War

A US special forces team on a counter-terrorism mission in Afghanistan have come under fire in Helmand province, sustaining casualties. A helicopter sent in to rescue the team, also came under attack and was immobilized, according to US officials. The BBC reports: Some 12,000 foreign soldiers are still deployed in Afghanistan to help local forces and some were deployed recently to tackle Taliban fighters in Helmand. ‘Not shot down’ Details of what happened in the incident, which took place near the town of Marjah on Tuesday, remain sketchy.

The Rule Of Law No Longer Exists In Western Civilization

Paul Craig Roberts

The United Nations special rapporteur for human rights in the Palestinian territories, submitted his resignation to the president of the Human Rights Council on Monday, citing Israel’s refusal to grant him access to the West Bank and Gaza. The Indonesian diplomat Makarim Wibisono said: “unfortunately, my efforts to help improve the lives of Palestinian victims of violations under the Israeli occupation have been frustrated every step of the way.” RT reports: Wibisono said his applications for access both written and oral were repeatedly rejected.

Russia’s Defense Ministry has reported that one of Russia’s top spies, Col.-Gen. Igor Sergun, has died aged 58 unexpectedly. The ministry have failed to give a cause of death, but say his death was sudden. Cbsnews.com reports: The military intelligence service, widely known by the acronym GRU, is believed to be Russia’s largest foreign intelligence operation. Ukraine has alleged that soldiers connected with the GRU have taken part in the conflict in eastern Ukraine, where government forces and Russia-backed separatists have been fighting since April 2014.

Earlier today, in “Mid-East Melee: Sectarian Showdown Looms As Bahrain Cuts Ties With Iran, UAE Recalls Ambassador,” we brought you the latest from the war-torn Mid-East where a worsening spat between Saudi Arabia and Iran threatens to plunge the region into chaos.