Hamdok: Sudan Faces Its Greatest Crisis in History

Former Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. (Reuters)
Former Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. (Reuters)
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Hamdok: Sudan Faces Its Greatest Crisis in History

Former Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. (Reuters)
Former Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. (Reuters)

Former Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, now leading the civilian Sudanese Coordination of Civil Democratic Forces (Tagadum) alliance, said reaching a ceasefire, addressing the humanitarian crisis, and protecting civilians are the first steps toward a political resolution to end the war in his country.

During a recent visit to the UK, Hamdok described Sudan as facing its worst crisis in history, with its very existence at stake.

“We might wake up tomorrow and not recognize Sudan,” he cautioned, urging the need to protect the country from destructive forces that have dominated it for 30 years, harming its institutions and resources.

At a seminar organized by Tagadum in London, Hamdok highlighted the choice before the Sudanese people: “We can either choose peace, democracy, and freedom, or we can continue down the path of war and destruction.”

“The decision is clear. War achieves nothing and cannot control the country’s future,” he affirmed.

“Our greatest achievements happen when we unite. We came together for independence and revolutions in the past, and the Dec. 2018 revolution is a continuation of that legacy. It is a movement that will not be defeated,” reminded Hamdok.

He emphasized that their motivation is to honor the martyrs by building a democratic nation that all Sudanese can be proud of.

“This terrible war has caused great division, with people dying over identity and regional differences,” said Hamdok.

He called for unity against war and said: “Within Tagadum, we are forming a broad coalition of Sudanese from all backgrounds. Our diversity is a blessing, not a curse. We need to come together to create the largest front against war, setting aside our differences to defeat evil and corruption.”

Hamdok also spoke at Chatham House, a prominent UK research institution, highlighting the need for a strong monitoring system in Sudan.

He suggested considering a no-fly zone to establish safe areas and discussed the potential deployment of ground forces to protect civilians.

He urged addressing the refugee situation in neighboring countries and called on the international community to fulfill its commitments.

Regarding ceasefire efforts, he noted that they should be integrated into the political process and backed by existing agreements, with effective monitoring using technology and satellites.



Southern Yemen United in Welcoming Riyadh Conference

National Shield forces in Hadhramaut. (Reuters)
National Shield forces in Hadhramaut. (Reuters)
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Southern Yemen United in Welcoming Riyadh Conference

National Shield forces in Hadhramaut. (Reuters)
National Shield forces in Hadhramaut. (Reuters)

Parties in southern Yemen welcomed on Sunday Saudi Arabia’s call to hold a comprehensive conference on the issue of the South.

The conference will be held in Riyadh at an official request by Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) Chairman Dr. Rashad al-Alimi. The meeting will help shape the path of the southern issue, meeting the ambitions of southern and eastern Yemen governorates.

Local authorities in Hadhramaut, al-Mahra, Lahj, Shabwah and Socotra welcomed the conference, as did prominent political leaderships in the south. The Southern Transitional Council (STC) also notably welcomed the conference.

Saudi Arabia’s move to host the meeting was welcomed by Gulf and Arab countries and the international community over the weekend. It was viewed as a necessary step towards restoring dialogue in the South, overcoming efforts to eliminate the other and viewing the southern issue within a national and regional framework that would lead to a fair and sustainable solution.

Member of the PLC Dr. Abdullah al-Alimi expressed his deep appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s stance, calling all southern components, starting with the STC, to positively approach the conference and comprehensive dialogue that prioritizes the interests of the South above all else.

Serious dialogue is the only way to bridge divides, achieve rapprochement and unify southern ranks to serve security and stability, he stressed.

Shura Council Speaker Ahmed bin Dagher underlined the importance of the Riyadh conference, saying dialogue will help defuse strife.

The meeting will present realistic solutions to pending issues in the South, he added.

The STC welcomed Saudi Arabia’s call to hold the conference, saying it is in line with its policies that are based on dialogue.

It did place conditions, however, underscoring the “will of the people of the south” and demanding international guarantees, a clear timeframe, and popular referendum.

Observers said the conditions are an attempt by the STC to preserve its political position.

They noted that the very fact that it agreed to join the conference is an acknowledgment that the southern issue is greater than one party that is taking unilateral decisions.

The regional and international climate do not allow unilateral actions, they added.


Two Dead in Israeli Strike on South Lebanon

The wreckage of a car at the site after an Israeli strike on Al-Khiyam, in the Nabatieh governorate, southern Lebanon, 03 January 2026. (EPA)
The wreckage of a car at the site after an Israeli strike on Al-Khiyam, in the Nabatieh governorate, southern Lebanon, 03 January 2026. (EPA)
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Two Dead in Israeli Strike on South Lebanon

The wreckage of a car at the site after an Israeli strike on Al-Khiyam, in the Nabatieh governorate, southern Lebanon, 03 January 2026. (EPA)
The wreckage of a car at the site after an Israeli strike on Al-Khiyam, in the Nabatieh governorate, southern Lebanon, 03 January 2026. (EPA)

Lebanon said a strike in the south killed two Sunday while Israel said it had struck a Hezbollah operative, the latest raids as Beirut seeks to disarm the Iran-backed group.

Despite a year-old ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, Israel carries out regular strikes on Lebanon, usually saying it is targeting Hezbollah sites and operatives, and has maintained troops in five areas it deems strategic.

Lebanon's health ministry said two people were killed in an "Israeli enemy strike that targeted a vehicle" near the town of Jmaijmeh, around 10 kilometers (six miles) from the border.

An Israeli military statement said that "in response to Hezbollah's continued violations of the ceasefire understandings", it had struck an operative from the group in the area.

Under heavy US pressure and fears of expanded Israeli strikes, Beirut has committed to disarming Hezbollah, which was badly weakened after more than a year of hostilities with Israel including two months of open war that ended with the November 2024 ceasefire.

Lebanon's army was expected to complete the disarmament south of the Litani River -- about 30 kilometers from the border with Israel -- by the end of 2025, before tackling the rest of the country.

Lebanon's cabinet is to meet on Thursday to discuss the army's progress, while the ceasefire monitoring committee -- comprising Lebanon, Israel, the United States, France and UN peacekeepers -- is also set to meet this week.

On Sunday, Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar acknowledged on X that the Lebanese government and army had made efforts to disarm Hezbollah but said "they are far from sufficient", citing "Hezbollah's efforts to rearm and rebuild, with Iranian support".

Israel has previously questioned the Lebanese military's effectiveness and has accused Hezbollah of rearming, while the group itself has rejected calls to surrender its weapons.

At least 350 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon since the ceasefire, according to an AFP tally of Lebanese health ministry reports.


Syrian Media Say Govt and Kurdish-Led SDF Meet on Military Merger without Progress

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa signed a deal in Damascus last March with SDF commander Mazloum Abdi on integrating the force into state institutions (AP)
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa signed a deal in Damascus last March with SDF commander Mazloum Abdi on integrating the force into state institutions (AP)
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Syrian Media Say Govt and Kurdish-Led SDF Meet on Military Merger without Progress

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa signed a deal in Damascus last March with SDF commander Mazloum Abdi on integrating the force into state institutions (AP)
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa signed a deal in Damascus last March with SDF commander Mazloum Abdi on integrating the force into state institutions (AP)

Syrian government officials held talks Sunday with the commander of the main Kurdish-led force in the country over plans to merge it with the national army, state media reported, adding that no “tangible results” had been achieved. 

The leadership in Damascus under interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa inked a deal in March with the Kurdish-led and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which control much of the northeast. The SDF was to merge with the Syrian army by the end of 2025, but there have been disagreements on how it would happen. 

A major sticking point has been whether the SDF would remain a cohesive unit in the new army or whether it would be dissolved and its members individually absorbed. 

The SDF said in a statement Sunday that a delegation led by top commander Mazloum Abdi held talks with government officials in Damascus related to the military integration process. 

The SDF later said talks had ended, with details to be released later. The SDF has tens of thousands of fighters and is the main force to be absorbed into Syria's military. 

State TV said the meeting did not produce "tangible results” that would accelerate implementation of the agreement. It said the sides agreed to hold further meetings at a later date. 

The deal signed in March also would bring all border crossings with Iraq and Türkiye and airports and oil fields in the northeast under the central government’s control. Prisons holding about 9,000 suspected members of the ISIS group also are expected to come under government control. 

Türkiye has been opposed to the SDF joining the army as a single unit. Ankara considers the SDF a terrorist organization because of its association with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which has waged a long-running insurgency in Türkiye, although a peace process is now underway. 

In late December, clashes broke out between security forces and SDF fighters in the northern city of Aleppo during a visit to Syria by Türkiye’s foreign minister. 

Sunday's meetings in Damascus came hours after three rockets struck a western neighborhood of the capital, causing some damage to a mosque and a telecommunications center without inflicting casualties, state media said. 

The state news agency called the rockets “random” without giving details on where they were fired from or who was behind it.