auto-update week 43

middle-east/aj.json

@@ -1146,7 +1146,7 @@
       "text": "estimates vary; approximately 60-75,000 active armed forces; approximately 15,000 Ministry of Internal Affairs troops (2023)"
     },
     "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": {
-      "text": "Baku has been actively upgrading its equipment for over a decade with purchases from Belarus, Israel, Russia, and Turkey; while most of the military's equipment was once Soviet-era material, it now fields quantities of advanced equipment, including armored vehicles, artillery systems, air defense systems, tanks, and UAVs (2023)"
+      "text": "Baku has been actively upgrading its equipment for over a decade with purchases from Belarus, Israel, Russia, and Turkey; while most of the military's equipment was once Soviet-era material, it now fields quantities of advanced equipment, including armored vehicles, artillery systems, air defense systems, tanks, and UAVs (2024)"
     },
     "Military service age and obligation": {
       "text": "18-25 years of age for compulsory military service for men; 18-35 years of age for voluntary/contractual service for men and women; 18 months service for conscripts, 36 months for voluntary/contractual service (2023)"

middle-east/ba.json

@@ -1123,7 +1123,7 @@
       "text": "information varies; approximately 10,000 active personnel (7,500 Army; 1,000 Navy; 1,500 Air Force); approximately 3,000 National Guard (2023)"
     },
     "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": {
-      "text": "the military's inventory consists of a mix of equipment acquired from a wide variety of suppliers; in recent years, the US has been the leading supplier of arms to Bahrain (2023)"
+      "text": "the military's inventory consists of a mix of equipment acquired from a wide variety of suppliers; in recent years, the US has been the leading supplier of arms to Bahrain (2024)"
     },
     "Military service age and obligation": {
       "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service; 18-55 to voluntarily join the reserves; no compulsory service (2024)"

middle-east/iz.json

@@ -1170,7 +1170,7 @@
       "text": "information varies; approximately 200,000 personnel under the Ministry of Defense (190,000 Army/Aviation Command/Special Forces; 5,000 Navy; 5,000 Air/Air Defense Forces); approximately 20-25,000 National-Level Security Forces; estimated 200,000+ Popular Mobilization Forces<br><br>Ministry of Peshmerga: approximately 150,000 (45-50,000 Regional Guard Brigades; 40-45,000 Unit 70 Forces; 65-70,000 Unit 80 Forces) (2023)"
     },
     "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": {
-      "text": "the Iraqi military's inventory includes a mix of equipment from a wide variety of sources, including Europe, South Africa, South Korea, Russia, and the US; in recent years, Russia and the US have been the leading suppliers of military hardware to Iraq (2023)"
+      "text": "the Iraqi military's inventory includes a mix of equipment from a wide variety of sources, including China, several European countries, South Africa, South Korea, Russia, and the US (2024)"
     },
     "Military service age and obligation": {
       "text": "18-40 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2023)",

middle-east/jo.json

@@ -1193,7 +1193,7 @@
       "text": "approximately 100,000 active-duty armed forces personnel (85,000 Army; 14,000 Air Force; 1,000 Navy); approximately 15,000 Gendarmerie Forces (2023)"
     },
     "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": {
-      "text": "the JAF inventory is comprised of a wide mix of imported equipment from Europe, some Gulf States, Russia, and the US; in recent years, the Netherlands and the US have been the leading suppliers (2023)"
+      "text": "the JAF inventory is comprised of a wide mix of imported equipment, much of it older or secondhand, from China, Europe, some Gulf States, Russia, and the US (2024)"
     },
     "Military service age and obligation": {
       "text": "17 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women); initial service term is 24 months, with option to reenlist for up to 18 years; conscription was abolished in 1991, but in 2020 Jordan announced the reinstatement of compulsory military service for jobless men aged between 25 and 29 with 12 months of service, made up of 3 months of military training and 9 months of professional and technical training; in 2019, Jordan announced a voluntary 4-month National Military Service program for men and women aged between 18-25 years who have been unemployed for at least 6 months; service would include 1 month for military training with the remaining 3 months dedicated to vocational training in the sectors of construction and tourism (2023)",

middle-east/ku.json

@@ -552,7 +552,7 @@
       "election results": {
         "text": "50 nonpartisan candidates, including 29 opposition candidates; composition - men 63, women 2, percent women 3.1%"
       },
-      "note": "<strong>Note:</strong> on 10 May 2024, Amir Sheikh MISHAL al-Ahmad al-Sabah dissolves the National Assembly, and some powers held by the National Assembly are assumed by the government"
+      "note": "<strong>Note:</strong> on 10 May 2024, Amir Sheikh MISHAL al-Ahmad al-Sabah dissolved the National Assembly, and some powers held by the National Assembly are assumed by the government"
     },
     "Judicial branch": {
       "highest court(s)": {

middle-east/sa.json

@@ -1130,7 +1130,7 @@
   },
   "Military and Security": {
     "Military and security forces": {
-      "text": "the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces (SAAF) are divided into two ministries:<br><br>Ministry of Defense: Royal Saudi Land Forces, Royal Saudi Naval Forces (includes marines, special forces, naval aviation), Royal Saudi Air Force, Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces, Royal Saudi Strategic Missiles Force; Ministry of the National Guard: Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG)<br><br>Other security forces include: <br><br>Ministry of Interior: police, Border Guard, Facilities Security Force<br>State Security Presidency (SSP): General Directorate of Investigation (Mabahith), Special Security Forces, Special Emergency Forces (2024)",
+      "text": "the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces (SAAF) are divided into two ministries:<br><br>Ministry of Defense: Royal Saudi Land Forces, Royal Saudi Naval Forces (includes marines, special forces, naval aviation), Royal Saudi Air Force, Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces, Royal Saudi Strategic Missiles Force; Ministry of the National Guard: Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG)<br><br>Other security forces include: <br><br>Ministry of Interior: Special Forces for Security and Protection; Special Forces for Environmental Security; Special Forces for Roads Security; General Directorate of Border Guard<br><br>State Security Presidency (SSP): General Directorate of Investigation (Mabahith), Special Security Forces, Special Emergency Forces (2024)",
       "note": "<strong>note 1:</strong> the SANG (also known as the White Army) is a land force comprised off tribal elements loyal to the House of Saud; it is responsible for internal security, protecting the royal family, and external defense<br><br><strong>note 2:</strong> the SAAF includes the Saudi Royal Guard Command, a unit which provides security and protection to the ruling family and other dignitaries"
     },
     "Military expenditures": {