In defence news today is coverage of the Sun Military Awards, today's UK-hosted Counter-Daesh Ministerial Meeting, the Chief of the Defence Staff's annual lecture at the Royal United Services Institute, and IHAT.
THE SUN MILITARY AWARDS
The Sun celebrates last night’s Sun Military awards, which were held at London’s Guildhall. In the presence of the Prime Minister, Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon, and a number of celebrity supporters, personnel from all three services received awards. Awards winners included the counter-Daesh mission, Operation SHADER, who won Hero Overseas Unit, and a judges special award for the Second Battalion, Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, for their role in last year’s floods.
COUNTER-DAESH MINISTERIAL MEETING
In an Op Ed in The Telegraph ahead of today’s Counter-Daesh Ministerial, the Defence Secretary writes that Britain has stepped up the fight against Daesh and helped Iraqi Security Forces push them back, so they now control less than 10% of Iraqi territory; that a second front has been opened up against Daesh by the Syrian Democratic Force in Raqqa; that we are making plans for long term stability in Iraq; and the UK is taking the lead for dealing with foreign fighters.
The Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail report that the UK will deploy intelligence specialists to exploit data which is discovered as Daesh are pushed out of Mosul. While The Guardian covers the announcement that UK personnel have arrived in the Middle East to train moderate Syrian rebels engaged in the fight against Islamic State.
Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said:
Daesh is being taken on in Eastern Mosul: last week we opened up a second front around Raqqa. Daesh is losing ground, finance and fighters.
As part of the 68 member Coalition, Britain is playing a leading role, through our airstrikes, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and our training.
In 2017 we must maintain momentum to deal these terrorists a decisive blow.
CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE STAFF RUSI LECTURE
The Chief of the Defence Staff's lecture at the Royal United Services Institute last night is picked up by a number of papers, including The Telegraph and Mail. In a wide ranging speech, CDS warned of the challenge to the current consensus based approach to peace and security, cyber security, and relations with Russia.
IHAT
The Telegraph, The Times, Daily Mail, and the Mirror continue their coverage of IHAT.
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