- Taliban launches attacks as Afghan government ceasefire starts
(Task & Purpose) The ignorance of the civil-military divide carries over to Afghanistan, where troops bear the burden of propping up the government of a war-torn society.
The Syrian army has reinforced anti-aircraft defenses in the country’s southwest, near the Golan Heights, and intends to deploy additional defenses in the coming days as tensions with Israel escalate, a pro-regime commander said Tuesday. Israel struck some 50 Iranian targets in Syria last month in response to Iranian missile launches and is reportedly lobbying the Donald Trump administration to recognize its hold over the Golan, which it captured from Syria in 1967. Meanwhile, the commander said Syrian government forces and their allies are ready to launch an offensive against rebel-held areas in southwestern Syria despite US warnings that “firm and appropriate measures” will be taken against any violation of the de-escalation deal. Read More
By Ahmad Shuja Jamal, The Diplomat: “The Taliban’s announced ceasefire represents a tentative move toward peace. Will it hold?”