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NATO jets scramble as Russian missile detonates in Poland
NATO jets scramble as Russian missile detonates in Poland
Pentagon Turns to Tech Start-Ups as Iran Conflict Drains Missile Stockpiles
Pentagon Turns to Tech Start-Ups as Iran Conflict Drains Missile Stockpiles
Pentagon Turns to Tech Start-Ups as Iran Conflict Drains Missile Stockpiles
https://sputnikglobe.com/20260730/pentagon-turns-to-tech-start-ups-as-iran-conflict-drains-missile-stockpiles-1124519631.html Pentagon Turns to Tech Start-Ups as Iran Conflict Drains Missile Stockpiles Pentagon Turns to Tech Start-Ups as Iran Conflict Drains Missile Stockpiles Sputnik International The US Department of War (DOW) plans to actively involve technology start-ups to refill weapon stockpiles shrunk by the conflict with Iran, The Washington Post reported on Thursday, citing acting Pentagon Press Secretary Joel Valdez. 2026-07-30T16:18+0000 2026-07-30T16:18+0000 2026-07-30T16:18+0000 world us military & intelligence pentagon patriot thaad https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/0a/0d/1120536256_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_d7504b0816414487770e79b10bf5168d.jpg.webp In late June, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth held a private meeting with representatives of American defense and technology firms to discuss ways to increase ammunition production. According to a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the DOW plans to grow the share of low-cost munitions from 49% of total units in FY2027 to 70% in FY2031. In May, the Pentagon announced that it had entered into framework agreements with several commercial firms, including Anduril, CoAspire, Leidos and Zone 5, to expand US strike capabilities. The agreements establish a pathway to procure more than 10,000 low-cost containerized missiles over three years starting in 2027, utilizing a commercial partnership model designed to reward speed and private sector capital investment over traditional procurement methods. However, it remains unclear whether start-ups will be able to establish mass production to meet the needs of the Pentagon at a high pace, The Washington Post reported. The CSIS has estimated that stocks of Patriot interceptors have dropped from 2,200 to less than 827 units, and THAAD missiles from 452 to less than 278. Analysts say it will take more than three years to restore these reserves. US President Donald Trump on Monday claimed the country's stockpiles of ammunition are far from being depleted despite multiple deliveries conducted under former President Joe Biden to Ukraine. https://sputnikglobe.com/20260730/us-spent-1500-patriot-missiles-200-thaad-interceptors-during-conflict-with-iran---report-1124516776.html Sputnik International [email protected] +74956456601 MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“ 2026 Sputnik International [email protected] +74956456601 MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“ News en_EN https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/0a/0d/1120536256_171:0:2902:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_da583f2d8377fef2d25688af6916beac.jpg.webp Sputnik International [email protected] +74956456601 MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“ Sputnik International [email protected] +74956456601 MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“ us, military & intelligence, pentagon, patriot, thaad us, military & intelligence, pentagon, patriot, thaad Pentagon Turns to Tech Start-Ups as Iran Conflict Drains Missile Stockpiles WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The US Department of War (DOW) plans to actively involve technology start-ups to refill weapon stockpiles shrunk by the conflict with Iran, The Washington Post reported on Thursday, citing acting Pentagon Press Secretary Joel Valdez. In late June, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth held a private meeting with representatives of American defense and technology firms to discuss ways to increase ammunition production. "[The Pentagon] will harness the creativity and drive of American innovators, clear bureaucratic blockers, and put our acquisition system on a wartime footing to deliver tangible solutions to the Joint Force," Valdez was quoted as saying. According to a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the DOW plans to grow the share of low-cost munitions from 49% of total units in FY2027 to 70% in FY2031. In May, the Pentagon announced that it had entered into framework agreements with several commercial firms, including Anduril, CoAspire, Leidos and Zone 5, to expand US strike capabilities. The agreements establish a pathway to procure more than 10,000 low-cost containerized missiles over three years starting in 2027, utilizing a commercial partnership model designed to reward speed and private sector capital investment over traditional procurement methods. However, it remains unclear whether start-ups will be able to establish mass production to meet the needs of the Pentagon at a high pace, The Washington Post reported. The CSIS has estimated that stocks of Patriot interceptors have dropped from 2,200 to less than 827 units, and THAAD missiles from 452 to less than 278. Analysts say it will take more than three years to restore these reserves. US President Donald Trump on Monday claimed the country's stockpiles of ammunition are far from being depleted despite multiple deliveries conducted under former President Joe Biden to Ukraine.
Is the Iran war worth the gas prices? Many Americans say no.
Is the Iran war worth the gas prices? Many Americans say no. Many Americans say the war with Iran is not worth the fight, and according to a new poll, the public views U.S. President Donald Trump’s handling of the conflict negatively. Seven in 10 U.S citizens consider preventing oil and gas prices from rising an important U.S. foreign policy goal, according to a new AP-NORC poll, as many say they continue to stress the price of gas. The poll was conducted as the U.S. and Iran paused attacks while working to restart negotiations for an interim ceasefire deal. According to the survey, 33% of Americans think the war with Iran is worth the fight, while 64% of people say it has not been worth it. "Another 23% say the military attacks should stop," according to the poll. 'Negotiating a permanent ceasefire is an important foreign policy goal' According to the poll, the public is divided over how to handle the war, but "most still believe negotiating a permanent ceasefire is an important foreign policy goal of the U.S." Most also believe preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon is important, but there is a split regarding preventing Iran from threatening Israel. Three in 10 Americans think the United States should pause military action and seek a renewed ceasefire through negotiations, while 24% say they "don’t know enough to have an opinion." Oil prices fell on July 30, as investors weighed talks between Oman and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz as the United States and Iran traded strikes on military bases. Brent futures were down $1.42, or 1.56%, at $89.32 a barrel after touching a high of $93.31. The Strait of Hormuz, which normally handles around a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows, has remained a focal point for oil markets since the Iran war began on Feb. 28. Contributing: Reuters Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.
Is the Iran war worth the gas prices? Many Americans say no.
Is the Iran war worth the gas prices? Many Americans say no.
Why Strait of Hormuz remains Iran’s ‘silver bullet’, explains former UN envoy T S Tirumurti
Why Strait of Hormuz remains Iran’s ‘silver bullet’, explains former UN envoy T S Tirumurti
Why Strait of Hormuz remains Iran’s ‘silver bullet’, explains former UN envoy T S Tirumurti
Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram “As far as Iran is concerned, Hormuz is their silver bullet… they are not going to let go,” said former Indian Permanent United Nations Representative and veteran Indian Forest Service officer T S Tirumurti in Bengaluru Wednesday. Tirumurti was speaking at a panel discussion titled ‘Shifting Sands – The Iran War, West Asia, and India’s Place in the New Order’ at the Bangalore International Centre. Also present at the panel was former Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai, who has also served as ambassador to Israel, Qatar and France, with the discussion moderated by K S Dakshina Murthy, consulting editor, The Federal. Tirumurti said that a big takeaway from the present crisis was that a military campaign alone could not be resolved without a political solution. He explained, “Once Iran hit and widened the war to the region, it became very clear that the US and Israel’s goals had become divergent… For the Americans it became a political goal because they found that their own allies were getting hit. That is the realisation… That this is not a war that can be solved by the military alone.” He further said that Iran had, after many gains at the strategic level, felt that they had achieved a strategic victory. “Now, if they (the Americans) are going to go back on an agreement within days of signing it, the Iranians feel that they have been cheated. They are trying to do everything possible to show the Americans that you cannot win this war if you want to prolong it.” Tirumurti also pointed out that as the situation escalated, Iran had also involved other parties on their side, such as the Houthis in Yemen who had issued threats against Saudi shipping, and Shia militias in Iraq. Also speaking at the event, Ranjan Mathai noted that to a certain extent, the limits of the war had been exposed, as America had achieved none of the objectives declared by them and Iran still retained the capacity to retaliate through drones/missiles. He also pointed out that internal support could also be a problem for the US, owing to dissatisfaction with rising fuel prices. He added, “The stories of Donald Trump overruling his advisors after Benjamin Netanyahu‘s briefing in February have gone down very badly with the Trump coalition, particularly MAGA, who feel that they have been dragged down Israel’s path.” With regard to Indian involvement or lack thereof, Mathai opined that India had chosen not to get involved with the mediation process on account of having to keep working ties with the “temperamental” Trump administration. He added that it could have still leveraged its ties with Israel, pointing out, “We could have told them that we have very high stakes in the Gulf, 10 million of our people are living/working here, so please do not create chaos. I think we should have done more.” Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
IRGC Boasts Of Fully Intact Speedboat Fleet For 'Swarm Attacks' In Hormuz
IRGC Boasts Of Fully Intact Speedboat Fleet For 'Swarm Attacks' In Hormuz
IRGC Boasts Of Fully Intact Speedboat Fleet For 'Swarm Attacks' In Hormuz
IRGC Boasts Of Fully Intact Speedboat Fleet For 'Swarm Attacks' In Hormuz Via Middle East Eye As renewed attacks between Iran and the US expand into Iraq and Yemen, the Hamshahri daily, which has close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has dedicated its front page to a report on the force's speedboats in the Gulf. On Wednesday, the daily described the boats as the "winning card in the Persian Gulf" and said they are one of the main elements of Iran's deterrence against an expansion of US attacks. "The fleet has become one of the most complex challenges facing American forces in the Persian Gulf over the past two decades by relying on the 'swarm attack' tactic. It has also served as Iran's strategic tool in the Strait of Hormuz over the past five months," Hamshahri wrote. via Reuters According to the report, Iran's naval strategy is based on developing small, high-speed, low-cost boats in large numbers. Rather than competing directly with larger fleets, the strategy aims to increase the enemy's costs and limit its freedom of action. On the role of the boats in keeping the Strait of Hormuz closed, Hamshahri added: "The combination of speedboats, naval mines, cruise and ballistic missiles, and drones has completed the puzzle of Iran's strategic encirclement of the Strait of Hormuz." Brigadier General Hossein Alaei, the first commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy and a former Iranian defence official, has joined political figures calling for an end to the war with the United States, saying Iran's true victory lies in restoring peace and stability. Alaei, who served as a senior IRGC commander during the Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988), commented on the conflicts launched against Iran by the United States and Israel since June 2025. "In war, while it is true that Iran defends itself, stands firm, and strikes back at its enemy, the very existence of war is to the detriment of the Iranian people," he said. The former IRGC commander also criticized the collapse of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Iran and the United States. He described the agreement as a complete victory for Iran and a defeat for Israel. "In this agreement, we gave up virtually nothing," Alaei said. "The US believes it has stripped, damaged and destroyed Iran's nuclear program. The maximum we have conceded is that we will discuss the nuclear issue in the future, while from the beginning Iran's position was not to possess nuclear weapons." Iranians sing "Bella Ciao" to mock the Americans while cruising through the Strait of Hormuz, as a vessel waits in the background for permission from the IRGC to pass. pic.twitter.com/C08QEKkFWn — The Saviour (@TheSaviour) July 26, 2026 He also said the agreement had put pressure on Israel to halt its military strikes on Lebanon. "Israel wanted to strike Lebanon every day; through this agreement, we stopped Israel's daily attacks on Lebanon. This is a very big victory," he said. While hardline factions in Iran have called for an end to all negotiations with the United States and for the war to continue since military clashes resumed on July 7, some figures from the older generation of the IRGC, including Alaei, are advocating an end to the fighting. Tyler Durden Thu, 07/30/2026 - 12:05
Poland blames Russia for firing into their territory | CNN
Poland blames Russia for firing into their territory | CNN
Poland blames Russia for firing into their territory | CNN
Video Ad Feedback Poland blames Russia for firing into their territory Poland has blamed Russia for firing a missile into its territory, close to the border with Ukraine. CNN’s Clare Sebastian reports. 0:52 • Source: CNN World News 9 videos Video Ad Feedback Poland blames Russia for firing into their territory 0:52 Now playing• Source: CNN Video Ad Feedback CNN visits mall that collapsed after Japan quake 0:55 Now playing• Source: CNN Video Ad Feedback The ravaged village at the center of France's wildfire crisis 0:50 Now playing• Source: CNN Video Ad Feedback Five months later: Victims of the deadly US strike on an Iranian school 5:11 Now playing• Source: CNN Video Ad Feedback Magnitude 7.1 earthquake rocks Japan, toppling bridges and damaging buildings 4:00 Now playing• Source: CNN Video Ad Feedback Trump & Netanyahu meet for 1st time since Iran war began 2:14 Now playing• Source: CNN Video Ad Feedback How rain may have helped fuel Europe’s devastating wildfires 0:50 Now playing• Source: CNN Video Ad Feedback Ukraine President Zelensky: Putin wants 30K North Korean Troops 3:27 Now playing• Source: CNN Video Ad Feedback Israeli opposition leader: Overthrowing Iran 'number one priority' 1:18 Now playing• Source: CNN
US Navy plans major torpedo stockpile overhaul as military shifts to two-war strategy
US Navy plans major torpedo stockpile overhaul as military shifts to two-war strategy
US Navy plans major torpedo stockpile overhaul as military shifts to two-war strategy
The U.S. Navy is poised to overhaul its torpedo inventory under the newly-approved congressional budget as the military shifts toward a "two-war" strategy. Lawmakers made it clear that the U.S. needs to build quantities of undersea weapons sufficient to maintain two major regional conflicts simultaneously, according to Naval News. Manufacturers are now focused on building up supplies of the U.S. MK-48 Advanced Capability (ADCAP) heavyweight torpedoes and MK-54 lightweight torpedoes to meet the minimum base requirements set by the new budget. US DRAINS CRITICAL MISSILE STOCKPILES IN IRAN WAR AS YEARSLONG REBUILD LOOMS The Navy has not clarified the exact number of undersea weapons that would entail, but it is based on internal estimates about potential conflicts with a near-peer forces. The Navy is also required to build up a plan to massively increase torpedo production should it become necessary during war or peacetime. The overhaul comes as the U.S. military is already scrambling to refill stockpiles of missiles and other weapons depleted in the war against Iran. HEGSETH DISMISSES ‘FOOLISH’ US STOCKPILE CONCERNS AS IRAN CONFLICT TESTS MUNITIONS Defending Israel and the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar from Iranian counterstrikes during the recent 12-day exchange of strikes cost the U.S. and Israel between $1.48 billion to $1.58 billion, according to an analysis by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA). The months-long conflict has burned through a significant number of America's offensive and defensive missile systems. The U.S. had roughly 632 Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors before June 13, the day Israel began its offensive in Iran. About 540 interceptors remain in its arsenal based on JINSA’s calculations of interceptor deliveries and use, according to the report. THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT AMERICAN WEAPONS SYSTEMS NATO IS EAGER TO HAVE The U.S. has used up 14% of its global stockpile of prized THAAD missile interceptors. America’s THAAD system accounted for nearly half of all interceptions due to the "insufficient" capacity of Israel’s Arrow interception system. It would take three to eight years to replenish the THAAD interceptors used in the 12-day war at current production rates. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP Patriot interceptor production is more robust than THAAD, according to the report, but the U.S. is providing a number of Patriot interceptors to Ukraine. So, it’s unclear how many remain in the stockpile. Fox News' Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.
Why NATO still can’t pull Türkiye away from Russia under Erdogan
Why NATO still can’t pull Türkiye away from Russia under Erdogan
Why NATO still can’t pull Türkiye away from Russia under Erdogan
Why Erdogan won’t fight the West’s war against Russia Since the start of Russia's military operation in Ukraine, the West has consistently sought to draw Türkiye into its policy of confrontation with Moscow. This was particularly evident at the this month’s NATO summit in Ankara when the West attempted to pressure the Turkish leadership into adopting a clear anti-Russia stance. For Washington and Europe, Türkiye is particularly valuable. It is not just a member of the North Atlantic Alliance, but a country with the second-largest army in NATO, a developed defense industry, a strategic location in the Black Sea region, and significant influence in the Middle East and parts of Eurasia. Therefore, for the West, it is crucial to not just secure Ankara’s formal loyalty (which is already ensured by its NATO membership), but to make it part of the unified anti-Russia front. Ankara, however, continues to pursue a policy that significantly differs from the course of most NATO states. Calling Türkiye completely neutral would be a mistake. It supports Ukraine’s narrative concerning territorial integrity, maintains military-technical ties with Kiev, participates in meetings of the NATO-Ukraine Council, and occasionally makes political statements in support of Ukraine. However, Türkiye has not joined EU sanctions against Russia or curtailed Russian-Turkish economic cooperation; moreover, it has maintained direct channels of communication with Moscow. The European Commission’s 2025 report noted that Türkiye has consistently refrained from joining EU restrictive measures against Russia, although it has taken steps to prevent sanctions from being circumvented through its territory. The trade turnover between Russia and Türkiye also remains high, despite external pressure. Türkiye’s independent policy irritates the particularly radical elements of Western elites. The West wants Türkiye to act not as an autonomous regional center of power, but as a disciplined participant in its strategy of exerting pressure on Moscow. However, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan views NATO membership not as a rejection of his own foreign policy, but as a tool for strengthening the Turkish state. Ankara is prepared to utilize the alliance’s capabilities, demand the lifting of restrictions on the Turkish defense industry, and seek access to modern weapons and European funding. However, it is not prepared to automatically sacrifice relations with Russia for the interests of Washington, Brussels, or Kiev. This was clearly demonstrated by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s three-day visit to Russia on June 15-17. The packed agenda demonstrated Ankara’s desire to develop relations with Moscow. Fidan met with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Secretary of the Security Council Sergey Shoigu, representatives of the Russian leadership and the business community, and Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin. Fidan was also received by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The discussed topics included bilateral cooperation, energy, transport, regional security, and prospects for resuming Russia-Ukraine negotiations. Such active diplomacy demonstrates that Türkiye is unlikely to be drawn into an anti-Russia bloc. Russian-Turkish relations are based not only on personal dialogue between Erdogan and Putin. Major energy, trade, investment, and infrastructure projects exist between the two countries. Russia is currently constructing Türkiye’s first nuclear power plant, the Akkuyu NPP. At the end of 2025, Türkiye announced that Russia would provide an additional $9 billion in funding for the project. For Ankara, severing such ties wouldn’t just be a symbolic demonstration of solidarity with the West; it would bring concrete economic losses and additional risks to energy security. The situation in the Black and Azov seas is especially important for Türkiye. The escalating attacks on vessels directly affect Turkish interests. In June, Fidan noted that Kiev must avoid actions that could undermine security in the Black Sea and Türkiye’s interests. At that time, tankers near the Turkish coast, including a Turkish vessel, had been attacked. Ankara lodged formal protests to Ukraine in regard to these incidents. After the NATO summit, the problem became even more acute. In nine days, drones struck 116 vessels in the Sea of Azov, including tankers, bulk carriers, and tugboats. Russia characterized these actions as attacks on civilian shipping, while Kiev claimed that it struck only military targets or vessels supplying the Russian armed forces. Regardless of the interpretation, these incidents resulted in the restriction of commercial shipping and a threat to maritime trade, crews, and regional logistics. For Türkiye, whose economy depends heavily on the security of maritime communications, this situation is unacceptable. Ankara fears more than just economic damage. Turkish leaders understand that the expanding geography of the strikes could directly affect Türkiye’s borders. Drones and naval drones are not always able to accurately determine a vessel’s nationality, crew composition, beneficial owner, or the nature of the cargo being transported. Any error could result in the deaths of Turkish citizens, damage to Turkish property, or an environmental disaster off the country’s coast. This is precisely why Türkiye is interested in limiting the scale of the war. Moreover, Erdogan continues to assert his role as a mediator. For him, this is an opportunity to strengthen Türkiye’s international status. Ankara has already hosted Russia-Ukraine talks, brokered grain deals, facilitated prisoner exchanges, and repeatedly offered to host new contacts on its territory. Although the Turkish platform ultimately collapsed, as Kiev failed to comply with the terms of the agreements and Ankara lacked the political will to pressure Zelensky and his entourage, Türkiye believes it may still be a mediator in the future. During his June visit to Moscow, Fidan reiterated Türkiye’s readiness to host another round of talks and help make them more productive. Fidan’s position on the agreements discussed between Russia and the US during the summit in Anchorage is also notable. Fidan urged the Ukrainian side to heed the understandings reached in Alaska, noting that Moscow’s unilateral commitment is insufficient and that “it takes two to tango.” This formulation fundamentally differs from the approach of most European politicians, who place the blame for the failure to reach an agreement solely on Russia. Ankara has made it clear that a diplomatic settlement requires reciprocal action from Kiev and its Western backers. Fidan’s visit to Ukraine on July 15-16, 2026, does not contradict this stance. The Turkish foreign minister’s trips to both Moscow and Kiev are part of a single diplomatic strategy. Türkiye is talking to both sides, as this is the only way it can maintain its potential as a mediator. Fidan’s talks with Vladimir Zelensky do not mean that Ankara is siding with Ukraine. Naturally, Türkiye will continue to make certain overtures to Ukraine and partners within NATO. It will not publicly renounce its support for Ukraine’s “territorial integrity,” will not cease cooperation with Kiev, and will participate in Western meetings on Ukraine. For example, on July 13, Fidan represented Erdogan at the Paris summit of the so-called Coalition of the Willing. However, Türkiye’s participation in such formats does not necessarily mean that it is ready to break ties with Russia. Turkish diplomacy traditionally strives to maintain ties with various players, preventing any single power center from gaining a monopoly on relations with it. The West could offer Türkiye several concessions such as the lifting of sanctions, a return to the F-35 program, access to European defense funds, investments, and political concessions. But even these incentives are unlikely to force Erdogan to completely reconsider relations with Moscow. The Turkish leader understands that without Russia’s involvement, it is impossible to resolve issues concerning Syria, the Middle East, the South Caucasus, the Black Sea region, as well as energy and Eurasian policy issues. Furthermore, demonstratively joining the anti-Russia front would deprive Türkiye of its mediator status and transform it from an independent player in international relations into just another tool used by the West to implement its strategy. Therefore, Western attempts to draw Türkiye into an open confrontation with Russia are not likely to yield the desired result. Ankara may make certain concessions, bargain with Washington, expand cooperation with NATO, and strengthen ties with Ukraine; but it will probably avoid crossing the line that would directly damage relations with Russia. Türkiye will not choose between Russia and the West: its goal is to force Moscow, Washington, and Brussels to consider Turkish interests. This is the essence of Erdogan’s policy. It’s neither neutrality in the classical sense, nor equidistance. Rather, it is strategic autonomy based on pragmatism, balance, and the desire to extract political and economic advantages from the competition among major powers. The West would like to see Türkiye as part of a united anti-Russia front. However, Türkiye prefers to see itself as a separate center of power. And as long as Erdogan retains control over the country’s foreign policy, the likelihood that Ankara will fully submit to the West’s anti-Russia strategy remains low.
Child soldiers recount horrors of Sudan’s war and presence of Colombian mercenaries
Child soldiers recount horrors of Sudan’s war and presence of Colombian mercenaries
Child soldiers recount horrors of Sudan’s war and presence of Colombian mercenaries
KHARTOUM, Sudan — The teenage boy’s hands and legs were shackled to the anti-aircraft gun mounted on a pickup as Sudanese warplanes attacked. He saw another child chained to the steering wheel. As their captors sought cover, the terrified children were ordered to stay and shoot down the jets over the capital, Khartoum. If they tried to flee, they’d be killed by their captors — if the planes didn’t get them first. The boy, now 17, told The Associated Press that those who ordered him strapped to the gun were Colombian mercenaries providing military aid to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces against the army in the war, now in its fourth year. Another child said he was forced to carry out artillery strikes and beaten for disobedience. The rare, firsthand accounts show the perils faced by tens of thousands of children believed to have been conscripted into the war by all sides. Six former child soldiers who were abducted and forced to fight with the Rapid Support Forces, known as the RSF, spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. Two said they were trained by Colombians. Their accounts point to a wider deployment of Colombian mercenaries, who rights groups say were recruited by a state-linked firm in the United Arab Emirates to fight with the RSF. Human rights groups and Sudan’s military accuse the UAE of arming the RSF, and a U.N. panel said it had tracked weapons shipments to the RSF originating in the Gulf federation that includes Dubai. The UAE did not respond to multiple requests for comment. It has previously denied arming the RSF, saying the shipments in question were of humanitarian aid for refugees. The boy who had been shackled to the gun burst into tears as he ran his hand over scars from the some 18 months he was forced to fight. “I was extremely scared. I just wanted to escape and go home,” he said. The children were shackled day and night He said he was rounded up by RSF fighters in a market in Khartoum’s twin city of Omdurman, where he was selling cigarettes. The paramilitaries were searching for deserters and seized him by mistake, he said. He was 15 at the time. Never having held a gun, he was thrust onto the front lines in Khartoum. Scars on his head and under his eye mark where he says he was hit by shrapnel. He was later taken to an RSF base in Omdurman known as Central Reserve Camp, where he was held with dozens of other children. Their hands were bound all the time, even while eating. “We weren’t allowed to bathe. Instead, they would pour water over us while we were still bound,” he said. He said dozens of foreign mercenaries were at the base, described as Colombians by the RSF fighters there. Speaking through translators, they taught the children how to use anti-aircraft guns. They told RSF fighters to bind the children to the weapons so they couldn’t escape, he said. “When the planes flew overhead, the Colombians would retreat to their bunkers, leaving us outside shackled to the vehicles,” the teenager said. He was forced to fire, but he said he was too afraid and never hit anything. A second boy recounts beatings, and a friend’s killing The second boy described how, at age 15, he was held at an RSF camp called al-Konan, where he said Colombians trained him and other boys on heavy artillery and drones. He said he was locked up and only brought out for artillery strikes. The Colombians and the RSF used drones to choose targets, and sometimes he saw civilians through the camera. When he refused to fire, they would beat him, sometimes with an electric baton. In one case, he said, a Colombian beat him unconscious. An 18-year-old friend tried to flee and was shot dead by the RSF. He carried the body away. “I still have nightmares whenever I try to sleep,” he said. Both children spoke at a facility run by the military-backed government on Khartoum’s outskirts, where more than 200 former child soldiers were being rehabilitated. Many fell into the hands of the military when it retook the capital from the RSF over the past year. A member of the military media office accompanied the AP during the visit. The official did not choose who the AP interviewed. The AP retains full editorial control of its content. Veterans of Colombia’s long wars have hired themselves out The AP could not independently verify the boys’ accounts, which are consistent with other reporting on the conflict. Multiple countries are entangled in Sudan’s conflict, and other foreigners, including Russians and Ukrainians, have taken part in hostilities. Some 10,000 Colombians have hired themselves out for foreign wars, including in Somalia, Ukraine and Sudan, according to the U.N. Colombia’s decades of internal conflict, involving guerrillas, paramilitaries and drug traffickers, have produced a large cadre of veterans prized for their U.S.-backed military training and driven abroad by meager pensions and scarce civilian job prospects. A recent law bars Colombians from fighting in foreign conflicts, but veteran groups say recruitment has continued. Human Rights Watch and Conflict Insights Group, a private research firm, have documented the presence of Colombian mercenaries alongside the RSF in Sudan’s western region of Darfur, including during the October capture of El Fasher, where RSF fighters have been accused of mass killings. In separate reports this year, Human Rights Watch and Conflict Insights Group said the Colombians were hired by an Emirati contractor and trained in Emirati military bases. The UAE denied those allegations at the time, telling the BBC it had no involvement in recruiting or training foreign fighters and that it would investigate and prosecute any entity suspected of doing so. A Colombian mercenary who fought in Darfur for six months in 2025 told the AP that hundreds of Colombians were on the front lines with the RSF at the time and involved in training recruits. He said he saw children as young as 13 fighting with the RSF. He spoke on condition of anonymity, concerned over legal consequences. Less is known of the Colombians’ role in Khartoum. Ali Qader, the head of the rehabilitation center, said several children told him Colombians trained them at camps around the capital. A former RSF fighter, who defected to the government side and spoke on condition of anonymity out of security concerns, said he saw Colombians training children in Khartoum in July 2024. A Sudanese military officer with knowledge of the situation said Colombians were training children in and around Khartoum when the RSF held the city. The officer was not authorized to brief reporters and spoke on condition of anonymity. The Colombian government said it has no official information confirming allegations that Colombians recruited or trained child soldiers in Sudan. It condemned such abuses. Child recruitment is a war crime Tens of thousands of children as young as 8 have been recruited during Sudan’s war, according to Abdelgadir Abdullah Abu, secretary-general of Sudan’s National Council for Child Welfare, a government body. The U.N. says all sides in the conflict have used child soldiers, including militias allied with the government. Many are believed to still be on the front lines. The RSF and the Sudanese government did not respond to detailed requests for comment. The RSF have roots in the Janjaweed militias that rampaged across Darfur in the early 2000s. Sudan’s then-president Omar al-Bashir was indicted for war crimes and genocide by the International Criminal Court over that campaign. Rights groups say the RSF employs similar tactics today, and that the UAE’s alleged support for it could implicate the Gulf country. “The evidence suggests the UAE could be substantially contributing to the RSF’s widespread crimes against humanity,” said Jean-Baptiste Gallopin, a senior adviser at Human Rights Watch. Children returning from the front often have nowhere to go At the rehabilitation center, which included a soccer field and volleyball net, boys dressed in white uniforms showed an AP reporter their wounds. One was missing a hand; another had scars on his back from where he said he was tortured; a third had a bone jutting out of his side. The boy held at the Central Reserve Camp said that at one point, when tied to the anti-aircraft gun, he refused to fire on a jet. RSF fighters shot at him as punishment, wounding his foot. The wound filled with worms, he said. Eventually, the fighters abandoned him because of it, and he was later brought to the youth facility. Wiping away tears, he said he’s aching to return home. His mother died from illness during the war, and his father told him he was ashamed of what his son had done and doesn’t want to see him. Zeinab Mahjoub, a psychologist at the facility, said she tries to persuade relatives to not to abandon the boys. At the same time, the boys are wrestling with their own trauma. Sheldon Yett, the head of the U.N. children’s agency in Sudan, said it was working with the government and other parties to speed up the process of releasing the boys, trying to convince authorities to treat “children as children.” Since the AP visited the center in April, the children have been released. The boy held at al-Konan Camp said that after nearly two years, he escaped one night when a guard left a door unlocked. He tried returning to his family but someone in the area knew he had fought with the RSF and reported him to the authorities, who referred him to the center. He’s trying to move on but is wrestling with guilt. “We have made mistakes,” he said. “We want to get out of here to rebuild Sudan.”
Takeaways from AP story on child soldiers trained by Colombian mercenaries in Sudan
Takeaways from AP story on child soldiers trained by Colombian mercenaries in Sudan Takeaways from AP story on child soldiers trained by Colombian mercenaries in Sudan Rare, firsthand accounts show the perils faced by tens of thousands of children believed to have been conscripted into the war by all sides. Six former child soldiers who were abducted and forced to fight with the Rapid Support Forces, known as the RSF, spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. (AP Illustration / Peter Hamlin) (AP Illustration / Peter Hamlin) (AP Illustration / Peter Hamlin) (AP Illustration / Peter Hamlin) (AP Illustration / Peter Hamlin) (AP Illustration / Peter Hamlin) (AP Illustration / Peter Hamlin) KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) — A new report by The Associated Press shows that child soldiers fighting for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces against Sudan’s army have been trained by Colombian mercenaries. The report is based on rare, firsthand accounts from former child soldiers held at a rehabilitation center run by the military-backed government in the capital, Khartoum. Tens of thousands of children as young as 8 have been conscripted into the ongoing conflict by all sides and many are still on the front lines. One boy described how he was shackled to an anti-aircraft gun and told to fire at army warplanes buzzing overhead or his captors would kill him. He was 15 at the time. Another said he was forced to fire artillery at targets identified by drones — including civilians — and beaten for any disobedience. Tens of thousands of veterans of Colombia’s internal conflicts have hired themselves out in foreign wars despite a recent law outlawing it. The children’s accounts indicate the mercenaries are widely deployed in Sudan. The Rapid Support Forces, known as the RSF, have been accused of atrocities. Rights groups say a state-linked firm in the United Arab Emirates has recruited Colombians to fight with the RSF. Human rights groups and Sudan’s military accuse the UAE of arming the RSF, and a U.N. panel said it had tracked weapons shipments to the group originating in the UAE. The UAE, a Gulf federation that includes Dubai, did not respond to multiple requests for comment. It has denied arming the RSF and recruiting or training foreign fighters. It says the shipment in question was of humanitarian aid to refugees. Here are the main takeaways: Searing accounts of boys sent to the front lines At the rehabilitation center, one boy was missing a hand. Another had scars on his back from where he said he was tortured, and a third had a bone jutting out of his side. The boy who was tied to the anti-aircraft gun said RSF fighters detained him and sent him to the front lines without him having ever held a gun. He was held with dozens of other children, their hands bound at all times, he said. He said foreigners, described as Colombians by RSF fighters at his base, trained the children and instructed the paramilitaries to strap them to the weapons. He showed scars on his head that he said were left by shrapnel. A boy who had been held at another camp said he was locked up and only brought out for artillery strikes. When he refused to fire, his captors would beat him, sometimes with an electric baton. In one case, he said, a Colombian beat him unconscious. An 18-year-old friend was shot dead when he tried to escape, he said. A member of the military media office accompanied the AP during the visit to the rehabilitation center but did not choose who was interviewed. The AP retains full editorial control of its content. Report points to a larger role for Colombian guns-for-hire Human Rights Watch and Conflict Insights Group, a private research firm, have documented the presence of Colombian mercenaries alongside the RSF in Sudan’s western region of Darfur, including during the October capture of El Fasher, where RSF fighters have been accused of mass killings. “The evidence suggests the UAE could be substantially contributing to the RSF’s widespread crimes against humanity,” said Jean-Baptiste Gallopin, a senior adviser at Human Rights Watch. In separate reports this year, Human Rights Watch and Conflict Insights Group said the Colombians were hired by an Emirati contractor and trained in Emirati military bases. The UAE denied those allegations to the BBC at the time, saying any entity involved in such activities would be held criminally accountable. A Colombian mercenary who fought in Darfur in 2025 told the AP that hundreds of Colombians were on the front lines with the RSF at the time and involved in training recruits. He said he saw children as young as 13 fighting with the RSF. He spoke on condition of anonymity because of legal concerns. Less is known of the Colombians’ role in Khartoum. Ali Qader, the head of the rehabilitation center, said several children told him Colombians trained them at camps around the capital. A former RSF fighter who defected to the government side and spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal, told the AP that he saw Colombians training children in Khartoum in July 2024. A Sudanese military officer said Colombians were training children in and around Khartoum when the RSF held the city. The officer was not authorized to speak to journalists and so spoke on condition of anonymity. The U.N. says all sides in the conflict have used child soldiers, including militias allied with the government. The children often have nowhere to go Even though the boys were forced to fight, many cannot return home to their families because of their association with the RSF. Zeinab Mahjoub, a psychologist at the government facility where they are held, said she tries to persuade relatives not to abandon the boys, who are wrestling with their own trauma. The U.N. children’s agency in Sudan says it is working to speed up the process of releasing the boys. Since the AP visited the center in April, the children have been released. ___ DeBre reported from Buenos Aires, Argentina and Suarez from Bogota Colombia.
AP Exclusive: Child soldiers recount horrors of Sudan’s war and presence of Colombian mercenaries
AP Exclusive: Child soldiers recount horrors of Sudan’s war and presence of Colombian mercenaries Rare, firsthand accounts show the perils faced by tens of thousands of children believed to have been conscripted into the war by all sides. Six former child soldiers who were abducted and forced to fight with the Rapid Support Forces, known as the RSF, spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) — The teenage boy’s hands and legs were shackled to the anti-aircraft gun mounted on a pickup as Sudanese warplanes attacked. He saw another child chained to the steering wheel. As their captors sought cover, the terrified children were ordered to stay and shoot down the jets over the capital, Khartoum. If they tried to flee, they’d be killed by their captors — if the planes didn’t get them first. The boy, now 17, told The Associated Press that those who ordered him strapped to the gun were Colombian mercenaries providing military aid to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces against the army in the war, now in its fourth year. Another child said he was forced to carry out artillery strikes and beaten for disobedience. The rare, firsthand accounts show the perils faced by tens of thousands of children believed to have been conscripted into the war by all sides. Six former child soldiers who were abducted and forced to fight with the Rapid Support Forces, known as the RSF, spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. Two said they were trained by Colombians. Their accounts point to a wider deployment of Colombian mercenaries, who rights groups say were recruited by a state-linked firm in the United Arab Emirates to fight with the RSF. Human rights groups and Sudan’s military accuse the UAE of arming the RSF, and a U.N. panel said it had tracked weapons shipments to the RSF originating in the Gulf federation that includes Dubai. The UAE did not respond to multiple requests for comment. It has previously denied arming the RSF, saying the shipments in question were of humanitarian aid for refugees. The boy who had been shackled to the gun burst into tears as he ran his hand over scars from the some 18 months he was forced to fight. “I was extremely scared. I just wanted to escape and go home,” he said. The children were shackled day and night He said he was rounded up by RSF fighters in a market in Khartoum’s twin city of Omdurman, where he was selling cigarettes. The paramilitaries were searching for deserters and seized him by mistake, he said. He was 15 at the time. Never having held a gun, he was thrust onto the front lines in Khartoum. Scars on his head and under his eye mark where he says he was hit by shrapnel. He was later taken to an RSF base in Omdurman known as Central Reserve Camp, where he was held with dozens of other children. Their hands were bound all the time, even while eating. “We weren’t allowed to bathe. Instead, they would pour water over us while we were still bound,” he said. He said dozens of foreign mercenaries were at the base, described as Colombians by the RSF fighters there. Speaking through translators, they taught the children how to use anti-aircraft guns. They told RSF fighters to bind the children to the weapons so they couldn’t escape, he said. “When the planes flew overhead, the Colombians would retreat to their bunkers, leaving us outside shackled to the vehicles,” the teenager said. He was forced to fire, but he said he was too afraid and never hit anything. A second boy recounts beatings, and a friend’s killing The second boy described how, at age 15, he was held at an RSF camp called al-Konan, where he said Colombians trained him and other boys on heavy artillery and drones. He said he was locked up and only brought out for artillery strikes. The Colombians and the RSF used drones to choose targets, and sometimes he saw civilians through the camera. When he refused to fire, they would beat him, sometimes with an electric baton. In one case, he said, a Colombian beat him unconscious. An 18-year-old friend tried to flee and was shot dead by the RSF. He carried the body away. “I still have nightmares whenever I try to sleep,” he said. Both children spoke at a facility run by the military-backed government on Khartoum’s outskirts, where more than 200 former child soldiers were being rehabilitated. Many fell into the hands of the military when it retook the capital from the RSF over the past year. A member of the military media office accompanied the AP during the visit. The official did not choose who the AP interviewed. The AP retains full editorial control of its content. Veterans of Colombia’s long wars have hired themselves out The AP could not independently verify the boys’ accounts, which are consistent with other reporting on the conflict. Multiple countries are entangled in Sudan’s conflict, and other foreigners, including Russians and Ukrainians, have taken part in hostilities. Some 10,000 Colombians have hired themselves out for foreign wars, including in Somalia, Ukraine and Sudan, according to the U.N. Colombia’s decades of internal conflict, involving guerrillas, paramilitaries and drug traffickers, have produced a large cadre of veterans prized for their U.S.-backed military training and driven abroad by meager pensions and scarce civilian job prospects. A recent law bars Colombians from fighting in foreign conflicts, but veteran groups say recruitment has continued. Human Rights Watch and Conflict Insights Group, a private research firm, have documented the presence of Colombian mercenaries alongside the RSF in Sudan’s western region of Darfur, including during the October capture of El Fasher, where RSF fighters have been accused of mass killings. In separate reports this year, Human Rights Watch and Conflict Insights Group said the Colombians were hired by an Emirati contractor and trained in Emirati military bases. The UAE denied those allegations at the time, telling the BBC it had no involvement in recruiting or training foreign fighters and that it would investigate and prosecute any entity suspected of doing so. A Colombian mercenary who fought in Darfur for six months in 2025 told the AP that hundreds of Colombians were on the front lines with the RSF at the time and involved in training recruits. He said he saw children as young as 13 fighting with the RSF. He spoke on condition of anonymity, concerned over legal consequences. Less is known of the Colombians’ role in Khartoum. Ali Qader, the head of the rehabilitation center, said several children told him Colombians trained them at camps around the capital. A former RSF fighter, who defected to the government side and spoke on condition of anonymity out of security concerns, said he saw Colombians training children in Khartoum in July 2024. A Sudanese military officer with knowledge of the situation said Colombians were training children in and around Khartoum when the RSF held the city. The officer was not authorized to brief reporters and spoke on condition of anonymity. The Colombian government said it has no official information confirming allegations that Colombians recruited or trained child soldiers in Sudan. It condemned such abuses. Child recruitment is a war crime Tens of thousands of children as young as 8 have been recruited during Sudan’s war, according to Abdelgadir Abdullah Abu, secretary-general of Sudan’s National Council for Child Welfare, a government body. The U.N. says all sides in the conflict have used child soldiers, including militias allied with the government. Many are believed to still be on the front lines. The RSF and the Sudanese government did not respond to detailed requests for comment. The RSF have roots in the Janjaweed militias that rampaged across Darfur in the early 2000s. Sudan’s then-president Omar al-Bashir was indicted for war crimes and genocide by the International Criminal Court over that campaign. Rights groups say the RSF employs similar tactics today, and that the UAE’s alleged support for it could implicate the Gulf country. “The evidence suggests the UAE could be substantially contributing to the RSF’s widespread crimes against humanity,” said Jean-Baptiste Gallopin, a senior adviser at Human Rights Watch. Children returning from the front often have nowhere to go At the rehabilitation center, which included a soccer field and volleyball net, boys dressed in white uniforms showed an AP reporter their wounds. One was missing a hand; another had scars on his back from where he said he was tortured; a third had a bone jutting out of his side. The boy held at the Central Reserve Camp said that at one point, when tied to the anti-aircraft gun, he refused to fire on a jet. RSF fighters shot at him as punishment, wounding his foot. The wound filled with worms, he said. Eventually, the fighters abandoned him because of it, and he was later brought to the youth facility. Wiping away tears, he said he’s aching to return home. His mother died from illness during the war, and his father told him he was ashamed of what his son had done and doesn’t want to see him. Zeinab Mahjoub, a psychologist at the facility, said she tries to persuade relatives not to abandon the boys. At the same time, the boys are wrestling with their own trauma. Sheldon Yett, the head of the U.N. children’s agency in Sudan, said it was working with the government and other parties to speed up the process of releasing the boys, trying to convince authorities to treat “children as children.” Since the AP visited the center in April, the children have been released. The boy held at al-Konan Camp said that after nearly two years, he escaped one night when a guard left a door unlocked. He tried returning to his family but someone in the area knew he had fought with the RSF and reported him to the authorities, who referred him to the center. He’s trying to move on but is wrestling with guilt. “We have made mistakes,” he said. “We want to get out of here to rebuild Sudan.” ___ DeBre reported from Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Suárez from Bogota, Colombia.
US lawmakers advance bill that targets Russian oil buyers
The US Senate voted to advance a bill to ramp up economic penalties on Russia and countries that buy its fossil fuels, but the proposal will face tough questions about whether it really helps Ukraine or merely empowers President Donald Trump’s global tariff war. The bill won an uncommonly strong bipartisan majority that mirrors the more bullish posture toward the Kremlin that Trump took during his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Washington this week. The problem, however, is that the legislation would allow the president to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the top buyers of Russian oil and gas, and on countries that facilitate Russian sanctions evasion. Edward Fishman, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and former State Department sanctions official, said he was “skeptical this bill will make a difference with respect to Russia” because tariffs haven’t proven an effective means to deter Russia’s trading partners. “But it gives Trump the flexible tariff authority that the Supreme Court shot down earlier this year.” The energy war between Russia and Ukraine, meanwhile, continues to escalate. Ukrainian drone commanders are honing their targeting of Russian refineries and leaving swaths of Crimea with no fuel or power, while Russia ramps up attacks on Ukraine’s gas stations. In his meeting with Trump, Zelenskyy asked for a “winter package” of Patriot missile interceptors to defend against likely Russian attacks on heating systems later this year, Axios reported.