The U.N. Security Council agreed to lift the arms embargo on the Somali government for one year, Reuters reported March 6.

Russia has invited Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the U.S. joint chiefs of staff, to Moscow for talks about missile defense and other issues, Dempsey's Russian counterpart, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, said March 6, RIA Novosti reported.

South Sudan's army began an offensive against insurgents loyal to rebel leader David Yau Yau in the eastern Jonglei state, authorities said March 5, Reuters reported.

A leader of the armed Filipino group Royal Sulu Army said March 5 that Malaysian security forces are using air and ground assets in a full-scale offensive against the group in Sabah, Xinhua reported.

Syrian rebels have captured most of Raqqa, a city in northern Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said March 4, AP reported.