This Week in War: 2nd week, April 2018

A child is treated in a hospital in Douma, eastern Ghouta in Syria, after what a Syrian medical relief group claims was a suspected chemical attack. White Helmets/via REUTERS

2nd week, April 2018.

This Week in War:  A Friday round-up of what happened and what’s been written in the world of war and military/security affairs this week.  

It’s a mix of news reports, policy briefs, blog posts, and long-form journalism.

• US House Speaker Paul Ryan will not seek re-election in November 2018, making way for his Justice Democrat opponent Randy Bryce who is an ex-ironworker, veteran, and cancer-survivor.

• Syrian opposition activists, rescue workers and medics say more than 40 people were killed in a chemical attack on Douma, Syria.

• World Health Organization (WHO): Around 500 people had been treated for “signs and symptoms consistent with exposure to toxic chemicals” after a suspected poison gas attack in Douma, Syria

• According to Russia, the chemical attacks in Douma, Syria that injured over 500 people was staged by the UK and are “fake news”. 

• Syrian government forces are blocking civilians fleeing another area attacked by chemical warfare--Afrin, Syria. Turkish-allied groups are looting refugees and destroying their property.

• 1,000-body mass grave found in Mosul, Iraq. Operations to collect the bodies are entirely self-financed by a group of volunteers.

• US Congressional lawmakers are running out of patience with Saudi Arabia's catastrophic war in Yemen.

• International organizations and residents fear that fighting in Yemen could damage the UNESCO World Heritage site beyond repair.

• More than 250 people killed in a military plane crash near Algiers, Algeria.

• 7 Myanmar soldiers have been sentenced to “10 years in prison with hard labor in a remote area” for participating in a massacre of 10 Rohingya Muslim men.

• U.S. President Donald Trump warned Russia of imminent military action with missiles  attacking Syria over a suspected poison gas attack. 

• Russia and Iran rebuke US for missile threat against Syria amid standoff over attack.

• UN court sentences Serbian ultra-nationalist to 10 years for war crimes during the Balkan wars of 1990s.

• Gaza protest: All the latest updates.

• French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, agree to deals worth $18bn while also agreeing to also the need to curb Iran's 'expansionism’.

• The United States DOJ plans to temporarily defund 2 programs that help 53,000 immigrants in US courts every year.

• EU air traffic control agency cautions flying over Syria because of possible US missile strikes.

• US takes Chad off travel ban list.

• Vladimir Putin spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and urged him to do nothing to destabilize Syria.

• Russia’s intelligence agencies spied on poison victims, Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia for at least 5 years .

• Yulia Skripal, daughter of poisoned ex-spy in U.K. turns down help from Russian Embassy.