Russian paramilitary groups, including the Freedom of Russia Legion and the Siberian Battalion, have launched attacks across Russia's borders, with the aim of liberating Russians from what they perceive as a dictatorship under Vladimir Putin's rule. A spokesperson for Ukraine's military intelligence confirmed the involvement of a third group, the Russian Volunteer Corps, in the attacks, which were not directed by Ukraine. Russia's defense ministry reported repelling the attackers, who were equipped with tanks and armored vehicles, in Belgorod. This marks a continuation of Russian defectors mounting attacks against their homeland, following a similar incident in December.
A donkey cart carrying a suspected improvised bomb exploded at a checkpoint on the Kenya-Somalia border, killing one Kenyan police officer and critically wounding four others. The cart, pulled by two donkeys and ridden by one man, passed the Somali checkpoint of Bula Hawa and entered Kenyan territory before being stopped by officers. The rider fled back into Somalia before the explosion, and the cart's driver was later arrested by Somali police. While no one has claimed responsibility, suspicion has fallen on al-Shabab, a Somalia-based extremist group. This incident follows a string of recent al-Shabab attacks in Kenya, including a roadside bomb that wounded five police officers in Mandera county.
The Israeli border village of Kfar Aza has been devastated by a recent attack by Hamas militants, with reports of civilians, including women and children, being killed. Israeli soldiers are working to evacuate survivors and retrieve the dead, while also engaging in street battles with remaining gunmen. The village is a grim reminder of the violence that unfolded when the militants breached the border fence in multiple locations and launched attacks from air, sea, and land. The Israeli military claims to be in control of the border regions, but lone gunmen and constant rocket fire continue to pose a threat. The death toll in Gaza has risen to over 800, including 90 children, as Israeli airstrikes intensify.
At least 17 Niger soldiers were killed and 20 others injured in an attack by armed groups near the border with Mali. The area where central Mali, northern Burkina Faso, and western Niger converge has become a hotspot for violence by armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIS in the Sahel region. The attack comes after a military coup in Niger, with the new government revoking agreements with the French military and suspending aid, making it difficult for Niger to source equipment and deal with the rising cases of attacks.
Egypt is attempting to prevent the recent attack on Israeli troops by an Egyptian policeman from becoming a national hero and damaging its relationship with Israel. The government fears being seen as unable to control its own soldiers and wants to maintain close security coordination with Israel. However, opposition politicians and journalists have praised the attacker, Mohamed Salah Ibrahim, as a hero and role model, underscoring the gap between official postures and public opinion. Despite this, Egypt is determined to show its reliability as a partner on security and maintain its peace treaty with Israel.
The Israeli military will discipline three officers over a rare attack on the Egyptian border that killed three Israeli soldiers and exposed a series of mishaps earlier this month. The investigation found that the Egyptian policeman easily breached the security gate because it was left unlocked, and Israeli forces suffered from poor planning and staffing. The military will immediately seal off the southern border, boost the number of soldiers at lookouts, and reduce the length of their shifts. Israel and Egypt have been at peace for over 40 years and have strong security cooperation.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has blamed an easily opened small emergency gate on the border barrier, an over-prioritization of drug smuggling incidents, and excessively lengthy guard shifts for the deadly border attack by an Egyptian gunman earlier this month that claimed the lives of three soldiers. A senior officer will be removed from his position and several others will be formally censured for their part in the circumstances that enabled the attack. The IDF has also sealed the emergency gates on the border barrier, reduced the 12-hour guard shifts to a yet-to-be-determined length, and determined a minimum number of soldiers for such guard duties.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi spoke on the phone following the killing of three Israeli soldiers by an Egyptian policeman who crossed the border. Sissi expressed his condolences and committed to a joint investigation. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to upholding the peace treaty and security coordination. Netanyahu pledged to draw all necessary conclusions concerning military operations along the border fence and expressed condolences to the families of the slain troops. The IDF and the Egyptian army were jointly probing the attacker’s motives.
The Egyptian policeman who killed three Israeli soldiers in a border attack has been identified as Mohamed Salah Ibrahim, 22, from Cairo. Reports suggest he had complained about his military service and suffered mental distress following the death of a comrade. The IDF believes he acted alone and Egypt has distanced itself from him. The IDF and Egyptian army are jointly investigating the attack. The Israel-Egypt border has been largely peaceful since the 1979 peace agreement, but terrorists have carried out attacks in the past.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called the killing of three soldiers by a member of the Egyptian security services a terrorist attack and demanded a full joint investigation with Cairo. Egypt says it is working with Israel to investigate the incident which occurred on Saturday. The frontier is usually peaceful, as the neighbours share close security cooperation, though there are frequent reports of drug smuggling, including one that took place prior to the deadly violence.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has appointed a general to lead an investigation into the "systemic" failures that contributed to the killing of three soldiers by an Egyptian policeman in a border attack. The chief of the IDF's Southern Command and the commander of the 80th Division will probe the troops' conduct during the attack. The IDF is also investigating why there was no alert following the policeman's infiltration into Israel and examining the security arrangements surrounding the various small gates in the fence. The Israel-Egypt border has been largely peaceful since the two countries signed a peace agreement in 1979.
Russia has blamed "Ukrainian terrorists" for an attack on the town of Shebekino in the Belgorod region near the border with Ukraine, claiming that a Ukrainian armoured combat unit had attempted to infiltrate Russian territory. Kyiv has denied any involvement in the attack. One person was injured in the shelling, and residents were evacuated to safe locations. Moscow has accused Ukraine of being behind a series of recent attacks on its territory.
