southfront--2020-08-12--Macron Lectures Lebanon: The Condescending Politics of Aid

The explosion in a Beirut portside warehouse containing over 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate on August 4 has done its bit to light more fires under Lebanon ’ s ruling powers .
With the blast still bloodily fresh and traumatic – the destruction of the city ’ s port with over two hundred deaths and thousands injured – promises of assistance and messages of solidarity were conveyed .
A donor summit of fifteen government leaders was cobbled together in haste with French President Emmanuel Macron leading the show .
“ Assistance should be timely , sufficient and consistent with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went he words of the communique .
But it was to be “ directly delivered to the Lebanese population , with utmost efficiency and transparency.
” Aid is very much a tool of politics .
Used to affect change , it often ends up having its own distressing consequences , entrenching a set of other power interests more amenable to the donor and enervating to the recipient .
Governing classes in the recipient state are not so much replaced as redeployed ; the canny and guileful adapt , donning new clothes for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When models of aid are celebrated , the common example is that of the Marshall Plan , advertised by its proponents , US Secretary of State George Marshall , and Secretary of Commerce Averell Harriman , as both noble yet self-interested .
By providing aid to a devastated Europe in the aftermath of the Second World War , the US tax payer would be inoculating the patient against the Communist virus while making the world safe for capitalism .
Marshall put forth the case in an address to Harvard University during the course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speech that has come to be associated with the aid and reconstruction plan that bears his name .
“ Aside from the demoralizing effect on the world at large and the possibilities of disturbances arising as a result of the desperation of the people concerned , the consequences to the economy of the United States should be apparent to all.
” In its post-colonial context , the donor-aid paradigm has its specific , troubling features .
Former colonies , for instance , tend to receive more from the former colonial power than those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important than attractive conveniences .
Favours can be attained ; deals made .
Studies such as those done by Daina Chiba and Tobias Heinrich come to the unremarkable conclusion that “ the colony effect on foreign aid stems from the greater saliency that donors give to policy concessions from former colonies.
” In the case of Lebanon , aid from a power like France comes with historical strings , marked by coatings of nostalgia and condescension .
Memories of the French mandate from the 1920s are so strong in some circles that a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return to some form of control from Paris .
It stresses , first and foremost , the incompetence of local leadership .
“ Lebanon ’ s officials have clearly shown a total inability to secure and manage the country .
With a failing system , corruption , terrorism and militia the country just reached it ’ s [ sic ] last breath.
” Then comes the vision : “ We believe Lebanon should go back under the French mandate in order to establish clean and durable governance.
” To date , the measure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s creator Cyrille claimed to be “ under no illusion ” of achieving success in pursuing the matter .
He admitted that France had its own lot of problems ; he merely wished to “ show the extent of the [ Lebanese people ’ s ] despair.
” Not even a revolution would dislodge the “ hegemony of the political class that has been there for 40 years.
” The donors have accompanied willingness to supply assistance with conditions to implement .
The International Monetary Fund , true to form , promises @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made .
These included the traditional demands : solvency in public finances ; proved soundness of the financial system ; restrictions on capital outflows .
The IMF , in a sense , has been handed a boon by the blast : prior to the calamity , debt default talks with Beirut had stalled .
Macron , as the leader of the donor pack , was even more forthright .
“ The Lebanese authorities , ” he told summit attendees on August 9 , “ must now implement the political and economic reforms demanded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ list of intrusive measures was extensive : reforms of the energy sector , public procurement and those designed to battle corruption .
“ An audit of the central bank and the financial sector should be conducted.
” When a foreign head of state proclaims the sovereign merits of another people , care should be taken .
A catch is around the corner .
“ The Lebanese are a free , proud and sovereign people , ” Macron went on to explain .
“ It is up to the country ’ s authorities to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go under and to meet the aspirations legitimately expressed by the Lebanese people in the streets of Beirut at this very moment.
” On the French president ’ s visit to Beirut on August 6 , the spirit of the colonial administrator was on full , puffy display .
To those protesting for the release of Lebanese militant George Ibrahim Abdallah , in French prison since 1984 , he offered a vague “ political pact ” .
Macron promised support to local NGOs and 15 million Euros for French-language schools .
But in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stress the loss of confidence between the governed and the governing power .
Lebanon needed “ fundamental change ” , to be achieved within an international framework .
As if realising his lecturing mode , he issued a qualification .
“ It is not up to me or to France to tell Lebanese leaders what they have to do and how they should do it.
” But in matters of aid , it most certainly seems to be .
He awaits “ clear answers ” before returning on September 1 .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : the wholesale resignation of the Diab government .
Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College , Cambridge .
He lectures at RMIT University , Melbourne .
Email : bkampmark @ gmail.com MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Lebanese Government Resigns Leaving A Void Many Would Like To Fill • Chaos In Lebanon Marked Start Of New Round Of Israeli-Iranian Standoff

Support SouthFront
Submitted by Dr. Binoy Kampmark
The explosion in a Beirut portside warehouse containing over 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate on August 4 has done its bit to light more fires under Lebanon’s ruling powers. With the blast still bloodily fresh and traumatic – the destruction of the city’s port with over two hundred deaths and thousands injured – promises of assistance and messages of solidarity were conveyed. A donor summit of fifteen government leaders was cobbled together in haste with French President Emmanuel Macron leading the show. “Assistance should be timely, sufficient and consistent with the needs of the Lebanese people,” went he words of the communique. But it was to be “directly delivered to the Lebanese population, with utmost efficiency and transparency.”
Aid is very much a tool of politics. Used to affect change, it often ends up having its own distressing consequences, entrenching a set of other power interests more amenable to the donor and enervating to the recipient. Governing classes in the recipient state are not so much replaced as redeployed; the canny and guileful adapt, donning new clothes for the institution approved by those providing aid.
When models of aid are celebrated, the common example is that of the Marshall Plan, advertised by its proponents, US Secretary of State George Marshall, and Secretary of Commerce Averell Harriman, as both noble yet self-interested. By providing aid to a devastated Europe in the aftermath of the Second World War, the US tax payer would be inoculating the patient against the Communist virus while making the world safe for capitalism. Marshall put forth the case in an address to Harvard University during the course of receiving an honorary degree, a speech that has come to be associated with the aid and reconstruction plan that bears his name. “Aside from the demoralizing effect on the world at large and the possibilities of disturbances arising as a result of the desperation of the people concerned, the consequences to the economy of the United States should be apparent to all.”
In its post-colonial context, the donor-aid paradigm has its specific, troubling features. Former colonies, for instance, tend to receive more from the former colonial power than those lacking those ties. Sentiment is less important than attractive conveniences. Favours can be attained; deals made. Studies such as those done by Daina Chiba and Tobias Heinrich come to the unremarkable conclusion that “the colony effect on foreign aid stems from the greater saliency that donors give to policy concessions from former colonies.”
In the case of Lebanon, aid from a power like France comes with historical strings, marked by coatings of nostalgia and condescension. Memories of the French mandate from the 1920s are so strong in some circles that a petition is throbbing with signatures for a return to some form of control from Paris. It stresses, first and foremost, the incompetence of local leadership. “Lebanon’s officials have clearly shown a total inability to secure and manage the country. With a failing system, corruption, terrorism and militia the country just reached it’s [sic] last breath.” Then comes the vision: “We believe Lebanon should go back under the French mandate in order to establish clean and durable governance.” To date, the measure has received 61,433 signatures.
The petitioner’s creator Cyrille claimed to be “under no illusion” of achieving success in pursuing the matter. He admitted that France had its own lot of problems; he merely wished to “show the extent of the [Lebanese people’s] despair.” Not even a revolution would dislodge the “hegemony of the political class that has been there for 40 years.”
The donors have accompanied willingness to supply assistance with conditions to implement. The International Monetary Fund, true to form, promises outlays, provided that institutional reforms are made. These included the traditional demands: solvency in public finances; proved soundness of the financial system; restrictions on capital outflows. The IMF, in a sense, has been handed a boon by the blast: prior to the calamity, debt default talks with Beirut had stalled.
Macron, as the leader of the donor pack, was even more forthright. “The Lebanese authorities,” he told summit attendees on August 9, “must now implement the political and economic reforms demanded by the Lebanese people.” His laundry list of intrusive measures was extensive: reforms of the energy sector, public procurement and those designed to battle corruption. “An audit of the central bank and the financial sector should be conducted.”
When a foreign head of state proclaims the sovereign merits of another people, care should be taken. A catch is around the corner. “The Lebanese are a free, proud and sovereign people,” Macron went on to explain. “It is up to the country’s authorities to act so that the country does not go under and to meet the aspirations legitimately expressed by the Lebanese people in the streets of Beirut at this very moment.”
On the French president’s visit to Beirut on August 6, the spirit of the colonial administrator was on full, puffy display. To those protesting for the release of Lebanese militant George Ibrahim Abdallah, in French prison since 1984, he offered a vague “political pact”. Macron promised support to local NGOs and 15 million Euros for French-language schools. But in doing so, he was very clear to stress the loss of confidence between the governed and the governing power. Lebanon needed “fundamental change”, to be achieved within an international framework.
As if realising his lecturing mode, he issued a qualification. “It is not up to me or to France to tell Lebanese leaders what they have to do and how they should do it.” But in matters of aid, it most certainly seems to be. He awaits “clear answers” before returning on September 1. One of those answers has certainly been offered: the wholesale resignation of the Diab government.
Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College, Cambridge. He lectures at RMIT University, Melbourne. Email: bkampmark@gmail.com
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-08-12--Greece And Turkey’s Ever-Difficult Relations

In recent months , there ’ s been a very stable tendency of escalation of tensions between Greece and Turkey .
And this isn ’ t an isolated incident that is only within the confines of the first 8 months of 2020 .
Both countries are NATO member states , and as a definition allied to each other .
However , in reality , they have always been in a constant state of conflict of various degrees .
This constant , relatively low tension , is a result of unresolved territorial disputes , that continue to this day , alongside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two countries , in addition to very obviously conflicting policies and interests that they pursue in the region .
Historically , there are several disputes that continue to cause tension and impede any long-term normalization of Greek-Turkish relations .
These include : 1 .
Cyprus .
A serious matter of conflict in Turkish-Greek relations since the 1950s has been Cyprus ; at the time , it was a British colony with a Greek-Cypriot population share of 82 % of the island ’ s total .
Some of the Greek Cypriots wanted unity with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there were nationalist riots in Nicosia .
In the 1950s , the Cyprus issue flared up again when the Greek Cypriots , under Archbishop Makarios , claimed union with Greece , and the EOKA group launched a paramilitary movement on the island – mainly against the British , but also inflicting collateral damage to other parties and civilians .
Eventually , Greek Prime Minister Alexander Papagos took the Cyprus issue to the United Nations .
Turkish nationalist sentiment , angered by the discrimination against the Turkish Cypriots , became inflamed at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Greece .
This led to the Greek community of Istanbul becoming the target in the Istanbul Pogrom of 1955 .
In response , Greece withdrew from all co-operation with Turkey , which caused the Balkan Pact to collapse .
In 1960 , a compromise solution to the Cyprus issue was agreed on : Britain granted independence to Cyprus , and a constitution was hammered out .
Greek and Turkish troops were stationed on the island to protect their respective communities .
Greek Prime Minister Constantine Karamanlis was the main architect of this plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in relations with Turkey , particularly once Adnan Menderes was removed from power in Turkey .
This back and forth went until 1974 , when Turkish troops occupied 37 % of Cyprus and expelled the Greek population .
The war was avoided due to various political moves , however , the damage to Turkish-Greek relations was done , and the occupation of Northern Cyprus by Turkish troops would be a sticking point in Greco-Turkish relations for decades to come .
2 .
The Aegean Sea .
Since the 1970s , further issues have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights in the Aegean Sea .
The Balkan Wars of 1913 had given Greece all the Aegean islands except Imbros and Tenedos , some of them only a few kilometres off the Turkish coast .
Since the end of World War II , Turkish officials insisted that this led to questions regarding the delimitation of territorial waters , air space and other related zones of control .
The conflict was motivated both by considerations of military tactical advantages and by questions of economic exploitation of the Aegean .
The latter issue became particularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of finding oil in the Aegean .
This was highlighted during the crisis in 1987 , when a Turkish ship was about to enter disputed waters to conduct an oil survey .
The Greek Prime Minister of the time , Andreas Papandreou , ordered the ship to be sunk if found within disputed waters claimed by Greece .
Consultations about this issue were held in Davos between the Greek and Turkish Prime Ministers .
Despite them , there are several issues that remain unresolved and cause frequent flare ups when Turkish fighter jets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and so on .
• The width of the territorial waters .
Both sides currently possess 6 nautical miles off their shores in the Aegean Sea .
Greece claims a right to unilateral expansion to 12 nautical miles , based on the International Law of the Sea .
Turkey , which already has expanded its own territorial waters to 12 miles on its other coasts , denies the applicability of the 12-miles rule in the Aegean and has threatened Greece with war in the case it should try to apply it unilaterally .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Greece currently claims 10 miles , while Turkey only acknowledges 6 miles .
• The future delimitation of the continental shelf zone in the international parts of the Aegean , which would give the states exclusive rights to economic exploitation .
• The right of Greece to exercise flight control over Turkish military flight activities within the international parts of the Aegean , based on conflicting interpretations of the rules about Flight Information Regions ( FIR ) set by the ICAO .
• Since 1996 , the sovereignty over some small uninhabited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The border along the Evros/Maritsa river is another point of contention .
In 1986 , Turkish and Greek soldiers suffered casualties at the Evros River incident , due to fire exchange .
Turkish and Greek soldiers have exchanged fire in the past , as Greeks have tried to stop Iranian refugees from entering the country illegally from Turkey , but this incident was the first in which there have been casualties .
During this period , Greek soldiers along the border with Turkey were on alert after receiving reports that Turkey planned to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illegally .
In 2019 and 2020 , Evros was a significant hot point with the refugee crisis which Turkey manufactured in order to demand more concessions from the EU .
4 .
Turkey into the EU .
After 1996 , Greek Foreign Minister , and later Prime Minister , George Papandreou charted a major change of direction in Greek–Turkish relations .
He lifted Greece ’ s objections to Turkey ’ s EU aspirations and energetically supported Turkey ’ s bid for EU candidate status .
Despite that a poll in 2005 showed that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Turkey had any place in the EU .
In September 2017 , Greek Prime Minister , Alexis Tsipras , mentioned that halting accession talks with Turkey would be a strategic mistake by the European Union , amid a war of words raging between Germany and Turkey .
Former Greek Prime Minister , George Papandreou , has urged European Union leaders to keep the doors open to Turkey and to continue dialogue with the Turkish government , in an apparent reference to German Chancellor Angela Merkel ’ s calls for the suspension of accession @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potential ascension into the EU is sometimes mention as something that Greece could use to pressure Ankara into some concessions , but it hasn ’ t been used .
5 .
Alleged invasion plan of Greece .
In June 2020 , the Nordic Research Monitoring Network revealed secret Turkish documents .
One of them , dated in June 2014 , had an invasion plan against the Greece , named “ TSK Çakabey Harekât Planlama Direktifi ” ( TSK [ Turkish Armed Forces ] Çakabey Operation Planning Directive ) .
The operation named after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first-ever Turkish expedition against the Aegean islands .
More recent developments that have additionally and significantly strained relations between Greece and Turkey include the following , in brief : 1 .
In March 2019 , Turkish President Erdoğan said that he will change the status of Hagia Sophia from a museum to a mosque , adding that it was a “ very big mistake ” to turn it into a museum .
Following that , more than a year later , on July 10 , 2020 , the decision of the Council @ @ @ @ @ @ @ museum was canceled by Council of State and Erdoğan signed a decree annulling the Hagia Sophia ’ s museum status , reverting it to a mosque .
Greece strongly opposed the decision , but regardless , it was turned into a mosque on July 23rd and received its first prayers .
2 .
On March 14 , 2019 , Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan , during an interview , said that whenever Greek military aircraft take off in the Aegean , Turkish jets will follow suit .
The next day the Greek Ministry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying that “ Turkey ’ s effort to equate the flights of Turkish military aircraft that violate Greece ’ s national sovereignty with the identification and interception missions the Hellenic Air Force carries out in defense of national sovereignty , is completely unacceptable ” , adding that “ Turkish military aircraft violate Greek national air space on an almost daily basis , including through low-altitude overflights of inhabited Greek islands .
This is a practice that Greece systematically condemns and reports , both bilaterally as well as to the competent international bodies.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ status in the Aegean is “ clear and fully enshrined ” in International Law , “ leaving no room for doubt ” .
3 .
On November 27 , 2019 , Turkey and Libya signed a deal .
The agreement , unveiled on December 5 , maps out a sea boundary between the two countries , cutting across a part that is also claimed by Greece .
Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias called the Turkey-Libyan accord a “ blatant violation of international law ” .
Greek authorities were taken by surprise by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the deal would not be signed off .
Greece on December 6th expelled the Libyan ambassador .
Mitsotakis told the Greek parliament “ They are oblivious to history and geography as they do not take Greek islands into account , ” adding that Ankara ’ s move is forcing them into “ unprecedented diplomatic isolation ” .
Greece sent two letters to the United Nations explaining its objections and asking for the matter to be taken up by the U.N. Security Council , while Turkey notified the United Nations of its delimitation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The United Nations remained neutral and urged Greece and Turkey to maintain a dialogue .
4 .
The migrant crisis along the borders in early 2020 , when Turkey attempted to open the flood gates for illegal migrants into Greece .
There were incidents in which Turkish troops attempted to pull down security fences , shot tear gas at Greek border guards and caused various clashes .
There were numerous incidents with the Turkish coast guard , with the Greek side releasing videos proving that Ankara ’ s forces were exquisitely brutal against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Greece in any way possible .
After a sort of normalization for approximately a week , when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that drilling had been stopped pending dialogue with Greece , there were also no incidents between Turkish and Greek border guards at sea or on land .
Turkey was still carrying out its activities in Libya , but it seemed that an easing of tensions was due .
Instead , Turkey said that it had resumed its drilling in the first half of August 2020 , due to Greece refusing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to an agreement signed between Greece and Egypt allowing both countries to share their exclusive economic zone rights in the eastern Mediterranean Sea , and specifically in the area that Turkey and the Libyan GNA had agreed to exploit earlier , claiming that their agreement was superior , because their EEZ were internationally recognized and Turkey ’ s claims weren ’ t .
The Greece-Egyptian deal goes entirely contrary to the Turkey-Libya one .
This is also another way for Cairo , which supports Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar in Libya to pressure Turkey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intervention on behalf of the GNA in the country .
Currently , following the renewed drilling , tensions returned at sea .
Greece opened fire at a boat carrying civilians off the island of Rhodes in the Aegean Sea , said the Turkish Coast Guard Command on August 11th .
In a statement , the command said two Turkish and one Syrian nationals were injured and the boat sank due to the attack .
It said an emergency team was dispatched comprising four boats and a diving team after the attack .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State Hospital by the Turkish rescue team , it added .
At the same time , Greek newspaper Ekathimirini reports that “ Greece ’ s armed forces were placed in a state of absolute readiness , with units of the Hellenic Navy and Air Force deployed in the wider sea area where the Turkish research was expected.
” This move comes at a time when the Turkish Navy is escorting the seismic exploration vessel , Oruc Reis , near or within Cypriot and Greek territorial waters , which is currently being closely monitored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Navy issued a navigational notification saying that the Turkish vessel would conduct seismic surveys in the eastern Mediterranean during the next two weeks .
In response , the Greek Foreign Ministry announced that Athens had urged Turkey to stop illegal actions in the eastern Mediterranean , and that these activities were provocative and undermine peace and security in the region .
For now , Greece has reportedly been able to successfully prevent and delay Turkish seismic exploration .
“ However , according to sources , exploratory activities were rendered impossible due to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sailing in the area .
This is because exploration of this sort entails the transmission of data from the seabed and the noise of the ships made this transmission impossible , ” writes Ekathimirini .
Separately , Greece , Cyprus and Israel are planning to hold joint military drills in the Mediterranean Sea , in a very clear show of force against Turkey .
Alongside all of this , Cyprus and France signed a defense cooperation agreement .
Cyprus is a key Greece ally , and it is more than obviously related to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposes Turkey ’ s activities in Libya and there ’ s been more than accusations of military adventurism from both sides .
The Turkish-Greece tensions are expected to increase .
While the war currently appears unlikely between two NATO member states , the division within the alliance ’ s ranks is apparent .
This is further reinforced by the opposition of France and Turkey in Libya .
Paris appears much more willing to support Athens against Ankara , than remain in the background in this situation .
The standoff in the region appears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point , that might not result in a direct , all-out war , but could fracture NATO in an irreparable way .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Turkey Sends Military For ‘ Gunnery Drills ’ Off Rhodes As Contested Gas Exploration Resumes

Support SouthFront
DEAR FRIENDS. IF YOU LIKE THIS TYPE OF CONTENT, SUPPORT SOUTHFRONT WORK: PayPal: southfront@internet.ru Donation alerts: https://donationalerts.com/r/southfront Gumroad: https://gumroad.com/southfront Or via: http://southfront.org/donate/ or via: https://www.patreon.com/southfront, BTC: 3Gbs4rjcVUtQd8p3CiFUCxPLZwRqurezRZ, BCH ABC: qpf2cphc5dkuclkqur7lhj2yuqq9pk3hmukle77vhq, ETH: 0x9f4cda013e354b8fc285bf4b9a60460cee7f7ea9
In recent months, there’s been a very stable tendency of escalation of tensions between Greece and Turkey. And this isn’t an isolated incident that is only within the confines of the first 8 months of 2020.
Both countries are NATO member states, and as a definition allied to each other. However, in reality, they have always been in a constant state of conflict of various degrees. This constant, relatively low tension, is a result of unresolved territorial disputes, that continue to this day, alongside a long history of conflicts between the two countries, in addition to very obviously conflicting policies and interests that they pursue in the region.
Historically, there are several disputes that continue to cause tension and impede any long-term normalization of Greek-Turkish relations. These include:
1. Cyprus. A serious matter of conflict in Turkish-Greek relations since the 1950s has been Cyprus; at the time, it was a British colony with a Greek-Cypriot population share of 82% of the island’s total. Some of the Greek Cypriots wanted unity with Greece and, as early as 1931, there were nationalist riots in Nicosia.
In the 1950s, the Cyprus issue flared up again when the Greek Cypriots, under Archbishop Makarios, claimed union with Greece, and the EOKA group launched a paramilitary movement on the island – mainly against the British, but also inflicting collateral damage to other parties and civilians. Eventually, Greek Prime Minister Alexander Papagos took the Cyprus issue to the United Nations.
Turkish nationalist sentiment, angered by the discrimination against the Turkish Cypriots, became inflamed at the idea that Cyprus would be ceded to Greece. This led to the Greek community of Istanbul becoming the target in the Istanbul Pogrom of 1955. In response, Greece withdrew from all co-operation with Turkey, which caused the Balkan Pact to collapse.
In 1960, a compromise solution to the Cyprus issue was agreed on: Britain granted independence to Cyprus, and a constitution was hammered out. Greek and Turkish troops were stationed on the island to protect their respective communities. Greek Prime Minister Constantine Karamanlis was the main architect of this plan, which led to an immediate improvement in relations with Turkey, particularly once Adnan Menderes was removed from power in Turkey.
This back and forth went until 1974, when Turkish troops occupied 37% of Cyprus and expelled the Greek population. The war was avoided due to various political moves, however, the damage to Turkish-Greek relations was done, and the occupation of Northern Cyprus by Turkish troops would be a sticking point in Greco-Turkish relations for decades to come.
2. The Aegean Sea. Since the 1970s, further issues have erupted between the two countries over sovereignty rights in the Aegean Sea.
The Balkan Wars of 1913 had given Greece all the Aegean islands except Imbros and Tenedos, some of them only a few kilometres off the Turkish coast.
Since the end of World War II, Turkish officials insisted that this led to questions regarding the delimitation of territorial waters, air space and other related zones of control.
The conflict was motivated both by considerations of military tactical advantages and by questions of economic exploitation of the Aegean. The latter issue became particularly significant as after 1970 there were expectations of finding oil in the Aegean. This was highlighted during the crisis in 1987, when a Turkish ship was about to enter disputed waters to conduct an oil survey. The Greek Prime Minister of the time, Andreas Papandreou, ordered the ship to be sunk if found within disputed waters claimed by Greece.
Consultations about this issue were held in Davos between the Greek and Turkish Prime Ministers. Despite them, there are several issues that remain unresolved and cause frequent flare ups when Turkish fighter jets allegedly enter Greek airspace above the islands and so on.
These unresolved issues include:
The width of the territorial waters. Both sides currently possess 6 nautical miles off their shores in the Aegean Sea. Greece claims a right to unilateral expansion to 12 nautical miles, based on the International Law of the Sea. Turkey, which already has expanded its own territorial waters to 12 miles on its other coasts, denies the applicability of the 12-miles rule in the Aegean and has threatened Greece with war in the case it should try to apply it unilaterally. The width of the national airspace. Greece currently claims 10 miles, while Turkey only acknowledges 6 miles. The future delimitation of the continental shelf zone in the international parts of the Aegean, which would give the states exclusive rights to economic exploitation. The right of Greece to exercise flight control over Turkish military flight activities within the international parts of the Aegean, based on conflicting interpretations of the rules about Flight Information Regions (FIR) set by the ICAO. Since 1996, the sovereignty over some small uninhabited islets, most notably Imia/Kardak
3. The border along the Evros/Maritsa river is another point of contention. In 1986, Turkish and Greek soldiers suffered casualties at the Evros River incident, due to fire exchange. Turkish and Greek soldiers have exchanged fire in the past, as Greeks have tried to stop Iranian refugees from entering the country illegally from Turkey, but this incident was the first in which there have been casualties. During this period, Greek soldiers along the border with Turkey were on alert after receiving reports that Turkey planned to help thousands of refugees slip into Greece illegally.
In 2019 and 2020, Evros was a significant hot point with the refugee crisis which Turkey manufactured in order to demand more concessions from the EU.
4. Turkey into the EU. After 1996, Greek Foreign Minister, and later Prime Minister, George Papandreou charted a major change of direction in Greek–Turkish relations. He lifted Greece’s objections to Turkey’s EU aspirations and energetically supported Turkey’s bid for EU candidate status.
Despite that a poll in 2005 showed that only 25% of Greeks agreed that Turkey had any place in the EU.
In September 2017, Greek Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras, mentioned that halting accession talks with Turkey would be a strategic mistake by the European Union, amid a war of words raging between Germany and Turkey.
Former Greek Prime Minister, George Papandreou, has urged European Union leaders to keep the doors open to Turkey and to continue dialogue with the Turkish government, in an apparent reference to German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s calls for the suspension of accession talks with Turkey.
Turkey’s potential ascension into the EU is sometimes mention as something that Greece could use to pressure Ankara into some concessions, but it hasn’t been used.
5. Alleged invasion plan of Greece. In June 2020, the Nordic Research Monitoring Network revealed secret Turkish documents. One of them, dated in June 2014, had an invasion plan against the Greece, named “TSK Çakabey Harekât Planlama Direktifi” (TSK [Turkish Armed Forces] Çakabey Operation Planning Directive). The operation named after Çaka Bey, the man who led the first-ever Turkish expedition against the Aegean islands.
More recent developments that have additionally and significantly strained relations between Greece and Turkey include the following, in brief:
1. In March 2019, Turkish President Erdoğan said that he will change the status of Hagia Sophia from a museum to a mosque, adding that it was a “very big mistake” to turn it into a museum.
Following that, more than a year later, on July 10, 2020, the decision of the Council of Ministers to transform it into a museum was canceled by Council of State and Erdoğan signed a decree annulling the Hagia Sophia’s museum status, reverting it to a mosque.
Greece strongly opposed the decision, but regardless, it was turned into a mosque on July 23rd and received its first prayers.
2. On March 14, 2019, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during an interview, said that whenever Greek military aircraft take off in the Aegean, Turkish jets will follow suit.
The next day the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a press release saying that “Turkey’s effort to equate the flights of Turkish military aircraft that violate Greece’s national sovereignty with the identification and interception missions the Hellenic Air Force carries out in defense of national sovereignty, is completely unacceptable”, adding that “Turkish military aircraft violate Greek national air space on an almost daily basis, including through low-altitude overflights of inhabited Greek islands. This is a practice that Greece systematically condemns and reports, both bilaterally as well as to the competent international bodies.” The ministry also said that the legal status in the Aegean is “clear and fully enshrined” in International Law, “leaving no room for doubt”.
3. On November 27, 2019, Turkey and Libya signed a deal. The agreement, unveiled on December 5, maps out a sea boundary between the two countries, cutting across a part that is also claimed by Greece.
Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias called the Turkey-Libyan accord a “blatant violation of international law”. Greek authorities were taken by surprise by the accord, after Libyan officials assured them the deal would not be signed off.
Greece on December 6th expelled the Libyan ambassador. Mitsotakis told the Greek parliament “They are oblivious to history and geography as they do not take Greek islands into account,” adding that Ankara’s move is forcing them into “unprecedented diplomatic isolation”.
Greece sent two letters to the United Nations explaining its objections and asking for the matter to be taken up by the U.N. Security Council, while Turkey notified the United Nations of its delimitation of the maritime jurisdiction areas with Libya. The United Nations remained neutral and urged Greece and Turkey to maintain a dialogue.
4. The migrant crisis along the borders in early 2020, when Turkey attempted to open the flood gates for illegal migrants into Greece.
There were incidents in which Turkish troops attempted to pull down security fences, shot tear gas at Greek border guards and caused various clashes.
There were numerous incidents with the Turkish coast guard, with the Greek side releasing videos proving that Ankara’s forces were exquisitely brutal against migrants, attempting to force them into Greece in any way possible.
After a sort of normalization for approximately a week, when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that drilling had been stopped pending dialogue with Greece, there were also no incidents between Turkish and Greek border guards at sea or on land.
Turkey was still carrying out its activities in Libya, but it seemed that an easing of tensions was due.
Instead, Turkey said that it had resumed its drilling in the first half of August 2020, due to Greece refusing to keep its commitments.
This related to an agreement signed between Greece and Egypt allowing both countries to share their exclusive economic zone rights in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, and specifically in the area that Turkey and the Libyan GNA had agreed to exploit earlier, claiming that their agreement was superior, because their EEZ were internationally recognized and Turkey’s claims weren’t.
The Greece-Egyptian deal goes entirely contrary to the Turkey-Libya one. This is also another way for Cairo, which supports Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar in Libya to pressure Turkey in withdrawing its troops and ending its intervention on behalf of the GNA in the country.
Currently, following the renewed drilling, tensions returned at sea.
Greece opened fire at a boat carrying civilians off the island of Rhodes in the Aegean Sea, said the Turkish Coast Guard Command on August 11th. In a statement, the command said two Turkish and one Syrian nationals were injured and the boat sank due to the attack.
It said an emergency team was dispatched comprising four boats and a diving team after the attack. The injured people were taken to the Marmaris State Hospital by the Turkish rescue team, it added.
At the same time, Greek newspaper Ekathimirini reports that “Greece’s armed forces were placed in a state of absolute readiness, with units of the Hellenic Navy and Air Force deployed in the wider sea area where the Turkish research was expected.”
This move comes at a time when the Turkish Navy is escorting the seismic exploration vessel, Oruc Reis, near or within Cypriot and Greek territorial waters, which is currently being closely monitored by Egypt and Greece.
The Turkish Navy issued a navigational notification saying that the Turkish vessel would conduct seismic surveys in the eastern Mediterranean during the next two weeks.
In response, the Greek Foreign Ministry announced that Athens had urged Turkey to stop illegal actions in the eastern Mediterranean, and that these activities were provocative and undermine peace and security in the region.
“Greece will not accept blackmail. It will defend its sovereign rights,” the Greek foreign ministry statement said.
Turkey shares map of Oruc Reis's offshore activity https://t.co/ZyOsRyCqKa pic.twitter.com/2XtY2tRDpk — ANADOLU AGENCY (ENG) (@anadoluagency) August 10, 2020
For now, Greece has reportedly been able to successfully prevent and delay Turkish seismic exploration.
“However, according to sources, exploratory activities were rendered impossible due to the noise caused by the many naval units sailing in the area. This is because exploration of this sort entails the transmission of data from the seabed and the noise of the ships made this transmission impossible,” writes Ekathimirini.
Separately, Greece, Cyprus and Israel are planning to hold joint military drills in the Mediterranean Sea, in a very clear show of force against Turkey.
Alongside all of this, Cyprus and France signed a defense cooperation agreement. Cyprus is a key Greece ally, and it is more than obviously related to the situation, especially since France strongly opposes Turkey’s activities in Libya and there’s been more than accusations of military adventurism from both sides.
The Turkish-Greece tensions are expected to increase. While the war currently appears unlikely between two NATO member states, the division within the alliance’s ranks is apparent. This is further reinforced by the opposition of France and Turkey in Libya. Paris appears much more willing to support Athens against Ankara, than remain in the background in this situation. The standoff in the region appears to be reaching a sort of boiling point, that might not result in a direct, all-out war, but could fracture NATO in an irreparable way.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-08-13--With Beirut Reeling After Blast, US Prepares ‘Maximum Pressure’ Sanctions On Lebanon

Just a week after the August 4 Beirut port explosion the Trump administration is about to ramp up a “ maximum economic pressure ” campaign on Lebanon targeting Hezbollah and its allies .
With the country reeling in the wake of the deadly blast – its worst disaster going back to the destruction and death of the 2006 war – Washington is attempting to “ drive a wedge between Hezbollah and its allies as part of a broader effort to contain the Shiite force backed by Tehran , ” as writes .
Just days ago France ’ s Emmanuel Macron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Lebanon instead of a sanctions campaign , apparently to no avail .
And now on Wednesday , WSJ breaks the following : Specifically the new punitive measures are being described as “ anticorruption sanctions against prominent Lebanese politicians and businessmen.
” One US official described to WSJ that it ’ s clearly ‘ maximum pressure ’ aimed at Lebanon , but ultimately targeting Tehran ’ s proxies .
The Trump administration hopes to “ shape ” any future government away from Hezbollah ’ s influence , or even its allies .
Of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible time for the devastated country , also given estimates of at least three billion dollars in damage to hard-hit Beirut districts closest to the impact of last Tuesday ’ s massive explosion .
As many observers have noted , Hezbollah is deeply involved and embedded in the Lebanese political system , with elected members of parliament , close ties with banks , and even hospitals and public services in various parts of the country , particularly the south .
This also comes at a time of severe economic woes , a banking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and after the entire government including the prime minister stepped down amid popular anger and protest over authorities negligently allowing over 2,500 tons of ammonium nitrate to languish at Beirut ’ s port for years , paving the way for Lebanon ’ s third government in less than a year .

Support SouthFront
Originally appeared at ZeroHedge
Just a week after the August 4 Beirut port explosion the Trump administration is about to ramp up a “maximum economic pressure” campaign on Lebanon targeting Hezbollah and its allies.
With the country reeling in the wake of the deadly blast – its worst disaster going back to the destruction and death of the 2006 war – Washington is attempting to “drive a wedge between Hezbollah and its allies as part of a broader effort to contain the Shiite force backed by Tehran,” as The Wall Street Journal writes.
Just days ago France’s Emmanuel Macron personally urged Trump to “reinvest” in Lebanon instead of a sanctions campaign, apparently to no avail.
And now on Wednesday, WSJ breaks the following:
President Trump has used sanctions as a central tool in his “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran. Now some in his administration want to see the White House turn the screws in Lebanon.
Specifically the new punitive measures are being described as “anticorruption sanctions against prominent Lebanese politicians and businessmen.” One US official described to WSJ that it’s clearly ‘maximum pressure’ aimed at Lebanon, but ultimately targeting Tehran’s proxies.
The Trump administration hopes to “shape” any future government away from Hezbollah’s influence, or even its allies. Of course, this comes at the worst possible time for the devastated country, also given estimates of at least three billion dollars in damage to hard-hit Beirut districts closest to the impact of last Tuesday’s massive explosion.
As many observers have noted, Hezbollah is deeply involved and embedded in the Lebanese political system, with elected members of parliament, close ties with banks, and even hospitals and public services in various parts of the country, particularly the south.
Lebanon has generously hosted refugees for many years. The explosion last week has devastated the capital, and thousands of people have lost their homes. We stand with Lebanon and the people of #Beirut. pic.twitter.com/FCuUWhzkRz — UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) August 11, 2020
This also comes at a time of severe economic woes, a banking sector in crisis, plunging currency, and after the entire government including the prime minister stepped down amid popular anger and protest over authorities negligently allowing over 2,500 tons of ammonium nitrate to languish at Beirut’s port for years, paving the way for Lebanon’s third government in less than a year.
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-08-13--Spy Plane Interception And New Equipment For Strategic Bombers: Military-Related Developments In Rus

Spy Plane Interception And New Equipment For Strategic Bombers: Military-Related Developments In Russia On August 12-13

A Russian Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jet was scrambled to intercept a US RC-135 reconnaissance plane and a P-8A maritime patrol aircraft over the Black Sea , Russia ’ s National Defence Management Centre said .
Further north , the Baltic Fleet forces completed their participation in the Russian Navy ’ s Oceanic Shield-2020 maneuvers that ran at naval ranges of the Baltic and North seas .
According to the National Defence Management Centre ’ s statement , earlier on Wednesday Russian airspace control systems detected two aerial targets flying over neutral waters of the Black Sea towards Russia ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pointed out that the mission was carried out in strict compliance with international rules for the use of airspace , and that the US planes were prevented from violating Russia ’ s airspace .
LINK Also on Wednesday , Aerospace Force Deputy Commander-in-Chief Lieutenant-General Sergei Dronov announced that Russia ’ s Aerospace Force will get the latest Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jets and Il-76MD-90A military transport planes by the end of the year .
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu earlier said that the ministry had signed a contract on 76 Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also launched work this year to develop the aerodrome network for the Russian Armed Forces : repairs are planned to be completed at 14 airfields in 2020 and their number will grow to over 100 by 2027 , the Aerospace Force deputy chief said .
The Su-57 is a fifth-generation multirole fighter designed to destroy all types of air , ground and naval targets .
The Su-57 fighter jet features stealth technology with the broad use of composite materials , is capable of developing supersonic cruising speed and is furnished with the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took to the skies for the first time on 29 January 2010 .
The plane ’ s armament will include hypersonic missiles .
The fifth-generation fighter jet has been successfully tested in combat conditions in Syria .
LINK In a separate development , the Baltic Fleet forces completed their participation in the Russian Navy ’ s Oceanic Shield-2020 manoeuvres that took place at naval ranges of the Baltic and North seas , the Fleet ’ s press office reported .
The naval exercises involved over 20 Baltic Fleet ships and support vessels : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , small missile ships , missile boats and other craft , the statement says .
The Fleet ’ s forces practiced anti-submarine warfare and air defence , mine countermeasures and anti-saboteur operations and held artillery firings of various complexity against air and sea targets .
Aircraft and helicopters of the Fleet ’ s naval aviation provided support for the ships in accomplishing combat training missions , according to the statement .
At the Khmelyovka training range on the Baltic coast near Kaliningrad , the Baltic Fleet carried out a large-scale operation of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ force .
The operation involved up to 20 surface ships , support vessels and boats , 18 aircraft and helicopters of the Baltic Fleet ’ s naval aviation , over 30 items of combat hardware of marine infantry and engineering units and approximately 2,000 personnel .
LINK Finally , the press office of Ruselectronics Group ( part of the state hi-tech corporation Rostec ) announced that the upgraded Tu-160M2 and Tu-22M3M strategic missile-carrying bombers will get new communications systems based on the platform for the Su-57 fifth-generation fighter .
As its main advantages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , rapid information transmission , a small weight and energy efficiency .
The latest communications system is currently being developed by specialists of the Polyot Research and Production Company within Ruselectronics Group and is already undergoing flight tests .
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said in January 2019 that the troops would receive four new Tu-160M2 strategic bombers by 2023 .
The Tupolev Aircraft Company is simultaneously upgrading Tu-22M3 bombers to the Tu-22M3M level with considerably improved combat capabilities .
LINK MORE ON THE TOPIC : • US strategic bombers trained for strikes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Black Sea

Support SouthFront
A Russian Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jet was scrambled to intercept a US RC-135 reconnaissance plane and a P-8A maritime patrol aircraft over the Black Sea, Russia’s National Defence Management Centre said. Further north, the Baltic Fleet forces completed their participation in the Russian Navy’s Oceanic Shield-2020 maneuvers that ran at naval ranges of the Baltic and North seas.
According to the National Defence Management Centre’s statement, earlier on Wednesday Russian airspace control systems detected two aerial targets flying over neutral waters of the Black Sea towards Russia’s border.
“A Su-27 fighter jet of the Southern Military District’s air defence alert unit was scrambled to identify the targets. The Russian aircraft approached both planes at a safe distance and identified them as a RC-135 reconnaissance plane of the US Air Force and a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol plane of the US Navy.”
The National Defence Management Centre pointed out that the mission was carried out in strict compliance with international rules for the use of airspace, and that the US planes were prevented from violating Russia’s airspace. LINK
Also on Wednesday, Aerospace Force Deputy Commander-in-Chief Lieutenant-General Sergei Dronov announced that Russia’s Aerospace Force will get the latest Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jets and Il-76MD-90A military transport planes by the end of the year.
“Defence enterprises are delivering new aircraft to the Aerospace Force. In 2020, they have already delivered Su-34 and Su-35S combat planes, Yak-130 and L-410UVP-E20 combat training aircraft, Mi-8 and Mi-28 helicopters in various modifications. Until the end of this year, the delivery of Il-76MD-90A and Su-57 aircraft is planned.”
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu earlier said that the ministry had signed a contract on 76 Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jets.
Russia’s Defence Ministry has also launched work this year to develop the aerodrome network for the Russian Armed Forces: repairs are planned to be completed at 14 airfields in 2020 and their number will grow to over 100 by 2027, the Aerospace Force deputy chief said.
“In the first place, the works will be carried out at the aerodromes for advanced missile-carrying aircraft, the combat duty of strategic missile-carrying bombers, including in the Arctic zone, and the airfields of operational-tactical aviation.”
The Su-57 is a fifth-generation multirole fighter designed to destroy all types of air, ground and naval targets. The Su-57 fighter jet features stealth technology with the broad use of composite materials, is capable of developing supersonic cruising speed and is furnished with the most advanced onboard radio-electronic equipment. The Su-57 took to the skies for the first time on 29 January 2010.
The plane’s armament will include hypersonic missiles. The fifth-generation fighter jet has been successfully tested in combat conditions in Syria. LINK
In a separate development, the Baltic Fleet forces completed their participation in the Russian Navy’s Oceanic Shield-2020 manoeuvres that took place at naval ranges of the Baltic and North seas, the Fleet’s press office reported.
The naval exercises involved over 20 Baltic Fleet ships and support vessels: Project 20380 corvettes, amphibious assault ships, small missile ships, missile boats and other craft, the statement says.
The Fleet’s forces practiced anti-submarine warfare and air defence, mine countermeasures and anti-saboteur operations and held artillery firings of various complexity against air and sea targets. Aircraft and helicopters of the Fleet’s naval aviation provided support for the ships in accomplishing combat training missions, according to the statement.
At the Khmelyovka training range on the Baltic coast near Kaliningrad, the Baltic Fleet carried out a large-scale operation of its multi-service grouping to land an amphibious assault force. The operation involved up to 20 surface ships, support vessels and boats, 18 aircraft and helicopters of the Baltic Fleet’s naval aviation, over 30 items of combat hardware of marine infantry and engineering units and approximately 2,000 personnel. LINK
Finally, the press office of Ruselectronics Group (part of the state hi-tech corporation Rostec) announced that the upgraded Tu-160M2 and Tu-22M3M strategic missile-carrying bombers will get new communications systems based on the platform for the Su-57 fifth-generation fighter.
As its main advantages, it is characterized by high reliability, rapid information transmission, a small weight and energy efficiency. The latest communications system is currently being developed by specialists of the Polyot Research and Production Company within Ruselectronics Group and is already undergoing flight tests.
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said in January 2019 that the troops would receive four new Tu-160M2 strategic bombers by 2023.
The Tupolev Aircraft Company is simultaneously upgrading Tu-22M3 bombers to the Tu-22M3M level with considerably improved combat capabilities. LINK
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-08-13--Supposed Drug Plane Crashed During Failed Attempt To Escape From Venezuelan Fighter Jets (Videos, Ph

Supposed Drug Plane Crashed During Failed Attempt To Escape From Venezuelan Fighter Jets (Videos, Photos)

On Monday Venezuela ’ s Aerospace Defence Command ( CODAI ) detected an illegal aircraft crossing over the national territory without a flight plan and violating its sovereignty .
The aircraft lost control and crashed while being pursued by military aircraft sent to intercept it .
The Bolivarian National Armed Force ’ s Strategic Operational Command ( Ceofanb ) stated that the illegal aircraft , a privately-owned Hawker 800 , was detected flying west of the Paraguana Peninsula in Falcon state .
The plane , which was detected by the radars of the Comprehensive Aerospace Defence Command , was intercepted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Forces in compliance with the provisions of the Law for Comprehensive Airspace Defence , approved in 2012 .
It reportedly ignored the identification orders issued by the Venezuelan authorities and tried to land “ on a clandestine runway used for illicit drug trafficking operations on the border with Colombia “ .
The Aerospace Command announced the operation on Monday on its Twitter account .
Venezuela ’ s Minister of Interior and Justice , Néstor Reverol , added further details about the incident on Tuesday , saying that it was brought down to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state of Zulia , near the border with Colombia .
Reverol further stated that the National Anti-Drug Office of Venezuela , in coordination with ground-air operations , sent a team of experts to collect evidence from the location where the aircraft fell in order to conduct a criminal investigation .
Venezuelan authorities have detected this type of illegal incursions into Venezuelan airspace , typical of illegal drug trafficking and other clandestine smuggling or infiltration activities , on numerous occasions this year .
Most recently , on July 8 Ceofanb reported that CODAI detected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intruding into the national territory .
In accordance with the relevant protocols , military jets intercepted and neutralized the privately-owned Hawker 800 plane .
A similar plane was downed by the Venezuelan military in June for violating Venezuela ’ s airspace .
Venezuela has a modern radar system mounted on a mobile platform deployed at key points along the country ’ s borders , which enables it to detect unauthorized or hostile enemy aircraft at a considerable distance .
The Chinese-built JY-27 Wide Mat long-range early warning radar is said to be able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of up to 500 km .
LINK Reverol further stated that “ The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela reaffirms its commitment to active and continuous combat against structured groups of transnational organized crime that intend to use our airspace for this criminal activity.
” From July 2019 to the present , Venezuela has seized more than 44 tons of drugs .
In the same period , the Venezuelan authorities destroyed 58 drug laboratories , seized 11 aircraft and destroyed 34 clandestine runways used for drug trafficking .
The border between Venezuela and Colombia is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ produces 70 % of the cocaine consumed in the world , according to the United Nations World Drug Report published this year .
LINK MORE ON THE TOPIC :

Support SouthFront
On Monday Venezuela’s Aerospace Defence Command (CODAI) detected an illegal aircraft crossing over the national territory without a flight plan and violating its sovereignty. The aircraft lost control and crashed while being pursued by military aircraft sent to intercept it.
The Bolivarian National Armed Force’s Strategic Operational Command (Ceofanb) stated that the illegal aircraft, a privately-owned Hawker 800, was detected flying west of the Paraguana Peninsula in Falcon state.
The plane, which was detected by the radars of the Comprehensive Aerospace Defence Command, was intercepted by aircraft of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces in compliance with the provisions of the Law for Comprehensive Airspace Defence, approved in 2012.
It reportedly ignored the identification orders issued by the Venezuelan authorities and tried to land “on a clandestine runway used for illicit drug trafficking operations on the border with Colombia “.
The Aerospace Command announced the operation on Monday on its Twitter account.
?#Sigue|| En vista de que la aeronave procedió a realizar maniobras evasivas a baja altura, fue asistida y persuadida por aeronaves de la #AMB, por lo que la misma perdió el control precipitándose a tierra, ¡La #FANB continúa en vigilancia permanente de nuestro espacio aéreo! pic.twitter.com/OBGkdYeSEP — @ceofanb (@Libertad020) August 10, 2020
Venezuela’s Minister of Interior and Justice, Néstor Reverol, added further details about the incident on Tuesday, saying that it was brought down to the south of Lake Maracaibo, in the state of Zulia, near the border with Colombia.
Reverol further stated that the National Anti-Drug Office of Venezuela, in coordination with ground-air operations, sent a team of experts to collect evidence from the location where the aircraft fell in order to conduct a criminal investigation.
Venezuelan authorities have detected this type of illegal incursions into Venezuelan airspace, typical of illegal drug trafficking and other clandestine smuggling or infiltration activities, on numerous occasions this year.
Most recently, on July 8 Ceofanb reported that CODAI detected an aircraft with a US registration number intruding into the national territory. In accordance with the relevant protocols, military jets intercepted and neutralized the privately-owned Hawker 800 plane.
A similar plane was downed by the Venezuelan military in June for violating Venezuela’s airspace.
Venezuela has a modern radar system mounted on a mobile platform deployed at key points along the country’s borders, which enables it to detect unauthorized or hostile enemy aircraft at a considerable distance. The Chinese-built JY-27 Wide Mat long-range early warning radar is said to be able to detect stealth aircraft at a arrange of up to 500 km. LINK
Reverol further stated that “The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela reaffirms its commitment to active and continuous combat against structured groups of transnational organized crime that intend to use our airspace for this criminal activity.”
From July 2019 to the present, Venezuela has seized more than 44 tons of drugs. In the same period, the Venezuelan authorities destroyed 58 drug laboratories, seized 11 aircraft and destroyed 34 clandestine runways used for drug trafficking.
The border between Venezuela and Colombia is more than 2,000 kilometres long. Colombia produces 70% of the cocaine consumed in the world, according to the United Nations World Drug Report published this year. LINK
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-08-13--Military Situation In Syria On August 13, 2020 (Map Update)

Click to see the full-size image A brief overview of the recent developments in Syria : • ISIS fighters targeted @ @ @ @ @ SDF ) checkpoint with a hand grenade in the town of Theban in Deir Ezzor @ @ @ @ @ a convoy of the al-Quds Brigade and the Syrian Arab Army ( SAA ) south @ @ @ @ @ killing two SAA soldiers ; • According to Kurdish sources , Turkish artillery shelled Ain @ @ @ @ @ governorate ; • A Turkish convoy of military equipment entered Syria through the Kafr-Lusin border @ @ @ @ @ prisoner exchange took place in western Aleppo ; • SAA artillery shelled Turkish-backed militants ’ @ @ @ @ @ Safuhin and Qastun in southern Idllib .
MORE ON THE TOPIC :

Support SouthFront
A brief overview of the recent developments in Syria:
ISIS fighters targeted a Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) checkpoint with a hand grenade in the town of Theban in Deir Ezzor governorate;
ISIS ambushed a convoy of the al-Quds Brigade and the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) south of Deir Ezzor, allegedly killing two SAA soldiers;
According to Kurdish sources, Turkish artillery shelled Ain Issa refugee camp in Raqqah governorate;
A Turkish convoy of military equipment entered Syria through the Kafr-Lusin border crossing;
The HTS-SAA prisoner exchange took place in western Aleppo;
SAA artillery shelled Turkish-backed militants’ positions in the villages of Safuhin and Qastun in southern Idllib.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-08-13--U.S. Congress “Quietly” Blocked All Arms Sales To Turkey: Defense News Report

The U.S. Congress has “ quietly ” blocked all arms sales to Turkey for a period of approximately 2 years , in an attempt to further pressure Ankara to abandon its Russian S-400 missile defense system , Defense News reported , citing unnamed sources .
According to the report , four key members of Congress , collectively or individually have frozen the sales .
This mostly relates to two deals : • Export licenses for U.S.-made engines that Turkey needs to complete a $ 1.5 billion sale of attack helicopters to Pakistan .
If true , this is significant since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weapons seller .
Defense News learned of the situation from a half dozen sources in Congress , the administration , and the defense industry , all of whom requested anonymity because of the sensitivities involved .
Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Jim Risch , and House Foreign Affairs ranking member Rep. Mike McCaul , acknowledged they are part of the freeze after they were contacted by Defense News .
The two other lawmakers who can sign off on foreign military sales ― House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel , and Senate Foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , are also part of the situation , according to the unnamed sources .
“ There is serious concern over [ Turkey ’ s purchase of the S-400 ] in both parties and in both chambers on the Hill , and until the issues surrounding this purchase are resolved I can not and will not support weapon sales to Turkey , ” Risch said .
“ Turkey is a longtime strategic ally of the United States .
That relationship has deteriorated dramatically in recent years and is quickly deteriorating further , ” Risch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purchase of the Russian S-400 significantly changed the nature of our relationship .
This purchase benefits our adversary Putin and threatens the integrity of the NATO Alliance.
” Engel has refused to sign off on military sales to Turkey since mid 2018 , while Risch has maintained his own hold since Turkey officially took possession of the S-400 in July 2019 , according to multiple congressional sources .
A second congressional source described Turkey taking possession of the S-400 as “ kind of , pardon my language , an oh shit moment.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on sanctioning Turkey for the purchase and it might even be in such a way that US President Donald Trump can ’ t veto the decision .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Turkey Tests Its S-400 System By Tracking US F-35 And F-22 Jets Operating In Middle East : Reports

Support SouthFront
The U.S. Congress has “quietly” blocked all arms sales to Turkey for a period of approximately 2 years, in an attempt to further pressure Ankara to abandon its Russian S-400 missile defense system, Defense News reported, citing unnamed sources.
According to the report, four key members of Congress, collectively or individually have frozen the sales.
This mostly relates to two deals:
A follow-on contract for F-16 structural upgrades; Export licenses for U.S.-made engines that Turkey needs to complete a $1.5 billion sale of attack helicopters to Pakistan.
If true, this is significant since the US is Turkey’s largest weapons seller.
Defense News learned of the situation from a half dozen sources in Congress, the administration, and the defense industry, all of whom requested anonymity because of the sensitivities involved.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Jim Risch, and House Foreign Affairs ranking member Rep. Mike McCaul, acknowledged they are part of the freeze after they were contacted by Defense News.
The two other lawmakers who can sign off on foreign military sales ― House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel, and Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Sen. Bob Menendez, are also part of the situation, according to the unnamed sources.
“There is serious concern over [Turkey’s purchase of the S-400] in both parties and in both chambers on the Hill, and until the issues surrounding this purchase are resolved I cannot and will not support weapon sales to Turkey,” Risch said. “Turkey is a longtime strategic ally of the United States. That relationship has deteriorated dramatically in recent years and is quickly deteriorating further,” Risch said. “President Erdogan’s purchase of the Russian S-400 significantly changed the nature of our relationship. This purchase benefits our adversary Putin and threatens the integrity of the NATO Alliance.”
Engel has refused to sign off on military sales to Turkey since mid 2018, while Risch has maintained his own hold since Turkey officially took possession of the S-400 in July 2019, according to multiple congressional sources.
“Nobody has signed off on anything, roughly, for the last year,” said one congressional source. “Nothing moves in this process until all four of the offices have said, ‘yea.’”
A second congressional source described Turkey taking possession of the S-400 as “kind of, pardon my language, an oh shit moment.”
“Not only was it intentionally provocative, but it happened the day after Erdogan was in the Oval Office,” the source said.
Currently the US Congress appears dead set on sanctioning Turkey for the purchase and it might even be in such a way that US President Donald Trump can’t veto the decision.
“Right now, the mood [in Congress] toward Turkey is enormous,” the source said. “Unless Turkey wants to change the narrative and do a mea culpa, the president could very easily lose a veto override vote.”
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-08-13--One Thousand And One Fakes. Pompeo Argues Taliban Kills US Soldiers In Afghanistan Thanks To Russian

One Thousand And One Fakes. Pompeo Argues Taliban Kills US Soldiers In Afghanistan Thanks To Russian Money

On August 12th , US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that he had spoken to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and warned him that there would be “ an enormous price to pay ” if Moscow is offering bounties to kill U.S. soldiers or other Western troops in Afghanistan .
Pompeo is currently on an official visit in Central Europe .
In an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty , Pompeo declined to say whether he believed the intelligence was credible or if he thought Trump should have been briefed .
He did say that Washington wouldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own right sounds like an accusation .
“ If the Russians are offering money to kill Americans , or for that matter other Westerns as well , there will be an enormous price to pay .
That ’ s what I shared with foreign minister Lavrov , ” Pompeo said in the interview , conducted during his official visit to the Czech Republic .
“ I know our military has talked to their senior leaders as well .
We won ’ t brook that , we won ’ t tolerate , ” Pompeo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why would Moscow pay bounties for the heads of US and other Western soldiers , if the Taliban appear to be doing it for free , regardless .
Meanwhile , Russian state outlet RIA published an interview with Suheil Shahin , who is an official representative of the Taliban ’ s political office .
Shahin spoke of the story of accusations that Russia allegedly tried to hire the Taliban to kill American troops in Afghanistan .
He also spoke of whether the Russians supply the Taliban with weapons , and where they actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he spoke on the progress of the implementation of the agreement with the United States , when the complete withdrawal of American troops can be expected .
In addition , Shahin shared his vision of the prospects for the peace process in Afghanistan , the role of Russia in this , expressed his opinion about what is hindering progress .
Following are directly translated quotes from the interview : “ QUESTION : There are now accusations in the US that Russia allegedly tried to bribe the Taliban members to kill American servicemen .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Could this have happened in principle ?
ANSWER : First of all , I would like to state that these statements are unfounded .
There is not a word of truth in them .
And such publications themselves are part of the campaign launched by opponents of the peace process in Afghanistan .
They simply want to harm the peace process .
This erroneous and baseless information was passed on by the Kabul Department of Homeland Security to some American and European journalists in order to sabotage the peace process .
There is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do with reality , it is just a campaign against the peace process .
And we completely reject all of these claims.
” According to him , the claims are entirely Kabul-sponsored propaganda , since the Afghanistan government is presumably dissatisfied with having to release Taliban prisoners and comply with a US-Taliban peace deal .
“ QUESTION : Did the American special services contact the Taliban in order to obtain information on this case ?
Has the Taliban agreed to cooperate with them in this ?
ANSWER : The American side hasn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because they know that it is not true , that it is fake .
Now we have a channel of communication for the military , and if any violations occur , we inform them .
We send statements , they do the same .
But on this particular topic , they did not ask us.
” So , he denied that there has even been an official inquiry in whether such a thing took place , it is simply left to circulate media with a vague accusation surfacing regularly , such as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia is also accused of supplying arms to the Taliban .
Could you provide a comment on these statements ?
And if they are not true , where do the Taliban get their weapons from ?
ANSWER : I reject this statement ; it is not true .
We maintain relations with the Russian Federation , but we are talking about political relations .
Our political office ( the one in Doha ) maintains relations both with Russia and with neighboring countries and regions .
But only at the political level .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and we categorically reject such considerations .
They can also be considered part of a campaign to harm the peace process .
As for the weapons we have , we have stocks of weapons in Afghanistan , and we also buy weapons from the Kabul administration – from the army .
Somehow there were reports that hundreds of thousands of weapons were missing or stolen from them .
So we bought this weapon from them .
We also seized a lot in the clashes .
So we have a lot of ammunition .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kabul administration.
” The missing weapons were apparently either seized or sold from Kabul to the Taliban , and it turns out that there ’ s no need for Russia to supply any weapons behind the scenes .
All of these questions could ’ ve been asked by the US representatives in the active negotiations that presumably still take place between the Taliban and the Americans , however , they haven ’ t been asked .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Afghan Officials Acknowledge Escape Of Over 300 Prisoners , Many Islamic @ @

Support SouthFront
On August 12th, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that he had spoken to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and warned him that there would be “an enormous price to pay” if Moscow is offering bounties to kill U.S. soldiers or other Western troops in Afghanistan.
Pompeo is currently on an official visit in Central Europe.
In an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Pompeo declined to say whether he believed the intelligence was credible or if he thought Trump should have been briefed.
He did say that Washington wouldn’t accept such behavior, which in its own right sounds like an accusation.
“If the Russians are offering money to kill Americans, or for that matter other Westerns as well, there will be an enormous price to pay. That’s what I shared with foreign minister Lavrov,” Pompeo said in the interview, conducted during his official visit to the Czech Republic. “I know our military has talked to their senior leaders as well. We won’t brook that, we won’t tolerate,” Pompeo said.
The biggest mystery is – why would Moscow pay bounties for the heads of US and other Western soldiers, if the Taliban appear to be doing it for free, regardless.
Meanwhile, Russian state outlet RIA published an interview with Suheil Shahin, who is an official representative of the Taliban’s political office.
Shahin spoke of the story of accusations that Russia allegedly tried to hire the Taliban to kill American troops in Afghanistan.
He also spoke of whether the Russians supply the Taliban with weapons, and where they actually get their weapons from.
Furthermore, he spoke on the progress of the implementation of the agreement with the United States, when the complete withdrawal of American troops can be expected.
In addition, Shahin shared his vision of the prospects for the peace process in Afghanistan, the role of Russia in this, expressed his opinion about what is hindering progress.
Following are directly translated quotes from the interview:
“QUESTION: There are now accusations in the US that Russia allegedly tried to bribe the Taliban members to kill American servicemen. Could you please clarify the situation? Could this have happened in principle? ANSWER: First of all, I would like to state that these statements are unfounded. There is not a word of truth in them. And such publications themselves are part of the campaign launched by opponents of the peace process in Afghanistan. They simply want to harm the peace process. This erroneous and baseless information was passed on by the Kabul Department of Homeland Security to some American and European journalists in order to sabotage the peace process. There is nothing in these publications that has anything to do with reality, it is just a campaign against the peace process. And we completely reject all of these claims.”
According to him, the claims are entirely Kabul-sponsored propaganda, since the Afghanistan government is presumably dissatisfied with having to release Taliban prisoners and comply with a US-Taliban peace deal.
“QUESTION: Did the American special services contact the Taliban in order to obtain information on this case? Has the Taliban agreed to cooperate with them in this? ANSWER: The American side hasn’t asked us about this, because they know that it is not true, that it is fake. Now we have a channel of communication for the military, and if any violations occur, we inform them. We send statements, they do the same. But on this particular topic, they did not ask us.”
So, he denied that there has even been an official inquiry in whether such a thing took place, it is simply left to circulate media with a vague accusation surfacing regularly, such as the one from Pompeo.
“QUESTION: Russia is also accused of supplying arms to the Taliban. Could you provide a comment on these statements? And if they are not true, where do the Taliban get their weapons from? ANSWER: I reject this statement; it is not true. We maintain relations with the Russian Federation, but we are talking about political relations. Our political office (the one in Doha) maintains relations both with Russia and with neighboring countries and regions. But only at the political level. We are not talking about military relations, and we categorically reject such considerations. They can also be considered part of a campaign to harm the peace process. As for the weapons we have, we have stocks of weapons in Afghanistan, and we also buy weapons from the Kabul administration – from the army. Somehow there were reports that hundreds of thousands of weapons were missing or stolen from them. So we bought this weapon from them. We also seized a lot in the clashes. So we have a lot of ammunition. And all this was received from the Kabul administration.”
The missing weapons were apparently either seized or sold from Kabul to the Taliban, and it turns out that there’s no need for Russia to supply any weapons behind the scenes.
All of these questions could’ve been asked by the US representatives in the active negotiations that presumably still take place between the Taliban and the Americans, however, they haven’t been asked.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-08-13--Israel Successfully Tested Arrow-2 Advanced Defense System Against Ballistic Missiles

On August 12th , Israel carried out a successful test of its Arrow-2 Weapons System – an advanced missile defense system against long-range ballistic attacks .
Defense Minister Benny Gantz said the successful flight test of the Arrow-2 interceptor was part of Israel ’ s technological effort that “ ensures that we will always be one step ahead of our enemies.
” The test was conducted overnight in central Israel , jointly with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency .
The system successfully intercepted a Sparrow target missile simulating a long-range surface-to-surface missile which could one day be fired at Israel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballistic missile ( MRBM ) , complete with an explosive warhead , Israeli media reported .
The test was led by Israel Aerospace Industries ( IAI ) along with the Israel Missile Defense Organization ( IMDO ) of the Directorate of Defense Research and Development ( known as MAFAT in Hebrew ) and the American Missile Defense Agency ( MDA ) , and the Israeli Air Force ( IAF ) .
IAI Executive VP and GM of Systems , Missiles and Space Group , Boaz Levi , told reporters that “ the test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worked as anticipated.
” Arrow-2 is part of the multi-layered system Israel has developed to defend against both short- and mid-range rockets fired from Gaza and Lebanon , as well as Iran ’ s long-range missiles .
It includes Iron Dome , David ’ s Sling and the Arrow-3 system — capable of defending against threats from outside the atmosphere .
In 2019 , the US and Israel jointly tested the Arrow-3 in Alaska .
The system was developed by Israel Aerospace Industries and U.S. aviation giant Boeing and became operational in January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use even longer and has been deployed in recent years to counter alleged Syrian missiles .
Israel ’ s multi-layered aerial defense systems were designed to cope with a future war in which it is assumed Israel will be targeted with massive missile fire toward all parts of the country .
Moshe Patel said Iran was the most natural threat but that Arrow could also cope with attacks from Iraq , Syria and elsewhere .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Iran Is Establishing New Force To Monitor Separation Line Between Israel , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Recent Infiltration Attempts In Golan Heights Was Plotted By Iran

Support SouthFront
On August 12th, Israel carried out a successful test of its Arrow-2 Weapons System – an advanced missile defense system against long-range ballistic attacks.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz said the successful flight test of the Arrow-2 interceptor was part of Israel’s technological effort that “ensures that we will always be one step ahead of our enemies.”
The test was conducted overnight in central Israel, jointly with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency.
The system successfully intercepted a Sparrow target missile simulating a long-range surface-to-surface missile which could one day be fired at Israel by Iran like the Shahab 3 medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM), complete with an explosive warhead, Israeli media reported.
“The target simulated what our main enemy would fire,” Head of the Israel Missile Defense Organization in the Defense Ministry, Moshe Patel said.
The test was led by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) along with the Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) of the Directorate of Defense Research and Development (known as MAFAT in Hebrew) and the American Missile Defense Agency (MDA), and the Israeli Air Force (IAF).
IAI Executive VP and GM of Systems, Missiles and Space Group, Boaz Levi, told reporters that “the test was just perfect, all the systems worked as anticipated.”
Arrow-2 is part of the multi-layered system Israel has developed to defend against both short- and mid-range rockets fired from Gaza and Lebanon, as well as Iran’s long-range missiles. It includes Iron Dome, David’s Sling and the Arrow-3 system — capable of defending against threats from outside the atmosphere.
In 2019, the US and Israel jointly tested the Arrow-3 in Alaska.
The system was developed by Israel Aerospace Industries and U.S. aviation giant Boeing and became operational in January 2017. The Arrow-2 has been in use even longer and has been deployed in recent years to counter alleged Syrian missiles.
Israel’s multi-layered aerial defense systems were designed to cope with a future war in which it is assumed Israel will be targeted with massive missile fire toward all parts of the country.
Moshe Patel said Iran was the most natural threat but that Arrow could also cope with attacks from Iraq, Syria and elsewhere.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-08-13--ISIS Captured Port City In Mozambique Just Days After Capturing Two Military Bases

On August 11th , ISIS militants captured a heavily-defended port in Mozambique , following days of fighting over the valuable position .
Local media say government forces that were in the far northern town of Mocimboa da Praia fled after the Islamists stormed the port .
The town is close to the site of natural gas projects worth $ 60 million .
Local sources report that another attack on Mosimboa da Praia began on the night of August 6th .
Much of the city quickly came under militant control , but the Mozambican fusiliers ( marines ) held the harbor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of ammunition .
Media affiliated with ISIS have posted photos of numerous trophies captured from the Mozambican army and killed soldiers .
A French-made HSI32 boat , used by the Mozambican coast guard was also reportedly destroyed by an RPG .
Air support for the Mozambican security forces was provided by the South African PMC Dyck Advisory Group , but its effectiveness was limited by the fact that helicopters and aircraft had to operate from an airfield in Pemba , located at a relatively long distance from Mosimboa da Praia .
An @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harbor from the air also failed due to the low accuracy of the supply .
It is entirely unknown whether ISIS ’ control over Mosimboa da Praia will last long : earlier the militants preferred to use the “ hit and run ” tactics , attacking and leaving settlements before the main forces arrived .
However , the growing intensity of attacks indicates that the ISIS terrorists are shifting away from raids and towards permanent control of territories .
It should be added that in addition to the city itself , the militants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resistance of the military .
The army ’ s losses reportedly sit at upwards of 60 troops .
ISIS media wings reported that it had taken over two military bases near Mocimboa da Praia , killed Mozambique soldiers and captured weaponry , including machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades .
The fight would ’ ve continued if the supply delivery hadn ’ t failed and they ran out of ammunition .
ISIS effectively stormed and defeated an army battalion , and the remaining forces retreated north of the Mozambican city .
The militants are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for operations along the coast and the airfield .
Attacks began in 2017 in the northern province of Cabo Delgado , but escalated this year after the group responsible , Ahlu Sunnah Wa-Jama , pledged allegiance to ISIS .
Tanzania said it is launching an offensive against the jihadists in forests on the border with Mozambique .
This is a very worrisome development for both Mozambique , but also for all of its members .
Lasting territory control by ISIS means that the group has spread its influence so much and gathered so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rebuilding the caliphate but in Africa , instead of Iraq and Syria .
The fact that the port is near several high-investment natural gas projects may , however , serve as an impetus for a more focused international effort to cleanse the area .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • ISIS Rises Again In Mozambique ’ s Cabo Delgado , Killing Dozens In Large Attack

Support SouthFront
On August 11th, ISIS militants captured a heavily-defended port in Mozambique, following days of fighting over the valuable position.
Local media say government forces that were in the far northern town of Mocimboa da Praia fled after the Islamists stormed the port.
The town is close to the site of natural gas projects worth $60 million.
Local sources report that another attack on Mosimboa da Praia began on the night of August 6th.
Much of the city quickly came under militant control, but the Mozambican fusiliers (marines) held the harbor until August 11, when they ran out of ammunition.
Media affiliated with ISIS have posted photos of numerous trophies captured from the Mozambican army and killed soldiers.
A French-made HSI32 boat, used by the Mozambican coast guard was also reportedly destroyed by an RPG.
Air support for the Mozambican security forces was provided by the South African PMC Dyck Advisory Group, but its effectiveness was limited by the fact that helicopters and aircraft had to operate from an airfield in Pemba, located at a relatively long distance from Mosimboa da Praia.
An attempt to supply the marines holding the harbor from the air also failed due to the low accuracy of the supply.
It is entirely unknown whether ISIS’ control over Mosimboa da Praia will last long: earlier the militants preferred to use the “hit and run” tactics, attacking and leaving settlements before the main forces arrived.
However, the growing intensity of attacks indicates that the ISIS terrorists are shifting away from raids and towards permanent control of territories.
It should be added that in addition to the city itself, the militants stormed two military bases, suppressing the resistance of the military. The army’s losses reportedly sit at upwards of 60 troops.
ISIS media wings reported that it had taken over two military bases near Mocimboa da Praia, killed Mozambique soldiers and captured weaponry, including machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades.
The fight would’ve continued if the supply delivery hadn’t failed and they ran out of ammunition.
ISIS effectively stormed and defeated an army battalion, and the remaining forces retreated north of the Mozambican city.
The militants are now able to use both the port for operations along the coast and the airfield.
Attacks began in 2017 in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, but escalated this year after the group responsible, Ahlu Sunnah Wa-Jama, pledged allegiance to ISIS.
Tanzania said it is launching an offensive against the jihadists in forests on the border with Mozambique.
This is a very worrisome development for both Mozambique, but also for all of its members. Lasting territory control by ISIS means that the group has spread its influence so much and gathered so much equipment that it can now begin rebuilding the caliphate but in Africa, instead of Iraq and Syria.
The fact that the port is near several high-investment natural gas projects may, however, serve as an impetus for a more focused international effort to cleanse the area.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-08-13--France To Reinforce Military Presence In Eastern Mediterranean To “Uphold International Law”

On August 12th , French President Emmanuel Macron said that France would increase its military presence in the eastern Mediterranean Sea .
In case it isn ’ t obvious why this is being carried out , he explained that Turkey should halt oil and gas exploration in disputed waters which has led to heightened tensions with Greece .
A statement by Macron ’ s office said that France will “ temporarily reinforce ” the presence of its military to “ monitor the situation in the region and mark its determination to uphold international law.
” In a call with Greek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concern over “ unilateral ” exploration by Turkey , adding that they should “ cease in order to allow a peaceful dialogue ” between Turkey and Greece .
Just days earlier , France and Cyprus signed a defense cooperation agreement , it was negotiated back in April 2017 , however , it is being signed at quite an opportune time .
Both Cyprus and Greece strongly oppose Turkey ’ s oil and gas exploration in contested waters , following an agreement between Libya ’ s Government of National Accord and Ankara in November @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s support of the GNA in the fight in Libya against Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar ’ s forces .
Currently , France and Cyprus have signed a defense cooperation agreement , as well as Egypt and Greece signed an agreement that allows both countries to share their exclusive economic zones .
Both of these go directly against Turkey ’ s activities and ambitions in the eastern Mediterranean .
France ’ s increased military presence in the eastern Mediterranean Sea is further made easier by the fact that the French Navy Mistral-class LHD @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sail towards Beirut , Lebanon on August 9th .
This warship came with the following personnel and equipment : • An engineer group of the French Army of about 350 men commanded by the 2nd Régiment étranger de génie .
Established on very short notice , this module is particularly suited to operating in complex environments , in particular through its clearing , engineering and deployment assistance capacities ; • A detachment of EOD divers from the French Navy with skills in underwater work and investigation of port areas ; • Amphibious landing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ landing crafts ; • Two helicopters ( a Caracal from the French Air Force and an Alouette III from the French Navy ) ; • Maritime access reconnaissance and hydrographic support capabilities of the French Naval Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service ( SHOM ) ; • Fire-fighting vehicles from Marseille firefighters which will be donated to Lebanon ; Fire-fighting aside , some of these could easily be used to scan the ocean floor and investigate what Turkey is doing in the eastern Mediterranean .
Furthermore , the ship is armed with its usual armament @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wing .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • France and Cyprus Sign Defense Cooperation Agreement To Further Exert Pressure On Turkey

Support SouthFront
On August 12th, French President Emmanuel Macron said that France would increase its military presence in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
In case it isn’t obvious why this is being carried out, he explained that Turkey should halt oil and gas exploration in disputed waters which has led to heightened tensions with Greece.
A statement by Macron’s office said that France will “temporarily reinforce” the presence of its military to “monitor the situation in the region and mark its determination to uphold international law.”
In a call with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Macron raised concern over “unilateral” exploration by Turkey, adding that they should “cease in order to allow a peaceful dialogue” between Turkey and Greece.
Just days earlier, France and Cyprus signed a defense cooperation agreement, it was negotiated back in April 2017, however, it is being signed at quite an opportune time. Both Cyprus and Greece strongly oppose Turkey’s oil and gas exploration in contested waters, following an agreement between Libya’s Government of National Accord and Ankara in November 2019.
France also strongly opposes Turkey’s support of the GNA in the fight in Libya against Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar’s forces.
Currently, France and Cyprus have signed a defense cooperation agreement, as well as Egypt and Greece signed an agreement that allows both countries to share their exclusive economic zones. Both of these go directly against Turkey’s activities and ambitions in the eastern Mediterranean.
France’s increased military presence in the eastern Mediterranean Sea is further made easier by the fact that the French Navy Mistral-class LHD Tonnerre – a helicopter carrier – set sail towards Beirut, Lebanon on August 9th.
This warship came with the following personnel and equipment:
An engineer group of the French Army of about 350 men commanded by the 2nd Régiment étranger de génie. Established on very short notice, this module is particularly suited to operating in complex environments, in particular through its clearing, engineering and deployment assistance capacities;
A detachment of EOD divers from the French Navy with skills in underwater work and investigation of port areas;
Amphibious landing means: one EDAR and two CTM landing crafts;
Two helicopters (a Caracal from the French Air Force and an Alouette III from the French Navy);
Maritime access reconnaissance and hydrographic support capabilities of the French Naval Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service (SHOM);
A module of the 519th régiment du train;
Fire-fighting vehicles from Marseille firefighters which will be donated to Lebanon;
Fire-fighting aside, some of these could easily be used to scan the ocean floor and investigate what Turkey is doing in the eastern Mediterranean. Furthermore, the ship is armed with its usual armament, but likely with a reduced helicopter wing.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront