All articles tagged with #paramilitaries
Following U.S. airstrikes in Venezuela, armed civilian groups known as colectivos remained mostly low-profile, likely to maintain order and avoid provoking unrest, as their role in supporting the government or opposition remains unclear.
Fighting in Sudan's al-Fashir has led to reports of mass killings and disappearances by paramilitary forces, with witnesses describing summary executions and ethnic violence amid ongoing conflict, which the RSF denies, claiming media exaggeration.
Iranian paramilitaries have seized a container ship near the Strait of Hormuz amid tensions with Israel, with the Biden administration expecting Iran's response in the coming days. President Biden has expressed frustration with Israel's handling of the Hamas war and a deadly strike on aid workers, but is not expected to change the U.S. policy towards Israel for now.
Anti-Putin paramilitary groups from Ukraine claim to have crossed into Russian border regions and launched attacks, while Russia insists it repelled the raids. The incursion occurred just days before Russia's presidential election, with pro-Ukrainian militias reporting clashes in the Kursk and Belgorod regions. The groups, composed of pro-Kyiv Russian volunteer fighters, stated that the attacks were part of a joint operation. However, Russia's Ministry of Defence stated that it had thwarted the attacks by "Ukrainian terrorist groups" and that all incursions were repelled.
Sudanese paramilitaries and allied militias have seized control of cities in the western region of Darfur, resulting in mass killings in one regional capital and a camp for displaced families. This military advance by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) marks a significant escalation in the conflict that began seven months ago. The RSF, led by Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, has been accused of multiple attacks on hospitals, mass killings, and ethnically motivated violence. The United Nations and Doctors Without Borders have raised concerns over the reported atrocities. The situation threatens to reignite the civil war that devastated Darfur two decades ago.
Anti-Kremlin fighters in Belgorod, near the Ukraine border, claim to have captured Russian soldiers. The fighters demanded a meeting with Belgorod's governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, who agreed to talks if the soldiers were still alive. However, the fighters later claimed that Gladkov had not shown up and that they would hand over the captives to Ukraine. The Russian Volunteer Corps and the Liberty of Russia Legion, both opposed to President Putin and the invasion of Ukraine, are believed to have captured the soldiers.
Thousands of residents have fled Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, as fighting between the army and paramilitaries continues, leaving at least 270 people dead. The violence erupted on Saturday between the forces of two generals who seized power in a 2021 coup. A 24-hour humanitarian ceasefire failed to take hold, and foreign diplomats have been attacked. Governments have started planning to evacuate their citizens, and aid groups have reported the looting of medical and other supplies. The latest violence has come after more than 120 civilians were already killed in a crackdown on regular pro-democracy demonstrations in the past 18 months.