International
Refugees from the Sudan war rebuild their lives between fear and hope
Every afternoon, a group of women fleeing the conflict in Sudan gather in a tent in the transit center of Renk, a border town in the territory of South Sudan, to participate in a workshop on gender violence, where they share their testimony, receive the attention of professionals and begin to heal the wounds that the war left them in body and mind.
Some of the attendees are South Sudanese returnees; others, Sudanese refugees, and all try to overcome the fear, suffering and violence, in many sexual cases, that they lived during their escape from the war that broke out more than a year ago between the Army of Sudan and the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (FAR).
They sit in a circle and listen in silence to one of the women who decides to explain her story. Some nod, a tear runs down the cheek of another who plays with the hem of her colorful dress, while a woman decides to add her experience.
The safety and well-being of their children was the first thing, despite being paralyzed by fear. Salma, a fictitious name, tells EFE that his three children were unable to sleep due to the fear of bombs and gunfire. Now they sleep a little better, but they are still restless.
“We fled our home in Khartoum (capital of Sudan) around midnight. No car. We walked in silence to another town and another and another,” Salma says about the nightmare of leaving his house behind and crossing the Joda border crossing to apply for refuge in South Sudan.
He doesn’t talk about her. She doesn’t feel prepared. She explains that she lost her husband along the way, without giving details, and is grateful because the little ones can go to a kind of nursery in the center, but regrets that the elderly cannot continue studying.
Dunia, also a pseudonym, feels lucky to have her husband, but shares her concern for minors. “I want my children to be able to go back to school. We want them to open a school here, we don’t want to go to the Mabán refugee camp,” he explains.
After spending half a month in the Renk transit center, the refugees are transferred to the Mabán camp, a nearby location, but neither Dunia nor other women want to: “The facilities are not good and they rape girls and women when they move away to the latrines or to look for firewood in the outskirts,” he says.
Sexual violence against women is a common weapon in all wars. It’s not easy to talk about this episode in their lives. None of them do it. Shame and social and community rejection weighs, and they do not want to reopen wounds that are still healing.
According to a report issued in February by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, “at least 118 people were exposed to sexual violence, including rape, gang rape and attempted rape,” while Sudanese human rights organizations raise the figure to more than 370 in just over a year of war in the African country.
However, these figures are only the tip of the iceberg. The director of the government Department for the Fight against Violence against Women and Children, Salima Ishaq, told EFE that only 2% of the victims of sexual violence have dared to report it to the authorities, while the rest avoid it because of “social restrictions” or “for fear of reprisals.”
“The estimates indicate that the complaints we receive do not exceed 2% of the actual incidents of sexual violence, which means that the total number could reach 7,000 cases of sexual violence,” he added.
Sexual violence has another retaliation: unwanted pregnancies. The Sudanese authorities announced in mid-May that they had taken in a dozen babies abandoned by women raped by FAR fighters, although they did not disclose possible cases resulting from alleged rapes committed by members of the Army.
Yamila was robbed of everything during her escape. Some armed men took her husband and demanded a ransom. He doesn’t have money or know where he is, not even if he’s still alive. “I want him to come back. I’ve thought about killing myself because my children ask me about him and I don’t know what to answer, but I have to move on for them,” he says in tears.
“They are the future. I want you to study and go to university. They are sad because they don’t go to class. One wants to be a teacher, the other wants to be a doctor,” he adds. Despite everything, he appreciates the company of the other women because they give him strength.
It agrees with her Nouran, who recognizes the positive effect that this therapy group has among the participants: “We talk about our problems and look for solutions. Together we are stronger and we help and advise each other, we talk about the children…”
The session ends, but they all feel a little lighter and more lively. They think that when they say something out loud, they take a weight off their back. Tomorrow they will return and little by little they will reinforce this network of women with which they are rebuilding their lives with a shared desire: that the war ends to return to their home, Sudan.
International
Trump relaunches diplomatic push to finalize U.S.-Backed peace plan for Ukraine War
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that his diplomatic team will resume meetings with delegations from Russia and Ukraine in an effort to pressure both sides to accept the peace plan proposed by Washington to end the war in Ukraine.
As part of this new round of talks, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll will hold discussions with Ukrainian representatives to narrow differences on the remaining points of the agreement.
Trump also confirmed his intention to meet personally with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and with Putin, though he emphasized that such meetings will only take place “when the agreement is fully finalized or in its final stage.”
The president claimed that his administration has made “tremendous progress” toward resolving the conflict and reiterated that the war “never would have started” if he had been in the White House at the onset of the crisis.
The U.S.-backed peace plan consists of 28 points and has been revised following feedback from both sides. According to Trump, only “a few points of disagreement” remain under active discussion.
One of the most controversial aspects of the proposal is the suggestion that Ukraine cede parts of the Donbas region to Russia and limit the size of its armed forces. Kyiv is working closely with Washington to soften these clauses in search of an arrangement that does not compromise its sovereignty or security.
With this diplomatic push, Trump aims to solidify his role as the main mediator in the conflict and steer the war toward a political resolution after years of devastation, humanitarian crisis, and rising global geopolitical tensions.
International
Man pleads not guilty in Liverpool parade incident that injured more than 130
Paul Doyle, who has been held in provisional detention since the incident, is accused of intentionally injuring 12 people, attempting to injure another 17, and committing acts of violence and dangerous driving.
According to prosecutors, eight of the victims were minors at the time, including a six-month-old baby.
Wearing a black suit, the 54-year-old defendant broke into tears as the jury entered Liverpool Crown Court, in northwest England. Doyle, a father of three and former member of the Royal Navy, had pleaded not guilty in September to the 31 charges against him.
On Tuesday, he reaffirmed his not-guilty plea when asked to respond again to four of the charges, which had been slightly amended. The jury was sworn in the same day, and the trial—expected to last three to four weeks—will begin on Wednesday.
The incident occurred on May 26, when thousands of Liverpool FC supporters were gathered for a parade celebrating the club’s Premier League victory. According to the investigation, Doyle’s car entered a street that had just been reopened to allow an ambulance through.
His vehicle was then surrounded by a crowd of Liverpool supporters, some of whom acted aggressively. Doyle first reversed, then accelerated forward, swerving and striking people on both sides of the street. According to an initial report from Merseyside Police, 134 people were injured.
Firefighters reported that one man was thrown onto the hood of the vehicle and four people, including a child, were trapped underneath the car.
Doyle was arrested at the scene. Police quickly ruled out any terrorist motive, stating instead that it was an isolated incident.
International
Macron to announce new voluntary military service amid rising security concerns in Europe
French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to announce on Thursday the creation of a voluntary military service program, following similar moves by other European countries amid growing concerns over Russia and uncertainty surrounding the United States as an ally.
The announcement comes after controversy sparked by the Chief of the Defense Staff, General Fabien Mandon, who last week urged the French population to “accept losing their children” in the event of a conflict in Europe. Macron insisted the comments were taken out of context.
“It is absolutely necessary to dispel any confusion suggesting that we are going to send our young people to Ukraine,” the president said in an interview with RTL radio on Tuesday.
France ended mandatory military service in 1997 under conservative president Jacques Chirac, but Macron has been advocating for “a new framework for service” within the Armed Forces to strengthen what he describes as the “army–nation bond.”
According to several sources, the centrist president is expected to unveil a voluntary military service initiative starting with around 2,000 participants, with a long-term goal of reaching 50,000 volunteers per year.
While the government has not yet detailed how the program will work, French media report that the service would last about 10 months and include compensation of several hundred euros.
The French Armed Forces currently comprise roughly 200,000 active-duty personnel and 47,000 reservists. By 2030, the goal is to increase those figures to 210,000 and 80,000, respectively.
Trump relaunches diplomatic push to finalize U.S.-Backed peace plan for Ukraine War
Man pleads not guilty in Liverpool parade incident that injured more than 130
Macron to announce new voluntary military service amid rising security concerns in Europe
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