The first in a new series of weekly briefings covering political and security risk updates from around the world. This week: the US Senate has voted down four separate gun control measures in the aftermath of the mass shooting in Orlando, Florida, which killed 49 people; the United Kingdom will shortly vote on its membership of the European Union against the backdrop of an increasingly antagonistic campaign and the shocking far-right murder of a pro-EU MP; Russia has announced it plans to maintain its military presence in the Artic region; and more from Africa, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Polar regions.
Tag: Kirsten Winterman
Intelligence brief: The use of barrel bombs by the Syrian government
Barrel bombs are a type of IED dropped from a helicopter or cargo aircraft. It is estimated that 5-6,000 such bombs have been dropped by the Syrian military since the uprising began, killing at least 20,000 people. This intelligence brief explores the reasons behind the Syrian government's use of these improvised devices and assesses whether targeting helicopter manufacturers or spare-part suppliers might be an effective strategy for international NGOs wishing to put pressure on the Syrian government to end its use of these weapons.
