Breaking News, January 15, 2018

The Iraqi security forces will clean up several settlements in the Kirkuk province, in the areas of Rabza, Marzuk and al-Arabil, where the ISIS fighters or the so-called «sleeping cells» may be located. Several clashes with militants had already occurred in Kirkuk. There is also a possibility oа militants’ presence in the areas to the west — according to the estimates of the international coalition, up to 1,000 terrorists were still there a few weeks ago.

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During the past day the AFU shelled the positions of the People’s Militia of the LPR. The fire hit the village Raevka. The shelling was carried out using mortar. There were no casualties among civilians and servicemen.

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During the past day the AFU units violated the ceasefire regime 13 times, releasing over 200 units of ammunition of various types in the front territories of the Republic. The enemy used mortars of various calibers, grenade launchers and small arms. The districts of eight settlements of the Republic got under enemy fire, the most intensive bombardments were inflicted on settlements on the Gorlovka direction.

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On Monday night, the Taliban attacked a checkpoint in the province of Farah (Afghanistan). Seven policemen died, three others were injured. During the attack, the Taliban suffered losses, but the exact number of dead among the militants is not reported.

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Preliminary tests of the latest flame-throwing system «Tosochka» has started in Russia, which will continue the tradition of «Solntsepek» that has already won recognition in Syria. The Syrian experience prompted gunsmiths the idea of replacing track with wheels, which makes the vehicle more mobile. Deliveries of «Tosochka» to the troops are planned for 2018-2025. Putting it on the wheels is a part of the developers plan to make the system multivariate and highly mobile. But those systems will unlikely be at the forefront of the battlefield as they can be easily subjected to the reciprocal enemy fire. So apparently «Tosochka» will have to «work from closed positions rather than deliver direct fire».

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Britain announced the sortie of the Royal Air Force fighters to intercept Russian aircraft approaching the airspace of the country. «We can confirm the immediate reaction of Typhoon at the Lossiemouth Air Force Base. The planes took off this morning, this is a real-time operation, so we will not be able to provide additional information until the mission is completed, «the British Defense Ministry reported.