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A pallet of humanitarian aid airdropped into Gaza on Friday morning killed five people and injured ten more, according to reports. Witnesses told the Guardian that the accident happened near the coastal refugee camp al-Shati after a parachute attached to the pallet failed to deploy properly and fell on a group of men, teenagers, and children waiting for aid. “Then, all of a sudden, the parachute didn’t open and fell down like a rocket on the roof of one of the houses,” witness Mohammed al-Ghoul told the newspaper. “Ten minutes later I saw people transferring three martyrs and others injured,...

Gaza reports say that at least five people were killed and others injured Friday afternoon after aid packages airdropped by the US hit them directly, west of Gaza City. Earlier this week, a Gazan "unboxing" aid packages on social media revealed that they contain four nutritious meals, Tabasco sauce, salt and sugar, and, in addition to the meals, Skittles candies. On Thursday night, US President Joe Biden gave his State of the Union speech to a Joint Session of Congress. “I pledge to all the families that we will not rest until we bring all of your loved ones home,”...

Venezuela is reportedly refusing to accept its citizens who have been deported from the U.S. and Mexico, further forcing illegal immigration as a key issue in the 2024 presidential race. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro introduced the ban after D.C. reimposed some economic sanctions it had previously lifted on the Central American country, according to a report last week in The Wall Street Journal. About 13% of all U.S. Customs and Border Protection encounters this fiscal year have been with Venezuelan nationals for a total of more than 160,000 encounters, per government data. That number is likely higher as CBP has...

CAMERON, N.C. (WTVD) -- A C-17 military plane dropped a Humvee prematurely over a neighborhood in Harnett County Wednesday afternoon, Fort Bragg officials confirmed. No one was injured. The neighborhood is in the town of Cameron. This incident occurred around 1 p.m. during a training exercise. "A load of some kind was released early and we're looking into how it happened," said Michael Novogradac, a spokesman for the USArmy's Operational Test Command. The C-17 aircraft carries supplies and equipment into war zones and, on Wednesday, the special operations team was practicing that type of scenario when the accident happened. Only...

Russian Airforce in Syria: Su-30SM and IL-76

At least one bundle of U.S. weapons airdropped in Syria appears to have fallen into the hands of ISIS, a dangerous misfire in the American mission to speed aid to Kurdish forces making their stand in Kobani. An ISIS-associated YouTube account posted a new video online Tuesday entitled, “Weapons and munitions dropped by American planes and landed in the areas controlled by the Islamic State in Kobani.” The video was also posted on the Twitter account of “a3maq news,” which acts as an unofficial media arm of ISIS. The outfit has previously posted videos of ISIS fighters firing American made...

7/8/2010 - KABUL, Afghanistan (AFNS) -- In the sky over Kalat, Afghanistan, a C-27 Spartan crew member opened the bay door and two men stepped forward. They surveyed the target zone and with a well-practiced motion pushed the cargo out the back of the plane. Two seconds later the chute opened and the cargo descended under control to the ground. The mission was a success. "This will be our first, full on, no playing around airdrop," said Lt. Col. James Piel, the 538th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron commander, prior to the mission. "We've spent awhile working up to this and...

BAGHDAD – U.S. Soldiers here at Al Asad Air Base recently showed their Iraqi Army counterparts an inexpensive way to deliver critical necessities like ammunition, food and water to their Soldiers in the field. U.S. Soldiers with the 307th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Advise and Assist Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, recently introduced the Iraqi Special Operations Forces to the Low Cost, Low Altitude Aerial Resupply System at Al Asad Air Base. Supply bundles such as these are airdropped from helicopters, an inexpensive way to deliver supplies to Soldiers in the field. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. P. Valentine.The U.S. Soldiers,...

2/2/2010 - KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (AFNS) -- Airmen of the 772nd Expeditionary Airlift Squadron here dropped 56 containerized delivery systems over three different drop zones within Afghanistan from the same aircraft Jan. 27 to support Operation Enduring Freedom warfighters. "It's more bundles than we've ever been able to drop in one day," said Maj. Joe Framptom, a 772nd EAS operations officer. "We're testing it to iron out any kinks so we'll be able to go full speed and do more airdrops like this once the new rigging facility opens up," he said. The Army 82nd Airborne Corps' new rigging facility,...

Watching the ongoing relief efforst on TV, it is frustrating to know that people deserately need the basics and will probably not get them for days. The officials are offloading everything at the airport andit is stacking up. I am no expert, but IMO we need to be doing a 2 pronged approach to this disaster, and airstyle-type drop of World War II combined with the precise relief we are seeing set up on television. But why they are not doing the airdrops is beyond me. The peeople need the basics such as water and crackers and these could beeasily...

FOB GARRY OWEN — Waiting in line, Ahmed al-Zahra, a local Iraqi citizen of Majarr al-Kabir, in southern Iraq, looked to his left and right as he observed the people in front of him also waiting to receive their fair share of food. He asked one of the Soldiers from the 10th Iraqi Army Division if there was enough food for everyone, considering his place at the end of the line. The Soldier reassured Zahra that there would be plenty for everyone during the non-governmental organization food distribution by the al-Yaq Dha al-Thaka Pia Foundation, Oct. 25. “The organization has...

1/15/2008 - SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) -- Airmen of the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron here airdropped nearly 80,000 pounds of food and water through the Afghan sky Jan. 14 as part of humanitarian efforts in the region. The supplies were pushed out the backdoor of a C-17 Globemaster III and the cargo landed at the feet of forward-deployed troops operating in Afghanistan's mountainous, snow-covered terrain. Soldiers on the ground will share much of the food and water with Afghan people in the area as part of U.S.-led efforts to stabilize the country and bring democracy to the region. "I think the...

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Oct. 25, 2006 -- A new, self-steering airdrop system that’s being field tested in Afghanistan represents a revolutionary step beyond traditional delivery methods, the commander of U.S. Central Command Air Forces told a group visiting the command headquarters here during the past weekend. A new Joint Precision Airdrop System bundle floats to the ground after being dropped from the back of a C-130 Hercules aircraft over Afghanistan, Aug. 31. The drop, made from 17,500 feet, was the first joint Air Force-Army operational drop of JPADS in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility to re-supply ground troops...

Afghan National Army Sgt Naqibullah (left) and Staff Sgt. Samiollha, Central Movement Agency trainees, load bottled water on an A-22 Container Delivery System during training at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, May 9, 2006. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech Sgt. Mario Saenz Afghan Soldiers Get In-Depth Airdrop Training The three-day class also included a demonstration of an airdrop delivery aboard an Air National Guard C-130. By U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Mario Saenz Central Movement Agency BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, May 17, 2006 — Ten Afghan National Army Central Movement Agency personnel recently attended formal airdrop “rigging” training here.The Combined Joint...

SOUTHWEST ASIA, March 20, 2006 – A single U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III transport jet set a record by airdropping 32,400 pounds of humanitarian aid within 40 minutes to four locations in central and eastern Afghanistan March 16. Airdrop missions involve delivering cargo without landing the airplane. This airdrop marked the most cargo dropped to this many drop zones in the shortest amount of time from a single aircraft in the history of U.S. airdrop operations, said Air Force Lt. Col. Charles Ciuzio, chief of the Air Mobility Division at the Combined Air Operations Center. It is the policy...

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan, Jan. 6, 2006 – U.S. forces dropped eight bundles of humanitarian assistance supplies near Bamyan in central Afghanistan to help hundreds of families there survive the harsh winter, military officials here reported. The bundles consisted of winter clothing for men, women and children as well as beans and rice, cooking oil, tarps, health kits, took kits and blankets. Together the supplies weighed more than 14,000 pounds. "As the cold winter months come to Afghanistan in force, we've found that we are in a unique position to help those who are suffering the most," said Air Force...

ARLINGTON, Va. — Authorities are avoiding airdropping provisions into New Orleans — the traditional way of supplying disaster victims — out of fear of sparking riots, a state official said. While the military has used helicopters to drop provisions to some stranded in New Orleans, authorities have not launched the massive supply airdrops seen in Afghanistan at the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom. Several C-130 Hercules aircraft are stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base, but authorities have not ordered them to drop supplies to flood victims, Arkansas Air National Guard officials said. Airdropping supplies could actually worsen the situation,...

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan (AFPN) -- Airmen from the 745th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron traveled to the eastern region of Afghanistan on Aug. 23 to resupply Soldiers and Marines who are helping Afghanistan prepare for elections Sept. 18. The mission, which included the delivery of more than 39,000 pounds of cargo, is just one of numerous deliveries made throughout Afghanistan. The C-130’s capabilities to handle rough terrain and dirt strips make it uniquely qualified for this type of mission. These assets led to the decision to have the C-130 aircraft and crews from the 745th EAS relocate here. “While here, we...

"Teddy Troopers’ perform important mission in Iraq" Spc. Derek Del Rosario Aviation Brigade PAO CAMP TAJI, Iraq – July 13, 2005-They can be seen parachuting into various areas around Baghdad. Specially trained individuals recruited during Operation Iraqi Freedom 3, whose primary mission is to bring smiles to the faces of Iraqi children. These airborne “Soldiers” are actually “Teddy Troopers” or “Para-Bears,” stuffed animals with makeshift parachutes jumping into the arms and hearts of children during Operation Teddy Drop. The commander for this unique operation is Chief Warrant Officer 4 Randy M. Kirgiss, pilot for C. Company, 4th Battalion, 3rd Aviation...

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - A massive airdrop of paper birds intended to promote peace failed to halt violence in Thailand's restive south, with a spate of new attacks Monday that targeted soldiers and local officials. The bombings, shootings and arson attacks came hours after Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said Sunday's airdrop of nearly 100 million Japanese-style origami cranes over the predominantly Muslim region had achieved an "enormous, positive psychological effect" toward peace. On Monday morning a bomb was detonated at a rest stop for patrolling soldiers. Four troops were wounded, one seriously, in Narathiwat province's Ra-ngae district. Another bomb exploded...