US calls for strengthened military ties with Japan
Cedric: Welcome to the Geopolitical
Report Daily for March 31, 2025.
Complete reports with casualty
information, interactive web maps, and
our IntelHub dashboard are available with
a Geopolitical Report Pro subscription.
Sunday, we collected 53 events,
including the US Secretary of Defense
calling for closer ties with Japan to
counter China, so let's get started.
"Japan
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited
Japan to strengthen military ties and
deter Chinese assertiveness in the region.
Hegseth announced the upgrade of
the US military command in Japan to
a ""war-fighting headquarters"" to
enhance joint operational capabilities.
The two countries agreed to accelerate
plans for joint missile development,
improve defense industries, and
bolster their defense posture
on the southwestern islands.
This move aims to maintain a strong
deterrent against China's growing military
actions and potential threats to Taiwan.
"United States
US President Donald Trump says he
would consider using military force to
acquire Greenland, a Danish territory,
and claims, ""We'll get Greenland.
Yeah, 100%.""
Trump's comments come after a tense
visit by US Vice President JD Vance
and criticism from Danish Foreign
Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen,
who expressed concern over the US
tone and called for cooperation."
"Afghanistan
The Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF) has
issued an Eid al-Fitr message calling
for unity among anti-Taliban groups
and reaffirming its commitment to
armed resistance against the Taliban.
The group criticized the Taliban's
interpretation of religious teachings
and their stance on cultural
traditions, highlighting broader goals
of national liberation and dignity.
The AFF sees its fight as a
struggle for the freedom of
Afghanistan and the restoration of
its people's pride and dignity."
"Afghanistan
Mobile phone networks were shut
down in Kabul and several provinces
on Eid al-Fitr, leaving many
citizens unable to communicate.
The reason for the suspension remains
unclear, with some suggesting it
may be linked to security concerns.
The Taliban's decision comes
despite claims of establishing
""nationwide security"" since
returning to power in 2021."
"Afghanistan
The Taliban's supreme leader,
Hibatullah Akhundzada, has warned that
disobedience to his orders could lead
to the collapse of Taliban rule and
plunge Afghanistan back into civil war.
In an Eid al-Fitr prayer speech,
Hibatullah emphasized the importance
of obedience to Taliban leadership as
a religious obligation and cautioned
against foreign conspiracies.
The warning comes amid speculation
about a widening rift between Hibatullah
and Interior Minister Sirajuddin
Haqqani and as Taliban officials
engage with the international community
and former Afghan government leaders
call for peace and national unity."
"Myanmar
On Sunday, Peopleâs Defence Force
(PDF) resistance fighters in Myanmar
declared a two-week partial ceasefire
as the junta military began to
facilitate rescue operations and
other relief work after a massive
earthquake hit the war-torn country."
"Niger
Niger has announced its withdrawal
from the Multinational Joint Task
Force fighting Islamist insurgency
groups in the Lake Chad region.
The decision, made amid rising tensions
between countries bordering Lake Chad,
will allow Niger to focus on protecting
its oil operations from jihadist attacks.
This move comes after a 2023 coup
in Niger and ongoing conflicts with
other countries, including Nigeria,
which Niger's military junta has
accused of supporting foreign
forces to destabilize the region."
"Syria
The Kurdish-led administration in
northeastern Syria has rejected the
legitimacy of the new national government
formed by the Islamist coalition that
overthrew Bashar al-Assad in December.
They argue that the new government
does not reflect Syria's diversity
and plurality, and therefore will not
recognize or enforce its decisions."
"Syria
Syrian authorities have seized
explosives and weapons planned to
be used by loyalists of the deposed
Bashar al-Assad regime to carry out
terrorist attacks in the city of Homs.
The seizure follows a tip-off and is
part of regular raids targeting Assad
loyalists who refused to surrender
their weapons to the new authorities."
"Ghana
The Ghanaian military has reported that
three Chinese nationals are missing
after a suspected pirate attack on a
Ghanaian-registered fishing vessel,
the MENGXIN 1, on Thursday, March 27.
Seven armed individuals boarded the ship,
fired warning shots, and took the captain,
chief mate, and chief engineer hostage.
The ship docked at the Tema Fishing
Harbour after the incident."
"India
Counter-intelligence operatives arrested
three weapons smugglers during an
operation in Amritsar on Saturday.
The operatives recovered six pistols,
including one 9MM Glock, two .30
bore, and three country-made .32
bore pistols, from the individuals."
"India
A 40-year-old tribal woman, Sushila
Sodhi, was killed in an improvised
explosive device (IED) blast in
Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Sunday.
The blast occurred while she
was collecting mahua fruits, and
she died during treatment at the
Usoor Community Health Centre."
"India
On Saturday, Indian troops killed
at least 16 Maoist rebels during a
clash in a dense forest area of the
Sukma district of Chhattisgarh State."
"Israel
Israeli air defenses successfully
intercepted a ballistic missile launched
by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen
before crossing the country's borders.
No injuries or damage have been reported,
but sirens sounded across central
Israel, marking at least the eighth
Houthi attack on Israel since March 18."
"Israel
A 17-year-old from Jisr az-Zarqa
was arrested earlier this month
on suspicion of planning a
terror attack on behalf of ISIS.
The youth had sworn allegiance to the
Islamic State terror group and had
documents related to manufacturing
explosives in his possession.
The Haifa District Attorney's Office has
filed an indictment against the suspect,
requesting an extension of his detention
until the end of court proceedings."
"Lebanon
Lebanese authorities have arrested
several suspects in connection with
rocket attacks on Israel in early March.
The incidents, which took place on March
22 and 28, prompted an Israeli strike on
Hezbollah's Beirut stronghold on Friday.
Hezbollah has denied involvement in
the rocket fire, but investigations are
ongoing to determine responsibility."
"Nigeria
On Friday, March 28, 2025, the
Nigerian Navy's Forward Operating
Base (FOB) in Bonny, Rivers State,
received a distress call about a market
boat carrying 15 passengers being
hijacked by suspected kidnappers.
The anti-kidnapping team quickly responded
and pursued the kidnappers into a creek,
where they abandoned the boat and escaped.
The naval personnel safely rescued all
15 passengers, who were later debriefed
and escorted to their destination."
"Nigeria
Nigerian Army troops and police
operatives rescued 20 kidnapped
victims from armed criminals along the
Takum-Mararaba Road in Taraba State.
The operation, which took place
on Saturday night, involved a gun
battle between the security forces
and the kidnappers, resulting in the
assailants fleeing into the forest.
Two of the rescued individuals,
Yakubu Usman and Godwin Peter,
sustained injuries and were taken
to the hospital for treatment."
"Pakistan
On Saturday, Pakistani forces killed
six terrorists during a clash in the
Kalat district of Balochistan province."
"Pakistan
A suicide bomber blew himself
up near a protest rally in
Balochistan, Pakistan, on Saturday.
Sardar Akhtar Mengal, leader
of the Balochistan National
Party-Mengal (BNP-M), escaped unhurt
along with other party workers.
However, four participants from the rally
were reportedly injured in the blast.
The incident occurred during a long
march by the BNP-M, protesting the
arrests of leaders and workers of
the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC)."
"Philippines
Last Thursday, March 27, government
forces arrested a New People's
Army (NPA) rebel in Lucena City.
The individual was tasked to
facilitate the collection of
""permit-to-campaign"" (PTC) fees from
election candidates in Quezon province.
Police also detained the rebel's
cohort, who was found with a .32
caliber gun and six bullets."
"Russia
A luxury limousine from Russian
President Vladimir Putin's official
fleet exploded in central Moscow,
sparking concerns about his security.
The incident occurred near the
FSB headquarters and is believed
to have started in the engine,
with no reported injuries.
The cause of the explosion remains
unclear, but it has intensified fears
of internal threats within the Kremlin."
"Russia
A suspect opened random fire from
a building roof, prompting Russian
special forces to intervene.
The suspect was wounded in the incident,
according to RIA state news agency."
"Syria
A conflict between two tribes in Gharanij
Town, eastern Deir Ezzor countryside,
resulted in armed clashes, exchanged
gunshots, and the burning of houses.
Fortunately, no casualties were reported."
"Syria
A violent clash between two families
in Anjara Town, Aleppo countryside,
resulted in the deaths of 3
people and injuries to 11 others.
Long-standing disputes between the
families reportedly sparked the
incident amidst a backdrop of security
chaos and tension in the area."
"Syria
ISIS gunmen opened fire on a civilian
in Al-Hawayj Village, injuring him.
He was taken to a hospital
for medical treatment."
"Syria
Unidentified gunmen killed a member
of the Turkish-backed National
Army on a motorbike in Al-Sanmin
City, northern Daraa countryside."
"West Bank
A wanted man suspected of involvement in
attacks on security forces was arrested
in the West Bank village of Tamun.
The suspect, who was armed with
an M-16 rifle, attempted to flee
but was neutralized by precise
fire from police and IDF forces."
"Tunisia
A Tunisian court has sentenced six
Libyan nationals to 44 years in
prison each for their involvement
in an attempted assassination of
Abdulmajid Mliqta, an adviser to
Libyaâs Government of National Unity.
The assassination attempt
took place on June 13, 2024.
Two accused remain at large,
while the others are being
extradited from Tunisia to Libya."
"Myanmar
Despite Friday's 7.2-magnitude
earthquake in Myanmar, junta
forces conducted airstrikes on
Danu People's Liberation Army insurgent
positions in Naungcho (Nawnghkio)
Township, killing seven rebels."
"Pakistan
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province,
Pakistan, an anti-militant operation
resulted in the deaths of 10 civilians,
including women and children, during a
raid on suspected terrorist hideouts.
The government has promised an
inquiry into the incident and is
providing medical aid and compensation
to the victims' families."
"Pakistan
On Friday night, Pakistani
drone strikes targeted suspected
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)
hideouts in the Katling area of the
Mardan district, killing at least 11
people, including women and children.
The airstrikes occurred just
hours before TTP announced a
three-day Eid Al-Fitr ceasefire."
"Sudan
The Sudanese army has taken control
of a Souq Libya market in Omdurman,
a twin city of Khartoum, after
declaring victory over the Rapid
Support Forces (RSF) in the capital.
Troops seized weapons and equipment
left behind by the RSF when they fled."
"Syria
Clashes have erupted between the
Syrian Democratic Forces and the
National Army near the Teshreen dam
in Aleppo's eastern countryside.
There are reports of gunfire and
explosions, but no information is
available on the number of casualties."
"Syria
Two members of the Internal Security
Forces were killed in an explosion
of a landmine on the Qorah Qozak
Bridge in Aleppo countryside."
"Taiwan
Taiwan tracked one PLA aircraft
and seven naval vessels around
its country between 6 a.m.
on Saturday and Sunday.
The aircraft crossed the median
line of the Taiwan Strait and
entered Taiwanâs southwestern
Air Defense Identification Zone."
"Ukraine
Russian troops have shelled
the border communities of Sumy
region 44 times, resulting in 74
explosions and injuring one person.
The affected areas include Sumy, Sad,
Khotyn, and several other communities."
"Ukraine
Ukrainian forces claimed to
have killed or wounded 1,510
Russian soldiers over the day.
Over 330 pieces of equipment
were damaged in the fighting."
"Ukraine
A Russian drone attack on Saturday,
March 29, has caused significant
damage and casualties in Kharkiv.
The attack resulted in two
deaths and 35 injuries.
The Shevchenkivskyi district was
particularly affected, with 27
residential buildings damaged and
almost 1,000 windows shattered.
Several key buildings, including a
local military hospital, a market, and
a dormitory for internally displaced
persons, were also destroyed or damaged."
"Ukraine
On Saturday, March 29, Russian forces
launched 111 attack drones and decoys
towards Ukraine from various directions.
The Ukrainian Air Force and Defense
Forces successfully shot down 65
drones, while 35 Russian drone decoys
were lost without causing damage.
The impact of the Russian assault
was recorded in Kharkiv, Sumy,
Odesa, and Donetsk regions."
"Ukraine
Ukraine's State Border Guard
Service reported that two Russian
reconnaissance drones were shot down
in the Sumy axis by fighters from
the 5th Border Guard Detachment.
This comes after Russian military
forces shelled border communities in
the Sumy region 44 times, resulting
in 74 explosions and one injury in the
night and morning hours of March 30."
"Ukraine
In the Poltava region, Ukrainian air
defense forces targeted Russian drones,
resulting in damage to a private
house, an administrative building of
a children's camp, and power lines.
One woman sustained minor injuries,
and 16 households were left without
electricity due to power line damage.
Specialists are working to
restore the power supply."
"Ukraine
On March 30, Russian forces shelled
Malokaterynivka in the Zaporizhzhia region
twice, damaging a car and a private house.
This is the latest in a series of
attacks, with 325 strikes launched at 10
settlements in the region on March 29."
"Ukraine
Russian troops have launched an
attack on Kupiansk in the Kharkiv
region, resulting in injuries and
damage to residential buildings.
A 54-year-old woman and a 55-year-old man
were injured in the strike, and a fire
engulfed a private house and outbuilding."
"Ukraine
On March 29, Russian forces launched
a significant attack on 10 settlements
in the Zaporizhzhia region, with a
total of 325 strikes carried out.
The attack included airstrikes,
drone attacks, and artillery
strikes, but fortunately, there were
no reported civilian casualties.
However, one private house was damaged.
The settlements targeted
include Huliaipole, Kamianske,
and Shcherbaky, among others."
"Denmark
A demonstration was held outside
the US Embassy in Copenhagen, with
hundreds of people protesting the US
administration's stance on Greenland.
The protest was sparked by US
Vice President JD Vance's recent
remarks and visit to Pituffik
Space Base, where he criticized
Denmark's governance of Greenland.
The crowd held banners reading ""Greenland
Not for Sale"" and ""Back Off, USA,"" and
speakers called for international action
against US rhetoric, emphasizing the
need to protect Greenland's sovereignty."
"Iran
Iranian police have dispersed a weeks-long
sit-in by demonstrators supporting a bill
to impose harsher penalties on women who
refuse to cover their hair with a hijab.
The bill, which was approved by parliament
in September 2023 but not submitted
for final approval, would have imposed
tougher penalties, including fines and
prison sentences, for women deemed to be
promoting ""nudity"" or ""indecency.""
The protest, which lasted around 48
days, was dispersed after negotiations
with the authorities, with around 30
individuals resisting the police order."
"Turkey
On Saturday, hundreds of thousands
of protesters gathered in Istanbul
to demand the release of the city's
imprisoned mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu.
Imamoglu, a key rival to President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was detained on
corruption and terrorism charges that
many see as politically motivated.
The protests, organized by Turkey's
main opposition party, the Republican
People's Party (CHP), have resulted
in hundreds of detentions and
increased pressure on the government."
"India
On Sunday, seven bogies of an express
train derailed at the Nergundi railway
station in Cuttack, Odisha, resulting
in one death and several injuries.
The SMVT Bengaluru-Kamakhya AC
Express derailed at Nergundi
railway station in Cuttack, and
rescue operations are underway."
"Philippines
A Cessna plane crashed in Barangay
Libsong East, Lingayen, Pangasinan,
on Sunday morning, resulting
in the deaths of two people.
There were no reported
casualties on the ground."
"Syria
Two young men from Arbid village
were killed in an explosion of a
cluster bomb in Kuwayres town, which
the National Army controls in the
eastern countryside of Aleppo."
"Syria
In Deir Ezzor and Daraa, Syria, two
civilians lost their lives in an
explosion of a war remnant shell, and
another was injured by shrapnel from
an explosive object in their home."
"United States
A small plane, a Cirrus SR22,
crashed in Franklin Township,
Somerset County, on Sunday morning.
The pilot was the only person on board,
and it's unclear if they were injured.
The plane departed from Princeton
Airport in New Jersey and was headed
to Raleigh-Durham International
Airport in North Carolina.
The cause of the crash is currently
under investigation by the FAA and the
National Transportation Safety Board."
Thanks for joining us for the March
31, 2025 Geopolitical Report Daily.
As a reminder, complete reports with
casualty information, interactive
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