southfront--2020-08-02--Turkish Forces Opened Fire At Civilian Traveling On M4 Highway In Northeast Syria (Video)

On August 2 , Turkish forces opened fire , once again , at civilians traveling on the M4 highway in Syria ’ s northeastern region .
According to the Hawar News Agency , the incident took place near the town of Hushana , which is located between the towns of Ain Issa , in the northern Raqqa countryside , and Jalbiyah , in the northwestern countryside of Aleppo .
As a result of the Turkish attack , civilian Abdul Qadir al-Nabi Ibrahem , 43 , was injured .
He sustained light wounds in his left leg .
This was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the M4 since its reopening last May .
On July 5 , a truck moving on the highway was targeted with a shell , which wounded the driver .
On July 22 , another truck was attacked .
The driver was also injured .
The Russian Military Police reopen the M4 , which links al-Hasakah with Raqqa and Aleppo , after coordinating with the Turkish military , the Syrian Arab Army and the Syrian Democratic Forces .
Turkish forces carried out a series of attacks in northeast Syria over the last 24 hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children were injured in Turkish shelling on northern Raqqa .
These repeated attacks by Turkish forces could lead to a new escalation in northeast Syria , where millions are living in poor humanitarian conditions .
Turkey committed to de-escalate tension in the region in two separate agreements with Russia and the U.S. last year .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • New ISIS Attack Claims Lives Of Three Syrian Soldiers In Eastern Homs

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On August 2, Turkish forces opened fire, once again, at civilians traveling on the M4 highway in Syria’s northeastern region.
According to the Hawar News Agency, the incident took place near the town of Hushana, which is located between the towns of Ain Issa, in the northern Raqqa countryside, and Jalbiyah ,in the northwestern countryside of Aleppo.
As a result of the Turkish attack, civilian Abdul Qadir al-Nabi Ibrahem, 43, was injured. He sustained light wounds in his left leg.
This was the third Turkish attack on civilian travelers on the M4 since its reopening last May. On July 5, a truck moving on the highway was targeted with a shell, which wounded the driver. On July 22, another truck was attacked. The driver was also injured.
The Russian Military Police reopen the M4, which links al-Hasakah with Raqqa and Aleppo, after coordinating with the Turkish military, the Syrian Arab Army and the Syrian Democratic Forces.
Turkish forces carried out a series of attacks in northeast Syria over the last 24 hours. Late on August 1, three children were injured in Turkish shelling on northern Raqqa.
These repeated attacks by Turkish forces could lead to a new escalation in northeast Syria, where millions are living in poor humanitarian conditions. Turkey committed to de-escalate tension in the region in two separate agreements with Russia and the U.S. last year.
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southfront--2020-08-02--Military Situation In Yemen On August 2, 2020 (Map Update)

Click to see the full-size image A brief overview of the recent developments in Yemen : • The Liaison and @ @ @ @ @ ( loyal to Ansar Allah ) reported 74 ceasefire violations in al-Hudaydah during the past @ @ @ @ @ between STC and Hadi forces were reported in the Tariyah area .
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A brief overview of the recent developments in Yemen:
Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 3 airstrikes on the Nihm area;
Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 2 airstrikes on Khab and Shaaf areas;
Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 3 airstrikes on the Majzar area;
Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 3 airstrikes on the Kitaf area;
The Liaison and Coordination Officers’ Operations Room (loyal to Ansar Allah) reported 74 ceasefire violations in al-Hudaydah during the past 24 hours;
Clashes between STC and Hadi forces were reported in the Tariyah area.
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southfront--2020-08-02--Houthis Shot Down U.S.-Made Drone Over Northwest Yemen (Video)

The Houthis announced on August 2 that their fighters had shot down an RQ-20 Puma drone in the northwestern Yemeni province of Hajjah .
The U.S.-made drone was reportedly shot down over the district of Harad , which is located on the border line with the southern Saudi province of Jizan .
Developed by AeroVironment , the RQ-20 Puma is a hand-launched unmanned aerial vehicle that was designed for surveillance and intelligence missions .
The basic version of the drone has an endurance of 2 hours and a range of 15 km .
A single unit costs around $ 250,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Houthis carried stickers with the insignia of the Royal Saudi Air Force and its well-known slogan “ لله يحفظك ” [ May God Protect You ] .
The markings on the drone ’ s wreckage indicate that it was being operated by the Saudi military .
However , the RQ-20 is not known to be in service with Saudi forces .
There are no reports of the Kingdom purchasing this type of drones .
The RQ-20 Puma may have entered service with the Saudi military very recently .
Another possibility is that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Forces deployed on the Kingdom ’ s border with Yemen .
This would explain why the Saudi insignia and motto were on stickers , not painted directly on the drone .
The U.S. is the main supporter of the Saudi-led coalition against the Houthis .
Washington is not only selling weapons to coalition members , but also providing advice and intelligence .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • Sensational Video Reveals Turkish Actions To Deploy Its Proxies In Libya And Yemen

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The Houthis announced on August 2 that their fighters had shot down an RQ-20 Puma drone in the northwestern Yemeni province of Hajjah.
The U.S.-made drone was reportedly shot down over the district of Harad, which is located on the border line with the southern Saudi province of Jizan.
Developed by AeroVironment, the RQ-20 Puma is a hand-launched unmanned aerial vehicle that was designed for surveillance and intelligence missions. The basic version of the drone has an endurance of 2 hours and a range of 15 km. A single unit costs around $250,000.
The RQ-20 shot down by the Houthis carried stickers with the insignia of the Royal Saudi Air Force and its well-known slogan “لله يحفظك” [May God Protect You].
The markings on the drone’s wreckage indicate that it was being operated by the Saudi military. However, the RQ-20 is not known to be in service with Saudi forces. There are no reports of the Kingdom purchasing this type of drones.
The RQ-20 Puma may have entered service with the Saudi military very recently. Another possibility is that the drone was being operated by U.S. Special Forces deployed on the Kingdom’s border with Yemen. This would explain why the Saudi insignia and motto were on stickers, not painted directly on the drone.
The U.S. is the main supporter of the Saudi-led coalition against the Houthis. Washington is not only selling weapons to coalition members, but also providing advice and intelligence.
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southfront--2020-08-02--New ISIS Attack Claims Lives Of Three Syrian Soldiers In Eastern Homs

ISIS ’ news agency , Amaq , announced on August 2 that the terrorist group killed three soldiers of the Syrian Arab Army in a new attack in the eastern Homs countryside .
The terrorist group ’ s new attack targeted Syrian troops in the outskirt of the town of al-Sukhnah .
Heavy clashes lasted for several hours .
“ By the grace of God Almighty , Caliphate soldiers targeted elements of the apostate army in the desert of al-Sukhnah with various types of weapons , which led to the elimination of 3 elements and the seizure of various weapons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Amaq said in a short statement .
ISIS cells are known to be active in the Homs desert , south of the al-Sukhnah .
The desert region lays between eastern Homs and western Deir Ezzor .
A day earlier , ISIS terrorists launched a hit-and-run attack from their hideouts in the Homs desert at an oil fields in the western Deir Ezzor countryside .
Two to four SAA service members were reportedly killed .
These recent attacks prove that ISIS threat in the central Syrian region is still growing .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supplies from U.S.-backed fighters based in the occupied region of al-Tanaf in the southeast .
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ISIS’ news agency, Amaq, announced on August 2 that the terrorist group killed three soldiers of the Syrian Arab Army in a new attack in the eastern Homs countryside.
The terrorist group’s new attack targeted Syrian troops in the outskirt of the town of al-Sukhnah. Heavy clashes lasted for several hours.
“By the grace of God Almighty, Caliphate soldiers targeted elements of the apostate army in the desert of al-Sukhnah with various types of weapons, which led to the elimination of 3 elements and the seizure of various weapons and ammunition. Praise be to God,” Amaq said in a short statement.
ISIS cells are known to be active in the Homs desert, south of the al-Sukhnah. The desert region lays between eastern Homs and western Deir Ezzor.
A day earlier, ISIS terrorists launched a hit-and-run attack from their hideouts in the Homs desert at an oil fields in the western Deir Ezzor countryside. Two to four SAA service members were reportedly killed.
These recent attacks prove that ISIS threat in the central Syrian region is still growing. The group’s cells are allegedly receiving supplies from U.S.-backed fighters based in the occupied region of al-Tanaf in the southeast.
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southfront--2020-08-02--Syrian Army Deployed Reinforcements In Greater Idlib: Monitoring Group

“ Must be what Russia wants Turkey to think.
” Good point !
I had the same intuition .
There is lot happening in that kind of play that doesn ’ t meet the eye .
The biggest Turk problem is being over ambitious .
They are over extending .
Playing their game in too many different places and exposing themselves to a big challenge for which they are not ready ( we agree there also ) .
Their terrorist are now from Syria to Libya to Azerbaijan and their strngth in Syria might not be what it used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a doubt is growing into the regional conflict and it could grow even bigger if things get out of the control … US ( NATO ) are not on the same page yet still thy are waiting to see how far Turkey will go against US interests and if the Russia-Turkey-Iran agreement will survive all the test of the time and reach their objectives ( slow and painful process with not many results ) I do not agree that NATO ( US ) would not “ back up ” Turkey .
I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ given situation and judge accordingly weather to intervene or not and to what extent ( in the best interest of US only of course ) As for the France , Germany , they would support some kind of NATO action only in the case on one sided direct aggression of Russia on Turk army which will never happen .
“ Turkey needs Russia to survive .
Russia doesn ’ t need Turkey.
” We differ here also .
I think that Russia still needs Turkey for obvious reasons ( their cooperation in Syria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Libya ) Even when in opposite positions and interests they still can talk and do some deals by exchanging favors in one place for favors in the other place .
Russia can make life difficult for Turk ambitions if Turks hurt Russian key interests directly in those places so they try to negotiate to have satisfaction on both sides .
Its like making cake with different layers ; layer of war-conflicts , than goes layer of diplomacy , than it has layer of trading and exchanging favors , advantages etc .
etc .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Turkey is in Syria to support US Government interests ” They are there to support Turk interests and ambitions and only after that comes the rest you have mentioned .
Turkey didn ’ t oppose US in Syria for fun but for satisfying their key interests ( position of the Kurds by US were considered to hurt Turk key interests ) I don ’ t know about China…I think that China Russia alliance is very real .
And Russia is most defiantly not globalist country….So I have problem in that case to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is most definitely something missing …hidden and doesn ’ t work in that explanation

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The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has deployed more reinforcements in the northwestern region of Greater Idlib, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on August 2.
According to the UK-based monitoring group, the reinforcements were moved from Hama to the frontline at the Zawiya Mount in the southern Idlib countryside. The exact nature of the reinforcements was not revealed.
“As regime forces continue to push reinforcements into the region [Greater Idlib], they are also escalating their rocket strikes, specifically on the southern countryside of Idlib,” the SOHR said in its report.
Recent reports revealed that the SAA and its allies are preparing to launch a new ground operation in southern Greater Idlib.
The operation, which will supposedly start soon, may target the Zawiya Mount. The region oversees the southern Idlib countryside as well as the M4 highway that links Lattakia and Aleppo.
Opposition sources said Greater Idlib group, including Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and the National Front for Liberation, are preparing to repel any new attack by the SAA.
Turkey maintains a fairly large military presence in southern Idlib. In the last few months, the Turkish military deployed hundreds of troops, battle tanks, howitzers, rocket launchers and even air-defense systems in the region.
Any attack by the SAA will likely lead to a dangerous confrontation with Turkish forces in Greater Idlib. Nevertheless, it could improve security in northwest Syria for the long term.
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southfront--2020-08-02--Military Situation In Afghanistan On August 2, 2020 (Map Update)

Click to see the full-size image A brief overview of the recent developments in Afghanistan : • The Afghan government @ @ @ @ @ the past two days ; • The Afghan intelligence service said it had killed Assadullah @ @ @ @ @ ISIS operative , in a special operation near Jalalabad ; • The US special envoy @ @ @ @ @ traveling to promote the idea of ‘ intra-Afghan talks ’ , the US State Department @ @ @ @ @ MORE ON THE TOPIC :

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A brief overview of the recent developments in Afghanistan:
The Afghan government released 317 Taliban prisoners in the past two days;
The Afghan intelligence service said it had killed Assadullah Orakzai, a high ranking ISIS operative, in a special operation near Jalalabad;
The US special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad is traveling to promote the idea of ‘intra-Afghan talks’, the US State Department said on August 1.
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southfront--2020-08-03--Military Situation In Syria On August 3, 2020 (Map Update)

Click to see the full-size image A brief overview of the recent developments in Syria : • An Syrian Arab @ @ @ @ @ was killed by a landmine explosion in the vicinity of Al-Thawra oil field in the @ @ @ @ @ warplanes struck militant positions in the village of Binnish , reportedly destroying HTS headquarters and @ @ @ @ @ • SDF forces carried out a security operation in the town of Al-Baghuz , capturing @ @ @ @ @ Hundreds of tank trucks entered the Tabqah area controlled by the SDF , coming from @ @ @ @ @ SAA .
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A brief overview of the recent developments in Syria:
An Syrian Arab Army (SAA) soldier was killed by a landmine explosion in the vicinity of Al-Thawra oil field in the southwestern Raqqah;
Syrian Army artillery shelled militant positions in the Kabani area;
Russian warplanes struck militant positions in the village of Binnish, reportedly destroying HTS headquarters and a large ammunition depot;
SDF forces carried out a security operation in the town of Al-Baghuz, capturing 6 ISIS suspects;
Hundreds of tank trucks entered the Tabqah area controlled by the SDF, coming from the areas controlled by the SAA.
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southfront--2020-08-03--Watch SouthFront Videos On YouTube (Again)

YouTube continues its agressive censorship campaign against SouthFront .
Additionally to censoring SouthFront main channel ( with over 152,000 subscribers ) on May 1 , YouTube blocked our backup channel ( with over 8,000 subscribers ) on July 28 .
Nonetheless , we are not planning to abandon our YouTube audience .
Therefore , SouthFront created a new backup channel to share videos on YouTube , while we are working on restoring the previous censored channels .
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DEAR FRIENDS,
YouTube continues its agressive censorship campaign against SouthFront. Additionally to censoring SouthFront main channel (with over 152,000 subscribers) on May 1, YouTube blocked our backup channel (with over 8,000 subscribers) on July 28. Nonetheless, we are not planning to abandon our YouTube audience. Therefore, SouthFront created a new backup channel to share videos on YouTube, while we are working on restoring the previous censored channels.
The new SouthFront channel on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx7xU-YuJ6AbClgrsfw9S3A
WE CALL ON YOU TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT SOUTHFRONT’S YOUTUBE CHANNELS AS WIDE AS POSSIBLE.
Please, share this message with the global audience. Also, please, inform your friends, your social circles about SouthFront as an independent platform covering crucial developments in the Middle East and around the world.
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southfront--2020-08-03--Shaping Eurasia: Russia – China Bilateral Trade And Cooperation

Relations between Russia and China have gone from strength to strength over the last 10 years .
This development is not exclusively due to the increasingly hostile attitude of Western countries , and the US in particularly , to Russia and China , but it has certainly been a major contributing factor .
The deepening and diversification of their strategic relationship is apparent in all spheres , but is particularly notable in their economic and military relations .
There are many factors underpinning the expansion and diversification of trade relations and other forms of economic cooperation between Russia and China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imposition of sanctions on Russia by Western countries in 2014 , the economic stagnation that has characterized most European countries for much of the last 10 years while the Chinese economy has continued to grow , symmetry in economic characteristics of both countries ( surpluses in one and corresponding shortages in the other in a variety of sectors ) , US pressure bringing both countries closer together geo-strategically ( which has also produced a mutual interest in shifting away from the US dollar in all transactions ) , and the consolidation and harmonization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Belt ’ initiative and the Eurasian Economic Union After a relatively flat period marked by what could be characterized as benign indifference and neglect , the trade relationship between Russia and China has grown rapidly since 2009 in terms of both imports and exports , although there was a sharp decline during 2014-2015 corresponding to a sharp decline in Russia ’ s overall GDP and trade volumes .
However , at least as importantly , the growth in trade and other forms of economic cooperation has not just been quantitative but also qualitative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have elaborated detailed industrial development strategies and plans over long periods which have channelled both public and private sector investment and production into priority areas .
This is in sharp contrast to the peculiar form of haphazard , opportunistic and hyper-militarized disaster capitalism that has reigned in the US for many years – arguably at least since the 1990s , when US companies began dismantling the US industrial capacity and offshoring production to raise corporate profits , and the US Congress began to dismantle the anti-trust and financial regulatory frameworks that had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1930s to limit the volatility and excesses of the financial sector .
( It is also approximately the same period that the US began its post Cold War military adventurism in earnest . )
Most recently the Trump administration ’ s ambitious infrastructure investment fund ( which appeared to be yet another corporate and political slush fund to a considerable extent , to be divided amongst political and corporate allies and withheld from opponents or intransigents ) to modernize the US ’ aging infrastructure never materialized , and the attempt to establish something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a set of tariffs on selected imports to stimulate domestic production degenerated into an ad hoc series of punitive tariffs and charges whose main objective seemed to be to punish China for the US ’ own economic and industrial failures .
The only thing the Republicans and Democrats have been able to agree on in recent times , apart from increasing the already astronomical level of military spending , was to establish another disaster capitalism multi-trillion dollar bailout fund ( for the Coronavirus this time ) for the financial and corporate sectors , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a very limited number of investment funds led by Vanguard and Black Rock .
In contrast , China ’ s long-running practice of elaborating and updating five year strategic economic development plans which are implemented by a combination of State-owned and private sector enterprises has proven to be a success .
After a catastrophic period of experimentation with disaster capitalism under Boris Yeltsin , Russia has also adopted the strategy of developing a hybrid ( or ‘ mixed ’ ) economy with substantial State and private sector involvement within the overall framework @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the State in accordance with crucial national interests and objectives .
The underlying similarity in approaches and objectives – albeit obscured somewhat by China ’ s continued strong commitment to communism and Russia ’ s strong renunciation of the same – has provided a solid basis for both countries ’ renewed interest in strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation in all spheres .
While the leadership of both countries have sought to develop and promote a wide range of bilateral trade , investment and R & D projects both by State entities as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to their vast scale the bilateral agreements and projects in the energy sector overshadow all others .
This should not however obscure the importance of cooperation in other sectors and the extent to which the different manifestations and forms of cooperation have continued to proliferate .
Most Western analysts emphasize the excellent ties that have developed in terms of military cooperation , involving everything from basic R & D of new technologies and weapons systems to military training and exercises , but the bilateral cooperation goes far beyond these high profile sectors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research , agriculture , manufacturing and services more generally .
To contextualize the changes that have taken place in the bilateral economic relations between Russia and China , they are placed against the background of economic developments in Russia more generally .
As noted above , Russia ’ s economy has generally experienced solid if not spectacular growth since the disastrous decade of the 1990s , and although it was significantly impacted by the West ’ s sanctions imposed in 2014 ( as well as by the fall in oil prices that ocurred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon stabilized and then recovered quantitative losses on an even more solid fundamental basis given the economy ’ s increased diversification , self-sufficiency and resistance to external shocks .
Overall Russia has performed at least as well as most Western countries since 2000 , though of course China ’ s economic growth has far exceeded them .
China ’ s impressive economic growth therefore could explain the steady trend of increasing trade between the two neighbours by and of itself , however as mentioned above bilateral relations have been boosted by external factors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also nurtured and guided by internal factors ( strategic economic and industrial planning based on compatible national priorities and objectives , augmented by significant levels of direct State participation in key economic sectors ) .
The growing economic importance of China to Russia has largely been at the expense of Europe , in part due to the imposition of sanctions against Russia but also a natural consequence of China ’ s continued economic growth and Europe ’ s economic stagnation , as well as the complementarity that exists between the Russian and Chinese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resource endowments .
The share of the 28 European Union countries in Russian exports dropped from 52 % in 2014 to 45 % in 2017 , and the corresponding shares in Russian imports fell from 41 % to 38 % .
Over the same period , the share of China in Russian exports increased from 7.5 % to 12 % , and in imports from 11.5 % to 21 % .
Nonetheless , as of 2017 Russian imports from China ( EUR 48bn ) remained about half the value of imports from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thus although trade reorientation away from the West and towards China is steadily increasing , Europe remains an integral trade partner for Russia .
The figures for 2019 were very similar .
The top 10 sources of imports were : The top 10 export destinations for Russian exports in 2019 were : The continued importance of Europe to Russia ’ s economy is particularly evident when the analysis goes beyond the level of trade volumes , to a consideration of the evolution of trade structures by sector , particularly in the case of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exports are dominated by mineral fuels in both directions ( accounting for more than 76 % of exports to the EU and 64 % of exports to China ) , there are important differences in the structure of Russian imports from the EU and China .
The negotiation and execution of structural agreements and operational projects and transactions has taken place within the framework of existing strategic planning elements so as to maximize their compatibility with existing projects and activities and contribution to the realization of national priorities and interests .
Although Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and self-sufficiency in key sectors received a great boost from the imposition of sanctions in 2014 , it had already taken substantial steps in this regard .
For instance , a ‘ food security doctrine ’ has been official government policy since 2010 , and the doctrine has been a key element of subsequent government programs for the development of the agriculture and fisheries sectors and the regulation of agri-food markets during the period 2013-2020 .
LINK In the same way , ambitious infrastructure projects announced in the framework of developing bilateral relations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ railway , which will eventually be part of a high speed rail network linking China ( and probably even southeast Asia ) to Europe – are being laid out within the framework of a broader Russian strategy to overhaul and upgrade infrastructure throughout the country .
In April 2019 the Moscow Times reported : Of course , both the general plan and specific details have been subject to scepticism by some experts : Nonetheless , at least Russia is committed to thinking and acting strategically with the intention of improving the country ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and early indications are that most of the projects have been thoroughly evaluated for current and future economic and social utility and that implementation is progressing steadily .
What would the detractors of Russia ’ s efforts in this respect make of the non-existent efforts of the ruling classes in the US to undertake a similar national infrastructure modernization project ?
Early on in the preparations for a massive expansion in bilateral ties the underlying financial infrastructure was laid .
Although still heavily reliant on the US dollar for all bilateral transactions at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian commercial banks were already offering corresponding accounts for settlements in yuan , and in some ordinary depositors could also open an account in yuan .
On November 18 Sberbank became the first Russian bank to begin financing letters of credit in Chinese yuan .
The settlement in national currencies between China and Russia in bilateral trade amounted to about 2 % in 2013 .
However , the use of the yuan in mutual settlements between China and Russia increased ninefold in annual terms between January and September 2014 , according to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has continued to rise .
LINK The financial basis for greatly expanded relations has continued to evolve in accordance with progress in other areas .
Thus , in 2015 Sberbank – Russia ’ s biggest lender – signed a facility agreement with China ’ s Development Bank to the amount of $ 966 million .
Russia ’ s state-owned VTB Bank and the Export-Import Bank of China also signed a $ 483.2 million loan facility agreement to finance trading operations between Russia and China .
The financial architecture has been further consolidated by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beneficial cooperation .
In 2015 , Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping signed a decree to formalize cooperation in linking the development of the Eurasian Economic Union with the “ Silk Road ” economic project .
The Silk Road project is aimed at connecting China with European and Middle Eastern markets .
Also in 2015 , China pledged to invest $ 5.8 billion in the construction of the Moscow-Kazan High Speed Railway .
The railway will be extended to China , connecting the two countries through Kazakhstan .
The total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ project is $ 21.4 billion .
An agreement was signed to create a leasing company which will promote the sale of the Russian Sukhoi Superjet-100 passenger planes to the Chinese and South-East Asian markets , and the two countries agreed to develop a new heavy helicopter , called the Advanced Heavy Lift .
LINK The broadening of economic relations spearheaded by high profile State-led industrial projects is underpinned by a range of other initiatives .
For example , in September 2018 Russian and Chinese businesses agreed to further develop trade and economic cooperation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Economic Forum in Vladivostok .
According to a statement from the Russian Direct Investment Fund ( RDIF ) , the sides are considering 73 investment projects worth more than $ 100 billion in total .
The group overseeing the investments is the Russian-Chinese Business Advisory Committee , which includes more than 150 representatives from “ leading Russian and Chinese companies.
” RDIF said that seven projects worth a total of $ 4.6 billion have already been implemented as a result of the group ’ s activities .
The Russia-China Investment Fund was established @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China Investment Corporation and RDIF to focus on projects that foster economic cooperation between Moscow and Beijing .
LINK The largest joint project that has been developed is the massive Power of Siberia gas project .
In 2014 Gazprom and the China National Petroleum Corporation ( CNPC ) signed a $ 400 billion , 30-year framework agreement to deliver 38 billion cubic meters of Russian gas to China annually .
According to Russian energy major Gazprom , 119 operational gas wells had been completed by 2017 at the Chayandinskoye field in Yakutia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Russian-Chinese border , connected to the Chinese grid via a two-thread underwater crossing of the pipeline across the Amur River , started deliveries as scheduled late in 2019 .
The deal on the ‘ Eastern Route ’ took more than a decade to negotiate .
While Western experts are trying to downplay the merits and prospects for the Power of Siberia project – and the bilateral strategic relationship more generally – the project started supplying gas on schedule and at this stage it appears that the claims of the detractors consist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russians have ample experience in confronting or are largely wishful thinking ( the terrain is very inhospitable and operating costs and risks are therefore very high , the project will crowd out smaller producers , Russia is locking itself into an arrangement that eliminates other opportunities , Chinese market power means Russia will have to accept unfavourable conditions , the Asian giant will inevitably swallow up its northern neighbour , bilateral relations are founded on a ‘ marriage of convenience ’ , etc. )
.
LINK As the US has continued to intensify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressure on China and Russia , the two countries have continued to expand their military cooperation as well as a strong high-tech partnership spanning telecommunications , artificial intelligence and robotics , biotechnology and the digital economy based on the exploitation of existing and potential synergies .
The deepening of the bilateral relationship includes more dialogue and exchanges of information , increased academic cooperation and the development of joint industrial science and technology parks .
In addition , Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia would help the Chinese build their own missile early-warning system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. have successfully implemented so far .
LINK The crucial role of strategic economic and industrial planning and direct State participation in key sectors has been emphasized throughout this report .
This is not to suggest that such planning and participation has been perfect ; of course , significant errors have been made in both planning and execution , unforeseeable external shocks or factors that could have been predicted but were not taken into account have disrupted progress , as in all other countries .
One area of particular concern is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caused by corruption , which continues to plague both State and private sectors suggesting that the systems of accounting and accountability applying to both require further improvement in both design and implementation .
Also , it is arguable that the vision of public forms of economic ownership and participation remains somewhat limited to a strict State/ private company dichotomy and to elitist management structures and procedures within each .
One aspect of this is that more forms of State participation could be considered at the regional and local levels ; another is in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each enterprise in the planning , management and accountability structures and decisions of existing State-owned enterprises .
Beyond this , there may be scope for the promotion of other forms of organization , such as producer , professional or community-based cooperatives and collectives that can provide an organizational basis for economic projects and activities in a manner that can incorporate other values and objectives beyond the profit motive .
The basic data for foreign capital flows also suggest a major structural defect which is inherent to the ‘ actual existing ’ international economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrives from and departs for small countries that have no clear trade significance or investment capacity of their own , meaning that such capital flows are routed via these jurisdictions either to avoid taxes and other regulations or to deliberately obscure the identity of the owners and beneficiaries of the resources involved .
According to UNCTAD , between 30 % and 50 % of all ‘ foreign direct investment ’ worldwide passes through “ conduit ” countries , making it hard to determine the source .
According to estimates compiled by UNCTAD , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ FDI ’ stock — about $ 28.7 billion worth based on 2017 data — was actually of Russian origin .
The UNCTAD estimates also showed a significantly increased amount of European and US investment .
According to the estimates produced , the US is actually the biggest foreign investor in the Russian economy , worth about $ 39.2 billion .
While such features of international capital flows can be useful to , for example , elude punitive sanctions from hostile states , they greatly restrict efforts to reduce corruption and improve planning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no doubt well aware of both the potential advantages as well as the drawbacks involved .
For example , Bloomberg reported last year : While some aspects and consequences of this inimical structural feature of the international economy have been addressed , it remains a major challenge not just for Russia but everywhere .
Overall , however , the available macro-economic data and preliminary results of major joint projects between Russia and China suggest that their approach has been successful as the Russian economy has withstood the external shocks of sanctions imposed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ falls in oil and gas prices , and continued on the path of diversification , deepening and constant improvement of existing production capacities to ensure a core level of resilience and self-sufficiency without going to the other extreme of going xenophobic and renouncing foreign trade and cooperation .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • The pinnacle of the pyramid of wealth and power : the buck stops here • The virus and the US ‘ defense ’ industry

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Relations between Russia and China have gone from strength to strength over the last 10 years. This development is not exclusively due to the increasingly hostile attitude of Western countries, and the US in particularly, to Russia and China, but it has certainly been a major contributing factor. The deepening and diversification of their strategic relationship is apparent in all spheres, but is particularly notable in their economic and military relations.
There are many factors underpinning the expansion and diversification of trade relations and other forms of economic cooperation between Russia and China. The most important ones include the imposition of sanctions on Russia by Western countries in 2014, the economic stagnation that has characterized most European countries for much of the last 10 years while the Chinese economy has continued to grow, symmetry in economic characteristics of both countries (surpluses in one and corresponding shortages in the other in a variety of sectors), US pressure bringing both countries closer together geo-strategically (which has also produced a mutual interest in shifting away from the US dollar in all transactions), and the consolidation and harmonization of the Chinese ‘One Road One Belt’ initiative and the Eurasian Economic Union
After a relatively flat period marked by what could be characterized as benign indifference and neglect, the trade relationship between Russia and China has grown rapidly since 2009 in terms of both imports and exports, although there was a sharp decline during 2014-2015 corresponding to a sharp decline in Russia’s overall GDP and trade volumes.
However, at least as importantly, the growth in trade and other forms of economic cooperation has not just been quantitative but also qualitative, as the governments of both countries have elaborated detailed industrial development strategies and plans over long periods which have channelled both public and private sector investment and production into priority areas.
This is in sharp contrast to the peculiar form of haphazard, opportunistic and hyper-militarized disaster capitalism that has reigned in the US for many years – arguably at least since the 1990s, when US companies began dismantling the US industrial capacity and offshoring production en masse to raise corporate profits, and the US Congress began to dismantle the anti-trust and financial regulatory frameworks that had been established during the Great Depression of the 1930s to limit the volatility and excesses of the financial sector. (It is also approximately the same period that the US began its post Cold War military adventurism in earnest.)
Most recently the Trump administration’s ambitious infrastructure investment fund (which appeared to be yet another corporate and political slush fund to a considerable extent, to be divided amongst political and corporate allies and withheld from opponents or intransigents) to modernize the US’ aging infrastructure never materialized, and the attempt to establish something resembling a coherent industrial policy complemented by a set of tariffs on selected imports to stimulate domestic production degenerated into an ad hoc series of punitive tariffs and charges whose main objective seemed to be to punish China for the US’ own economic and industrial failures.
The only thing the Republicans and Democrats have been able to agree on in recent times, apart from increasing the already astronomical level of military spending, was to establish another disaster capitalism multi-trillion dollar bailout fund (for the Coronavirus this time) for the financial and corporate sectors, which have increasingly fallen under the control of a very limited number of investment funds led by Vanguard and Black Rock.
In contrast, China’s long-running practice of elaborating and updating five year strategic economic development plans which are implemented by a combination of State-owned and private sector enterprises has proven to be a success. After a catastrophic period of experimentation with disaster capitalism under Boris Yeltsin, Russia has also adopted the strategy of developing a hybrid (or ‘mixed’) economy with substantial State and private sector involvement within the overall framework of strategic planning and industrial policies elaborated by the State in accordance with crucial national interests and objectives.
The underlying similarity in approaches and objectives – albeit obscured somewhat by China’s continued strong commitment to communism and Russia’s strong renunciation of the same – has provided a solid basis for both countries’ renewed interest in strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation in all spheres.
While the leadership of both countries have sought to develop and promote a wide range of bilateral trade, investment and R & D projects both by State entities as well as by the private sector, due to their vast scale the bilateral agreements and projects in the energy sector overshadow all others.
This should not however obscure the importance of cooperation in other sectors and the extent to which the different manifestations and forms of cooperation have continued to proliferate. Most Western analysts emphasize the excellent ties that have developed in terms of military cooperation, involving everything from basic R & D of new technologies and weapons systems to military training and exercises, but the bilateral cooperation goes far beyond these high profile sectors to include education, scientific and technical research, agriculture, manufacturing and services more generally.
Macroeconomic Data on the Russian Economy
To contextualize the changes that have taken place in the bilateral economic relations between Russia and China, they are placed against the background of economic developments in Russia more generally. As noted above, Russia’s economy has generally experienced solid if not spectacular growth since the disastrous decade of the 1990s, and although it was significantly impacted by the West’s sanctions imposed in 2014 (as well as by the fall in oil prices that ocurred around the same time) the economy soon stabilized and then recovered quantitative losses on an even more solid fundamental basis given the economy’s increased diversification, self-sufficiency and resistance to external shocks.
Source
Overall Russia has performed at least as well as most Western countries since 2000, though of course China’s economic growth has far exceeded them.
China’s impressive economic growth therefore could explain the steady trend of increasing trade between the two neighbours by and of itself, however as mentioned above bilateral relations have been boosted by external factors (Western hostility and sanctions) and also nurtured and guided by internal factors (strategic economic and industrial planning based on compatible national priorities and objectives, augmented by significant levels of direct State participation in key economic sectors).
Source
Imports and Exports
The growing economic importance of China to Russia has largely been at the expense of Europe, in part due to the imposition of sanctions against Russia but also a natural consequence of China’s continued economic growth and Europe’s economic stagnation, as well as the complementarity that exists between the Russian and Chinese economies, sectors of comparative advantage and resource endowments.
The share of the 28 European Union countries in Russian exports dropped from 52% in 2014 to 45% in 2017, and the corresponding shares in Russian imports fell from 41% to 38%. Over the same period, the share of China in Russian exports increased from 7.5% to 12%, and in imports from 11.5% to 21%. Nonetheless, as of 2017 Russian imports from China (EUR 48bn) remained about half the value of imports from the European Union (EUR 87bn). Thus although trade reorientation away from the West and towards China is steadily increasing, Europe remains an integral trade partner for Russia.
Source
The figures for 2019 were very similar. The top 10 sources of imports were:
China 21% (54 billion US$), Germany 10.1% (25 billion US$), Belarus 5.52% (13.6 billion US$), USA 5.43% (13.4 billion US$), Italy 4.41% (10.9 billion US$), Japan 3.62% (8.96 billion US$), France 3.47% (8.59 billion US$), Korea 3.23% (8 billion US$), Kazakhstan 2.31% (5.71 billion US$), Turkey 2.01% (4.97 billion US$).
The top 10 export destinations for Russian exports in 2019 were:
China 13.4% (57 billion US$), Netherlands 10.4% (44 billion US$), Germany 6.57% (28 billion US$), Belarus 5.08% (21 billion US$), Turkey 4.95% (21 billion US$), Korea 3.83% (16.3 billion US$), Italy 3.36% (14.3 billion US$), Kazakhstan 3.34% (14.2 billion US$), United Kingdom 3.11% (13.2 billion US$), USA 3.09% (13.1 billion US$). Source
The continued importance of Europe to Russia’s economy is particularly evident when the analysis goes beyond the level of trade volumes, to a consideration of the evolution of trade structures by sector, particularly in the case of Russia’s imports. Whereas Russian exports are dominated by mineral fuels in both directions (accounting for more than 76% of exports to the EU and 64% of exports to China), there are important differences in the structure of Russian imports from the EU and China.
“This reflects the fact that, in certain areas, Russia still needs products and equipment that it can only obtain from Western sources. For example, whereas the HS84 category (nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical equipment) represents the largest import item from both the EU and China (with shares in total Russian imports of 23% and 28% in 2017, respectively), the second and third most important categories of imports from the EU: HS87 (vehicles, 11% of Russian imports) and HS30 (pharmaceuticals, 9%) are still largely absent in imports from China… Nevertheless, import structures are also converging: between 2014 and 2017 these structural ‘import gaps’ were substantially reduced – most spectacularly in the above mentioned three largest import items. The structure of Russian imports from China is also becoming more sophisticated: the shares of machinery and electrical equipment are already higher than the corresponding shares in imports from the EU. As the EU-China import gap closes for Russia, one can conclude that China is gradually replacing the EU as an import source, even with respect to structural developments (although there remain gaps at more detailed commodity levels).” LINK
Key Sectors and Major Projects
The negotiation and execution of structural agreements and operational projects and transactions has taken place within the framework of existing strategic planning elements so as to maximize their compatibility with existing projects and activities and contribution to the realization of national priorities and interests. Although Russia’s efforts to increase economic diversification and self-sufficiency in key sectors received a great boost from the imposition of sanctions in 2014, it had already taken substantial steps in this regard. For instance, a ‘food security doctrine’ has been official government policy since 2010, and the doctrine has been a key element of subsequent government programs for the development of the agriculture and fisheries sectors and the regulation of agri-food markets during the period 2013-2020. LINK
In the same way, ambitious infrastructure projects announced in the framework of developing bilateral relations – such as the Moscow-Kazan high speed railway, which will eventually be part of a high speed rail network linking China (and probably even southeast Asia) to Europe – are being laid out within the framework of a broader Russian strategy to overhaul and upgrade infrastructure throughout the country. In April 2019 the Moscow Times reported:
“The Russian government is pursuing a 6.3 trillion ruble ($96 billion) six-year modernization plan to revamp the country’s highways, airports, railways, ports and other transport infrastructure through 2024. The comprehensive plan is geared toward improving the connectivity of Russian regions, as well as developing strategic routes including the Europe-Western China transport corridor and the Northern Sea Route. The plan stems from President Vladimir Putin’s ambitious domestic goals outlined after his inauguration last May. Under a presidential decree, a 3.5 trillion ruble investment fund was set up last summer to finance around 170 construction and other projects from 2019 to 2024.”
Of course, both the general plan and specific details have been subject to scepticism by some experts:
“Bloomberg columnist Leonid Bershidsky has argued that the infrastructure plan risks neglecting underdeveloped regions the Kremlin sees as a “social liability.” Economists interviewed by The Christian Science Monitor have said the revitalization plans are geared toward boosting the export potential of big business and are ill-equipped toward future economic development.” LINK
Nonetheless, at least Russia is committed to thinking and acting strategically with the intention of improving the country’s stock of assets and capabilities, and early indications are that most of the projects have been thoroughly evaluated for current and future economic and social utility and that implementation is progressing steadily. What would the detractors of Russia’s efforts in this respect make of the non-existent efforts of the ruling classes in the US to undertake a similar national infrastructure modernization project?
Early on in the preparations for a massive expansion in bilateral ties the underlying financial infrastructure was laid.
Although still heavily reliant on the US dollar for all bilateral transactions at the time, by 2014 around 100 Russian commercial banks were already offering corresponding accounts for settlements in yuan, and in some ordinary depositors could also open an account in yuan. On November 18 Sberbank became the first Russian bank to begin financing letters of credit in Chinese yuan.
The settlement in national currencies between China and Russia in bilateral trade amounted to about 2% in 2013. However, the use of the yuan in mutual settlements between China and Russia increased ninefold in annual terms between January and September 2014, according to the Chinese Ministry of Economic Development, and has continued to rise. LINK
The financial basis for greatly expanded relations has continued to evolve in accordance with progress in other areas.
Thus, in 2015 Sberbank – Russia’s biggest lender – signed a facility agreement with China’s Development Bank to the amount of $966 million.
The goal of the agreement is to develop the “long-term cooperation between Sberbank and China Development Bank in the area of financing foreign trade operations between Russia and China.”
Russia’s state-owned VTB Bank and the Export-Import Bank of China also signed a $483.2 million loan facility agreement to finance trading operations between Russia and China.
The financial architecture has been further consolidated by broader regional frameworks and agreements for mutually beneficial cooperation.
In 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping signed a decree to formalize cooperation in linking the development of the Eurasian Economic Union with the “Silk Road” economic project. The Silk Road project is aimed at connecting China with European and Middle Eastern markets.
“The integration of the Eurasian Economic Union and Silk Road projects means reaching a new level of partnership and actually implies a common economic space on the continent,” Putin said after the meeting with his Chinese counterpart.
Also in 2015, China pledged to invest $5.8 billion in the construction of the Moscow-Kazan High Speed Railway. The railway will be extended to China, connecting the two countries through Kazakhstan. The total cost of the Moscow-Kazan high speed railroad project is $21.4 billion.
An agreement was signed to create a leasing company which will promote the sale of the Russian Sukhoi Superjet-100 passenger planes to the Chinese and South-East Asian markets, and the two countries agreed to develop a new heavy helicopter, called the Advanced Heavy Lift. LINK
The broadening of economic relations spearheaded by high profile State-led industrial projects is underpinned by a range of other initiatives. For example, in September 2018 Russian and Chinese businesses agreed to further develop trade and economic cooperation and increase mutual investments at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.
According to a statement from the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), the sides are considering 73 investment projects worth more than $100 billion in total. The group overseeing the investments is the Russian-Chinese Business Advisory Committee, which includes more than 150 representatives from “leading Russian and Chinese companies.” RDIF said that seven projects worth a total of $4.6 billion have already been implemented as a result of the group’s activities.
The Russia-China Investment Fund was established in 2012 by China’s state-owned China Investment Corporation and RDIF to focus on projects that foster economic cooperation between Moscow and Beijing. LINK
The largest joint project that has been developed is the massive Power of Siberia gas project. In 2014 Gazprom and the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) signed a $400 billion, 30-year framework agreement to deliver 38 billion cubic meters of Russian gas to China annually. According to Russian energy major Gazprom, 119 operational gas wells had been completed by 2017 at the Chayandinskoye field in Yakutia, and the 3,000km of pipelines from Yakutia to the Russian-Chinese border, connected to the Chinese grid via a two-thread underwater crossing of the pipeline across the Amur River, started deliveries as scheduled late in 2019. The deal on the ‘Eastern Route’ took more than a decade to negotiate.
While Western experts are trying to downplay the merits and prospects for the Power of Siberia project – and the bilateral strategic relationship more generally – the project started supplying gas on schedule and at this stage it appears that the claims of the detractors consist of logistical and operational challenges that the Russians have ample experience in confronting or are largely wishful thinking (the terrain is very inhospitable and operating costs and risks are therefore very high, the project will crowd out smaller producers, Russia is locking itself into an arrangement that eliminates other opportunities, Chinese market power means Russia will have to accept unfavourable conditions, the Asian giant will inevitably swallow up its northern neighbour, bilateral relations are founded on a ‘marriage of convenience’, etc.). LINK
As the US has continued to intensify its hostility and associated geopolitical and economic pressure on China and Russia, the two countries have continued to expand their military cooperation as well as a strong high-tech partnership spanning telecommunications, artificial intelligence and robotics, biotechnology and the digital economy based on the exploitation of existing and potential synergies.
The deepening of the bilateral relationship includes more dialogue and exchanges of information, increased academic cooperation and the development of joint industrial science and technology parks. In addition, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia would help the Chinese build their own missile early-warning system – a technology that only Russia and the U.S. have successfully implemented so far. LINK
Conclusion
The crucial role of strategic economic and industrial planning and direct State participation in key sectors has been emphasized throughout this report. This is not to suggest that such planning and participation has been perfect; of course, significant errors have been made in both planning and execution, unforeseeable external shocks or factors that could have been predicted but were not taken into account have disrupted progress, as in all other countries.
One area of particular concern is the adverse material impact and effect on morale caused by corruption, which continues to plague both State and private sectors suggesting that the systems of accounting and accountability applying to both require further improvement in both design and implementation. Also, it is arguable that the vision of public forms of economic ownership and participation remains somewhat limited to a strict State/ private company dichotomy and to elitist management structures and procedures within each.
One aspect of this is that more forms of State participation could be considered at the regional and local levels; another is in terms of inclusion of the workforce of each enterprise in the planning, management and accountability structures and decisions of existing State-owned enterprises.
Beyond this, there may be scope for the promotion of other forms of organization, such as producer, professional or community-based cooperatives and collectives that can provide an organizational basis for economic projects and activities in a manner that can incorporate other values and objectives beyond the profit motive.
The basic data for foreign capital flows also suggest a major structural defect which is inherent to the ‘actual existing’ international economy: a vastly disproportionate amount of capital arrives from and departs for small countries that have no clear trade significance or investment capacity of their own, meaning that such capital flows are routed via these jurisdictions either to avoid taxes and other regulations or to deliberately obscure the identity of the owners and beneficiaries of the resources involved.
According to UNCTAD, between 30% and 50% of all ‘foreign direct investment’ worldwide passes through “conduit” countries, making it hard to determine the source.
According to data from the Central Bank of Russia for 2017, Russia receives 36.8% of ‘foreign direct investment’ (or more accurately, international capital flows) from Cyprus, 5.8% from the Bahamas, 7.2% from Bermuda, 0.8% from China, 3.4% from France, 4.1% from Germany, 0.5% from Japan, 0.4% from Korea, 4.4% from Luxembourg, 9.2% from Netherlands, 3.7% from Singapore, 2.9% from Switzerland, 4.2% from the UK, 0.7% from the US and 0.8% from the Ukraine.
According to estimates compiled by UNCTAD, approximately 6.5% of Russia’s ‘FDI’ stock — about $28.7 billion worth based on 2017 data — was actually of Russian origin. The UNCTAD estimates also showed a significantly increased amount of European and US investment. According to the estimates produced, the US is actually the biggest foreign investor in the Russian economy, worth about $39.2 billion.
While such features of international capital flows can be useful to, for example, elude punitive sanctions from hostile states, they greatly restrict efforts to reduce corruption and improve planning and accountability. The Russian government is no doubt well aware of both the potential advantages as well as the drawbacks involved. For example, Bloomberg reported last year:
“For Russia, meanwhile, repatriating the capital that’s recorded as foreign but isn’t remains an important policy goal. In the 2019 World Investment Report, Unctad attributes the 2018 drop in Russia’s investment inflows to the government’s effort to get Russian business owners to redomicile their holdings to the home country.” LINK
While some aspects and consequences of this inimical structural feature of the international economy have been addressed, it remains a major challenge not just for Russia but everywhere.
Overall, however, the available macro-economic data and preliminary results of major joint projects between Russia and China suggest that their approach has been successful as the Russian economy has withstood the external shocks of sanctions imposed by major trading partners as well as large falls in oil and gas prices, and continued on the path of diversification, deepening and constant improvement of existing production capacities to ensure a core level of resilience and self-sufficiency without going to the other extreme of going xenophobic and renouncing foreign trade and cooperation.
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southfront--2020-08-03--Locations Of US Carrier Strike Groups – August 3, 2020

This is the newst update of the ‘ U.S .
Carrier Strike Groups Locations Map ’ exclusive series showing the @ @ @ @ @ Strike Groups .
SouthFront : Analysis & Intelligence tracks locations of U.S. aircraft carriers using @ @ @ @ @ No classified information was used in production of the map .
Carrier strike group ( @ @ @ @ @ formation of the United States Navy .
It is centered on an aircraft carrier and @ @ @ @ @ CVW ) of 65 to 70 aircrafts .
It ’ s composed of roughly 7,500 @ @ @ @ @ , at least one cruiser , a destroyer squadron of at least two destroyers and/or @ @ @ @ @ group also , on occasion , includes submarines , attached logistics ships and a supply @ @ @ @ @ comprise a principal element of U.S. power projection over the world ’ s oceans .
@ @ @ @ @

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This is the newest update of the ‘U.S. Carrier Strike Groups Locations Map’ exclusive series showing the approximate locations of U.S. Carrier Strike Groups. SouthFront: Analysis & Intelligence tracks locations of U.S. aircraft carriers using the available open-source information. No classified information was used in production of the map.
Carrier strike group (CSG) is an operational formation of the United States Navy. It is centered on an aircraft carrier and a carrier air wing (CVW) of 65 to 70 aircrafts. It’s composed of roughly 7,500 personnel, an aircraft carrier, at least one cruiser, a destroyer squadron of at least two destroyers and/or frigates. A carrier strike group also, on occasion, includes submarines, attached logistics ships and a supply ship. Carrier strike groups comprise a principal element of U.S. power projection over the world’s oceans.
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southfront--2020-08-03--Elon Musk Says Pyramids Were “Obviously” Built By Aliens, Gets Invited To Egypt To See They Weren’t

On July 31st , billionaire Elon Musk made the grand statement , that ’ s part of more than one conspiracy theories : the pyramids in Egypt were built by aliens .
In addition , he made the statement that Ramses II was … an alien , presumably , or probably just “ chill ” or “ cool ” while the pyramids were being built by aliens .
He linked a Wikipedia article to substantiate his claims , saying that the only way that the Great Pyramid of Giza was the tallest structure for thousands of years was if it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And that an article from 2011 by the BBC summarized it well enough .
As has been proven more than once , common sense often can not reach any beliefs such as this one .
Regardless , the Egyptian government did respond to the tweet saying that they were , in fact , built by the ancient Egyptians .
Rania A. Al Mashat , Egypt ’ s minister of international cooperation even invited Elon Musk to visit so he can get a tour and evidence that they weren ’ t built by extraterrestrial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the crew of the Dragon returned to Earth successfully .
NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley completed a crucial test flight of SpaceX ’ s new Crew Dragon spaceship .
If they saw aliens anywhere in space , or during their flight up to the International Space Station or while they were landing , they will definitely share the news with Elon Musk , so he can rest assured that the Egyptians didn ’ t build the pyramids , and it was the aliens , who presumably visit to admire their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two weeks earlier , Elon Musk , once again , stirred controversy on Twitter , but this time he deleted his tweet .
He simply summarized the US foreign policy in one tweet , which he them removed because it was probably too much .
His history of attempting to return Tesla workers into factories despite COVID-19 and numerous other examples are evidence of how much the great humanitarian , in fact , cares about humanitarianism and how big of a fan of profit and imperialism he is .
MORE ON THE TOPIC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Satellites , Making It Largest Operator Of Satellites Worldwide • Safety First : Historical NASA And SpaceX Dragon Launch Scrubbed Due To Poor Weather • U.S. Space Force Officially Reorganizes Itself And Begins Preparing Offensive Capabilities

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On July 31st, billionaire Elon Musk made the grand statement, that’s part of more than one conspiracy theories: the pyramids in Egypt were built by aliens.
In addition, he made the statement that Ramses II was … an alien, presumably, or probably just “chill” or “cool” while the pyramids were being built by aliens.
Ramses II was ? — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 31, 2020
He linked a Wikipedia article to substantiate his claims, saying that the only way that the Great Pyramid of Giza was the tallest structure for thousands of years was if it weren’t made by humans.
And that an article from 2011 by the BBC summarized it well enough.
This BBC article provides a sensible summary for how it was done https://t.co/le3r20BWID — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 1, 2020
As has been proven more than once, common sense often cannot reach any beliefs such as this one.
Egyptologist here Elon who works on a royal pyramid site. They did not- Ancient Egyptians did+ we even have papyri that are like live tweets of pyramid construction at Giza. Happy to share resources so you can get yourself educated. — Sarah Parcak (@indyfromspace) July 31, 2020
Regardless, the Egyptian government did respond to the tweet saying that they were, in fact, built by the ancient Egyptians.
Rania A. Al Mashat, Egypt’s minister of international cooperation even invited Elon Musk to visit so he can get a tour and evidence that they weren’t built by extraterrestrial life.
“I follow your work with a lot of admiration. I invite you & Space X to explore the writings about how the pyramids were built and also to check out the tombs of the pyramid builders. Mr. Musk, we are waiting for you.”
I follow your work with a lot of admiration. I invite you & Space X to explore the writings about how the pyramids were built and also to check out the tombs of the pyramid builders. Mr. Musk, we are waiting for you ?. @elonmusk https://t.co/Xlr7EoPXX4 — Rania A. Al Mashat (@RaniaAlMashat) August 1, 2020
Separately, on August 2nd, the crew of the Dragon returned to Earth successfully.
Coming in hot https://t.co/dzFr5BNBfF — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 2, 2020
NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley completed a crucial test flight of SpaceX’s new Crew Dragon spaceship.
If they saw aliens anywhere in space, or during their flight up to the International Space Station or while they were landing, they will definitely share the news with Elon Musk, so he can rest assured that the Egyptians didn’t build the pyramids, and it was the aliens, who presumably visit to admire their creation every now and then.
Approximately two weeks earlier, Elon Musk, once again, stirred controversy on Twitter, but this time he deleted his tweet.
He simply summarized the US foreign policy in one tweet, which he them removed because it was probably too much.
His history of attempting to return Tesla workers into factories despite COVID-19 and numerous other examples are evidence of how much the great humanitarian, in fact, cares about humanitarianism and how big of a fan of profit and imperialism he is.
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southfront--2020-08-03--Boko Haram Militants Killed 16 In Refugee Camp In Cameroon By Throwing Grenade In Sleeping Group

On August 2nd , suspected Boko Haram terrorists killed at least 16 people and wounded 7 in a grenade attack on a camp for displaced people in northern Cameroon .
“ The toll is currently 16 dead ; it is clear that it was Boko Haram that was responsible , ” local mayor Mahamat Chetima Abba told the AFP news agency .
“ There had been a relative calm for a few weeks , but they took advantage of their knowledge of the terrain to bypass surveillance points and the positions of the security forces .
They surprised us , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , speaking on condition of anonymity , described the area where the attack took place as one in which people would “ hide ” from Boko Haram attacks .
The camp , in the village of Nguetchewe is home to around 800 people and is on the border between Nigeria and Cameroon .
All the people in the camp have fled from Islamist terrorists in the Sahel .
District mayor Medjeweh Boukar said that the terrorists threw a grenade into a group of sleeping people .
Boukar was informed by residents that 16 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said 15 had died .
The wounded were taken to a nearby hospital , they said .
In just the last 30 days there have been twenty incursions and attacks by suspected Boko Haram militants in Cameroon , meaning that the chaos in the Sahel is now threatening to spill in all surrounding countries .
The violence , which has killed an estimated 30,000 people and displaced millions , frequently spills over into neighboring Cameroon , Niger and Chad .
In Chad on July 31st , Boko Haram killed at least 10 civilians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a village in the Lake Chad region .
A week before the attack on August 2nd , the Cameroon army announced they had killed five Boko Haram fighters .
In June last year , approximately 300 suspected Boko Haram fighters swarmed onto an island on Lake Chad in Cameroon ’ s Far North and killed 24 people , including 16 Cameroonian soldiers stationed at military outposts .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Nigerian Army Boasts Successful Operation That Led To Killing Of Several Boko Haram Commanders • Nigerian Warplanes And Attack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Video , Map )

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On August 2nd, suspected Boko Haram terrorists killed at least 16 people and wounded 7 in a grenade attack on a camp for displaced people in northern Cameroon.
“The toll is currently 16 dead; it is clear that it was Boko Haram that was responsible,” local mayor Mahamat Chetima Abba told the AFP news agency. “There had been a relative calm for a few weeks, but they took advantage of their knowledge of the terrain to bypass surveillance points and the positions of the security forces. They surprised us,” Abba said.
Another local politician, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the area where the attack took place as one in which people would “hide” from Boko Haram attacks.
The camp, in the village of Nguetchewe is home to around 800 people and is on the border between Nigeria and Cameroon.
All the people in the camp have fled from Islamist terrorists in the Sahel.
District mayor Medjeweh Boukar said that the terrorists threw a grenade into a group of sleeping people.
Boukar was informed by residents that 16 had died. A security official earlier said 15 had died. The wounded were taken to a nearby hospital, they said.
“The attackers arrived with a woman who carried the grenade into the camp,” Boukar said, adding that women and children were among the dead.
In just the last 30 days there have been twenty incursions and attacks by suspected Boko Haram militants in Cameroon, meaning that the chaos in the Sahel is now threatening to spill in all surrounding countries.
The violence, which has killed an estimated 30,000 people and displaced millions, frequently spills over into neighboring Cameroon, Niger and Chad.
In Chad on July 31st, Boko Haram killed at least 10 civilians and kidnapped seven others in an attack on a village in the Lake Chad region.
A week before the attack on August 2nd, the Cameroon army announced they had killed five Boko Haram fighters.
In June last year, approximately 300 suspected Boko Haram fighters swarmed onto an island on Lake Chad in Cameroon’s Far North and killed 24 people, including 16 Cameroonian soldiers stationed at military outposts.
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southfront--2020-08-03--IDF Reportedly Kill 4 Gunmen Attempting To Plant Bomb On Unmanned Security Post

On the evening of August 2nd , Israel Defense Forces ( IDF ) reported that it had killed 4 gunmen near the security fence in the Golan Heights , between Israel and Syria .
Soldiers from the Maglan special forces unit and unspecified aircraft opened fire at the four suspects , some of whom were armed , killing them all , IDF Spokesperson Hidai Zilberman said .
The spokesman said the military did not yet know which military or group the men belonged to , but that investigations were on-going .
The spokesman said the military was working on “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ militants were operating and disarming the bombs , so that the explosives could be studied in order to determine which organization the men belonged to .
The IDF spokesman said that while the outpost where the men planted the bomb was unmanned , the military still considered the attempted attack to be serious matter as the area is often patrolled by Israeli troops .
He also justified arrests and killings of Syrian shepherds in the Golan Heights , because gunmen would often disguise themselves as innocent civilians .
On the evening of August @ @ @ @ @ @ @ towards Israel and they were intercepted .
In response , the IDF launched aircraft to carry out airstrikes on alleged Hamas targets in Gaza .
Just on the day before that , the IDF attempted to spread some propaganda against Lebanon and where its money had gone .
It published a video which was subsequently taken down by Twitter due to an instant copyright claim .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Lebanon ’ s President Says The Country Is Prepared To Defend Itself Against Israeli Attacks • Israel Informed Hezbollah That It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Syria – Report

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On the evening of August 2nd, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that it had killed 4 gunmen near the security fence in the Golan Heights, between Israel and Syria.
IDF troops on the southern Golan Heights just thwarted an IED attack by four former terrorists. No IDF casualties. — Jonathan Conricus (@LTCJonathan) August 2, 2020
This is the moment when four terrorists attempted to plant explosives near the security fence between #Israel and #Syria last night… …and the moment we stopped them. We will continue to defend Israel's borders from all enemy threats. pic.twitter.com/bQPGPiJFlg — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 3, 2020
Soldiers from the Maglan special forces unit and unspecified aircraft opened fire at the four suspects, some of whom were armed, killing them all, IDF Spokesperson Hidai Zilberman said.
The spokesman said the military did not yet know which military or group the men belonged to, but that investigations were on-going.
“I believe in the coming days we’ll know better about what organization they were a part of,” Zilberman said.
The spokesman said the military was working on “neutralizing” the area where the four militants were operating and disarming the bombs, so that the explosives could be studied in order to determine which organization the men belonged to.
“We will continue to be on alert for many more days. We have a lot of patience,” he said.
The IDF spokesman said that while the outpost where the men planted the bomb was unmanned, the military still considered the attempted attack to be serious matter as the area is often patrolled by Israeli troops.
He also justified arrests and killings of Syrian shepherds in the Golan Heights, because gunmen would often disguise themselves as innocent civilians.
We just thwarted an attempt by 4 terrorists to place explosives near the security fence between #Israel and #Syria. Our troops & aircraft fired toward the squad & a hit was identified. We are ready for any scenario & hold the Syrian regime responsible for all events in Syria. — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 2, 2020
On the evening of August 2nd, rockets were fired from Gaza towards Israel and they were intercepted.
Families in southern Israel went to see a movie at a drive-in theater this evening. Halfway through, terrorists from Gaza fired a rocket at Israel, forcing the kids to run to bomb shelters. Terror is not a movie for these kids, it’s a traumatic reality. (Video: Yaniv Kalif) pic.twitter.com/nAeBXa65tU — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 2, 2020
In response, the IDF launched aircraft to carry out airstrikes on alleged Hamas targets in Gaza.
In response to the rocket that was fired at #Israel from #Gaza earlier this evening, our fighter jets & aircraft just struck subterranean Hamas terror facilities in Gaza. We hold Hamas responsible for all activity emanating from Gaza. — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 2, 2020
Just on the day before that, the IDF attempted to spread some propaganda against Lebanon and where its money had gone. It published a video which was subsequently taken down by Twitter due to an instant copyright claim.
Where is Lebanon’s money? pic.twitter.com/w1QOdTAS2p — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) July 31, 2020
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southfront--2020-08-03--Crossing the Creepy Line: Google, Deception and the ACCC

Belief in Google ’ s promises is much like believing in virgin births .
For a company so proud of its pursuit of a transparent information environment , it has remained committedly opaque about informing customers on the way it gathers user data .
Statements from the company over the years have not been reassuring , and should foster prolonged scepticism and dread .
“ Google policy , ” former Google executive Eric Schmidt explained with flesh-crawling discomfort in 2010 , “ is to get right up to the creepy line and not cross it.
” Don ’ t bother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We now where you are .
We know where you ’ ve been .
We can more or less know what you ’ re thinking about.
” Always a charmer .
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is yet another regulatory body that has thrown itself into the fray , taking its second case against Google in the Australian Federal Court .
Central to this action is the claim that will come as little surprise to watchers of the Silicon Valley scene : the instance of “ deception by design ” .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sims , Google need merely have said “ if you agree to this , we ’ re going to combine the personally identifiable information we have on your Google account with your browsing activity on non-Google sites , if you agree .
If you agree , here ’ s the benefits and here are the issues , but make it really clear.
” According to the ACCC media release , Google “ misled consumers when it failed to properly inform consumers , and did not gain their explicit informed consent , about its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information in consumers ’ Google accounts with information about those individuals ’ activities on non-Google sites that used Google technology , formerly DoubleClick technology , to display ads.
” Prior to June 28 , 2016 , Google ’ s privacy policy noted that it would “ not combine DoubleClick cookie information with personally identifiable information unless we have your opt-in consent ” .
On June 28 , 2016 , that statement was erased and confined to the digital dustbin , replaced with something far more equivocal : “ [ d ] epending on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other sites and apps may be associated with your personal information in order to improve Google ’ s services and the ads delivered by Google.
” The “ I agree ” notification the company posted that day was said to be misleading as consumers “ could not have properly understood the changes Google was making nor how their data would be used ” .
That discrepancy in impaired any prospect of giving informed consent .
Instead of clarifying matters , as Sims puts it , Google indulged in using adtech in a rather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the user with third party sites .
“ Google significantly increased the scope of information it collected about consumers on a personally identifiable basis .
This included potentially very sensitive and private information about their activities on third party websites.
” Once done , the information enabled the forensic targeting of advertisements without the expressed informed consent of consumers .
“ The use of this new combined information allowed Google to increase significantly the value of its advertising products , from which it generated much higher profits.
” Google ’ s response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the company ’ s policies on June 28 , 2016 was made clear to users by means of “ prominent and easy-to-understand notifications ” .
( Condescension is second nature in such pronouncements . )
Users who did not consent to the update were left with “ their experience of our products and services ” , according to a Google spokesman , “ unchanged ” .
Typically , Google generates the idea of the mythical , all-knowing user , aware of preferences , informed of choices , and fully appraised of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fiction that has lost much ballast over the years .
The consumer is as an oblivious as a date consuming a spiked drink .
The ACCC should be congratulated for its persistence , though it remains short on returns .
In October 2019 , it commenced its first , and to date unresolved action , against the company , chastising it for misleading consumers in making on-screen representations about how they collected and used local data during 2017 and 2018 .
The central problem in Google ’ s alleged conduct was how the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data , irrespective of consumers ’ wishes .
As Sims explained at the time , “ We are taking court action against Google because we allege that as a result of these on-screen representations Google has collected , kept and used highly sensitive and valuable personal information about consumers ’ location without them making an informed choice.
” Cockily , he also called the venture “ a world-first case ” .
The concise statement filed last year alleges that Google “ represented to users of the Android Operating System that it would not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that where such data was obtained it would only be used for the user ’ s own purposes .
However , Google did obtain and retain such data and used that data for Google ’ s purposes.
” Misleading or deceptive conduct and false or misleading representations were thereby made on the Location History function .
The confidence of the ACCC seems misplaced , bringing meek conventional weapons to a thermonuclear party .
Google has the deepest pockets to draw upon , and is happy to duck and weave through the legal processes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if fined , its transgressions will continue .
The first federal court case is still dawdling away .
Justice Thomas Thawley , wishing to speed things up , vacated two case management hearings scheduled later in the year .
By August 3 , he has ordered the ACCC and Google to file a statement of agreed facts , and a final document on issues with which the parties are in dispute by August 7 .
The proceeding will also be referred to mediation commencing on November 2 , 2020 .
The indiscriminate information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be shaking .
Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College , Cambridge .
He lectures at RMIT University , Melbourne .
Email : bkampmark @ gmail.com

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Submitted by Dr. Binoy Kampmark
Belief in Google’s promises is much like believing in virgin births. For a company so proud of its pursuit of a transparent information environment, it has remained committedly opaque about informing customers on the way it gathers user data. Statements from the company over the years have not been reassuring, and should foster prolonged scepticism and dread. “Google policy,” former Google executive Eric Schmidt explained with flesh-crawling discomfort in 2010, “is to get right up to the creepy line and not cross it.” Don’t bother typing at all, he claimed. “We now where you are. We know where you’ve been. We can more or less know what you’re thinking about.” Always a charmer.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is yet another regulatory body that has thrown itself into the fray, taking its second case against Google in the Australian Federal Court. Central to this action is the claim that will come as little surprise to watchers of the Silicon Valley scene: the instance of “deception by design”.
In the words of ACCC chairman Rod Sims, Google need merely have said “if you agree to this, we’re going to combine the personally identifiable information we have on your Google account with your browsing activity on non-Google sites, if you agree. If you agree, here’s the benefits and here are the issues, but make it really clear.”
According to the ACCC media release, Google “misled consumers when it failed to properly inform consumers, and did not gain their explicit informed consent, about its move in 2016 to start combining personal information in consumers’ Google accounts with information about those individuals’ activities on non-Google sites that used Google technology, formerly DoubleClick technology, to display ads.”
Prior to June 28, 2016, Google’s privacy policy noted that it would “not combine DoubleClick cookie information with personally identifiable information unless we have your opt-in consent”. On June 28, 2016, that statement was erased and confined to the digital dustbin, replaced with something far more equivocal: “[d]epending on your account settings, your activity on other sites and apps may be associated with your personal information in order to improve Google’s services and the ads delivered by Google.” The “I agree” notification the company posted that day was said to be misleading as consumers “could not have properly understood the changes Google was making nor how their data would be used”. That discrepancy in impaired any prospect of giving informed consent.
Instead of clarifying matters, as Sims puts it, Google indulged in using adtech in a rather sneaky way, thereby connecting the activity of the user with third party sites. “Google significantly increased the scope of information it collected about consumers on a personally identifiable basis. This included potentially very sensitive and private information about their activities on third party websites.” Once done, the information enabled the forensic targeting of advertisements without the expressed informed consent of consumers. “The use of this new combined information allowed Google to increase significantly the value of its advertising products, from which it generated much higher profits.”
Google’s response has been tyrannically snooty. The change in the company’s policies on June 28, 2016 was made clear to users by means of “prominent and easy-to-understand notifications”. (Condescension is second nature in such pronouncements.) Users who did not consent to the update were left with “their experience of our products and services”, according to a Google spokesman, “unchanged”. Typically, Google generates the idea of the mythical, all-knowing user, aware of preferences, informed of choices, and fully appraised of the environment they inhabit. It is a fiction that has lost much ballast over the years. The consumer is as an oblivious as a date consuming a spiked drink.
The ACCC should be congratulated for its persistence, though it remains short on returns. In October 2019, it commenced its first, and to date unresolved action, against the company, chastising it for misleading consumers in making on-screen representations about how they collected and used local data during 2017 and 2018. The central problem in Google’s alleged conduct was how the site continued to collect and use personal data, irrespective of consumers’ wishes. As Sims explained at the time, “We are taking court action against Google because we allege that as a result of these on-screen representations Google has collected, kept and used highly sensitive and valuable personal information about consumers’ location without them making an informed choice.” Cockily, he also called the venture “a world-first case”.
The concise statement filed last year alleges that Google “represented to users of the Android Operating System that it would not obtain data about their location, or that where such data was obtained it would only be used for the user’s own purposes. However, Google did obtain and retain such data and used that data for Google’s purposes.” Misleading or deceptive conduct and false or misleading representations were thereby made on the Location History function.
The confidence of the ACCC seems misplaced, bringing meek conventional weapons to a thermonuclear party. Google has the deepest pockets to draw upon, and is happy to duck and weave through the legal processes of most countries to adapt. Even if fined, its transgressions will continue.
The first federal court case is still dawdling away. Justice Thomas Thawley, wishing to speed things up, vacated two case management hearings scheduled later in the year. By August 3, he has ordered the ACCC and Google to file a statement of agreed facts, and a final document on issues with which the parties are in dispute by August 7. The proceeding will also be referred to mediation commencing on November 2, 2020. The indiscriminate information gathering colossus that is Google will hardly be shaking.
Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College, Cambridge. He lectures at RMIT University, Melbourne. Email: bkampmark@gmail.com
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southfront--2020-08-03--ISIS Militants Attack Prison In Jalalabad, Afghanistan, At Least 32 Dead So Far

In the late hours of August 2nd , ISIS terrorists attacked a Terrorists attacked prison compound in Jalalabad and engaged in a battle with Afghan security forces .
At least 32 people have been killed , and 60 more wounded , Al Jazeera ’ s Bilal Sarwary reported .
ISIS affiliate in Afghanistan , known as IS in Khorasan province , claimed responsibility for the attack .
The affiliate is headquartered in Nangarhar province .
The prison houses about 1,500 inmates , of which several hundred are believed to belong to the ISIS group affiliate in Afghanistan .
A Taliban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not involved in the attack , which came on the final day of a rare truce between it and the Afghan government to mark the Eid al-Adha Muslim holiday .
Sarwary also reported that according to prisoners inside the prison , there are between 30 and 35 attackers who have taken over the prison .
As of reports of the time of writing , 12:00 Afghanistan time , 3 of the ISIS militants have been killed and clashes to retake the prison continue .
The attack entered its 13th hour and is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recapturing the prison .
They are operating carefully in order to preserve the lives of the prisoners , as well as of the security personnel themselves .
Approximately 700 prisoners escaped and were re-arrested by security forces .
On May 12th , a suicide bomber killed 32 mourners at a funeral for a police commander in the province , in one of the deadliest attacks this year also claimed by ISIS .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • In Photos : Taliban Shot Down Black Hawk Helicopter Of Afghan Army • At Least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Disagreements Continue To Paralyse Afghan Government

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In the late hours of August 2nd, ISIS terrorists attacked a prison compound in Jalalabad and engaged in a battle with Afghan security forces.
At least 32 people have been killed, and 60 more wounded, Al Jazeera’s Bilal Sarwary reported.
ISIS affiliate in Afghanistan, known as IS in Khorasan province, claimed responsibility for the attack. The affiliate is headquartered in Nangarhar province.
The prison houses about 1,500 inmates, of which several hundred are believed to belong to the ISIS group affiliate in Afghanistan.
A Taliban spokesperson said on Twitter that the group was not involved in the attack, which came on the final day of a rare truce between it and the Afghan government to mark the Eid al-Adha Muslim holiday.
#AFG “At least 32 people killed. At least 60 people wounded. There are 10 to 12 dead bodies in one part of the prison alone, the bodies can’t be picked up.”, a member of the Afghan Special Forces involved in the operations tells me. — BILAL SARWARY (@bsarwary) August 3, 2020
Sarwary also reported that according to prisoners inside the prison, there are between 30 and 35 attackers who have taken over the prison.
“Some of the attackers cannot speak Pashto or Dari.They speak a foreign language. The attackers want to burn down the prison.”
Video: Afghan commando in #Jalalabad talks about prison assault and says number of attackers may be "over twenty." pic.twitter.com/dhm3B2MU05 — TOLOnews (@TOLOnews) August 3, 2020
As of reports of the time of writing, 12:00 Afghanistan time, 3 of the ISIS militants have been killed and clashes to retake the prison continue.
#Nangarhar update: Three attackers were killed, but militants continue to fight in the Jalalabad prison & a nearby mall, said Attaullah Khogyani, the governor's spokesman. pic.twitter.com/jq78H9zUw4 — TOLOnews (@TOLOnews) August 3, 2020
Video: Victims of the #Jalalabad attack receive medical care in the city's hospital. pic.twitter.com/GKu45dLLdv — TOLOnews (@TOLOnews) August 3, 2020
The attack entered its 13th hour and is still continuing with Afghan security forces slowly recapturing the prison. They are operating carefully in order to preserve the lives of the prisoners, as well as of the security personnel themselves.
Approximately 700 prisoners escaped and were re-arrested by security forces.
#NANGARHAR – Another credible source confirmed that the clash inside the prison is still ongoing, and said that 700 inmates who fled the prison have been re-captured (A total of 1,500 inmates were in the prison). — TOLOnews (@TOLOnews) August 3, 2020
#NANGARHAR – Video on social media: Recaptured inmate who fled the attacked prison in Jalalabad speaks about the incident. pic.twitter.com/DYcV9nfMNz — TOLOnews (@TOLOnews) August 3, 2020
#NANGARHAR – So far three attackers were killed in the clash, and the total number of attackers is unknown, Khogyani said. But soon the remaining attackers will also be taken out, he said. — TOLOnews (@TOLOnews) August 3, 2020
On May 12th, a suicide bomber killed 32 mourners at a funeral for a police commander in the province, in one of the deadliest attacks this year also claimed by ISIS.
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