their troops are keeping the federal army at bay and scoring some big victories.
So far, the conflict has spread to Eritrea, where the TPLF has fired rockets, and also affected Somalia where Ethiopia has disarmed several hundred Tigrayans in a peacekeeping force fighting al Qaeda-linked militants.
Abiy, who won the Nobel Peace Prize last year for ending a standoff with Eritrea, has said he will not negotiate with the TPLF though he does plan to receive AU envoys.
He has given Tigrayan forces until November 25th to surrender or face an assault on the highland city of Mekelle, home to about half a million people.
TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael has disputed the government version that Mekelle is encircled at a roughly 50km distance and claimed that the ultimatum was a cover for government forces to regroup after defeats.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will hold its first meeting on the Ethiopian Tigray region conflict, upon a request from Tunisia, South Africa, and “Saint Vincent and the Grenadines”.
The meeting comes after the leader of Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) Debretsion Gebremichael, said that his people are “ready to die” defending their homeland, rejecting Ethiopian Prime Minister (PM) Abiy Ahmed’s surrender ultimatum period.
“He does not understand who we are. We are people of principle and ready to die in defense of our right to rule our region,” Gebremikail he said.
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southfront--2020-11-24--Last Days To Help SouthFront Survive Next Month!

Thanks to your regular support , SouthFront survived in the previous months despite the large-scale censorship and pressure campaign aimed against our endeavour .
( MORE HERE ) Unfortunately , regular attacks and the increasing censorship led to particular results and damaged SouthFront .
In October and November , we were undertaking efforts to keep SouthFront alive .
This work , together with your support , allowed us to continue working even in these hard times .
But the situation is not improving and there are no indications that the pressure against SouthFront will be reduced anytime soon .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give up and continue its struggle for the freedom and justice .
However , we will not be able to do this without your continuing support .
Since November 1 , we ’ ve collected 2478 USD .
This is about 50 % of the monthly budget needed to continue SouthFront work and further .
Unlike propaganda structures funded by the Euro-Atlantic establishment , SouthFront operates thanks to the audience ’ s donations .
We will not be able to survive without your help .
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DEAR FRIENDS,
Thanks to your regular support, SouthFront survived in the previous months despite the large-scale censorship and pressure campaign aimed against our endeavour. (MORE HERE) Unfortunately, regular attacks and the increasing censorship led to particular results and damaged SouthFront.
In October and November, we were undertaking efforts to keep SouthFront alive. This work, together with your support, allowed us to continue working even in these hard times. But the situation is not improving and there are no indications that the pressure against SouthFront will be reduced anytime soon. There is no doubt that SouthFront will not give up and continue its struggle for the freedom and justice. However, we will not be able to do this without your continuing support.
THE SITUATION IS CRITICAL
Since November 1, we’ve collected 2478 USD. This is about 50% of the monthly budget needed to continue SouthFront work and further.
Unlike propaganda structures funded by the Euro-Atlantic establishment, SouthFront operates thanks to the audience’s donations. We will not be able to survive without your help.
WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT, SOUTHFRONT WORK WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE:
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southfront--2020-11-24--“Freedom Of Navigation”: USS John McCain Enters Russian Territorial Waters, Intercepted By Admiral V

“Freedom Of Navigation”: USS John McCain Enters Russian Territorial Waters, Intercepted By Admiral Vinogradov Destroyer

On November 24th , the USS John McCain Arleigh Burke-class destroyer crossed the Russian border in the south of Primorsky Krai , the Defense Ministry said .
It is specified that the Americans went two kilometers beyond the line .
After that , the Admiral Vinogradov Udaloy-class destroyer via the international communication channel warned the foreign warship about the inadmissibility of such actions .
A warning was also issued that the Russian warship could potentially employ a ramming maneuver to drive out the intruder .
After that , the USS John McCain immediately went into neutral waters and did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waters .
The Admiral Vinogradov warship continues to monitor the American ship , and the Russian Steregushchy-class corvette Sovershennyy also joined in .
According to the US side , this was a freedom of navigation operation near Russia .
The US also said that it would continue doing so .
U.S. forces operate in the Indo-Pacific region on a daily basis , as they have for more than a century .
They routinely operate in close coordination with like-minded allies and partners who share our commitment to uphold a free and open international @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Back in 2017 , the USS John S. McCain destroyer collided with a tanker ship off the coast of Singapore .
The accident took lives of 10 of its crew members and left five others injured .
 MORE ON THE TOPIC : • In Video : US Navy Stealth Destroyer Conduct First Missile Test

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On November 24th, the USS John McCain Arleigh Burke-class destroyer crossed the Russian border in the south of Primorsky Krai, the Defense Ministry said.
“The large anti-submarine ship of the Pacific Fleet” Admiral Vinogradov “stopped the violation of the state border of the Russian Federation by the US Navy destroyer John McCain in the Gulf of Peter the Great,” the release said.
It is specified that the Americans went two kilometers beyond the line. After that, the Admiral Vinogradov Udaloy-class destroyer via the international communication channel warned the foreign warship about the inadmissibility of such actions.
A warning was also issued that the Russian warship could potentially employ a ramming maneuver to drive out the intruder.
After that, the USS John McCain immediately went into neutral waters and did not make repeated attempts to enter Russian territorial waters.
The Admiral Vinogradov warship continues to monitor the American ship, and the Russian Steregushchy-class corvette Sovershennyy also joined in.
According to the US side, this was a freedom of navigation operation near Russia.
“This freedom of navigation operation (“FONOP”) upheld the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea recognized in international law by challenging Russia’s excessive maritime claims.”
The US also said that it would continue doing so.
U.S. forces operate in the Indo-Pacific region on a daily basis, as they have for more than a century.
They routinely operate in close coordination with like-minded allies and partners who share our commitment to uphold a free and open international order that promotes security and prosperity.
“All of our operations are designed to be conducted in accordance with international law and demonstrate that the United States will fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows – regardless of the location of excessive maritime claims and regardless of current events.”
Back in 2017, the USS John S. McCain destroyer collided with a tanker ship off the coast of Singapore. The accident took lives of 10 of its crew members and left five others injured.
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southfront--2020-11-24--Space Race 2.0: China Launches “Historic” Mission To Moon To Collect Rocks From Unvisited Area

It what could mark the beginning of another era of “ space races ” , China has officially launched an unmanned spacecraft to the moon with plans of bringing back lunar rocks .
It marks the first attempt by any nation to retrieve rocks from the moon since the 1970s .
On Monday , Reuters confirmed the launch : China ’ s probe , the Chang ’ e-5 , sets off with the goal of China learning more about the moon ’ s origin and formation .
If China succeeds , they will be only the third country to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. and Soviet Union , according to CNN .
The goal of the mission to collect 4.5 pounds of samples in a previously untouched area called Oceanus Procellarum , or “ Ocean of Storms ” .
The U.S. Apollo missions had previously landed 12 astronauts and brought back a total of 842 pounds of rocks and soil .
The Soviet Union ’ s Luna missions had brought 6 ounces of samples in the 70s .
Both countries visited different areas of the moon than the Chinese aspire to visit .
James Head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said : “ The Apollo-Luna sample zone of the moon , while critical to our understanding , was undertaken in an area that comprises far less than half the lunar surface.
” Once it ’ s on the moon , the probe will deploy two vehicles and a lander will drill into the ground .
Samples of the moon ’ s surface will then lift off to another module in orbit .
Eventually , they will make their way back to Earth in a return capsule .
China has visited the moon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The country says it has plans to establish a “ robotic base station ” on the moon within the next decade .
It plans on doing so using its Chang ’ e 6 , Chang ’ e 7 and Chang ’ e 8 missions .
The country has also publicly said it has aspirations of getting samples from Mars before 2030 .
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Originally appeared at ZeroHedge
It what could mark the beginning of another era of “space races”, China has officially launched an unmanned spacecraft to the moon with plans of bringing back lunar rocks. It marks the first attempt by any nation to retrieve rocks from the moon since the 1970s. On Monday, Reuters confirmed the launch:
CHINA LAUNCHES ROCKET CARRYING PROBE IN HISTORIC MISSION TO MOON- RTRS
China’s probe, the Chang’e-5, sets off with the goal of China learning more about the moon’s origin and formation. If China succeeds, they will be only the third country to have retrieved samples from the moon – behind the U.S. and Soviet Union, according to CNN.
The goal of the mission to collect 4.5 pounds of samples in a previously untouched area called Oceanus Procellarum, or “Ocean of Storms”. The U.S. Apollo missions had previously landed 12 astronauts and brought back a total of 842 pounds of rocks and soil. The Soviet Union’s Luna missions had brought 6 ounces of samples in the 70s.
Both countries visited different areas of the moon than the Chinese aspire to visit.
James Head, a planetary scientist at Brown University, said: “The Apollo-Luna sample zone of the moon, while critical to our understanding, was undertaken in an area that comprises far less than half the lunar surface.”
Once it’s on the moon, the probe will deploy two vehicles and a lander will drill into the ground. Samples of the moon’s surface will then lift off to another module in orbit. Eventually, they will make their way back to Earth in a return capsule.
China has visited the moon with probes in 2013 and 2019. The country says it has plans to establish a “robotic base station” on the moon within the next decade. It plans on doing so using its Chang’e 6, Chang’e 7 and Chang’e 8 missions.
The country has also publicly said it has aspirations of getting samples from Mars before 2030.
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southfront--2020-11-24--Russian Peacekeepers Clear Out Mines, As Azerbaijan’s President Visits “Liberated Aghdam District”

In Armenia , on November 24th , ex-Constitutional Court judge Kim Balayan said that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had violated the Constitution by signing the Karabakh War peace deal with Azerbaijan .
According to him , Article 116 of the Constitution clearly establishes which issues should be regulated by international agreements .
Pashinyan could have signed an agreement on a humanitarian truce , but the statement on November 9 is fundamentally different .
Balayan ’ s claims were also addressed to Prosecutor General Artur Davtyan and the head of the Special Investigation Service Sasun Khachatryan , who have not yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of overthrowing the constitutional order .
Balayan decided to hold a hunger strike with until his demands are met .
Otherwise , he will “ join the 5,000 soldiers who gave their lives.
” Relatives of the missing and captured people met with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan .
According to the Prime Minister , such meetings will continue , and he will meet with all relatives .
Nikol Pashinyan still refuses to resign , and protests are on-going in Armenia .
When it comes to the Russian peacekeeping contingent , it launched an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personnel continue to carry out tasks in the regions of Nagorno-Karabakh , where fierce fighting has recently taken place .
Arrived specialists of engineering and sapper divisions began work in the dangerous zone of the stopped military operations .
On November 23rd , the center for humanitarian demining from the center ( interdepartmental , humanitarian response ) conducted an engineering survey of the area on the southern outskirts of Stepanakert .
In total , 1 hectare of territory was surveyed , 7 artillery shells , 2 RPG shots and one powder charge were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posts have been set up in the Sothern and Northern zones of responsibility of Karabakh .
Since November 14th , over 11,000 Armenian refugees have returned , between November 21-22nd alone , 2,334 refugees returned from Armenia .
The An-124 , Il-76 and Tu-154 aircraft of the Military Transport Aviation of the Aerospace Forces of Russia from the Chkalovsky airfield near Moscow delivered specialists , equipment and hardware , as well as service dogs of the International Mine Action Centre of the Russian Ministry of Defense to perform tasks in the zone of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 100 servicemen of the centre , 13 pieces of military and special equipment , including multifunctional robotic demining complexes Uran 6 , armored personnel carriers and armored vehicles were delivered to the airfields of the Yerevan city .
The demining operations are on-going , one of the stages of work on the survey of the area for the presence of explosive objects is the study of the positions on which stationary posts will be built to serve the Russian peacekeepers .
The servicemen participating in demining are equipped in modern protective suits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ modern means of searching for explosive objects – mine detectors IMP-S2 and searchers INVU-3M .
Separately , a video was released showing the last battle of Shusha , when Azerbaijan entirely turned the tide of the war .
Azerbaijan ’ s President Ilham Aliyev continues celebrating his victory in the conflict .
He visited the region of Aghdam , which was surrendered to Azerbaijan on November 20th , and Azeri soldiers entered the area .
“ Look at the enemy ’ s line of defense .
The enemy had several lines of defense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aghdam , look at that .
Now we are driving into the liberated lands .
The destination is the city of Aghdam .
We have liberated the city of Aghdam and the occupied lands of Aghdam district without firing a single shot .
We have defeated the enemy on the battlefield and forced them to withdraw from Aghdam district .
Look , here is another line of defense .
On the right are the houses of Azerbaijani citizens destroyed by the enemy .
Let the whole world see what the savage enemy has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we were facing , what savages we have defeated .
The whole world should see this .
There is not a single safe building here .
Everything is destroyed .
They have destroyed our houses and villages , they exploited our lands .
The enemy will be held accountable for all the war crimes .
We will also invite journalists to Aghdam , including foreign journalists and representatives of the diplomatic corps .
Let them come and see.
” Aliyev continues presenting it as a great victory , even though Azerbaijan simply got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the previous Minsk agreements , and little more .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Azerbaijani Troops Enter First Of Districts That Are Set To Be Returned Under Karabakh Deal

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In Armenia, on November 24th, ex-Constitutional Court judge Kim Balayan said that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had violated the Constitution by signing the Karabakh War peace deal with Azerbaijan.
According to him, Article 116 of the Constitution clearly establishes which issues should be regulated by international agreements. Pashinyan could have signed an agreement on a humanitarian truce, but the statement on November 9 is fundamentally different.
Balayan’s claims were also addressed to Prosecutor General Artur Davtyan and the head of the Special Investigation Service Sasun Khachatryan, who have not yet initiated a criminal case on the fact of overthrowing the constitutional order.
Balayan decided to hold a hunger strike with until his demands are met. Otherwise, he will “join the 5,000 soldiers who gave their lives.”
Relatives of the missing and captured people met with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
“I want to apologize to all of you for the fact that so far our state agencies have not been able to answer your questions,” the Prime Minister said, noting that there were objective and subjective reasons for this.
According to the Prime Minister, such meetings will continue, and he will meet with all relatives.
Nikol Pashinyan still refuses to resign, and protests are on-going in Armenia.
When it comes to the Russian peacekeeping contingent, it launched an operation South of Stepanakert.
Russian military personnel continue to carry out tasks in the regions of Nagorno-Karabakh, where fierce fighting has recently taken place. Arrived specialists of engineering and sapper divisions began work in the dangerous zone of the stopped military operations.
On November 23rd, the center for humanitarian demining from the center (interdepartmental, humanitarian response) conducted an engineering survey of the area on the southern outskirts of Stepanakert.
In total, 1 hectare of territory was surveyed, 7 artillery shells, 2 RPG shots and one powder charge were found.
So far, 23 observation posts have been set up in the Sothern and Northern zones of responsibility of Karabakh.
Since November 14th, over 11,000 Armenian refugees have returned, between November 21-22nd alone, 2,334 refugees returned from Armenia.
The An-124, Il-76 and Tu-154 aircraft of the Military Transport Aviation of the Aerospace Forces of Russia from the Chkalovsky airfield near Moscow delivered specialists, equipment and hardware, as well as service dogs of the International Mine Action Centre of the Russian Ministry of Defense to perform tasks in the zone of the peacekeeping operation in Nagorno-Karabakh.
More than 100 servicemen of the centre, 13 pieces of military and special equipment, including multifunctional robotic demining complexes Uran 6, armored personnel carriers and armored vehicles were delivered to the airfields of the Yerevan city.
The demining operations are on-going, one of the stages of work on the survey of the area for the presence of explosive objects is the study of the positions on which stationary posts will be built to serve the Russian peacekeepers. The servicemen participating in demining are equipped in modern protective suits of a sapper and are armed with modern means of searching for explosive objects – mine detectors IMP-S2 and searchers INVU-3M.
Separately, a video was released showing the last battle of Shusha, when Azerbaijan entirely turned the tide of the war.
HINT: The video is 18+ and as an age-restricted video cannot be embedded, it can be freely seen on YouTube.
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev continues celebrating his victory in the conflict.
He visited the region of Aghdam, which was surrendered to Azerbaijan on November 20th, and Azeri soldiers entered the area.
“Look at the enemy’s line of defense. The enemy had several lines of defense all the way to the city of Aghdam, look at that. Now we are driving into the liberated lands. The destination is the city of Aghdam. We have liberated the city of Aghdam and the occupied lands of Aghdam district without firing a single shot. We have defeated the enemy on the battlefield and forced them to withdraw from Aghdam district. Look, here is another line of defense. On the right are the houses of Azerbaijani citizens destroyed by the enemy. Let the whole world see what the savage enemy has done to our villages, what savages we were facing, what savages we have defeated. The whole world should see this. There is not a single safe building here. Everything is destroyed. They have destroyed our houses and villages, they exploited our lands. The enemy will be held accountable for all the war crimes. We will also invite journalists to Aghdam, including foreign journalists and representatives of the diplomatic corps. Let them come and see.”
Aliyev continues presenting it as a great victory, even though Azerbaijan simply got what it was supposed to get under the previous Minsk agreements, and little more.
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southfront--2020-11-24--Military Situation In Syria On November 24, 2020 (Map Update)

Click to see the full-size image A brief overview of the recent developments in Syria : • On November 23 @ @ @ @ @ of Turkish-backed forces in Fatirah , Deir Sonbol and al-Barah ; • On November 23 @ @ @ @ @ died from severe wounds he had received in an explosion of IED at his car @ @ @ @ @ • On November 24 , 3 SDF members were killed due to the explosion of @ @ @ @ @ SDF cargo vehicle in the town of Al-Shuhail ; • On November 24 , Russia @ @ @ @ @ the ceasefire regime in Greater Idlib 33 times : 18 – in Idlib province , @ @ @ @ @ , 9 – in Latakia province , 2 – in Hama province .
MORE ON @ @ @ @ @ Forces Continue To Establish Military Posts In Southern Idlib , Planning To Patrol Syrian Region

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A brief overview of the recent developments in Syria:
On November 23, SAA artillery shelled positions of Turkish-backed forces in Fatirah, Deir Sonbol and al-Barah;
On November 23, Mohammad Taleb al-Akhi, died from severe wounds he had received in an explosion of IED at his car in the Kafr Takharim;
On November 24, 3 SDF members were killed due to the explosion of a bomb planted in an SDF cargo vehicle in the town of Al-Shuhail;
On November 24, Russia reported that militant groups violated the ceasefire regime in Greater Idlib 33 times: 18 – in Idlib province, 4 – in Aleppo province, 9 – in Latakia province, 2 – in Hama province.
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southfront--2020-11-24--Armenian Ombudsman Investigates Azerbaijani War Crimes, Baku Plays Victim

On November 22nd , the Office of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia received a signal that a few days prior the Azeri military beheaded an Armenian soldier .
The Ombudsman of Armenia Arman Tatoyan urgently initiated an investigation into this report and published the results .
In the course of the commenced production , it turned out that on October 16 , at about 13:00 , a serviceman of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces called the brother of the Armenian soldier and said that the latter was with them , they beheaded him and intend to post the corresponding photo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few hours later , the brother of the killed Armenian soldier found the deceased ’ s photo published on his page on the social network .
“ We are convinced that it was the servicemen of the Azerbaijani army who posted the picture of the Armenian soldier on his page on the social network .
The brother of the deceased spoke twice on the phone with the Azerbaijani military , who mocked him , tried to humiliate him in every possible way , spoke the language of enmity and hatred .
human rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calls were made from the phone number of the deceased .
These are cruel and barbaric , openly terrorist methods , ” Tatoyan said .
The Human Rights Defender of Armenia also recorded other cases of torture and barbarism by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces , and work in this direction continues .
All data are duly documented and will be submitted to the relevant international bodies .
Earlier , the Ombudsman of Armenia Arman Tatoyan stated that he had at his disposal two videos and photographs demonstrating the cruel , inhuman treatment of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Armed Forces .
As the defender of human rights of Armenia noted , these footage shows how the Azerbaijani military humiliate people , and then kill them with special cynicism and cruelty .
The speech of the representatives of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces is filled with hatred of the Armenians .
These videos were replicated on the Internet by Azerbaijani sources , children and elderly people could see them .
Then , the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry issued a denial , stating that the department had nothing to do with these videos .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deleted from Azerbaijani sources .
However , the staff of the human rights defender of Armenia recorded all sources in a timely manner .
The experts of the ombudsman ’ s office have established the exact place and hour of the crimes committed by the Azerbaijani military .
As the Ombudsman noted , videos and photographs are already considered incontrovertible legal evidence of a war crime .
Separately , to prove that the Armenian side was also cruel with the Azerbaijani soldiers , a video was released purportedly showing an Azerbaijani soldier being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Azerbaijani soldier being slapped so as not to black out by medical personnel .
The part of the video that ’ s shown makes it appear as if he is being treated roughly .
The entire video , however , is a report by Anna News in which it is shown how the Azerbaijani soldier is provided with medical aid .
Purely due to coincidence , of course , Anna News is now entirely banned for access from Azerbaijan soil .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Armenia Is Trolling Russia , Digging @ @ @ @ @ @

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On November 22nd, the Office of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia received a signal that a few days prior the Azeri military beheaded an Armenian soldier.
The Ombudsman of Armenia Arman Tatoyan urgently initiated an investigation into this report and published the results.
In the course of the commenced production, it turned out that on October 16, at about 13:00, a serviceman of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces called the brother of the Armenian soldier and said that the latter was with them, they beheaded him and intend to post the corresponding photo on the Internet.
Subsequently, a few hours later, the brother of the killed Armenian soldier found the deceased’s photo published on his page on the social network.
“We are convinced that it was the servicemen of the Azerbaijani army who posted the picture of the Armenian soldier on his page on the social network. The brother of the deceased spoke twice on the phone with the Azerbaijani military, who mocked him, tried to humiliate him in every possible way, spoke the language of enmity and hatred. human rights brother of the deceased Armenian soldier, calls were made from the phone number of the deceased. These are cruel and barbaric, openly terrorist methods,” Tatoyan said.
The Human Rights Defender of Armenia also recorded other cases of torture and barbarism by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, and work in this direction continues. All data are duly documented and will be submitted to the relevant international bodies.
“The perpetrators of such crimes must inevitably be punished to the fullest extent of international criminal law,” the Ombudsman said.
Earlier, the Ombudsman of Armenia Arman Tatoyan stated that he had at his disposal two videos and photographs demonstrating the cruel, inhuman treatment of Armenian prisoners of war by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces.
As the defender of human rights of Armenia noted, these footage shows how the Azerbaijani military humiliate people, and then kill them with special cynicism and cruelty. The speech of the representatives of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces is filled with hatred of the Armenians.
These videos were replicated on the Internet by Azerbaijani sources, children and elderly people could see them.
Then, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry issued a denial, stating that the department had nothing to do with these videos.
After that, these records began to be deleted from Azerbaijani sources. However, the staff of the human rights defender of Armenia recorded all sources in a timely manner.
The experts of the ombudsman’s office have established the exact place and hour of the crimes committed by the Azerbaijani military. As the Ombudsman noted, videos and photographs are already considered incontrovertible legal evidence of a war crime.
“Video recordings and photographs with the necessary description will be sent to international structures,” the ombudsman said in a statement.
Separately, to prove that the Armenian side was also cruel with the Azerbaijani soldiers, a video was released purportedly showing an Azerbaijani soldier being tortured.
The video shows a bloodied Azerbaijani soldier being slapped so as not to black out by medical personnel.
We gave the Armenians a safe passage & 20 days they could leave our territories.Touched no one.
Aze/i soldiers #Amin,#Bayram& others detained as prisoners of war are being tortured in Armenian captivity.@ICRC pls,#bringbackAmin #bringbackBayram & others
pic.twitter.com/CpFkXsmvmA — Ali Alizada ?? (@Ali_F_Alizada) November 21, 2020
The part of the video that’s shown makes it appear as if he is being treated roughly.
The entire video, however, is a report by Anna News in which it is shown how the Azerbaijani soldier is provided with medical aid.
Purely due to coincidence, of course, Anna News is now entirely banned for access from Azerbaijan soil.
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southfront--2020-11-24--Turkey Complains Of Illegal Ship Search By EU’s Libyan Embargo-Enforcing Mission In Mediterranean Se

Turkey Complains Of Illegal Ship Search By EU’s Libyan Embargo-Enforcing Mission In Mediterranean Sea

On November 23rd , tensions between Turkey and its fellow NATO member states , once again , flared up in the Mediterranean Sea .
Turkey protested to Germany and the EU after German forces belonging to an EU military mission boarded and tried to search a Turkish cargo ship that they suspected of taking weapons to Libya illegally .
The EU mission in question is IRINI , and it aims to actually enforce the arms embargo set on Libya , which Turkey acts like doesn ’ t exist .
Soldiers from the frigate Hamburg boarded the Roseline A overnight but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EU mission , which had ordered the search , the German Defense Ministry said .
Turkey released footage showing armed men in military uniform marshalling sailors with their hands on their heads on the bridge of what it said was the Roseline A , at sea southwest of the Greek Peloponnese peninsula .
Ankara said the vessel was carrying humanitarian aid and that the Hamburg had violated international law by not waiting for permission from Turkish authorities to board .
It summoned the EU , German and Italian ambassadors to hear a protest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also reported that the EU mission was “ Greek-led ” and that the search was entirely illegal .
“ The search reportedly violated international law , which requires a party to obtain the consent of a ship ’ s flag state before searching a vessel , according to the law of the sea .
Apparently flouting this principle , personnel from the German ship , the Hamburg , landed on the ROSELINA-A in a helicopter , even as the cargo ship ’ s crew captured the scene on footage .
After blocking the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for hours , the troops departed the vessel when they realized it only carried humanitarian supplies , food and paint .
During the search , they opened all the containers on the ship , ignoring warnings that their actions did not have permission from Turkey and were thus illegal .
Turkey reportedly plans to take action before international organizations concerning the incident which also reportedly violated the principle of “ freedom of the high seas.
” ” Germany , however , said it had actually requested permission to board , but hours passed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practice to consider this as implicit permission .
The German Defense Ministry said the soldiers had not found anything suspicious by the time they were ordered off the ship .
Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said the Roseline ’ s captain had shared information with the Hamburg about his ship ’ s freight and its course .
The 16,000-tonne container ship left the Turkish port of Gemlik near Bursa last week , and was last seen heading southwest towards Libya , according to Refinitiv Eikon data .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whatever Belongs To It ” In , Aegean And Black Seas

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On November 23rd, tensions between Turkey and its fellow NATO member states, once again, flared up in the Mediterranean Sea.
Turkey protested to Germany and the EU after German forces belonging to an EU military mission boarded and tried to search a Turkish cargo ship that they suspected of taking weapons to Libya illegally.
The EU mission in question is IRINI, and it aims to actually enforce the arms embargo set on Libya, which Turkey acts like doesn’t exist.
Soldiers from the frigate Hamburg boarded the Roseline A overnight but withdrew after Turkey raised objections with the EU mission, which had ordered the search, the German Defense Ministry said.
Turkey released footage showing armed men in military uniform marshalling sailors with their hands on their heads on the bridge of what it said was the Roseline A, at sea southwest of the Greek Peloponnese peninsula.
Ankara said the vessel was carrying humanitarian aid and that the Hamburg had violated international law by not waiting for permission from Turkish authorities to board. It summoned the EU, German and Italian ambassadors to hear a protest.
Turkish state outlet Anadolu Agency, also reported that the EU mission was “Greek-led” and that the search was entirely illegal.
“The search reportedly violated international law, which requires a party to obtain the consent of a ship’s flag state before searching a vessel, according to the law of the sea. Apparently flouting this principle, personnel from the German ship, the Hamburg, landed on the ROSELINA-A in a helicopter, even as the cargo ship’s crew captured the scene on footage. After blocking the ROSELINA-A’s course towards Misrate port for hours, the troops departed the vessel when they realized it only carried humanitarian supplies, food and paint. During the search, they opened all the containers on the ship, ignoring warnings that their actions did not have permission from Turkey and were thus illegal. Turkey reportedly plans to take action before international organizations concerning the incident which also reportedly violated the principle of “freedom of the high seas.””
Germany, however, said it had actually requested permission to board, but hours passed with no reply.
It was standard practice to consider this as implicit permission.
“All procedures were followed correctly,” a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said.
The German Defense Ministry said the soldiers had not found anything suspicious by the time they were ordered off the ship.
Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said the Roseline’s captain had shared information with the Hamburg about his ship’s freight and its course.
“Despite this, at 17:45, armed forces from the Irini Operation boarded the ship and carried out a ‘monitoring’ that lasted long hours,” he said. “We protest this act, which was carried out by force and without authorization (and) retain the right to seek compensation.”
The 16,000-tonne container ship left the Turkish port of Gemlik near Bursa last week, and was last seen heading southwest towards Libya, according to Refinitiv Eikon data.
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southfront--2020-11-24--Nimrod Anti-Tank Guided Missile (Infographics)

Click to see the full-size image The Nimrod is an Israeli anti-tank guided weapon developed by Israel Aerospace Industries .
@ @ @ @ @ as an anti-tank missile but , it also provides standoff strike capability against a variety @ @ @ @ @ , bunkers , personnel concentrations and personnel .
Nimrod can be installed on towed launchers @ @ @ @ @ helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft .
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The Nimrod is an Israeli anti-tank guided weapon developed by Israel Aerospace Industries. The weapon is primarily designed as an anti-tank missile but, it also provides standoff strike capability against a variety of targets such as ships, bunkers, personnel concentrations and personnel. Nimrod can be installed on towed launchers, mobile ground vehicles, helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
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