In defence-related broadcast news this morning, Sky News reports that, later today, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon will announce he is to send up to a further 20 British soldiers to train the moderate opposition in Syria.
Sky News, BBC News and various online outlets also say at least 58 cadets and guards have been killed after militants attacked a police college in the Pakistani city of Quetta. A major security operation lasted for hours last night and all attackers were killed. No group has yet claimed the attack.
SYRIA TRAINING
The Defence Secretary Michael Fallon’s announcement that the UK will resume training the Syrian moderate opposition is carried in a number of papers and on Sky News. The programme will see a further 20 military personnel to the Middle East to help them prepare for an eventual attack on Daesh’s Syrian headquarters.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said:
Daesh are the back foot. The RAF is already playing a leading role in the air, hitting them hard in Iraq and Syria.
Now we’re stepping up our support by training moderate opposition forces outside Syria in the skills they need to defeat Daesh.
You can read more here.
MOSUL
In on-going reporting of the battle for Mosul, The Mirror reports on how Christians and Muslims used to live peacefully in the Iraqi town of Bartella before the reign of Daesh. Bartella has been liberated by Iraqi Special Forces. The Times says Kurdish Peshmerga and Iraqi forces involved in the operation to liberate Mosul are becoming familiar with the horrors of repeated suicide attacks on their men, developing a sense of humour on the issue.
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Members of the Reserve's, 101 Military Working Dog Squadron (101 MWD Sqn), along with their Regular colleagues from 102 Military Working Dog Squadron, 1st Military Working Dog Regiment (1 MWD Regt) have today completed their final training task together in Germany. Exercise CHIRON ALLIANCE, where members from across the Regiment came together to test their military skills, was a Squadron level exercise to test the units infantry and soldiering skills as well as their dog handling skills in a testing environment, both for themselves and their animals.
Delivering a wide range of Military Working Dog capabilities, the Regiment plays a pivotal role in supporting a number of key activities including; counter insurgency operations, the detection of Improvised Explosive Devices, assistance in the searching of routes, buildings and vehicles, enhancing security and patrolling key installations.
The military effects the Regiment provides in support of operations range from that of deterrence and detection, right through to the use of sub-lethal force.
The 1st Military Working Dog Regiment consists of three Regular and two Reserve Military Working Dog Squadrons, comprising 299 Regular soldiers and officers with the ability to surge to a maximum capacity of 384 Military Working Dogs.
The recent creation of a Reserve component also provides an exciting opportunity to generate, train and fully integrate an additional 350 Army Reservists into the Regiment. Reserve roles include Dog Handlers, Veterinary Nurses and Veterinary Officers.
Continuing to support operations both at home and abroad, the Regiment is on track to meet its rebasing commitments, consolidating within St. Georges Barracks, North Luffenham by late 2017. Until then, the Unit will continue to operate from bases in Sennelager, Germany, North Luffenham and Cyprus.
Photographer; Mr Dominic King
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