分类： world

A United Nations investigation has determined that atrocities committed by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the North Darfur capital of el-Fasher bear the hallmarks of genocide, according to findings presented by the UN Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan (FFMS). The landmark conclusion represents the most serious classification of international crimes and marks the first time the UN mission has reached such a determination regarding the conflict.

Mona Rishmawi, a member of the FFMS and expert on the Darfur conflict, characterized the findings as “serious and urgent” in an interview with Middle East Eye, stating they should compel immediate international action to halt weapons flows to the paramilitary force. The report, scheduled for presentation to the UN Human Rights Council this week, documents systematic atrocities committed during the RSF’s October takeover of el-Fasher following a 500-day siege.

The investigation established that the RSF committed three prohibited genocidal acts against protected ethnic groups: mass killings, systematic rape and sexual violence, and the deliberate creation of conditions calculated to bring about physical destruction. Most victims belonged to the Zaghawa and Fur communities, previously recognized as protected groups by the International Criminal Court.

Evidence gathered from survivors indicates civilians were subjected to execution, rape, ransom detention, and even blood extraction in makeshift detention centers. The mission documented mass killings at six specific locations including el-Fasher University, the Saudi Hospital, and major exit routes where RSF forces constructed earthen berms to trap fleeing civilians.

Rishmawi emphasized that the genocidal intent could be inferred from the totality of RSF conduct, including their use of dehumanizing language such as promises to “purify your race” and the coordinated pattern of targeting specific ethnic groups. The 18-month siege deliberately denied civilians access to food, medicine, and clean water, with water sources reportedly bombed to exacerbate suffering.

The report identifies several RSF commanders present during the atrocities and notes that leadership figures including Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti) publicly praised the “liberation” of el-Fasher. Despite this, both the RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces refused to cooperate with the UN investigation, denying access to controlled territories and ignoring repeated requests for information.

The mission has shared confidential evidence files with the International Criminal Court, which has jurisdiction over Darfur under a 2005 Security Council referral. However, Rishmawi noted that the ICC’s capacity has been weakened by recent US sanctions, complicating pursuit of accountability.

The report serves as a warning to states providing political or material support to combatants, noting that the RSF appears to have benefited from logistical military support in violation of the Darfur arms embargo in place since 2005. While not naming specific nations, the mission indicated it is engaging with various states regarding their involvement and will report on third-state responsibility in the future.

The investigation faced significant challenges due to severe financial and staffing constraints within the UN system, operating with less than half the necessary personnel. Evidence was primarily gathered from survivors in neighboring Chad and South Sudan after being denied access to el-Fasher itself.

Rishmawi called for serious discussions regarding an international protection force, noting that many Darfur residents felt safer under the previous African Union-UN hybrid peacekeeping mission (Unamid) that operated from 2007-2020. With minimal international presence and media coverage currently in Sudan, civilians remain vulnerable to ongoing violence with limited global attention.

A senior Afghan security official has categorically rejected Pakistan’s assertion that its recent military strikes in Afghanistan resulted in the deaths of approximately 80 militants. Speaking to AFP on Sunday under conditions of anonymity, the source within the Taliban-led government described the casualty figures presented by Pakistani authorities as “false and imaginary.

The dispute centers around cross-border operations conducted by Pakistani forces, which have escalated tensions between the neighboring nations. While Pakistan maintains its operations successfully targeted militant hideouts, Afghan officials present a starkly different account.

According to local authorities in Afghanistan, the strikes resulted in at least 18 confirmed fatalities, including several children. This significant discrepancy in casualty reports highlights the ongoing information warfare accompanying military actions in the restive border region.

International journalists stationed in Afghanistan have been unable to independently verify either side’s claims due to the remote and dangerous nature of the conflict zones. The lack of transparent access to these areas continues to complicate objective assessment of military operations and their outcomes.

The incident represents the latest flare-up in long-standing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan regarding border security and militant activity. Both nations have historically accused each other of insufficient action against armed groups operating in their respective territories.

A significant seismic event measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale occurred off the northern coast of Borneo in the early hours of Monday, according to monitoring by the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ). The substantial depth of the tremor—recorded at 633 kilometers (approximately 393 miles) beneath the Earth’s surface—significantly mitigated potential damage at ground level.

The GFZ, which initially registered the quake at magnitude 7.1 before downward revision, confirmed the epicenter was positioned in maritime territory near the world’s third-largest island. The exceptional depth of the seismic activity placed it within the classification of a deep-focus earthquake, which typically dissipates energy before reaching populated areas.

Concurrent with GFZ’s assessment, the United States Tsunami Warning Center promptly issued a statement confirming no tsunami threat emerged from the subterranean event. The combination of the quake’s profound depth and offshore location resulted in minimal impact despite its considerable magnitude.

The Borneo region, shared by Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei, resides within the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire, making such geological events relatively common though rarely destructive at such depths. The absence of immediate reports regarding casualties or structural damage underscores how depth parameters fundamentally alter earthquake impact assessments.

Tehran’s university campuses transformed into arenas of ideological conflict on Sunday as Iranian students engaged in a second consecutive day of dueling demonstrations. The protests, marking the 40-day mourning period for victims of January’s violent unrest, revealed deepening societal fractures with both pro-government and anti-establishment factions holding simultaneous rallies.

According to state-affiliated Fars news agency, significant tensions emerged at multiple academic institutions across the capital, particularly at the prestigious Sharif University of Technology. Videos verified by international media outlets depicted extraordinary scenes of students waving the banned flag of Iran’s pre-1979 monarchy featuring the lion and sun emblem, while chanting provocative slogans including ‘long live the shah’ and other anti-government rhetoric.

The demonstrations originated from December’s economic protests but have dramatically evolved into broader challenges against Iran’s clerical establishment. Competing groups faced off across campuses, with uniformed security personnel frequently intervening to separate opposing factions. Open clashes were documented in circulated videos, showing physical altercations breaking out between demonstrators.

Iran’s official narrative maintains that approximately 3,000 casualties occurred during recent unrest, attributing violence to ‘terrorist acts’ allegedly sponsored by foreign adversaries. However, independent monitoring by the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) suggests a significantly higher death toll exceeding 7,000 individuals, predominantly comprising protesters.

The sustained campus activism represents a particularly sensitive challenge for Iranian authorities, as student movements have historically served as catalysts for broader political change. The current protests notably incorporate symbolic elements from Iran’s monarchical past, suggesting an expansion of dissident rhetoric beyond immediate economic grievances toward more fundamental challenges to the Islamic Republic’s ideological foundation.

Pakistan has launched significant military operations against militant targets in neighboring Afghanistan, with security sources reporting more than 80 insurgents killed in overnight airstrikes. The offensive, confirmed by Pakistani security officials on Sunday, February 22, 2026, represents a substantial escalation in cross-border counterterrorism operations.

The strikes were characterized by Islamabad as a direct response to recent suicide bombings within Pakistani territory that authorities attribute to Afghanistan-based militant organizations. According to the security source who spoke with AFP, the casualty count is anticipated to rise as assessments continue.

The Taliban-led government in Afghanistan has historically denied allegations of harboring militant groups along the porous border region. AFP correspondents in Afghanistan noted the challenges in independently verifying the reported death toll due to the remote nature of the targeted areas and limited access to conflict zones.

This military action occurs amid deteriorating security relations between the two neighboring nations and raises concerns about potential regional destabilization. The cross-border operation marks one of the most significant publicly acknowledged incursions by Pakistani forces into Afghan airspace in recent years.

The development underscores the ongoing tensions in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region, which remains a persistent security challenge despite decades of counterterrorism efforts. Both nations have historically accused each other of failing to control militant activities within their respective territories.

Despite a ceasefire agreement established in October, Israeli military operations in Gaza have persisted, resulting in significant Palestinian casualties and widespread destruction. Palestinian health authorities report that over 600 individuals have been killed since the truce began, with at least two additional fatalities occurring within the past 24 hours.

Local media outlets documented seven separate airstrikes launched early Sunday, primarily targeting the southern city of Rafah and areas east of Gaza City. Artillery shelling has been reported throughout the Gaza Strip, with intensified activity near regions where Israeli military vehicles are stationed.

In Beit Lahia, north of the besieged enclave, Israeli forces opened fire on civilians, resulting in the death of 27-year-old Basma Aram Banat. Additional reports indicate ongoing Israeli demolitions and infrastructure destruction in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighborhood.

Palestinian authorities have recorded approximately 1,700 violations of the ceasefire agreement since its implementation. These violations include systematic denial of medical treatment, restrictions on international medical transfers, limitations on humanitarian aid, and daily military operations across the territory.

The healthcare crisis in Gaza has reached catastrophic proportions, exemplified by the death of an infant on Sunday morning due to medical complications from severe liver enlargement. Israel denied Nidal Abu Rabi permission to receive treatment abroad despite the collapse of Gaza’s medical infrastructure.

This medical blockade continues despite the recent reopening of the Rafah crossing in early February under stringent Israeli restrictions and surveillance—the first such opening since May 2024. According to Gaza’s Government Media Office, Israel has complied with only 33 percent of crossing requests.

The new arrangement intended to permit 50 Palestinians daily entry into Gaza from Egypt while allowing approximately 150 Palestinians to leave the enclave each day. Among those seeking exit are numerous Palestinians requiring urgent medical treatment abroad.

Official statistics reveal that more than 9,300 wounded and sick Palestinians have died since October 2023 due to the collapsed healthcare system and Israel’s prohibition on medical evacuations. Overall, Israeli operations have killed over 72,072 people during the past two years and destroyed nearly 90 percent of Gaza’s infrastructure.