The cyber attack on TalkTalk and Hurricane Patricia dominate this morning’s broadcast headlines while in defence news, today’s newspapers continue to cover the migrant situation at RAF Akrotiri, along with spending and litigation stemming from the UK’s military campaigns overseas.
CYPRUS MIGRANTS
There is widespread coverage of the migrants who arrived in Cyprus earlier this week. The Government has been clear that any migrants landing at the Sovereign Base Area will not be offered a route to the UK and anyone claiming asylum will be dealt with by the Cypriot authorities. An updated statement has been issued this morning and is below.
A Government spokesperson said:
We have been clear that RAF Akrotiri is not a route through which people will be able to get to the UK.
In accordance with existing agreements, officials from the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) in collaboration with the SBAA continue to process the migrants and deal with all asylum claims through their system.
We will not be providing a running commentary but can confirm that a small number of the migrants have already claimed asylum in Cyprus.
As a precautionary measure, a temporary transit facility is being provided at an appropriate location on the Sovereign Base Area should it become necessary to move the migrants.
DEFENCE SPENDING
The Daily Telegraph reports on yesterday’s parliamentary debate brought by Sir Gerald Howarth MP, in which he called for Britain to enshrine its commitment to meeting the NATO target on defence spending in law. BBC Radio 4’s Today programme also covered the debate, highlighting the argument made by some MPs that if the Government was right to enshrine spending 0.7% of GDP on international aid, then it was only right to do the same for Defence.
AFGHAN VETERANS
The Daily Mail reports that military police have launched a criminal investigation into claims of ill treatment made by suspected Taliban insurgents captured by British soldiers in Afghanistan. More than 100 Afghans believed to have helped kill and maim UK troops have alleged they were mistreated during the 13-year war, the newspaper says. According to the article they claim soldiers broke the law and treated them badly.
Extracts of a comment by the Minister for the Armed Forces, Penny Mordaunt, are carried in the article, a full version of which is below.
Minister of State for the Armed Forces, Penny Mordaunt MP.
I am extremely concerned about recent legal developments that call into question the Armed Forces’ ability to operate effectively. These have also facilitated a large number of compensation claims and judicial reviews which are time-consuming and can cost the taxpayer tens of millions of pounds.
The MOD is looking closely at this issue and as the Government’s manifesto made clear, we will ensure our Armed Forces overseas are not subject to persistent and sometimes ludicrous legal claims that undermine their ability to do their job.
Ministers have commissioned detailed work on this and will make any further announcements in due course.
IRAQ
The first American soldier to be killed fighting against ISIL died after US commandos took the snap decision to go to the aid of Kurdish forces caught in a firefight with the jihadists, according to a reporty in the Times. The soldier, named last night as Master Sergeant Joshua Wheeler, 39, from Oklahoma, was part of a 30-man team from Delta Force, one of America's most secretive Special Forces units.
SYRIA
The Times and Daily Telegraph highlight the commencement yesterday of talks between Washington and Moscow on the future of Syria. It came as rebels fighting the Assad regime said that they were successfully resisting a Russian-backed offensive in the north of the country, the articles say. Commanders of Syrian rebel groups report that they have been able to hold back government advances despite the presence of Russian aircraft and artillery for almost a month. The newspapers report the failure to break the resistance of rebel forces suggests that the Russian intervention has served to re-establish a stalemate on the battlefield, perhaps improving the prospects for diplomacy.
A Challenger 2 tank fires live rounds on to the target at the Land Warfare Centre in Warminster where more than 30 bosses from medium-sized companies attended the Understanding the Army Reserve Land Combat Power Visit this week
