عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Southern Sudanese Govt Signs ‘Rome Declaration’ With Alliance of Opposition Factions

Southern Sudanese Govt Signs ‘Rome Declaration’ With Alliance of Opposition Factions
TT
20
TT

Southern Sudanese Govt Signs ‘Rome Declaration’ With Alliance of Opposition Factions

Southern Sudanese Govt Signs ‘Rome Declaration’ With Alliance of Opposition Factions

An alliance of opposition factions signed on Monday a peace agreement with South Sudanese government to stop the hostilities and continue the political dialogue in order to participate in the ongoing peace process in the country.

The Rome Declaration on the Peace Process in South Sudan was signed in Rome between the government and South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA).

The SSOMA is an opposition coalition that refused to sign the 2018 peace agreement.

Talks were organized by the Roman Catholic Sant’ Egidio peace group and in presence of the SPLM/A-10 and NDM and the IGAD.

Signatories of the agreement reaffirmed their desire to promote political dialogue in order to facilitate reconciliation and achieve stability by addressing what they called "the root causes of the conflict in South Sudan."

It was signed by Barnaba Marial Benjamin, who headed the government delegation, leaders of the opposition alliance including Thomas Cirillo Swaka, Paul Malong Awan Anei, and Pagan Amum Okiech as well as the leaders of the three other groups.

They stressed they “are now convinced that the current conflict in the country requires comprehensive political participation in order to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable peace with non-signatories of the peace agreement.”

“We have agreed that the dialogue would continue under the auspices of the Catholic Church in consultation with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development in East Africa (IGAD) and with the support of regional organizations and the international community,” they added.

Most Viewed

 
Arab World

Iran’s Allies Constrained in Confronting Israel

Armed Houthi supporters carry images of deceased military and political figures from Iran-aligned groups during a protest in Sanaa against Israeli airstrikes on Iran (EPA)
Armed Houthi supporters carry images of deceased military and political figures from Iran-aligned groups during a protest in Sanaa against Israeli airstrikes on Iran (EPA)
TT
20
TT

Iran’s Allies Constrained in Confronting Israel

Armed Houthi supporters carry images of deceased military and political figures from Iran-aligned groups during a protest in Sanaa against Israeli airstrikes on Iran (EPA)
Armed Houthi supporters carry images of deceased military and political figures from Iran-aligned groups during a protest in Sanaa against Israeli airstrikes on Iran (EPA)

As war rages between Tehran and Tel Aviv, Iran may soon need to call upon its network of regional allies - groups it has armed and funded for years. But now, the so-called “Axis of Resistance” looks strained, fragmented, and far from ready.

On June 19, 2025, General Mohammad Reza Naqdi of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard urged Iran’s regional allies to take action to relieve mounting pressure on Tehran. At that point, Iran was entering its second week of heavy Israeli bombardment. Strategically, an Israeli strike on the Iranian capital once seemed unthinkable, but the regional terrain has since shifted. Iran’s supply routes are now disrupted, and its key proxy groups have either been neutralized or weakened.

According to The Times of Israel, Israel launched this war after nearly two years of systematically targeting Iran’s allies in Gaza, Lebanon, and Yemen. The 2023 Hamas attack on Israel had triggered a chain of retaliation that left many of Iran’s partners damaged or demoralized. With the Assad regime collapsed in Syria, Hezbollah weakened in Lebanon, and Hamas reduced to guerrilla tactics in Gaza, few proxies appear ready for a new confrontation.

In Gaza, Hamas has been forced into small ambushes and urban warfare, its rocket arsenal depleted and many senior leaders killed. Iranian communication channels with the group have also eroded. Israel’s targeted assassination of Mohammad Saeed Izadi, a key Quds Force commander linked to Palestinian factions, further strained coordination. For now, Hamas can offer little more than rhetorical support.

In Iraq, US forces have fortified their embassy in Baghdad, while withdrawing from bases such as Ain al-Asad. Iraqi factions loyal to Iran are posturing, threatening US interests should America enter the war. But most Iraqi leaders remain reluctant to drag the country into open conflict, knowing the consequences could be disastrous. Iran, too, is cautious about sacrificing Iraq’s political and economic value.

Hezbollah, reeling from the death of its longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah in a 2024 Israeli strike, is in disarray. Its military capacity and leadership have been significantly degraded. Though the party retains some strategic capabilities, domestic and regional pressures have so far restrained it from opening a major front.

In Yemen, the Houthis have emerged as Iran’s last viable card. They now play a key role in smuggling weapons and expanding Iranian influence into Africa. Should the US directly join Israel’s war, Tehran may finally authorize the Houthis to use their stockpile of ballistic missiles, signaling a decisive and potentially catastrophic new phase of the conflict.