US Military Behind UAE Oil Zone Strike: IRIB

By Al Mayadeen English

Iran denied responsibility for a fire at a UAE oil zone in Fujairah, with state media blaming US military forces seeking to open passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported Monday, quoting a military source, that the US military was responsible for a fire at an oil facility in the UAE, carried out to open a route for ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

The unnamed source denied Iranian involvement, telling state television that the incident was the result of US military "adventurism" intended to secure passage through the Strait of Hormuz, and that Washington, not Tehran, must be held accountable.

"Iran had no plan to attack oil facilities [in the UAE]. What happened was the result of adventurism by US military forces, aimed at creating a passage for vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. It is the US military that must bear responsibility for what happened," the source said.

Earlier Monday, UAE authorities attributed the attack on the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone to Iran, describing it as a "dangerous escalation," and said they reserve the right to respond.

UAE 'sitting in a fragile glass house'

Iran's Tasnim News Agency reported Monday, citing an Iranian military source, that if the United Arab Emirates takes any "unwise action," all of its interests would become targets for Iran.

The source warned that if the UAE becomes a "tool in the hands of Israel" and makes any miscalculation, it would receive "a lesson it will never forget." He added that the UAE is fully aware it is "sitting in a fragile glass house," stressing that insecurity would pose a potentially fatal threat.

The source further stated that if the UAE were to repeat the "mistake of the Forty-Day War," Iran would abandon all restraint and treat the country as it would any part of the Israeli entity. 

Maritime incidents mount off UAE coast

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported three separate incidents in UAE waters on Monday.

An oil tanker, later identified as the MV Barakah, an empty crude carrier operated by ADNOC Logistics and Services, was struck by a projectile around 78 nautical miles north of Fujairah, with all crew confirmed safe.

A cargo ship engine room fire was reported 36 nautical miles north of Dubai, and a third vessel fire was flagged approximately 14 nautical miles west of Saqr Port.

No environmental damage was reported across the three incidents.

Araghchi Calls Project Freedom in Hormuz 'Ineffective'

By Al Mayadeen English

Iran’s FM Abbas Araqchi warns the US against escalation, dismisses “Project Freedom” as ineffective, and highlights progress in Pakistan-mediated talks.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi dismissed Trump's “Project Freedom” initiative in the Strait of Hormuz, describing it as a “project of stagnation” that fails to address the root causes of the crisis.

Speaking to Reuters, Araghchi said that ongoing negotiations mediated by Pakistan are making progress, urging Washington to exercise caution and avoid being drawn back into escalation.

Araghchi warned that the United States risks being “dragged once again into the quagmire” by actors with “malicious intentions,” adding that regional states, including the UAE, should also remain vigilant.

Araghchi emphasized that recent developments in the Strait of Hormuz have demonstrated that there is no military solution to the issue, stressing that diplomatic efforts remain the only viable path forward.

Trump earlier announced that Washington will begin a naval operation to escort foreign vessels stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, framing the move as a humanitarian initiative amid ongoing regional tensions.

He alleged that multiple countries had asked the United States for assistance in "freeing" ships that remain unable to transit the strategic waterway, adding that the initiative would begin Monday with US representatives tasked with guiding vessels and their crews safely out of the restricted area.

Iran rejects Trump’s 'Project Freedom,' warns US over Hormuz role

Trump emphasized that many of the affected ships belong to countries not involved in the ongoing war, describing them as “neutral and innocent bystanders” caught in the crisis.

Head of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee in the Iranian Parliament, Ebrahim Azizi, issued a sharp warning to Washington,  saying that any US interference in the emerging maritime arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz would breach ceasefire understandings.

Azizi stressed that Iran would not accept external control over one of the world’s most strategic waterways, amid ongoing tensions following months of confrontation in the region.

Azizi directly dismissed Trump’s “Project Freedom” initiative, stating that the management of the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Gulf region “would not be dictated by Trump’s delusional posts.”

His remarks reflect Tehran’s firm rejection of US attempts to position itself as an arbiter of maritime movement in the area.

Global Shipping Drops Suez Canal, Goes Around Africa in Record Traffic

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: Financial Times

1 May 2026 11:11

A growing number of international shipping companies are bypassing the Suez Canal and the Red Sea, opting instead for the longer passage around southern Africa.

Tanker traffic near the Cape of Good Hope hit an all-time high of 24 million deadweight tonnes during the week of April 1, the Financial Times reported, citing new data. Industry analysts describe this as evidence of a fundamental and lasting transformation in global shipping patterns.

The detour adds a minimum of two weeks to voyages connecting Asia with Europe. Heightened security concerns following recent military exchanges involving Iran, the United States, and "Israel" have driven the shift, as shipping lines prioritize safety over speed and cost.

Red Sea route had already been under pressure since 2023

Shipping through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea has faced significant disruptions since 2023, when Yemeni Armed Forces began targeting commercial vessels in response to the genocide in Gaza. A ceasefire last October briefly encouraged some operators to reconsider the shorter passage, but renewed hostilities in the Gulf have reversed that trend entirely.

Major shipping firms now indicate that a return to the Suez route is unlikely in the near future. Rolf Habben Jansen, chief executive of Hapag-Lloyd, said the company made "first cautious attempts" to resume Red Sea transits but halted those plans as regional instability worsened.

"If you look at everything that is happening in the region, that certainly will not accelerate the return to Suez," he warned.

Freight costs rise as ports see record activity

The shift has driven up container rates along the Cape route. According to logistics platform Freightos, container rates along the longer Cape route rose from about $2,500 per forty-foot equivalent unit (FEU) to approximately $3,000 in mid-March, before easing slightly to around $2,700 per FEU in recent weeks.

Beyond pricing, the rerouting has significantly boosted port activity across southern Africa. A report by Project44 indicates that container arrivals at key regional hubs, including Durban, Cape Town, and Walvis Bay, increased by 21 percent since late February. The week of April 6 recorded a 71 percent spike above pre-war averages.

Walvis Bay has emerged as a particular beneficiary. Shipping executives point to its deep-water harbour and expanded fuel supply capacity as critical advantages. Ian Rosario, operations director for South Africa at Mediterranean Shipping Company, noted that the port is "thriving", partly because it can supply multiple grades of marine fuel.

Other ports have also seen rising demand, though infrastructure gaps remain a challenge. South Africa's Port Elizabeth has experienced a near doubling of bunker fuel traffic compared with early 2024, while Port Louis Harbour reported a 42 percent increase in refuelling activity during March, handling 294 vessels.

Customers prioritize reliability over speed

Despite higher fuel costs and longer transit times associated with the Cape route, shipping companies say their customers now prioritize supply chain stability over rapid delivery. Industry leaders warn that unless security conditions in the Red Sea improve dramatically, the Africa diversion may become a permanent feature of global trade.

The Suez Canal had already been losing traffic since the Yemeni Armed Forces campaign began in late 2023. A brief recovery following the October ceasefire proved short-lived, as the US-Israeli war on Iran triggered retaliatory operations and caused the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, further disrupting energy shipments and container flows.

Iran has repeatedly stated that its actions are defensive, responding to unprovoked US-Israeli aggression. Tehran has also emphasized that its control over the Strait of Hormuz is a legitimate measure to protect national security, and that responsibility for the global economic fallout lies with the aggressors.

South Africa Law Firms Sue Over Updated BEE Ownership Targets

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: News websites

4 May 2026 15:31

Four South African law firms are suing over Black Economic Empowerment targets, amid rising discrimination allegations and disputes over transformation policies.

Four major law firms in South Africa have launched a legal challenge against the government over new Black Economic Empowerment targets, arguing that requirements on Black ownership and employment are “irrational” and unworkable within the proposed timeframe.

The firms, Deneys Reitz, Webber Wentzel, Werksmans Attorneys, and Bowmans, filed a case against the government over revised transformation targets in the legal sector, which aim to increase Black ownership and representation as part of post-apartheid redress policies.

The case is set to be heard on Monday at the Pretoria High Court, with the firms seeking to overturn the updated regulations. The challenge focuses on a requirement that large law firms reach 50% Black ownership within five years, alongside 25% Black women ownership targets.

The firms argue that the timeline is unrealistic given the structure of legal partnership progression, which they say requires long-term career development and cannot be accelerated without undermining merit-based advancement. They also object to broader changes in the sector’s compliance scoring system used to measure Black economic empowerment.

The dispute comes amid ongoing scrutiny of South Africa’s employment equity framework, which was introduced to address inequalities created during decades of apartheid rule that ended in 1994. The issue has also drawn international attention, including criticism from US President Donald Trump and South African-born billionaire Elon Musk, who have both questioned aspects of such policies.

Allegations of discrimination inside law firms

At the same time, allegations of discrimination within parts of the legal profession have intensified. According to interviews cited by Reuters with 13 current and former employees at Deneys Reitz, Webber Wentzel, and Bowmans, Black lawyers described systemic barriers to advancement, including unequal access to high-profile cases, favoritism in work allocation, and being overlooked for promotions.

One former associate, Inga Dyantyi, who left Deneys Reitz in 2024, said discrimination was both “subtle and overt,” alleging that her working environment became so intolerable that she was forced to resign. She has filed a separate labour court case alleging misconduct by a senior manager, while the firm has not publicly responded to the specific claims.

Another Black female lawyer has also filed a discrimination claim against Webber Wentzel, alleging that her working conditions were made untenable. She requested anonymity, citing fears over future employment prospects. Two additional Black female lawyers said they had filed complaints with South Africa’s Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration; one case was dismissed on procedural grounds after resignation, while another was settled.

Despite these allegations, the firms say they have made progress in transformation. Webber Wentzel reported Black partners rising from 25% in 2019 to 38% in 2026, while Werksmans Attorneys said the figure increased from 20% to 31% over the same period. Bowmans said Black ownership has remained between 25% and 29% over the past decade, while Deneys Reitz declined to disclose its figures.

The firms argue that reaching 50% Black ownership within five years is not feasible due to the long-term nature of partnership structures and performance-based advancement. They also challenge revisions to the legal sector’s compliance scorecard system used to measure empowerment.

South Africa’s Justice Minister Mamoloko Kubayi has defended the legislation, saying the government is “not prepared to compromise” on transformation goals.

Sector data shows that while Black lawyers make up a majority at junior levels in large firms, their representation drops significantly at partnership level. The Legal Practice Council reported in 2024 that Black professionals accounted for about 59% of junior lawyers in major firms, but only around a quarter of partners.

The Johannesburg Attorneys Association found that two-thirds of junior lawyers who left the profession in recent years were Black, underscoring concerns over retention and progression.

Critics from the Legal Sector Charter Council argue that structural barriers continue to limit advancement, warning that without intervention, inequality patterns rooted in the post-apartheid transition could persist for another generation.

2,600 Flee North Kordofan as Insecurity Worsens, UN Reports

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM3 May 2026 23:01

Around 2,600 civilians fled Abu Haraz and Kazgil in Sudan’s North Kordofan over two days due to worsening insecurity.

A new wave of displacement has been recorded in Sudan’s North Kordofan state, where escalating insecurity forced approximately 2,600 civilians to leave the towns of Abu Haraz and Kazgil within a two-day period, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

In a statement issued Sunday, the agency said the movements took place between April 29 and 30, driven by deteriorating security conditions in the area. Those displaced have reportedly sought refuge in the Sheikan district, also within North Kordofan.

“The situation remains highly tense and volatile,” the IOM warned.

Expanding frontlines in Kordofan

The latest displacement reflects intensifying fighting across the Kordofan region, which has emerged as a key battleground in the war in Sudan. The area lies between Darfur, where the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) maintains strong influence, and central Sudan, making it strategically significant for supply routes and territorial control.

Recent months have seen increased clashes as forces push into new areas, with towns such as Kazgil caught in shifting frontlines. Civilians in these regions are frequently forced to flee as fighting approaches or control changes hands.

Repeated displacement and mounting pressure

The movement of 2,600 people adds to a broader pattern of repeated displacement across Kordofan. Tens of thousands have already been uprooted in the region in recent months, with many families displaced multiple times as violence spreads.

North Kordofan has also become a destination for those fleeing other areas, placing additional strain on host communities such as Sheikan, where resources and services are already limited.

Crisis at national scale

The developments come within the context of a nationwide collapse driven by the ongoing war between the Sudanese army and the RSF, which began in April 2023. The conflict has killed tens of thousands and displaced around 13 million people, creating what is widely considered the world’s largest displacement crisis.

Across the country, nearly two-thirds of the population now requires humanitarian assistance, while millions face acute food insecurity. In some regions, hunger levels have reached catastrophic thresholds, with famine conditions already confirmed and at risk of spreading further.

The crisis is compounded by the breakdown of essential services. Large parts of the healthcare system are no longer functioning, while disease outbreaks, including cholera and measles, are spreading in overcrowded and underserved areas. Aid agencies warn that limited access and severe funding shortfalls are preventing an adequate response, leaving many communities without basic support.

Dozens Killed or Displaced as Drone Strikes, Fighting Escalate Across Sudan’s War Zones

04/05/2026 12:46 

BLUE NILE / WHITE NILE / OMDURMAN / KURMUK / KORDOFAN

Displaced people arrive in Qaysan, Blue Nile - March 2026 (File photo: Blue Nile Emergency Room)

Escalating violence in Sudan’s Blue Nile region and Omdurman has left civilians dead, injured, and displaced, amid intensifying drone strikes and ongoing clashes between rival forces. Humanitarian conditions continue to deteriorate as aid access remains limited and calls grow for urgent international intervention.

30 people killed and injured in a drone strike on the Balila area in Blue Nile

The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North led by El Hilu (SPLM-N El Hilu) said that 10 civilians were killed and 20 others, mostly women and children, were injured in a drone strike by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) on the Balila area in Kurmuk locality of Blue Nile state (New Fung) on Saturday.

In a statement seen by Radio Dabanga, the movement said the bombing caused fires in shops at the Balila market, destroyed water sources, and killed an estimated number of livestock. It noted that the area had previously been subjected to aerial bombardment targeting civilians and the local market.

The Blue Nile region is witnessing an escalation in military operations and drone strikes. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and SPLM-N El Hilu announced control over the El Kili area, 30 kilometres north of Kurmuk, while the armed forces said they had repelled an attack on the Sali area, 27 kilometres north of Kurmuk.

Fighting ongoing for more than four months has displaced about 30,000 people, mainly from Kurmuk, its surroundings, and Qaysan, to Damazin and other areas. The Blue Nile Civil Society Initiative has issued an urgent appeal for regional and international intervention to address the worsening humanitarian situation.

Displacement and harsh humanitarian conditions

Ali Hajo, a member of the initiative, said areas affected by heavy military operations are experiencing extremely difficult humanitarian conditions, with drone strikes claiming lives daily, particularly in southern Kurmuk, Balila, and Yabous. He added that women and children are the primary victims, while markets, water stations, infrastructure, and homes are frequently targeted.

He reported that more than 100,000 civilians have been displaced from Kurmuk province to Damazin and other areas, including El Rusayris, Qunays Sharq, Wad El Mahi, and Qaysan, where services remain insufficient. Others are stranded along the Ethiopian border in areas such as Kurmuk and Beisan, living in valleys and ravines under dire conditions.

Urgent demands and appeals

The initiative called on regional and international organisations to urgently provide humanitarian assistance, particularly to border areas. It also urged immediate intervention to protect civilians, stressing that daily fighting in South Blue Nile has created a catastrophic situation.

Ali Hajo appealed for pressure on all parties to halt violations against civilians and called for an immediate and comprehensive humanitarian truce to alleviate suffering.

Drone attacks on Kenana and Omdurman

Multiple sources reported that two drones, believed to belong to the RSF, targeted a fuel station and depot in the Kenana area of White Nile state on Sunday, causing material damage but no reported casualties.

In Omdurman, Sudanese Armed Forces’ air defences repelled a drone attack early Sunday morning. Another drone spotted on Saturday evening was also shot down.

The Emergency Lawyers Group condemned the killing of five civilians in recent days in a drone strike by the RSF targeting a vehicle south of Omdurman.

Three soldiers killed and wounded

Sabreen market in Omdurman witnessed panic as merchants closed shops following an exchange of gunfire. One member of the regular forces was killed and two policemen were injured.

Police spokesman Brigadier General Fath El Rahman El Tom said a soldier returning from operations was arrested while carrying a weapon inside the market in violation of regulations. When instructed to comply, he opened fire on the patrol, injuring two officers before being killed.

IOM: Hundreds displaced from the Kili area in Blue Nile

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) reported that 745 people were displaced last week from the village of El Kili in Kurmuk province due to worsening insecurity. The displaced moved to other areas within Kurmuk and to Damazin.

The RSF and SPLM-N El Hilu recently announced control over El Kili, while the armed forces said they had repelled an attack on Sali. Since January, the Blue Nile region has seen continuous fighting between the armed forces and allied groups on one side, and the RSF and SPLM-N El Hilu on the other.

The conflict has displaced around 30,000 people from Kurmuk and Qaysan amid worsening humanitarian conditions.

Movement of displaced people from the villages of Kazqil and Abu Haraz in North Kordofan – April 29 and 30, 2026 – (Map: International Organization for Migration)

3,550 displaced in Kordofan

In a separate statement, the IOM says that 3,550 people were displaced from three villages in North and South Kordofan states last Wednesday and Thursday.

The organisation said in a report seen by Radio Dabanga that 2,600 people were displaced from the villages of Abu Haraz and Kazqil in the Sheikan locality of North Kordofan on Wednesday and Thursday due to escalating insecurity. It noted that the displaced people had reached other areas within the Sheikan locality.

In South Kordofan, the organisation say that 950 people were displaced from the village of Dbeiker in Al-Qouz locality on Thursday, noting that the displaced people headed towards Sheikan locality.

North and South Kordofan states are witnessing ongoing battles, the latest of which were the clashes that took place in the Kazqil and Hamadi areas on April 18, where the RSF announced that they had repelled the attacks.

Recently, the Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Yasser Al-Atta, vowed to escalate operations on all fronts.

Condemnation of drone strike

The Emergency Lawyers Group condemned the army drone strike on Balila market and a nearby civilian gathering at a water source, which killed 10 civilians and injured dozens, most of them women and children. It described the attack as a serious violation of international humanitarian law.

The group said the strike was the second on the area following a March 31, 2026, incident that caused a large fire and looting of civilian property. It called for accountability, an immediate cessation of hostilities, and unrestricted humanitarian access, warning that continued restrictions threaten aid delivery and further endanger civilians.

Sudan Doctors Network: ‘RSF Shelling Devastates Health Services in South Kordofan’

03/05/2026 19:56 

DELLING

Sudan Doctors Network logo (Photo: Social media)

Health facilities in Delling, South Kordofan, have come under repeated shelling, pushing the city’s healthcare system to the brink of collapse, the Sudan Doctors Network reported on Sunday.

In a statement today, the network said the systematic targeting of medical facilities by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their allied force, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement North led by Abdelaziz El Hilu (SPLM-N) has crippled services and left civilians without access to essential care.

Dr Tasnim Al Amin, spokesperson for the network, said the attacks have forced many medical facilities out of service. She reported that Delling Teaching Hospital sustained severe damage and now operates only partially, while other hospitals have been out of service for some time.

According to the network, at least 10 health centres have also shut down, including those offering nutrition and reproductive health services.

The network said four hospitals are now fully or partially out of service, alongside the closure of most primary healthcare centres.

They added in their statement, that the continued shelling has led to the near total collapse of the city’s health system. It cited acute shortages of medical staff, medicines, equipment, and essential supplies, as well as the breakdown of X ray machines and the urgent need for repairs.

Their statement warned of the increasingly difficult nature for health facilities in the region to provide care, placing thousands of civilians, especially women and children, at serious risk.

The network called for an immediate halt to attacks on medical facilities and urged the opening of safe humanitarian corridors to allow the delivery of medical supplies and the deployment of health workers.

It also appealed to international, regional, and humanitarian organisations to take urgent action to support and rehabilitate the city’s health sector, warning that swift intervention is needed to prevent further loss of life and worsening humanitarian conditions.

Sudanese Mining Firm to Fund Return of 5,000 Refugees from Egypt

3 May 2026

Over a million Sudanese have returned to areas where “pockets of relative safety” have emerged, including Khartoum, Sennar, and Al Jazirah, UN says. 

May 3, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese Mineral Resources Company (SMRC) has committed to facilitating the return of 5,000 Sudanese refugees from Egypt as part of a growing voluntary repatriation program.

The state-owned mining regulator signed a memorandum of understanding on Sunday with the “Amal Committee for Voluntary Return,” a private sector initiative formed in March by Sudanese businessmen to provide free air and land transport for citizens wishing to return home.

Under the agreement, 5,000 citizens will be transported from Egypt to Sudan via a fleet of 60 luxury buses. The SMRC stated that the move is part of its efforts to support the voluntary return of Sudanese nationals currently abroad.

SMRC Director General Mohamed Taher Omer said the initiative follows state directives and reflects the company’s social and national responsibility toward citizens forced abroad by the conflict. He affirmed the company’s commitment to family reunification and national reconstruction, and expressed gratitude to the Egyptian government and people for hosting Sudanese refugees.

The company will cover the full cost of the trips, including all services, from Cairo to the land port in Khartoum.

Mohamed Wadaa, head of the Amal Committee, announced that the bus convoys would depart Cairo for Khartoum shortly. He praised the SMRC management’s responsiveness, noting that the initiative fulfils the aspirations of Sudanese nationals seeking to return.

Last week, the Amal Committee successfully organized free trips for approximately 1,610 returnees from Cairo, Alexandria, and Aswan using 34 buses.

The United Nations reports that nearly 4 million people have voluntarily returned to their homes in Sudan despite the ongoing war, though they face severe challenges upon arrival.

The conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, now in its fourth year, has killed tens of thousands and displaced more than 12 million people internally. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), over 4 million people have fled to neighbouring countries.

The IOM is seeking $170 million for its 2026 Sudan crisis response plan, but the appeal remains underfunded by approximately $97.2 million.

Sudanese Journalists Warn Against Media Militarization Amid Rising Attacks

4 May 2026

Journalists protest in defence of the press freedom in Khartoum (file photo)

May 3, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese media organizations issued a joint condemnation on Sunday against the systemic “militarization” of the country’s information space, warning that escalating violence and censorship are undermining prospects for national reconciliation.

Marking World Press Freedom Day, the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate, the Sudan Media Forum, and the Sudanese Female Journalists Network highlighted a surge in targeted attacks that have left dozens of media professionals dead and pushed Sudan further down global press freedom rankings.

The Sudanese Journalists Syndicate, which recently won the 2026 UNESCO World Press Freedom Prize, stated that attempts to control the media through intimidation or propaganda prolong the ongoing conflict.

The Syndicate argued that freedom of expression is a fundamental requirement for a democratic society rather than a “postponed luxury,” and demanded the immediate release of all detained journalists.

The Sudan Media Forum reported that 34 journalists, including five women, have been killed since the war began in April 2023.

The forum documented approximately 680 total violations, including enforced disappearances and the looting of equipment. These conditions contributed to Sudan falling five places in the World Press Freedom Index to rank 161 out of 180 countries.

The Sudanese Female Journalists Network called for immediate accountability for gender-based violence and inflammatory campaigns targeting women in the field.

The network urged media institutions to provide professional support and fair working conditions for women covering the crisis.

The three organizations urged the United Nations and the African Union to pressure warring parties to allow independent investigations into the killing of journalists. The groups maintained that media independence must remain at the centre of any future democratic transition to ensure transparency and combat hate speech.

Sudan Accuses UAE and Ethiopia of Involvement in Khartoum Airport Drone Strikes

5 May 2026

Asim Awad Abd al-Wahab, Sudanese army spokesman speaks to reporters on May 4, 2026

MAY 5, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan has accused the United Arab Emirates and Ethiopia of orchestrating a drone strike on Khartoum International Airport, a government spokesperson said on Tuesday, marking a sharp escalation in regional tensions.

The accusations follow a series of aerial attacks on Monday that targeted the capital’s main airport, residential districts, and several military installations, including the Signal Corps base in Khartoum North and the al-Markhiyat training centre in Omdurman.

During a joint press conference in the early hours of Tuesday, Foreign Minister Mohieddin Salem and military spokesperson Asim Awad Abd al-Wahab stated they had “conclusive evidence” that the drones involved in the operation were launched from Bahir Dar airport in Ethiopia.

“We formally announce the involvement of the UAE and Ethiopia in the bombing of Khartoum airport,” the officials said in a statement carried by the state news agency. They added that the government reserves the right to respond “at a time and place of its choosing.”

Military officials provided technical data alleging that a drone with the serial number S88, identified as Emirati property, was tracked entering Sudanese airspace from Ethiopia. According to the military, this specific aircraft was involved in strikes across the Blue Nile and Kordofan regions before being intercepted and downed near El Obeid in March.

The military spokesperson further alleged that a separate drone launched from the same Ethiopian facility breached the airspace on May 1, targeting the capital’s airport before being repelled by air defences.

Sudanese authorities have recalled their ambassador to Addis Ababa for consultations following the incident. The Ethiopian government has previously denied similar allegations, describing them as “false claims” during a diplomatic summons in March.

Foreign Minister Salem warned that Sudan is prepared for “all scenarios,” including direct military confrontation, to defend its sovereignty and national security against continued aerial incursions.

At Least 25 Killed by Landmines in Sudan This Year, UN Says

5 May 2026

The Sudanese army destroyed a collection of shells, landmines, and other munitions at the Wadi Seidna military base near Khartoum, August 16, 2025.

MAY 4, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Landmines and unexploded ordnance have killed 25 people and injured 52 others in Sudan since the beginning of the year, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) said on Monday, warning that the actual toll is likely significantly higher.

The casualties, recorded between January and March, include 35 children. The spike in incidents comes as displaced residents begin returning to conflict zones, particularly in Khartoum, where approximately 1.8 million of the 4 million people who fled have returned to their homes.

UNMAS reported that it has cleared 18,768 explosive items and restored 2.8 million square meters of land for safe use since fighting began. Despite these efforts, new minefields are still being discovered in central Khartoum, including at a bridge rehabilitation site connecting Omdurman and Khartoum North.

Both the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces have planted hundreds of anti-personnel and anti-vehicle mines across conflict zones since the outbreak of hostilities on April 15, 2023, to obstruct enemy advances.

Recent clearing operations have focused on critical infrastructure to facilitate aid. Teams removed more than 800 explosive hazards from Khartoum International Airport, allowing the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service to resume flights on February 26 following a three-year hiatus.

Specialized teams have also cleared over 1 million square meters of vital facilities, including residential homes, schools, hospitals, and farms.

To support these ongoing safety efforts, the European Union provided $1.7 million in funding to UNMAS on April 27. The grant aims to improve safety for 700,000 civilians directly affected by the conflict, with an estimated 1 million additional individuals expected to benefit indirectly.

UNMAS continues to work with the National Mine Action Center to survey hazardous areas and provide safety training, which has reached approximately 295,000 civilians and 2,625 humanitarian workers so far this year.

Sudanese Military Downs Drone Launched by Paramilitary Forces at the Main Airport, Officials Say

This is a locator map for Sudan with its capital, Khartoum. (AP Photo)

By YASSIR ABDALLA

3:23 PM EDT, May 4, 2026

SHENDI, Sudan (AP) — A drone launched by Sudan ‘s paramilitary forces targeted the airport in the capital of Khartoum on Monday but was shot down before it could hit the target, airport officials said. It was the latest attack in the deadly war in Sudan, now in its fourth year, which has pushed the country to the brink.

The attack came just days after the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces killed at least five people in a drone attack that hit a civilian vehicle on the outskirts of Khartoum on Saturday.

The airport officials said the drone launched on Monday was shot down by Sudan’s air defenses as it approached the airport from the south and caused no damage or casualties. The military government confirmed the drone was intercepted.

A military official told The Associated Press the drone was launched from a neighboring country but provided no further details. All the officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

At Khartoum International Airport, flights stopped briefly but authorities said they would resume after routine checks. The airport’s gradual reopening last year marked a key step in efforts to restore normal life in Khartoum, which was the epicenter of the war that broke out between the army and the RSF in April 2023.

In February, a commercial flight landed in the airport for the second time since the war began.

Khartoum has largely been spared attacks by the RSF since it was recaptured by the army last year, but it has recently seen sporadic strikes.

Since the war started, at least 59,000 people have been killed, according to Armed Conflict Location & Event Data, an independent conflict-monitoring body. Aid groups, however, say the true toll could be much higher, as access to areas of fighting across the vast country remains limited.

The war has also displaced 12 million people, according to the United Nations, and pushed parts of Sudan into famine.

___

Associated Press writer Fatma Khaled in Cairo contributed to this report.

Paramilitary Forces Drone Strike Kills 5 Near Sudan Capital, Rights Group Says

4:11 AM EDT, May 3, 2026

CAIRO (AP) — Sudan’s paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) killed at least five people in a drone attack that hit a civilian vehicle on the outskirts of Khartoum, a local Sudanese rights group said.

The attack on Saturday morning hit a vehicle that was traveling from the White Nile province to Omdurman, the sister city of the capital, Emergency Lawyers, a rights group tracking violence against civilians, said in a statement. It added that the attack reflects continued targeting of civilians on public roads and in populated areas.

Khartoum has largely been spared attacks by the RSF since it was recaptured by the Sudanese Armed Forces last year, but the capital has recently seen sporadic strikes.

The Rapid Support Forces, which have been at war with the Sudanese Army for over three years, did not immediately claim the attack.

Emergency Lawyers condemned the attack and held the RSF responsible. “What happened was a brazen violation of international humanitarian law,” it said.

At least 59,000 people have been killed in the war that broke out in April 2023, according to Armed Conflict Location & Event Data, an independent conflict-monitoring body. Aid groups, however, say the true toll could be much higher, as access to areas of fighting across the vast country remains limited.

130 Nigerians Seek Repatriation After Latest Anti-immigration Protests in South Africa

By DYEPKAZAH SHIBAYAN

2:36 PM EDT, May 4, 2026

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria will repatriate 130 Nigerians living in South Africa after a new wave of anti-immigration protests in that country, according to the foreign minister, who summoned South Africa’s top representative there on Monday to express concern.

Nigeria’s foreign minister, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, described the repatriation effort as voluntary and said more people were expected to sign up.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu was meeting with South Africa’s acting high commissioner to convey the Nigerian government’s “profound concern.”

No Nigerians were killed in last week’s protests against migrants in South Africa, who have been targeted over the years and accused of taking jobs in a country with high unemployment.

South African officials have condemned the violence and promised to crack down on “xenophobic acts.”

Separately, South Africa’s foreign minister, Ronald Lamola, said he had a phone conversation with his Nigerian counterpart to reflect on the “challenges posed by irregular migration” and work to address the causes and find solutions.

Two Nigerians were killed in separate incidents with South African security operatives last month. After Monday’s meeting, the spokesperson for Nigeria’s foreign ministry said the West African nation has requested an investigation into their deaths and seeks cooperation “in providing autopsy reports” for the families of the deceased.

Mauritania Lawmakers Sentenced to 4 Years After Insulting President Over Racial Bias Claims

President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani of Mauritania addresses the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Sept. 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

6:07 PM EDT, May 4, 2026

NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania (AP) — Two female opposition lawmakers in Mauritania were sentenced Monday to four years in prison after insulting the president and making claims of racial bias, their lawyers told The Associated Press, in the West African nation long criticized by rights groups for human rights abuses and the persistence of slavery.

Last month, lawmakers Marieme Cheikh Dieng and Ghamou Achour were charged with “attacking the symbols of the state” and “calling for gatherings with a view to undermine public security” after they posted messages on social media critical of President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani.

The two lawmakers had called in several social media posts for Ghazouani’s removal and accused the Arab-dominated justice system of treating Black citizens and descendants of slaves as second-class citizens.

The lawmakers’ attorneys — Mohamed Ould Ahmed Miske, Yaghoub Ould Sèïf and Moctar Ould Ely — confirmed the verdict of the trial at a criminal court in the capital Nouakchott to the AP. The government has not commented on the conviction.

The West African nation has long been denounced for human rights abuses, with the continuous existence of slavery casting a long shadow over its history. For centuries, the country’s economic and political elite of Arab and Amazigh people enslaved Black people from the northwest Sahara.

Mauritania outlawed slavery in 1981, the last country in the world to do so. But the practice continues, human rights groups say, with around 149,000 people in modern slavery in this nation of less than 5 million, according to the 2023 Global Slavery Index.

Biram Dah Abeid, leader of the Initiative for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist Movement coalition group, condemned the trial as unjust and politically motivated, calling the two lawmakers “heroes” and “sincere fighters against injustice,” at a news conference after the verdict.

The lawmakers are with the coalition, which is not a registered political party but allied with the registered Sawab party to help them get elected.

Mali’s Junta Leader Takes Over Defense Ministry After the Minister Was Killed in Militant Attacks

Mali’s junta leader Gen. Assimi Goita attends the funeral of former defense minister Sadio Camara at the Military Engineering Parade Ground in Bamako, Mali, Thursday, April 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Boubacary Bocoum)

1:19 PM EDT, May 4, 2026

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Mali ‘s junta leader and the country’s president has assumed the duties of defense minister, authorities said Monday, after the incumbent was killed in sweeping, coordinated attacks by separatist and jihadi forces that stunned the West African nation.

According to a presidential decree announced on state television, Assimi Goita will remain president while also taking on the new role. Former armed forces chief of staff Gen. Oumar Diarra will assist him as deputy defense minister.

The announcement comes after Defense Minister Gen. Sadio Camara was killed on April 25, in a suicide bombing that targeted his home in Kati, a garrison town near the capital, Bamako.

Along with Bamako, Kati was one of several cities and towns attacked by militants from the al-Qaida-linked group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, or JNIM, and rebels from the Azawad Liberation Front, a Tuareg-led separatist group, in one of the biggest coordinated attacks in the country in over a decade.

The Islamic militants and separatists seized several key towns and military bases.

Mali has been ruled by a military junta that took power in a 2020 coup, promising to restore security amid a surge of extremist attacks. Since seizing the country, the junta turned to Russia as its new security partner, forcing traditional allies like France and a U.N. peacekeeping mission to leave.

But the security situation has since worsened in Mali, analysts say, with record numbers of attacks and civilians killed, both by both Islamic fighters and government forces.

The announcement of Goita’s new role comes as tensions have escalated following arrests of military personnel, civilians and political leaders suspected of having ties to the separatists and militants responsible for the attacks.

On Saturday, a former Malian minister and junta critic was abducted from his home by armed men, his family told The Associated Press Sunday.

Meanwhile, JNIM fighters intensified their pressure on the military government by imposing a blockade around Bamako since last week, setting up road blocks and checkpoints and preventing traffic.

Transport companies told the AP that while the blockade disrupted travel on several roads last week, the armed groups have now blocked the only the route between Bamako and the Western city of Kayes, with other roads linking the capital to the rest of the country remaining largely passable.

Kenya’s Rainy Season Turns Deadly Again, with 18 Killed and 54,000 Households Hit Over a Week

4:34 PM EDT, May 3, 2026

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Recent flooding during ongoing heavy rains in Kenya left 18 people dead over the past week, police said Sunday, with most of the deaths attributed to drowning.

More than 54,000 households have been affected by the flooding countrywide, with 6,000 of those being in the capital, Nairobi, according to the Interior Ministry.

Dozens of schools and hospitals across the country have flooded, and 17 roads have been cut off.

Mudslides have also forced thousands to move from the western Rift Valley area, while people living downstream of the Tana and Athi rivers have been urged to move to higher ground as water levels in the country’s hydroelectric dams rise.

The Kenya Meteorological Department has warned that enhanced rainfall is expected to continue in the first two weeks of May.

Heavy rains in the country started in March at the beginning of the rainy season and have left a trail of destruction, with more than 100 people dead by the end of March.

2 US Service Members Missing After Military Exercises in Morocco

U.S and Moroccan military forces take part in the 20th edition of the African Lion military exercise, in Tantan, south of Agadir, Morocco, Friday, May 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy, File)

By OPE ADETAYO and AKRAM OUBACHIR

11:36 AM EDT, May 3, 2026

CASABLANCA, Morocco (AP) — Two U.S. service members are missing in southwestern Morocco after taking part in annual multinational military exercises in the North African country, the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) said Sunday.

The service members are U.S. Army soldiers who went missing while on a hike, a U.S. defense official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity as they were not allowed to speak publicly about the issue.

“They were not actively taking part in any training. The day’s exercises had concluded, and, from our understanding, they were out on a recreational hike,” the official said.

AFRICOM said the U.S., Morocco and other countries participating in the African Lion exercise have launched a search and rescue operation.

“The incident remains under investigation and the search is ongoing,” it said in a statement.

The incident happened on Saturday at about 9 p.m., the Moroccan military said, near the Cap Draa Training Area near Tan Tan, close to the Atlantic Ocean. The terrain is mountainous, a mix of desert and semidesert plains.

The search team includes helicopters, ships, mountain rescue units and divers, the defense official told the AP.

“The soldiers were last seen near ocean cliffs in the vicinity of the Cap Draa Training Area during scheduled training. When they did not return as expected, U.S. and Moroccan personnel immediately initiated a joint search effort,” the official added.

The war games exercise started in April and runs across four countries, including Tunisia, Ghana and Senegal. It is scheduled to end in early May.

The exercise began in Tunisia with active-duty members of different branches of the U.S. military, including the National Guard, Army Reserve, Air Force, and the Marine Corps.

In all, over 7,000 personnel from more than 30 nations are participating across the four host countries.

African Lion, which has been running since 2004, is the largest U.S. annual joint military exercise on the continent and usually features high-ranking military officials from the U.S. and its top African allies.

U.S. military officials have said the annual multinational engagement serves as a venue for strengthening regional security cooperation and refining the readiness of participating forces for global crises.

In 2012, two U.S. Marines were killed and two others injured during a helicopter crash in Morocco’s southern city of Agadir while taking part in African Lion.

Morocco is a major ally of the United States in a troubled region. Since 2020, military officers disillusioned with their governments’ records of stemming violence have overthrown democratically elected governments in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger and began distancing themselves from Western powers.

———

Adetayo reported from Lagos, Nigeria.

A Sun-baked Senegal Village Erupts in Color for One of Africa’s Biggest Dance Festivals

8:55 AM EDT, May 4, 2026

TOUBAB DIALAO, Senegal (AP) — Twenty-five dance companies from across Africa descended on a Senegalese fishing village over the weekend for the African Dance Biennial, the continent’s largest showcase of contemporary African dance.

Dozens of dancers in vivid oranges, greens and blues stomped, leaped and collapsed into the sand of the sun-baked village of Toubab Dialao, an hour from the capital Dakar.

Founded in 1997, the African Dance Biennial has spent nearly three decades rotating across African cities — most recently Maputo, Mozambique, in 2023 — with the aim of raising the visibility of choreographic work on the continent.

The three-day event, which closed late Sunday, was held at the École des Sables, or School of Sands, in Toubab Dialao.

The school has become the continent’s most prominent professional dance training institution in recent years. It was founded in 1998 by Germaine Acogny, who is widely regarded as the mother of African contemporary dance.

Its open-air sand studio, a hallmark of Acogny’s nature-rooted teaching philosophy, has drawn dancers from dozens of countries for intensive courses blending her original contemporary technique with traditional West African and Black modern dance styles.

The École des Sables gained international attention in recent years as the home of the first African production of Pina Bausch’s “The Rite of Spring,” which toured globally from 2021 to 2025.

The biennial comes as the school faces an uncertain future. A billion-dollar deep water port project overseen by Dubai Ports World, under construction just south of the fishing village, threatens to expropriate surrounding land, including property the school acquired to protect its natural ecosystem.

Arts institutions in the area have formed an association to resist the development.

A Cruise Ship is Waiting for Help After 3 People Died in a Suspected Outbreak of the Rare Hantavirus

By GERALD IMRAY

1:17 PM EDT, May 4, 2026

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — A cruise ship with nearly 150 people aboard was waiting for help off the coast of Cape Verde in the Atlantic Ocean on Monday after three passengers died and three other people were left seriously ill in a suspected outbreak of the rare hantavirus, according to the World Health Organization and the ship’s operator.

The MV Hondius, a Dutch ship on a weekslong polar cruise from Argentina to Antarctica and several isolated islands in the South Atlantic, had requested help from local health authorities Sunday after making its way to the island of Cape Verde, off the coast of West Africa. But no one has been allowed to disembark, Netherlands-based operator Oceanwide Expeditions said.

Cape Verde’s Health Ministry said Monday that for now, it will not allow the ship to dock over public health concerns.

Hantavirus is a rodent-borne illness spread by contact with rodents or their urine, saliva or droppings. WHO says that while it is rare, hantavirus may spread between people.

It was unclear how an outbreak could have started, and the WHO said it was investigating while working to coordinate the evacuation of two sick crew members. A third sick person — a British man who was evacuated to South Africa on April 27 — is the only one to have tested positive for the virus, authorities said. He is in critical condition and isolated in intensive care, according to local health officials.

One of the passengers who died — a German — remains on the ship, according to an Oceanwide Expeditions statement. A 70-year-old Dutch man died onboard April 11, and his 69-year-old wife died later after leaving the ship, officials said.

Among the 87 remaining passengers, 17 are Americans, 19 are from the U.K. and 13 from Spain, according to the company. Sixty-one crew members, including the two who are ill, also are onboard.

Cruise operator says the sick crew members urgently need medical care

The sick crew members — one British, one Dutch — have respiratory symptoms and need urgent medical care, Oceanwide said in its statement.

Oceanwide said it was still awaiting permission Monday from local authorities in Cape Verde to evacuate passengers and crew members. The company said it would consider moving to one of the Spanish islands of Las Palmas or Tenerife if it couldn’t evacuate people in Cape Verde.

The Dutch Foreign Ministry said it was also looking into evacuating some people from the ship.

WHO said it was working with local authorities and Oceanwide to conduct a “full public health risk assessment.”

“Detailed investigations are ongoing, including further laboratory testing, and epidemiological investigations,” WHO said. “Medical care and support are being provided to passengers and crew.”

WHO said that while only one case was confirmed through tests, the other five cases — the three deaths and two ill crew members — were suspected to be hantavirus.

The weekslong cruise started in Argentina

The ship left Ushuaia in southern Argentina on April 1, according to Argentine provincial authorities, for its cruise to Antarctica, the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and other isolated islands in the South Atlantic.

While Oceanwide Expeditions didn’t specify this trip’s itinerary, the company advertises 33-night or 43-night “Atlantic Odyssey” cruises on the Hondius.

The ship has 80 cabins and a capacity of 170 passengers, and it typically travels with about 70 crew members, including a doctor, the company said.

The Dutch man was the first victim, and he presented with fever, headache, abdominal pain and diarrhea, officials said. His body was taken off the vessel nearly two weeks later on the British territory of Saint Helena, some 1,200 miles (1,900 kilometers) off the African coast, and was awaiting repatriation.

His 69-year-old wife was transferred to South Africa at the same time but collapsed at a Johannesburg airport and died at a nearby hospital, the South African Department of Health said.

The ship then sailed on to Ascension Island, an isolated Atlantic outpost about 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) to the north, where the sick British man was taken off the ship and evacuated to South Africa on April 27. He later tested positive for hantavirus.

Though there was no information from authorities on the possible source of the suspected outbreak, a previous hantavirus outbreak in southern Argentina in 2019 killed at least nine people. It prompted a judge to order dozens of residents of a remote town to stay in their homes for 30 days to halt the spread.

South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases was conducting contact tracing in the Johannesburg region to identify whether other people were exposed to the infected cruise ship passengers. The 69-year-old woman who died was trying to catch a flight back home to the Netherlands at Johannesburg’s main international airport, regarded as the busiest in Africa, when she collapsed.

But the country’s health department urged people not to panic, saying WHO was “coordinating a multicountry response with all affected islands and countries to contain further spread of the disease.”

Hantavirus has no specific treatment or cure, but early medical attention can increase the chance of survival.

Hantaviruses cause two serious syndromes, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, affecting the lungs, and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, affecting the kidneys.

“While severe in some cases, it is not easily transmitted between people,” Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, said in a statement Monday. “The risk to the wider public remains low. There is no need for panic or travel restrictions.”

———

AP writers Mike Corder in The Hague, Netherlands; Michelle Gumede and Mogomotsi Magome in Johannesburg; Isabel DeBre in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Mark Banchereau in Dakar, Senegal contributed.

Abayomi Azikiwe, PANW Editor, Featured on 1+1 with Youri Smouter, Discussing the History and Contemporary Affairs of the Republic of Botswana 

Listen to this interview with Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire, on 1+1 with Youri Smouter discussing the history and contemporary affairs of the Republic of Botswana. 

To hear this program just go to the following URL: 1+1 E386 Youri speaks to Abayomi Azikiwe of Pan-African Newswire & Black Agenda Report on Botswana - YouTube

We look back on the known 17,000-year history of the territory and its relationship to other neighboring states throughout the Southern African region. 

Since independence in 1966, the political culture had been dominated by the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) until the most recent national elections in 2024. 

Lessons from the Carnation Revolution of 1974: Struggles Against Fascist-Militarism and Imperialism in Portugal

After decades of a corporatist state and centuries of slavery and colonialism in Africa, a combined national liberation war and discontent within a European army prompted a fierce challenge to white supremacy and attempts to build socialism

By Abayomi Azikiwe, Editor, Pan-African News Wire

Wednesday April 29, 2026

Historical Review

On April 24, 1974, some 52 years ago, a group of lower-ranking officers within the colonial military forces of Portugal overthrew their superiors along with the fascist state.

These actions had been years in the making due to the character of the government in Lisbon and the centuries-long legacy of African enslavement and colonial domination.

The Armed Forces Movement (MFA) which arose to remove the fascist regime in Portugal was the outgrowth of discontent with the social impact of the colonial wars waged against the national liberation movements in Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Angola, Sao Tome and Principe. Also, the Azores territory in the North Atlantic had been utilized by the Portuguese colonial army as well as the United States as a refueling station and imperialist base for the genocidal wars in Africa by Lisbon and efforts by Washington to suppress the complete liberation and unification of Vietnam. 

Although the Carnation Revolution of April 25 was described as a “bloodless coup”, the historical events which prompted the collapse of the Portuguese fascist-colonial system stemmed from the millions in Africa who were subjected to centuries of enslavement and colonialism dating back to the 15th century. The Atlantic Slave Trade was initiated by the monarchies and mercantilists of Spain and Portugal. 

There were thousands of freedom fighters and civilians wounded and killed during the period of the national liberation wars between 1961-1974. By the late 1960s and early 1970s, the fascist regime of Marcello Caetano was describing the colonies in Africa as “Overseas Portuguese Territories”, therefore ideologically disclaiming the inherent right to self-determination and independence of the people of these colonies.

The MFA was led by members of the Portuguese Communist Party enlisted in the colonial military forces. These soldiers saw the impact of the wars in Africa aimed at maintaining imperialist rule. 

Many Portuguese soldiers lost their lives as well in Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique and Angola as the national liberation movements of the Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) and the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) fought heroically for the overthrow of Portuguese fascist imperialism. These three liberation movements had formed an alliance in 1961 in Casablanca, Morocco. FRELIMO had come about as a result of the merger of three different organizations which consolidated in 1962. Later, the Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe (MLSTP), founded in 1960 as the Committee for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe, it later changed its name to the MLSTP and was recognized as the sole legitimate representatives of the people of these island-nations off the southwest coast of Africa. 

The Carnation Revolution first declaration was designed to end the colonial wars and to establish an independence process for the African colonies. In addition, Gao, which had been seized by Portugal during the early 16th century, was taken over by India in 1961, ending 450 years colonialism by Lisbon. Portugal dropped its claimed to Gao after the Carnation Revolution of 1974. 

In Africa, Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde declared their independence later in 1974 just months after the MFA overthrew the fascist New State. Mozambique and Angola became independent in June and November respectively during 1975. Angola was inflicted by an imperialist instigated civil war in the immediate post-independence period when the U.S.-Apartheid South African supported Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) and the Angolan National Liberation Front (FNLA), were defeated in their efforts to take control of the capital of Luanda. 

FNLA, which was based in the neo-colony of Zaire under Mobuto Sese Seko, eventually collapsed under its own contradictions. UNITA would continue as a reactionary fifth column of imperialism and was armed to fight the socialist-oriented MPLA Workers Party for more than two decades with the backing of the racist regime based in Pretoria and Southwest Africa (now Namibia). 

Cuban internationalist forces intervened in Angola at the request of the MPLA where they fought against the apartheid South African Defense Forces (SADF) and UNITA between 1976 1988. The outcome of the war for the full liberation of Angola resulted in the independence of the Republic of Namibia in 1990. During the same period, the apartheid regime was forced under mass pressure, labor militancy and armed struggle to release the leaders of the African National Congress, including Nelson Mandela, which created the conditions for the democratic breakthrough of late April and early May of 1994. 

Lessons of the Post-Carnation Revolution Process, 1974-2026

Over the last half-century, the developments in Portugal are instructive for other western capitalist states seeking to overthrow fascism and imperialism. Although the Communist Party and other left formation established the first post-revolution government, they were not able to consolidate their authority leading to years of instability and economic turmoil.

One source on the history of Portugal says of the situation following the Carnation Revolution that:

“A few weeks after the Carnation Revolution, on May 16, 1974, the first provisional government of Portugal took office. This government had many political forces, from communists to liberal democrats. However, this government later fell in July of 1974 and there were six other provisional governments until two years later when the first constitutional government was formed. The coup of November 25, 1975, was a failed pro-communist coup carried out by Portuguese communists and socialists against the post-Carnation Revolution governing bodies. The activities hoped to make Portugal a communist country but failed and a counter-coup by moderates was in turn successful. For many anti-communists, this day is widely celebrated.” (https://www.portugal.com/history-and-culture/25-things-to-know-about-portugals-carnation-revolution/)

Since 1976, Portugal has swung from socialist, social democratic to moderate governments. In the recent 2024 elections, a far-right party has emerged which gained nearly 20% of the votes.

The U.S. was quite concerned after the Carnation Revolution that the country would become a socialist state under communist leadership. The U.S. wanted to stave off further radicalization and maintain Portugal as a member of NATO. 

During the1990s, Portugal joined the European Union (EU) while adopting the euro as its currency. The PCP has experienced a decline in electoral support from playing a pivotal role in the Carnation Revolution and subsequent coalition governments to gaining approximately 2% of the votes in the most recent elections. 

The PCP maintains support in some rural areas where they control local councils. Nonetheless, there is no indication of a left-wing resurgence in Portugal to counter the burgeoning neo-fascist political forces which builds their campaigns on anti-immigrant racism and xenophobia.

U.S. Imperialism and the Fascist Threat

The New State came into being after the overthrow of the monarchy in Portugal in 1910 and the failure to consolidate a bourgeois democratic dispensation. By 1933, the corporatists and fascists were consolidated under Antonio de Oliveira Salazer. 

Salazar suffered a stroke in 1968 leading to the eventual administration of Marcello Caetano. The refusal to modernize the state and the continuation of colonialism in Africa undermined fascist rule in Portugal. 

These historical developments are instructive for recent events in the U.S. The deterioration of the capitalist system since 1975 has resulted in the greater consolidation of corporate power.

Although the wars in Southeast Asia during the 1960s and early-to-mid 1970s resulted in the defeat of U.S. imperialism in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia along with the independence of the former Portuguese colonies in Africa, Washington and Wall Street have continued to seek ways in which they can maintain their world dominance. 

Various wars of regime-change and conquest have occurred since the 1980s and 1990s. With the collapse of the socialist states in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, the imperialist believed that the stage was set for their unrivaled supremacy on a global scale.

Yet, the continuing rise of the People’s Republic of China and other power centers such as the Islamic Republic of Iran in West Asia has alarmed U.S. imperialism. The formation of the BRICS Plus Summit has brought together states which represent more than half of the world’s population. BRICS has committed to “de-dollarization” and multilateralism.

The administration of President Donald Trump is a manifestation of the current political and economic crisis of capitalism and imperialism. Trump’s attempt to consolidate an outright fascist state in the U.S. has been met by opposition internationally and domestically.

The war against Iran and the struggle for the liberation of Palestine and other states in West Asia has exposed cracks within the existing order. However, what is needed is the transformation of the capitalist state and building an anti-imperialist foreign policy and socialism. 

To carry out these changes it is necessary to build a broad-based coalition of revolutionary and progressive forces. These elements could emerge from disaffected elements within the military, the working class and the nationally oppressed. 

What is becoming more obvious is the failure to rejuvenate the capitalist system unhampered by the demands and organized resistance from the proletariat and the oppressed. Until socialism is placed on the agenda there is no hope for political stability and economic justice to come into being.

RSF Drones Strike Southern Khartoum and North Kordofan

1 May 2026

Plumes of black smoke following an RSF drone strike in Jebel Aulia on May 1, 2026.

May 1, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Rapid Support Forces (RSF) drones on Friday renewed strikes on Jebel Aulia, south of Khartoum, and targeted positions in El Obeid and Rahad al-Nuba in North Kordofan.

The RSF launched attacks for the third consecutive day on Jebel Aulia, located approximately 45 kilometres south of the capital, early Friday morning.

The drone strikes hit several sites in Jebel Aulia, which sits at the southern edge of Khartoum State, bordering White Nile State.

Residents told Sudan Tribune they heard explosions from the drone strikes, marking the third such attack on the city since Wednesday.

Over the past three days, the RSF has used strategic drones to target various locations in Jebel Aulia. These included a Joint Forces headquarters and the Al-Nujoumi airbase, which is currently devoid of any Sudanese army military presence. The strikes also hit the “Triangle” area at the entrance to the town.

In North Kordofan, army ground defences engaged an RSF kamikaze drone on Thursday night as it attempted to strike the 5th Infantry Division headquarters in El Obeid.

RSF drones also damaged the North Kordofan State television buildings, affecting studios and administrative offices.

Earlier on Thursday, the RSF used a strategic drone to shell the town of Rahad al-Nuba in North Kordofan, hitting military sites in the army-controlled area.

Joint Attacks Force 10 Health Facilities Offline in Sudan’s Dilling

2 May 2026

Dilling Hospital

May 2, 2026 (DILLING) – Approximately 10 health centres and major hospitals in Dilling have been forced out of service following aerial and artillery attacks by an alliance of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), the Sudan Doctors’ Network said on Saturday.

The SPLM-N, led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu, and the paramilitary RSF have escalated drone and artillery strikes over recent months on Dilling, the second-largest city in South Kordofan. The offensive has caused significant casualties and destroyed infrastructure.

The Sudan Doctors’ Network stated that the shelling targeted the majority of health centres in the city, including facilities providing critical nutrition and reproductive health services. The group described the repeated targeting of medical facilities as a clear violation of international law.

According to the statement, the city’s healthcare system is nearing total collapse. Dilling Teaching Hospital is largely non-functional, Al-Tomat Referral Hospital remains closed, and the Military Medical Hospital has been completely destroyed. Currently, Mother Bakheita Hospital provides only maternity services.

The remaining functional sites face an acute shortage of medical personnel, medicines, and basic supplies like surgical dressings. Diagnostic imaging equipment has also failed and requires urgent maintenance.

The network called for an immediate end to the targeting of health facilities and the opening of safe humanitarian corridors to deliver medical supplies to the city. It appealed to international aid organizations to intervene and rehabilitate institutions to prevent a worsening humanitarian catastrophe for thousands of civilians.

Sudanese Teachers’ Committee Backs Northern State Strike Over Pay

2 May 2026

Sudanese teachers hold a protest demanding a salary increase in this file photo in March 2022

May 2, 2026 (DONGLA) – The Sudanese Teachers’ Committee on Saturday declared its solidarity with high school teachers in Northern State, who have been on strike since April 26 to protest delayed payments and deteriorating living conditions.

The education sector in Sudan has faced widespread decline since the outbreak of war in April 2023, characterized by unpaid or delayed salaries, damaged infrastructure, and the displacement of thousands of teachers and students.

In a statement on Saturday, the committee said the strike aims to demand the disbursement of overdue entitlements and address a salary structure that no longer meets the basic needs of teachers and their families. The group called for the strike to be replicated across Sudan, asserting that “rights are taken, not granted.”

The committee emphasized that the plight of teachers is a national issue linked to the future of education, noting that improving their conditions directly affects the quality of the educational process. It praised the Northern State teachers for their “just” action in the face of decades of marginalization and current economic hardship.

The Sudanese Teachers’ Committee urged the government to respond immediately by raising the minimum wage to 216,000 Sudanese pounds, paying all arrears in full, reviewing allowances, and ensuring a dignified life for educators.

A high school teacher in Northern State, speaking to Sudan Tribune on condition of anonymity, said the strike was triggered by the need for allowances and benefits to cope with soaring prices and stagnant wages.

The teacher reported that a first-grade teacher’s salary is approximately 310,000 pounds, while labour-grade salaries do not exceed 120,000 pounds, with the minimum wage sitting at about 30,000 pounds.

Out of 107 high schools in the state, approximately 870 teachers participated in the strike, representing an 85% participation rate. The industrial action is scheduled to continue until next Thursday, with varying levels of participation across localities.

The Merowe locality recorded the highest strike rates, while participation was lower in areas such as Dongla. The strike follows a staggered schedule throughout the week, with classes resuming on Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday, while the strike is observed on Tuesday and Thursday.

Sudan Media Defiant at Government Directive to ‘Regularise Legal Status by 1 June’ or Face Legal Action

30/04/2026 17:42 

KHARTOUM / AMSTERDAM

Sudanese media organisations have strongly condemned a directive* issued to all media outlets by Sudan’s Ministry of Culture, Information, Antiquities and Tourism, giving them a one-month deadline to obtain official operating licences or “face legal action”. The move the government says is aimed at “restoring professionalism and order to the sector”, comes as Sudan continues its relentless slide to the bottom of global press freedom rankings, currently rated 161 out of 180 countries on the 25th World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders published today.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the press office of Sudan’s Ministry of Culture, Information, Antiquities and Tourism said all media outlets – including domestic and international broadcasters, radio stations and digital platforms operating in Sudan – must regularise their legal status by 1 June 2026.

The directive, which takes effect immediately, forms part of what the ministry described as its statutory responsibility “within the framework of the responsibilities of the National Press and Publications Council” to regulate the sector in coordination with other state bodies. Officials said the directive was intended to “enhance a free, professional and organised media environment” that complies with national laws and standards.

Under the new measures, media organisations have until June 1, 2026, to complete registration procedures and secure official permits issued through the relevant authorities, including the National Press and Publications Council. After that date, any outlet operating without authorisation will be considered in breach of the law and subject to unspecified legal penalties, the directive says.

The ministry indicated that enforcement would be carried out in coordination with the telecommunications and digital transformation authorities, suggesting potential technical as well as legal measures against non-compliant organisations.

While reiterating its commitment to freedom of expression, the government justified the directive “after monitoring a number of uncontrolled media practices that contributed to distorting the profession of journalism and media, and the deviation of professional and ethical principles by some parties”, contributing to a deterioration in the credibility of public discourse.

The announcement comes amid a broader effort by authorities in Sudan to assert tighter oversight of the media landscape during a period of political and economic instability. Critics are likely to view the measures as part of a continuing pattern of regulatory pressure on independent journalism, though the ministry insisted the policy was designed to balance press freedom with the protection of the public interest.

Media organisations have been urged to comply fully with the directive, which officials said would help build “a more responsible and professional media sector”.

Sudanese Journalists Syndicate

Reacting to the government directive amid Sudan’s steady three-year regression on world press freedom rankings, Mohamed Abdelaziz, Secretary General of the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate told Radio Dabanga that the data shown in the World Press Freedom Index is “only part of a more bloody and harsh local reality.”

‘34 journalists have died while performing their media duty since the outbreak of the war…’ — Mohamed Abdelaziz, Secretary General, Sudanese Journalists Syndicate

Abdelaziz confirms that 34 journalists have died while performing their media duty since the outbreak of the war. The syndicate has recorded more than 680 Serious violation against media workers. These violations included arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance, physical assaults and the constant threat of liquidation. Media organisations have been targeted, looted and destroyed in order to silence the voice of reason, he says.

In his statement to Radio Dabanga, Abdelaziz underlines that “these crimes will not lapse by statute of limitations and [we] will continue to monitor and document every hand that extends to intimidate journalists.”

The syndicate calls for an Immediate halt to targeting civilians and media professionals, urgent international protection for the remaining colleagues inside Sudan, release of all detainees, and acknowledgement of the victims.

‘Repressive approach’

Faisal El Baqer, General Coordinator of Human Rights Journalists (Jahr) condemns the government directive as indicative of “the Ministry of Information’s Repressive Approach”.

El Baquer told Radio Dabanga that “the decision makes it clear that the Ministry and the Authority are continuing the same approach aimed at suppressing freedom of the press and expression and controlling the media space.”

He asserts that this approach is similar to the practices of the now deposed Al-Bashir regime, “which lasted for thirty years and did not succeed in suppressing the truth”.

The current minister continues the plan to crack down on the press and journalists via media warfare and disinformation, he says. The current war is not only on the ground, but also digital cyberspace. “This war includes propaganda speech, verbal violence, and disinformation practiced by state-owned or pro-power institutions>‘ asserting that “the truth will remain bright and reach the people”.

El Baquer underscores that Jahr will continue exercising its natural right and with the slogan “Resistance Press”, calls for continued resistance to this “Tyranny” And all practices of suppression of the press and expression.

‘The Ministry of Information originated from a coup, became a ministry of war, and a trumpet of war, which makes it illegitimate…’ — Faisal El Baqer, General Coordinator of Human Rights Journalists (Jahr)

He underscored their pledge to resist every behavior, procedure, decision, and law that works to achieve what he called “media darkness” and press freedom suppression, saying that Jahr will not back down from their line of protection of journalists, freedom of the press, and the search for and dissemination of the truth.

In conclusion, El Baquer questions the said Ministry of Information, that “originated from a coup, became a ministry of war, and a trumpet of war, which makes it illegitimate”, but expresses confidence that “the Sudanese journalistic movement has a rich experience in confronting injustice and tyranny”.

Based on the legal competencies entrusted to the Ministry of Culture, Information, Antiquities and Tourism, in its capacity as the entity concerned with regulating the media sector, and in coordination with the relevant government agencies, and in order to promote a free, professional and organized media environment that adheres to national standards and the laws in force;

The Ministry calls on all media platforms and satellite and radio channels, local and international, operating inside the country, to comply with the official permits issued by them, in accordance with the legislation and regulations regulating the media sector, within the framework of the responsibilities of the National Press and Publications Council.

The Ministry confirms that a one-month grace period has been granted, starting from the date of issuance of this circular (Wednesday, April 29,  2026), and ending on Monday,  June 1,  2026, to all institutions and media entities, to complete the legal ratification procedures.

The Ministry notes that upon the expiration of this period, any media organization that does not hold permits will be considered a violation of the provisions of the laws in force, and the necessary legal measures will be taken against it, in coordination with the competent authorities, and in cooperation with the Ministry of Communications and Digital Transformation and other concerned government agencies, in accordance with the approved legal frameworks.

In this context, the Ministry confirms that this measure comes within the framework of its legal and regulatory responsibility, after monitoring a number of uncontrolled media practices that contributed to distorting the profession of journalism and media, and the deviation of professional and ethical principles by some parties.

The Ministry also stresses its unwavering commitment to supporting freedom of information and expression, and ensuring its exercise within the framework of the law, in order to ensure the protection of the public interest, safeguard professional and ethical values, and enhance the credibility of media discourse.

The Ministry calls on everyone to cooperate and adhere to the provisions of this circular, in order to contribute to the development of a professional and responsible media sector.

Press Office

Ministry of Culture, Information, Antiquities and Tourism

Issued on: Wednesday, April 29,  2026