分类： world

In a devastating escalation of Sudan’s ongoing civil conflict, a drone strike conducted by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) targeted a kindergarten in South Kordofan, resulting in one of the deadliest single incidents against civilians since the war began. According to the Sudan Doctors Network (SDN), the attack killed 50 people, including 33 children, marking what humanitarian organizations are calling a grave violation of international law.

The assault, which occurred on Thursday in Kalogi town, involved coordinated attacks on multiple civilian facilities including the kindergarten, a local hospital, and government buildings. The SDN reported that paramedics responding to the initial explosion faced a secondary attack while attempting to rescue victims, complicating rescue efforts and increasing casualties.

Communication blackouts throughout the region have hampered accurate casualty assessment, with authorities fearing the actual death toll may be significantly higher. The attack represents a strategic shift in the two-year conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese army, with fighting now concentrated in the oil-rich Kordofan region following the RSF’s recent capture of el-Fasher in Darfur.

UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Turk expressed deep concern over emerging atrocities, citing documented evidence of 269 civilian deaths from aerial strikes, artillery shelling, and summary executions since late October. The UN office has additionally received reports of retaliatory killings, arbitrary detentions, abductions, sexual violence, and forced recruitment of children by paramilitary forces.

The situation in South Kordofan has deteriorated rapidly, with Middle East Eye reporting the abduction of 21 children last week for potential recruitment as fighters. Witnesses confirm that RSF forces and allied rebel groups have intensified operations around strategic resources, including gold mines in the region.

This incident underscores the worsening humanitarian crisis in Sudan, where international organizations warn of repeating patterns of violence previously witnessed in Darfur, now spreading through the Kordofan states with devastating effect on civilian populations.

A tragic pre-dawn traffic incident on a major Turkish highway resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries Saturday morning. According to official reports from the Osmaniye Governor’s office, seven passengers lost their lives and eleven others sustained injuries when an intercity coach collided with a stationary heavy goods vehicle.

The accident occurred on the motorway connecting Adana and Gaziantep, approximately 90 kilometers west of Gaziantep. Initial investigations by Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency indicate that the collision happened when the bus crashed into the rear of an articulated lorry that had been forced to stop following a tire blowout.

Visual evidence from the crash site revealed extensive damage to the front right section of the passenger bus, which appeared completely crushed from the impact. Emergency responders arrived promptly at the scene to provide medical assistance and transport the injured to nearby medical facilities.

Authorities confirmed that all casualties were passengers traveling on the bus at the time of the incident. Identification procedures for the deceased are currently underway as officials work to notify family members. The truck driver, who survived the collision without significant injuries, has been taken into custody as part of standard investigative procedures.

Local police implemented a full road closure along the affected motorway segment to facilitate rescue operations and allow accident reconstruction experts to conduct their examination. The investigation continues to determine the exact circumstances that led to this devastating roadway tragedy.

Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalated dramatically as their security forces engaged in a severe exchange of gunfire along the shared border late Friday. The incident, confirmed by officials from both nations, represents a significant deterioration in relations and casts a shadow over recent diplomatic efforts.

The border clash occurred merely days after a high-level peace dialogue, hosted in Saudi Arabia, concluded without achieving any substantive progress. While both parties had reaffirmed their commitment to a previously established ceasefire during those talks, the agreement proved fragile. This recent round of negotiations was part of a broader series of mediations, previously facilitated by Qatar and Turkey, aimed at de-escalating persistent tensions.

Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid asserted that the initiation of hostilities came from Pakistani forces, who launched attacks within the Spin Boldak district of Afghanistan’s Kandahar province. In a sharp rebuttal, the Pakistani Prime Minister’s spokesman, Mosharraf Zaidi, issued a statement categorically accusing Afghan forces of ‘unprovoked firing’ across the Chaman border crossing. Zaidi emphasized that Pakistan’s military remains ‘fully alert and committed to ensuring its territorial integrity and the safety of our citizens.’

The core of the longstanding dispute lies in Islamabad’s firm allegations that militant groups operating from Afghan soil are responsible for a recent surge in attacks within Pakistan, including suicide bombings carried out by Afghan nationals. The Taliban government in Kabul consistently denies these charges, maintaining that it cannot be held accountable for Pakistan’s internal security challenges.

This violent encounter evokes memories of the deadly clashes in October, which resulted in dozens of casualties and marked the most severe border violence since the Taliban’s ascension to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Official casualty figures from the latest skirmish have not yet been disclosed by either side.

In a significant diplomatic development, Saudi Arabia has spearheaded a coalition of Arab and Muslim-majority nations in formally rejecting Israel’s proposed one-way opening of the Rafah border crossing. The joint statement, issued on December 5th and endorsed by foreign ministers from Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Türkiye, and Qatar, represents a consolidated regional position against the potential displacement of Gaza residents.

The coalition’s declaration emphasizes their ‘absolute rejection of any attempts to expel the Palestinian people from their land,’ while simultaneously expressing appreciation for President Donald Trump’s peace initiatives. The statement specifically calls for full adherence to the Trump administration’s proposed plan, which mandates keeping the Rafah crossing operational in both directions to ensure freedom of movement.

Beyond border concerns, the multilateral agreement outlines a comprehensive vision for regional stability that includes maintaining ceasefire arrangements, facilitating uninterrupted humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza, and initiating reconstruction efforts. The coalition further stressed the necessity of creating conditions that would enable the Palestinian Authority to resume governance responsibilities across Palestinian territories.

The participating nations concluded by reaffirming their commitment to continued coordination with the United States and international stakeholders to establish foundations for a just and sustainable peace. This diplomatic framework explicitly endorses the two-state solution based on pre-June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state encompassing both Gaza and the West Bank.

A fragile ceasefire along the contentious Afghanistan-Pakistan border collapsed overnight Friday, triggering a violent exchange of fire that resulted in multiple casualties on both sides. According to officials from both nations, the clashes near the Spin Boldak-Chaman crossing claimed the lives of five Afghan civilians, including three children and one woman, while injuring five others. On the Pakistani side, three civilians sustained wounds.

The incident marks a significant escalation in tensions that have been simmering since October. Each government has accused the other of instigating the violation of the Qatar-mediated truce that had been largely holding for two months. The timing is particularly sensitive, occurring just one day after Pakistan announced it would permit United Nations relief supplies to transit through the crucial Chaman and Torkham border crossings, which had been mostly closed amid deteriorating relations.

Afghan officials asserted that Pakistani forces initiated the aggression with unprovoked shooting and a hand grenade thrown into the Spin Boldak area, compelling their forces to respond defensively. In contrast, Pakistani authorities maintained that the firing originated from the Afghan side, with their troops acting in retaliation to protect territorial integrity. The conflicting narratives underscore the deep-seated mistrust between the neighboring nations.

The underlying tensions are further complicated by Pakistan’s accusations that Afghanistan provides sanctuary to the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), a militant group separate from but allied with the Afghan Taliban. Pakistan’s military separately reported neutralizing nine TTP militants in intelligence operations in northwestern border districts on Friday, highlighting the persistent security challenges.

This violent episode represents the most severe border confrontation in recent years, threatening to derail ongoing diplomatic efforts and humanitarian initiatives in the region.