US Troops Attacked in Syria, No Initial Reports of Injuries

US forces in the countryside of Rumalyn in the Hasakah Governorate, eastern Syria (Archives-AFP)
US forces in the countryside of Rumalyn in the Hasakah Governorate, eastern Syria (Archives-AFP)
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US Troops Attacked in Syria, No Initial Reports of Injuries

US forces in the countryside of Rumalyn in the Hasakah Governorate, eastern Syria (Archives-AFP)
US forces in the countryside of Rumalyn in the Hasakah Governorate, eastern Syria (Archives-AFP)

US troops in northeastern Syria were attacked by a drone, a US official told Reuters on Friday, although there were no injuries according to initial reports.
This is the second attack in recent days against US forces in the Middle East as the region braces for a possible new wave of attacks by Iran and its allies.
Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Iran-backed Hamas, was assassinated in the Iranian capital Tehran on July 31, an attack that drew threats of revenge by Iran against Israel, which is fighting the Palestinian group in Gaza. Iran blamed Israel for the killing. Israel has not claimed responsibility, said Reuters.
The assassination and the killing of the senior military commander of the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah, Fuad Shukr, by Israel in a strike on Beirut, have fueled concern the conflict in Gaza was turning into a wider Middle East war.
Iran has said the US bears responsibility in the assassination of Haniyeh because of its support for Israel.
"Initial reports do not indicate any injuries, however medical evaluations are ongoing. We are currently conducting a damage assessment," the US official said on the condition of anonymity about the attack in Syria.
The attack took place at Rumalyn Landing Zone, which hosts US troops along with those from the US-led coalition.
Five US personnel were injured when two Katyusha rockets were fired at Ain al-Asad airbase in western Iraq on Monday, an attack the Pentagon blamed on Iran-backed proxies.
The United States has 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in neighboring Iraq, who it says are on a mission to advise and assist local forces trying to prevent a resurgence of ISIS group, which in 2014 seized large swaths of both countries but was later pushed back.



Hamdok Warns of Sudan’s Disintegration as War Escalates

Former Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok (Facebook)
Former Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok (Facebook)
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Hamdok Warns of Sudan’s Disintegration as War Escalates

Former Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok (Facebook)
Former Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok (Facebook)

Former Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has issued a stark warning about the future of Sudan, cautioning that continued warfare could lead to the country’s fragmentation.

Speaking at the International Conference on Social Cohesion in Kampala on Wednesday, Hamdok stressed the futility of a military solution and called for urgent dialogue to halt the conflict.

The conference, held from May 17 to 21 in Uganda’s capital, gathered over 60 Sudanese figures to address the rising tide of hate speech and its threat to national unity.

Hamdok used the platform to unveil plans for a National Center to Combat Hate Speech, aimed at monitoring incitement, holding perpetrators accountable, and promoting peaceful coexistence.

He warned that Sudan is at risk of descending into chaos unless warring factions prioritize peace. “With increasing mobilization and fragmentation, the risk of collapse looms from every direction,” he said, urging both sides to take immediate steps to end the bloodshed.

Hamdok, who led Sudan’s transitional government following the 2019 uprising that toppled the former regime, described the country’s current state as “critical and fragile.”

He noted that the war has triggered severe social, political, and economic shifts, extending beyond the battlefield to manifest in exclusion, abuse, and the spread of violence and marginalization.

“The conflict has morphed from killing and displacement into deeper social wounds -acts of cruelty, exclusion, incitement, and horrific crimes,” he said. He stressed that these developments threaten the very fabric of Sudanese society.

Hamdok also raised alarm over the sharp rise in hate speech and what he called “new forms of social discrimination” based on ethnicity, gender, color, and geography. He stressed that Sudan’s diversity should be a source of strength, not division.

“Our diversity is one of our greatest assets,” he said. “But unity can only be achieved through social peace and strengthened ties across religious, ethnic, and regional lines.”

Calling on religious leaders, tribal elders, youth, intellectuals, artists, and women, Hamdok urged a united front to restore peaceful coexistence and resist the spread of hatred.

He pledged to work with communities affected by divisive rhetoric and announced the launch of media campaigns to criminalize hate speech and promote national solidarity.

“The media landscape has become saturated with messages inciting violence and discrimination. No region has been spared,” Hamdok warned. “We must dismantle the platforms of hate and build a culture of mutual respect.”