Headline

Deadly Fighting Between Army, Paramilitaries In Sudan Capital

Published

3 years ago

April 15, 2023

Fighting continued into the night in the Sudanese capital Saturday after a day of deadly battles between paramilitaries and the regular army that left at least three civilians dead and sparked international alarm.

Explosions and gunfire could still be heard on the deserted streets of Khartoum, according to witnesses, after the paramilitaries said they were in control of the presidential place, Khartoum airport and other vital facilities.

The army denied the claims, and in a late Saturday statement, the Sudanese air force urged people to stay indoors as it continued air strikes against bases of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Fighter jets were earlier seen flying overhead.

Windows rattled and apartment buildings shook in many parts of Khartoum during the clashes, according to AFP correspondents.

Medics reported the three civilian deaths, including at Khartoum airport and in North Kordofan state, but cautioned that the exact toll was still unclear.

Saudi Arabia’s flag carrier Saudia said one of its planes, with passengers and crew aboard waiting for departure, was “exposed to gunfire damage”.

Bakry, 24, who works in marketing, said Khartoum residents had “never seen anything like” this unrest, which left dark smoke hanging over the capital.

“People were terrified and running back home. The streets emptied very quickly”, said Bakry, who gave only a first name.

Violence erupted after weeks of deepening tensions between military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy, paramilitary commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, over the planned integration of Daglo’s RSF into the regular army.

The integration was a key element of talks to finalise a deal that would return the country to civilian rule and end the political-economic crisis sparked by the military’s 2021 coup.

Created in 2013, the RSF emerged from the Janjaweed militia that then-president Omar al-Bashir unleashed against non-Arab ethnic minorities in the western Darfur region a decade earlier, drawing accusations of war crimes.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, through his spokesperson, warned that “further escalation in the fighting will have a devastating impact on civilians and further aggravate the already precarious humanitarian situation in the country.”

He said he is engaging with regional leaders and reaffirmed UN support for efforts to restore Sudan’s democratic transition.

In a joint call, the Saudi and United Arab Emirates foreign ministers along with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasised “the importance of stopping the military escalation”, the Saudi ministry said.

– Trading blame –

Similar appeals came from the African and Arab regional blocs, the European Union, France, Italy, Russia and Iran.

But in an interview with UAE-based Sky News Arabia, Daglo, who is also known as Hemeti, said, “Burhan the criminal must surrender.”

He denied that RSF had started the fight, after Burhan in an earlier statement said he “was surprised by Rapid Support Forces attacking his home at 9:00 am”.

The army, on its Facebook page, declared Daglo a “wanted criminal” and the RSF a “rebel militia”, saying there “will be no negotiations or talks until the dissolution” of the group.

The military said it carried out air strikes and destroyed two RSF bases in Khartoum. It said the airport and other bases remain under its “full control”, and published a photograph of black smoke billowing from what it said was the RSF headquarters.

The latest deaths, during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, came after more than 120 civilians had already been killed in a crackdown on regular pro-democracy demonstrations since the coup.

RSF published on Twitter a video showing uniformed men which it claimed were “Egyptian soldiers who surrendered with Sudanese military” in Meroe, northern Sudan.

Egypt’s army confirmed “the presence of Egyptian forces” in Sudan for exercises, and said it was following the situation.

Daglo told Sky News Arabia that the Egyptians will not be harmed and will be returned home.

Haggling between Daglo and Burhan has twice delayed the signing of an agreement with civilian factions setting out a roadmap for restoring the democratic transition disrupted by the 2021 coup.

On Saturday, witnesses reported clashes around the state media building in Khartoum’s sister city Omdurman. Others described clashes in the Darfur region and elsewhere.

Chad, which borders Darfur, said it was closing its frontier, “faced with this troubling situation.”

– Waking up to gunfire –

The military’s civilian interlocutors and ex-prime minister Abdalla Hamdok appealed for a ceasefire, a plea echoed by US ambassador John Godfrey who tweeted that he “woke up to the deeply disturbing sounds of gunfire and fighting”.

Daglo has said the coup was a mistake that failed to bring about change and reinvigorated remnants of Bashir’s regime ousted by the army in 2019 following mass protests.

Burhan, who rose through the ranks under Bashir’s three-decade rule, maintained the coup was necessary to bring more groups into the political process.

Headline

Russia, China Afraid Of US Under My Administration — Trump

Published

1 day ago

January 8, 2026

Editor

United States President, Donald Trump, has said Russia and China fear the United States because of the strength of his administration, arguing that American global influence is driven primarily by its military power and leadership.

Trump, in a post on Truth Social on Wednesday stated that rival powers would not take NATO seriously without the United States, claiming the alliance lacks deterrent force in the absence of American involvement.

He expressed doubts about whether NATO members would come to the aid of the US in a real crisis, despite Washington’s continued commitment to the alliance.

The president credited his leadership with rebuilding the US military during his first term and sustaining its strength, describing this as the key reason adversaries show respect and caution toward the country.

He maintained that America’s military dominance has played a central role in preserving global stability and saving lives.

Trump also argued that his administration forced NATO members to increase defence spending, saying many allies had previously failed to meet financial commitments while relying heavily on the US.

He added that his actions helped prevent further escalation in Eastern Europe and contributed to the resolution of multiple conflicts.

According to Trump, the United States remains the only nation that commands genuine fear and respect from both Russia and China, a position he attributed to his administration’s approach to defence, diplomacy, and global leadership.

“He wrote partly, “The only Nation that China and Russia fear and respect is the DJT REBUILT U.S.A. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!! President DJT.”

Headline

Trump To Withdraw US From 66 UN, International Organisations

Published

1 day ago

January 8, 2026

Editor

United States President, Donald Trump, has announced plans to withdraw the US from 66 United Nations and international organisations, including key global bodies focused on climate change, peace and democracy.

The decision was disclosed in a presidential memorandum released by the White House on Wednesday evening, following a review of which “organizations, conventions, and treaties are contrary to the interests of the United States.”

According to Trump, the move will see the US end its participation in the affected organisations and cut all related funding.

A list shared by the White House showed that 35 of the organisations are non-UN bodies, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Although listed as a non-UN body by the White House, the IPCC is a United Nations organisation that brings together leading scientists to assess climate change evidence and provide periodic reports to guide political leaders.

The memorandum also announced the US withdrawal from 31 UN entities, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the UN Democracy Fund, and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), which focuses on maternal and child health.

Several of the targeted UN bodies are involved in protecting vulnerable groups during armed conflicts, including the UN Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict.

Reacting to the announcement, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a note to correspondents on Wednesday evening that the organisation expected to issue a response by Thursday morning.

Despite repeatedly stating his desire to limit US involvement in UN forums, Trump has continued to exert influence on international decision-making.

In October last year, he threatened to impose sanctions on diplomats who formally adopted a levy on polluting shipping fuels that had already been agreed to at an earlier meeting, a move that stalled the deal for 12 months.

The Trump administration also sanctioned UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese after she released a report detailing the role of international and US companies in Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

During his first term in 2017, Trump similarly threatened to cut aid to countries that supported a draft UN resolution condemning the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, the US wields significant influence at the United Nations, including veto power, which it has repeatedly used to block efforts to end Israel’s war on Gaza before later mediating a ceasefire.

(Aljazeera)

Headline

UK Supported US Mission To Seize Russian-flagged Oil Tanker – Defense Ministry

Published

2 days ago

January 7, 2026

Editor

The British Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday that it provided support to the United States in its operation to seize a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic.

US seized the tanker, which was being shadowed by a Russian submarine on Wednesday, after pursuing it for more than two weeks across the Atlantic as part of Washington’s efforts to block Venezuelan oil exports.

According to Britain, its armed forces gave pre-planned operational support, including basing following a US request for assistance.

The UK also said a military vessel provided support for the US forces pursuing the tanker, and the Royal Air Force provided surveillance support from the air.

Defence Secretary John Healey stated that the operation targeted a vessel with a nefarious history linked to Russian and Iranian sanctions evasion networks.

“This action formed part of global efforts to crack down on sanctions busting,” he said in a statement.

According to him, the US was Britain’s closest defence and security partner.

“The depth of our defence relationship with the US is an essential part of our security, and today’s seamlessly executed operation shows just how well this works in practice,” he added.

The British government said that the Bella-1 tanker, now renamed Marinera, is sanctioned by the US under its counter-Iran sanctions,

The MoD statement said the support was provided in full compliance with international law.