Mass Protests in Iraq Against US-Israeli Aggression on Iran

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: Agencies

4 Apr 2026 21:11

Thousands rally across Iraq, answering Muqtada al-Sadr’s call to protest US-Israeli aggression on Iran amid growing regional anger.

Large-scale protests took place across Iraq on Saturday, as citizens gathered in response to calls by Sadrist Movement leader Muqtada al-Sadr, rejecting the ongoing US-Israeli aggression on Iran.

Al Mayadeen’s correspondent reported that Iraqis from various provinces traveled to join the demonstrations, standing for hours in a show of solidarity and opposition to the escalation.

Muqtada al-Sadr addressed the protesters in a message, saying: “Thank you for your honorable stance that pleases friends and angers enemies.”

Large crowds gather in Baghdad, other provinces

The Iraqi capital, Baghdad, witnessed massive rallies, particularly in Tahrir Square, where large crowds gathered alongside demonstrations in several other provinces. Protesters denounced the US-Israeli aggression and voiced strong opposition to the continued attacks.

The demonstrations come amid ongoing US-Israeli aggression against Iran since February 28, alongside repeated attacks on Iraqi territory targeting residential areas.

These strikes have resulted in dozens of martyrs and hundreds of injuries, further fueling public anger and prompting widespread mobilization across Iraq.

Iraqi Resistance calls for action against US-Israeli regional allies

The Iraqi Resistance Coordination Committee praised earlier in the day the Iraqi people’s positions in support of the Axis of Resistance, while calling for punitive measures against countries that enable US-Israeli aggressions in the region.

In a statement, the Committee said that “the alignment of the rulers of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE with the criminality of the Zionist-American enemy against the Islamic Republic and their betrayal of the honorable free people of Iraq represent the height of baseness and vileness.”

It stressed that this “requires a firm deterrent response from the Iraqi government,” adding that such measures should begin with “punishing Jordan in particular, as it serves as a launch point for enemy aircraft targeting the fighters of the Popular Mobilization Forces and Iraqi security forces,” calling for “the complete closure of the land border crossing and the suspension of Iraqi oil grants.”

The Committee also stated that the Iraqi Resistance has avoided harming Kuwait’s economic interests and infrastructure while targeting US forces in the country. It further called for avoiding harm to Qatar’s interests, excluding US bases, “in appreciation of Doha’s responsible positions toward the Palestinian cause and the Axis of Resistance.”

Iran, Hezbollah Pummel 'Israel' in Op. True Promise 4, Wave 93

By Al Mayadeen English

3 Apr 2026 20:00

The IRGC, side by side with the Islamic Resistance, launched Operation True Promise 4, striking military centers in Western al-Jalil, Haifa, Kafr Kanna, and Krayot.

The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that it has targeted Israeli military gathering and support centers in Western al-Jalil, Haifa, Kafr Kanna, and the Krayot area, in the 93rd wave of Operation True Promise 4.

The IRGC stated that this latest wave of missile strikes was carried out jointly with the Islamic Resistance and involved a combination of long-range, guided missiles with both solid and liquid fuel, as well as one-way attack drones.

The operation, continuous and ongoing according to the IRGC, is dedicated to the memory of the late Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmad Yassin.

According to the IRGC, further information and assessments of the results will be shared with the public in due course.

Footage shared from wave 93 of Operation #TruePromise4 shows a handwritten message on a missile prepared for launch.

The message translates to: "I, Shahed 136, am flying to Tel Aviv to negotiate on behalf of the noble people of Iran."

Wave 92: IRGC strikes US amphibious boats, Israeli F-16 squadron

Earlier on Friday, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) reported that its Aerospace Force and Navy carried out a series of coordinated strikes under Wave 92 of Operation True Promise 4, targeting US and Israeli military installations across the region using advanced ballistic missiles and one-way attack drones.

The IRGC stated that several US amphibious Landing Craft Utility (LCU) vessels stationed at al-Shuwaikh Port in Kuwait were struck and destroyed by ballistic missiles. LCUs are heavy-lift ships primarily used by the US Navy to transport troops, vehicles, and equipment from sea to shore.

A drone strike also destroyed an AR327 Commander high-performance, S-band tactical 3D air surveillance radar at the Jabal al-Dukhan site in Bahrain. The radar system, designed for long-range detection and air defense, can be rapidly redeployed by land or air and is capable of operating in extreme environments ranging from the Arctic to the Gulf.

Additionally, the IRGC reported missile strikes on Ramat David Airbase, southeast of Haifa, which houses Israeli F-16 fighter squadrons. Hypergolic-powered Khorramshahr-4 missiles, equipped with cluster warheads, were launched at over 50 locations in Tel Aviv and other areas within the occupied territories, as part of a sustained “fire-for-fire” tactic. Cluster bomblet impacts were recorded in multiple areas of Haifa.

The IRGC also announced that its air defense systems destroyed a second US F-35 fighter jet in central Iranian airspace, operated by the US Air Force’s Lakenheath squadron in the United Kingdom, following the downing of another aircraft within 12 hours.

IRGC Reports 'Historic Battle' in Downing US, Israeli Aerial Assets

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: IRGC

IRGC says Iranian air defenses successfully downed US and Israeli drones, cruise missiles, and a fighter jet, warning that hostile aircraft face increasing risks in Iran’s airspace.

Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said its air defense forces carried out a “historic operation” in the country’s skies, downing multiple US and Israeli aerial assets.

In a statement, the IRGC said Iran’s air defenses “wrote a historic epic in an enduring battle,” describing the day as a “black day for the US Air Force and the Zionist entity” over Iranian airspace.

According to the statement, IRGC Aerospace Force units successfully intercepted and destroyed:

Two cruise missiles over Khomein and Zanjan

Two MQ-9 attack drones over Isfahan

One Hermes drone over Bushehr

The interceptions were carried out using what the IRGC described as an advanced air defense system operating under Iran’s integrated national air defense network.

Advanced fighter jet downed

The IRGC also announced earlier that its aerospace air defense units successfully shot down an advanced fighter jet belonging to the "aggressive enemy" in central Iran.

According to Iranian media, a US fighter jet was shot down over Iran, with American forces launching a search-and-rescue operation in central parts of the country. An unnamed US official confirmed the incident to Reuters.

Iran later confirmed it had downed a US A-10 aircraft near the Strait of Hormuz.

The statement concluded by emphasizing that continued surveillance and defensive operations by Iranian forces would make the country’s airspace increasingly dangerous for hostile aircraft.

"With sustained, innovative, and precise monitoring by Iran’s air defense forces, the skies over Iran will become more insecure than ever for enemy fighters", the statement said. 

US fighter jet shootdown exposes limits of air superiority: CNN

The shootdown of a US F-15E Strike Eagle over Iran marks a significant shift in the trajectory of the war on Iran, analyst Matthew Chance says, noting that it exposes the growing vulnerability of American forces and the limits of Washington’s claims of air superiority.

CNN’s analysis describes the incident as the first confirmed case of a US warplane being brought down over Iranian territory since the start of the war, a development widely seen as a turning point in the war.

The episode unfolded alongside a broader pattern of operational setbacks. Around the same time, a US A-10 Thunderbolt II went down near the Strait of Hormuz, with US officials providing limited details on the circumstances, while Iranian authorities said the aircraft had been tracked and targeted by its integrated air defense systems.

Trump's response

In an earlier post the same day, Trump said the United States could take a more aggressive approach to the region’s energy resources.

The US President wrote that "we can easily OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT, TAKE THE OIL, & MAKE A FORTUNE. IT WOULD BE A 'GUSHER' FOR THE WORLD???"

The Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route that typically carries about one-fifth of global oil trade, has been heavily disrupted amid the US-Israeli aggression on Iran.

Despite US-Israeli aggression and repeated claims from Trump that Iran’s military capabilities have been severely weakened, Iranian authorities maintain control over domestic infrastructure and continue to conduct operations in defense of the country and its people.

This comes as the US and "Israel" are escalating aggression on civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, medical facilities, power facilities, and transport links.

US Admits: Iran Army Shoots Down Second American Combat Jet, A-10

By Al Mayadeen English

3 Apr 2026 23:01

A US A-10 aircraft crashed near the Strait of Hormuz, and Iranian forces engaged a separate US rescue mission following the downing of an F-15E over Iran.

A US A-10 aircraft, deployed as part of the US-Israeli aggression, was engaged and intercepted by the country’s integrated air defense systems over southern waters near the Strait of Hormuz, the Iranian Army announced.

The US admitted the incident, with US officials who spoke on condition of anonymity telling the New York Times that a second US Air Force combat aircraft "went down" in the Gulf region on Friday. They claimed that the aircraft's sole pilot was rescued.

The aircraft, an A-10 Warthog attack plane, as revealed by the NYT, crashed near the Strait of Hormuz, though US officials provided few details regarding how or where the incident occurred.

In a statement, the Iranian army said its integrated air defense network had tracked and “targeted” an “enemy American-Zionist A-10 aircraft” in southern waters near the Strait of Hormuz, adding that further details would be announced later.

The crash came around the same time that an F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down over Iran, as Tehran continues to confront US-Israeli aggression on the country.

Failed rescue operation

In that shootdown, one crew member was allegedly rescued, while search-and-rescue teams continue efforts to locate a second airman. Iranian media reported that US forces launched a recovery mission involving helicopters and a transport aircraft, but the operation was met with fire from Iranian air defenses and was ultimately forced to withdraw.

According to those reports, multiple aircraft, including Black Hawk helicopters and a C-130, were deployed hours after the jet was downed. Iranian sources said one of the helicopters came under fire near the border, forcing it to retreat.

Two US helicopters struck

Meanwhile, US officials told NBC News that at least two American helicopters involved in the rescue mission were struck by Iranian fire, claiming that all personnel on board were safe.

Later, CBS News reported that the helicopter carrying the recovered pilot was hit by small arms fire, wounding crew members on board. 

Iranian authorities have also called on civilians to assist in locating and capturing the remaining pilot, offering incentives for information, as efforts continue to secure the area.

Iran denies airspace

The near-simultaneous loss of two aircraft points to the intensifying scope of US military operations in and around Iran, as the country’s integrated air defense systems continue to deny US forces freedom of operation within its airspace.

The incidents also come amid a growing list of US aerial losses since the start of the war, including a US E-3 Sentry intelligence aircraft struck and multiple MQ-9 Reaper drones shot down, as well as support aircraft incidents such as a KC-135 crash in Iraq and reported damage to high-value surveillance platforms. Earlier in the war, "friendly-fire" incidents involving US fighter jets further exposed operational risks under contested conditions.

US officials did not disclose further details about the A-10 crash, reflecting the sensitivity surrounding ongoing operations in the region.

Speaking to NBC News, US President Donald Trump said the shootdown of the aircraft would not affect negotiations with Iran, describing the developments as part of an ongoing war. “No, not at all… it’s war,” he said, declining to provide further details on the rescue efforts.

Iranians Rally in Support of Leadership, as US, 'Israel' Strike Nearby

By Al Mayadeen English

Large demonstrations continue across Iran as protesters rally in Tehran against US and Israeli attacks, showing strong support for the country’s leadership.

Large-scale demonstrations continued across Iran on Friday evening in support of the country’s leadership, despite ongoing attacks by US and Israeli forces.

Protesters in Tehran chanted slogans against the United States and the Israeli occupation, even as explosions from nearby strikes echoed across the northern parts of the capital.

Participants refused calls to leave public squares following the attacks, shouting, “We fight and get martyred, but we never compromise” and “Death to America and Israel.”

Iranians also celebrated in the streets after the announcement that the country’s air defenses had successfully downed two American fighter jets.

Since the start of the aggression on February 28, Iranians have taken to the streets in repeated demonstrations in support of the Islamic Revolution and leadership and in condemnation of US-Israeli attacks, reflecting strong domestic backing for the government and a unified stance on confronting foreign aggression.

Iran downs two jets, strikes two helicopters in 24 hours

Iran has downed two US fighter jets, an F-15E over central Iran and an A-10 near the Strait of Hormuz, on Friday.

A US rescue operation involving helicopters and a transport aircraft was launched to rescue the crew of the F-15E but came under Iranian fire, with at least two helicopters hit, forcing the mission to abort.

Multiple aircraft, including Black Hawk helicopters and a C-130, were deployed hours after the jet was downed. Iranian sources said one of the helicopters came under fire near the border, forcing it to retreat.

Meanwhile, US officials told NBC News that at least two American helicopters involved in the rescue mission were struck by Iranian fire, claiming that all personnel on board were safe.

Later, CBS News reported that the helicopter carrying the recovered pilot was hit by small arms fire, wounding crew members on board. 

The incidents underscore growing vulnerabilities for US forces and highlight that Iranian air defenses remain capable of contesting American operations.

April 3: Hezbollah Snipes Israeli Troops, Targets Settlements, Bases

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: Al Mayadeen English

3 Apr 2026 11:39

The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon carried out dozens of defensive operations on Friday, striking Israeli occupation troops, settlements, and military infrastructure.

The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon – Hezbollah carried out a fresh wave of defensive operations on Friday, targeting Israeli occupation forces, military sites, and northern settlements with rockets, artillery, and one-way attack drones.

The operations follow an intensive day of resistance activity on Thursday, during which Hezbollah announced 58 operations, 30 inside Palestinian territories and 28 inside Lebanese territories, striking 21 cities and settlements and 3 military bases, with strikes reaching up to 32 km into occupied territory. Enemy losses included 18 hits on fortifications, 5 infantry units, and 2 tanks destroyed or damaged.

Rocket, drone strikes on settlements, bases, sites

On Friday, April 3, 2026, the Resistance's rockets continued to pummel invading forces and northern settlements, while drone strikes extended the assault on deeper military infrastructure. Kiryat Shmona was struck four successive times in the morning hours, as the Resistance also targeted Brigade 769's headquarters at the Kiryat Shmona barracks and hit a communications node in Mi'ilya with a swarm of attack drones.

At 5:30 am, a swarm of attack drones targeted a communications node in the settlement of Mi'ilya.

At 6:15 am, in line with the warning issued by the Islamic Resistance to several settlements in northern occupied Palestine, a rocket barrage struck the Kiryat Shmona settlement.

At 8:00 am, a rocket barrage struck the al-Metulla settlement, in line with the Resistance's earlier evacuation order.

At 8:30 am, Kiryat Shmona was struck for the second time with a rocket barrage.

At 9:00 am, a third rocket barrage struck Kiryat Shmona.

At 9:10 am, a fourth rocket barrage struck Kiryat Shmona.

At 9:05 am, a rocket barrage targeted the headquarters of Brigade 769 at the Kiryat Shmona barracks.

Between 9:00 and 9:15 am, rocket barrages targeted the settlements of Hula Valley, as well as Metulla and Ma'ayan Baruch.

At 10:00 am, a grouping of Israeli occupation troops was targeted via a rocket-artillery in the Misgav Am military site.

At the same time, a salvo of rockets was fired at a grouping of Israeli occupation troops in Hunin Barracks.

At 11:45 am, a salvo of rockets was fired at Kiryat Shmona for the fifth time.

At 1:20 pm, rocket barrages targeted the settlements of Kiryat Shmona for the sixth time, Metula for the third time, and Kfar Yuval.

At 2:20 pm, a rocket barrage targeted Israeli army infrastructure in the occupied city of Safed.

At 4:20 pm, a rocket barrage targeted Israeli army infrastructure in the occupied city of Safed for the second time.

At 4:20 pm, a rocket barrage targeted Israeli army infrastructure in the settlement of Rosh Pina.

At 4:50 pm, a rocket barrage targeted the settlement of Nahariya.

At 5:00 pm, a rocket barrage targeted Israeli army infrastructure in the occupied city of Safed for the third time.

At 6:00 pm, a rocket barrage targeted the settlement of Nahariya for the second time.

At 6:00 pm, a gathering of Israeli forces at the al-Malkiya site was targeted with artillery shells.

At 6:00 pm, a rocket barrage targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers and vehicles in the settlement of Avivim.

At 7:00 pm, a swarm of one-way drones targeted the settlement of Kiryat Shmona for the seventh time.

At 9:10 pm, a rocket barrage targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers and vehicles in the settlement of Avivim for the second time.

At 11:30 pm, Resistance fighters carried out a raid on an IOF member positioned near the Tahrir Triangle, engaging in direct clashes using light and medium weapons and inflicting confirmed casualties, while enemy reinforcements were simultaneously targeted with rockets and artillery shells, prompting the intervention of a helicopter to evacuate the wounded.

At 11:30 pm, a gathering of IOF troops and military vehicles in the Khillat al-Tarouq area south of Maroun al-Ras was targeted with a rocket barrage.

Troops, vehicles under fire

At 1:30 am, fighters of the Islamic Resistance detonated an explosive device targeting an Israeli force in the Deir Hanna area of the border town of al-Bayyada, resulting in confirmed casualties. A helicopter intervened to evacuate the wounded, after which Resistance fighters shelled the area with artillery.

At 2:15 am, a rocket barrage targeted a grouping of IOF soldiers in the settlement of al-Malikiya.

At 2:15 am, a rocket barrage targeted a grouping of IOF soldiers in the settlement of Dishon.

At 2:35 am, a rocket barrage targeted a grouping of IOF soldiers at the Ajl Plateau position north of the Kfar Yuval settlement.

Between 2:00 am and 6:30 am, repeated rocket barrages and artillery shelling targeted groupings of Israeli soldiers and vehicles at the al-Malikiya site, the al-Sidr and Ghadmatha areas in the town of Aitnata, and the town square of al-Qantara.

At 6:00 am, a rocket barrage targeted another grouping of IOF soldiers in the settlement of al-Malikiya.

At 9:00 am, a rocket barrage targeted a grouping of IOF soldiers in the settlement of Margaliot.

At 10:00 am, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on a grouping of Israeli soldiers at the Hounin barracks.

At 12:30 pm, a rocket barrage targeted a grouping of Israeli military vehicles in the al-Sidr area in the town of Ainata.

At 4:00 pm, two Israeli soldiers were targeted in the town of Rcheif in a sniper operation, achieving a direct hit.

At 5:00 pm, a rocket barrage targeted a grouping of Israeli military vehicles in the border town of Maroun al-Ras.

Resistance launches rocket and drone attacks on enemy positions

At 6:00 PM, as part of prior warnings issued to settlements in northern occupied Palestine, the Islamic Resistance targeted the settlement of Nahariya for the second time with a rocket barrage.

At 8:30 pm, a gathering of IOF troops and vehicles in the al-Sadr area in the town of Ainata was targeted with a rocket barrage.

At 9:10 pm, the settlement of Avivim was targeted again for the second time with a rocket barrage.

At 9:10 pm, the settlement of Yiron was targeted with rockets as part of the ongoing warning campaign.

At 9:15 pm, the newly established Israeli artillery positions near the al-Sadah site, opposite the town of Maroun al-Ras, were targeted with a rocket barrage.

Escalation continues with strikes on Haifa and northern settlements

At 7:00 pm, the settlement of Kiryat Shmona was targeted for the seventh time using a swarm of attack drones, in line with the Resistance’s earlier warnings.

At 11:00 pm, in response to continued Israeli attacks on civilians, displacement, and the destruction of homes, the Islamic Resistance targeted infrastructure belonging to the IOF in the occupied city of Haifa with precision rockets.

At 11:50 pm, the settlement of Nahariya was targeted for the third time with a rocket barrage.

At 11:50 pm, the settlement of Shlomi was also targeted with rockets.

Hezbollah publishes footage

Additionally, the Islamic Resistance's Military Media published videos showing its operations targeting "Israel". 

In one video, Hezbollah showcased a strike targeting the Israeli Ministry of War Headquarters and the Dolphin Barracks of the Military Intelligence Directorate in the heart of Tel Aviv, using an advanced missile.

US Intel: Iran Quickly Restores Missile Sites Despite Bombings

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: New York Times

US intelligence reveals Iran is rapidly repairing missile bunkers and retaining launch capabilities despite weeks of US and Israeli bombardment.

US intelligence assessments indicate that Iran is rapidly restoring missile bunkers and launch sites bombarded by the US and "Israel," raising questions about Washington’s claims of weakening Tehran’s military capabilities.

According to the New York Times, reports indicate that Iranian crews have been digging out underground missile bunkers and silos hit by airstrikes and returning them to operation within hours, allowing continued missile launches despite sustained bombardment.

Despite five weeks of US-led aggression, Iran has retained a significant portion of its missile arsenal and mobile launchers, intelligence officials said.

The Pentagon has claimed major progress, stating that more than 11,000 targets have been struck across Iran since the start of the war. However, intelligence assessments suggest that Iran still possesses enough launch capability to strike regional targets, including “Israel.”

US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, have pointed to a decline in Iranian missile and drone attacks as evidence of success. “Yes, they will still shoot some missiles, but we will shoot them down,” Hegseth said, adding that recent days have seen the lowest number of launches since the war began.

The White House has also claimed that Iranian missile and drone attacks have dropped by 90%, while alleging that Iran’s navy has been destroyed and much of its production capacity damaged.

Underground networks preserve Iran’s capabilities

Despite these claims, US intelligence indicates that Iran has adapted its strategy by shielding launchers in tunnels, bunkers, and caves, limiting their exposure to airstrikes.

Iran is believed to be preserving its missile capacity to sustain pressure if the war continues or to maintain deterrence after it ends.

US intelligence assessments indicate that half of Iran’s missile launchers remain intact, and thousands of one-way attack drones are still in the country’s arsenal, despite five weeks of daily US and Israeli bombings, sources familiar with the intel told CNN.

“They are still very much poised to wreak absolute havoc throughout the entire region,” one source said.

Continued missile and drone strikes despite reduced arsenal

Even with a reduced arsenal, Iran continues to carry out strikes. US and Western officials estimate that Iran has been launching:

Intelligence gaps complicate assessment

Assessing Iran’s actual capabilities remains difficult. US officials acknowledge uncertainty due to the use of decoy launchers, the limited accuracy of pre-war launcher estimates, and the difficulty of verifying the destruction of buried or concealed launch systems.

Even when underground sites appear destroyed, intelligence suggests Iran has been able to restore and reuse them quickly, complicating US efforts to eliminate its missile capabilities.

Previous reporting indicated that Iran may still retain up to half of its missile launchers, a figure broadly consistent with current intelligence ranges, though officials say precise numbers remain unclear.

Reports also suggest Iran has used heavy equipment, including bulldozers, to reopen buried launch sites and resume operations.

US Lurching Into Another 'Forever War' in Iran: Maryland Gov. Warns

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: News Websites

Maryland Governor Wes Moore warns the US is entering another “forever war” in Iran, citing unclear objectives, rising losses, and growing concerns over escalation.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore warned that the United States is “lurching again into another forever war” on Iran, criticizing the absence of a clear strategy from US President Donald Trump regarding the ongoing aggression on Tehran.

In an interview with CBS News, Moore likened the war on Iran to the US war in Afghanistan, where he previously served with the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division.

“I feel like we are lurching into another one of these forever wars that we're asking the American people to pay for… but the president… has still yet to articulate what exactly it is that we're doing,” he said.

Moore said that while Trump has touted alleged military "achievements" of Operation Epic Fury, the US bombing of Iran, he has failed to define what success would look like or acknowledge the “long road ahead.”

The governor stressed that the administration has not clearly explained the objectives of the war or how it plans to achieve them, raising concerns about prolonged US military involvement.

Downing of US jet highlights risks of escalation

The remarks come as Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said its air defense forces carried out a “historic operation” in the country’s skies, downing multiple US and Israeli aerial assets.

The IRGC also announced earlier that its aerospace air defense units successfully shot down an advanced fighter jet belonging to the "aggressive enemy" in central Iran.

The incident follows statements from US Central Command Commander Adm. Brad Cooper, who said the military is making “undeniable progress” in Iran.

Trump predicts quick end despite mounting losses

Trump has claimed the war could conclude “very shortly,” warning that Iran would be hit “extremely hard” in the coming weeks. He also alleged that US forces have degraded Iran’s military capabilities, including its navy and missile and drone systems, and said the operation’s “strategic objectives are nearing completion.”

Despite these claims, the war has seen mounting US losses. At least 16 MQ-9 Reaper drones have been lost over Iran, while three F-15 fighter jets were previously downed in a friendly fire incident over Kuwait. Additionally, 13 US troops have been killed since the start of the war on February 28.

Moore expressed skepticism over Trump’s timeline of ending the war within two to three weeks, saying it “is sitting horribly" with him, detailing how families of US troops are "afraid" to pick up their phones and hear what is on the other end of the line.

Regarding the crew of the downed jet, Moore called for “some clarity from the White House” regarding the direction of the war. His remarks reflect growing concern within the US over the trajectory of the war as the war on Iran continues without a clearly defined end state.

Trump's war on Iran has no clear end in sight as challenges mount: NYT

A New York Times report on Thursday details how, despite relentless aggression against Iran, Trump’s war's alleged goals—seeking to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, instigating "regime change," and allowing oil passage through the Strait of Hormuz—remain far from being achieved.

Trump and senior officials are privately acknowledging that reopening the Strait of Hormuz may not be possible within the president’s self-imposed timeline for ending the war, sources familiar with internal discussions told CNN on Wednesday.

The strait, a critical oil chokepoint through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply flows, is a central objective for the administration, not only to conclude the war but also to ease soaring gas prices, which have emerged as a political liability for Republicans ahead of November’s midterm elections.

Top officials and intelligence sources have estimated that restoring full operations at the strait could take weeks, if not months, making it unlikely to meet Trump’s four- to six-week deadline for declaring “mission accomplished". 

Iran’s unwavering resilience continues to defy US expectations. Even as the US and "Israel" unleash destructive aerial assaults on Iran’s infrastructure, the Iranian resistance remains strong, capable of striking back with missile attacks, including recent strikes on Israeli occupied territory and US interests in the region.

Sudanese Official Threatens to Replace Teachers with Paramilitaries

3 April 2026

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

April 3 2026 (KHARTOUM) – An announcement by the Director General of Education in Al-Jazirah State on Friday, stating that paramilitary groups are ready to work in schools instead of teachers demanding unpaid wages, has sparked a wave of controversy and resentment.

Director General Abdallah Abu al-Karram threatened to replace teachers with the “Al-Bara’on” battalions and “Sudan Shield” forces, both allied with the army, if they continue to demand salaries that have been in arrears since 2022.

Complaints from teachers regarding low wages and accumulated arrears have increased across several Sudanese states since the war began in April 2023. This has negatively impacted living conditions and the stability of the educational process throughout the country.

The Sudanese Teachers’ Committee announced last Saturday that it would begin a gradual escalation due to the wage crisis and the government’s disregard for the suffering of workers in the education sector.

Sami al-Baqir, spokesperson for the Sudanese Teachers’ Committee, criticized the statements, describing them as completely unacceptable. He told Sudan Tribune that the remarks represent a disdain for education and are an attempt to impose “dead” union bodies.

Al-Baqir noted that Al-Jazirah has approximately 18,307 primary school teachers, 16,722 intermediate school teachers, and over 300 pre-school teachers. He indicated that the total number of educators in the state is 31,575.

Al-Baqir previously stated that Al-Jazirah is at the top of the list of unpaid wages, with arrears dating back to 2022. These include cash bonuses and clothing allowances, as well as 14 months of salary and holiday bonuses from 2023, 2024, and 2025.

The Sudanese Teachers’ Committee stated that such threats were previously made by suggesting the use of the Rapid Support Forces as replacements.

In a statement on Friday, the committee said these remarks reflect an exclusionary approach. It warned of the consequences for the educational process and civil institutions, given the country’s current conditions.

The committee called for the protection of teachers’ rights and a safe working environment. It emphasized that wage issues are a priority that cannot be ignored and stressed the importance of keeping educational institutions away from military-style threats.

UN Reopens Khartoum Headquarters for First Time Since War Began

3 April 2026

Khartoum Governor and United Nations officials participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the official reopening of the UN office in Khartoum, April 2, 2026.

April 2 2026 (KHARTOUM) – The United Nations reopened its headquarters in the Sudanese capital on Thursday for the first time in three years. The move marks a preliminary step toward resuming operations from Khartoum after they were relocated to Port Sudan following the outbreak of war in mid-April 2023.Sudan travel guide

The reopening ceremony was attended by high-level government officials, including Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Mohieddin Salem and Khartoum Governor Ahmed Osman Hamza, along with officials from the international organization and its various agencies.

The Foreign Minister praised the UN’s decision to resume its activities from Khartoum, describing it as a historic day for the country.

“With this celebration, we send a message to our partners in the United Nations that we are working side by side with them for the stability of Sudan,” Salem said.

Salem emphasized that Darfur and Kordofan would eventually recover from what he termed the “kidnapping” by the “terrorist Rapid Support Forces militia.”

“We are advocates for peace and, as members of the United Nations, we are joining hands with UN agencies and organizations to implement the government’s ‘Hope for Peace’ initiative to reach sustainable peace,” he added.

The minister stated that the government would not allow any party to dictate terms and remains committed to the initiative proposed by the Prime Minister before the UN.

He noted that the government calls for peace and welcomes all international initiatives. “Through the UN, we convey that there is no place for the militia among us, and we reject external dictates,” Salem said.

The Foreign Minister called on the African Union to review Sudan’s suspension from membership and urged the regional bloc IGAD to take more concrete steps to support stability in the country.

He praised the efforts of UN agencies, specifically highlighting the work of Denise Brown, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan. He also noted the presence of the Zimbabwean ambassador, citing him as the only African envoy who remained in the country throughout the war.

Salem reiterated the government’s rejection of truces that would restore the “rebel militia,” asserting that the group will have no place in the country’s future.

Doctors Without Borders: ‘No Safe Place for Women and Girls in Darfur’ – at Least 3,396 Survivors of GBV Treated Between January 2024 and November 2025

31/03/2026 15:10 NAIROBI

A woman who fled El Fasher to Tawila in North Darfur (File photo: Cindy Gonzalez/MSF)

Women in Darfur, Sudan, are demanding protection, care and justice as sexual violence continues across the region, both in active conflict areas and far beyond frontlines, according to a new report released today by Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

The report There is something I want to tell you…: Surviving the Sexual Violence Crisis in Darfur, documents widespread and systematic sexual violence across roads, fields and displacement camps, both in acute conflict zones and far from front lines.

It provides the most comprehensive documented accounts of sexual violence in Sudan’s war, with survivors’ testimonies and data from MSF medical programmes highlighting clear patterns of widespread and systematic abuse.

Between January 2024 and November 2025, at least 3,396 survivors of sexual violence sought treatment in MSF-supported facilities across North and South Darfur, though MSF warns this represents only a fraction of the true scale, as many survivors cannot safely reach care.  Women and girls accounted for 97% of survivors treated in MSF programmes.

“Sexual violence is a defining feature of this conflict — not confined to frontlines, but pervasive across communities,” said Ruth Kauffman, MSF, Emergency Health Manager. “This war is being fought on the backs and bodies of women and girls. Displacement, collapsing community support systems, lack of access to healthcare and deep-rooted gender inequalities are allowing these abuses to continue across Sudan.”

Survivor testimonies and MSF medical data show that RSF soldiers and allied militias are responsible for widespread and systematic sexual violence against women.

Following the RSF’s capture of El Fasher — the capital of North Darfur — on 26 October 2025, MSF treated more than 140 survivors fleeing the city to Tawila in November, 94% of whom were attacked by armed men with many reporting assaults along escape routes. The assaults were widespread, often carried out by multiple perpetrators in front of family, and deliberately targeted non-Arab communities, as a means of humiliation and terror, echoing previous RSF atrocities such as the dismantling of Zamzam camp.

In just one month, between December 2025 and January 2026, MSF identified a further 732 survivors in displacement camps around Tawila, where women reported attacks both during their journeys and within the camps. Overcrowded shelters, lack of basic security, and unsafe conditions — including distant water points, insecure bathing areas and limited latrines — further increased their vulnerability.

Survivors described attacks not only during fighting, but in everyday settings — on roads used to flee violence, in fields where families grow food, and in markets and displacement camps — showing how sexual violence extends far beyond the frontlines.

‘They took us to an open area. The first man raped me twice, the second once, the third four times. Apart from the rapes, they beat us with sticks and pointed guns at my head…’ GBV survivor.

In South Darfur, hundreds of kilometres from active ground fighting, 34% of survivors were assaulted while farming or travelling to farmland, and 22% while collecting firewood, water or food, highlighting how violence occurs during everyday activities.

Children are also among the survivors: in South Darfur, one in five survivors was under 18, including 41 children younger than five.

MSF data also points to patterns of systematic abuse, with armed men responsible for most assaults — over 95% in North Darfur, while nearly 60% in South Darfur involved multiple perpetrators.

One survivor described the violence she experienced while fleeing her home:

“They took us to an open area. The first man raped me twice, the second once, the third four times. Apart from the rapes, they beat us with sticks and pointed guns at my head.”

For many, the threat of violence has become part of daily life:

“Every day when people go to the market, there are cases of rape. When we go to the farm, this happens,” said a 40-year-old woman in South Darfur.

Survivors also face significant barriers to care — including insecurity, stigma and limited protection services. Sexual violence is being used as a weapon of war and a systematic means of controlling civilians, in violation of international humanitarian law, MSF said.

Community leaders, midwives, activists and survivors in focus groups MSF organised called for an immediate end to sexual violence across Sudan, demanding protection, access to care and dignity — alongside justice and accountability.

MSF calls on all parties to the conflict — including the RSF and their supporters — to cease and prevent sexual violence and hold perpetrators accountable. MSF also calls on the United Nations, donors and humanitarian actors to urgently scale up health and protection services in Darfur and all of Sudan.

Sudan Urged to Lift Constraints on Aviation Revenues as Khartoum Airport Reopens

02/04/2026 10:12 KHARTOUM

Still from a video of explosions near Khartoum airport, August 26, 2023 (File photo: Ahmed Omer)

Sudan’s tentative return to normal air traffic has prompted calls for the government to loosen its grip on aviation revenues, as officials signal the reopening of the country’s skies after years of disruption caused by war.

Aviation specialists say that recent moves to resume regional and international flights mark more than a technical milestone. They amount, rather, to a symbolic reassertion of state sovereignty—specifically, the ability to manage national airspace in accordance with international standards.

On Tuesday, the Sudan Airports Company announced that Khartoum International Airport is operationally ready to receive both regional and international flights, following the completion of preparatory measures. The declaration comes alongside assurances from Sudan’s prime minister, Kamil Idris, who has pledged to remove obstacles facing the country’s airports and to extend full support for infrastructure upgrades aligned with global norms.

Speaking during a meeting at Port Sudan airport with senior aviation officials, Idris emphasised the government’s commitment to facilitating civilian movement, particularly for voluntary return programmes. Aviation authorities, for their part, confirmed that both technical and administrative requirements for reopening Sudan’s airspace have been met.

Beneath the optimism lies a more structural concern

Yet beneath the optimism lies a more structural concern. Ibrahim Adlan, a former head of the civil aviation authority, argues that such pledges will remain hollow unless accompanied by financial reform. In particular, he calls for the removal of finance ministry controls over aviation revenues, especially overflight fees charged to aircraft traversing Sudanese airspace.

These revenues, he contends, are levied in exchange for specific services and ought to be reinvested directly into airport infrastructure, equipment and staff training. Current restrictions stem from a hastily enacted 2023 law granting the finance ministry sweeping authority over public funds—measures that, in his view, have stifled the sector’s capacity to develop.

Adlan insists that the reopening of Khartoum airport should not be treated as a routine operational update. Rather, it signals the restoration of a complex aviation ecosystem, encompassing flight safety, security protocols, passenger protection and the readiness of air navigation systems, including communications, surveillance and radar.

He adds that compliance with global aviation standards—from runways and taxiways to lighting systems and ground services—suggests Sudan has regained a baseline level of operational readiness sufficient to accommodate international traffic without technical restrictions.

Even so, he cautions that the announcement marks the beginning of a more demanding phase. Political will, though necessary, is insufficient on its own. It must be translated into concrete policies, including restoring technical authority to aviation regulators and revisiting past personnel decisions—such as the controversial dismissal of experienced staff in 2012, which he says deprived the sector of critical expertise.

The path forward, Adlan argues, lies in adherence to international governance standards, sustained investment in infrastructure and technology, and the modernisation of air navigation systems. Only then can official rhetoric evolve into a credible long-term strategy.

For now, Sudan’s aviation revival remains a fragile but telling indicator: a sector poised between recovery and reform, and a state seeking to reclaim both control of its skies and confidence in its institutions.

Sudan Displacement Surges as Blue Nile Clashes Compounds Suffering

02/04/2026 19:52

Displaced people fleeing war in Sudan (File photo: OCHA)

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has reported a new wave of displacement in Sudan’s Blue Nile region as fighting intensifies between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement North led by Abdelaziz El Hilu (SPLM-N).

In a statement issued yesterday by IOM, they said 1,725 people (345 families) fled Geisan on Monday amid renewed clashes, moving towards El Roseires. This follows the displacement of 1,645 people (329 families) from the same area on March 25, as violence continued to spread.

Hostilities persist south of Ed Damazin, where hit-and-run clashes between the SAF, RSF and SPLM-N continue across rural corridors, further destabilising already fragile communities.

The SPLM-N said a drone strike hit a neighbourhood in El Kurmuk locality on Tuesday, killing more than seven civilians and injuring others. 

The also group said a market and nearby homes were destroyed in the attack. The SAF have previously said they retook surrounding areas earlier claimed by RSF and allied SPLM-N units.

Sudanese political actors have also accused Ethiopia of backing forces operating in parts of El Kurmuk locality, allegations not independently verified.

Displacement camps

Humanitarian conditions in displacement sites are deteriorating sharply as overcrowding increases across Sudan’s Blue Nile region.

A member of the Blue Nile Emergency Rooms said in an interview with Radio Dabanga yesterday, that cases of harassment of displaced women have been reported inside overcrowded camps, where thousands of newly displaced families are sheltering with limited protection.

She said emergency teams have recorded incidents affecting women and girls and have begun awareness campaigns and protection outreach in response.

“In light of the overcrowding witnessed in displacement camps following clashes between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, many cases of harassment of women have emerged,” she said, adding that emergency teams are distributing dignity kits and working with partners to refer cases of harassment or sexual violence.

She warned that women and girls are facing worsening humanitarian conditions, including severe shortages of food, shelter and healthcare, alongside limited access to medical services and hygiene supplies.

Local accounts say displacement from Geisan, Ed Damazin and surrounding areas has pushed civilians into already overstretched locations such as El Roseires, where basic services are under severe strain.

The Blue Nile region is currently hosting multiple displacement sites, including around ten camps across Ed Damazin, now under growing pressure from successive waves of newly displaced populations.

Humanitarian workers warn that the situation is deteriorating rapidly as displacement accelerates, with women and children among those most exposed to protection risks.

Paramilitary Forces in Sudan Kill at Least 10 People in Hospital Drone Attack, Medical Group Says

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

By FATMA KHALED

10:35 AM EDT, April 3, 2026

CAIRO (AP) — Sudan ’s paramilitary forces killed at least 10 people on Thursday in a drone attack that hit a hospital in the south-central part of the country, said a medical group.

Doctors Without Borders, also known as MSF, said the Sudanese paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, RSF, launched two drone strikes on al-Jabalain Hospital in the White Nile province, hitting an operating theater and a maternity ward.

The strikes, the latest in an intensifying drone warfare between the army and the RSF, killed 10 people, including seven medical staffers, and injured at least 19 people. Those injured were transferred to a hospital in Kosti, which is around 50 miles (80 kilometers) away, said MSF.

Salah Moussa, a senior staffer in the nursing department at al-Jabalain Hospital, was injured in his leg in one of the two strikes. He told The Associated Press by phone on Friday that those killed include the hospital’s general manager, the administrative manager, several policemen and a citizen.

Moussa said he was in his house near the hospital when he heard the sound of explosions at around 11 a.m. on Thursday.

“I rushed to the hospital when I heard the explosion and while we were helping evacuate three injured staff members, another drone strike was launched and I got hit and lost consciousness,” he said. “The hospital lost all its medical and administrative leadership in this attack.”

The strikes are the latest in a series of attacks on the health care system in Sudan that continues to be hit hard during the ongoing war between the army and the RSF that broke out in April 2023. The World Health Organization said in March that over 200 attacks have targeted health care since the war began. Most recently, 70 people were killed, including at least 13 children, in a strike on a hospital in Sudan’s western Darfur region last month.

The nearly three-year conflict in Sudan killed more than 40,000 people, according to U.N. figures, but aid groups say the true number could be much higher.

“The attack is even more appalling as it occurred during a children’s immunization campaign,” the MSF said of the strike on the al-Jabalain hospital.

Meanwhile, Emergency Lawyers, a local rights group, said Thursday that the attacks also targeted a medical supply depot in Rabak, the capital city of the White Nile province.

The Emergency Lawyers said the “recurring pattern” of drone attacks by the warring parties since March in the provinces of South Kordofan, Blue Nile, East, Central and South Darfur displaced more people.

On Friday, Khalid Aleisir, the minister of culture, information, antiquities and Tourism condemned the attack and called for designating the RSF a terrorist organization and prosecuting its members.

“We also hold regional backers directly responsible for perpetuating this violent campaign through military and logistical support, including advanced weaponry and unmanned aerial systems, which have escalated violence and targeted civilians,” he wrote on X.

Sudan Doctors Network, a local group that monitors war violence, called the attack a “deliberate assault on health facilities and unarmed civilians” that further worsens an already deteriorating health sector in the country.

“MSF is outraged by these repeated attacks on health care, which have escalated dangerously in recent weeks,” said Esperanza Santos, MSF head of emergencies for Sudan in the group’s statement on Thursday. “Health facilities, medical staff, and patients must always be protected. We call on RSF and SAF to immediately stop this spiral of violence against medical facilities.”

A surge in drone strikes in the Sudanese region of Kordofan has taken a growing toll on civilians and hampered aid operations, analysts and humanitarian workers previously said.

——

Associated Press reporter Yassir Abdalla in Shendi, Sudan, contributed to this report.

Islamic State-linked Rebels Kill at Least 43 in Attack in Eastern DR Congo

By JUSTIN KABUMBA and RUTH ALONGA

4:01 PM EDT, April 2, 2026

GOMA, Congo (AP) — Rebels affiliated with the Islamic State group killed at least 43 people in eastern Congo, officials said Thursday.

Fighters with the Allied Democratic Forces, or ADF, killed the civilians Wednesday night in Bafwakoa village. The Ugandan Islamist group operates on both sides of the porous border.

“They set fire to houses in the village,” Samuel Banapia, a member of civil society in the area, said by phone.

Congo’s military in a statement said 43 had been killed, while local officials said the toll was at least 56, with several people missing and at least two taken hostage.

Congo’s army has struggled to contain the ADF as it battles several other rebel groups in the east. The most prominent is the Rwandan-backed M23 which last year seized major cities in the east.

“The ADF avoids direct combat with the army and all its partners. That’s why they attack the population in a way that sabotages peace efforts and acts of revenge against the population, thus reprisals against our people,” Lt. Jules Ngongo, a spokesperson for Congo’s military in the east, said by phone.

The number of ADF fighters in Congo is unclear, but they are a significant presence in the region and regularly attack civilians. The group originated in the late 1990s in Uganda and became affiliated with IS in 2019. Muslims make up about 10% of the Congolese population, most of them in the east.

In recent years, ADF attacks have intensified near the border with Uganda and spread toward Goma, eastern Congo’s main city, as well as neighboring Ituri province. Last year, the ADF killed 66 people and abducted several more in a neighboring area.

New Funding Transforms Lives by Expanding Electricity Access Across Africa

By ALLAN OLINGO

1:16 AM EDT, April 2, 2026

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Before dawn in the narrow alleys of Mathare, an informal settlement in Kenya’s capital, Agnes Mbesa flicks on a single bulb hanging from her tin roof. For years, the mother of three relied on smoky kerosene lamps. Now electricity lights her home and powers the small shop she runs from her veranda.

“Before the power came, we closed early because it was too dark,” Mbesa said. “Now people come even at night, and I can earn something.”

Hundreds of kilometers (miles) from Nairobi in Sori, western Kenya, fisherman Samuel Oketch tells a similar story. After a solar mini-grid reached his village, he bought a freezer to store his catch. Fish that once had to be sold quickly at low prices can now be preserved and transported to nearby towns.

“These small changes mean a lot,” Oketch said. “Electricity gives us options. My wife can now sell (fish) without being taken advantage of by brokers who had the freezers.”

Pledges to expand energy access

Their experiences with electrification funded by philanthropic and government sources highlight how expanded energy access can transform the lives and improve livelihoods. More than 730 million people worldwide still lack access to electricity, about 600 million of them in Africa. Limited access constrains health care, education, digital connectivity and job creation.

New financing aims to accelerate progress. The European Investment Bank pledged more than $1.15 billion in March for renewable energy projects across sub-Saharan Africa, including hydropower, solar, wind and grid expansion.

“This funding is Europe’s commitment to provide cleaner, more affordable, and reliable energy for hundreds of millions of people in Africa,” said European Investment Bank President Nadia Calviño.

The Rockefeller Foundation also announced in March at the Africa Energy Indaba in Cape Town, South Africa, that it will invest an additional $10 million to support electrification programs in at least 15 African countries. The funding will be deployed with the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet to strengthen national programs and support government reforms.

“African governments are choosing to transform their energy sectors by committing to national energy compacts and investing in African-led solutions,” said William Asiko, senior vice president at the Rockefeller Foundation.

How donors support sustainable energy expansion

The investments support the Mission 300 initiative led by the World Bank and the African Development Bank, which aims to connect 300 million people in sub-Saharan Africa to electricity by 2030 through grid expansion and decentralized solutions such as mini-grids and off-grid solar. Across much of Africa, where national electricity grids are often unreliable, mini-grids have emerged as a key alternative. These small, community-level systems, typically powered by solar or hybrid energy, generate and distribute electricity locally.

Off-grid systems, by contrast, operate independently at the household level. These include stand-alone solar kits that provide direct access to power, helping bridge electricity gaps in remote and underserved areas.

The initiative is providing governments in Malawi and Liberia with technical assistance to support national energy plans, expand transmission networks and improve the reliability and efficiency of distribution systems. Efforts in Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Senegal include local currency financing and pooled procurement support.

Andrew Herscowitz, CEO of the Mission 300 Accelerator at RF Catalytic Capital, said scaling access will require sustained financing and stronger implementation capacity, including improved monitoring and better-aligned support to accelerate connections.

“Energy access is key to unlocking human potential and economic development,” Herscowitz said.

Projects boost electrification rates

Kenya has received funding since 2017 from the World Bank, African Development Bank and partners under Mission 300 to support its Last Mile Connectivity program, which targets households near existing transformers, particularly in rural areas and informal settlements, as it pushes toward universal electricity access by 2030. Rural access rose to about 68% in 2023 from just under 7% in 2010.

Across eastern and southern Africa, where only about 48% of the population and 26% in rural areas have access to electricity, World Bank programs aim to expand access in up to 20 countries over the next seven years through renewable energy projects.

Mbesa, the shopkeeper in Mathare, was connected to electricity in 2021 under the Last Mile Connectivity Project. The initiative provided free connections to households and small businesses located near transformers, with funders covering the standard $115 connection fee. In more remote areas like Oketch’s, the project incorporated off-grid solutions, including providing mini-grids and solar systems, to reach communities beyond the national grid.

For Mbesa, the impact is already clear. The single bulb above her shop has extended her working hours and allowed her children to study at night.

“Electricity changes everything,” she said. “Once you have it, life starts moving forward.”

A Rare School in Kenya is Empowering Teenage Mothers with Education and Child Care

By JACK DENTON and ZELIPHA KIROBI

9:26 AM EDT, April 2, 2026

KAJIADO, Kenya (AP) — Valarie Wairimu has no time to rest during break time at Kenya’s Greenland Girls School. The teenager grabs a snack and goes straight to what makes this school unique: its nursery.

The 19-year-old is met by a team of nannies who have been watching her baby, Kayden, before she feeds him between classes.

The school is the only educational institute in Kenya dedicated to teenage mothers and cares for many of their children. For its 310 students and more than 80 children from infants to toddlers, Greenland represents a second chance at school that is free from stigma and, experts say, a model for how young mothers can be reintegrated into education.

“When I found that I was pregnant, I didn’t have anywhere else to go,” said Wairimu, who has placed near the top of her class in exams at Greenland and hopes to become a doctor.

AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports Greenlands Girls school in Kenya is the only education institute there dedicated to teenage mothers, and cares for many of their children.

The boarding school was founded in 2015 and has put hundreds of girls and young women through secondary education while supporting their children. Some have gone on to successful professional careers, including in government and medicine.

The school is run by the nonprofit group Shining Hope for Communities and many students attend through grants.

The majority of students come from surrounding Kajiado County, south of Nairobi, where the school has a network of outreach officers who can refer expecting mothers.

The school also is connected to social services and known to teachers across Kenya, including in the far west where Wairimu is from. She was living in a family with a single father and younger brother and unable to afford to care for a newborn. Her grandmother was aware of the school and had Wairimu referred.

Many of the students are from difficult backgrounds and some became pregnant as a result of sexual assault, as well as forced marriages.

Paul Mukilya, the school’s manager, said parents often are not supportive and the school’s outreach officers are left to seek agreement with community elders for students to attend.

“Some of the challenges which the students encounter are the family and the community. Most of them have failed to accept them the way they are,” Mukilya said. “When they come here, we take them through psychological counseling and mentorship.”

Sex involving minors — those under 18 — is illegal in Kenya, but the law is structured so only males are charged with a crime. Underage pregnancies often end up in court and Greenland supports its students and liaises with local authorities, especially in cases of underage marriages.

While students are in class, the school’s staff take over child care and provide mentorship for the young women.

“Some of the mothers view their children as a burden,” said Caroline Mumbai, a caregiver at Greenland who has two children of her own. “So we also teach them how to mother.”

Making education accessible for teenage mothers is a challenge in Kenya and a mounting task for a country with a fast-growing young population. More than 125,000 live births in 2024 were by adolescent mothers under 19, according to Kenyan national statistics.

The Population Council, a health and development think tank, found in 2015 that two-thirds of teenage mothers cited their pregnancy as their reason for dropping out of school. As recently as 2022, research group IDinsight found unintended pregnancy was, after a lack of money for school fees, the leading cause of girls not returning to education.

Responding to demand from Kenya’s coastal regions, Greenland Girls School is opening a second campus in Kilifi County.

“Every girl who gets pregnant and drops out during their school time must be allowed reentry,” said Dr. Githinji Gitahi, chief executive of development agency Amref Health Africa. “Special schools are important in supplementing the general scalable policy framework. We should focus on these schools that are helping to close the equity gap.”

Greenland students say they also appreciate an environment free from stigma, which encourages learning.

“People used to judge me because I got pregnant,” said Mary Wanjiku, 20, whose son is almost 18 months old. She now hopes to become a lawyer.

“The moment I came here, I was received with love,” she said.

DR Congo Says its Mpox Outbreak is Over After 2 Years and More Than 2,200 Suspected Deaths

12:39 PM EDT, April 2, 2026

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Congo on Thursday declared the end of a two-year outbreak of the mpox disease that’s believed to have caused more than 2,200 deaths in the country.

Health Minister Roger Kamba told journalists that the government had made the determination that the outbreak was over and no longer a national emergency.

Congo, a vast country in central Africa, was at the center of an outbreak of the infectious viral disease that spread to neighboring countries in 2024 and prompted the World Health Organization to declare it a global health emergency as it spilled over borders. WHO ended the global health emergency declaration in September.

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there were more than 161,000 suspected cases of mpox in Congo during the outbreak between 2024 and this year, with around 37,000 of them confirmed through tests.

The Africa CDC said there were 2,286 suspected deaths but only 127 were confirmed by tests.

Mpox, also known as monkeypox, was first identified by scientists in 1958 when there were outbreaks of a “pox-like” disease in monkeys. Until a few years ago, most human cases were seen in people in central and West Africa who had close contact with infected animals.

In 2022, the virus was confirmed to spread via sex for the first time and triggered outbreaks in more than 70 countries that had not previously reported mpox.

The most common symptoms of mpox, according to WHO, are a rash and fever, but it can sometimes cause serious illness. Most people recover fully.

Machete-wielding Man Attacks Ugandan Nursery School, Killing 4 Children

By RODNEY MUHUMUZA

3:03 PM EDT, April 2, 2026

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — A man killed four children in a machete attack inside a nursery school in the Ugandan capital of Kampala on Thursday, police said.

The man gained access to the Gaba Early Childhood Development Program in Kampala by disguising himself as a parent, the Daily Monitor newspaper reported. He first entered the school offices, where he briefly engaged the administrator in charge, then stepped outside, locked the gate and began attacking the children, the report said.

The attacker “brutally stabbed and killed four juveniles,” police said in a statement.

Video footage aired by local broadcaster NTV showed some parents weeping. Police fired in the air to disperse an angry crowd that gathered near the school, apparently trying to lynch the suspect.

The suspect later was taken into custody, police spokesman Kituuma Rusoke told The Associated Press. A motive for the attack is unknown, he said. Such attacks on children are rare in Kampala, a city of roughly 3 million people.

First Group of 12 Deportees from the US Arrives in Uganda, Lawyers Say

By RODNEY MUHUMUZA

12:32 PM EDT, April 2, 2026

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Twelve people deported from the U.S. arrived in Uganda on Thursday, the Uganda Law Society said, in the first known arrivals since Uganda and the U.S. signed a bilateral deal permitting the transfers.

The deportees were “effectively dumped in Uganda through an undignified, harrowing and dehumanizing process,” the law society said in a statement, adding that they arrived on a private charter flight.

The deportations are part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration as he seeks to deter migrants from entering the United States illegally and to deport those who already have done so, especially those with criminal records and including those who cannot easily be deported to their home country.

The U.S. State Department and the Department of Homeland Security have defended third-country deportations as a means to quickly remove people who are in the U.S. illegally. The deportations have been the subject of several legal cases, both in the U.S. and in some countries where migrants are sent.

The deportations are controversial in part because the unwanted migrants can be sent to countries they have no cultural ties with. In August, for example, U.S. authorities briefly considered sending Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the high-profile subject of an ongoing migration dispute, to Uganda.

The U.S. has struck deals with at least seven African nations to take some migrants. Those countries range from the western African nation of Ghana to the southern African nation of Eswatini, which the U.S. paid $5.1 million to take up to 160 deportees, according to details of the deal released by the U.S. State Department.

It was not clear if Ugandan authorities were similarly paid.

The law society charged that the deportees were at the mercy of “unnamed, private interests on either side of the Atlantic,” adding that it was seeking legal remedy to stop what it described as an “international illegality.”

There were no details on the identities of the deportees, nor on their countries of origin.

Okello Oryem, a Ugandan state minister in charge of foreign affairs, said he was traveling and unaware of the arrivals.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Embassy in Kampala, the Ugandan capital, didn’t respond to questions about the welfare of the deportees.

Oryem told The Associated Press last month that Uganda was expecting “planeloads” of deportees from the U.S. He said the agreement with the U.S. was signed in the pan-African spirit and over humanitarian concern for Africans unwanted in a foreign land.

Ugandan authorities previously said their agreement with the U.S. relates to receiving deportees of African origin who do not have a criminal record.

Iran’s President to Americans: Look Beyond War Propaganda Fog, Reject ‘Manufactured Threat'

Wednesday, 01 April 2026 7:19 PM

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has released an open letter to the American people, questioning whether Washington is truly putting “America First” or merely acting as a “proxy for Israel” willing to fight “to the last American soldier.”

In a Wednesday message addressing those “who, amid a flood of distortions and manufactured narratives, continue to seek the truth,” Pezeshkian began by framing Iran as a historically non-aggressive power. 

He noted that despite its long history and regional strength, “Iran has never, in its modern history, chosen the path of aggression, expansion, colonialism, or domination,” adding that it has only ever “resolutely and bravely repelled those who have attacked it.”

The president sought to draw a sharp line between governments and their citizens, stating that the Iranian people harbor no ill will towards Americans. “The Iranian people harbor no enmity toward other nations, including the people of America, Europe, or neighboring countries” he wrote, describing this distinction as “a deeply rooted principle in Iranian culture and collective consciousness—not a temporary political stance.”

Building on this theme, Pezeshkian noted that the perception of Iran as a danger is an invention. He said such a view is “the product of political and economic whims of the powerful—the need to manufacture an enemy in order to justify pressure, maintain military dominance, sustain the arms industry, and control strategic markets.” 

“In such an environment, if a threat does not exist, it is invented,” he added. 

He pointed to the heavy US military presence surrounding Iran as the true threat in the region and defended Iran’s military posture as purely defensive. 

The letter comes as US and Israel have launched an unprovoked aggression against Iran since February 28. The United States is using its regional bases and the territory of Iran's neighboring states to wage its illegal attacks which has left more than 2000 of Iranian civilians killed, including more than 200 children. 

"Recent American aggressions launched from these very bases have demonstrated how threatening such a military presence truly is," he said, adding, "Naturally, no country confronted with such conditions would forgo strengthening its defensive capabilities."

“What Iran has done—and continues to do—is a measured response grounded in legitimate self-defense, and by no means an initiation of war or aggression,” he stressed. 

The letter traces the origins of current hostility to the 1953 coup d’état, which he slammed as “an illegal American intervention” that “disrupted Iran’s democratic process, reinstated dictatorship, and sowed deep distrust among Iranians toward US policies.” 

He stated this distrust was compounded by subsequent US support for the Shah, its backing of Saddam Hussein in the 1980s, crippling sanctions, and recent “unprovoked military aggression.”

Despite these historical pressures, Pezeshkian noted that Iran has not been broken but has “grown stronger in many areas,” citing that literacy rates have tripled to over 90% since the Islamic Revolution in 1979 and noting significant advances in technology, healthcare, and infrastructure.

"These are measurable, observable realities that stand independent of fabricated narratives," he added. 

Pezeshkian stressed that the “destructive and inhumane impact” of the US-Israeli aggression on ordinary Iranians should not be underestimated. He warned that the recent bombings and military actions carry a profound human cost, stating that “when war inflicts irreparable harm on lives, homes, cities, and futures, people will not remain indifferent toward those responsible.”

Pezeshkian then pivoted to directly question the motives and benefits of the US military actions for the American people themselves. “Exactly which of the American people’s interests are truly being served by this war?” he asked. 

“Does the massacre of innocent children, the destruction of cancer-treatment pharmaceutical facilities, or boasting about bombing a country ‘back to the stone ages’ serve any purpose other than further damaging the United States’ global standing?”

He reminded his audience that Iran had “pursued negotiations, reached an agreement, and fulfilled all its commitments.” He was referring to the 2015 nuclear deal, which was ruined by Donald Trump after he withdrew from the agreement in 2018 during his first term. 

"The decision to withdraw from that agreement, escalate toward confrontation, and launch two acts of aggression in the midst of negotiations were destructive choices made by the US government—choices that served the delusions of a foreign aggressor," added the president. 

He condemned recent strikes on his country’s infrastructure as a “war crime” that directly targets the Iranian populace and serves as a “sign of strategic bewilderment and an inability to achieve a sustainable solution.”

The letter went on to shed light on the influence of Israel on US policy. “Is it not also the case that America has entered this aggression as a proxy for Israel, influenced and manipulated by that regime?” Pezeshkian wrote. 

"Is it not true that Israel, by manufacturing an Iranian threat, seeks to divert global attention away from its crimes toward the Palestinians?" he asked. 

He continued, asking if it is not evident that Israel “now aims to fight Iran to the last American soldier and the last American taxpayer dollar.”

He concluded this line of reasoning with a direct challenge to the US administration’s stated priorities: “Is ‘America First’ truly among the priorities of the US government today?”

Pezeshkian invited Americans to “look beyond the machinery of misinformation,” suggesting they speak with visitors to Iran or observe the contributions of Iranian immigrants in Western academia and technology as a counter-narrative to official rhetoric.

The Iranian president declared that the world “stands at a crossroads.” 

"Continuing along the path of confrontation is more costly and futile than ever before," he wrote, adding, "The choice between confrontation and engagement is both real and consequential; its outcome will shape the future for generations to come."

"Throughout its millennia of proud history, Iran has outlasted many aggressors. All that remains of them are tarnished names in history, while Iran endures—resilient, dignified, and proud," he added. 

Cubans Celebrate Arrival of Russian Oil Tanker Amid US Energy Blockade

People sit along the edge of an abandoned swimming pool across from a tanker terminal along the port of Matanzas, Cuba, Monday, March 30, 2026.

Cubans were relived on Tuesday to learned that a Russian tanker docked at the Cuban port of Matanzas laden with 730,000 barrels of oil, marking the first time in three months that an oil tanker reached the island.

The administration of President Donald Trump had allowed the Anatoly Kolodkin to proceed despite an ongoing US energy blockade. Cubans including Energy and Mines Minister Vicente de la O Levy cheered the ship’s arrival.

A shortage of petroleum has exacerbated a deep economic crisis that has left the population mired in long blackouts and facing a severe shortage of food and medicine. Cuba produces barely 40% of its required fuel and relies on imports to sustain its energy grid.

Experts say the anticipated shipment could produce about 180,000 barrels of diesel, enough to feed Cuba’s daily demand for nine or 10 days.

Others celebrating the arrival included Matanzas resident Camilo Galves, who watched the ship dock from his home. “This is undoubtedly a great relief for the Cuban people and a moment of great joy for us amid so many hardships we are experiencing,” he said. “It’s yet another sign that we are not alone in the world.”

Cuba used to receive most of its oil from Venezuela, but those shipments were halted ever since the US attacked the South American country and arrested its leader in early January.

Since then, Mexico also has halted its oil shipments to Cuba as Trump threatened in late January to impose tariffs on any country that sells or provides oil to the island.

On Sunday night, Trump had said he had “no problem” with a Russian oil tanker off the coast of Cuba delivering relief to the island.

“People from different parts of the world are contributing in their own small way to make things a little better in this situation we are living through," said Yania Beatriz Martínez.