14 March 2013
France and the United Kingdom made announcements that the two States were considering bypassing the European Union (EU) arms embargo in order to arm Syrian rebels. The EU is set to discuss its embargo again in May.
12 March 2013
According to news reports, United States (US), French and British troops train Syrian rebels in the east and south of Jordan. While the Pentagon had already confirmed in October 2012 that US special forces and military advisers had trained select Syrian rebels together with the Jordanian military in the summer of 2012, the British and French Defense Ministries have not yet commented on their involvement in the training activities. In a statement made on 6 March 2013, however, British Foreign Minister William Hague revealed a wide understanding of the EU arms embargo against Syria, explaining that ‘technical assistance can include assistance, advice and training on how to maintain security in areas no longer controlled by the regime, on co-ordination between civilian and military councils, on how to protect civilians and minimize the risks to them, and how to maintain security during a transition’.
Source: The Guardian | West training Syrian rebels in Jordan
Source: RT | US, UK and France training Syrian rebels in Jordan - reports
Source: Der Spiegel | US-Unterstützung im Bürgerkrieg: Heimliches Waffentraining für Syriens Rebellen (in German)
26 February 2013
President Obama has announced last Friday that about 100 American troops were sent to Niger to help set up a new base from which drones would conduct surveillance in the region. Niger has signed a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with the United States (US) that has cleared the way for greater American military involvement in the country, and has provided legal protection to American troops there. The US troops would support the French-led operation in Mali.
Source: The New York Times | New Drone Base in Niger Builds U.S. Presence in Africa
18 February 2013
The New York Times reports that there is a likely role for French counterterrorism forces in tracking down militants in Mali, also after the French troops will be replaced by a United Nations peacekeeping force. A State Department official of the United States stated that ‘there’s going to be an ongoing need for a counterterrorism operation in northern Mali, and that probably will always reside in the hands of the French and not in the hands of the United Nations.’
Source: The New York Times | Official Details French Role in Mali
30 January 2013
Italy’s highest criminal court has ruled that Italian radar systems did not adequately protect jets from stray missiles, and that Italy must compensate the victims’ families. It held that there was “abundantly” clear evidence that a stray missile caused an Italian passenger jet to crash into the Mediterranean Sea in 1980, resulting in the death of all 81 people aboard.
It remains unclear who fired the missile. One theory is that the jet was caught in the crossfire of a military aerial fight, with a Libyan plane possibly the target. French, U.S. and NATO officials have denied military activity in the skies that night.