Negatively Perceiving Ethiopia’s Pursuit of Legitimate Sea Access Problematic: African Affairs DG

Addis Ababa, September 28, 2026 (ENA) — Negatively perceiving Ethiopia’s legitimate pursuit of dependable access to the sea is problematic and reflects malicious concerns against the country, Director General for African Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Zerihun Abebe, said.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, Ambassador Zerihun emphasized that Ethiopia’s peace, development, prosperity, resilience, and renaissance are a blessing to the Red Sea region, rather than a threat.

Historically, Ethiopia has consistently contributed to efforts to counter terrorism and piracy, while working with neighboring countries to build their capacities and strengthen regional cooperation. 

"Our track record clearly shows we have been a force for peace, a force for development in the region," Ambassador Zerihun stated, highlighting Ethiopia's significant sacrifices in support of regional peace and stability, including in Sudan and Somalia.

The director-general pointed out that Ethiopia has legitimate maritime, security, demographic, political, and economic interests that underpin its pursuit of reliable access to the sea. 

 These interests are not exclusive to Ethiopia and can complement the interests of neighboring countries, contributing to broader regional stability. 

Ambassador Zerihun noted, "When we stand together in a region which is volatile, with various contending powers, it will help us come together and address our common challenges."

The ambassador also noted the shared security challenges facing countries around the Red Sea and its basin, including piracy, terrorism, and other security threats. 

Such common challenges should encourage countries in the region to strengthen cooperation. 

"For us, we are together, and we are destined to live together, and we share common interests", Ambassador Zerihun emphasized.

He added that perceiving Ethiopia's legitimate interest in a distorted manner is very problematic and clearly shows malicious interest against Ethiopia.

The director-general elaborated that Ethiopia’s quest for dependable, secure, and reliable access to the sea is based on economic, political, and security considerations. 

"So, perceiving Ethiopia's legitimate interest in a different way is very problematic, and it clearly shows the malicious interest against Ethiopia. But for Ethiopia, its quest for access to the sea is legitimate; and it has economic foundations, political foundations, security foundations."

Ethiopia’s Army Chief Accuses Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt of Supporting Tigray Rebels

By AMANUEL GEBREMEDHIN and SAMUEL GETACHEW

1:59 PM EDT, September 28, 2026

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — The head of Ethiopia’s army suggested that neighboring Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt were supporting rebel troops who have captured several strategic towns in renewed fighting in the north, drawing denials as the threat of a widening regional conflict grew on Monday.

Field Marshal Birhanu Jula, the chief of the general staff of the Ethiopian National Defense Force, on Friday accused Eritrea of mobilizing financial support for the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, or TPLF.

He said that Eritrea and the TPLF would need support from Sudan and Egypt, insinuating external interference, but without explaining further.

The TPLF and Ethiopian federal troops waged war between November 2020 and November 2022, when a peace deal was signed in Pretoria, South Africa. A caretaker administration seen as loyal to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was installed in Mekelle, the Tigray capital. But tensions remained, with the TPLF maneuvering for political control in Mekelle.

Over the weekend, TPLF fighters captured the key strategic town of Erebti in the northern Afar region, a commander told The Associated Press on Monday. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak with the media.

An official with the Tigray Peace Force, a breakaway faction of the Tigray rebels now allied with federal forces in Afar, confirmed that the rebels took control of the town, although he denied that heavy fighting had taken place.

Doctors Without Borders, better known by its French acronym MSF, on Monday said that there had been a surge in the number of wounded receiving treatment in the north.

The number of patients in the Korem and Alamata hospitals rose from around 180 to more than 420 in 48 hours. MSF said that 300 wounded had arrived at northeastern Suhul Hospital last week.

Valerie Browning, the co-founder of the Afar Pastoralist Development Association, told The Associated Press about 150,000 people had been displaced.

Ethiopian federal authorities accused the TPLF of seeking to build an alliance with neighboring Eritrea to destabilize Ethiopia. Abiy’s push for sovereign access to the Eritrean seaport of Assab has reignited tensions with Eritrea, which shares a border with Tigray. Abiy also angered Somalia by trying to negotiate access to the sea via the territory of Somaliland.

Eritrea accused Ethiopia of shifting blame for the ongoing conflict. Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Meskel wrote on X that Ethiopia’s pursuit of access to the sea had rattled Eritrea and Somalia, while its move to host militia training in support of Sudan’s militia had put Ethiopia at odds with its neighbors.

A spokesperson for the Sudanese armed forces, in a statement, rejected Ethiopia’s accusations, saying that Ethiopia was offering support to militias fighting the Sudanese military, an apparent reference to the Rapid Support Forces, which have been battling Sudan’s army since 2023.

Eritrean troops fought alongside Ethiopian forces against the TPLF in the 2020-2022 Tigray conflict. The civilian death toll was estimated by Ghent University researchers to be 500,000, including from violence, famine and the collapse of health services.

Foreign Minister Lavrov Confirms Russia Will Block German Membership in UN Security Council

World » Europe

Russia has formally rejected Germany's ambitions to obtain a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, citing Berlin's failure to adhere to international agreements and its current military trajectory.

Sergei Lavrov

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org by Foreign and Commonwealth Office is licensed under OGL v1.0

Sergei Lavrov

The position was detailed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during a briefing in New York following the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. Lavrov stated that Russia will block any attempt to grant Germany permanent membership in the Security Council, noting that such a move requires the consensus of all existing permanent members.

Lavrov linked this refusal to Germany's role in the Minsk agreements. He asserted that because Germany and France failed to fulfill obligations endorsed by the Security Council-effectively using them to gain time-Berlin demonstrated a lack of respect for the institution it now seeks to join.

Furthermore, Moscow argues that the Security Council should not be expanded to include more Western states, as the U. S., UK, and France already provide sufficient representation for that bloc. Russia maintains that any reform should exclusively benefit developing nations from Asia, Africa, and Latin America that maintain independent foreign policies. According to Lavrov, adding a member that aligns strictly with U. S. directives would render the reform meaningless.

Lavrov also criticized Germany's current military buildup. He argued that aspirations to possess the strongest army in Europe evoke the history of the Third Reich, suggesting that current German leadership has ignored the lessons of the Nuremberg trials.

This diplomatic friction follows a 20-minute meeting between Lavrov and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadeful, the first face-to-face contact between the two nations' foreign ministers since 2022. The meeting, initiated by Berlin, yielded no practical results.

During the talk, Wadeful called for the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine and proposed a mutual ceasefire in the Black Sea to ensure the safe passage of civilian vessels. The German side also raised allegations regarding explosive drones at Leipzig airport, which Berlin attributes to Russian intelligence services.

Lavrov dismissed these proposals and denied the accusations of sabotage, describing the encounter as an attempt to secure unilateral concessions from Russia in exchange for the mere resumption of contact.

Russian officials have pointed to the 1990 Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany (the "Two Plus Four" Treaty), which limits the German army to 370,000 personnel and stipulates that only peace shall emanate from German soil. Moscow contends that Berlin's recent military spending and modernization efforts violate the spirit of this treaty and the UN Charter's provisions regarding states that were adversaries in World War II.

Russian Researchers Find Potential Alternative to Conventional Jet Fuel

Science » Technologies and discoveries

Standard aviation kerosene relies on aromatic compounds that increase both carbon emissions and acoustic pressure during combustion. This chemical bottleneck makes aircraft loud and carbon-heavy. To bypass this, researchers from the Institute of Thermophysics SB RAS, Tomsk Polytechnic University, the South Russian State Polytechnic University, and chemists from Ufa developed a method to synthesize Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) from wood processing waste and agricultural residue.

An airplane smiling

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org by Piergiuliano Chesi, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

An airplane smiling

The engineering shift focuses on feedstock: instead of food crops, which compete with food security, the team used pine sawdust and sunflower husks. These materials are processed into a bio-kerosene that lacks the aromatics found in petroleum. This structural change alters the combustion process, reducing the sound pressure level during takeoff and flight.

From Biomass to Combustion

The production process creates a closed carbon loop. Plants absorb carbon dioxide during growth, which is then released during fuel combustion, preventing the addition of new carbon into the atmosphere. The team verified the fuel's stability through a three-stage test sequence: chemical composition analysis, evaluation of atomization and evaporation, and live firing tests in small-scale gas turbine units.

These tests measured a significant drop in pollutant output. Sulfur emissions fell by 90% and nitrogen oxides by 70%. Carbon monoxide emissions were reduced by 50%. From an acoustic standpoint, the noise level dropped by 10 dB.

Metric Bio-kerosene Result

Sulfur Dioxide Emissions -90%

Nitrogen Oxide Emissions -70%

Noise Level -10 dB

Engine Thrust -10%

System Limits and Deployment

The primary trade-off is a 10% reduction in engine thrust. While the engine remains stable and safe within operational norms, this loss of power is the current performance bottleneck. However, the fuel is chemically compatible with existing gas turbine engines and complies with ICAO environmental standards, meaning it requires no structural modifications to aircraft for deployment.

The current limit is economic. While the raw materials-sawdust and husks-are cheap and abundant in Russia's forestry and agricultural regions, the cost of synthesis may initially exceed that of traditional kerosene. The viability of the technology depends on scaling these regional production hubs and the potential introduction of carbon taxes on petroleum fuels.

Alexandar Vucic Calls the Kremlin Before Resigning as Serbia’s President

World » Europe

Serbia's president has decided to leave office in order to participate in the upcoming parliamentary election. His call to Moscow before resigning points to particular expectations

Aleksandar Vučić

Vučić's Kremlin call set the price of gas for Serbia

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has resigned and is now able to participate in the parliamentary election scheduled for October 25. Before doing so, he called the Kremlin and apparently sought assurances that he would remain loyal to Russia in his new role as prime minister.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today that Russia expects constructive cooperation with Serbia to continue in full, since "interstate ties are fundamental in nature and do not depend on changes in specific individuals holding senior positions.” This argument has not always held up, but there have also been cases pointing in the opposite direction, such as Syria, where Damascus's dependence on oil and food supplies played a decisive role.

Serbia also purchases Russian oil and gas, as well as weapons. As Vučić himself said, Belgrade expects to retain a preferential price for Russian gas of $318 per 1,000 cubic meters instead of the market price of $868, which he presented as a key element of stability for the Serbian economy ahead of the election. Recent Serbian reports put the preferential gas price at about €318 per 1,000 cubic meters, compared with €868 on the TTF market.

Kosovo and Metohija remain a central issue for Serbian voters

But the position of Serbian voters is also crucial. A large majority of Serbian society opposes recognizing Kosovo's independence, while Russia is formally opposed to the transfer of Kosovo and Metohija to Albanian control. Vučić's party declares its support for this position, while the "Student Union” has not clearly stated its position.

According to opinion polls, formal recognition of Kosovo's independence remains a major taboo in Serbian society, with only 8% to 13% of citizens supporting it. If the question is framed as "recognizing Kosovo in exchange for accelerated accession to the European Union,” support rises only slightly, ranging from 13% to 21%, depending on the sample and the year of the survey. Around 77% of Serbs are categorically opposed to such a deal.

This position also allowed Vučić to preside over the burial of General Ratko Mladić with military honors. Mladić remains a national hero to many Serbs, who view him as someone who defended the Serbian people and the country's territorial integrity. Vučić himself did not attend the funeral, but his son Danilo, Defense Minister Bratislav Gašić and Justice Minister Nenad Vujić went there in a conspicuous show of support. This once again highlights Vučić's ability to balance relations between Moscow and Brussels.

Milan Knežević, chairman of Montenegro's Democratic People's Party, said today in Belgrade that if the "students” win the election, the destruction of Serbia will begin.

According to the latest opinion polls as of September 2026, the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) would receive 48.6% of the vote, while the "Student List” would receive 37.1%.

The figures come from a Faktor Plus poll conducted from September 16 to 20 among 986 respondents. The survey put the Vučić-led "United Serbia” list at 48.6% and the Student List at 37.1%.

What Serbia's loyalty means for Russia

Brussels is expected to respond with strong criticism and accusations if Vučić's party wins the election. Serbia's EU integration process, which has already been slowed by Belgrade's position on sanctions against Russia and Kosovo, could be formally put on hold, potentially leading to another serious diplomatic crisis between Belgrade and the EU.

For Russia, Serbia's continued alignment is a strategic interest in Europe, providing what can be described as a "window into Europe” and limiting NATO's ability to establish complete control over the Balkans. Serbian airline Air Serbia is one of the few European carriers that continues to operate direct flights to Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan and Sochi, connecting Russia with the rest of the world.

Gazprom-linked structures own the refinery in Pančevo, while the United States regularly grants temporary authorizations for its operations. This has taken place amid Vučić's efforts to balance Serbia's relationships with multiple sides, including Moscow, Brussels and Washington.

The duties of Serbia's president have temporarily passed to parliamentary speaker Ana Brnabić, a longtime ally of Vučić. Early presidential elections must be held by the end of December. Serbia's government confirmed that Brnabić would serve as acting president for no more than three months and that the presidential vote must take place within that period.

Russian Strikes Hit Ukrainian Data Processing Centers, Energy Facilities

The Russian Armed Forces also struck infrastructure and facilities at the Vasilkov military airfield in the Kiev Region

© Alexander Polegenko/TASS

MOSCOW, September 28. /TASS/. Overnight, the Russian Armed Forces continued to carry out strikes with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on logistics and communications centers, port infrastructure facilities, and marine vessels used in the interests of the Ukrainian armed forces, the Russian Defense Ministry reporte

TASS has compiled the key information on the strikes’ results.

Defense Ministry’s statement

- Overnight, the Russian Armed Forces continued to launch UAV strikes against logistics and communications centers, port infrastructure facilities, and marine vessels used in the interests of the Ukrainian armed forces, the ministry reported.

Targets of strikes

- According to the ministry, a data processing center of the Ukrtelecom company was hit in Kiev.

- It is a major company providing fixed-line and mobile communication services, as well as high-speed Internet, to the Ukrainian armed forces.

- In addition, Russian forces hit a data processing center of the Dreamline company in Kiev.

- It is a major provider of high-speed Internet services for the Ukrainian armed forces, including intelligence data storage.

- Fuel infrastructure facilities used by the Ukrainian military were also hit in Kiev.

- The Russian Armed Forces also struck infrastructure and facilities at the Vasilkov military airfield in the Kiev Region.

- A Nova Post logistics center that was storing military cargo was struck in Odessa.

- Russian forces also struck a dry-cargo vessel with military equipment and dual-use cargoes for the Ukrainian armed forces at the Cherrnomorsk port.

- In addition, the infrastructure of the Dunaisudoservis plant, a major shipbuilding and ship repair enterprise engaged in the restoration and modernization of vessels, maintenance and reconfiguration of patrol boats, was struck at the port of Izmail.

- A base of a Ukrainian State Border Service unit was also hit on the plant’s premises.

- In addition, the Russian Armed Forces struck a dry-cargo vessel at sea that was delivering military cargoes to the Odessa port.

Situation in Ukraine

- A warehouse of the German company Karcher was destroyed in Ukraine as a result of an explosion, the company’s press service reported on Facebook (banned in Russia; belongs to Meta Corporation, recognized as extremist in Russia).

- It added that the company was proceeding to Plan B that envisages the use of alternative supply routes for its products to Ukraine.

- Several gas stations were damaged in Kiev’s Obolonsky district, Vitali Klitschko, the Ukrainian capital’s mayor, reported on Telegram.

Russian Troops Liberate Two Communities in Ukraine Operation Over Past Day — Top Brass

Russia’s Battlegroup North is tightening the encirclement of Ukrainian troops in the northeast of the Kharkov Region

© Alexey Konovalov/TASS

MOSCOW, September 28. /TASS/. Russian troops liberated two communities in the Sumy Region and the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past 24 hours in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported.

"Battlegroup North units took control of the settlement of Ulanovo in the Sumy Region through decisive operations. <…> Battlegroup Center units liberated the settlement of Novovodyanoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic through active operations," the ministry said in a statement.

Kiev loses 1,350 troops along engagement line in past day - latest figures

The Ukrainian army lost roughly 1,350 troops in battles with Russian forces in all the frontline areas over the past 24 hours, according to the latest data on the special military operation in Ukraine released by Russia’s Defense Ministry.

The latest figures show that the Ukrainian army lost over 285 troops and an armored combat vehicle in the responsibility area of Russia’s Battlegroup North, more than 210 troops and an armored combat vehicle in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup West and over 190 troops, a US-made armored personnel carrier and four armored combat vehicles in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup South.

During the last 24-hour period, the Ukrainian army also lost roughly 460 troops and three armored combat vehicles in the responsibility area of Russia’s Battlegroup Center, about 180 troops and four armored combat vehicles in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup East and around 25 troops and eight motor vehicles in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup Dnepr, the latest figures show.

Russia’s Battlegroup North tightens encirclement of Ukrainian troops in Kharkov Region

Russia’s Battlegroup North is tightening the encirclement of Ukrainian troops in the northeast of the Kharkov Region and fighting for the liberation of four communities in that area, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup North units are tightening the ring of encirclement of Ukrainian armed formations in the northeast of the Kharkov Region and expanding the external area of control. In the surrounded area, they are engaged in battles for the communities of Nesternoye, Lukashovo, Grachevka and Rublenoye in the Kharkov Region. They are also destroying enemy formations in areas near the settlements of Varvarovka, Chyornoye, Nefyodovka and Kupino in the Kharkov Region," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost roughly 60 troops, two all-terrain vehicles and a ground robotic vehicle in the encircled area in the Kharkov Region over the past 24 hours, it specified.

In their operations to expand the external area of control in the Kharkov Region, Battlegroup North units continue battles for the settlement of Prikolotnoye, it said.

In addition, over the last 24-hour period, Battlegroup North units "inflicted losses on manpower and equipment of three heavy mechanized brigades, two mechanized brigades, two motorized infantry brigades, an assault regiment of the Ukrainian army, a territorial defense brigade and a National Guard brigade in areas near the settlements of Slatino, Liptsy, Pitomnik, Tsupovka, Zhukov Yar, Veliky Burluk, Mikhailovka, Kutuzovka and Shestakovo in the Kharkov Region," the ministry reported.

In the Sumy direction, Battlegroup North units struck enemy manpower and UAV control posts of two mechanized brigades and an airmobile brigade of the Ukrainian army in areas near the settlements of Kiyanitsa and Khoten in the Sumy Region and the city of Sumy, it said.

Overall, the Ukrainian army lost more than 285 personnel, an armored combat vehicle, 21 motor vehicles, a field artillery gun and three electronic warfare stations in the areas of responsibility of Russia’s Battlegroup North over the past 24 hours, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicts over 210 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicted more than 210 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed an enemy armored combat vehicle in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup West units improved their forward positions and inflicted losses on manpower and equipment of two mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian army, a marine infantry brigade, a territorial defense brigade and a National Guard brigade in areas near the settlements of Volchy Yar, Bogorodichnoye, Sidorovo, Donetskoye, Lozovoye and Raigorodok in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Kovalevka, Osinovo, Grushevka, Maleyevka, Chervony Oskol and Shevchenkovo in the Kharkov Region," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost more than 210 personnel, an armored combat vehicle, 12 motor vehicles and an artillery gun in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it said.

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicts over 190 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicted more than 190 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed a US-made armored personnel carrier and four enemy armored combat vehicles in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup South units gained better lines and positions and inflicted losses on formations of three mechanized brigades, a mountain assault brigade, a motorized infantry brigade, two airmobile brigades of the Ukrainian army and a marine infantry brigade in areas near the settlements of Vysokoivanovka, Druzhkovka, Slavyansk, Nikolayevka, Kramatorsk, Chervonozoryanoye, Krasny Molochar and Nikonorovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost more than 190 personnel, a US-made M113 armored personnel carrier, four armored combat vehicles, 23 motor vehicles, a field artillery gun and a Grad multiple rocket launcher in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicts 460 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicted roughly 460 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed three enemy armored combat vehicles in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

During the last 24-hour period, Battlegroup Center units "inflicted losses on manpower and equipment of three mechanized brigades, an assault brigade of the Ukrainian army, a marine infantry brigade and three National Guard brigades in areas near the settlements of Belozerskoye, Sergeyevka, Yuryevka, Novofyodorovka, Novogrigorovka, Roganskoye, Maryevka, Pervomaiskoye and Vesyoloye Pole in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Novopavlovka and Novolozovatovka in the Dnepropetrovsk Region," the ministry said.

In Dobropolye in the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past 24 hours, assault groups of the 51st Army of the Battlegroup Center advanced in the western direction in the town’s northeastern, central and southern parts. Marine infantry units operated in the eastern part of Dobropolye and destroyed an enemy stronghold. During the last 24-hour period, Battlegroup Center units liberated 70 buildings and destroyed up to 30 Ukrainian troops in Dobropolye, the ministry reported.

Overall, the Ukrainian army lost an estimated 460 personnel, three armored combat vehicles, 14 motor vehicles and a Grad multiple rocket launcher in the responsibility area of Russia’s Battlegroup Center over the past 24 hours, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicts 180 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicted roughly 180 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed four enemy armored combat vehicles in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup East units continued advancing deep into the enemy’s defenses and inflicted losses on manpower and equipment of a mechanized brigade, an airmobile brigade, two air assault brigades and an assault regiment of the Ukrainian army in areas near the settlements of Omelnik, Vasinovka, Mirolyubovka, Kiyevskoye, Obshcheye, Golubkovo and Samoilovka in the Zaporozhye Region, Orly, Dibrova, Vsesvyatskoye and Podgavrilovka in the Dnepropetrovsk Region," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost an estimated 180 personnel, four armored combat vehicles, 10 motor vehicles and two artillery guns in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr eliminates 25 Ukrainian troops in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr eliminated roughly 25 Ukrainian troops and destroyed eight enemy motor vehicles in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup Dnepr units improved their forward positions and inflicted losses on formations of a mechanized brigade, a mountain assault brigade, an assault regiment of the Ukrainian army and a territorial defense brigade in areas near the settlements of Preobrazhenka, Yurkovka, Kirovo, Orekhov and Yulyevka in the Zaporozhye Region and the city of Zaporozhye," the ministry said.

"Up to 25 Ukrainian military personnel and eight motor vehicles were destroyed," it said.

Russian troops strike Ukrainian UAV assembly workshops over past day

Russian troops struck Ukrainian UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) assembly workshops and enemy deployment sites over the past 24 hours, the ministry reported.

"Operational/tactical aircraft, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groups of forces struck workshops producing and sites storing unmanned aerial vehicles and their components, and also temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 151 locations," the ministry said.

Russian air defenses intercept 442 Ukrainian UAVs, 10 smart bombs over past day

Russian air defense forces intercepted and destroyed 442 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles and 10 smart bombs over the past 24 hours, the ministry reported.

"Air defense capabilities shot down 10 guided aerial bombs and 442 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles," the ministry said.

Tally of Ukrainian army’s losses

Overall, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 674 Ukrainian combat aircraft, 284 helicopters, 247,289 unmanned aerial vehicles, 672 surface-to-air missile systems, 31,058 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,783 multiple rocket launchers, 36,581 field artillery guns and mortars and 73,082 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.

European Commission Rejects Kiev’s Request for 220 mln Euros in Farmer Aid — Bloomberg

Agriculture and Food Policy Minister Taras Vysotsky told the news agency that the country will receive the necessary funds through a $250 mln concessional loan from the World Bank

© Asya Semichayevskaya/TASS

MOSCOW, September 29. /TASS/. The European Commission has rejected Ukraine’s request for 220 mln euros in funding to support farmers, Bloomberg reported, citing Agriculture and Food Policy Minister Taras Vysotsky.

According to the agency, Ukraine had asked the European Union to provide targeted support for its agricultural sector in addition to the financial assistance the bloc already provides. However, Vysotsky said the European Commission rejected the request for 220 mln euros to support farmers and provide them with liquidity, although the country will receive the necessary funds through a $250 mln concessional loan from the World Bank.

In August, Ukraine also requested an increase in EU quotas for duty-free imports of bioethanol and sugar for 2027 as it seeks to boost exports of products in demand in the European Union. If the request is approved, the country will seek higher quotas for other agricultural products as well, Vysotsky added.

Putin Sets Personnel Ceiling of Russian Armed Forces at Over 2.44 Million

The personnel ceiling of the Russian armed forces grew by 15,500 people compared to the previous decree

© Vyacheslav Prokofyev/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS

MOSCOW, September 29. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree to set the authorized strength of the Russian armed forces at over 2.44 million people, including 1.55 million active service members.

The decree, published on Russia’s official legal information database, instructs "to establish the authorized strength of the Russian Armed Forces at 2,441,630 personnel, including 1,550,500 service members."

"The government of the Russian Federation is to provide for the allocation of federal budget appropriations, necessary for the implementation of Paragraph 1 of the decree," the document reads.

The previous presidential decree on the matter, dated June 12, 2026, "shall be recognized as having lost force."

In late July, the Russian president set the personnel ceiling of the Russian armed forces at 2,426,130 people, including 1,535,000 active service members in a decree effective from August 1.

Therefore, the personnel ceiling of the Russian armed forces grew by 15,500 people.

Prior to that, the president has raised the authorized strength of the Russian armed forces in March. In all, troop numbers grew by 49,860 people in total between March and September 2026.

Agreement on Basic Principles of Russia-Burkina Faso Relations Submitted to State Duma

According to the accompanying documents, Russia and Burkina Faso will develop bilateral relations based on respect for and protection of their national interests

MOSCOW, September 28. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has submitted an agreement on the framework for relations between Russia and Burkina Faso to the State Duma, or lower house of parliament, for ratification, as follows from the Duma database.

"To ratify the agreement on the framework for relations between Russia and Burkina Faso that was signed in Moscow on February 12, 2026," the document reads.

According to the accompanying documents, under the agreement, Russia and Burkina Faso will develop bilateral relations based on respect for and protection of their national interests, as well as universally recognized principles and norms of international law, and in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. The document also stipulates that the countries will engage in regular dialogue and exchange views at various levels on issues of bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

At Least 12 Dead and Dozens Missing After a Vessel Capsized in Eastern DR Congo’s Lake Kivu

6:26 AM EDT, September 27, 2026

BUKAVU, Congo (AP) — A vessel carrying traders capsized in Lake Kivu in eastern Congo, killing at least 12 and leaving dozens missing, authorities said Sunday.

The vessel was carrying more than 50 people when it capsized on Saturday night on Idjwi Island, in South Kivu province, said Félix Habiragi, chief of the village of Kisheke near the scene of the accident.

He said that about 15 people have been rescued. The cause of the accident was not immediately clear.

Deadly boat accidents are common in Congo, where rivers and lakes are a major means of transport for its more than 100 million people

The vessel was transporting fish traders and goods from Idjwi Island’s Bwina to Boza, according to Muhindo Ntambuka Pascal, the local administrator.

Videos that appear to be from the scene showed villagers and other passengers pulling bodies from the lake.

Christian Amini Ndahira, a resident of Ijwi, said he lost a friend on the boat. “We had even spoken in the evening, before he boarded that boat. It’s so sad for me and for his family.”

Congo’s vessels are often overloaded with goods and passengers, many of whom frequently travel without life jackets.

“The authorities had, in particular, begun requiring passengers to wear life jackets. Today, however, many people continue to travel without them,” said Dorcelle Bagazane, a member of civil society in Idjwi.

DR Congo’s Ebola Outbreak Tops 8,000 Confirmed Cases as Disease Remains Out of Control

10:07 AM EDT, September 28, 2026

BUNIA, Congo (AP) — The number of confirmed cases of Ebola virus in Congo has surged past 8,000, as the country runs out of health workers to contain the deadly disease.

Congo announced an outbreak on May 15, caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which has no known treatment or vaccine, and has struggled to contain it.

The latest data from Congo’s health ministry released Sunday showed that 8,067 cases have been confirmed, with 3,901 deaths as of Sept. 26 across 63 health zones in seven of the country’s 26 provinces, with a fatality rate of more than 48%.

“The continuously high crude case fatality ratio, and especially the continuously high rate of deaths occurring in communities, highlights the seriousness of the disease and the persistent challenges in timely case detection and access to early and adequate patient care,” the World Health Organization said in its latest report.

It means that a large percentage of those infected were dying, without taking into account factors like delays in seeking help or hidden cases.

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said on Monday that the outbreak has begun to have an impact on other essential services in the hot spots as resources are mobilized toward fighting Ebola. According to OCHA’s report, routine primary healthcare services fell by 13% between April and June in Ituri province alone.

“The indirect impact of the outbreak reflects both reduced health service availability — as a result of staffing and operational pressures — and reduced demand, as fear of infection and isolation discourages care-seeking,” OCHA said.

Last week, WHO said that Congo was running out of health workers to contain the disease. Health workers have complained about delayed or missing payments, triggering several strikes. According to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 50 health workers have died since the outbreak was announced.

Some areas have shown signs of improvement, with fewer confirmed cases in the past several weeks, including in Ituri province and Haut-Uele, but officials say the disease is spreading further in other areas, expanding its geographical reach.

According to data from the Africa CDC, the current outbreak has outpaced the two-year West Africa regional outbreak in terms of spread in the same time. By week 19, the regional outbreak between 2014 and 2016 recorded 3,781 cases, while the current outbreak recorded 7,840. WHO said that it’s on track to surpass the regional outbreak, which killed 11,000 people.

Containment efforts have been hamstrung by insecurity, displacement, a health workers’ strike and intense population movements.

11th Woman’s Body in South Africa as Authorities Investigate Recent Spate of Killings

8:24 AM EDT, September 28, 2026

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South African police said Monday that another body of a woman was discovered in Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg, bringing the total number of female victims recently found in the area to 11.

The spate of killings and bodies of women discovered in the area since July has sparked fears that a serial killer or killers are responsible. The killings also have generated anger in South Africa, which has high rates of femicide and violent crime toward women and children.

The body of the latest female victim was discovered in Springs, which is part of Ekurhuleni, by a private security company that was patrolling the area on Sunday, police said.

Police began investigating after the bodies of three women were found in July and August within about 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) of one another in the Ekurhuleni municipality, east of Johannesburg.

The discovery of six bodies in Ekurhuleni over 10 days earlier this month raised fears about a serial killer or killers.

The latest discovery came a day after another body of a woman who appeared to have been violently killed was discovered near Tembisa township.

Police released limited details about the 10th body, which was found early Saturday, and didn’t immediately identify the victim.

According to the police, a 36-year-old suspect was arrested in connection with the killing and is due to appear at Tembisa Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

It is alleged that following the killing, the suspect fled to Tzaneen in Limpopo province, which is nearly 400 kilometers (about 245 miles) away from where the woman’s body was discovered. He was arrested on Saturday evening, the same day the woman’s body was discovered.

Last week, two women appeared in court in relation to the killing of one of the women whose bodies have been discovered around Ekurhuleni since July. They are due to appear in court on Oct. 1.

South Africa’s Death Toll from Weekend Mass Shootings Rises to 28 After Another Victim Dies

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

4:47 AM EDT, September 28, 2026

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South African authorities on Monday raised the combined death toll from two mass shootings over the weekend to 28, after another victim from one of the attacks died in hospital.

South Africa has struggled with violent crime for years, but the shootings on Saturday night have shocked a country used to some of the highest homicide rates in the world.

The victim who died was from the first attack, in the Wedela township near Johannesburg, where 17 people died on Saturday night and several others were wounded, police said. Armed with AK-47 rifles, gunmen stormed a tavern and opened fire first at patrons outside the bar before moving inside and continuing to shoot.

The gunmen searched some of the patrons and took their mobile phones before escaping in two vehicles. Two cars were set on fire outside the bar during the shooting.

“One more victim has died in hospital, bringing the total number of deceased to 18,” the police statement on Monday said.

About four hours later on Saturday night, 10 people were killed and 11 wounded in a shooting at a store linked to what police described as an entertainment venue in Lwandle township, near Cape Town, South Africa’s second biggest city. Police said they were searching for multiple suspects, though they didn’t give an exact number.

Of the dead in Wedela, two were South Africans and two were Lesotho nationals. The four are the only fatalities whose identities have been confirmed so far.

“All the injured victims in hospital have been identified,” the police said, adding that five were “shot in the upper body and are critically wounded, while the others are in a stable condition.”

A team of detectives and members of the South African Defence Force are investigating. No arrests have been made so far.

What’s Behind South Africa’s Mass Shootings and How They’re Often Different to Lone Gunman Attacks

By GERALD IMRAY

4:35 PM EDT, September 27, 2026

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Eight gunmen with AK-47 rifles and pistols shot patrons outside a bar and then moved inside to continue their deadly rampage, killing at least 17 people Saturday in one of three mass shootings in South Africa in the space of six days this week.

A total of at least 38 people were killed and nearly 30 were wounded in the separate late-night shootings in impoverished townships near South Africa’s three biggest cities. Two of the massacres happened in the space of a few hours late Saturday night and in the predawn hours of Sunday.

South Africa’s mass shootings often differ from lone gunman mass shootings seen in the United States and other countries. The shootings in South Africa are mostly connected to criminality, rather than ideological motive or personal grievance.

There is no standard global definition of mass shootings. In South Africa, police define a mass shooting as when three or more people are shot in a single attack.

Multiple gunmen are often involved in South Africa

All three mass shootings this week involved multiple gunmen, according to police. They said they were hunting for eight suspects who carried out the attack Saturday night at a small neighborhood bar in Wedela township, southwest of South Africa’s biggest city of Johannesburg.

Multiple suspects carried out another mass shooting hours later that killed 10 at a store connected to a nighttime entertainment venue in Lwandle township near the city of Cape Town, though police didn’t say exactly how many shooters there were. Three gunmen — at least one of whom also used an AK-47 rifle — killed 11 people after forcing their way into a house party in KwaMakhutha township near the city of Durban on Tuesday night.

Seven mass shootings have gained national headlines since December. Six of them — where dozens of victims were killed in bars, houses, at a hostel or outside on the street — were carried out by multiple gunmen.

Many of the shootings are linked to criminal gangs

Authorities say many of the mass shootings are linked to criminal gangs fighting turf wars or using violence to establish control over communities and areas.

Saturday night’s mass shooting at the bar near Johannesburg occurred in an area where residents said there was a history of violence by illegal mining gangs. The acting provincial commissioner said police were investigating a possible lead that the shooting was a revenge attack as one of the victims was connected to a previous shooting.

Illegal mining gangs are notorious for terrorizing communities in the gold-mining areas around the Johannesburg region, where they are involved in the lucrative illicit gold trade. In other parts of the country, including Cape Town, gangs involved in selling illegal drugs or extortion rackets have been responsible for mass shootings.

Sudanese Doctors Say RSF Looted and Wrecked Hospital in Recaptured Town

27 September 2026

RSF elements in front of North Kordofan's Sodari hospital, file photo

September 26, 2026 (SODARI, Sudan) – Sudanese medics on Saturday accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of destroying and looting the main hospital in the North Kordofan town of Sodari, cutting off healthcare access for over 50,000 families.

The Sudanese army and allied groups retook the strategically located North Kordofan town on Friday after heavy fighting with the RSF, which had held the area since the early months of the conflict that began in April 2023.

Pro-army media platforms published video footage showing widespread destruction, ransacked wards, and stripped medical infrastructure across the rural hospital and nearby public facilities.

“Sodari Rural Hospital, which served more than 50,000 families before the war, was attacked and systematically looted of its infrastructure and medical equipment by the RSF,” the Sudanese Doctors Network said in a statement.

The group said the facility was left in ruins, depriving civilians of basic medical care amid a worsening humanitarian crisis in the region.

An RSF spokesperson could not immediately be reached for comment.

Sudan’s healthcare sector has largely collapsed after more than three years of civil war, with international aid agencies reporting that the majority of medical facilities in conflict-affected regions are either out of service or severely damaged.

The medics’ group urged international agencies to pressure the RSF to halt attacks on healthcare infrastructure and demanded accountability for violations of international humanitarian law.

RSF Extracts Transit Fees as Heglig Oil Output Reaches 26,000 bpd

27 September 2026

RSF elements pose at Heglig oilfield in West Kordofan, on Dec 8, 2025

September 27, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces is collecting around $4 per barrel on crude pumped from landlocked South Sudan in exchange for allowing pipeline transit across territory under its control, oil industry sources told Sudan Tribune.

Under a tripartite arrangement involving Juba, Khartoum, and the RSF, South Sudan now pays the paramilitary group $4 per barrel, leaving $7 per barrel for the Sudanese government from the original $11 transit tariff agreed before the civil war, the sources said.

The RSF took control of the Heglig area on Dec. 8, 2025, following a military withdrawal, later declaring full control over the strategic zone containing one of Sudan’s primary oilfields.

Output from the Heglig fields currently stands at about 26,000 barrels per day (bpd), the sources added.

South Sudan deducts payments to the paramilitary force directly from the revenue allocation historically designated for Khartoum under pre-war cross-border transit deals.

Former Sudanese oil minister Adel Ali Ibrahim told Sudan Tribune that all crude pumped from Heglig is sent directly for export via the pipeline shared with South Sudan and its partners for sale on global markets.

However, Ibrahim noted that receipts from these sales do not appear in revenue disclosures published by the Central Bank of Sudan, raising questions about the transparency of the funds.

The complete export of Heglig crude followed the shutdown of the Al-Jaili refinery near Khartoum, which ceased operations shortly after fighting broke out between the army and the RSF in April 2023.

Data from the former minister showed the Petco pipeline transported an average of 60,000 to 65,000 bpd in 2025 from South Sudanese fields, including Unity, Manga, Toma South, El Toor, El Nar, and Thar Jath. The same line carried an average of roughly 22,000 bpd of Sudanese output from the Heglig and Bamboo fields.

The Bapco pipeline, formerly Petrodar, carried between 100,000 and 106,000 bpd of South Sudanese crude before a major rupture halted operations though technical teams repaired the fault and restored flows later that month, Ibrahim said.

RSF Drone Strike Hits Strategic Fuel Depot in Central Sudan

27 September 2026

Smoke rises from burning storage tanks at the Um Aleila fuel depot following a drone strike by the paramilitary RSF, near Wad Madani, Al Jazirah state, Sept 27, 2026.

September 27, 2026 (WAD MADANI) – Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces struck a strategic fuel storage facility on Sunday near Wad Madani, the capital of central Al Jazirah state, security sources and witnesses said.

The drone attack targeted the Um Aleila fuel depot near the town of Abu Haraz, about 20 km (12 miles) northeast of Wad Madani, in the early hours of Sunday, according to security sources speaking to Sudan Tribune.

Witnesses in adjacent villages reported hearing several loud blasts followed by thick plumes of black smoke billowing from storage tanks across the complex.

The RSF could not immediately be reached for comment.

Um Aleila is one of Sudan’s primary petroleum reserves, serving as a critical hub for storing and distributing gasoline and diesel throughout the agricultural state of Al Jazirah and adjacent regions.

The facility had previously been ransacked during the RSF’s takeover of Wad Madani in December 2023, when control rooms and supply pipelines were damaged, and equipment was looted.

The strike comes amid a protracted war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary group, which erupted in April 2023 and has triggered widespread devastation, famine risks, and one of the world’s largest displacement crises

Sudan Army Downs Drone in North Kordofan, Resumes Air Strikes on Nyala

Drone downed in North Darfur on Sept 27, 2026

September 27, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese army said on Sunday it had shot down a long-range drone operated by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in North Kordofan, while warplanes carried out air strikes on at least three sites in the South Darfur capital of Nyala.

Over the past 10 days, military air defences have intercepted approximately eight Chinese-made FH-95 drones across several regions, according to military sources.

Four of the aircraft were brought down in North Kordofan’s al-Kukiti and Tinna districts, three in Blue Nile region, and one on Saturday near Kalamendo, southeast of the North Darfur capital of el-Fasher, the sources said.

In an official statement, an army spokesperson said air defences intercepted a hostile FH-95 drone on Sunday morning west of Tinna. The RSF did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The reported downings point to upgraded air defence capabilities to counter long-range unmanned aerial vehicles, which had repeatedly stalled army ground operations across front lines in Kordofan.

Over the past two weeks, a major army offensive pushed RSF fighters out of multiple areas in North Kordofan, including the strategic hub of Sodari, which links Kordofan and Darfur. The paramilitary force withdrew westward toward al-Mazroub, Hamrat al-Sheikh, and Um Badr along the Darfur boundary.

Separately, local residents and witnesses in Nyala said military aircraft resumed strikes on the city on Sunday afternoon, ending a prolonged pause in jet activity across Darfur.

Warplanes dropped munitions across central, southern, and northern districts of Nyala, triggering heavy explosions and sending columns of smoke over the city, the sources said. Casualties could not be immediately determined.

The army had largely halted crewed air operations over Darfur in February 2025 after the RSF deployed air defence systems that brought down at least three military jets.

Following those losses, the military turned to long-range drones to strike deep into RSF-held territory, repeatedly targeting Nyala’s airport.

The RSF repaired the facility to handle logistics and supply flights. Sudan’s military government and international monitors have accused the United Arab Emirates of using supply hubs in Chad, eastern Libya, and Ethiopia to fly equipment to the RSF through Nyala. The UAE has repeatedly denied providing military backing to the paramilitary group.

Gold Exporters Accuse Influential Actors of Draining Sudan’s Gold Wealth

25/09/2026 16:56 

KHARTOUM

A billion dollars of Sudanese gold to Egypt's coffers (Cartoon: Omar Dafalla / RD) Goldmining equipment

Sudan’s Gold Exporters Division has accused influential actors of taking gold outside official channels, warning that the country is losing billions of dollars in potential revenue while the pound continues to slide.

Sudan produces more than 70 tonnes of gold a year worth an estimated $8 billion, but only about $2 billion reaches the state treasury, according to Abdelmoneim Siddig, head of the Gold Exporters Division.

In an interview with Radio Dabanga today, Siddig said gold could help Sudan tackle its economic crisis and provide much-needed foreign currency but alleged that influential entities export gold outside formal channels. Onlineradio streaming

He accused the Central Bank of Sudan of buying gold at high prices, saying the practice encourages exports outside official channels and puts further pressure on the Sudanese pound.

Siddig said smuggled gold becomes a source of foreign currency for travellers, students, patients and others, adding that rising gold prices drive up the dollar price and weaken the pound.

He warned that weak oversight and flawed economic policies could deepen the crisis, leaving citizens to bear the cost through higher living expenses and deteriorating healthcare and education.

“If these policies are not reversed, these government institutions that work unconsciously and care about nothing but to get any amount of dollars regardless of their economic consequences, will cause the crisis to worsen,” he said.

Mining companies threaten halt

The comments come as Sudan’s mining companies escalate their dispute with the government over the Central Bank’s gold purchasing and pricing mechanism. Goldmining equipment

The Union of Mining Companies in Sudan has threatened to halt gold production from October 1, warning that the current system is making it difficult for companies to meet their financial and operational obligations.

The union said companies recognise the state’s right to regulate the sector and collect its legal revenues, but reject the current mechanism for purchasing, pricing and settling payments for their production.

The dispute centres on how the Central Bank buys companies’ gold, sets its value and settles their dues. Producers want a mechanism that better reflects gold’s economic value and production costs.

Central Bank changes rules

The Central Bank recently amended rules governing gold produced from mining waste after 23 companies warned they would gradually suspend production at the end of September before halting completely in October. Goldmining equipment

New rules allow mining waste companies to sell their entire production to the Central Bank, authorised buyers or exporters. They can also hold export proceeds in foreign currency for up to 21 working days and use them for operational imports or other permitted obligations.

The Central Bank ordered banks not to process gold exports by mining waste companies without its written approval and confirmation that all other requirements had been met.

RSF Drones Strike El Gezira Fuel Depot as Both Sides Report Shootdowns

27/09/2026 15:22 

WAD MADANI

RSF drone strikes hit the Umm Alila fuel depot east of Wad Madani on September 27, 2026 (Photo: Social media) SwitchEnergy Plans

Paramilitary Rapid Support Forces drones struck the Umm Alila fuel depot east of Wad Madani in El Gezira early on Sunday, triggering fires as Sudan’s warring sides reported further drone activity across the country.

Residents said they heard several explosions shortly after dawn prayers in Abu Haraz, about 20 kilometres northeast of Wad Madani. Videos circulating online showed flames across parts of the depot as Civil Defence teams worked to contain the blaze.

The facility stores and distributes petrol and diesel across El Gezira. Civil Defence said it contained the fire and prevented it from reaching other tanks, with damage limited to the petrol and diesel tanks.

‘Drones shot down’

The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) said on Thursday that its air defences shot down an FH-95 drone northeast of El Kokiti in North Kordofan, the second drone of the same type it said it had downed this week.

North Kordofan has seen an escalation in fighting in recent weeks.

The RSF, meanwhile, said it shot down a Turkish-made Bayraktar drone over the Blue Nile region on Thursday. It accused the army of systematic attacks on populated areas and called on the international community and regional organisations to condemn them.

US-Egypt-Sudan Meeting in New York Discusses Peace Efforts

22/09/2026 17:16

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Sudanese Foreign Minister Mohieddin Salem and US President’s Senior Adviser for Arab and African Affairs Massad Boulos meet in New York on Sunday to discuss Sudan’s war and efforts to end the conflict (Photo: @US_SrAdvisorAF via X)

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Sudanese Foreign Minister Mohieddin Salem and US President’s Senior Adviser for Arab and African Affairs Massad Boulos met in New York on Sunday to discuss efforts to advance existing diplomatic initiatives and create conditions for a sustainable political settlement in Sudan.

Abdelatty stressed the need to preserve Sudan’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as its national institutions and state capabilities. He called for intensified regional and international efforts to end the conflict through dialogue and negotiation.

Boulos said the talks focused on the urgent need to agree on a path towards lasting peace. He said Sudanese civilians urgently need a humanitarian truce that could pave the way for comprehensive civilian dialogue and a unified, peaceful Sudan.

The meeting follows separate talks in Cairo between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and US Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe, who also discussed the war and the need for continued US-Egyptian coordination on Sudan.

Former Sudanese Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok is also in New York, leading a delegation from the Civil Democratic Alliance for Revolutionary Forces (Somoud), for talks with US and other international officials on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

The delegation has called for an immediate, comprehensive humanitarian truce and stronger measures to protect civilians and ensure aid reaches those in need.

Nuba Christian and Muslim Leaders Call for End to Sudan War

24/09/2026 18:33

Meeting of the Sudanese Council of Churches and the Islamic Council of the Nuba Mountains in South Sudan, 24 September 2026 (Photo: Social media) SouthSudan history

Christian and Muslim religious leaders in the Nuba Mountains, spanning South and West Kordofan states, have called for an immediate end to armed violence and hate speech, urging all parties to pursue dialogue and reconciliation.

The new Sudanese Council of Churches and the Islamic Council of the Nuba Mountains issued a joint statement on Wednesday following consultations held from September 21 to 23 at Yida refugee camp in Ruweng, South Sudan.

Held under the slogan “One Society, One People, United for Peace and Reconciliation”, the meeting addressed the conflict’s devastating impact on communities.

Bishop El Aiser Coco said the conflict, which began on March 12, 2026 and spread across Heiban locality in South Kordofan, had caused deaths, destroyed livelihoods, displaced thousands and deepened fear and trauma.

He urged all sides to stop violence and inflammatory rhetoric, exercise restraint and give dialogue a genuine opportunity, saying civilians’ lives, dignity and security must take precedence over political, military and tribal interests.

The statement also called for an end to hostilities, serious and inclusive dialogue, justice and tolerance, community reconciliation, confidence-building, humanitarian assistance, action on the root causes of the conflict, and protection of civilians and human dignity.

Coco urged communities across the Nuba Mountains to remain calm and avoid actions that could inflame tensions.

He called on traditional leaders, women, youth, civil society and political leaders to support peacebuilding, urging communities to choose “dialogue instead of violence, reconciliation instead of hatred, tolerance instead of revenge, and coexistence rather than division”.

The leaders also appealed to local, regional and international actors to support peace efforts, provide humanitarian assistance and help address the root causes of the conflict.

Sudan's Farmers Are Ready to Return - Private Investment Could Get Them There

WFP/Abubakar Garelnabei

A woman who fled violence in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, shows the wheat that she farmed in Al Dabbah in the north of the country.

25 September 2026

UN News Service

The war in Sudan has devastated the economy and agricultural production, but a UN-backed plan aims to mobilise private sector investment to help farmers return to their fields.

The roadmap for recovery, and the potential for some $155 million in external investment, were among the outcomes of a three-day dialogue held this week in Khartoum, organized by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and Sudan's Ministry of Finance.

More than 300 participants from 20 countries - representing the Government, financial institutions, the national and international private sector, farmers' and trade associations, as well as other stakeholders - registered for the event.

A 'steppingstone' forward

"This dialogue is a steppingstone towards moving forward in bringing more private sector engagement, which ultimately socioeconomic recovery depends on," said Arvind Kumar, Team Leader for Recovery and Resilience at the UNDP Country Office in Sudan.

He told UN News that focusing on the private sector is critical because it provides some 98 per cent of jobs.

Speaking from the capital, Mr. Kumar described an economy that has been broken by war but not completely paralysed. Sudan's farmers continue to grow crops, goods are still being transported, and markets still function in some areas.

But the last two years have seen yields fall by 40 to 70 per cent in some cases, he said, while the cost of agricultural inputs such as fertilisers and fuel have increased due to the crisis in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf.

"The third and most key important aspect is that there is not much injection into the economy from the private sector," he said. "And they are willing to come back."

Millions going hungry

Mr. Kumar stressed that "food production is obviously not close to what Sudan needs," highlighting the immense impacts of the civil war that erupted in April 2023.

The brutal battle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and former allies the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has left more than 19 million people facing hunger. Nearly 35 million require humanitarian assistance and 13 million have been displaced.

Before the war, Sudan exported gum arabic, sesame, cotton, hibiscus, sorghum and livestock, he said, and once accounted for a 12 to 13 per cent share of the global sesame market, now reduced to six per cent.

Although livestock exports continue, the share of "high-value agricultural crops" has declined because most businesses have lost assets and lack access to capital, "therefore it is very difficult for them to come and rebuild, so it is taking time."

Meanwhile, UNDP analysis shows that 90 per cent of farmers cannot access financing, and "with the support only of aid, they will not be able to continue to improve food production."

Recognition, recovery and potential resources

He said the dialogue in Khartoum concluded with "three key outcomes": recognition of the need for continued engagement with the international and national private sector, adoption and endorsement of a private sector recovery roadmap for agriculture, and "an encouraging potential investment" of nearly $155 million from Pakistan, India, Türkiye, Egypt and Syria.

Participants also discussed the need to re-connect farms with markets and ultimately buyers, while business owners raised concerns about regulatory barriers and the difficulty of linking up with international investors.

Financial support for farmers

UNDP is exploring measures to bring more support to farmers through the banking system, such as credit guarantees.

It is also working with the national and international private sector to restore a warehouse receipt system - a process that would allow farmers to store produce in approved facilities and receive receipts that may be used to secure financing.

Trade facilitation is another top priority. UNDP is engaging with the Sudanese authorities responsible for customs and ports, as well as UN trade and development organization UNCTAD, "to review the reforms that are needed for ease of business."

Mr. Kumar said people need education, healthcare, electricity and jobs to rebuild their lives, He insisted that development should begin alongside life-saving humanitarian assistance "and there is an opportunity and a space to bring development back on track."

Read the original article on UN News.

Liberia: Weah, Cummings, Three Others Sign Opposition Pact Against Boakai

New Dawn

Liberia opposition leaders

28 September 2026

The Liberian Investigator (Monrovia)

By Lennart Dodoo

Former President George Weah and Alexander Cummings, a founder of the opposition coalition built to unseat him, joined three other opposition leaders Sunday in a pact to confront President Joseph Nyuma Boakai's government. They deliberately left open the question that destroyed that coalition: who leads the ticket.

The five leaders signed a joint communique at the Sinkor Palace on Tubman Boulevard, where Simeon C. M. Freeman of the Movement for Progressive Change hosted their second roundtable. Weah signed for the Coalition for Democratic Change, Cummings for the Alternative National Congress, Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah Sr. for the Movement for Economic Empowerment and Jonathan A. Mason for the Union of Liberian Democrats Party.

In the communique, the parties pledge to "jointly and constructively hold the Boakai-Koung-Unity Party-led Government accountable for its stewardship of the Republic." They accuse the government of losing territory to Guinea, running a selective fight against corruption and drugs, defying the Supreme Court, and using a new cybercrime law against critics.

At a news conference after the signing, the leaders refused to be drawn on 2029. "We are not discussing who becomes president, who becomes vice president," Freeman said.

"We've also agreed that this is not an electoral alliance," Cummings said. He added that the arrangement "may become one."

The communique carries the same ambiguity. "Our cooperation is grounded in addressing issues of national concern, not mere electoral calculations," it says. It, however, predicts that "the political implications of that success will naturally inform the 2029 electoral agenda."

On Feb. 21, 2019, Cummings, Boakai, the late Charles Walker Brumskine and Benoni Urey signed the agreement that created the Collaborating Political Parties. The alliance was meant to field a single ticket against Weah. In the December 2020 special senatorial election, it won six of the 15 races.

It came apart in early 2022. Boakai and Cummings could not agree on who would head the 2023 ticket, and the partners fought over an alleged alteration of the coalition's framework agreement. The All-Liberian Party filed its withdrawal on Jan. 28, 2022, and Boakai's Unity Party followed on Feb. 17. The Supreme Court declined to rule on the alteration claim, and the state dropped its criminal case against Cummings.

Boakai then took Nimba Sen. Jeremiah Kpan Koung of the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction as his running mate and defeated Weah in 2023. Cummings, running under what remained of the collaboration, won 29,613 votes, or 1.61%. Boakai won Weah with a margin of about 20,567 votes.

Sunday's document says the new arrangement was shaped by those failures. "We will build trust through actual consultations, collaboration and measurable national engagement rather than attempting to manufacture opposition political unity by declaration," it says. Each party keeps its own identity and organization, with no merger or shared leadership structure.

Freeman compared a rushed alliance to a hasty marriage that ends in divorce. "So we're trying to know each other. We're trying to like each other," he said.

Weah said the talks had never turned to candidacies. He said that when the leaders first met, there was no discussion "on who going on a ticket or who joining who."

"We were one voice and we signed a document to work together in the interest of our country," Weah said.

Weah convened the first roundtables Sept. 5-6 at the Jamaica Resort in Paynesville. Freeman said one leader had stepped away before the structure was even formed, and said the group looked forward to working with him.

Cummings acknowledged that the leaders had agreed in September to issue a joint statement the following Friday. "Last time we met, we did agree that we were going to issue a joint communication," he said, adding that the leaders later decided that plan "was not cast in stone." He said Sunday's document was produced by a joint technical committee of the parties.

The communique's sharpest charges concern corruption and drugs. It calls a US$10 million construction project in Foya, Boakai's hometown, "a flagship of corruption." It says the project violated procurement and budget rules and that its funding sources have never been credibly explained. The Alternative National Congress asked the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate the project in May, the communique says. The commission replied in June that it would conduct a "preliminary assessment," and no action has been made public since.

The parties also demand an investigation into the Central Bank of Liberia's May 2024 transfer of US$8 million in reserves to SIB Liberia under an April 18, 2024, presidential directive.

On drugs, the parties call for an independent commission to investigate the US$19 million and US$317 million busts. They cite Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman, who said senior officials at the highest level of government were involved, and complain that calls to remove Coleman from the investigation have been ignored.

They propose that the commission include the Liberia National Bar Association, the Press Union of Liberia, civil society groups, the Liberia National Muslim Council and the Liberia Council of Churches. They also charge that the government prosecutes opponents quickly while dismissed security officials linked to the cartel remain free.

On territory, the parties say Guinea "occupies a Liberian territory in Foya District, Lofa County." They accuse the government of failing to press the Economic Community of West African States, the African Union and the United Nations to act.

They also condemn:

the recent arrest of a young man accused of spreading an AI-generated image of the vice president, calling it evidence that Liberians "may be living under a police state"

the government's request in March that the European Union recall its ambassador, Nona Deprez, after she called for transparency in the mining sector

what they describe as armed security officers menacing Weah and supporters when he returned through Roberts International Airport on Sept. 2

The parties say they are alarmed by what they describe as the new leadership of the National Elections Commission's perceived intention to deregister political parties. "No such actions would be tolerated, and any such attempt will be resisted in the strongest term," the communique says.

The parties offered one concession to the government. They commended it for passing US$1 billion in domestic revenue, but said the real test is the budget's impact on ordinary Liberians.

Kemayah said the technical committee, made up of two representatives from each party, has presented a first draft of terms of reference and a phased roadmap for cooperation. He said the leaders will next meet on or around Nov. 1.

Read the original article on Liberian Investigator.

Kenya Hospitals Risk Sha Lockout As Current Contracts Expire Wednesday

28 September 2026

Capital FM (Nairobi)

By Irene Mwangi

Nairobi — Healthcare providers across the country risk being locked out of the Social Health Authority (SHA) system from Thursday if they fail to complete the contracting process for the new 2026-2029 cycle.

In a notice issued on Monday, SHA Chief Executive Officer Dr Mercy Mwangangi said existing contracts with healthcare providers will expire on September 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.

The authority warned that facilities that have not secured an executed contract for the new cycle will no longer be allowed to provide services to SHA beneficiaries from October 1.

Their access to the SHA provider portal will also be switched off, raising concerns over possible disruptions for patients who depend on the facilities for treatment.

"Providers without an executed contract for the 2026-2029 cycle will not be permitted to offer services to SHA beneficiaries after that date, and their access to the SHA provider portal will be switched off," Mwangangi said in the notice.

The warning comes just days before the expiry of the current contracts, placing hospitals and other healthcare facilities under pressure to complete outstanding requirements.

SHA has urged providers that wish to continue serving its beneficiaries to apply for a new contract and complete the contracting process before October 1.

The authority said facilities that fail to secure new contracts should make arrangements to transfer patients already receiving treatment to contracted providers to ensure continuity of care.

The directive could particularly affect patients undergoing ongoing treatment, including those requiring regular reviews, procedures or other services covered by SHA, if their preferred facilities are not among those contracted under the new cycle.

SHA said the contracting exercise is part of the transition to the 2026-2029 provider contracting cycle, which was launched earlier this month through the authority's new electronic contracting platform.

The Ministry of Health said the new framework, known as HAKIKA, is intended to strengthen contracting, verification, payment and accountability arrangements between SHA and healthcare providers.

The new contracts cover services under the Primary Health Care Fund, Social Health Insurance Fund, Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund and the Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund. The contracting period runs from October 1, 2026, to June 30, 2029.

The electronic contracting portal allows facilities to submit applications, provide supporting documents, complete verification and execute contracts digitally.

The latest notice, however, puts the responsibility on individual providers to ensure they have completed the process before the deadline.

SHA asked providers with outstanding contracting requirements to act promptly to avoid interruptions to services for beneficiaries.

Read the original article on Capital FM.