IRGC: Supertanker Hits Mine After Entering Prohibited Hormuz Route

ByAl Mayadeen English

Iran says the Algaya supertanker struck a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz after entering a prohibited passage, as Tehran maintains the waterway closure.

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy announced on Monday that a supertanker struck mines in the Strait of Hormuz after it decided to travel via illegal routes. 

"The supertanker Algaya, IMO number 9325336, which was attempting to cross the prohibited zone south of the Strait of Hormuz, exploded after striking naval mines," the IRGC Navy said in a statement.

The IRGC Navy added that the tanker was set ablaze after hitting the mine, noting that "efforts to contain the fire have been unsuccessful, and the entire tanker is engulfed in flames."

It added that warnings had been repeatedly issued prior to the Algaya incident regarding the use of these illegal passageways. 

The IRGC Navy reiterated that the Strait of Hormuz remains closed and continues to be under the authority of the Islamic Republic. 

Iran conditions Hormuz travel

Iran has relayed to the United States that the Strait of Hormuz will continue to be closed until seven conditions approved by Tehran's top officials are met, Iran's Tasnim news agency reported on Saturday, citing an informed source.

“Until these seven conditions, which have been approved by Iran's top officials, are met, the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed,” the source told the outlet.

The war on Iran brought shipping through the key waterway to a virtual halt, leading to negative trends in the global energy market and contributing to higher fuel prices.

The current Hormuz crisis follows the outbreak of the war of aggression on Iran on February 28, when the United States and "Israel" began attacking Iran, prompting retaliatory Iranian strikes.

Yemen Resistance Forces Seize Hanish Islands Near Eritrea in Red Sea Advance

September 14, 2026

By Kulu Media 

Map showing the location of the Hanish Islands in the Red Sea between Yemen and Eritrea, north of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Credit: Google Maps / Kulu Media illustration.

Houthis seize Hanish Islands near Eritrea as the Iran-aligned group expands its control across strategic positions in the southern Red Sea following its capture of Mocha and Perim Island.

Yemen’s Houthi forces captured Greater Hanish and Lesser Hanish on Monday, September 14, after hundreds of government-allied troops withdrew from the archipelago, according to an Associated Press report.

The development confirms Houthi control of islands whose status had remained uncertain during the group’s rapid advance toward the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

It also moves the expanding Yemen conflict closer to the maritime approaches off Eritrea, adding another security concern to an increasingly unstable Red Sea corridor.Join Diaspora Networks

Houthis Seize Hanish Islands After Forces Withdraw

Two Yemeni government officials and a Houthi official told AP that Houthi fighters deployed on Greater Hanish and Lesser Hanish after hundreds of government-allied forces withdrew.

The islands are approximately 160 kilometers north of Bab el-Mandeb and form part of a strategically important chain between Yemen and the Eritrean coast.

They had previously been controlled by the United Arab Emirates and its southern Yemeni allies. AP reported that the UAE dismantled its military infrastructure on the islands after its relations with Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni government deteriorated earlier this year.

Their capture extends the Houthis’ recent territorial gains beyond Yemen’s mainland Red Sea coast.

The group previously seized Mocha, a strategic port on Yemen’s western coast, before advancing south toward Bab el-Mandeb.

Hanish Capture Confirms Earlier Uncertain Reports

The status of the Hanish Islands had been unclear during the initial Houthi offensive.

When Houthi forces seized Perim Island inside Bab el-Mandeb, reports differed over whether the Hanish archipelago had also fallen.

Some reports indicated that the islands had been captured, while Yemeni military sources said more than 2,000 government troops were surrounded there and had been asked to surrender.

AP’s September 14 reporting now provides a clearer picture, with officials from both sides saying the Houthis deployed on Greater and Lesser Hanish after government-allied forces withdrew.

The development therefore represents another confirmed territorial gain in the Houthis’ rapidly expanding Red Sea offensive.

Strategic Islands Sit Across From Eritrea

The Hanish archipelago is particularly significant for the Horn of Africa because of its location between Yemen and Eritrea.

The islands sit north of Bab el-Mandeb along the southern Red Sea shipping corridor, placing them closer to Eritrea than the previously captured Perim Island.

Perim, also known as Mayun, lies directly inside Bab el-Mandeb between Yemen and Djibouti.

Together, the Houthi positions on Yemen’s western coastline, Perim and now the Hanish Islands significantly expand the group’s presence along waters facing the Horn of Africa.

Bab el-Mandeb connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and forms part of the principal maritime route linking Asia and the Middle East with Europe through the Suez Canal.

The waterway has become even more strategically important amid disruption around the Strait of Hormuz.

Houthi Offensive Expands Across Yemen

The island seizures are part of a wider Houthi offensive that has pushed Yemen toward renewed large-scale civil war.

The group has advanced along the Red Sea coast while simultaneously conducting operations farther inland, particularly around Taiz.

According to AP, Yemen’s government Human Rights Ministry said around 150 civilians have been killed since September 3, while more than 200 others have been wounded.

More than 80,000 people have also been displaced during the renewed fighting.

The humanitarian consequences are already reaching the Horn of Africa, with thousands of Yemenis crossing the Red Sea toward Djibouti as fighting intensifies.

Saudi Arabia Seeks Support as Conflict Escalates

The expanding Houthi offensive is also increasing pressure on Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met U.S. Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper in Jeddah on September 14 to discuss regional developments amid escalating Houthi attacks, according to Reuters.

The meeting followed an earlier Saudi request for U.S. military assistance against the Houthis.

Reuters reported that U.S. President Donald Trump did not agree to direct American strikes but Washington offered intelligence-sharing and targeting assistance to Riyadh.

The Houthis have meanwhile continued missile and drone attacks against Saudi targets, including oil and military infrastructure.

Red Sea Crisis Moves Closer to Horn of Africa

The fact that Houthis seize Hanish Islands adds a new Horn of Africa dimension to a conflict already threatening Bab el-Mandeb shipping.

For Eritrea, the latest territorial change is especially significant because the Hanish chain lies across the Red Sea from its coastline.

For Djibouti, Houthi control of Perim places the group directly across the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, while Somalia is already rethinking trade routes as regional maritime insecurity affects established shipping patterns.

Landlocked Ethiopia also has a major interest in uninterrupted Red Sea shipping because most of its maritime trade moves through neighboring Djibouti.

The Hanish capture does not by itself mean commercial navigation through the Red Sea has stopped. However, it gives the Houthis additional positions along a shipping corridor already facing heightened military and economic pressure.

Whether Saudi-backed Yemeni forces attempt to retake the islands, and whether the Houthis consolidate their new positions, will now be important for the security of the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa.

 Somalia Rethinks Trade Routes as Bab el-Mandeb Crisis Disrupts Shipping

Somalia is rethinking established trade routes as Red Sea and Gulf security concerns push businesses toward alternative shipping connections.

September 14, 2026

By Kulu Media 

Somalia trade routes shift amid Bab el-Mandeb shipping crisisA container ship docks at Mogadishu Port, Somalia's main maritime gateway for imported goods. Credit: Anadolu Agency (AA)

Somalia trade routes are beginning to change as businesses seek alternatives to established shipping channels amid growing security concerns around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Strait of Hormuz.

Somali companies that traditionally import Asian goods through Gulf countries including the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Saudi Arabia are increasingly exploring more direct shipping connections, according to an Associated Press report published September 13.

The shift comes as the expanding conflict in Yemen increases uncertainty around Bab el-Mandeb, the strategic waterway connecting the Gulf of Aden with the Red Sea.

The development marks an economic consequence of a security crisis that has moved progressively closer to the Horn of Africa.

Somalia Tests Direct Import Routes

Mohamed Ali Nur, director general of Mogadishu Seaport, told AP that recent tensions around both Bab el-Mandeb and the Strait of Hormuz have negatively affected Somalia.

Businesses are consequently looking for alternative ways to bring goods into the country.

One significant example is sugar.

According to AP, Somalia recently received a shipment of sugar directly from Sri Lanka for the first time rather than bringing the commodity through the traditional Gulf trading route.

The change demonstrates how Somali importers are beginning to adjust supply chains in response to insecurity around two of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints.

For Somalia, which depends heavily on maritime imports, prolonged disruption or higher shipping costs could eventually affect businesses and consumers through increased transportation costs and longer delivery times.

Houthi Advance Raises Pressure Around Bab el-Mandeb

The trade shift follows a rapid expansion of Houthi-controlled territory along Yemen’s Red Sea coast.

Houthi forces seized Mocha on September 10 before advancing farther south toward Bab el-Mandeb.

The group subsequently reached Perim Island, also known as Mayun, which lies directly inside the strategic strait between Yemen and the Horn of Africa.

The territorial gains have significantly increased concerns about the security of the maritime corridor.

Bab el-Mandeb separates Yemen from Djibouti and Eritrea and provides the southern entrance to the Red Sea. Ships passing through it can continue north toward the Suez Canal, making the waterway a major trade connection between Asia, the Middle East and Europe.Geographic Reference

The strait has become even more strategically important as instability has simultaneously affected shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Crisis Spreads Across the Horn of Africa

The consequences of the Yemen escalation are increasingly extending beyond the battlefield.

More than 85,000 Yemenis have been displaced during the renewed fighting, according to AP, with more than 2,000 crossing the Red Sea to neighboring Djibouti.

Somalia’s decision to explore alternative trade routes represents another way the crisis is spreading into the Horn of Africa.

The effects are particularly important for Djibouti, Eritrea, Somalia and Ethiopia because of their proximity to the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden maritime system.Geographic Reference

Ethiopia is landlocked and relies heavily on Djibouti for access to international maritime trade, while Eritrea sits directly opposite Yemen along the Red Sea.

Somalia has an extensive coastline along the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean and depends on maritime trade for many imported goods.

Somalia Trade Routes Could Face Higher Costs

The immediate impact on Somali consumers remains uncertain.

AP reported that shipping professionals are increasingly concerned about security risks and the possibility of higher transportation costs as vessels and traders adapt their operations.

Direct imports could help Somali businesses reduce dependence on Gulf transit points, but longer or more complicated shipping arrangements could also increase costs.

The situation will depend heavily on whether commercial vessels can continue moving safely through Bab el-Mandeb and whether the conflict around Yemen expands further.

Despite the growing security concerns, vessel movements through Bab el-Mandeb have not stopped. Reuters reported on September 14 that 24 commodity vessels crossed the strait on Saturday and 27 on Sunday, broadly in line with the recent 10-day average.

That suggests the current impact is better characterized as growing security and supply-chain pressure rather than a complete disruption of maritime traffic.

For Somalia, however, the first moves toward alternative import routes show that businesses are already preparing for the possibility of a more prolonged Red Sea crisis.

Eritrea Accuses UAE of ‘Port Imperialism,’ Warns of Regional Alignment

September 13, 2026

By Kulu

Eritrea accuses UAE of port imperialism as Foreign Minister Osman Saleh raises Red Sea concerns

File photo of Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 23, 2024. Saleh has accused the UAE of pursuing “port imperialism” in Africa and raised concerns about growing strategic competition around the Red Sea and Horn of Africa. Credit: UN Photo.

Eritrea accuses UAE of port imperialism across Africa as Foreign Minister Osman Saleh raises concerns about Abu Dhabi’s expanding maritime presence and what Asmara views as growing strategic cooperation between the UAE, Israel and Ethiopia in the Horn of Africa.

Saleh made the comments in an exclusive interview with Middle East Eye published amid worsening regional tensions involving Eritrea, Ethiopia and the Red Sea.

The remarks add another dimension to rapidly deteriorating Ethiopia-Eritrea relations and come as disputes over Ethiopia’s ambitions for greater Red Sea access increasingly intersect with wider Gulf and Middle Eastern interests in the Horn of Africa.

“The UAE has port facilities everywhere in the region, and African countries have to ask why,” Saleh told Middle East Eye, questioning whether the investments were motivated solely by economics.

Eritrea Accuses UAE of Expanding Strategic Influence

The UAE has developed a significant commercial and strategic presence around the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and East African coastline through companies including DP World and AD Ports.

Their operations or investments extend to locations including Egypt, Tanzania, Somaliland and Puntland.

Saleh characterized the expansion as “port imperialism,” arguing that African countries should scrutinize the strategic objectives behind the UAE’s growing maritime network.

Eritrea’s relationship with the UAE has its own complicated history.

The UAE established a military facility at Eritrea’s southern port of Assab in 2016, which was used during the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen.

Middle East Eye reported that relations between Asmara and Abu Dhabi subsequently deteriorated.

“We didn’t want DP World [in Eritrea],” Saleh told the publication, adding that Eritrea did not want a foreign power operating a permanent “hub” in the country.

The UAE has denied having imperial ambitions in Africa.

Eritrean Official Claims UAE Proposed Dahlak Base

One of the most significant claims in the report concerns the strategically located Dahlak Archipelago in the Red Sea.Geographic Reference

A senior Eritrean official told Middle East Eye that around 2016, Eritrea rejected a UAE request to establish a military base on one of the Dahlak islands that would have been shared by the UAE and Israel.

The reported proposal would have come approximately five years before the UAE and Israel publicly normalized relations through the Abraham Accords.

Middle East Eye attributed the account to an unnamed senior Eritrean official. Kulu Media has not independently verified that such a proposal was made, and the report did not include confirmation from the UAE or Israel.

The Dahlak Archipelago lies off Eritrea’s Red Sea coast near important international shipping routes, giving the islands considerable strategic significance.

Eritrea Raises Concerns Over Israel, UAE and Ethiopia

Saleh also said Eritrea sees increasing convergence between the interests of Israel and the UAE in the Horn of Africa, particularly involving Ethiopia and Somaliland.

“The UAE and Israel have already converged on Somaliland,” Saleh told Middle East Eye.

According to the report, Eritrean officials believe a similar convergence is developing around Ethiopia.

The assessment comes as Addis Ababa continues to pursue greater access to the Red Sea, an issue that has become one of the most sensitive points in relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Ethiopia is landlocked and depends heavily on Djibouti for international maritime trade. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has repeatedly argued that sustainable access to the sea is strategically important for the country’s long-term economic development.

Eritrea, however, has strongly opposed any suggestion that Ethiopia could obtain sovereign access to Eritrean territory, while indicating that commercial arrangements could be discussed.

Tensions have intensified further as Eritrea accuses Ethiopia of destabilizing the Horn of Africa and supporting Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces, allegations that Ethiopia has not publicly accepted.

Israel’s Role Draws Eritrean Scrutiny

Saleh also questioned Israel’s growing strategic interest in the Horn of Africa, particularly its relationship with Somaliland.

“We have to ask why Israel is running to control the Horn of Africa? Why do they need a base in Somaliland?” Saleh told Middle East Eye.

His comments represent Eritrea’s assessment of Israeli intentions and should not be interpreted as independently established evidence that Israel is seeking to control the region.Geographic Reference

Israel and Eritrea established diplomatic relations following Eritrean independence in 1993, but Saleh indicated that relations have since cooled considerably.

“We are not antagonistic to Israel, but we just decided we didn’t want any relations,” he said.

The comments suggest that Asmara currently has little interest in restoring a substantial Israeli diplomatic presence in Eritrea.

Red Sea Competition Intensifies

The dispute comes at a particularly sensitive moment for Red Sea security.

Fighting in Yemen has expanded toward the Bab el-Mandeb Strait after Houthi forces captured Mocha and advanced into strategically important areas near the shipping chokepoint.

The wider Bab el-Mandeb security crisis has increased the strategic importance of Eritrea and Djibouti, which sit directly opposite Yemen on the African side of the strait.

Eritrea has more than 1,000 kilometres of Red Sea coastline and controls territory and islands close to some of the world’s most important maritime routes.

Saleh separately told Middle East Eye that countries bordering the Red Sea should play a central role in determining how freedom of navigation is protected, while arguing that there is no military solution to the conflict in Yemen.

The latest comments therefore extend beyond Eritrea’s bilateral relationship with the UAE. They reflect Asmara’s broader concern about increasing competition among regional and international powers for ports, military access and influence along the Red Sea and Horn of Africa coastline.

With Ethiopia seeking greater maritime access, Gulf states expanding their port networks and the Bab el-Mandeb conflict intensifying, Eritrea accuses UAE of port imperialism at a time when control and access around the Red Sea are becoming increasingly important regional security issues.

Eritrea Accuses Ethiopia of Destabilizing Horn and Supporting Sudan’s RSF

Eritrea accuses Ethiopia of destabilizing the Horn of Africa and supporting Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces. The allegations mark a new escalation in tensions between Addis Ababa and Asmara.

Eritrea accuses Ethiopia of destabilizing the Horn of Africa and supporting Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces, widening an increasingly hostile dispute between the two neighboring governments.

Eritrea’s Foreign Ministry said on Saturday, September 12, that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s Prosperity Party government was “actively destabilising the Horn of Africa,” according to an AFP report updated at 16:20.

The latest accusations come as Ethiopia-Eritrea relations remain tense over Red Sea access, security concerns and unresolved regional disputes. Earlier this year, Ethiopia formally accused Eritrea of aggression and demanded the withdrawal of Eritrean troops while proposing negotiations over Red Sea access.

The new Eritrean statement goes further by directly linking Ethiopia to the war in neighboring Sudan.

Eritrea Accuses Ethiopia of Supporting Sudan’s RSF

Eritrea alleged that Ethiopia is “harboring, supporting and actively encouraging” Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces, according to AFP.

The RSF has been fighting the Sudanese Armed Forces since April 2023 in a conflict that has devastated Sudan and increasingly affected neighboring countries.Read Political News

Eritrea did not publicly present independently verifiable evidence establishing Ethiopian support for the RSF in the statement cited by AFP. Ethiopia had not responded to AFP’s request for comment at the time the report was published.

The allegation should therefore be treated as an Eritrean government claim rather than an independently established fact.

The accusation is nevertheless important because Sudan’s war has become increasingly connected to broader Horn of Africa tensions, including military activity near Ethiopia’s western frontier and growing rivalry among regional governments.

Eritrean government commentary has made similar accusations before. In an August 18 article published by the Eritrean Ministry of Information, Asmara accused Ethiopia’s ruling Prosperity Party of supporting and hosting elements associated with the RSF.

Those claims have not been independently established.

Asmara Alleges Support for Eritrean Opposition Groups

Eritrea accuses Ethiopia not only of involvement in Sudan but also of supporting groups seeking political change inside Eritrea.

According to AFP, Eritrea said Addis Ababa has for more than three years escalated hostile rhetoric and allegedly “hosted, trained, and financed” organizations pursuing what Asmara described as a regime-change agenda.

Eritrean authorities have previously accused Ethiopia of supporting groups including the Red Sea Afar Democratic Organization and other Eritrean opposition movements.

Again, no independently verified evidence establishing those allegations was presented in the AFP report.

The rhetoric reflects the broader deterioration in relations between the two governments after several years of closer cooperation following their 2018 reconciliation.

Ethiopia-Eritrea Relations Continue to Deteriorate

Ethiopia and Eritrea restored diplomatic relations in 2018 after nearly two decades of hostility following their 1998-2000 border war.

Eritrean forces later fought alongside Ethiopia’s federal military during the 2020-2022 Tigray war.

Relations subsequently deteriorated, particularly after Eritrea was excluded from the November 2022 Pretoria Agreement that ended the main phase of the conflict between Ethiopia’s federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front.

Tensions in Tigray have since become increasingly connected to relations between Addis Ababa and Asmara.

Recent political developments have included a TPLF realignment and growing concerns over relationships between Tigrayan political actors and Eritrea.Read Political News

Former Tigray interim leader Getachew Reda has also accused the TPLF leadership of moving toward renewed confrontation with the federal government and developing cooperation with Eritrea, allegations covered in earlier Kulu Media reporting.

Red Sea Dispute Remains Central

Another major source of tension is Ethiopia’s push for more secure access to the Red Sea.

Landlocked Ethiopia has repeatedly described maritime access as strategically important for its economy and long-term national interests.

Eritrea has responded strongly to suggestions involving the port of Assab, arguing that its sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable.

The Eritrean government has repeatedly accused Ethiopia’s ruling party of advancing what it describes as expansionist policies toward the Red Sea.

Ethiopia, meanwhile, has publicly said it seeks peaceful negotiations over maritime access and has rejected claims that it intends to seize Eritrean territory by force.

Sudan, Tigray and Eritrea Disputes Increasingly Intersect

The fact that Eritrea accuses Ethiopia of both threatening Eritrean security and supporting one of Sudan’s main warring parties shows how several regional disputes are increasingly overlapping.

Sudan’s war is affecting areas close to Ethiopia’s western border, while tensions involving Tigray and Eritrea continue in the north.Stream History Documentaries

At the same time, disputes over Red Sea access are adding another strategic dimension to the relationship between Addis Ababa and Asmara.

For now, Eritrea’s claims about Ethiopian support for the RSF and Eritrean opposition groups remain allegations requiring independent verification.

But the increasingly direct language from Asmara represents another deterioration in Ethiopia-Eritrea relations and raises concern that conflicts involving Sudan, Tigray and the wider Horn of Africa could become more closely connected.

BRICS Leaders Call for Immediate Sudan Ceasefire, Warn of Extremism Proliferation

13 September 2026

September 13, 2026 (NEW DELHI) – Leaders of the BRICS group of nations called on Sunday for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Sudan, urging a peaceful settlement through dialogue while warning of the growing risk of the proliferation of extremism and terrorism.

The joint statement came in the “New Delhi Declaration 2026,” adopted during the bloc’s 18th summit in the Indian capital over the weekend.

“We express grave concern over the deteriorating situation in Sudan, including the worsening humanitarian crisis and the growing risk of proliferation of extremism and terrorism,” the leaders said in the declaration. “We reiterate our positions in this regard and call for an immediate, permanent ceasefire and for a peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue.”

The bloc—founded by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, and later joined by South Africa—expanded in recent years to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, among others.

The summit declaration stressed the need for sustained, urgent, and unhindered humanitarian access to civilians trapped in the fighting, and urged the international community to scale up aid to Sudan and neighbouring host nations.

The leaders also reiterated that the principle of “African solutions to African problems” should continue to serve as the foundation for peace, calling for a coordinated approach among mediation initiatives.

On the sidelines of the summit, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, saying that Sudan’s security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity remain a “red line” for Egypt.

The summit drew several leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Several prominent BRICS members, including Egypt, Russia, China, and Iran, maintain close relations with the Sudanese military-led authorities.

Sudan Army Will Push for Burhan to Stay in Power, Senior General Says

13 September 2026

Lieutenant General Yasir al-Atta

September 13, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s armed forces will push for Sovereign Council head and military chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan to remain head of state for several electoral cycles, a senior general said on Sunday, citing the need to prevent state collapse.

Lieutenant General Yasir al-Atta, a member of the ruling Sovereign Council and assistant commander-in-chief, told Egyptian newspaper Al-Shorouk that the military would insist on Burhan leading the country while political parties are rebuilt.

“We fear for our country’s collapse, and we fear for the entity of the state,” Atta said. “We will compel Burhan to stay in power as head of state for several terms until we are able to strengthen and support our political parties to become national parties.”

Burhan has chaired Sudan’s transitional Sovereign Council since August 2019, following a power-sharing accord between the military and civilian groups after the overthrow of longtime ruler Omer al-Bashir.

Since the war erupted between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in April 2023, Burhan has continued to lead the council, setting up an administrative base in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan.

Atta said the military command is considering several plans for the post-war phase.

One proposal involves the army chief serving as head of state during the first post-war election cycle while winning parties run the cabinet. The commander would then retire from military service to contest subsequent elections as a civilian.

Atta added that his personal view was that the army chief, regardless of who holds the post, should serve as head of state while parliamentary elections determine a civilian government with full executive powers.

He rejected suggestions that the military opposes democracy, arguing that democracy is defined by elections and pointing out that the administration in Port Sudan currently includes a civilian prime minister.

“When I reach retirement age, I will be a civilian, so will the law prevent me from holding any governance position?” Atta said.

Atta criticized calls for a transition to an immediate civilian-led administration, saying the military does not wish to run day-to-day governance, but views the armed forces chief serving as head of state as necessary for the next three to four electoral cycles.

His comments follow recent calls from some political figures for Burhan to run for president, as independent figures launch a “Sudanese-Sudanese” dialogue initiative to discuss the country’s political future.

Burhan has publicly dismissed proposals that he run for office, saying the military’s sole focus remains driving the RSF out of occupied territories and ending the war.

Sudan War: Explosions Heard Across Blue Nile Capital Ed Damazin as Drones Strafe City

14/09/2026 10:37 ED DAMAZIN

Screenshot from a video circulated by activists on social media shows flames illuminating the sky over Ed Damazin following the drone attack on the city on Sunday night.

Explosions were heard in several parts of Ed Damazin, the capital of Sudan’s Blue Nile state, on Sunday night after what sources described as a drone attack on the city. The attack was reportedly carried out using drones by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), which controls parts of the state, including Kurmuk and Geissan.

Videos shared by activists on social media appear to show flames lighting up the night sky over Ed Damazin, accompanied by powerful explosions.

Sources in the city said explosions were heard in the direction of the military hospital and the airport. One of the drones was also reported to have fallen at a fuel station.

Earlier on Sunday, the Sudanese Armed Forces claimed its air defences had shot down a drone that was attempting to target army positions in the Balang area. اقتصادالسودان

The Blue Nile Civil Society Initiative strongly condemned what it described as attacks on civilian sites and facilities in Ed Damazin, including fuel stations, saying they had terrorised residents and put their lives and property at risk.

In a statement issued on Sunday night, the initiative held the RSF and the SPLM-N responsible for the attacks, stressing that civilians and essential service facilities must not be targets of war under any circumstances.

It said the people of Blue Nile had been exhausted by the conflict and could not endure more bloodshed, fear, and suffering.

“The solution is not bombing or terrorising civilians, but ending the war and protecting people,” the statement said.

The initiative called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, and the opening of humanitarian corridors. It also urged the international community to document the alleged violations and hold those responsible to account without discrimination.

WFP Director Warns Sudan Aid Cuts Could Intensify World’s Worst Hunger Crisis

14/09/2026 19:57

Carl Skau, Acting Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), meets displaced women during his visit to Sudan (Photo: WFP)

UN food agency says it may be forced to scale back within weeks as war, displacement and drought leave millions facing acute hunger…

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that it could be forced to cut food assistance in Sudan within weeks, potentially deepening what the UN agency describes as the world’s largest hunger crisis.

In a statement to reporters today following an eight-day visit to Sudan, the WFP’s acting executive director, Carl Skau, says the agency has the capacity to reach millions of people caught between war, displacement and worsening drought – but is running out of money.

Sudan is home to 20 million people facing acute hunger. The war has displaced about 14 million people overall, including roughly nine million who remain uprooted within Sudan, according to recent UN estimates. About five million people are experiencing emergency levels of hunger, while an estimated 200,000 are facing catastrophic levels of starvation.

“We now have the capacity, we have the presence, but we are not fully using that space because of the lack of funding,” Skau says.

‘In the next few weeks, the risk is that we will have to scale back even further…’

The warning comes as the geography of the conflict shifts. While Darfur was the epicentre of fighting a year ago, violence is now intensifying in Kordofan and Blue Nile, creating new waves of displacement while millions uprooted during earlier stages of the war remain unable to return home.

Skau says he met people who were displaced when the war began three years ago, as well as others who fled their homes on the very day they spoke to him. Some walked for four or five days after their villages were destroyed.

He describes meeting women struggling to find water and a former university student now living in a camp, unable to find work after losing family members and watching her parents’ health deteriorate.

Delivering aid across a country divided by conflict has become slower, more expensive and more dangerous. A journey from El Obeid to El Fasher that took about six hours before the war required three days during Skau’s visit, involving several flights and a 30-hour drive through the Jebel Marra mountains.

A WFP convoy in Kordofan was hit only two weeks before Skau’s remarks. Yet the agency continues to reach between four million and five million people each month, including up to 2.5 million in some of Sudan’s hardest-to-reach areas.

The scale of Sudan’s devastation was stark in El Fasher, the Darfur city that endured an 18-month siege and famine. Once home to about a million people, it is now inhabited by only a few tens of thousands.

Skau describes streets of bullet-riddled homes and burned-out cars, with almost no economic activity and barely functioning markets. Some people had returned not because their homes remained habitable, but because they had found little to sustain them elsewhere.

The largest gathering of people he saw in the city was at a WFP food distribution. The agency is reaching about 20,000 people in El Fasher, providing what Skau says is effectively the only assistance available to those who remain.

Outside the city, the destroyed Zamzam camp has become a ghost town. From there, the road to Tawila follows the route through which hundreds of thousands fled the violence around El Fasher, an exodus during which widespread atrocities were reported.

Tawila has since become one of the most striking symbols of Sudan’s displacement crisis. Its population has risen from about 700,000 when Skau visited in April to close to 1 million.

The WFP now reaches about 950,000 people there every month, but can provide only half-rations – enough food for about two weeks. Many households are headed by women who have lost husbands or sons and are struggling to make the supplies last.

The camp’s rapid expansion has also left enormous gaps in shelter, healthcare and education.

‘It’s just a massive city now of one million people without the basics…’

Darfur’s crisis is being compounded by drought. Skau says the region has not been this dry since 1984, despite the fact that Sudan is in its rainy season. Communities fear the drought could damage agricultural production and livestock, depriving families of one of their few remaining means of survival just as humanitarian food assistance faces cuts.

The pressure is also growing in Kordofan. In El Obeid, a city whose population has roughly doubled during the war, displaced people continue to arrive from across the country. Camps and host communities are severely overstretched.

Skau describes meeting women who reached the city after walking for five days from areas of West and South Kordofan where their homes and villages had been destroyed.

Funding shortages are forcing the WFP into increasingly painful choices. Newly displaced people are being prioritised, while assistance is being reduced or withdrawn from people who fled their homes years ago but remain unable to work or return.

The convergence of crises is making Sudan’s future increasingly uncertain. Conflict continues to drive displacement and disrupt markets and trade, while maritime disruption around Bab el-Mandeb and Hormuz is affecting a country dependent on Red Sea ports. Climate shocks are now threatening agricultural production.

For Skau, these pressures cannot be treated separately. They are converging on a population already exhausted by years of war.

His principal appeal is for a political effort to end the conflict, particularly as world leaders prepare to gather for the UN General Assembly’s high-level week.

But until that happens, he says, civilians must at least be protected and provided with the basic means of survival.

The international community failed to prevent atrocities in El Fasher and has not done enough for the displaced people who ended up in camps, he says. There is now a danger of repeating those failures as violence spreads through Kordofan and Blue Nile.

‘We cannot keep failing these people….

“We cannot keep failing these people,” Skau says.

The WFP and other UN agencies have the operational capacity to reach millions in need. What they lack, Skau argues, is sufficient funding to sustain their work.

For millions of Sudanese families facing hunger, displacement and an uncertain future, the question is becoming increasingly urgent: whether the world will act before humanitarian agencies are forced to cut back.

The answer, Skau suggests, could determine whether an already catastrophic crisis is allowed to deteriorate still further.

 Fuel Prices Rise as Shortages Deepen Across Sudan

13/09/2026 16:02 KOSTI / RABAK / EL GUTEINA / ED DUWEIM / KHARTOUM

Graphic: RD

Fuel prices have risen in several Sudanese states as shortages and long queues return to Khartoum, piling pressure on households already struggling with soaring food prices and a weaker pound. Energy& Utilities

The White Nile State Council for the Organisation and Development of Public Transport approved a new fuel price composition, setting a gallon of petrol at SDG38,805 Sudanese pounds in Kosti, Rabak, El Guteina and Ed Duweim localities.

The council recommended adding SDG20 per gallon in transport costs across a number of towns and localities.

For families in White Nile State, the struggle is increasingly about getting through each day.

Wa’ad Idris, a housewife and mother of four, told  Radio Dabanga that she starts each morning calculating what the family can afford and what it must go without.

“We start our day and we worry about how to get through it. Life has become very difficult,” she said. “During the war we used to say that life is difficult, but with the recent circumstances and the rise of the dollar, the prices of everything have risen significantly, and the citizen has become unable to meet his simple daily needs.” 

Idris said cooking oil had risen from about SDG10,000 to SDG19,000, while a bottle of onions increased from SDG2,000 to SDG7,000. A pound of milk for children costs about SDG3,000.

She said the family had cut its meals from two a day to one basic meal, with the second depending on whether food was available or affordable.

“Sometimes it is just a snack or tea at night, only to help complete the day,” she said.

Even tea has become uncertain, she added, saying the family may settle for red tea without milk, or go without it altogether.

Idris said a simple tomato salad made with dakwa (peanut butter) or oil can now cost about SDG7,000 or more, while a kilogramme of sugar has reached about SDG7,000.

“A solution must be found to this situation, because it has become unbearable,” she said. 

“The family is no longer able to manage its needs.”

Fuel shortages return Energy& Utilities

Khartoum and several other states have also entered a fresh fuel crisis, with stations closing and petrol and diesel becoming scarce amid expectations of further  price rises.

A Khartoum resident told Radio Dabanga that the crisis began after reports of an expected increase in the customs dollar and fuel prices. Several stations, he said, had stopped selling fuel.

He alleged that some station owners were keeping fuel in their tanks until new prices were announced.

“The fuel is inside the station, but once it is known that there is an expected increase, some stations close, and after the release of the new pricing, the same fuel stored is sold at the new price,” he said.

He said shortages had affected petrol and diesel across Khartoum, with the expected increase potentially reaching SDG5,000 to SDG6,000 per gallon.

Fuel shortages and long queues, he added, have become almost monthly occurrences, with some crises lasting more than a week.

“The least crisis until it is resolved can take about nine days, and the citizen spends a large part of the month looking for fuel and moving between stations,” he said. Energy& Utilities

Residents are increasingly forced to choose between waiting for hours at stations and paying inflated black-market prices.

“The citizen may stand 12 hours in line, or buy from the black market at a higher price,” he said.

Major Roads Blocked in Syria as Fuel-price Protests Spread

By Al Mayadeen English

13 Sep 2026 23:11

Protests over higher fuel prices have blocked major Syrian roads, disrupting traffic between Damascus, Aleppo, Raqqa, Deir Ezzor and other areas.

Several international and main roads across Syria were blocked on Sunday as protests expanded over recent fuel-price increases, disrupting traffic and prompting warnings against travel on several major routes.

According to information cited by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the Damascus road was completely blocked, with calls for travelers to avoid heading toward the capital until further notice.

Protesters also continued blocking the Aleppo-Damascus highway, disrupting traffic along the major route and prompting warnings to residents about using certain international roads for their safety.

Large crowds have taken to the streets in Maarrat al-Numan, with protesters blocking the Aleppo–Damascus highway as demonstrations over the Al-Sharaa government’s latest fuel-price increases grow increasingly confrontational.

Fuel-price protests disrupt major Syrian roads

The road closures extended across several areas as anger grew over the impact of higher fuel prices on transportation and the cost of basic goods and services.

In the Raqqa countryside, protesters blocked the Raqqa-Tell Abyad road, objecting to the increase in fuel prices and the resulting economic pressures on residents.

The road in Khan Shaykhun, in the Idlib countryside, was also blocked, while protesters closed the route linking Deir Ezzor and Raqqa.

The disruptions have affected several important transport corridors, raising concerns over the movement of civilians and goods between major population centers.

The latest protests come amid growing public anger over deteriorating economic and living conditions, with fuel prices becoming a major source of immediate pressure on households.

Demonstrations spread across several regions

The increase in fuel prices has emerged as the immediate trigger for demonstrations, but the grievances behind the protests extend beyond the cost of fuel.

Residents are facing rising transportation costs alongside increases in the prices of essential goods and services. Higher fuel costs are also expected to affect the cost of transporting commodities, potentially adding further pressure to already elevated consumer prices. These higher cost come in the backdrop broader economic difficulties, including higher customs fees, increased bread and construction-material prices, declining employment opportunities, and low wages.

Alongside demands for relief from deteriorating living conditions, protesters have also raised calls for accountability for those responsible for violations and crimes.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the continuation and geographical expansion of the protests reflect the scale of the economic and living pressures facing residents.

The Observatory called for the causes of public discontent to be addressed and for responsible dialogue channels to be opened with protesters. It also stressed the need to protect the right to peaceful expression and protest while safeguarding civilians and maintaining the movement of traffic.

Tunisia Rally Backs Sanaa, Resistance Front

By Al Mayadeen English

Activists in Tunis rally in support of Yemen, praising Sanaa’s military response as Yemeni forces report new operations against Saudi targets.

Tunisian activists rallied in central Tunis in support of Sanaa on Sunday, expressing solidarity with Yemen amid the ongoing Saudi military campaign and blockade.

The demonstration was organized by the Tunisian Network Against Normalization, with participants saying Yemen had achieved what they described as an exceptional strategic victory in confronting the Saudi-led aggression.

“The world is witnessing these days an exceptional strategic victory achieved by the Yemeni people in confronting the aggression and blockade,” demonstrators said.

Participants raised the flags of Yemen, Iran, Palestine and Hezbollah, alongside slogans expressing support for the various fronts of the Resistance.

Tunisian activists rally in support of Yemen

The demonstration comes amid renewed escalation between Sanaa and Saudi Arabia, with Yemeni officials continuing to frame their military operations as a response to the ongoing aggression and blockade.

The protesters expressed support for the Yemeni people and praised their continued retaliation against Saudi military pressure, portraying Yemen’s actions as part of a broader regional struggle against aggression.

The rally also reflected the Tunisian network’s opposition to normalization and its support for Palestinian and regional Resistance movements.

Demonstrators back Yemen’s confrontation with Saudi Arabia

The protest followed a series of developments announced by the Yemeni Armed Forces.

On Friday, the Yemeni Armed Forces announced that they had completed their control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait and Mayyun Island and reached the Dhubab district, amid the ongoing escalation with Saudi Arabia.

The developments came after the Yemeni Armed Forces announced a large-scale military operation on September 3 targeting what they described as Saudi military concentrations.

Sana’a said the operation was conducted in response to the continuing aggression and blockade against Yemen, as well as escalating attacks against residents and villages along the western coast.

The Yemeni military has repeatedly said it will maintain pressure on Saudi Arabia in response to attacks against Yemen.

Yemeni forces escalate operations against Saudi targets

Earlier on Sunday, Yemeni Armed Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree announced a military operation targeting weapons depots and command-and-control rooms at a Saudi military base in the Sharurah area.

Saree warned that Saudi Arabia would face “more severe and larger” operations if the aggression against Yemen continued.

He also warned that continued attacks would carry “grave consequences,” reiterating Sana’a’s position that escalation would be met with further escalation.

The Yemeni Armed Forces have stated that this policy rests on maintaining an equation of “blockade for blockade and escalation for escalation” until the aggression ends and the blockade on Yemen is lifted.

Iran, Ethiopia Discuss Red Sea Security on Sidelines of BRICS Summit

By Al Mayadeen English

12 Sep 2026

Pezeshkian and Abiy Ahmed meet on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS summit in New Delhi, focusing talks on Red Sea developments and regional security.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Saturday on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, with bilateral talks focused on developments in the Red Sea and the regional security landscape.

The meeting comes as both countries deepen engagement with BRICS Plus, with Tehran and Addis Ababa exchanging views on strategic issues affecting the Red Sea and the surrounding region.

In a post on X, Abiy Ahmed said his talks with Pezeshkian focused on developments in the Red Sea and regional security, including the importance of dialogue and stability. Both leaders stressed the role of dialogue and cooperation in maintaining stability across the region.

Abiy Ahmed said Ethiopia wants to learn from Iran's experience, stating that Iranians' "resilience and patriotism" are an achievement the Ethiopian people would like to learn from.

He also called for broader bilateral relations, noting Ethiopia's extensive economic and cultural exchanges with Iran's neighboring countries and its interest in expanding similar engagement with Tehran.

Pezeshkian: US presence brings bloodshed, not salvation

On his part, Pezeshkian stressed the need to deepen economic relations among BRICS members, saying stronger economic and financial ties among member states can contribute to their development.

He said Iran had faced unjust attacks by its enemies in recent months and that the enemy had sought to sow divisions among the Iranian people and cause bloodshed. He noted that the enemy's brutal actions had instead strengthened national unity.

"The US presence in the region brings bloodshed, not salvation," Pezeshkian affirmed, adding that the resistance of the Iranian people will prevent the United States and "Israel" from achieving their objectives.

He described relations between Iran and Ethiopia as fraternal and spanning more than 70 years, saying he expects bilateral ties to grow more structured going forward.

Long-standing ties, growing cooperation

Iran and Ethiopia established diplomatic relations in 1950, with Ethiopia becoming the first country in the Horn of Africa and sub-Saharan Africa to establish relations with the country. Bilateral ties have followed an upward trajectory since 2020, with cooperation expanding across agriculture, mining, manufacturing, and science and technology.

That growing cooperation was reflected in Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf's visit to Addis Ababa in January 2025, when the two sides agreed to establish a joint economic commission.

It was also evident during the Ethiopian parliament speaker's visit to Tehran in December 2025, when Pezeshkian affirmed Iran's readiness to expand economic, diplomatic, cultural, and security ties.

Abiy Ahmed also meets with Modi

Abiy Ahmed held separate talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his first official visit to India, with discussions focused on defense cooperation, technology transfer, capacity building, mining, and partnership toward COP32, the Ethiopian prime minister said in a post on X.

Abiy Ahmed said India and Ethiopia share deep historic ties, longstanding cultural connections, and strong people-to-people bonds, but that much of the potential between the two countries remains untapped. He said the time is right to build a more ambitious partnership grounded in technology, skills, investment, sustainable development, and stronger ties between the two peoples.

BRICS summit

The Iran-Ethiopia meeting took place on Saturday on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, where leaders were set to formally endorse a joint declaration finalized ahead of the summit, Reuters reported. The declaration denounces unilateral military action without naming any specific country.

Reaching consensus had been complicated by tensions between Iran and the UAE over the latter's complicity in the US-Israeli war on Iran, following a failure to agree on a joint communique at a May foreign ministers' meeting.

Leaders attending the summit include Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The summit has centered on BRICS efforts to expand its role in international institutions, including calls for reform at the IMF, World Bank, and WTO. Modi is also expected to push for stronger trade ties within the bloc, fewer commercial barriers, and wider investment and business cooperation.

Ebola Cases Surpass 7,000 in Democratic Republic of Congo

By Al Mayadeen English

12 Sep 2026 15:23

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has surpassed 7,000 cases, with nearly 3,400 deaths as the disease spreads to a seventh province.

More than 7,000 Ebola cases have been recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo's worst outbreak of the disease, according to figures from Congolese authorities.

The DRC officially detected the latest outbreak in mid-May after it is thought to have spread undetected for weeks. Nearly 3,400 people have been killed in the country's 17th epidemic of the highly infectious virus.

The outbreak began in the northeastern Ituri province before spreading to conflict-affected, remote eastern and northern regions where armed groups have operated for decades, the presence of the state is weak and health infrastructure is largely lacking.

Ebola outbreaks reaches seventh province

Earlier this week, the disease was confirmed to have spread to a seventh province, South-Ubangi, which borders the Central African Republic and Congo-Brazzaville.

According to the latest figures from Congolese authorities, 7,022 cases have been recorded since the beginning of the epidemic, of whom 3,398 have died and 1,671 people have recovered.

Most of the recorded cases are in Ituri, where Ebola has been detected in schools in the days after the post-summer return to classes, causing alarm among parents and health workers.

Parents severely alarmed despite health measures in place

"We are very worried because we don't know which child comes from which family or what the health status of the members of that family is," Angele Magani, mother of a schoolboy in Bunia, Ituri's provincial capital, told AFP.

"We are so scared, even though the school authorities reassure us about the health measures that have been put in place," she added.

Bunia school official Roger Mungimbo told AFP that "there is a mandatory hand-washing system with soap, and we have also done everything possible to have a maximum of 30 pupils per classroom."

"We regularly make the children aware that they must not touch each other, must not greet each other and must wash their hands regularly," he added.

Ebola strain first discovered in 2007 behind outbreak

Ebola, which has killed more than 15,000 people in Africa over the last 50 years, is transmitted through contact with bodily fluids and can cause severe internal and external bleeding and organ failure.

The current epidemic is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment currently. Several treatments and vaccines are being tested.

The Bundibugyo strain, one of six known Ebola virus species, was first identified in Uganda in 2007 and has since caused two prior outbreaks with case fatality rates between 25% and 50%. The two licensed Ebola vaccines, Ervebo and Zabdeno/Mvabea, target the Zaire species exclusively and do not provide automatic protection against Bundibugyo due to differences in genetic material and surface proteins.

The World Health Organization has prioritized three experimental treatments for clinical trials against the Bundibugyo strain, alongside two vaccine candidates: an rVSV-based candidate that may take six to nine months before trial doses are ready, and a ChAdOx1-based candidate from Oxford University and the Serum Institute of India that could be available for human testing within two to three months.

DR Congo Ebola Outbreak Spreads to Seventh Province

By Al Mayadeen English

11 Sep 2026 15:42

The Ebola outbreak in DR Congo has spread to a seventh province, with authorities placing 38 people in quarantine after a patient died.

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has spread to a seventh province, bordering the Central African Republic and Congo-Brazzaville, the governor of South-Ubangi province said on Friday, as cited by AFP.

The governor's office officially declared an outbreak of the highly infectious virus in the northwestern province after analyzing a suspected case.

An Ebola patient died in the province after undertaking a long journey across several provinces, some of which have not so far reported cases of the disease, acting governor Jean-Rene Galekwa told reporters on Thursday.

Ebola outbreak reaches South-Ubangi province

Until now, the outbreak, officially detected in mid-May, had been reported in six provinces in the country's conflict-plagued east and northeast.

Armed groups have roamed those regions for decades while state presence is weak and health infrastructure is largely lacking.

The current outbreak, the 17th to hit the Democratic Republic of Congo, has killed 3,310 people out of 6,843 confirmed cases, according to the latest figures from the Congolese authorities.

Patient's journey raises concerns of further spread

The patient who died in South-Ubangi had developed symptoms in the capital of Tshopo province, Kisangani, where Ebola cases have been reported, after having travelled to Rwanda, then Uganda and Ituri province in northeastern DRC, Galekwa said.

He then travelled by boat on the Congo River.

"The route taken both by the patient and by the boat exposes the population" of the provinces of North-Ubangi, Tshopo, and Mongala, Galekwa said.

"Thirty-eight people have been identified as having been in contact with the patient and have been placed in quarantine," he said.

Bundibugyo Ebola strain has no approved vaccine

Ebola is transmitted through contact with bodily fluids and can cause severe internal and external bleeding and organ failure.

The current epidemic is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, for which no approved vaccine or treatment exists. Several treatments and vaccines are being tested.

Two days before the outbreak spread to a seventh province, health officials warned that the Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of Congo urgently needed 5,000 additional healthcare workers. 

The World Health Organization said it aimed to establish 3,000 beds in Ebola treatment centers across the DRC. Luca Fontana, a senior technical official, said nearly 4,000 healthcare workers were already working in treatment centers, but another 5,000 were needed as infections continued to rise.

At the time, official Congolese figures cited by the WHO showed that Ebola had killed 3,175 people since May 15, with more than 6,600 confirmed cases. The outbreak, officially identified in mid-May, has since spread to a seventh province, underscoring concerns over the capacity of health authorities to contain the highly infectious disease.

Gaza Hospital Generators Fail as Israel Restricts Oil, Fuel and Spare Parts

September 13, 2026 

Premature babies at Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis are facing life-threatening conditions. (Photo: via QNN)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Gaza hospitals are losing electricity as generators fail amid severe shortages of engine oil, fuel and spare parts needed for repairs.

Key Takeaways

Gaza’s Health Ministry said several hospital generators have stopped operating, while remaining units are running continuously under severe mechanical strain.

At Nasser Hospital, one of four generators is out of service and electricity is being rotated between buildings, delaying critical respiratory treatment.

Restrictions have pushed engine oil prices as high as $1,300 per liter locally, while electricity costs for Gaza households have reportedly increased around twentyfold.

Hospital Generators Begin Shutting Down

Several electricity generators at hospitals across the Gaza Strip have stopped operating because of shortages of engine oil, fuel and spare parts, Gaza’s Health Ministry warned on Sunday.

The ministry said generators had failed at several facilities in recent days, leaving hospitals increasingly unable to maintain reliable electricity for life-saving departments.

“The remaining generators are operating around the clock under difficult technical and mechanical conditions and are unable to meet the electricity needs of all life-saving departments,” the ministry said.

The limited quantities of engine oil allowed into Gaza are sufficient only for emergency requirements, according to the ministry, while hospitals collectively need approximately 2,500 liters per month.

It warned that additional generators could fail unless engine oil and other essential supplies were allowed in urgently.

Generators have become the principal source of electricity for Gaza’s hospitals since Israel cut the territory’s grid electricity following October 7, 2023.

Restrictions on the entry of fuel, engine oil and replacement parts have subsequently made maintaining those generators increasingly difficult.

Nasser Hospital Rations Electricity

At Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, one of Gaza’s largest functioning medical facilities, doctors are already rationing electricity between buildings because the generators cannot sustain continuous power throughout the complex.

Internal medicine specialist Ahmed al-Nabris told Reuters news agency on Saturday that one of the hospital’s four generators was out of service and the two largest of the three remaining units were under severe strain.

“Patients are in severe danger, because any power cut puts their lives at serious risk,” al-Nabris said.

Generators would normally receive an oil change after approximately 250 operating hours. Because of shortages, Nasser Hospital has been forced to operate them for around 1,000 hours before changing the oil.

The hospital’s electricity infrastructure had already suffered extensive damage. Al-Nabris said a solar power system destroyed during an Israeli military raid in early 2024 had never been replaced, while the hospital also lost its main and backup generators.

Fatima Abu Taima, a patient suffering from pulmonary fibrosis, told Reuters that patients requiring ventilators or nebulizers sometimes have to wait until electricity returns to their department.

“We keep waiting, counting down the seconds and minutes,” she reportedly said. “You have to wait for the electricity to come back.”

Engine Oil Reaches $1,300 per Liter

The generator crisis extends beyond hospitals to ambulances, water infrastructure and the limited neighborhood electricity networks on which Gaza’s population increasingly depends.

Médecins Sans Frontières warned in August that restrictions on engine oil and spare parts were placing thousands of Palestinians at increased risk of illness and death by undermining hospital generators, ambulances, water pumps and water trucks.

The shortages have forced humanitarian organizations to seek supplies on Gaza’s local market, where residents said engine oil had risen from approximately $3 per liter before the war to as much as $1,300.

The price shock has also made electricity increasingly inaccessible to Palestinian families.

Private and neighborhood generators provide some households with several hours of power, but residents told Reuters that electricity costs had increased around twentyfold in recent months.

At least two-thirds of Gaza’s approximately two million Palestinians were still living in more than 1,000 displacement sites earlier this year, according to Palestinian and UN records cited by Reuters, with severe shortages of electricity and water.

The latest Health Ministry warning comes as Israel’s genocidal war has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians, wounded over 174,000 and devastated much of Gaza’s civilian and medical infrastructure.

(PC, AA, Reuters)

Israeli Forces Raid Palestinian Journalist’s Home as West Bank Attacks Intensify

September 13, 2026 

Prominent Palestinian journalist Ali Samoudi. (Photo: via social media)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Israeli occupation forces raided journalist Ali al-Samoudi’s Jenin home, assaulted his son and ordered him to surrender amid widespread West Bank incursions.

Key Takeaways

Israeli occupation forces raided Palestinian journalist Ali al-Samoudi’s home in Jenin, assaulted his son and gave the 59-year-old journalist one hour to surrender.

Raids continued across Jenin, Nablus, Qalqilya, Tubas, Ramallah and occupied Jerusalem, while Israel maintained a curfew in a Hebron neighborhood.

Illegal Israeli Jewish settlers attacked Palestinian homes and agricultural land around Nablus and Ramallah, amid a broader escalation that included 3,488 settler attacks in the first half of 2026.

Israeli Forces Target Palestinian Journalist

Israeli occupation forces raided the home of Palestinian journalist Ali al-Samoudi in Jenin in the northern occupied West Bank on Saturday, assaulted his son and ordered the journalist to surrender.

Al-Samoudi, 59, was not home when Israeli soldiers entered the property, according to local sources cited by Anadolu news agency. The forces gave him one hour to turn himself in. It was not immediately clear whether he would comply with the order.

Al-Samoudi was released from Israeli detention on April 30 after spending one year in administrative detention, imprisonment without charge or trial.

Following his release, the journalist said he had suffered severe weight loss due to food deprivation and accused Israeli prison authorities of abuse, torture and denial of basic rights.

The raid came days after Israeli occupation forces detained Palestinian journalists Sabri Mousa Jibril and Muath Ammarna after storming their homes in Bethlehem.

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate documented 84 Israeli violations against journalists during August alone, including the death of a journalist in detention and the shooting of another.

The documented violations included physical assaults against journalists and media crews, arrests and detentions, obstruction of journalistic work and attacks on equipment.

Raids Spread across Occupied West Bank

Israeli raids continued into Sunday morning across several areas of the occupied West Bank.

In Jenin Governorate, occupation forces entered Silat al-Harithiya, Rummana and Deir Abu Daif, as well as Jenin’s eastern neighborhood and areas around Al-Razi Hospital and Cinema Roundabout.

Israeli forces raided homes in Silat al-Harithiya and Rummana and arrested Saleh Ahmed Najib Amour. A home in Zububa, west of Jenin, was left damaged after soldiers raided it, according to Quds News Network.

The raids followed operations on Saturday in which eight Palestinians were detained, including six in Jenin Governorate and two brothers in Tammun, south of Tubas.

An elderly Palestinian and a child were also wounded during Israeli raids on Saturday, according to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA.

In Nablus Governorate, occupation forces entered Madma, Beit Dajan, Beit Furik, Al-Ain refugee camp and the New Nablus area, raiding several homes.

Israeli occupation forces also stormed Qalqilya and Azzun, entering neighborhoods with several military vehicles, while additional incursions were reported in Tammun, central Ramallah and Hizma, northeast of occupied Jerusalem.

In Hebron (Al-Khalil), Israeli occupation forces maintained a curfew in the Jaber neighborhood for a second consecutive day, preventing students from reaching schools under restrictions imposed during the Jewish holiday period.

Settler Attacks Target Palestinian Communities

The military raids coincided with further settler attacks on Palestinian communities and agricultural land.

Illegal settlers attacked Palestinian homes in the Al-Dhahra area of Beita, south of Nablus, while armed settlers entered land belonging to Umm Safa, northwest of Ramallah.

In Faqqu’a, east of Jenin, a Palestinian was shot by Israeli forces on Saturday after settlers entered agricultural land with their livestock.

Footage circulated by Palestinian media showed Israeli soldiers positioned alongside settlers and preventing Palestinians from approaching the land.

Settlers also opened fire toward Palestinians who confronted an attack on land belonging to Al-Mughayyir, northeast of Ramallah.

According to the Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, Israeli settlers carried out 3,488 attacks across the occupied West Bank during the first half of 2026, killing 17 Palestinians and fully or partially displacing 26 Bedouin and pastoral communities.

The commission also documented the establishment of 42 new settlement outposts during the same period.

Around 750,000 Israeli settlers currently live in approximately 194 settlements and 400 settlement outposts across the occupied West Bank.

The latest attacks come amid an intensification of Israeli military raids, arrests and settler violence since the beginning of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023.

(PC, QNN, AA, Al Mayadeen)

Palestinian Detainees Report Starvation, Medical Neglect in Israeli Prison

September 13, 2026 

A number of released Palestinian detainees arrive in Gaza bearing visible signs of abuse, with health authorities describing some conditions as 'severe.' (Photo: via QNN)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Palestinian detainees reported severe weight loss, inadequate food, repeated raids and denial of medical treatment as conditions deteriorated inside an Israeli prison.

Key Takeaways

Palestinian detainee Osama Fathallah al-Shani has lost 35 kilograms in detention and is being denied pain medication despite severe back problems, according to the Detainees Commission.

Detainees described nearly daily searches, inadequate food and clothing, beatings, insults and violent raids involving rubber bullets and gas.

Other detainees reported untreated scabies, hearing loss and chronic injuries amid what the Commission described as deliberate medical neglect.

Severe Weight Loss and Denial of Treatment

The Palestinian Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs has documented worsening living and health conditions at Israel’s Gannot Prison, citing severe food and clothing shortages, repeated searches, repression and medical neglect.

Osama Fathallah al-Shani, detained since 2024, told a Commission lawyer that he had lost 35 kilograms during his detention as a result of inadequate food. Al-Shani was initially interrogated at Ofer Prison for 30 days before being transferred to Nafha for 20 days, then Ramon and eventually Gannot.

He suffers from a slipped disc, for which he underwent surgery in 2022, and is currently experiencing severe back pain. According to his testimony, the prison administration has refused to provide him even with painkillers.

Al-Shani described poor treatment by guards and searches taking place almost daily. Detainees also lack basic personal necessities, with some suffering severe nutritional deficiencies and significant weight loss.

He said he possesses only two sets of clothing and that detainees generally face a severe shortage of underwear.

The daily recreation period lasts approximately one hour but is held at irregular times and can be affected by punitive measures imposed by prison authorities.

Raids, Beatings and ‘Systematic Starvation’

Qassam Abdul Karim Shibli, detained since 2019, described continuing raids and repression inside detainees’ rooms and sections.

Shibli spent 78 days at the Al-Maskubiya interrogation center before being transferred to Ofer for two months and later Nafha. The Commission said the latest lawyer visit was his first since October 7, 2023.

According to his testimony, units from Metzada and Yamaz raided several rooms on September 4, including the room where he was being held.

Israeli forces assaulted detainees using rubber bullets, gas and beatings, leaving two Palestinians injured, Shibli said. He added that the detainees were not told why the raid had been carried out.

Another detainee, Fadi Ahmed Abu al-Rub, detained since 2026, told the Commission that Palestinians were subjected to continuous provocations and insults alongside repeated searches and raids.

Abu al-Rub said he had lost 15 kilograms, attributing the weight loss to what he described as a “systematic starvation policy” inside Israeli prisons.

Sick and Injured Detainees Left without Care

The Commission documented similar conditions affecting Palestinians already suffering from serious health problems.

Ashraf Muhammad al-Zaghari, from Dheisheh refugee camp and detained since 2022, had previously suffered gunshot wounds to both knees and still has shrapnel lodged in his body. He also sustained an injury to his left ear during a repression operation at Ofer Prison approximately a year and a half ago.

Al-Zaghari said he has since suffered persistent pain, hearing loss and tinnitus but has not received adequate treatment. He described the medical neglect as occurring alongside severe shortages of basic necessities, poor food, insults and repeated repression.

Ahmed Mustafa Bleidi, from Salfit and held in administrative detention since 2025, is suffering from scabies. According to the Commission, Bleidi has received neither medication nor ointment for the condition, allowing his health to deteriorate.

The testimonies add to mounting documentation by Palestinian and international rights organizations of food deprivation, physical abuse and denial of medical treatment affecting Palestinian detainees held in Israeli prisons since October 2023.

(PC, QNN)

Israel Detains 37 Palestinian Journalists amid Torture and Medical Neglect

September 14, 2026

Israeli occupation forces detained Palestinian journalist Mohammed Awad near Ramallah. (Photo: via social media)

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By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Israel held 37 Palestinian journalists while detainees described torture and medical neglect in Israeli prisons.

Key Developments

Israel held 37 Palestinian journalists, including 19 under administrative detention without charge or trial, the Palestinian Prisoner Society said.

Detainees at Ofer Prison reported beatings, medical neglect, unhygienic conditions and the spread of scabies.

Palestinian Authority forces extended journalist and social activist Ghassan Najajra’s detention for three days over his social and human rights activities.

Israel was holding 37 Palestinian journalists in its prisons, including 19 under administrative detention without charge or trial, the Palestinian Prisoner Society said on Sunday.

According to the nongovernmental rights organization, all 37 journalists were detained following the beginning of the Israeli genocide in Gaza in October 2023.

The Society said Israeli authorities continued to target Palestinian journalists through arrests, prison sentences, solitary confinement and prosecution over their reporting and exercise of freedom of expression.

Among the latest journalists detained were Muath Ammarna and Sabri Jibrin, who were arrested on Thursday after Israeli forces raided their homes in Bethlehem in the southern occupied West Bank.

Ammarna has been repeatedly targeted by Israeli authorities and was detained for the third time because of his journalistic work, the organization said.

Journalist and writer Mahmoud Fatafta was sentenced to 48 months in prison over what Israeli authorities described as “incitement.” The Society said it was one of the harshest sentences imposed in such cases.

According to the organization, Israeli authorities have increasingly used accusations of “incitement” against Palestinian journalists alongside administrative detention orders based on undisclosed evidence described as “secret files.”

The 19 journalists held under administrative detention came from the occupied West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.

Isolation, Hunger, Neglect

The Society also highlighted the case of 33-year-old journalist Bushra al-Tawil, who was transferred from Damon Prison in northern Israel to solitary confinement at Ramla Prison.

It accused Israeli prison authorities of escalating isolation and other punitive measures against Palestinian women detainees while subjecting them to food deprivation, denial of medical treatment and inadequate sanitation.

The organization said detained journalists experienced the same conditions imposed on other Palestinian detainees, including hunger, torture, abuse, medical neglect, solitary confinement and deprivation of basic rights.

It described the detention of journalists as part of a wider Israeli policy that also included killings, enforced disappearances and direct attacks against media workers documenting Israeli crimes and violations.

Beatings and Cigarette Burns

Separately, the Palestinian Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs reported deteriorating health and humanitarian conditions among detainees held at Ofer Prison.

The Commission cited the case of Maher Rizq Abd al-Naasan, 60, from the village of Al-Mughayyir, who was detained at a temporary Israeli checkpoint near Ein Sinya on July 6.

Former detainees who encountered al-Naasan said Israeli forces severely beat him, held him beneath the sun for several hours and extinguished cigarettes on his body.

Israeli forces also confiscated his vehicle for one week and seized personal documents, identification papers and land ownership records that were inside it.

Al-Naasan suffered from several chronic medical conditions that worsened because of his detention and lack of medical treatment.

He had a herniated disc and had been scheduled to undergo surgery before his detention. He also suffered from inflammation in one leg joint, colon problems and abdominal pain.

The Commission said he continued to experience acute pain in his shoulder, back and chest following the assault, with signs of the beatings still visible on his body.

Al-Naasan, a former senior officer in the Palestinian security services and father of seven, was serving the second month of a four-month administrative detention order.

Scabies Spreads

Another detainee, 23-year-old Rafiq Raed Qabaj from Al-Bireh, suffered from an elevated heart rate that predated his detention and required medication to regulate it.

He had also contracted scabies, which the Commission said had spread throughout his section because of poor sanitation.

Qabaj, a university student studying pharmacy, was detained on February 12 and had received two consecutive four-month administrative detention orders.

Detainee Ali Abd Eid Barghouti, from Beit Rima, said Palestinians inside Ofer struggled to maintain basic personal hygiene.

Detainees could not change their clothing regularly and were forced to wash it during their limited recreation period without cleaning products. Supplies were insufficient for all detainees sharing a room, while underwear was particularly scarce.

Barghouti said these conditions contributed to the spread of scabies.

He also described repeated raids in which Israeli forces entered detainees’ rooms, searched and disrupted their belongings and confiscated personal items.

The prison administration prevented detainees from praying collectively and punished those who led communal prayers, he said.

The Commission demanded urgent intervention to provide appropriate medical care, particularly to elderly and chronically ill detainees, halt assaults and medical neglect and improve conditions inside Israeli prisons.

PA Extends Journalist’s Detention

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority’s security services in Bethlehem extended the detention of journalist and social activist Ghassan Najajra for three days.

Najajra, from the town of Nahhalin, was detained over his social and human rights activities, according to Lawyers for Justice.

The group said the Bethlehem Magistrates’ Court authorized the extension on Sunday.

“The continued detention of journalist and social activist Ghassan Najajra because of his activities constitutes a source of grave concern and directly infringes upon freedom of opinion, expression, journalistic work and community activism,” the group said.

Lawyers for Justice called for Najajra’s immediate release and demanded an end to the detention of journalists and activists because of their peaceful social and human rights work.

The group also called for respect for Najajra’s right to legal representation and a fair trial.