Sudan Threatens to Use Military Option to Regain Control over Border with Ethiopia

Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok speaks during a press conference in Khartoum on Sunday (AFP)
Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok speaks during a press conference in Khartoum on Sunday (AFP)
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Sudan Threatens to Use Military Option to Regain Control over Border with Ethiopia

Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok speaks during a press conference in Khartoum on Sunday (AFP)
Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok speaks during a press conference in Khartoum on Sunday (AFP)

Sudan's leaders of the transitional authority, implicitly threatened to resort to the military option if the Ethiopian forces did not withdraw from the remaining lands in al-Fashqa, east of the country.

The warning came during a celebration at al-Fashqa marking the 67th anniversary of the armed forces, attended by Chairman of the Transitional Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok.

During his speech, Burhan asserted that the government is trying to recover its lands through negotiation and peaceful means.

"We will seek diplomatic options for this, but we have other options," Burhan said, referring to the military option.

He pointed out that about six locations in the al-Fashqa area are not under the army's control, and "we want our neighboring country, Ethiopia, to listen to the sound of reason."

He added: "We chose to celebrate the armed forces' anniversary in Al-Fashqa to confirm that this land is Sudanese, and our forces will remain in it."

Burhan indicated that the army tried to recover the area in 2017, but the leaders of the ousted regime were hesitant and afraid of the international community.

He stressed that state decisions are made in consultation and agreement between the institutions of the transitional authority, the Sovereign Council, and the government.

The Prime Minister said Sudan had reached out to all sides as part of a push to end the conflict.

Hamdok stressed that all international conventions and treaties affirm Sudan's sovereignty over this land.

"We want our relationship to be good with Ethiopia, but we will not give up an inch of Sudan's land," he added.

He pointed out that the transitional government worked on Sudan's return to the international community, and these relations open the door wide for the advancement of the armed forces in training and arming.

"We want to transform the border between Sudan and Ethiopia into an area based on development and stability, but we are the rightful owners of this land, and it is in international covenants."



Iraq PM Forms Anti-Corruption Council after Revealing He Was Offered $200 Million Bribe

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi during his meeting with journalists on Saturday. (Iraqi PM's office)
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi during his meeting with journalists on Saturday. (Iraqi PM's office)
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Iraq PM Forms Anti-Corruption Council after Revealing He Was Offered $200 Million Bribe

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi during his meeting with journalists on Saturday. (Iraqi PM's office)
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi during his meeting with journalists on Saturday. (Iraqi PM's office)

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi revealed that he had turned town a $200 million-bribe to cover up corruption in the Oil Ministry, adding that he was forming an anti-corruption council to tackle illicit activity.

The PM made the announcement before journalists and media figures on Saturday, saying the bribe was made by a prominent ministry official.

The journalists speculated that the official was Adnan Hamad Hamoud, Deputy Minister of Oil for Refining Affairs and Director General of the North Refineries Company, who was arrested on Friday.

Hamoud was relieved of his position in early May.

Media sources said on Sunday that authorities also arrested an employee who had worked at former PM Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's office.

Zaidi’s revelations sparked uproar in Iraq over the extent of corruption in the country.

Political activist Hamed al-Sayyed commented that the figure who offered the bribe “didn’t act as though he were taking a risk, but he seemed to be acting out of habit, as if such acts are the norm and he had been successful at them in the past, and therein lies the catastrophe.”

“We shouldn’t be asking how he dared to do such a thing, but rather how many times has this happened before? How many prime ministers have been bribed and how many accepted it?” he wondered in a post on X.

Other users on social media noted that Hamoud had enjoyed cover from powerful parties and figures that concealed his illicit activities in return for reaping gains from shady deals and contracts.

Supreme integrity council

In wake of his unprecedented revelation, Zaidi ordered the formation of the Supreme Sovereign Council for Integrity, Oversight, and Recovery of Public Funds.

The PM’s office said he had chaired a meeting dedicated to inspecting government contracts. The meeting was attended by heads of the Board of Supreme Audit, the Federal Commission of Integrity and chief judge of the Karkh Investigation Court.

Zaidi added that the Supreme Sovereign Council for Integrity, Oversight, and Recovery of Public Funds would be comprised of heads of the Board of Supreme Audit and the Federal Commission of Integrity to stem the waste of public funds and reclaim them.

Results of their work will be referred to the judiciary, he said.

He stressed the need to assess the need for some economic projects and for by-committees to be formed to inspect government contracts to ensure they abide by laws and regulations.

The Supreme Sovereign Council for Integrity, Oversight, and Recovery of Public Funds has already come under criticism.

MP Mohammed Jassem al-Khafagi said on Sunday that the body does not have any legal basis.

He explained that according to the constitution, the Board of Supreme Audit and the Federal Commission of Integrity are bound to parliament and these independent bodies aim to monitor the work of the executive authority and investigate corruption cases and the waste of public funds.

“These bodies target ministries, ministers and the prime minister, so how can he be at their head” he asked.

Iraq has formed numerous anti-corruption bodies over the years, none of which have helped combat the illicit activity.

Former PM Nouri al-Maliki formed one in 2007, then Haidar al-Abadi's government formed one in 2016. Former PM Adel Abdul Mahdi did the same in 2018, followed by Mustafa al-Kadhimi in 2020 and Sudani in 2022. Despite all of these efforts, Iraq continues to be named as one of the world’s most corrupt countries.

Given the poor record, economic expert Ziad al-Hashemi said: “We must be realistic and not get carried away with optimism that the era of corruption in Iraq was nearing its end with this government.”

Nothing will change “as long as governments are being formed by the same system that has caused the economic disasters Iraq has suffered from over the year,” he stressed in a post on X.

“Corruption in Iraq is formed from and backed by sponsors in top decision-making positions, both official and non-official, and through parties or through the force of arms,” he noted.


Trump Names Tom Barrack as Special Presidential Envoy to Syria, Iraq

US President Donald Trump meets with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the White House in Washington DC, November 10, 2025 (AFP) 
US President Donald Trump meets with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the White House in Washington DC, November 10, 2025 (AFP) 
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Trump Names Tom Barrack as Special Presidential Envoy to Syria, Iraq

US President Donald Trump meets with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the White House in Washington DC, November 10, 2025 (AFP) 
US President Donald Trump meets with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the White House in Washington DC, November 10, 2025 (AFP) 

US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday the appointment of Tom Barrack as special presidential envoy to Syria and Iraq.

The new designation, which comes following the expiration of Barrack’s formal mandate, reflects the administration’s push to phase in full diplomatic relations with Damascus.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “I am pleased to announce that United States Ambassador to Türkiye, Tom Barrack, who has done an outstanding job, will be named Special Presidential Envoy to Syria and, likewise, Special Presidential Envoy to Iraq.”

He noted that the appointment comes as the US government continues to strengthen its strategic cooperation and as relations with the Syrian and Iraqi governments continue to grow.

Trump also said the envoy will continue his duties as ambassador to Türkiye and operate with the full support of the US State Department.

Trump then expressed appreciation for Barrack’s efforts and his readiness to serve his country, saying: “We greatly appreciate the work that Tom Barrack has done, and his continued willingness to serve our Country. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

On Saturday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio had announced the end of Thomas Barrack’s term as US special envoy to Syria.

Rubio said in a post on X that “Ambassador Tom Barrak has played an invaluable role as our Special Envoy to Syria.”

He added, “While that title is expiring, he will continue to play a leading role for the Trump Administration in both Syria and Iraq, where his expertise, relationships, and understanding of the America First agenda will continue to deliver wins on behalf of our great country.”

Rubio did not provide details on the nature of Barrack’s new role or the person who will take over his duties, suggesting to followers that the US administration has terminated Barrack's duties as US special envoy to Syria.

Following a meeting in Damascus with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa two weeks ago, Barrack said Syria had achieved “remarkable progress” and become “a laboratory for a new regional alignment” based on diplomacy.

“Just over a year ago, President Donald Trump’s visionary meeting with President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia opened a new chapter,” Barrack wrote, referring to the first meeting between the two leaders in Riyadh in May 2025.

He added that Trump had announced at the time the lifting of US sanctions “to give Syria a chance at greatness”, describing the move as “a bold and hopeful gesture for Syria and the region.”

“The opportunities ahead promise exponential advancement for the Syrian people and lasting stability,” Barrack said.

He then noted that, “Syria is now a laboratory for a new regional alignment of diplomacy, integration and hope for the entire region.”

Last Thursday, Barrack considered the discovery and securing of undeclared chemical weapons dating back to the Assad regime era a “significant milestone” in the process of building a new Syria and strengthening international security.

In a post on X, he said, “Thanks to the courageous work carried out by the Syrian authorities and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, with the support of President Donald Trump and international partners, another step has been taken toward permanently ending Syria’s brutal chemical weapons legacy.”

Barrack held a meeting with Sharaa last April in Antalya, Türkiye, on the sidelines of the fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum.

Syria’s news agency, SANA, said at the time that talks during the meeting dealt with the latest regional developments, means of enhancing cooperation between the two countries in a way that boosts security and peace in the region.

 


US Official Says Hezbollah Needs to Cease Attacks First

This picture taken from a position in the Upper Galilee region in northern Israel shows Israeli military vehicles driving along the road in southern Lebanon near the border with Israel, on May 31, 2026. (Photo by Jalaa MAREY / AFP)
This picture taken from a position in the Upper Galilee region in northern Israel shows Israeli military vehicles driving along the road in southern Lebanon near the border with Israel, on May 31, 2026. (Photo by Jalaa MAREY / AFP)
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US Official Says Hezbollah Needs to Cease Attacks First

This picture taken from a position in the Upper Galilee region in northern Israel shows Israeli military vehicles driving along the road in southern Lebanon near the border with Israel, on May 31, 2026. (Photo by Jalaa MAREY / AFP)
This picture taken from a position in the Upper Galilee region in northern Israel shows Israeli military vehicles driving along the road in southern Lebanon near the border with Israel, on May 31, 2026. (Photo by Jalaa MAREY / AFP)

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the ongoing diplomatic negotiations, a senior US official told AFP Sunday, asserting that Hezbollah must be the first to cease its attacks.

"To advance those talks, the United States proposed a clear sequence: Hezbollah must stop all attacks on Israel. In return, Israel would refrain from escalation in Beirut," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, about the conversations between the three leaders.

Netanyahu vowed Sunday to push Israeli forces deeper into Lebanon, with France prompting the United Nations Security Council to hold an emergency meeting Monday over the expanding offensive.

The US official said Aoun attempted to advance the proposal submitted by Washington, but speaker of the Parliament of Lebanon Nabih Berri's "response was evasive and disappointing." Berri is considered an ally of Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Hezbollah for its part says Israel must cease its hostilities first.

"Hezbollah is following Tehran's lead. It clearly has no interest in the welfare of the Lebanese people," the US official said.

"The fastest way to de-escalate and protect civilians on all sides is for Hezbollah to stop firing immediately," the official added.

The US official's remarks come as another meeting between Israel and Lebanon, which do not have diplomatic relations, are scheduled to take place June 2 and 3 in Washington.

Lebanon's health ministry says Israeli attacks have killed more than 3,412 people since early March, with over a million others displaced.