The statement, submitted by Indonesia’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Umar Hadi, called for strengthened protection measures for peacekeeping forces amid escalating security risks. It also urged an end to violence and a return to negotiations to secure a peaceful resolution in Lebanon.

Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry said the safety of UN personnel was “non-negotiable,” stressing the need for the Security Council to use all available mechanisms to safeguard troops deployed in volatile environments.

The appeal follows a series of explosions in southern Lebanon in late March that killed three Indonesian peacekeepers serving under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon and wounded several others, including personnel from France, Ghana, Nepal and Poland.

A separate blast inside a UN facility less than a week later injured three more Indonesian soldiers.The incidents prompted Jakarta to demand accountability and enhanced security guarantees for peacekeeping missions.

The Foreign Ministry described the attacks as “unacceptable” and called for an urgent meeting of troop-contributing countries to review safety protocols and operational conditions within UNIFIL.

President Prabowo Subianto condemned the attacks, saying such acts undermine peace efforts and result in the loss of lives of Indonesian personnel deployed abroad.

The UNIFIL mission, established to monitor hostilities and support stability in southern Lebanon, operates in a region that has seen renewed tensions in recent weeks, raising concerns over the safety of international peacekeepers.

The raids, carried out by criminal groups locally known as bandits, targeted villages in Sokoto State on Thursday, following several days of deadly assaults in the country’s predominantly Muslim north.

Ahmad Yahaya, a community leader in Dan Adua village, said at least 12 people were killed and 43 abducted across Isa and Sabon Birni local government areas during the attacks. He said heavily armed gunmen carried out the raids.

Lawmaker Muhammad Saidu Bargaja, who represents the affected areas, confirmed the violence, reporting similar casualty figures and describing the security situation as “highly devastating.”

The districts are believed to be under the influence of Bello Turji, a notorious gang leader whose network imposes levies on communities and conducts retaliatory raids against those who refuse to comply.

The latest violence comes amid a wider escalation of attacks by both criminal gangs and jihadist groups. Earlier in the week, a senior military officer, Brigadier General Oseni Omoh Braimah, was killed along with several troops during an overnight assault on a military base in northeastern Nigeria, according to local officials and intelligence sources.

Separate attacks in the northwestern states of Kebbi and Niger have also left at least 90 people dead since Sunday, based on figures from local authorities, humanitarian groups and church sources.

The surge underscores ongoing security challenges in northern Nigeria, where armed groups continue to target civilians, security forces and infrastructure despite military operations aimed at curbing the violence.

The strike, which occurred on Wednesday, targeted the Al-Salama neighborhood near a girls’ school, according to the El-Fasher Resistance Committee.

The group attributed the attack to the Sudanese army, which has been engaged in a conflict with the Rapid Support Forces since April 2023.

A medical source said the victims brought to a local hospital included six children, among them three secondary school students.

Sixteen others were wounded in the attack, including women and children, and are receiving treatment.

The strike underscores the continuing toll of the conflict in Sudan’s Darfur region, where fighting between the army and paramilitary forces has displaced large numbers of civilians and strained already limited medical resources.

At least three people were killed and five others wounded when rockets struck a house in the Khor Al-Zubair area near Basra, according to security and health officials.

Authorities said the death toll could rise as some victims remained trapped under rubble.Police said demonstrators gathered outside the Kuwaiti consulate before storming the premises, damaging property in response to the attack.

Kuwait condemned the incident, describing the storming and vandalism of its consulate as a serious breach of diplomatic norms. In a statement, the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry said Iraq bears responsibility for ensuring the protection of diplomatic missions on its territory.

The ministry also said Kuwait was not involved in any regional conflict and would not permit its territory to be used as a launch point for attacks against other countries.

The incident highlights heightened tensions in the region amid ongoing instability linked to broader Middle East conflicts.

The statement, shared by MoFA’s official spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi read, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan categorically condemns the recent attack on tourists in the Pahalgam region of Jammu and Kashmir, and expresses our condolences to the bereaved families. Such incidents undermine efforts to ensure regional security and stability.”

While the Afghan ministry did not specify the details of the attack, sources indicate that the incident involved a violent assault on a group of tourists, allegedly backed by elements linked to Pakistan.

Pahalgam, a picturesque town in Jammu and Kashmir, has long been a hotspot for tourism, attracting visitors from across the globe for its natural beauty and cultural significance. However, the region has also been marred by decades of conflict, with militant groups often targeting civilians and security forces in a bid to destabilize the area.

The Taliban’s condemnation marks a notable shift in its public stance, as the group has historically been accused of harboring ties with various militant organizations operating in the region. Analysts suggest that this statement could be an attempt by the Taliban to project a more responsible image on the international stage, especially as it seeks to gain legitimacy and foster diplomatic ties since taking control of Afghanistan in 2021.

Experts believe that by condemning an attack backed by Pakistan, the Taliban is signaling that it wants to distance itself from regional militancy and focus on governance and stability. It’s a message not just to the international community but also to its neighbors, including Pakistan, with whom relations have been strained in recent years.

Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have been on the rise, particularly over issues like cross-border militancy and the Durand Line dispute. The Taliban has repeatedly accused Pakistan of supporting groups like the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has launched attacks inside Afghanistan. In turn, Pakistan has blamed the Taliban for providing safe havens to TTP fighters.

The IEA-MoFA’s statement on the Pahalgam attack could further complicate this already fragile relationship, as it indirectly points the finger at Pakistan for its alleged role in the violence.

However, critics remain skeptical of the Taliban’s intentions. They suspect that this could just be a rhetorical move to gain favor with the international community. The Taliban has a long history of supporting militant groups, and a single statement doesn’t erase that.

As the situation in Jammu and Kashmir remains tense, the international community continues to call for dialogue and de-escalation between India and Pakistan. The Taliban’s unexpected condemnation of the Pahalgam attack adds a new layer of complexity to an already volatile region, raising questions about the group’s evolving role in South Asian geopolitics.

For now, the families of the victims in Pahalgam are left to mourn their loss, while the people of the region brace for the long-term consequences of yet another act of violence. The path to peace in Jammu and Kashmir remains elusive, but the Taliban’s statement serves as a reminder of the interconnected nature of security challenges in the region—and the urgent need for collaborative efforts to address them.

Taha’s comment encapsulates the global concern surrounding Sudan’s military leadership. He writes, “Just when we thought Hamas might finally free the hostages, Sudan’s Islamist-run army (SAF), hijacked by the Muslim Brotherhood, proudly declared it will send weapons and troops to serve Hamas and destroy Israel.” This public commitment from Sudan’s military escalates the tensions in an already volatile region, and it signals that the country is choosing to align itself with violent extremist factions under the guise of political support.

Sudan’s army, which has long been a source of concern due to its ties with regional powers like Iran, is now facing increasing scrutiny for its actions. Taha points to Sudan’s recent history of questionable alliances, particularly its acquisition of drones from Iran and its controversial decision to hand over control of its ports to China. He describes this as the military’s disregard for Sudan’s sovereignty, labeling it as a dangerous pattern of behavior where “national sovereignty is overrated.”

The situation is made even more complex by the leadership at the helm of Sudan’s army. Omar al-Bashir and Ahmed Haroun, both indicted war criminals by the International Criminal Court (ICC), are among the key figures controlling the military and foreign ministry. Taha does not mince words when describing them: “These two clowns are not in hiding; they’re running the army and the foreign ministry, like it’s some twisted comedy.” Al-Bashir and Haroun are infamous for their roles in orchestrating genocide and contributing to the deaths of over half a million people in the Darfur conflict, a dark chapter in Sudan’s history that still looms large over the country’s future.

In a surprising twist, Sudan’s military leadership has now set its sights on the UAE, a country known for its peaceful diplomacy and efforts to promote tolerance in the Middle East. Taha contrasts Sudan’s violent approach with the UAE’s commitment to peace, noting that the Muslim Brotherhood, which is banned and labeled a terrorist group in the UAE, has made increasingly aggressive statements against the Gulf nation. Taha’s scathing critique draws a comparison between Sudan’s actions and absurdities in other contexts: “It’s like watching a thief sue the bank for installing security cameras, only dumber.”

While Sudan’s military continues to align itself with extremist factions, Taha concludes with a stark reminder of the true nature of such behavior: “When terrorists dress up their violence in legalese, they’re not being clever, they’re just writing their confessions with a pen instead of a rifle.” His words highlight the false veneer of legitimacy that often accompanies violent ideologies, underscoring the need for the international community to be vigilant in identifying and confronting these threats to peace and stability.

Taha’s final message is a call for reason and peace in the face of mounting global tensions. He reminds us that “peace doesn’t shout. It builds,” encouraging a path forward based on collaboration, diplomacy, and a rejection of the violent ideologies that continue to disrupt global harmony.

As the situation in Sudan develops, the international community must pay close attention to the growing influence of extremist groups within the country and their far-reaching consequences for regional and global security.

In Rio de Janeiro, this urban community garden in the Manguinhos favela is the largest in Latin America: it feeds 800 families a month with affordable, pesticide-free produce.

Although violence, police raids and deadly shootings in the northern favelas of the city threaten programmes like this, our observer Yuri Lopes Cruz sees the garden as a way to reach Rio’s most vulnerable people.