First drone strike under Trump
The US carries out targeted drone strikes in Yemen, killing five al Qaeda operatives and took place in the town of al Bayda. The strikes were the first to take place under President Trump. The strikes did not require Trump to sign off on them. Under then-President Barack Obama, the authority to order such strikes in Yemen was devolved to the four-star commander of US Central Command, Gen. Joseph Votel.
Sulphur plant releases fumes
A sulphur plant in Mishraq is set on fire amid fighting between United States troops and the Islamic State in the Mosul region. The fire is releasing poisonous fumes, forcing American soldiers to wear gas masks.
US soldiers at a base near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul have donned protective masks against toxic fumes from a sulphur plant set alight in fighting with so-called Islamic State. They took the precaution after the wind blew smoke from the fire towards Qayyarah air field.
Air strike kills 82, injures 534
A military coalition air strike led by Saudi Arabia hits a mourning party gathered in Sanaa, Yemen, killing 82 civilians and injuring 534. The attack is one of a series of attacks to support Yemen President Hadi against the armed religio-political rebel groups Houthis. The Houthis administration condemns the attack. However, Saudi air forces deny any such attack happened.
Libyan forces capture mosque, prison from ISIS
Libyan forces renew their push to oust ISIS from its former North African stronghold of Sirte, saying they had seized the city’s main mosque and a jail run by the militants’ morality police. The forces, mainly brigades from the city of Misrata, say that they are close to capture Sirte after taking most of the city in a three-month campaign, and have restricted militants to a residential area in the city. They have been supported by U.S. air strikes. At least nine brigade fighters are killed.
Airstrike kills 11
An airstrike hits the Abs hospital in Hajjah, Yemen, and kills at least 11 people, and injures 24. The strike kills a Médecins Sans Frontier staff member. The Saudi-led coalition carrying out airstrikes in Yemen says it is aware of the hospital strike and will look into it. MSF is still surveying the damage in the area and will launch its own internal investigation into the incident.
Death toll from #Aug15 airstrikes on Abs hospital includes AbdulKareem alHakeemi, an @MSF staffer who died from injuries caused by the blast
— MSF Yemen (@msf_yemen) August 16, 2016
21 Palestinians shot
Israeli forces shoot 21 Palestinians in multiple incidents across the occupied territories, including a nine-year-old girl shot in the hand, while standing on the porch of her home, and a ten-year-old boy shot in the head with a rubber-coated bullet in the head. Others at the same scene are affected by tear gas. The girls is taken to a local hospital and is reported to be in moderate condition.
Fires warning shots at NK drone
South Korea fires warning shots at a North Korean drone that flew several hundred yards south of the border between the two countries. The drone turned back into North Korea and was not hit by the warning shots.
Missile strikes hospital
A missile strikes a MSF hospital in Yemen, killing four and injuring ten. It isn’t known whether the missile came from Saudi-led pro-government coalition airstrikes or from ground fire.
Airstrikes hit prison
Syrian airstrikes hit a courthouse and prison associated with Al Nusra Front, an al-Qaeda affiliate, killing both guards and prisoners. Reports differ as to the number killed.
Madaya besieged, residents starve
23 Syrians die of starvation as government forces besiege the town of Madaya in Syria. Damascus permits MSF to access the town, but refuses to allow residents to leave as they continue to lay siege to the city.
Army surrounds village
Israel stations the army at exits from the village of Sair, near the West Bank city of Hebron. The deployment comes in response to the shooting deaths of four Palestinian teens allegedly planning to stab Israeli soldiers in the occupied city.
Iraqis push through Ramadi
Iraqi forces are fighting Islamic State (ISIS) fighters as they try to reach the center of Ramadi. Six hundred to 1,000 Islamic State fighters were said to have been in Ramadi when the overall offensive began two weeks ago, but several hundred of them have been killed in fighting and airstrikes since then. Iraqi forces face heavy fire and are assaulted by car bombs. The Islamic State destroys three bridges over the Euphrates River to slow the security forces’ advance. Iraqi Army:
We went into the center of Ramadi from different axes, and we started clearing residential areas. The city will be cleared within the coming 72 hours.
Deploys National Guard against immigrants
Abbott deploys the National Guard to protect the border from a growing number of illegal immigrants.
[M]y request for more border patrol agents and strategic resources to secure the border were ignored. Now, the concern I warned about has turned into reality: A substantial spike in illegal crossings has occurred at a particularly unsuspecting time, once again challenging Texas’ security and resources…Texas will not sit idle in the face of this challenge. We will not be victimized as a state by a federal government’s apathetic response to border security.
500 oil tankers destroyed
Two airstrikes, the most recent over the weekend, destroy almost 500 tanker trucks ISIS uses to smuggle oil and sell it on the black market. It is estimated the attacks have destroyed roughly half the trucks ISIS uses to bring in $1 million a day in revenues. To avoid civilian casualties, the U.S. planes first dropped leaflets warning the drivers and then conducted staffing runs to scare them away. Previously, a strike would be called off if any civilians were spotted in the area. For these attacks, if there were more than five civilians in the target area the strike would be called off.
France bombs Syria
French fighter planes carry out their biggest bombing raid in Syria, dropping 20 bombs on the Islamic State stronghold of Raqqa. The fighters were launched from the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. French foreign minister Laurent Fabius said France had the “legitimacy” to take action against ISIS after the terror attacks in Paris. ISIS casualties are reported, but no civilian casualties. The French Defence Ministry
The first target destroyed was used by ISIS as a commanding post, a jihad recruitment center and a depot for arms and munitions. The second target housed a terrorist training camp.
Kurds launch offensive
A Kurdish force of up to 7,500 soldiers is on the offensive to reclaim Sinjar from ISIS. With help from collation air strikes the Kurdish forces attack from three fronts to recapture the town. By recapturing the town they will cut off ISIS main supply line to Mosul, allowing for a future attack on Mosul sometime in the future. By controlling Highway 47, which is used by ISIS to transport weapons, fighters, illicit oil, and other commodities that fund their operations, the Coalition intends to increase pressure on the group and isolate their components from each other
Russia destroys 448 ISIS targets
Through the last three days, Russia has been targeting and destroying key ISIS facilities in Syria. Kremlin has been using airstrikes to target key terrorist facilities. At least 448 facilities have been destroyed throughout the country. A Kremlin spokesman warned that Russia’s ongoing campaign has meant terrorists have changed their tactics
Russia sends 4000 troops to Syria
President Putin is sending 4000 troops to Syria to fight the Islamic State. Russia’s foreign ministry has stated that these troops will not serving a combat role, and are to guard Russian bases and working with the Syria military. The figure has doubled since Moscow began airstrikes against the terror group, according to US officials
Kunduz airstrike
The U.S. military carries out an airstrike on the northern Afghan city of Kunduz one day after Taliban insurgents fought their way into the major city, repelling local Afghan forces.
Military coup, protests
Burkina Faso’s military declares it now controls the country, confirming that a coup has taken place, and that the transitional government has been dissolved. Thee coup leaders says the former president’s former chief-of-staff, General Diendere, will lead the country. The Economic Community of West African States calls for the immediate release of the interim President Kafando and Prime Minister Zida. The coup leaders say talks will be held to form a new interim government that will organize “peaceful and inclusive elections”. Transitional parliamentary speaker Sy said the move was “clearly a coup” and that the presidential guard had “sequestrated” the interim government, and he urges people to protest on the streets.
We are in a resistance situation against adversity.
Presidential forces open fire to disperse protesters in the capital, and 10 people are reported killed. French President Hollande said he strongly condemns the coup, but says France. would not intervene militarily,