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Russian-backed separatists have intensified the scale of attacks on Ukrainian positions along the front line in Donbas undermining their recent efforts to advertise their “peaceful intentions.”
The Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), including the Counter Terrorism Service, U.S.-trained Iraqi Army units, Iraqi Police, Federal Police, supported by Iraqi Air Force and U.S.-led Coalition airstrikes, have advanced east and south of Ramadi amid the high-profile operation that was publicly discussed during Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter’s visit to Iraq last week.
The conclusion of an agreement between Turkey and the U.S.-led anti-ISIS coalition to open Turkish airbases for coalition aircraft conducting sorties against the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) marks a major shift in Turkish policy which will provide immediate boost to U.S. efforts to degrade and ultimately defeat ISIS.
The recent deterioration of security in Diyala has generated competing requirements for Iranian proxy forces following the deployment of the Badr Organization and other groups into Anbar, their furthest deployment in Sunni areas of Iraq to date.
Civilian areas in both government and separatist-held areas came under increased fire this week despite a breakthrough in negotiations over the withdrawal of weapons from the front line.
The Iraqi government is experiencing competing pressures from dispersed ISIS attacks which have strained the capacity of both the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and the “Popular Mobilization.”