U.S. warships will continue to make Taiwan Strait transits and perform freedom of navigation operations in the Indo-Pacific despite the recent Chinese live fire drills, the undersecretary of defense for policy told reporters Monday. The U.S. Navy is expected to conduct some freedom of navigation operations in the region in the coming days, Colin Kahl, undersecretary of defense for policy, […]

China’s military said on Monday it is continuing drills in the seas and skies around Taiwan. The Eastern Theater Command of China’s People’s Liberation Army said on social media Weibo that it will practice conducting anti-submarine attacks and sea raids, Reuters reported. The military has carried out an unprecedented set of naval and air force drills in areas near Taiwan […]

At least eight people were killed when an explosion went off in Afghan capital Kabul on Friday, police said. Eighteen others were wounded in the blast which happened in Sar-e-Karez area, PD 6, west of Kabul, city’s police spokesman Khalid Zadran said. He said that the explosives were attached to a handcart. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for […]

China says military exercises by its navy, air force and other departments are underway in six zones surrounding Taiwan. The drills were prompted by a visit to the island by Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi this week and are intended to advertise China’s threat to attack the self-governing island republic in response to moves to solidify […]

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) leaders on Thursday issued a statement on the killing of al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri and said they had no information about his “arrival and stay” in Kabul. US President Joe Biden said Monday they killed al-Zawahiri with a missile fired from a drone while he stood on a balcony at his Kabul hideout in the […]

Four Daesh militants were killed and a fifth was arrested in an operation in Kabul on Wednesday. According to Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), forces had conducted a raid on an “important nest of the enemy” in Karte-e-Sakhi area in PD3. The operation was launched at about 11.30am but a shootout between IEA and […]

What we thought was posturing has now escalated to live firing exercises. Yesterday, SOFREP reported that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had moved forward with her plan to visit Taiwan amidst warnings from China that they would be resolute in their response. In a separate report here at SOFREP, we also noted how the US Navy had stationed the USS Ronald […]

China on Thursday conducted its largest ever live-fire missile exercise off the shores of Taiwan, just one day after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi concluded her controversial diplomatic visit. The missiles landed in the Taiwan Strait to the island’s North, South, and East, in the first such drill since 1996, escalating China’s antagonism toward Taiwan, Reuters reported. China’s Eastern Theatre Command […]

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi pledged her commitment to Taiwan on Wednesday as Chinese ships and aircraft ramped up their military activity in response to her visit. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen presented Pelosi the Order of Propitious Clouds with Special Grand Cordon award, during a livestreamed ceremony that morning. “Now more than ever America’s solidarity with Taiwan is crucial,” said […]

China called the visit “a major political provocation” and unveiled plans for live-fire war games near Taiwan U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi landed in Taiwan late on Tuesday for a visit amid angry denunciations and heightened threats from Chinese officials, who unveiled plans to hold days of military drills in the seas around the self-governing island by China’s People’s Liberation […]