Drone Strike Hits Sudan’s Al-Kurmuk Near Ethiopian Border, Official Says

19 February 2026

Wreckage of a suicide drone that attacked Al-Damar on July 29, 2024

February 19, 2026 (ED DAMAZIN) – A drone strike by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) killed at least one civilian and wounded several others in the strategic border town of Al-Kurmuk, a local official said on Thursday.

The attack, which occurred on Wednesday evening, targeted residential neighbourhoods and disabled a local flour mill, according to a statement from Al-Kurmuk Commissioner Abdel Ati al-Faki.

Al-Faki said that the Sudanese army remains in control of the district in the Blue Nile region and described the current situation as calm. He condemned the joint assault by the RSF and the SPLM-N, a rebel group that has recently coordinated movements with the paramilitary forces in the southeast.

The strike follows a February 3 offensive by the same groups against three locations in the Blue Nile region, including the town of Diem Mansour. Local officials have previously accused Ethiopia of facilitating the passage of these forces through Assosa in the Benishangul-Gumuz region to enter Sudanese territory.

Diem Mansour, located 17 km (10.5 miles) south of Al-Kurmuk, is viewed as a critical buffer zone. Military analysts warn that its fall could jeopardize the army’s hold on Al-Kurmuk itself. The commissioner had earlier warned of a buildup of rebel and paramilitary fighters south of the town.

Al-Kurmuk has historically been a flashpoint in Sudan’s decades of internal conflict. It changed hands several times between government forces and the SPLM during the civil war that preceded the 2005 peace deal, underscoring its strategic importance on the frontier with Ethiopia.

Burhan Rejects Truce Without RSF Withdrawal, Bars UAE From Mediation

20 February 2026

Al Burhan arrives in Tiba el-Sheikh Abdel-Baqi area of Al Jazirah state on Feb 6, 2026

January 19, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on Thursday reaffirmed his refusal to agree to a truce before the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) withdraw from cities, while maintaining his rejection of mediation by the United Arab Emirates.

Government officials have consistently welcomed efforts by the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, provided that the UAE is excluded from the quadrilateral mechanism mediating the conflict, which is nearing the end of its third year.

Speaking to a crowd during the national holiday celebrating the liberation of Omdurman, Burhan addressed ongoing sessions at the UN Security Council, stating that Sudan would not accept mediation from the UAE or any country supporting the RSF “militia.” He added that any proposal not satisfying the Sudanese people would be rejected.

The army commander reiterated his opposition to any ceasefire plan that does not include an RSF withdrawal from controlled areas and the consolidation of its forces in specific designated zones.

The RSF and its allies currently control most of the Darfur region, along with West Kordofan state and parts of North and South Kordofan. Last year, the army succeeded in pushing the paramilitary group out of central Sudan, Khartoum state, and portions of North Kordofan.

While Burhan welcomed any nation wishing to assist the Sudanese people and facilitate the return of displaced persons, he cautioned that Sudan would not accept involvement from countries that previously backed the militia and now seek a diplomatic role.

He accused the RSF of committing murder and rape, destroying infrastructure, and waging war against the Sudanese population.

“We tell them to return as Sudanese citizens like others, but returning while carrying arms is completely rejected. We will fight them until they surrender,” Burhan said.

The general also called on politicians abroad to return and help rebuild Sudan, noting his intention to involve all Sudanese in managing the transitional phase.

He added that efforts are underway to establish a legislative council, including youth and local councils, to participate in shaping the future and peace, stating that the army requires the input of patriots and thinkers to move forward.

Toxic Gas Leak at Mine in Nigeria Kills 37 People

By DYEPKAZAH SHIBAYAN

3:50 AM EST, February 19, 2026

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — A toxic gas leak at a mine in north-central Nigeria killed 37 people and led to the hospitalization of 26 others, according to police.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday in Kampani Zurak community, located in the Wase area of Plateau state, police spokesman Alfred Alabo said in a statement.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the miners were affected due to a sudden discharge of lead oxide and other associated gases like sulphur and carbon monoxide which are toxic and poisonous to humans, particularly in a confined or poorly ventilated environment,” he said. “The corpses of the deceased victims have been released to their families for burial according to their religious practices.”

The Nigerian government has closed the mining site and an investigation into the leak is underway.

The miners were unaware of the toxic nature of the emissions and continued their operations, Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dele Alake said in a statement.

It’s not clear what was being mined at the site and whether the mine was operating legally. Nigeria is trying to rein in illegal gold mining operations across the country that have killed hundreds of people over the years.

A Beloved Teacher in Morocco Unmasked: Frenchman Investigated Over Abuse of 89 Boys

8:07 AM EST, February 19, 2026

KHENIFRA, Morocco (AP) — For decades in the Moroccan town of Khenifra, Jacques Leveugle was simply known as the thin Frenchman who swept the streets at dawn, offered free language lessons and organized outings for schoolchildren.

He spoke fluent Arabic and Morocco’s dialect, as well as Tachelhit, an indigenous language widely spoken by the region’s ancient Berber people — skills that neighbors said helped him integrate into the community. He rode his bicycle to the local market, dressed simply in jeans and a button-down shirt, and opened a small library for children in the working-class Lassiri neighborhood.

Now the 79-year-old is behind bars and under formal investigation in France, accused of raping and sexually assaulting 89 boys over more than five decades across several countries, a case made public by prosecutors in France last week. They said Leveugle also acknowledged smothering his mother to death when she was in the terminal phase of cancer, and later killing his 92-year-old aunt.

Many of the sexual abuses occurred in North Africa, where Leveugle spent much of his life and built a reputation as a devoted teacher and a respectful man.

The crimes were discovered when a relative of Leveugle’s found his digital memoir on a USB drive and turned it over to authorities.

Shock in Morocco and Algeria

In Morocco, where Leveugle lived until his arrest in 2024, he is suspected of abusing more than a dozen boys, Grenoble Prosecutor Etienne Manteaux told The Associated Press. In neighboring Algeria, where Leveugle worked as a foreign language teacher for eight years in the 1960s and 1970s, he is suspected of abusing at least two children.

The revelations have sent shock waves in both countries, and renewed attention to child exploitation in a region where activists say abuse remains persistent and underreported.

“This case is of exceptional seriousness and naturally provokes deep indignation,” Najat Anwar, president of Moroccan child protection association Don’t Touch my Child, told the AP. “We are prepared to join the case as a civil party … if Moroccan witnesses or victims come forward.”

The AP spoke with a dozen people who directly knew Leveugle, including his neighbors in Morocco and former students in Algeria, as well as Moroccan officials briefed on the case. Those who knew him described a man widely viewed as discreet, helpful, and who loved to spend time with kids.

On the narrow streets of Khenifra’s Lassiri neighborhood, home to many conservative Moroccans, the crisp sweetness of a winter morning contrasts sharply with what residents describe as a sense of shame they feel since prosecutor’s revealed Leveugle’s alleged crimes last week.

They feel insulted and humiliated. Many are now considering moving out. They all spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of harassment or retribution.

They pointed toward Leveugle’s house, an unfinished, unpainted, single-story building surrounded by fig trees, sitting alongside a river. Children play nearby.

Residents said ‘’Monsieur Jacques,’' as he was known, funded local projects and helped people find jobs, sometimes even giving out cash. Khenifra has long had one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, and many residents work in the informal sector. People often leave town in search of better prospects.

Residents described how Jacques once took children to a well-known regional lake, Agelmam Agezga, and told them to swim naked, starting by himself and claiming it was healthy. In Moroccan culture, and more broadly in Islamic tradition, men are not permitted to be naked in front of one another.

One neighbor said his ability to trust people is so shaken by the news that he refused to let his 5-year-old son sleep at his brother’s house.

Leveugle was born in the 1940s in the French city of Annecy, and first arrived in Morocco in 1955, according to a Moroccan official with knowledge of the case. Leveugle’s father worked at the French Embassy, and Leveugle attended school in the Moroccan capital during the final years of the French protectorate, the official said.

Leveugle later held Moroccan residency and had no known criminal complaints filed against him in the kingdom, according to a Moroccan justice official. Both officials were not authorized to be publicly named according to Moroccan government rules.

A teacher who never raised suspicion

Neighbors said Leveugle moved in the early 2000s to Khenifra, settling in the Lassiri neighborhood. Residents said he frequently spent time with teenage boys between 13 and 15.

He worked as a private tutor and, according to neighbors, offered free lessons, organized school outings and sometimes provided financial assistance to families. Some neighbors said he also bought houses and vehicles for local residents and helped people immigrate to Europe.

His frequent time with teenage boys occasionally prompted questions about his limited interaction with adults.

French investigators identified 89 victims of Leveugle, boys aged 13 to 17, after examining a 15-volume digital memoir found on a USB drive that one of his relatives turned over to police, the Grenoble prosecutor said. He said Leveugle’s victims in Morocco date back to at least 1974.

French authorities suspect there are more victims, and have issued an international appeal for witnesses. The prosecutor told The AP that French investigators are expected to travel to Morocco to gather evidence. Moroccan authorities have not made public comments.

The French prosecutor did not say whether an investigation had been opened in Algeria, where Leveugle taught at three schools. The revelations have left his former students reeling.

“I was stunned when I learned that,” Ali Bouchemla, who studied French under Leveugle in the late 1960s at a school in northern Algeria told the AP. He recalled a “devoted and very good teacher” who never raised suspicion.

Another former student, Lahlou Aliouate, similarly described a dedicated instructor with a professional demeanor.

Child protection advocates say Leveugle’s profile reflects patterns seen worldwide.

“Perpetrators often present themselves through educational or cultural activities, cultivate a respectable image and leverage social or cultural prestige to gain trust,” said Najat Anwar of Don’t Touch my Child. “They then target children in vulnerable emotional or social situations.”

US Gathers Largest Air Force Group in Region Since Iraq Invasion — Media

This buildup would allow Washington to conduct military operations against Iran for several weeks, the newspaper said

NEW YORK, February 19. /TASS/. The United States is deploying its largest air force to the Middle East since 2003, when it invaded Iraq, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The news outlet notes that the US is continuing to build up its military presence in the region, sending F-22 and F-35 fighter jets. In addition, a second aircraft carrier and command post aircraft are en route. This buildup would allow Washington to conduct military operations against Iran for several weeks, the publication said, citing US officials.

According to The Wall Street Journal, US President Donald Trump has not yet made a final decision on whether to strike the Islamic republic.

Russian Troops Strike Ukrainian Army’s Energy Infrastructure Over Past Day — Top Brass

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicted roughly 350 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed three enemy armored combat vehicles in its area of responsibility over the past day, the Defense Ministry reported

© Alexey Konovalov/TASS

MOSCOW, February 19. /TASS/. Russian troops struck a fuel depot and energy infrastructure facilities used by the Ukrainian army and enemy deployment sites over the past 24 hours in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Thursday.

"Operational/tactical aircraft, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groups of forces struck a fuel depot, energy infrastructure facilities used to support the Ukrainian army’s operations, and also temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 156 locations," the ministry said in a statement.

Kiev loses 1,265 troops along engagement line in past day – latest figures

The Ukrainian army lost roughly 1,265 troops in battles with Russian forces in all the frontline areas over the past 24 hours, according to the latest data on the special military operation in Ukraine released by Russia’s Defense Ministry.

The latest figures show that the Ukrainian army lost roughly 220 troops and two armored combat vehicles in the responsibility area of Russia’s Battlegroup North, about 185 troops, a tank and an armored combat vehicle in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup West and over 115 troops and two artillery guns in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup South.

During the last 24-hour period, the Ukrainian army also lost roughly 350 troops and three armored combat vehicles in the responsibility area of Russia’s Battlegroup Center, about 375 troops and seven armored combat vehicles in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup East and around 20 troops and five motor vehicles in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup Dnepr, the latest figures show.

Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicts 220 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicted roughly 220 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed two enemy armored combat vehicles in its areas of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup North units gained better lines and positions and inflicted losses on formations of two mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian army and two territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Pisarevka, Bereza, Mikhailovka and Miropolye in the Sumy Region," the ministry said.

In the Kharkov direction, Battlegroup North units inflicted losses on formations of four mechanized brigades, a motorized infantry brigade of the Ukrainian army and a territorial defense brigade in areas near the settlements of Kazachya Lopan, Verkhnyaya Pisarevka, Kolodeznoye, Veterinarnoye, Aniskino and Ternovaya in the Kharkov Region, the ministry reported.

The Ukrainian army lost an estimated 220 personnel, two armored combat vehicles, 15 motor vehicles, six artillery guns, two electronic warfare stations, a counterbattery radar station, an ammunition depot and a materiel depot in those frontline areas over the past 24 hours, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicts 185 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicted roughly 185 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed an enemy tank and an armored combat vehicle in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup West units improved their tactical position and inflicted losses on manpower and equipment of two mechanized brigades, an airmobile brigade of the Ukrainian army and two National Guard brigades in areas near the settlements of Lesnaya Stenka, Petrovka and Novoosinovo in the Kharkov Region and Brusovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost an estimated 185 personnel, a tank, an armored combat vehicle, 17 motor vehicles and three artillery guns in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it specified.

In addition, Russian forces destroyed two ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army, it said.

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicts over 115 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicted more than 115 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed two enemy artillery guns in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup South units improved their forward positions and inflicted losses on formations of three mechanized brigades, a motorized infantry brigade of the Ukrainian army and a territorial defense brigade in areas near the settlements of Belokuzminovka, Kondratovka, Konstantinovka and Artyom in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost more than 115 personnel, nine motor vehicles and two artillery guns, including a foreign-made weapon in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it specified.

In addition, Russian forces destroyed an ammunition depot and four materiel depots of the Ukrainian army, it said.

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicts 350 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicted roughly 350 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed three enemy armored combat vehicles in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup Center units gained better lines and positions and inflicted losses on manpower and equipment of two mechanized brigades, an infantry brigade, an air assault brigade, an assault regiment of the Ukrainian army, a marine infantry brigade and two National Guard brigades in areas near the settlements of Annovka, Belozerskoye, Novoaleksandrovka, Sergeyevka and Vodyanskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Novopavlovka, Gavrilovka and Raipole in the Dnepropetrovsk Region," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost an estimated 350 personnel, three armored combat vehicles and eight motor vehicles in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicts 375 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicted roughly 375 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed seven enemy armored combat vehicles in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup East units continued advancing deep into the enemy’s defenses and inflicted losses on formations of a mechanized brigade, an assault brigade, three air assault brigades and two assault regiments of the Ukrainian army in areas near the settlements of Voskresenka, Komsomolskoye, Vozdvizhevka, Samoilovka, Barvinovka and Verkhnyaya Tersa in the Zaporozhye Region, Velikomikhailovka, Aleksandrovka and Pokrovskoye in the Dnepropetrovsk Region," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost an estimated 375 personnel, seven armored combat vehicles, 13 motor vehicles, two multiple rocket launchers, including a Czech-made Vampire multiple rocket launcher, two artillery guns and an electronic warfare station in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr eliminates 20 Ukrainian troops in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr eliminated roughly 20 Ukrainian troops and destroyed five enemy motor vehicles in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup Dnepr units improved their tactical position and inflicted losses on manpower and equipment of a mechanized brigade, a mountain assault brigade and a coastal defense brigade of the Ukrainian army in areas near the settlements of Lyubimovka, Shcherbaki and Orekhov in the Zaporozhye Region," the ministry said.

"Up to 20 [Ukrainian] military personnel, five motor vehicles and a materiel depot were destroyed," the ministry said.

Russian air defenses intercept 301 Ukrainian UAVs, 10 HIMARS rockets in past day

Russian air defense forces intercepted and destroyed 301 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and 10 US-made HIMARS rockets over the past 24 hours, the ministry reported.

"Air defense capabilities shot down two guided aerial bombs, 10 rockets of the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and 301 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles," the ministry said.

Overall, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 670 Ukrainian combat aircraft, 283 helicopters, 115,432 unmanned aerial vehicles, 650 surface-to-air missile systems, 27,768 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,668 multiple rocket launchers, 33,376 field artillery guns and mortars and 54,769 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.

Zelensky Actively Sabotages Peace Process — Russian Top Senator

Valentina Matviyenko says Vladimir Zelensky "rejects any substantive basis for a peace agreement"

Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko Federation Council press service/TASS

© Federation Council press service/TASS

MOSCOW, February 20. /TASS/. Vladimir Zelensky, backed by European officials, is obstructing the efforts toward a Ukrainian settlement, Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko told TASS, commenting on reports of a submission to the European Union of a list of demands to Russia regarding Ukraine.

According to her, the European officials’ demands are Russophobic, far-fetched, and directly undermine any efforts to achieve a sustainable peace.

"This looks like an outright and deliberate sabotage of the peace process. And Zelensky, backed by them, is increasingly sabotaging the peace process himself. How else can one interpret the fact that, during the talks in Geneva, he publicly and strongly rejects any substantive basis for a peace agreement? He is effectively blocking his representatives from working. It’s not the first time this is happening," Matviyenko noted.

Russian, Chinese, Iranian Envoys Meet with IAEA Chief, Urge Diplomatic Solution for Iran

The joint statements call for a solution to "all existing problems"

IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi Thomas Kronsteiner/Getty Images

© Thomas Kronsteiner/Getty Images

VIENNA, February 19. /TASS/. The permanent representatives of Russia, China and Iran to international organizations in Vienna met with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi to discuss Iran, and handed over their joint statements on the issue to him.

Russian Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov said the statements underscore the need for a diplomatic solution to the problem.

"The permanent representatives of China, Iran and Russia met with IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi and handed over to him joint statements on Iran-related issues. Special attention was paid to the need to find a diplomatic solution to all existing problems," the Russian diplomat wrote on Telegram.

Ukraine Loses Over 520,000 Troops in 2025 — Russian General Staff

Sergey Rudskoy says total loss of Ukrainian servicemen is estimated at more than 1,5 million

© Stanislav Krasilnikov/TASS

MOSCOW, February 20. /TASS/. The Ukrainian army lost over 520,000 troops, and 6,700 tanks and combat vehicles along the engagement line in 2025, First Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces and head of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff Sergey Rudskoy said.

"Their (the Ukrainian army - TASS) losses in 2025 amounted to roughly 6,700 tanks and combat armored vehicles, as well as over 12,000 weapons and mortars, and more than 520,000 servicemen in terms of personnel," he told the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper.

"Since the beginning of the special military operation, the Ukrainian army has lost over 1,5 million troops in total," Rudskoy added.

Black Writers and the Emancipatory Struggles of the Antebellum Period

African American newspapers and public intellectuals played a pivotal role in ending enslavement, setting the stage for building Reconstruction and fighting the long years of legalized segregation

By Abayomi Azikiwe, Editor, Pan-African News Wire

Wednesday February 18, 2026

African American History Month Series No. 4

Writing and public speaking were key elements in the movements to end African enslavement and other forms of national oppression in the United States.

Going back to 1827, the first Black-owned English-language newspaper was published by Free Africans in New York City known as Freedom’s Journal which was founded by people such as Jamaican-born John Brown Russwurm, a graduate of Bowdoin College, the first African American to do so and only the third Black person to graduate from an United States college. 

One of the co-founders of Freedom Journal’s, Samuel Eli Cornish, was born in Sussex County, Delaware. Cornish graduated from the Free African School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and also founded Shiloh Presbyterian Church, the first Black Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, in 1822. (https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS4415)

Prior to the publication of Freedom’s Journal, Phillis Wheatley, a young African woman born in the Senegambia region published a book of poems in 1773. Her writings did much to refute the notion that African people were inherently inferior to Europeans. (https://www.masshist.org/features/endofslavery/wheatley)

Freedom’s Journal editorial policies were reflective of the debates taking place among Africans in the U.S. The newspaper was founded in the same year that chattel slavery was legally ended in the state of New York. 

Some within the editorial staff advocated the repatriation of African people in the U.S. back to the West African state of Liberia. The American Colonization Society (ACS) was established to facilitate the removal of people of African descent whom it was believed could not live a fulfilling life in U.S. After two centuries of enslavement under the British, Dutch, French and Spanish, some Africans were compelled to migrate to the continent to build a life as an independent state. 

Others believed that the primary task of free persons of color was to advocate and organize for the abolition of slavery. A series of national conferences were held beginning in the 1830s. Tracts such as David Walker’s Appeal were released in 1829 calling for African Americans to organize for their freedom. 

Women Writers and the Struggle for Freedom and Justice: Maria Stewart

One of the key literary and political figures in the campaigns to overturn the system of slavery was Maria Stewart. She emerged from the Northeast regional state of Connecticut in the U.S. and later became a highly educated, articulate lecturer and prolific writer during the 1830s.

Her writings were published by the Liberator newspaper founded by abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison. As a printer as well as organizer, Garrison co-founded the newspaper with Isaac Knapp. He would play an important role in the founding of the New England and later American Anti-Slavery Society emanating from the Boston area which was a base for abolitionist activity.

In August 1831, a slave rebellion led by Nat Turner in Virginia created a sense of panic among the planters and their representatives within the U.S. Congress. Opponents of African enslavement became emboldened through the strengthening of the Underground Railroad and the proliferation of literature and public speaking against human bondage. Although the Atlantic Slave Trade was said to have been abolished by Britain and the U.S. during the first decade of the 19th century, the triangular marketing of Africans in exchange for money and commodities continued. The number of enslaved Africans dramatically increased between 1800 and 1860, the year of the presidential elections which precluded the Civil War (1861-65).

One historical source on the contributions of Maria Stewart notes:

“In 1832 Stewart began lecturing in Boston, doing so at a time when it was frowned upon for women to speak in public, especially in front of men. She gave her first speech to an audience of women at the African American Female Intelligence Society, discussing the benefits of African American women accepting God into their lives and standing up for their rights. Her second speech, delivered at Franklin Hall, was noteworthy for having an audience that included both men and women and both Black and white people. In that speech, she noted that free Black people were similar to enslaved Black people because of their shared lack of opportunity. Her third lecture, at the African Masonic Hall, was also before a mixed audience and addressed the issues of African American rights and liberty. Stewart gave a total of four speeches before public pressure forced her to retire from the lecture circuit in 1833; her last speech was titled “Mrs. Stewart’s Farewell Address to Her Friends in the City of Boston” and was delivered on September 21, 1833.” (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Maria-Stewart)

The degree of pioneering bravery of Stewart is quite striking for the early decades of the 19th century. Other public women speakers such as Sojourner Truth during the post 1840s period also in the northeast region of the U.S., gained considerable recognition for their oratory skills and tenacity.

Although there is no record of Stewart delivering public lectures after 1833, another source says of her activity:

“In 1834, Maria Stewart joined a “Female Literary Society” composed of Black women in New York. She became a teacher, later moving to Baltimore, MD and Washington, D.C. Stewart taught in D.C. during the Civil War, and in 1870 she remained in the District to direct housekeeping at the Freedmen’s Hospital and Asylum. This senior position was previously held by Sojourner Truth. In 1878, Stewart finally received a widow’s pension, of $8 a month, for James Stewart’s service in the War of 1812. With the pension she republished her Meditations with reflections on her experiences of the Civil War. Stewart died in the Freedmen’s Hospital on December 17, 1878.” (https://thewestendmuseum.org/history/era/west-boston/maria-stewart/)

Flight and Emigration: The Role Mary Ann Shadd Cary

Born in the slave state of Delaware in 1823, Mary Ann Shadd and her brother would leave the U.S. moving to Canada after the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act in 1850. Although she was born into a Free African family, there were numerous instances of people being kidnapped and placed back into enslavement.

By the conclusion of the Civil War in 1865, there were approximately 500,000 free Africans living in the U.S. and nearly 4 million enslaved. Whether one was considered free or enslaved the overall social conditions of people of African descent were dire. Consequently, the Free Africans played an essential role in the abolitionist and emigration tendencies within the Black movement overall.

A National Emigration Convention of Colored People was held in 1854 in Cleveland which was attended by some of the leading personalities within the U.S. and Canada. Dr. Martin R. Delaney played a prominent role in the Convention along with others such Mrs. Mary Bibbs of Canada West and William Lambert of Michigan.  The persons in attendance and the resolutions of the gathering have been preserved as a testament to the rigorous character of the movement aimed at emancipation of African people living in North America. (https://omeka.coloredconventions.org/items/show/314)

A report on the Colored Convention Movement during the antebellum period in the 1850s focused on the contributions of Shadd:

“Much like her father, who edited the Liberator alongside William Lloyd Garrison, Shadd was inspired to create her own newspaper in order to pursue her pro-emigration and abolitionist goals. She did just that, publishing the first issue of Provincial Freeman on March 25, 1854. Shadd did not place her name under the masthead of the paper, ‘thus concealing the paper’s editorship’. In addition to including her own articles (without crediting herself) in the paper, Shadd incorporated the work of other influential abolitionists and pro-emigrationists, such as Martin Delany. Although Mary Ann Shadd was not in attendance at the 1854 Emigration Convention, it can be said that her pro-emigration pieces in the Provincial Freeman were incredibly influential as associated textual pieces engaging the convention event. The following year, Shadd maneuvered her way into the 1855 Colored Convention. Although her emigration ideas clashed with some delegates, Shadd presented a speech at the convention. It proved convincing to the delegates so much so that they granted permission to extend her speaking time.” (https://coloredconventions.org/emigration-debate/women-involvement/mary-ann-shadd/)

This African American woman writer, publisher and organizer left an indelible mark of the years leading up to the Civil War and eventual legal emancipation. Shadd would later marry Thomas F. Carey in 1856 while continuing her publication and advocacy work. (https://coloredconventions.org/harper/activist-and-writing-community/mary-miles-bibb/)

After the eruption of the Civil War, she returned to the U.S. to serve as a recruiter of African American soldiers into the Union Army. In her later years she trained in law and became one of the few women and Black practicing attorneys in the U.S.

Journalism as a Platform for Resistance

These two African American women, Maria Stewart and Mary Ann Shadd Cary, represent two outstanding writers and public intellectuals committed to the objectives of Black emancipation in North America. Emigration advocates and practitioners were by no means avoiding the inevitable Civil War which ended African enslavement with the military defeat of the Confederacy and the passage of the 13th Amendment.

The majority of those who fled the U.S. seeking refuge in Canada returned to join the war to abolish African enslavement. Those who were a part of the Civil War effort were influenced by the work of Cornish and Russwurm of Freedom’s Journal and later the Liberator co-founded by Garrison as well as the North Star created by Frederick Douglass and co-edited by Delaney. (https://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/serial?id=northstar1847)

This utilization of newspapers and pamphlets would continue in the aftermath of the Civil War in efforts to build a free and independent existence. Some of the same writers would shift their focus to Reconstruction as well as a renewed focus on Emigration. 

UN Report Details Widespread Abuse of Migrants in Libya

By Al Mayadeen English

17 Feb 2026 15:24

The report highlights systematic detention, sexual violence, trafficking, and extortion within an entrenched profit-driven system of abuse.

A new investigation by the United Nations Human Rights Office and the United Nations Support Mission in Libya concludes that migrants, asylum-seekers, and refugees in Libya are enduring organized and profit-driven abuse, including killings, torture, rape, trafficking, and forced labour.

Covering the period from January 2024 through December 2025, the report is based on interviews with nearly 100 people from 16 countries across Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. Investigators describe a pattern in which migrants are rounded up or abducted by trafficking groups, some allegedly operating with connections to state-linked actors, before being transferred to detention sites without judicial oversight.

Libya’s rape network

Inside these facilities, detainees reported systematic mistreatment, ranging from physical violence and sexual assault to ransom demands, extortion, and the confiscation and resale of identity documents and personal belongings. The report characterizes the system as an entrenched “exploitative model” targeting people already in vulnerable situations.

“I wish I died. It was a journey of hell,” said an Eritrean woman, who was detained for over six weeks at a trafficking house in Tobruk, in eastern Libya. “Different men raped me many times. Girls as young as 14 were raped daily,” she said. The perpetrators released her after her family paid a ransom.

Another Eritrean survivor described severe abuse after she and a friend were held by traffickers. Previously subjected to female genital mutilation, she said both women were forcibly cut open and then assaulted. Her friend later died due to excessive bleeding.

A third woman recounted being held in a hangar where armed men would remove women at night and assault them in front of others. “I was raped twice in that hangar before my daughters and other migrants. A Sudanese man tried to help me and stop them, but they beat him severely. My daughter was traumatised and is still asking me about that night,” she said.

The report also examines attempts by migrants to cross the central Mediterranean, noting that interceptions by Libyan actors often involved hazardous maneuvers and threats. Individuals intercepted at sea were frequently returned to Libya, where many faced renewed detention and renewed abuse.

Collective expulsion crisis

In addition, investigators raised concerns over group deportations conducted without evaluating individual protection claims, warning that such practices may violate international human rights and refugee law standards, including those set out in the African Union Refugee Convention. Expelled migrants were reportedly left along the border areas without adequate access to water, food, or medical care.

“There are no words to describe the never-ending nightmare these people are forced into, only to feed the mounting greed of traffickers and those in power profiting from a system of exploitation,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.

“This abusive ‘business model’ preys on individuals in situations of heightened vulnerability, with detention facilities serving as breeding grounds for gross violations of human rights,” said the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya, Hanna Tetteh.

The United Nations is calling on Libyan authorities to free those held without legal grounds, halt unsafe maritime interceptions, and decriminalize irregular migration. It also urges accountability for trafficking networks and for officials implicated in violations.

The report appeals to the international community, including the European Union, to suspend returns to Libya until adequate safeguards are in place, and to apply strict human rights due diligence to any funding, training, or operational cooperation involving Libyan entities accused of serious violations. Assistance, it states, should be conditional on consistent adherence to international human rights standards.

Kenyan Officials Accused of Using Israeli Tech to Hack Activist Phones

By Al Mayadeen English

17 Feb 2026 14:28

A new report alleges that Kenyan authorities used Israeli-made Cellebrite technology to access pro-democracy activist Boniface Mwangi's phone while he was in police custody.

Boniface Mwangi, a leading pro-democracy campaigner who has signaled his intention to contest Kenya’s 2027 presidential race, says he felt “exposed” and unsafe after discovering that his personal phone had been accessed while he was in police custody last July.

Mwangi said one of the devices returned to him following his arrest no longer required a password to unlock. The phone contained private communications, photographs, and sensitive personal data, including family pictures with his wife and children. The discovery, he told The Guardian, left him deeply concerned about who may have viewed or copied its contents.

Report alleges phone extraction

A new report released Tuesday by Citizen Lab concludes with “high confidence” that Kenyan authorities used digital forensics technology produced by Cellebrite to gain access to the device while it was in police possession.

According to Citizen Lab, the tools available through Cellebrite “could have enabled the full extraction of all materials from Mwangi’s device, including messages, private materials, personal files, financial information, passwords, and other sensitive information."

Researchers argue that the findings reinforce growing concerns that Cellebrite’s products are being misused by state actors against activists and critics. They say the company has not done enough to curb abuse by government clients.

Cellebrite rejected the accusation that it tolerates misuse. In a statement to The Guardian, the company said it maintained a “rigorous process for reviewing allegations of technology misuse” and that it took “decisive action”, including licence termination, when credible and substantiated evidence is presented to the company.

“We do not respond to speculation and encourage any organisation with specific, evidence-based concerns to share them with us directly so we can act on them,” the company said.

Kenya’s police spokesperson and the Kenyan embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment.

Surveillance allegations intensify

Mwangi was arrested last July and charged with unlawful possession of ammunition in connection with his role in anti-government protests. He was later released on bond and is due back in court this week. At the time of his detention, Amnesty International described the proceedings as appearing to be “part of a broader effort to intimidate lawful dissent and those committed to upholding the rule of law."

In an interview, Mwangi acknowledged that he operates under what he believes is constant monitoring. “We know that I get spied on all the time. I know that my phone calls are monitored and my messages are read,” he said, adding that authorities had already gathered information about him from other individuals’ devices and “knew my role in the movement."

The new report follows prior findings from Citizen Lab that spyware had been planted on the phones of Kenyan filmmakers Bryan Adagala and Nicholas Wambugu while their devices were in police custody. The two were being investigated in connection with a 2024 BBC documentary alleging security force involvement in protester killings. The BBC has denied that the filmmakers were involved in producing the film.

Mwangi said the latest revelations underline how external technology providers can indirectly facilitate state surveillance. “By them giving the government the access to spy on me, they’re putting my life in jeopardy,” he said.

Global surveillance concerns

Earlier this year, Citizen Lab reported that authorities in Jordan appeared to be using Cellebrite tools to extract data from activists’ phones, particularly those critical of "Israel" and supportive of Gaza. Cellebrite responded at the time that its technology was used only to “access private data only in accordance with legal due process or with appropriate consent to aid investigations legally after an event has occurred."

Cellebrite products have also reportedly surfaced in investigations involving civil society monitoring in Myanmar, Botswana, Serbia, and Belarus.

John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at Citizen Lab, warned of the broader implications, sayjng, “Your phone holds the keys to your life, and governments shouldn’t be able to help themselves to the contents just because they don’t like what you are saying … When Cellebrite sells their technology to a security service with a track record of abuses, journalists, activists, and people speaking their conscience are at risk.”

Disease Outbreaks Surge in Sudan’s Capital as War Ruins Health System

18 February 2026

A cholera patient lies on the ground outside Al-Nao Hospital in Omdurman, Photo Sudan Tribune

February 17, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Epidemics and childhood diseases are surging across Sudan’s Khartoum state, local health authorities said on Tuesday, as nearly three years of conflict have devastated the nation’s healthcare system.

The war, which began in April 2023, has caused acute shortages of medicines, destroyed medical infrastructure, and suspended basic services across many states, deteriorating the country’s health situation.

A recent epidemiological report recorded 10,361 malaria cases and 467 cases of dengue fever in the sixth week of 2026 alone, the state’s Emergency Operations Centre said. Fifty-two cases of scabies were also identified in the Karari and East Nile localities.

Authorities also reported a rise in childhood diseases, including measles. The Immunization Administration said systemic militia looting and vandalism of health centres had damaged vaccine cold chains, causing critical shortages.

Mohamed Tijani, Khartoum’s director of emergencies, said the ministry would increase rapid response efforts during the upcoming Muslim holy month of Ramadan, including training staff to detect meningitis.

The ministry called for international support to secure supplies, particularly malaria medicine. It also urged residents to help break mosquito breeding cycles by draining stagnant water weekly.

Sudanese Groups, UN Condemn Deadly Drone Strikes in Kordofan

19 February 2026

A crater caused by an air strike is seen in the Abu Zabad area of West Kordofan, Sudan, July 2025.

February 18, 2026 (AL-FULA) – Political forces and rights groups on Wednesday condemned an escalation in drone strikes across the Kordofan and Blue Nile regions that have killed dozens of civilians, including women and children.

The attacks have triggered a wave of accusations against the Sudanese army, which is battling for control of these key territories.

The Emergency Lawyers group said in a statement that a drone bombed a water well on Wednesday afternoon in the Um Rasum area of Al-Sunut locality in West Kordofan.

The group described the location as entirely devoid of any military presence, labelling the strike a brutal and deliberate attack on innocent civilians.

The entire state of West Kordofan is currently under the control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Vast areas of the state have been subjected to frequent aerial attacks by Sudanese army drones.

The statement noted that the attack on Um Rasum resulted in a massacre of women and children who were fetching drinking water.

Several others sustained varying injuries in the strike, which also disabled a vital water source serving 17 villages.

The destruction of the well has exacerbated the suffering of thousands of residents, leaving their lives directly threatened.

The rights group asserted that the systematic escalation of drone attacks by the warring parties represents a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.

It called for an immediate truce during the holy month of Ramadan to ensure civilians have access to water and basic necessities.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk expressed grave concern on Wednesday regarding reports that more than 50 civilians were killed across four Sudanese states this week.

Türk said the killings serve as a fresh reminder of the devastating consequences for civilians resulting from the increased use of drones in the Sudan war.

He added that the strikes follow a recurring pattern of attacks on civilian infrastructure, including markets, health facilities, and schools.

The UN official urged all parties to stop the constant attacks on civilian objects and to refrain from the military use of such facilities.

The Civil Democratic Alliance of Revolutionary Forces (Somoud) also condemned the continued attacks, particularly in the Kordofan states.

The alliance noted that the village of Um Rasum, near the town of Abu Zabad, was hit today by an army drone targeting a civilian gathering at a water source.

According to Somoud, the Al-Sunut area in West Kordofan witnessed a similar attack earlier this week targeting a shelter for displaced persons from South Kordofan.

That incident, which killed more than 28 civilians and wounded dozens, has also been blamed on the Sudanese army.

The alliance further reported that a drone strike hit a market in the Al-Safia area of Sodari locality in North Kordofan during a busy shopping day.

That attack killed more than 20 citizens and wounded over 40 others, all of whom were identified as civilians.

Shelling also reached the Adre border crossing with Chad, which is under RSF control.

Attacks there continued for two days, destroying parts of the crossing and disrupting the flow of humanitarian aid.

In a separate development, Somoud reported a drone strike on a hospital in the Al-Mazmoum area of Sennar state. The alliance noted that civilian casualties were reported in that incident, with accusations directed at the RSF.

Meanwhile, the cities and rural areas of Kadugli, Dilling, and Al-Rahad continue to face persistent attacks by the RSF, causing significant loss of life and property.

The Unionist Alliance separately accused the Sudanese army of being behind the bombing of the Um Rasum area.

The group stated that targeting a water source represents a serious crime and reflects a disturbing pattern of escalating military operations.

The alliance emphasized that protecting civilians is a legal obligation and called for the opening of safe corridors for humanitarian aid.

The Rapid Support Forces also denounced the attack, which they claimed was carried out by an army drone on a town in West Kordofan.

An RSF spokesperson said the international community should take note of the systematic nature of these “forgotten crimes.”

The spokesperson described the strikes as full-fledged war crimes and crimes against humanity under international law.

Dengue Fever Cases Rise in Six Sudanese States as Health Crisis Deepens

19 February 2026

A Sudanese girl receives an oral cholera vaccine during a campaign conducted by health ministry workers in Khartoum, Sudan. AP file photo

February 18, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese Ministry of Health on Wednesday announced a rise in dengue fever cases across six states, alongside persistent infections of Hepatitis E in Gezira State, amid a critical shortage of epidemic-related medicines.

The surge comes as Sudan’s fragile health sector continues to buckle under the impact of the ongoing war. Conflict has devastated infrastructure, shuttered numerous hospitals, and triggered a severe shortage of medical personnel and supplies.

A report from the federal Ministry of Health’s Emergency Operations Centre noted that while no new cholera cases were recorded, dengue fever cases were confirmed in Khartoum, Gezira, River Nile, White Nile, Kassala, and Northern states.

Gezira State continues to report cases of Hepatitis E, the ministry added.

In response, an emergency team was dispatched from Northern State to the western region after 36 cases of dengue fever were recorded. Medical supplies were sent to the area, and specialized treatment centres for Hepatitis E were designated in Gezira.

Health officials emphasized an urgent need for staff training and additional medicine. Environmental health reports indicated that preventive activities, including water chlorination monitoring and vector control, are ongoing.

A targeted campaign to combat dengue fever is scheduled to launch in Khartoum localities next week.

The ministry’s supply report acknowledged disparities in the availability of emergency medicines and a significant shortage of malaria treatments.

However, the National Public Health Laboratory announced that the Khartoum laboratory is prepared for the meningitis season. State laboratories are also equipped to diagnose viral fevers following the distribution of 20,000 dengue rapid test kits.

Health Ministry Undersecretary Ali Babiker praised the resilience of health workers despite limited resources. He noted efforts to support services in South Kordofan and progress toward recovering the health system.

Babiker directed intensified interventions ahead of the autumn season and emphasized that restoring the National Laboratory to its full capacity remains a top priority.

In Northern State, health authorities reported an increase in dengue fever rates, with 52 cases recorded in the Al-Ghurayba area of Merowe locality as of Tuesday.

The state’s emergency department has activated an emergency room to monitor cases and implement “zero reporting.” Officials stated that only two cases remain active, and no deaths have been recorded so far.

Containment measures in Merowe include intensified domestic inspections, insect surveys, and urgent spraying campaigns to target mosquito larvae.

UNHCR: $1.6 bn Needed to Support 4.3 Million Sudanese Refugees

18/02/2026 13:30 

GENEVA / KHARTOUM

Sudanese refugees in Koulbous, Chad, near the border with Sudan (File photo: UNHCR / Ala Kheir)

As the war in Sudan approaches a fourth year, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and 123 partners appealed on Tuesday for $1.6 billion to support millions of people forced to flee the country in pursuit of safety.

In a statement yesterday, the UNHCR says that its appeal aims to deliver lifesaving assistance this year to 5.9 million people across seven neighbouring countries: the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, South Sudan and Uganda. The UNHCR 2026 Sudan Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRRP) will prioritise aid to roughly 470,000 new refugees who are expected to cross into these countries, as well as thousands more who remain in border areas and have received only the most basic assistance.

UNHCR Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Mamadou Dian Balde, says the need for a fourth annual appeal underscores the relentless impact of the war and a humanitarian response struggling to keep up.

“Sudan remains the world’s largest displacement and worst humanitarian crisis, unfolding in the wake of the most severe global funding crunch in decades,” he told journalists in Geneva.

‘Sudan remains the world’s largest displacement and worst humanitarian crisis, unfolding in the wake of the most severe global funding crunch in decades…’ – Mamadou Dian Balde, UNHCR Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa

As fighting continues in several parts of the country, essential services have collapsed while humanitarian access remains restricted in many areas.

“Thousands of people continue to flee across borders each week, often arriving in already vulnerable yet generous regions, where public services and economic opportunities were limited even before the crisis,” he said.

Host communities ‘pushed to the brink’

Some 4.3 million Sudanese refugees remain displaced within the region, most of whom are in Egypt and eastern Chad.

Balde noted that “while host governments and local communities continue to demonstrate remarkable solidarity, their capacity is being pushed to the brink.”

Egypt currently hosts 1.4 million Sudanese who have fled the war and registered refugee figures have nearly quadrupled since 2023.

“Yet severe funding cuts have forced UNHCR to close two of its three registration centres, affecting people’s access to critical protection services,” he said.  Moreover, available funding per refugee per month has dropped from $11 to $4.

In eastern Chad, more than 71,000 refugee families have not received housing assistance, meaning they do not have safe and adequate shelter. “Nearly 234,000 people are awaiting relocation, living in precarious conditions at the border,” he added.

Meanwhile in Uganda, clinic closures and the suspension of critical nutrition programmes in Kiryandongo settlement put thousands of Sudanese refugees at heightened risk of diseases.

Rising needs, shrinking resources

Balde stressed that despite these constraints, the 2026 plan “will continue to support host countries in providing critical basic services, including food, shelter, healthcare and protection services for new arrivals and the most vulnerable refugees.”

He warned, however, that “the widening gap between rising needs and shrinking resources threatens to undermine both emergency response efforts and medium-term solutions.” Balde concludes that in the interim, UNHCR continues to call for stronger international support to address the persistent underfunding of humanitarian operations in the countries hosting people fleeing Sudan.

Sudan Envoy Meets UN Refugee Agency as Rights Groups Condemn Egypt Arrests

17/02/2026 15:30 

CAIRO / AMSTERDAM

Sudanese waiting at Wadi Halfa to cross into Egypt (File photo: RD)

Sudan’s ambassador to Egypt has held talks with the UN refugee agency on supporting Sudanese displaced by war, as Amnesty International warned of a widening crackdown on refugees including arbitrary arrests and unlawful deportations.

The talks coincide with reports, as carried earlier by Radio Dabanga, that Sudanese women and chlidren have been subjuect to arbitrary arests in Egypt.

Amnesty International said Egyptian authorities in recent months had intensified arrests and removals targeting refugees and asylum seekers solely over irregular migration status, describing the practice as a serious breach of the principle of non-refoulement and of Egypt’s own asylum law.

The meeting brought together Sudan’s ambassador to Cairo and permanent representative to the Arab League, Lt Gen Imadeldin Mustafa Adawi, and UNHCR representative Dr Hanan Hamdan. Discussions focused on the conditions of Sudanese fleeing conflict and ways to expand services and protection for vulnerable groups.

Hamdan praised Sudan’s long history of hosting refugees and reaffirmed the UN agency’s solidarity with the Sudanese people and commitment to providing maximum support to Sudanese in Egypt.

Adawi expressed appreciation for the agency’s work since the outbreak of war and said he hoped coordination would continue to address refugee issues and humanitarian needs.

Egypt: Refugees in hiding amid crackdown involving arbitrary arrests and unlawful deportations

In a new Amnesty International report published yesterday, the international human rights advocacy group laments that in recent months, “the Egyptian authorities renewed their campaign of arbitrarily detaining and unlawfully deporting refugees and asylum seekers solely on the basis of their irregular immigration status in blatant violation of the principle of non-refoulement and Egypt’s own asylum law.”

Amnesty International says that refugees or asylum seekers registered with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) are among those unlawfully deported or arbitrarily detained pending deportation.

Text of Amnesty International report:

Since late December 2025, police officers in plain clothes have been arbitrarily rounding up nationals of Syria, Sudan, South Sudan and other Sub-Saharan countries from the streets or their workplaces in cities across the country following identity checks. Those found without valid residency permits were driven away in unmarked vans, even when they were able to produce UNHCR cards.

‘The Egyptian authorities must immediately release all refugees and asylum seekers arbitrarily detained solely on immigration grounds and halt deportations of anyone entitled to protection under international law…’ – Mahmoud Shalaby, Egypt and Libya Researcher at Amnesty International

“Refugees who have fled war, persecution or humanitarian crises should not be forced to live in daily fear of being arbitrarily arrested and deported back to a place where they are at risk of grave human rights violations. By forcibly expelling refugees and asylum seekers, Egyptian authorities are not only flagrantly flouting international human rights and refugee law, but they are also breaching the protections afforded in the country’s own recently passed asylum law prohibiting refoulment of recognized refugees,” said Mahmoud Shalaby, Egypt and Libya Researcher at Amnesty International.

“Fearing arrest and deportation, families have been forced into hiding at home, living in limbo and unable to access work or education. Many are struggling to survive after the primary breadwinner of the family had been detained or deported. The Egyptian authorities must immediately release all refugees and asylum seekers arbitrarily detained solely on immigration grounds and halt deportations of anyone entitled to protection under international law.”

Amnesty International documented security forces’ arbitrary arrest of 22 refugees and asylum seekers, including one child and two women, from their homes, the streets or at security checkpoints between late December 2025 and 5 February 2026 in Cairo, Giza, Al-Qalyubia and Alexandria governorates. Those arrested and detained are refugees and asylum seekers from Sudan, Syria and South Sudan, 15 of whom are registered with UNHCR.

Of this group, security forces have deported one Syrian asylum seeker registered with UNHCR. The 21 others remain at risk of deportation as the authorities had already begun their deportation procedures even though prosecutors had ordered the release of 19 of them, while three had scheduled residency renewal appointments with the immigration department.

There are no available statistics on deportations of Syrians, but Egyptian NGOs sounded the alarm about the rise in unlawful deportations of Syrian nationals in mid-January. On 17 January, the Syrian embassy in Cairo stated that it had received information from the Egyptian authorities that they were conducting “periodic verification campaigns on residency permits.” The embassy advised Syrians to always carry a valid residency permit.

On 31 January, the Sudanese Ambassador to Cairo said in a press conference that 207 Sudanese nationals were returned from Egypt in December 2025 and another 371 in January 2026, without clarifying whether these were deportations carried out by security forces or whether individuals were compelled to return home through programmes coordinated by the Sudanese embassy and Egyptian authorities, in order to avoid indefinite detention or risk of arrest. He added that around 400 Sudanese nationals were currently detained in Egypt, without clarifying the grounds.

Since the outbreak of armed conflict in Sudan in 2023, Egyptian authorities have periodically carried out intensified identity checks targeting foreign nationals, detaining those who lack documentation and subsequently deporting them. The Egyptian government does not publish official figures on deportations.  As of January 2026, 1,099,024 refugees and asylum seekers were registered with UNHCR.

Amnesty International interviewed a former detainee, four relatives of detained refugees and asylum seekers, a friend of a released asylum seeker, a lawyer representing detainees, four refugees and asylum seekers whose families are confined at home due to the crackdown, and two community activists. The organization also spoke with two staff members at the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms and the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, who both documented cases of arbitrary arrests and unlawful deportations of refugees and asylum seekers.

Arrest despite immigration appointments and UNHCR cards

The Egyptian government requires all foreign nationals in the country “irregularly” to regularize their status through an Egyptian sponsor and the payment of US$1,000. Refugees and asylum seekers registered with UNHCR are not subject to these requirements when renewing their residence permits.

Many of the refugees and asylum seekers arrested since late December 2025 had scheduled appointments at the Ministry of Interior’s General Department of Passports, Immigration and Nationality to renew their residency. Such appointments are routinely delayed due to government backlogs – refugees and asylum seekers reported waiting for up to three years for appointments.

The arbitrary arrests took place even in cases where refugees and asylum seekers were able to produce UNHCR cards. The mother of a 10-year-old South Sudanese boy with a valid residence permit told Amnesty International she chose to keep him at home after hearing reports of police confiscating refugees’ valid documents.

Her fears are well founded. Amnesty International documented the case of Eisa, a 20-year-old Eritrean refugee registered with UNHCR and with a valid Egyptian residence permit. His mother said that police officers confiscated his UNHCR card and residence permit and warned him: “Next time we will catch you without documents and you will be detained and deported.”

On 23 January, police arrested Ahmed, a 40-year-old Syrian asylum seeker registered with UNHCR, from the street in 6th of October City, Giza, just six days before his scheduled appointment with the General Administration of Passports, Immigration and Nationality to renew his residence permit.

The following day, prosecutors ordered his release pending investigations into charges related to irregular stay in Egypt and ordered his referral to the “relevant administrative authority,” namely the ministry of interior. Despite this, police refused to release him   and escorted him to the National Security Agency (NSA), the immigration authority and the Syrian embassy to verify his identity, as part of deportation procedures.

Forced deportations and refoulement

In early February, police informed Ahmed’s lawyer that unless his family purchased him a flight ticket to Syria, he would remain indefinitely detained. The family complied, and security officials deported Ahmed, who had lived in Egypt for 12 years after fleeing armed conflict in Syria, without an individualized assessment of the risks he might face upon return and despite the prosecutor order for his release.

In 19 cases documented by Amnesty International involving refugees or asylum seekers who are currently at risk of deportation, prosecutors had ordered their release pending investigation into immigration-related charges. However, police continue to hold them in detention despite these release orders and with no further judicial review allowing them to challenge the legality of their detention.

In the two other cases documented by Amnesty International, detainees’ families were unsure if they had ever been brought before prosecutors.

In line with the pattern documented in Ahmed’s case, the ministry of interior has already begun to escort all detainees to various authorities and their countries’ diplomatic representatives as part of the deportation procedures.

The principle of non-refoulement prohibits states from sending anyone to a place where they would be at real risk of serious human rights violations. Even Egypt’s flawed asylum law prohibits the extradition of “recognized refugees” to their country of origin or habitual residence, despite the fact that other provisions implicitly permit exceptions under the guise of overly vague “national security and public order” grounds without due process safeguards.

Amnesty International opposes forced returns of Sudanese nationals to Sudan amid an ongoing armed conflict marked by serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, including mass civilian casualties. Similarly, the UNHCR has maintained its position against all forced returns of Syrian nationals due to the volatile security situation and the ongoing risks posed by armed groups exercising control over towns and cities.

Devastating impact of livelihoods and right to education

The crackdown has had devastating consequences for refugee families, particularly affecting their rights to education and work. Three families, all registered with UNHCR, told Amnesty International they had stopped sending their children to school or university for fear of arrest because they currently do not have valid residence permits.

One family said they had been unable to secure any appointment to renew their expired residence permits because they could not reach the UNHCR — which books appointments on behalf of the Egyptian authorities — neither physically through its sole office in the country due to long queues nor through its hotline. Another family reported that their son’s appointment was scheduled for 2027.

Some refugees and asylum seekers have stopped or limited their work to minimize risk of arrest. Ahmed, a 26-year-old Sudanese asylum seeker registered with UNHCR, previously worked as a teacher at three schools. He resigned from two and now works at one school close to his home, in an effort to minimize journeys outside his home as his residence permit had expired, and his renewal appointment was scheduled for 2028.

Amina, a 49-year-old Sudanese single mother and refugee registered with UNHCR, told Amnesty International she resorted to begging on the streets to support her two daughters after losing the family’s breadwinner, her son Moaatz, who was detained in the recent crackdown. On 28 January, police arrested Moaatz, who is a UNHCR-registered asylum seeker, while street vending in Cairo for lacking a valid residence permit. His renewal appointment is scheduled for 2027.

“As a close partner to Egypt on migration and major donor to UNHCR, the European Union should urge the Egyptian government to adopt concrete and verifiable measures to protect the rights of refugees and migrants as well as to ensure that UNHCR has unimpeded access to all places of detention where refugees, asylum seekers and migrants are held, and allow them to make their international protection claims and have these fairly assessed,” said Mahmoud Shalaby.

“The EU and other states must also step up responsibility-sharing by expanding resettlement opportunities and creating safe and regular pathways for people in need of international protection, including humanitarian visas, labour and student mobility schemes, and community sponsorship initiatives.”Source: Amnesty International

Sudanese Women and Children Held Incommunicado After Cairo Arrests

17/02/2026 10:38 

CAIRO / AMSTERDAM

Crowds of Sudanese refugees in front of the UNHCR headquarters in Cairo - January 2026 - (Photo: Radio Dabanga correspondent)

Egyptian authorities have reportedly detained more than seven Sudanese women working in traditional beauty services in the El Hussein district of Cairo and held them for nearly two weeks without their families being able to contact them or confirm their exact place of detention, according to reliable information obtained by Radio Dabanga.

Sources also reported severe overcrowding, with around 70 detainees allegedly being kept inside a single cell.

The reports coincide with talks between Sudan’s ambassador to Egypt and the UN refugee agency, on supporting Sudanese displaced by war, as Amnesty International warns of “a widening crackdown on refugees including arbitrary arrests and unlawful deportations”.

‘Women and children detained’

In a separate development, reports indicated that two children aged eight and ten were detained during recent security campaigns, with no clear information available about their legal or health status.

An activist in Cairo told Radio Dabanga the women were arrested directly from their workplaces in the El Hussein area and relatives were unable to follow them immediately because authorities did not disclose where they had been taken.

She said such procedures prevent families from appointing lawyers or tracking the legal process from the outset, raising fears of enforced disappearance.

The activist added that holding detainees for more than three days without access to a lawyer or family members, and without presenting a legal arrest warrant, meets the definition of enforced disappearance under international standards. The continued lack of information about their whereabouts or legal status, she said, heightens concern for their safety and fundamental rights.

She noted most of the women are primary breadwinners supporting children and extended families inside and outside Sudan, and some have no relatives in Egypt able to pursue legal action on their behalf.

The activist also voiced growing concern about children whose mothers remain detained, amid uncertainty over who is caring for them. She said rumours had previously circulated within the community about two girls dying after their mother’s detention — later proven false — but fears remain that harm could occur if the situation continues unresolved.

Many of the mothers, she added, rely solely on themselves to care for their children, leaving minors especially vulnerable in the absence of family or community support networks.

She said previous arrest cases were typically referred to prosecutors the day after detention, with some detainees ordered released but kept in custody for days or weeks before the decisions were implemented.

Procedures usually include referral to prosecution authorities, then to the passport administration in the Abbasiya district, and additional steps involving the Sudanese embassy.

Medical care

The activist criticised what she described as limited embassy engagement in reassuring families or monitoring serious medical cases despite being aware of multiple detentions.

She described difficult humanitarian conditions inside detention facilities, including overcrowded cells and detainees suffering chronic illnesses such as asthma and diabetes without adequate medical care.

Reports also indicated minors were being detained or summoned pending the arrival of relatives, which she called deeply worrying and suggested the arrest campaigns may be expanding to younger age groups.

She further criticised what she characterised as shrinking avenues of support for Sudanese refugees, saying communication with international organisations — including the UN refugee agency — often resulted only in automated email replies without direct follow-up in urgent cases.

According to the activist, the detained women were working in harsh living conditions to support their families and had not posed a public order problem, but were simply trying to earn a living with dignity.

She called on human rights organisations and relevant authorities to urgently intervene, verify the detainees’ conditions, ensure access to lawyers and family members, provide necessary medical care and guarantee due legal process.

Sudan: Civilians ‘Blocked From Returning to Destroyed El Gezira Village’

17/02/2026 13:37 

EL GEZIRA / AMSTERDAM

Damage caused by attacks on Village 34, in December 2025 (File photoi: Kanabi Central Committee)

Armed groups aligned with local “popular resistance” forces and the Sudan Shield militia have been accused of preventing displaced residents from returning to their homes in Village 32 in the Rahad Agricultural Scheme in Sudan’s El Gezira state, according to community representatives.

Jaafar Mohamedin, spokesperson for the Kanabi Central Committee, told Radio Dabanga that villagers who attempted to return four days ago were confronted by gunfire and forced to withdraw. He said the residents — displaced around three years ago — found their homes completely destroyed when they tried to re-enter the area.

“Some civilians carrying heavy weapons, including RPG rocket launchers and heavy artillery — weapons no ordinary civilian should possess,” Mohamedin said.

He added that the group retreated only after another force from the Um Algura locality security committee intervened.

The Sudan Shield forces are led by Abu Aqla Keikel, who — along with a leader of the popular resistance — is under sanctions imposed by the European Union and other bodies.

Mohamedin said the southern neighbourhood had been deliberately flooded in order to prevent residents from returning, while other houses were demolished entirely. He also alleged that farmland plots belonging to villagers had been seized and cultivated by the armed groups.

“A policy of fait accompli is being imposed to prevent the original inhabitants from returning after taking over their land,” he said.

Strike on Market in Sudan’s Kordofan Region Kills at Least 28 People, Rights Group Says

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

By FATMA KHALED

1:35 PM EST, February 16, 2026

CAIRO (AP) — Strikes on a market in central Sudan ‘s Kordofan region killed at least 28 people and wounded dozens, said a rights group on Monday, as the war between the army and a paramilitary group nears its three-year mark.

Emergency Lawyers, a rights group tracking violence against civilians, said in a statement that drones bombed a market in Sudri locality in North Kordofan province on Sunday, during a time the market was bustling with civilians, “exacerbating the humanitarian tragedy.” The group said the number of casualties was likely to rise.

“The repeated use of drones to target populated areas shows a grave disregard for civilian lives and signals an escalation that threatens what remains of daily life in the province. Therefore, we demand an immediate halt to drone attacks by both sides of the conflict,” the statement said.

Emergency Lawyers said on X that drones belonging to the army targeted the market on Sunday. However, two military officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to brief the media, told The Associated Press that the army doesn’t target civilian infrastructure and denied the attack.

Over a week ago, a drone close to the city of Rahad in North Kordofan hit a vehicle carrying displaced families, killing at least 24 people, including eight children. A day before that attack, a World Food Program aid convoy was targeted.

The fighting between the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese military erupted into a full-blown war across the country in April 2023. So far, at least 40,000 people have been killed and 12 million displaced, according to the World Health Organization. Aid groups say the true war death toll could be many times higher, as the fighting in vast and remote areas impedes access.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said recently the Kordofan region remains “volatile and a focus of hostilities” as the warring parties vie for control of strategic areas.

Both warring parties have been accused of atrocities.

The U.N. Human Rights Office issued a report on Friday saying that more than 6,000 people were killed in over three days when the RSF unleashed “a wave of intense violence … shocking in its scale and brutality” in Sudan’s Darfur region in late October.

The RSF’s offensive to capture the city of el-Fasher, that used to be a military stronghold, in late October included widespread atrocities that amounted to war crimes and possible crimes against humanity, according to the U.N.