DEFENSE SECRETARY CARTER WILL DISCUSS RUSSIA, SOUTHERN THREATS WHILE IN EUROPE

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

Right:  U.S. Defense Attaché to Germany Army Col. Greg Broecker, left, greets U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter as he arrives in Berlin while German Army Lt. Col. Frank Gaebel, center, a representative from the German Defense Ministry looks on, June 21, 2015. Carter plans to meet with European defense ministers and participate in his first NATO ministerial as defense secretary during the trip to Germany, Estonia and Belgium. DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Adrian Cadiz.  
Carter Arrives in Europe to Discuss Russia, Southern Threats
By Jim Garamone
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, June 22, 2015 – The challenges to NATO from Russia and on the alliance’s southern flank will be the focus of Defense Secretary Ash Carter’s trip to the continent this week.

Carter arrived in Berlin yesterday for talks with the German defense minister. From Germany, he will travel to Estonia and then end his trip at the NATO defense ministerial in Brussels.

Yesterday, the secretary spoke to reporters traveling with him.

NATO is Changing

The secretary said NATO must, and is, changing to confront the new threats. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggressive behavior in Georgia and Ukraine must be countered, and further aggression must be deterred, he said.

The secretary said he’ll explain America’s “strong but balanced approach” to dealing with Russia.

“It's strong, in the sense that we are cognizant of the needs to deter and be prepared to respond to Russian aggression, if it occurs, around the world, but also especially in NATO and with NATO,” Carter told reporters.

NATO is countering Russian behavior with the Spearhead Force designed to move quickly and powerfully to the scene of an incident, the secretary said.

“Another part of that is helping the states, both NATO members and non-NATO members, at the periphery of Russia … to harden themselves to malign influence or destabilization of the kind that Russia has fomented in eastern Ukraine,” he said.

Adapting to Challenges

The balance comes from needing to work with Russia on other issues, Carter said. Russia is a part of the P5-plus-1 talks with Iran. Russia also has a role in countering terrorism.

In short, Russia’s interests do in some areas align with those of the rest of the world, the secretary said.

“The United States, at least, continues to hold out the prospect that Russia -- maybe not under Vladimir Putin, but maybe some time in the future -- will return to a forward-moving course rather than a backward-looking course,” Carter said.

Southern Europe is threatened by extremism, the secretary said, noting that NATO defense ministers will discuss this threat. The dangers of extremism in the Middle East, he said, is manifested by increasing streams of refugees seeking to escape ungoverned or poorly governed areas of North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East.

“In both of those areas NATO needs to, and is, adapting,” Carter said. “These are challenges that are different in kind from the old Fulda Gap, Cold War challenge. They are different in their own ways from Afghanistan and the kinds of things that we've been doing there. So it's new, but NATO … is adapting for both of them.”

OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE AIRSTRIKES CONTINUE AGAINST ISIL

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Military Airstrikes Hit ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq
From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, June 22, 2015 – U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of the latest strikes, which took place between 8 a.m. yesterday and 8 a.m. today, local time, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
Airstrikes in Syria

Attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted seven airstrikes in Syria:

-- Near Hasakah, one airstrike destroyed an ISIL vehicle bomb.

-- Near Aleppo, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL excavator, an ISIL fighting position, an ISIL mortar system and an ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Tal Abyad, five airstrikes struck one large and four small ISIL tactical units, destroying three ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL vehicle.

Airstrikes in Iraq

Attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 22 airstrikes in Iraq, approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense:

-- Near Baghdadi, two airstrikes destroyed an ISIL excavator and an ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Habbaniyah, one airstrike struck an ISIL rocket firing position.

-- Near Haditha, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying two ISIL vehicles.

-- Near Hit, one airstrike destroyed an ISIL structure.

-- Near Makhmur, three airstrikes struck an ISIL vehicle bomb factory.

-- Near Mosul, five airstrikes struck one large and two small ISIL tactical units, an ISIL rocket firing position and an ISIL mortar firing position, destroying three ISIL heavy machine guns, an ISIL building, an ISIL motorcycle and an ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Ramadi, one airstrike destroyed an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Sinjar, five airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and two ISIL staging areas, destroying three ISIL tunnel systems, two ISIL bunkers, an ISIL heavy machine gun, an ISIL cache and an ISIL mortar system.

-- Near Tal Afar, three airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units and an ISIL tunnel system, destroying an ISIL building and an ISIL mortar firing position.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, the region and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations.

Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Syria include the United States, Bahrain, Canada, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

NASA Video: Igniting the Booster

SEC CHARGES OWNER AND FIRM WITH MOVING $17 MILLION IN CLIENT MONEY INTO STOCKS WHERE OWNER HAS UNDISCLOSED INTERESTS

FROM:  U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
06/17/2015 09:35 AM EDT

The Securities and Exchange Commission announced fraud charges against a Massachusetts-based investment advisory firm and its owner for funneling more than $17 million in client assets into four financially troubled Canadian penny stock companies in which the owner has undisclosed business and financial interests.

The SEC alleges that clients at Interinvest Corporation may have lost as much as $12 million of their $17 million investment based on the recent trading history of shares in the penny stock companies, some of which are purportedly in the business of exploring for gold or other minerals.  Interinvest’s owner and president Hans Peter Black has served on the board of directors of these companies, which have collectively paid an entity he controls approximately $1.7 million.  Black’s involvement with these companies and his receipt of payments from them created a conflict of interest that he and Interinvest failed to disclose to their advisory clients.

The alleged violations were first identified in an SEC examination of the firm.  The SEC’s complaint filed late yesterday in federal court in Boston alleges that Interinvest and Black have stonewalled the SEC’s investigation.  The SEC is seeking a court order to freeze Interinvest’s assets and prohibit the firm and Black from continuing to exercise investment authority over client assets under management.  As of April 2015, Interinvest purported to manage almost $95 million.

“Investment advisers have a duty to put their clients’ interests first and fully disclose all conflicts of interest,” said Paul G. Levenson, Director of the SEC’s Boston Regional Office.  “We allege that Interinvest and Black violated that duty by investing client money in companies where he has a stake without fully disclosing that conflict to clients.”

The SEC’s complaint filed alleges that Interinvest and Black violated the antifraud and related provisions of the federal securities laws.  In addition to emergency relief, the SEC’s complaint seeks to permanently enjoin Interinvest and Black from violating the securities laws and require them to repay allegedly ill-gotten gains with interest and penalties.

The SEC’s investigation was conducted by Michael Vito, Peter Moores, John McCann, Chip Harper, and Celia Moore of the Boston office.  The SEC’s examination of Interinvest was conducted by Raymond G. Titus, Paul Prata, Daniel B. Wong, and Melissa Clough of the Boston office.

BRIEFING: COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM IN 2014

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Counterterrorism: Briefing at the Release of Country Reports on Terrorism 2014
06/19/2015 01:12 PM EDT
Briefing at the Release of Country Reports on Terrorism 2014
Special Briefing
Tina S. Kaidanow
Ambassador-at-Large and Coordinator for Counterterrorism
Washington, DC
June 19, 2015

(As Prepared)

Thank you all very much for coming. Today, the State Department is issuing Country Reports on Terrorism 2014, which fulfills an important congressional mandate and provides us with an opportunity to review the state of terrorism worldwide and define the nature and the scope of the terrorist threat. Doing so also allows us to assess our effectiveness and best calibrate our strategy and response. Reviewing how involved and engaged countries are in various aspects of their counterterrorism efforts – which comprises the bulk of this report – helps us make informed assessments about priorities and where to place resources in our various capacity building programs.

First, I would note that, according to the Statistical Annex prepared by the University of Maryland, the numbers of terrorist attacks in 2014 increased 35% and total fatalities increased 81% compared to 2013, largely due to activity in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Nigeria. More than 60% of all attacks took place in five countries: Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, and Nigeria, and 78% of all fatalities due to terrorist attacks also took place in five countries: Iraq, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Syria. The increase in total fatalities was, in part, a result of certain attacks that were exceptionally lethal – in 2014, there were 20 attacks that killed more than 100 people, compared to two such attacks in 2013.

While I cite these statistics, which are compiled by the University of Maryland and are not a U.S. government product per se, I stress again that they do not provide the full context. Aggregate totals or numbers of attacks are not a particularly useful metric for measuring the aims of extremist groups, or of our progress in preventing or countering their activities.

To that end, I’d like to talk about the content of the report itself and some of the trends we noted in 2014.

Despite significant blows to al-Qa’ida’s (AQ) leadership, weak or failed governance continued to provide an enabling environment for the emergence of extremist radicalism and violence, notably in Yemen, Syria, Libya, Nigeria, and Iraq. We are deeply concerned about the continued evolution of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the emergence of self-proclaimed ISIL affiliates in Libya, Egypt, Nigeria and elsewhere, and tens of thousands of foreign terrorist fighters who are exacerbating the violence in the Middle East and posing a continued threat to their home countries.

The ongoing civil war in Syria has been a spur to many of the worldwide terrorism events we have witnessed. Since the report covers calendar year 2014, it notes that the overall flow of foreign terrorist fighter travel to Syria was estimated at more than 16,000 foreign terrorist fighters from over 90 countries as of late December – a number that exceeds any similar flow of foreign terrorist fighters traveling to other countries in the last 20 years. Many of the foreign terrorist fighters joined ISIL, which has seized contiguous territory in western Iraq and eastern Syria. Iraqi forces and the Counter-ISIL Coalition have dealt significant blows to ISIL, but it continues to control substantial territory.

As with many other terrorist groups worldwide, ISIL has brutally repressed the communities under its control and used ruthless methods of violence such as beheadings and crucifixions. Uniquely, however, it demonstrates a particular skill in employing new media tools to display its brutality, both as a means to shock and terrorize, but equally to propagandize and attract new recruits. Boko Haram shares with ISIL a penchant for the use of brutal tactics, which include stonings, indiscriminate mass casualty attacks, and systematic oppression of women and girls, including enslavement, torture, and rape.

Though AQ central leadership has indeed been weakened, the organization continues to serve as a focal point of inspiration for a worldwide network of affiliated groups, including al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula – a long-standing threat to Yemen, the region, and the United States; al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb; al-Nusrah Front; and al-Shabaab in East Africa.

We saw a rise in "lone offender attacks," including in Ottawa and Quebec in October and Sydney in December of 2014. In many cases it was difficult to assess whether attacks were directed or inspired by ISIL or AQ and its affiliates. These attacks may presage a new era in which centralized leadership of a terrorist organization matters less, group identity is more fluid, and violent extremist narratives focus on a wider range of alleged grievances and enemies. Enhanced border security measures among Western states since 9/11 have increased the difficulty for known or suspected terrorists to travel internationally; therefore, groups like AQ and ISIL encourage lone actors residing in the West to carry out attacks on their behalf.

ISIL and AQ affiliates, including al-Nusrah Front, continued to use kidnapping for ransom operations, profits from the sales of looted antiquities, and other criminal activities to raise funds for operational purposes. Much of ISIL’s funding, unlike the resources utilized by AQ and AQ-type organizations, did not come from external donations but was internally gathered in Iraq and Syria. ISIL earned up to several million dollars per month through its various extortion networks and criminal activity in the territory where it operated, including through oil smuggling. Some progress was made in 2014 in constraining ISIL’s ability to earn money from the sale of smuggled oil as a result of anti-ISIL Coalition airstrikes that were conducted on ISIL-operated oil refineries, but the oil trade was not fully eradicated.

ISIL and AQ were not the only serious threats that confronted the United States and its allies. Iran continued to sponsor terrorist groups around the world, principally through its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF). These groups included Lebanese Hizballah, several Iraqi Shia militant groups, Hamas, and Palestine Islamic Jihad.

Addressing this evolving set of terrorist threats, and the need to undertake efforts that span the range from security to rule of law to efficacy of governance and pushing back on terrorist messaging in order to effectively combat the growth of these emerging violent extremist groups, requires an expanded approach to our counterterrorism engagement. President Obama has emphasized repeatedly that we need to bring strong, capable, and diverse partners to the forefront and enlist their help in the mutually important endeavor of global counterterrorism.

A successful approach to counterterrorism must therefore revolve around partnerships. The vital role that our partners play has become even clearer in the last year with the emergence of ISIL as the hugely destructive force in Iraq and Syria that I have described. We have worked to build an effective counter-ISIL coalition, a coalition that is clearly crucial because the fight against ISIL is not one the United States can or should pursue alone. More than 60 partners are contributing to this effort, which is multi-faceted in its goals – not only to stop ISIL’s advances on the ground, but to combat the flow of foreign fighters, disrupt ISIL’s financial resources, and counteract ISIL’s messaging and undermine its appeal, among other objectives. I would also highlight the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2178 in September as a particularly significant step forward in international efforts to cooperate in preventing the flow of foreign terrorist fighters to and from conflict zones.

The notion of finding and enabling partners, of course, is not new or limited to the counter-ISIL effort, and indeed many of our most significant counterterrorism successes in the past have come as a result of working together with partners on elements ranging from intelligence to aviation security.

The United States needs partners who can not only contribute to military operations, but also conduct arrests, prosecutions, and incarceration of terrorists and their facilitation networks. Addressing terrorism in a rule of law framework, with respect for human rights, is critical both for ensuring the sustainability of our efforts and for preventing the rise of new forms of violent extremism. Multilateral entities such as the United Nations and the Global Counterterrorism Forum can also play a critical role in promoting good practices and mobilizing technical assistance in this regard.

As we develop partnerships to disrupt terrorist plots and degrade terrorist capabilities, we also need partners – both governmental and non-governmental – who can help counter the spread of violent extremist recruitment and address the conditions that make communities susceptible to violent extremism. We must do more to address the cycle of violent extremism and transform the very environment from which these terrorist movements emerge. That is why we are committed to enlarging our strategy in ways that address the underlying conditions conducive to the spread, and not just the visible symptoms of, violent extremism. This was a major theme of the White House Summit on Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) earlier this year, which brought together 300 participants from over 65 countries representing national and local governments, civil society, the private sector, and multilateral organizations. The Summit highlighted the especially vital role that partnering with civil society plays in our counterterrorism efforts.

In addition to counterterrorism assistance rendered in the fields of rule of law and countering recruitment, we provide a wide array of expertise and programmatic support for our partners to help them identify and disrupt the financing of terrorism, strengthen aviation and border security, and sharpen their law enforcement and crisis response tools to respond to the terrorist threat.

The terrorism challenges that we face continue to evolve at a rapid pace, and we cannot predict with precision what the landscape will look like one decade or even one year from now. However, we believe we can best protect America’s interests and people over the long run by engaging in robust diplomacy, expanding our partnerships, building bilateral and regional capabilities, and promoting holistic and rule of law-based approaches to counter terrorism and violent extremism. This remains our program of action over the months ahead.

And now, I invite your questions about the report and its findings.

MAN SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR 15 YEARS FOR ATTACKING POWER GRID

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Arkansas Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Attacks on Central Arkansas Power Grid

Jason Woodring, 38, of Jacksonville, Arkansas, was sentenced to 15 years in prison today on charges related to his attacks on Central Arkansas’ power grid between August and October 2013.  In addition to the term of imprisonment, Woodring will be required to pay $4,792,224 in restitution to Entergy for his attacks on the power lines and electrical tower near Cabot, Arkansas, and a switching station in Scott, Arkansas.  Woodring will also pay $48,729 to First Electric Cooperative for damage to the downed power lines and poles in Jacksonville.

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin, U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Thyer of the Eastern District of Arkansas, Special Agent in Charge David T. Resch of the FBI’s Little Rock, Arkansas, Division and Resident Special Agent in Charge Grover Crossland of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Little Rock Field Office made the announcement.

Today, U.S. District Court Judge Billy Roy Wilson of the Eastern District of Arkansas accepted the plea agreement and imposed the recommended 15-year sentence.  On March 10, 2015, Woodring pleaded guilty to destruction of an energy facility for downing the Cabot power lines and for setting fire to the Scott power station.  He also pleaded guilty to using fire to commit a felony in relation to the arson in Scott, and to being an illegal drug user in possession of various firearms and ammunition.  Woodring also agreed to forfeit the firearms and ammunition.

Woodring’s 2013 attacks included sabotaging an electrical support tower and downing a 500,000-volt power line onto a railroad track near Cabot, which resulted in approximately $550,000 worth of damage; setting fire to and destroying an Extra High Voltage switching station in Scott, causing over $4 million in damages; and cutting down two power poles, which led to the temporary loss of power to approximately 9,000 people in Jacksonville.  Woodring was charged in an eight-count indictment by a federal grand jury on Nov. 6, 2013.

The case was investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force; ATF; Union Pacific Police; Entergy; First Electric; the Lonoke County, Arkansas, Sheriff’s Office; Cabot Police; Arkansas State Police; the Conway, Arkansas, Police Department; the Little RockPolice Department; and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael S. Gordon and Cameron Charles McCree of the Eastern District of Arkansas, with the assistance of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

DOD ANNOUNCES MORE AIRSTRIKES IN SYRIA AND IRAQ

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Anti-ISIL Airstrikes Continue in Syria, Iraq
From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, June 21, 2015 – U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of the latest strikes, which took place between 8 a.m. yesterday and 8 a.m. today, local time, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Airstrikes in Syria

Fighter aircraft conducted three airstrikes in Syria, all near Tal Abyad, striking three ISIL tactical units, destroying three ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL heavy machine gun.

Airstrikes in Iraq

Attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 18 airstrikes in Iraq, approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense:

-- Near Baghdadi, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL improvised explosive device, an ISIL structure and an ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Rutbah, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit.

-- Near Beiji, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL supply truck.

-- Near Fallujah, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL vehicle-borne IED and an ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Haditha, two airstrikes struck an ISIL safe house and an ISIL headquarters.

-- Near Makhmur, two airstrikes struck an ISIL rocket and land features denying ISIL a tactical advantage.

-- Near Mosul, four airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units and land features denying ISIL a tactical advantage, destroying an ISIL mortar system and an ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Sinjar, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying two ISIL buildings.

-- Near Tal Afar, four airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL mortar system, three ISIL fighting positions and land features denying ISIL a tactical advantage, destroying two ISIL buildings and an ISIL heavy machine gun.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, the region and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations.

Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Syria include the United States, Bahrain, Canada, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

DOD AIRSTRIKE REPORT ON SYRIA, IRAQ ON JUNE 20, 2015

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
FROM:  U.S.
Airstrikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq
From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, June 20, 2015 – U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of the latest strikes, which took place between 8 a.m. yesterday and 8 a.m. today, local time, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Airstrikes in Syria

Attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted six airstrikes in Syria:

-- Near Hasakah, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying three ISIL fighting positions.

-- Near Raqqah, two airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units, destroying two ISIL vehicles and an ISIL motorcycle.

-- Near Tal Abyad, three airstrikes struck three ISIL tactical units, destroying two ISIL fighting positions.

Airstrikes in Iraq

Attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 16 airstrikes in Iraq, approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense:

-- Near Qaim, one airstrike struck an ISIL checkpoint, destroying an ISIL storage container.

-- Near Beiji, three airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying two ISIL vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices and an ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Fallujah, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL fighting position.

-- Near Makhmur, one airstrike struck an ISIL staging area.

-- Near Mosul, six airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, three ISIL staging areas and an ISIL tank, destroying an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL building.

-- Near Ramadi, two airstrikes destroyed an ISIL excavator.

-- Near Sinjar, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying two ISIL buildings, an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL sniper position.

-- Near Tal Afar, one airstrike destroyed two ISIL fighting positions.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, the region and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations.

Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Syria include the United States, Bahrain, Canada, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

NASA Video: Mission to Europa Gets Green Light on This Week @NASA – June 19, 2015

RESEARCH TO SAVE HONEYBEES IN THE U.S.

FROM:  U.S. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Protecting the honey-bearers
Ancestors of American honey bees shed light on pollinator health

The honey bearers arrived in the early 17th century, carried into the United States by early European settlers. Apis mellifera--the name truly translates as bee honey-bearer, though they are better known as honey bees.

Over the ensuing centuries, they flourished in the temperate North American climate, so successful they've become an integral part of our agricultural economy, contributing more than $14 billion in pollination services each year. They're trucked to our apple orchards and blueberry farms, our fields of squash and watermelon.

During the last decade, however, the honey bearers have suffered. They've died off in alarming numbers, entire colonies collapsing into ruin. The culprit seems to be a complex quartet of factors--poor nutrition, parasites, pathogens and pesticides--and scientists are still uncovering how these stresses harm bees and how they can be prevented.

Could the answers to some of these questions lie in Apis mellifera's African ancestors?

"If we can understand the genetic and physiological mechanisms that allow African bees to withstand parasites and viruses, we can use this information for breeding programs or management practices in U.S. bee populations," says Christina Grozinger, director of the Center for Pollinator Research at Pennsylvania State University.

Grozinger was part of a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded project researching East African honeybees, analyzing the health of bee populations at 24 sites across Kenya. The team included scientists from Penn State, the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) in Kenya and South Eastern Kenyan University.

NSF's Basic Research to Enable Agricultural Development, or BREAD, program funded the award. BREAD supports creative, fundamental research designed to help small-holder farms in the developing world. The program is a collaboration between NSF and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

"The BREAD partnership has allowed NSF to build and fully support international collaborations, as well as innovative proof-of-concept basic research with broad implications for global agriculture," says Jane Silverthorne, deputy assistant director of NSF's Biological Sciences Directorate, which funded the research. "This study continues to provide unique insights into how environmental conditions affect the health of honey bee colonies in Kenya."

In 2010, the team of researchers from icipe and Penn State first discovered the deadly Varroa mite in Kenyan bees. A tiny red beast that attaches, shield-like, to the back of a bee, Varroa feeds on hemolymph (bee blood). It transmits diseases and wreaks havoc with a bee's immune system. The parasite's full name--Varroa destructor--is apt; it is the culprit for thousands upon thousands of bee deaths in North America and Europe.

That research was the first time Varroa was documented in East Africa.

"Since Varroa is the most deadly parasite of honey bees and has decimated populations of honey bees wherever it has spread in the world, it was vital to track the effects of the introduction of Varroa on East African bee populations," Grozinger said.

So the team applied for the BREAD award and began analyzing honey bees across Kenya, studying how parasites, pathogens and viruses were affecting the African bees.

What they found was that--despite Varroa--the African bees were surviving, were tolerating the parasites. The bees did not seem to be actively fighting or removing the mites; instead, they had a higher tolerance for them. Researchers also discovered a link between elevation and Varroa: Bee colonies at higher elevations had higher instances of Varroa. This suggests a bee's environment may make it more or less susceptible to the mites. And since environment is also closely related to nutrition--higher elevations often have less flowering plants, which means less food options for honey bees--improving bee nutrition could be one way to combat Varroa.

The relationship between elevation, nutrition and pathogens needs to be examined further, but Grozinger calls it a "very intriguing" correlation. Increasing the diversity of flowering plant species in a landscape--one way to boost bee nutrition--could potentially help bees help themselves, by increasing a bee's natural ability to tolerate Varroa.

The research, published last year in PLOS One, is just a "first blush" at analyzing African bee populations, said Maryann Frazier, a senior extension associate at Penn State and another scientist on the project.

But she says it's important to study honey bees in other parts of the world, and not just because pollinators are a global resource (in Kenya, honey bees not only pollinate, but provide crucial income and nutrition for farmers and rural families).

"What we're really interested in are the mechanisms that allow them to be more resistant. And then we can use that knowledge to select for those behaviors and physiological traits."

Much about those mechanisms remains undiscovered. Frazier, Grozinger, their Kenyan counterparts and others from Penn State are sequencing whole genomes of individual bees collected from different parts of Kenya; this should allow them to identify specific genes that have helped the bees adapt to different environments and potentially resist different diseases. They're also analyzing whether different hive types--many Kenyan beekeepers use hollow logs or trees as hives--affect honey bee health and productivity.

Other NSF-funded honey bee projects are studying the role of gut microbes in bee health, how bees develop colony-level social immunity and much more: the foundation supports more than 250 current pollinator-related projects, many highlighted in the recent Pollinator Research Action Plan, a national strategy to better understand pollinator losses and improve pollinator health. And ensure the honey-bearers thrive for many years to come.

-- Jessica Arriens
Investigators
Harland Patch
James Frazier
James Tumlinson
Maryann Frazier
Christina Grozinger

MAN ARRESTED IN OHIO ON CHARGES OF ATTEMPTING TO PROVIDE MATERIAL SUPPORT TO ISIS

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Fiday, June 19, 2015
U.S. Citizen Arrested for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIL and Other Federal Offenses

Amir Said Abdul Rahman Al-Ghazi, 38, a U.S. Citizen, was arrested this morning in North Olmstead, Ohio, on charges that he attempted to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), possessed a firearm as a convicted felon and trafficked marijuana.

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin, U.S. Attorney Steven D. Dettelbach of the Northern District of Ohio and Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony of the FBI’s Cleveland Division made the announcement.

“According to the allegations in the complaint, Al-Ghazi attempted to provide material support to ISIL and committed other federal weapon and drug offenses,” said Assistant Attorney General Carlin.  “Counterterrorism is the National Security Division’s highest priority and we will continue to pursue justice against those who seek to provide material support to designated foreign terrorist organizations.”

“Today’s charges are a stark reminder that the radical and dangerous philosophies espoused by groups such as ISIL can be spread in our community through computers and social media,” said U.S. Attorney Dettelbach.  “Law enforcement will remain vigilant in combating violent extremism in all its forms.”

“This arrest demonstrates law enforcement’s number one priority – to keep our communities and our nation safe,” said Special Agent in Charge Anthony.  “It is clear that no area is immune from the influence of ISIL and its recruitment machine.  We hope this arrest will serve as a strong message to others who may consider providing support to terrorists.  The FBI and our Joint Terrorism Task Force partners are committed to identifying and stopping these individuals.”

According to the complaint, Al-Ghazi, who changed his name from Robert McCollum earlier this year, is alleged to have pledged his support to ISIL and Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi via social media in 2014.  From July 2014 to June 2015, Al-Ghazi made multiple statements trying to persuade others to join ISIL.  He also expressed his own desire to perpetrate an attack on the United States and had attempted to purchase an AK-47 assault rifle.  Al-Ghazi has communicated with individuals he believed to be members of ISIL in the Middle East and took steps to create propaganda videos for ISIL.

Al-Ghazi was also charged with distributing a schedule 1 controlled substance – marijuana.  From the period of February 2014 through June 2015, Al-Ghazi sold almost two kilograms of marijuana to a confidential informant.  He was also charged with possessing a firearm even though he had multiple prior felony convictions.  On multiple occasions Al-Ghazi expressed his interest in purchasing an AK-47, eventually purchasing one from an FBI undercover employee on June 19, 2015.

This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Cleveland Division’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.  This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Ohio and the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

AMBASSADOR SEPULVEDA'S REMARKS ON THE GLOBAL INTERNET AND LATIN AMERICA

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
06/18/2015 01:08 PM EDT
Latin America, Chile, and the Global Internet
Remarks
Ambassador Daniel A. Sepulveda
Deputy Assistant Secretary and U.S. Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs
Agelini Center of Innovation
Santiago, Chile
June 18, 2015

Thank you. I am honored to come to Chile and speak to you as an American Ambassador. It is to some degree a homecoming. This is where my parents are from, our extended family is here, and this country and its people hold a very special place in my heart.

I am here to extend the hand of friendship and to ask for your partnership in the international dialogue on how to best ensure that the Internet remains an open platform for global social and economic development for the region, the world, our children and grandchildren.

While Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina have played an active role in the international institutions and organizations that debate Internet related issues, Chile has been relatively quiet. Yet, according to an April 2015 report of the Boston Consulting Group titled, “Which Wheels to Grease? Reducing Friction in the Internet Economy”, Chile is outperforming almost all of the other nations in Latin America in its digital strategy. It clearly has been greasing the “right” wheels. This country can and should be playing a leadership role as a champion of democratic discourse and open markets in the international debate over Internet governance.

This year, at the United Nations General Assembly in December, we will meet to review the last ten years of progress in the global digital economy and how it is contributing to global development. Chile has the industry, civil society, and governmental talent and capacity to help lead this discussion. You have a great story to tell and the world needs to hear it.

As you know, more than three billion people and trillions of devices are connected to the Internet today. That connectivity is revolutionizing how we live, work, and govern ourselves. It has shrunk the world, made more information more accessible to more people, and disrupted incumbent power in politics and business alike.

As a matter of economic and social justice, the global Internet helps bridge the gap between talent and opportunity. In much of the world, men and women in rural communities are now able to receive microloans to start a small business using only their smartphones. There are applications for women to track their health and the health of their baby while they are pregnant and for men and women to be able to identify the location of clean water.

And today, the Internet’s economic benefits are actually increasingly shifting to the developing world. It is in developing markets of Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia that the Internet economy is growing fastest, at a rate of 15 to 25 percent per year; compared with around 6% in developing countries. The Latin American Internet audience grew 23% in the past year and now represents 8% of the global Internet audience. Chile stands out in the region with over 66.5% of its population connected to the internet, however average penetration in Latin America still hovers around 30% and falls as low as 8% in some countries. A 10 percent increase in broadband penetration is estimated to result in a 1 to 1.5 percent increase in annual per-capita growth, so the potential for the region is huge, however, the growth and promise that we know the Internet can deliver is not a foregone conclusion. The future we desire depends on how the technology is used and how it is governed. This is why the United States considers the promotion of an open, interoperable, secure, and reliable Internet a key component of our foreign policy.

The Internet developed organically, as an experiment by academics and technologists, discovering a new way to facilitate an exchange of ideas and make new connections between people. As the Internet has evolved into the critical resource it is today, governments in particular are grappling with what in some cases boils down to an identity crisis—what is the role of government? And, how much power or control should government be able to exercise vis-à-vis other stakeholders?

The way we see it, governments around the world must make a choice: to enable the Internet’s growth or detract from it. To date, how governments make this choice and exercise it has proven inextricably linked to how they feel about freedom of expression and human rights. And where governments choose to reduce friction in the digital economy, the Boston Consulting Group study showed that compared to other similar markets, open markets experienced a real difference of 1% in GDP growth. Closed countries, those who deny their people the freedom to engage in commerce and discourse are falling behind.

Setting economics aside, the United States and Chile are both active champions of the exercise of human rights. As Secretary Kerry explained when he was in Seoul a few weeks ago, the United States particularly believes strongly in freedom of expression. We understand that we may not always agree with the views that some may choose to express and we know that some may abuse this right in order to harm others, but we believe that the benefits outweigh these challenges. Some governments believe the opposite and look for any excuse to silence their critics and have used the Internet to control what people read, see, write, and say.

We have a shared responsibility to be good stewards of the Internet and must not be complacent in pursuing our vision of the future. I see three critical issues ahead on which Chile and the United States can and should work together.

The first issue is access. The Internet can only be an engine for growth if it is available. Roughly three out of every five people in the world remain without Internet access, and in the poorest countries that figure can top 95 percent. That’s why two years ago the United States helped to create the Alliance for Affordable Internet, a broad coalition of governments, industry, and civil society that works with policy makers to expand access while keeping prices low. It is also why Secretary Kerry announced that the State Department will soon launch a new initiative, in partnership with partner countries, development banks, engineers, and industry leaders to increase connectivity around the world. At the Summit of the Americas that took place in April in Panama, President Obama announced our intention to work with partners to increase the adoption of fixed and mobile broadband, and the deployment of broadband infrastructure as necessary.

The second issue is governance. The Internet has flourished because of the bottom-up, consensus-based process that allows all stakeholders, including the private sector, civil society, academics, engineers and governments, to participate in its governance. This multistakeholder approach has served us well and is visible in many institutions that keep the Internet operating in a safe, secure, and reliable manner. There are those who claim this system is broken and should be replaced by a more centralized, top-down approach, where governments and inter-governmental institutions have more control. We believe that such claims are misguided and untrue, and would actually stunt the growth of the Internet and slow its delivery to the rest of the world. We are working steadfastly with our international partners and global stakeholders to preserve the multistakeholder approach wherever it is challenged but we need your help.

And the third issue is stability. Cyberattacks are a real and persistent threat for all states. At the policy level, we believe that our best defense is to promote international cyber stability. What that means is, we are seeking broad consensus on what constitutes responsible and irresponsible behavior in cyberspace, with the goal of creating a climate in which all states are able to enjoy the benefits of cyberspace.

In the United Nations, we have affirmed that the basic rules of international law apply in cyberspace, but we are also working on some additional principles that are gaining traction. First, no country should conduct or knowingly support online activity that intentionally damages or impedes the use of another country’s critical infrastructure. Second, no country should seek either to prevent emergency teams from responding to a cybersecurity incident, or allow its own teams to cause harm. Third, no country should conduct or support cyber-enabled theft of intellectual property, trade secrets, or other confidential business information for commercial gain. Fourth, every country should mitigate malicious cyber activity emanating from its soil. And fifth, every country should do what it can to help states that are victimized by a cyber-attack.

The Internet has served us well as a platform to provide anyone connected to it with an opportunity to contribute to political, economic, and social discourse, and we believe that is a very good and important thing, worthy of preserving. It is the kind of freedom that this country fought for and won. And that is why it is so important that you engage this global debate.

The issues raised at the global gatherings of leaders related to the Internet transcend any one policy area and include questions of ethics, the role of government in society, commercial issues, and democracy. Chile’s voice is critical in this conversation and to ensuring that this revolutionary tool is available for the Chilean children and grandchildren of my uncles and aunts to break down barriers in any field they wish to engage.

Thank you. I appreciate your time and look forward to answering any questions you might have.

Weekly Address: Creating New Pathways of Opportunity for Americans Like You

ALASKA NATIONAL GUARD FIGHTING WILDFIRES IN ALASKA

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 

Army Sgt. Sonny Cooper looks back into the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter after dropping water from a bambi bucket to support firefighting efforts at Russian Lake near Willow, Alaska, June 15, 2015. Cooper is a crew chief assigned to the Alaska National Guard's 1st Battalion, 207th Aviation Regiment. Alaska National Guard photo by U.S. Army Sgt. Kevan Katkus.

An Alaska Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter drops gallons of water from a bambi bucket onto the Stetson Creek fire near Cooper Landing in Alaska, June 17, 2015. Alaska National Guard photo by U.S. Army Sgt. Balinda O'Neal.

CDC SAYS EARLY TREATMENT OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER MAY SAVE MILLIONS, PREVENT PREMATURE DEATH AND DISABILITY

FROM:  U.S. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION
Prevention and early treatment of RMSF in Arizona may save millions by preventing premature death and disability

Several Arizona American Indian communities severely impacted by outbreak, CDC/IHS study finds

The mounting costs of an epidemic of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) among several American Indian tribes in Arizona suggests that prevention and control efforts would be cost effective.  A recent study released by experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Indian Health Service (IHS), in partnership with Arizona tribes, describes an estimated $13.2 million in losses linked to the epidemic of RMSF between 2002 and 2011, on two Indian reservations. Cost estimates include medical costs, time off work, and loss of lifetime productivity due to early death. These values underestimate the actual cost of the epidemic because long-term losses from disability and expensive medical procedures are not included. Preventing tick bites is the most important step in preventing severe illness and death from RMSF. CDC, IHS, state, and tribal governments are working together to develop effective prevention programs to gain control of this devastating epidemic.

“Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is completely preventable,” said Naomi Drexler, CDC epidemiologist and one of the study’s authors. “State, federal and tribal health authorities have been working together since the start of the epidemic to build effective community-based tick control programs, and these efforts have produced remarkable reductions in human cases. These programs are costly, but medical expenses and lives lost cost four times more than RMSF prevention efforts. Increasing access to these prevention efforts is critical to save lives and protect communities.”

Published in The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, the study reviewed 205 medical records from two American Indian communities at the center of the epidemic. Over 80 percent of RMSF cases required emergency room visits, 14 percent were admitted to the intensive care unit for severe illness, and 7 percent were fatal. The average cost per death from RMSF ($775,467) is more than five times that of pneumococcal disease ($140,862) in the United States. More than half of RMSF deaths were among children, raising the long-term social costs of the epidemic.

RMSF is a severe disease caused by the bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii and spread through the bite of an infected tick. RMSF begins with non-specific symptoms such as fever and headache, vomiting, diarrhea, and sometimes rash. Severely ill patients may require amputation of fingers, toes or limbs due to blood loss; heart and lung specialty care; and management in intensive care units. More than 20 percent of untreated cases are fatal; the average time from the beginning of symptoms to death is only eight days.

U.S. MARSHALS OFFER REWARD FOR NEW YORK PRISON ESCAPEES, ADD MEN TO 15 MOST WANTED LIST

FROM:  U.S. MARSHALS SERVICE
U.S. Marshals Add New York Prison Escapees David Sweat, Richard Matt
To “15 Most Wanted” Fugitives List

Washington – The U.S. Marshals Service today added David Sweat and Richard Matt, the two violent, escapees from the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, NY, to its 15 Most Wanted fugitives list.

Sweat and Matt, convicted murderers, escaped June 6 and sparked a massive manhunt by hundreds of federal, state and local law enforcement officers. Sweat was serving a life sentence for the murder of a Broome County (NY) sheriff’s deputy in July 2002. Matt was serving a sentence of 25 years to life for the murder of a man he beat and dismembered in December 1997.

“The agency’s 15 Most Wanted fugitive list is reserved for the worst of the worst,” said U.S. Marshals Service Director Stacia Hylton. “There is no question David Sweat and Richard Matt fall into this category. While their brazen prison escape has left the public on edge, it has only ignited our sheer determination to bring them back to justice. Together with our law enforcement partners, the Marshals will work tirelessly to ensure the threat they pose and their run from the law is short lived.”

New York State Police Superintendent Joseph A. D'Amico said, "These dangerous men will be brought to justice. We want to assure the public that all available assets are being used to locate Richard Matt and David Sweat. The U.S. Marshals Service's MOST WANTED list is yet another way to notify the public of this escape and generate new leads. We want to thank our state, federal and local law enforcement partners, who continue to provide much needed manpower, equipment and expertise for this effort. We will continue to work together, collectively and collaboratively, until these two men are found."

“We are absolute in our commitment to apprehend these dangerous escapees and will leave no stone unturned with the help of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners during this fugitive investigation,” said Northern District of New York U.S. Marshal David L. McNulty. “Sweat and Matt have violent criminal histories and pose a significant threat to anyone who may come in contact with them.”

For each escapee, the U.S. Marshals Service is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading directly to his apprehension.

DOJ ANNOUNCES GUILTY PLEA IN $228 MILLION TAX REFUND FRAUD CASE

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Friday, June 19, 2015
Operator of O.I.D. Process Pleads Guilty for Involvement in $228 Million Fraudulent Tax Refund Scheme

A California man pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of conspiracy to submit false claims, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag of the Northern District of California.

According to the plea agreement, Duffy R. Dashner, aka Kevin Dashner, 42, of Reseda, California, and his co-conspirators, including Mark R. Maness, operated a business called O.I.D. Process through which they helped others to prepare and file individual federal income tax returns that claimed false Original Issue Discount (OID) interest income and federal tax withholdings, resulting in fraudulent claims for tax refunds (OID returns).  Dashner and Maness charged clients of O.I.D. Process a non-refundable registration fee to join the organization, and a 20 percent “refund acquisition fee” for any refund check issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).  Dashner and Maness also operated a website and conducted weekly conference calls with clients to promote their business and to assist clients in preparing and filing OID returns.

Dashner and Maness required clients of O.I.D. Process to change their mailing address with the IRS to the address of another co-conspirator who was an attorney in San Francisco.  As a result, all correspondence from the IRS to the clients and the clients’ OID refund checks were sent to the attorney’s address rather than the clients’ home address.  By receiving the refund checks, Dashner and Maness were able to ensure that they received their 20 percent refund acquisition fee.  O.I.D. Process clients filed approximately 200 fraudulent OID returns claiming refunds that totaled approximately $228 million.

Dashner’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 2 in San Francisco before U.S. District Judge Susan Illston of the Northern District of California.  The statutory maximum sentence for conspiracy to submit false claims is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  Maness previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to submit false claims against the United States and was sentenced in February 2015 to serve 41 months in prison, and ordered to pay $1,176,668 in restitution to the IRS.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Ciraolo and U.S. Attorney Haag commended the special agents of IRS–Criminal Investigation, who investigated the case, and Trial Attorney Matthew J. Kluge of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael G. Pitman of the Northern District of California, who are prosecuting this case.

SECRETARY KERRY'S STATEMENT ON WORLD REFUGEE DAY

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
World Refugee Day
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
June 18, 2015

World Refugee Day, marked on June 20, is a time to honor those who flee violence and persecution and those who help them on their journey.

It’s almost unfathomable that nearly 60 million men, women and children are now displaced inside and outside of their countries. That is the largest number the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has ever counted and 8 million more than the record set just one year ago. We’ve seen haunting images of Syrian families fleeing indiscriminate barrel bombings and young children rescued at sea after days without food. Escaping from bullets, bombs, or machetes is often just the beginning of the ordeal. Refugees remain in exile for an average of 17 years. Some are born and grow up in camps and never get to leave them.

I’ll never forget meeting with refugee leaders on my recent trip to Kenya, where 350,000 mainly Somali refugees live in a remote, dusty camp complex called Dadaab. By video link to Nairobi, I spoke to a group Dadaab’s best students. They told me how they dream of attending university and pursuing careers in medicine, politics and human rights. But they also shared their fears that they would end up trapped and jobless, and that all their striving would be in vain. We cannot let that happen.

For those scattered by violence and oppression, the United States is and will remain their most fervent defender. I am proud that U.S. humanitarian assistance exceeded $6 billion dollars last year. The United States is the world’s leading donor of humanitarian aid, and resettles more refugees than any other nation. The resilience, determination, and achievements of the millions resettled here in the United States prove the value and importance of our work. People who have been uprooted deserve more than food, shelter, and medical care. They deserve dignity and respect and the opportunity to build a better future.

We have a duty to the millions stranded away from home, not just to preserve life, but to safeguard hope.

DOD ANNOUNCES 'SIGNIFICANT' GAINS MADE BY ANTI-ISIL FORCES

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
General: ‘Significant’ Gains Made by Anti-ISIL Forces in Northern Syria
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, June 19, 2015 – Anti-Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant forces have made significant gains in northern Syria, which will have positive effects in Iraq as well, a senior U.S. Central Command official said today.

During a telephone conference from Southwest Asia with Pentagon reporters, Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve Chief of Staff Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Thomas D. Weidley provided operational updates on coalition and anti-ISIL force efforts in Iraq and Syria.

Closing a Gap

Weidley said the latest operational developments in Syria are focused on the gains anti-ISIL forces have made in northern Syria.

“These anti-ISIL forces,” he said, “which [comprise] ethnic Syrian Kurds, Arabs, Turks and non-Kurdish Christians among others, have been making significant gains against [ISIL] for months, including expelling [ISIL] from Kobani and from the Tel Hamis pocket in northeast Syria.”

Weidley said anti-ISIL forces have been conducting operations since early May to close the gap between the two areas.

These efforts, the general said, culminated earlier in the week with ISIL retreating from the Tel Abyad border crossing and abandoning terrain equivalent to “82 times the size of Ramadi -- roughly 4,100 square kilometers.”

“These gains,” Weidley said, “have severed multiple primary and secondary lines of communication in the [ISIL]-dominated territory as well as east-west lines of communication across northern Syria towards Iraq.”

These developments will further constrict ISIL mobility, supply, sustainment and communications within Syria, he said, and will have positive effects for the Iraq portion of the campaign as well.

Iraq Operational Updates

Weidley also discussed the deployment of coalition forces to eastern Anbar Province, adding that the new advise-and-assist and tribal engagement platforms are an extension of existing platforms in Iraq.

“Like existing coalition forces in Iraq,” he said, “these elements partner with the [Iraqi security forces'] operational-level headquarters and tribal leaders to coordinate, integrate and synchronize the unique capabilities that the coalition brings with the operations being conducted by these Iraqi command and leadership nodes.

“We had a good tribal ceremony at this location on Wednesday, in which 500 Sunni tribal fighters attended and were inducted into the Popular Mobilization Forces, including pay and arms,” Weidley added.

Beiji Update

The general said Iraqi security forces and PMF are making steady progress as they increase their footholds in and around Beiji.

“PMF elements are conducting clearing operations within the urban areas,” he said, “and are making measured progress despite a large number of [improvised explosive devices].”

The general said ground forces continue to hold their positions despite small-scale ISIL attacks that include mobile suicide bombs aiming to disrupt security force and PMF efforts.

“The [Iraqi security forces] located at the Beiji Oil Refinery [are] benefitting from reinforcement and resupply capabilities through the line of communication from the south, which the Iraqis have been able to sustain since the last week of May,” Weidley said.

“The fighting continues in and around Beiji and many of the portions of the area remain contested," the general continued. "The [Iraqi security forces] and PMF both report solid progress toward their objectives, so efforts continue in the right direction.”

Weidley said the coalition has conducted numerous air strikes in ISIL support zones located in Huwayjah, Sharkat, and along the Tigris River to the north, including Mosul. “This interdiction has resulted in significant disruption to [ISIL] support to Beiji,” he said.

Ramadi Update

Weidley said he is encouraged by the activities of Iraq’s government, which are setting the stage for a future counterattack in Ramadi.

“Great efforts have been made in advancing organizational, and command and control changes that will facilitate success in future operations,” he said.

Weidley said the coalition views this as a positive step, as the situation in Ramadi is “probably best described as anticipatory,” from both an Iraqi security force and ISIL perspective.

Although ISIL forces continue to prepare their defenses within Ramadi, he said, Iraqi forces are conducting shaping operations and working towards the city’s liberation.

The general described numerous ongoing “shaping” activities, such as securing logistical lines of communications, securing t-road junctions, intersections, key terrain, establishing logistics areas, finalizing planning, rehearsals, preparing equipment and collecting intelligence.

These shaping operations will set the conditions for follow-on operations, Weidley said.

West Wing Week: 06/19/15 or, "Her Map & Compass"