Iran shoots down negotiations after receiving Trump's letter
Cedric: Welcome to the Geopolitical
Report Daily for March 13, 2025.
Complete reports with casualty
information, interactive web maps, and
our IntelHub dashboard are available with
a Geopolitical Report Pro subscription.
Wednesday, we collected 47 events,
including Iran turning down
negotiations after receiving Trump's
letter, so let's get started.
"Iran
US President Donald Trump has sent a
letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah
Ali Khamenei, proposing talks on a nuclear
deal but warning that Iran can be handled
either through military action or a deal
preventing nuclear weapons acquisition.
Iran has rejected the offer, with
Khamenei stating that Tehran will
not be bullied into talks with
excessive demands and threats."
"Philippines
Former President Rodrigo Duterte of
the Philippines was arrested on Tuesday
at the Manila International Airport
and sent to the Netherlands to face
charges of crimes against humanity at
the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The ICC issued an arrest warrant
in March, accusing Duterte of
overseeing deadly anti-drug
crackdowns during his presidency."
"Colombia
On Wednesday, a bomb attack in
southwestern Colombia left five
soldiers dead and six others wounded
while they were working on a bridge
repair in the town of Balboa.
Authorities have blamed the Carlos
Patino group, affiliated with the Estado
Mayor Central (EMC), for the attack.
The EMC is the umbrella organization
of the Revolutionary Armed
Forces of Colombia (FARC)."
"Germany
On Wednesday, police in Germany
arrested two individuals suspected
of promoting the Kurdistan Workers'
Party (PKK) in Schleswig-Holstein
and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
The 63-year-old main suspect is accused
of collecting â¬178,000 in donations
and participating in PKK meetings,
while the 64-year-old second suspect
allegedly co-organized propaganda
events and received â¬3,000 in donations.
The investigation involved raids on nine
properties and an existing arrest warrant.
The PKK is a banned
organization in Germany."
"India
Police arrested a Peopleâs Revolutionary
Party of Kangleipak (Progressive)
(PREPAK (Pro)) militant during
an operation in Wangoo Chairel
Leingangtabi in Bishnupur District."
"India
Manipur Police and 5/9 GR arrested
a Peopleâs Revolutionary Party of
Kangleipak (Progressive) (PREPAK (Pro))
militant during an operation from
the foothills of Sanjembam Khullen
Village under the Irilbung Police
Station in Imphal East District.
Police recovered 45 rounds of 7.62
mm AK rifle ammunition, a mobile
phone, and a wallet from him."
"India
On Tuesday, security forces arrested
seven Kangleipak Communist Party
(Peopleâs War Group) and KCP (PWG)
militants from a farmhouse temporary
camp at Tera Urak under Lamsang Police
Station in Imphal West District.
Troops recovered a cache of arms
and other materials from their
possession, including a 7.65
mm pistol with a loaded
magazine, three rounds of 7.65
mm ammunition, multiple rounds of
ammunition for SLR and AK rifles,
a BAOFENG handheld set, 11 mobile
handsets, tax-related documents
linked to KCP (PWG), Aadhaar and voter
ID cards, and two four-wheelers."
"India
Security forces arrested two
Kangleipak Communist Party (Peopleâs
War Group) rebels during an
operation in Khurai Chingangbam
Leikai in Imphal East District."
"India
On Wednesday, an Indian Army soldier was
injured in a suspected sniper fire at
a forward post in the Kalsiyan area of
Nowshera along the Line of Control (LoC)
in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district.
An explosion was reported along
the Line of Control (LoC) earlier
today, though sources indicate
there were no casualties."
"Nigeria
Troops from Operation Fansan Yanma
have successfully repelled a bandit
attack on Mada town in Zamfara State.
The combined force of Nigerian Army
personnel and the Askarawa militia
engaged the heavily armed assailants,
inflicting heavy casualties and recovering
several weapons and motorcycles.
The situation has been restored
to calm, with additional troops
deployed to prevent further attacks."
"Nigeria
Troops from Operation Safe Haven
have arrested a 22-year-old
gunrunner and suspected kidnapper,
Blessed Paul, in Kaduna State.
He was lured back from Abuja with
a fake deal to buy an AK-47 rifle
and was subsequently apprehended.
A search of his location led to
the recovery of an AK-47 rifle,
a magazine, and ammunition.
Paul is currently in military custody,
providing intelligence to aid further
investigations into his criminal network."
"Nigeria
On Wednesday, a suspected ISWAP
terrorist IED explosion along the
Maiduguri-Damaturu road near the
village of Kuturu, between Auno and
Jakana, injured three police officers.
The attack occurred while a
Rapid Response Squad (RRS)
patrol team was on routine duty."
"Nigeria
On Tuesday, March 11, HRH Etsu Yuda Garba,
the traditional ruler of Dnako in the
Federal Capital Territory, was kidnapped
by gunmen wearing military uniforms.
The kidnappers also abducted his two
grandsons, Ephraim and Philemon, and
five other residents of the community.
The incident occurred at around 12:03
am, with the abductors breaking into
homes and the palace of the village head
before escaping with their victims."
"Pakistan
Unknown assailants attacked the Government
Boys High School in Sehwan, causing
panic and chaos during examinations.
Gunmen opened fire, triggering
a stampede as students and
staff scrambled for safety.
Authorities have launched an investigation
to identify and apprehend the suspects."
"Pakistan
A security operation in Pakistan's
Balochistan province has resulted
in the release of 190 hostages
and the death of 30 militants.
The operation was carried out in response
to an ambush by 70 to 80 Balochistan
Liberation Army (BLA) terrorists on a
train in the Bolan area, which left at
least 10 passengers dead and 37 injured.
The BLA had taken around 214
passengers hostage, but security
forces have now freed most of them.
Security sources report that
multiple militants, wearing jackets
rigged with explosives, have
taken positions near the hostages.
As a result, the troops have been
compelled to exercise extreme caution
in executing the ongoing operation."
"Pakistan
The hostage crisis in southwestern
Pakistan has been resolved, with all
346 train passengers being freed.
However, 28 soldiers
were killed in the siege.
The attack, claimed by the Baloch
Liberation Army (BLA), resulted in
the deaths of 27 off-duty soldiers
and 1 soldier during the operation.
The incident highlights the ongoing
tensions in the region, where the BLA
has been staging recent attacks against
security forces and ethnic groups."
"Philippines
During a focused military operation,
troops from the 403rd Infantry Brigade
engaged and killed two alleged senior
commanders of the New People's Army
(NPA) in Cabanglasan, Bukidnon."
"Somalia
Somali security forces have ended
a deadly 24-hour siege by Al-Shabab
Islamist fighters who stormed the Qahira
Hotel in the central city of Beledweyne.
The attack began on Tuesday with
a car bomb exploding, followed by
gunmen entering the hotel, leading to
intense clashes with security forces.
Police killed some of the
terrorists, while others died
after detonating suicide vests.
Seven civilians were killed
during the initial rebel attack,
while police rescued others."
"Syria
Gunmen, believed to be former regime
forces, attacked a patrol of Internal
Security Forces in the Kafr Susah
neighborhood in Damascus, but fortunately,
no casualties have been reported."
"Syria
The Internal Security Forces, backed
by coalition aircraft, conducted a
security operation in Al-Hawrah village.
As a result, they arrested a top
ISIS commander after monitoring
his movements and coordinating
an airdrop with ground forces."
"Syria
Security forces, including the
Internal Security Forces and the
international coalition, have arrested
11 individuals suspected of belonging
to ISIS in Al-Jaia'a Village.
Additionally, a person responsible for
distributing weapons and ammunition for
ISIS cells, identified as Khaled Murbad
Ebaid, was arrested in Al-Basera Town."
"Ukraine
On March 11, a terrorist attack occurred
in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, orchestrated
by Russian intelligence services.
Two local youths, aged 15 and 17, were
recruited via Telegram channels and
instructed to create homemade explosives.
The 17-year-old was killed instantly,
and the 15-year-old was hospitalized
with severe injuries after one
of the devices detonated while
they were en route to plant it.
The SSU has filed charges against the
15-year-old and warns citizens to report
recruitment attempts to their chatbot."
"West Bank
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have
launched a manhunt after an Israeli
civilian was shot and moderately wounded
near the West Bank settlement of Ariel.
The victim was able to reach Ariel's
industrial park, where they met with
security forces and medics, but the exact
location of the shooting is unclear.
The IDF is blocking roads and using aerial
surveillance to search for the assailant."
"Colombia
Colombia's newly appointed Defense
Minister, Pedro Sánchez, has
announced a shift in the country's
military strategy, aiming to retake
territory lost to rebel groups.
Sánchez, a retired general, was appointed
in late February as the country faces
its worst security crisis in a decade."
"Philippines
On Tuesday, five members of the
extremist Dawlah Islamiya-Hassan
Group/Maute surrendered to military
authorities in Barangay Kamasi,
Ampatuan town, Maguindanao del Sur.
The rebels yielded five high-powered
firearms during their surrender."
"West Bank
The Palestinian Authority (PA) has
condemned Hamas for negotiating with
the United States over Gaza's future,
calling it a threat to Palestinian
unity and a violation of the law.
The PA spokesperson, Nabil Abu
Rudeineh, urged Hamas to reunite
with the PA and end the division
between the West Bank and Gaza,
citing the need for a single national
authority to govern both regions."
"Yemen
The Houthis, a Yemeni militia backed by
Iran, have announced a ban on Israeli
ships passing through the Red and
Arabian seas, effective immediately.
They are threatening to attack any
Israeli ship that violates this ban."
"Israel
A 62-year-old Arab Israeli journalist,
Said Hassanin, has been indicted
for having contact with foreign
agents and expressing support
for a terrorist organization.
Hassanin, a well-known figure in the
Arab community, made statements praising
Hamas and Hezbollah during interviews
with Palestinian television channels.
He faces up to 15 years in prison
for contact with foreign agents and
up to 3 years for expressing support
for a terrorist organization."
"Iraq
A kamikaze drone attacked the Turkish
army's Zelkan military base in Nineveh
province, but no casualties were reported.
The Kurdistan Region's Counter-Terrorism
Directorate (CTD) announced the attack,
with no group yet claiming responsibility.
The incident highlights the ongoing
tension between Turkey and Iraq
over Turkey's military presence
in Iraqi territory, particularly
in the Kurdistan region."
"Myanmar
Arakan Army (AA) insurgents are advancing
towards the Rakhine State capital of
Sittwe, including an attack on a junta
naval base located 4km north of the city.
Clashes are taking place around
Thone Soung village and at the
strategic Min Gan base, which
is fortified with naval vessels.
In response, the junta reinforced
the naval base and the area around
Byaing Phyu village outside Sittwe.
Furthermore, the regime has launched
airstrikes and shelling on the
nearby townships of Ponnagyun,
Pauktaw, and Rathedaung."
"Somalia
Somali army forces, in collaboration
with international partners, conducted
an airstrike in the Middle Shabelle
region that killed at least 50 Al-Shabaab
militants, including a senior leader.
According to a press release
from the Somali National Army on
Wednesday, the airstrike took place
in the Damasha and Shabeelow areas,
where the leader of Al-Shabaab's
combat vehicles was also killed.
The release identified the senior
Al-Shabaab leader killed as Mansoor
Tima-Weeyne, who had masterminded
the preparation and use of combat
vehicles for terrorist attacks."
"Somalia
On Monday, the United Arab Emirates
(UAE) conducted airstrikes on
several ISIS terrorist bases in the
caves of the Cal-Miskaad mountains
in Somalia's Puntland State.
Casualty figures were unknown.
The strikes came almost a day
after Puntland troops seized an
ISIS sniper training camp in the
Dibi-Ganuun area of Al-Miskad."
"Syria
Turkish fighter jets conducted
airstrikes on the Al-Qasak Mountains
and Al-Bojak Village in northern
Syria, but no casualties were reported.
Additionally, Turkish forces fired
artillery shells on the Tishreen dam
area, also with no reported casualties.
The incidents occurred amidst
escalating tensions in the region,
prompting a civilian convoy to
protest the Turkish attacks."
"Syria
There have been escalating
airstrikes by Turkish fighter
jets in the Aleppo countryside,
targeting areas such as Teshreen
dam, Qarrah Quzaq bridge, and Sarin.
The Syrian Democratic Forces
(SDF) have reportedly shot down
four Turkish drones in the area.
Clashes between SDF and
Turkish-backed National Army
factions have also been reported.
Despite the airstrikes and artillery fire,
no casualties have been reported so far."
"Syria
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)
launched raids in the eastern countryside
of Deir Ezzor, targeting the homes
of young men who joined the Syrian
army despite an agreement signed with
the Syrian government to integrate
the SDF into state institutions.
Clashes broke out between local
residents and SDF members, and
there is no indication that
the operation was successful.
This comes amid concerns that
the SDF may continue to detain
people to strengthen its control
in the areas under its influence."
"Taiwan
Taiwan tracked one Chinese
military aircraft, seven naval
vessels, and one official ship
around its country between 6 a.m.
on Tuesday and 6 a.m.
on Wednesday.
Five aircraft crossed the Taiwan
Strait median line in the country's
northern, southwestern, and eastern
Air Defense Identification Zone."
"Ukraine
A Russian drone attack in Dnipro has
caused multiple fires at infrastructure
facilities and private residential areas.
Several fires have been extinguished,
while one is still being localized,
resulting in partial damage to
a private two-story house, a
garage, and residential houses.
Additionally, approximately 10
private houses, a kindergarten,
and a school were damaged, and a
man was injured in the attack."
"Ukraine
On March 11, explosions occurred near
a railway station in Ivano-Frankivsk,
resulting in three hospitalizations.
A 15-year-old boy is in critical condition
with severe injuries, including amputated
lower limbs and a penetrating chest wound.
A wounded girl is in stable condition
after surgery for a penetrating
chest wound and a neck injury.
Additionally, a young man born
in 2004 is being treated for
a penetrating chest wound."
"Ukraine
On March 12, Kryvyi Rih was attacked by
Russians, resulting in the death of one
woman and injuries to nine civilians.
Seven of the wounded are hospitalized,
with two in serious and one in
extremely serious condition.
The attack damaged various civilian
objects, including infrastructure,
buildings, vehicles, shops, and
an educational institution."
"Ukraine
On the night of March 12, air defense
forces destroyed 5 Russian drones on
the outskirts of Kyiv, while seven
others were lost or left the airspace.
The air raid lasted for 1 hour and 4
minutes, causing damage and fires in
several districts of the Kyiv region,
including Fastiv, Obukhiv, and Brovary."
"Ukraine
On Tuesday, March 11, Russian troops
launched an air attack on Ukraine,
firing 133 Shahed-type attack
drones and various types of imitator
drones from multiple directions.
The Ukrainian Air Force and Defense
Forces successfully repelled the
attack, downing 98 Russian drones
and 20 Russian imitator drones.
The attack affected several regions,
including Odesa, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Kyiv.
Unfortunately, four Syrian citizens were
killed in Odesa due to a Russian ballistic
missile strike, and a 47-year-old
woman was killed in Kryvyi Rih."
"Ukraine
On March 11, Russian forces carried
out artillery and airstrikes on
multiple locations in the Kherson
region, killing two people and wounding
seven others, including two children.
The attacks damaged 3 apartment buildings,
eight private houses, a gas pipeline,
farm buildings, and private vehicles.
Additionally, on the night of March
12, Ukrainian air defense forces
shot down a Russian Shahed-131/136
drone over the Kherson region."
"Ukraine
Ukrainian forces claimed to have
killed or wounded 1,430 Russian
soldiers over the past day.
Over 230 pieces of military equipment
were destroyed in the fighting."
"Ukraine
On March 12, the Russian army
carried out eight strikes on the Sumy
region, resulting in 21 explosions.
The attacks targeted various communities
using artillery, drones, and UAVs,
including Myropilia, Sumy, Esman,
Yunakivka, and Velykopysarivka."
"South Africa
Pam Golding, a South Africa-based
real estate company, suffered
a cyber attack that resulted in
unauthorized access to some of its
customers' personal information.
Although no sensitive information, such as
banking details or financial information,
was compromised, the company has taken
steps to secure its systems and notified
affected clients as required by law."
"Bulgaria
Protesters have gathered in Sofia
over alleged electoral fraud in last
October's Bulgarian general election.
The conflict between the Constitutional
Court and the Sofia Prosecution has
intensified, with the court unable
to reach a judgment due to the
prosecution's acquisition of evidence
without the court's knowledge.
The Constitutional Court has
ordered a full recount of the
votes, but the Sofia Prosecution's
actions have hindered the process.
The dispute has sparked concerns about
the prosecution's impartiality and its
alleged siding with those in power."
"Chile
On Tuesday, a devastating four-bus
pileup occurred in northern Chile,
resulting in the deaths of six
people and injuring 11 others.
The incident happened on the Pan-American
Highway in the Coqulmbo Region when a
third bus crashed into two broken-down
buses, and a fourth bus drove into the
third, running over some passengers."
"Slovenia
Carl Lundström, a Swedish entrepreneur
and early backer of The Pirate
Bay, died in a plane crash in the
Slovenian mountains on Monday.
The plane, a Mooney M-20, crashed
into a cabin on the Velika Planina
mountain, splitting the structure in two.
A rescue effort was delayed due to bad
weather conditions and remote terrain."
Thanks for joining us for the March
13, 2025 Geopolitical Report Daily.
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