An Iraqi special operation forces member uses a compass to determine final attack headings during close air support training at Besmayah Training Center, Iraq, Dec. 30, 2019. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Andrew Garcia)
Unconfirmed Stories Trending Across Non-Traditional Channels
Iraqi Special Forces Eliminate Senior ISIS Leader in US-Backed Airstrike in Anbar Desert
Iraqi special forces killed Abu Khadija in an airstrike in Anbar province following a two-year effort by the Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) to track him. Intelligence breakthroughs over the past six months, along with multiple raids provided critical leads. The Kurdistan Regional Security Council helped locate Khadija by arresting an associate, while the U.S.-led coalition supported the mission with technical intelligence and air surveillance. (Read More)
Prominent Ukrainian Activist Assassinated in Odessa in Possible ‘Contract Killing’
Ukrainian activist Demyan Hanul, 31, was fatally shot in central Odessa on March 14, according to the National Police of Ukraine. Authorities later detained a potential suspect identified as Serhiy Shalayev, a 46-year-old deserter and senior lieutenant. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported the arrest and confirmed the recovery of a Makarov PM pistol and an RGD-5 hand grenade. Additionally, a video was leaked online showing the interrogation of the suspect. (Read More)
Turkish Police Announce Arrest of Five Suspected Spies Linked to Iranian Intelligence
According to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency, the suspects were allegedly engaged in “military and political espionage.” Authorities believe they gathered intelligence on military bases and strategically significant locations in Turkey and abroad, which they then transmitted to Iranian intelligence operatives. The investigation also indicated the suspects had communicated with members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence division.. (Read More)
Russian Forces Accused of Executing Five Ukrainian POWs in Kursk Oblast
Ukrainian Parliament’s Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets reported that Russian forces executed five Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) in Kursk Oblast. A video circulating online allegedly shows unarmed Ukrainian soldiers being killed after their capture. Ukrainian activist Serhii Sternenko said the incident reportedly occurred near Kozacha Loknya. The soldiers had been cut off from their main forces for a week before the execution. (Read More)
Pakistan Army Rescues Over 300 Hostages After Deadly Train Attack
Pakistan’s military rescued hundreds of hostages from the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which hijacked a passenger train earlier this week. The BLA ambushed the Jaffer Express on Tuesday as it traveled from Quetta to Peshawar. Pakistan’s military subsequently launched an operation to confront the attackers, who reportedly used "women and children” as human shields. (Read More)
Four-Legged Green Berets: The Canine Operators of Army Special Forces | Defense.Gov
The U.S. Department of Defense recently highlighted the vital role of elite multipurpose canines in Special Operations. These Belgian Malinois undergo rigorous selection and training for tasks like explosive detection, tracking, and apprehension, enduring hardships alongside their handlers. After retirement, some transition to conventional military or law enforcement roles, while others live with their handlers, reflecting the deep bonds formed through service. (Read More)
Hamas Agrees to Release American Hostage Edan Alexander
Hamas agreed Friday to release Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old Israeli-American soldier, along with the bodies of four dual-national hostages. Alexander has been held in Gaza for over 525 days since being captured during Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The timeline for the release remains unclear, but the decision follows ongoing ceasefire negotiations in Qatar. (Read More)
Two French Government Employees Arrested for Allegedly Leaking Secrets to Algeria
At least two French government employees have been charged in Paris for allegedly leaking confidential information to Algeria, according to the Paris-based news outlet Sahel Intelligence. While the outlet did not disclose their identities, the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office said both suspects are French-Algerian nationals. (Read More)
US, Allies Rush To Refit Their Big Guns With GPS Protections | Defense News
The war in Ukraine has exposed vulnerabilities in GPS-guided artillery, prompting a U.S. military push to counter Russian jamming. The Army is investing $75 million to upgrade HIMARS and M270 launchers with anti-jamming tech, including BAE’s DIGAR system, originally developed for fighter jets. Other nations, including the U.K. and Israel, are also fortifying their weapon systems against electronic interference as modern warfare increasingly relies on securing the electromagnetic spectrum. (Read More)
Alert Line NSTR. Sam Havelock CEO, SOFX Are you a first time reader? Subscribe. A screenshot from video footage released by Ukraine’s military intelligence shows the targeting of key components of Russia’s S-400 “Triumf” air defense system. (Source: HUR / Telegram) Armed Conflict Open-Source Reporting on Global Conflict Ukrainian “The Ghosts” Drone Unit Strikes S-400 System in Crimea Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate (HUR) reported Wednesday that a targeted drone strike by its...
Alert Line NSTR. Sam Havelock CEO, SOFX Are you a first time reader? Subscribe. Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV) (Karolis Kavolelis / Shutterstock.com) Armed Conflict Open-Source Reporting on Global Conflict Arson Destroys Bundeswehr Trucks in Suspected Russian Sabotage Six German military trucks were destroyed in a suspected arson attack at a Bundeswehr logistics site in Erfurt, in what appears to be a Russian-linked sabotage operation. Footage posted Thursday by a pro-Russian...
Alert Line NSTR. Sam Havelock CEO, SOFX Are you a first time reader? Subscribe. A screenshot from a video released by Hamas' Wassam Brigades showing its fighters ambushing Israeli forces (Source: Qassam Brigades via X) Armed Conflict Open-Source Reporting on Global Conflict Seven Israeli Soldiers Killed in Khan Younis Blast At least seven Israeli soldiers were killed Tuesday when a bomb was dropped into their Puma armored combat engineering vehicle (CEV) in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, the...