Port Sudan, Sudan: The ongoing civil war in Sudan has provoked one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises in decades, the international chief of the medical charity Doctors Without Borders said Thursday.
War has raged for more than a year between the regular military under army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces led by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
“Sudan is one of the worst crises the world has seen for decades... yet the humanitarian response is profoundly inadequate,” Christos Christou, international president of Doctors Without Borders (MSF), said on social media platform X.
“There are extreme levels of suffering across the country, and the needs are growing by the day,” he added.
The conflict, which began in April 2023 has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and displaced more than nine million people, according to the United Nations.
Both sides have been accused of war crimes including deliberately targeting civilians, indiscriminate shelling of residential areas and blocking humanitarian aid, despite warnings that millions are on the brink of starvation.
Rights groups and the United States have also accused the paramilitaries of ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.
Sudan one of world’s ‘worst crises’ in decades: medical charity
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Sudan one of world’s ‘worst crises’ in decades: medical charity

- War has raged for more than a year between the regular military under army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces led by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo
- Both sides have been accused of war crimes including deliberately targeting civilians, indiscriminate shelling of residential areas and blocking humanitarian aid
Authorities seize 1,000 kilograms of donkey meat in Islamabad, arrest ‘foreign national’

- The seizure was made during a raid at a farmhouse in Islamabad’s Tarnol area, with authorities recovering 50 live donkeys as well
- Official says the meat had been packed for ‘export to a neighboring country,’ more raids to be conducted to trace local facilitators
ISLAMABAD: Local administration in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad has seized around 1,000 kilograms of donkey meat from an illegal slaughterhouse and arrested a “foreign national,” officials said on Sunday.
The seizure was made during a joint raid by the Islamabad Food Authority (IFA), local police and the Islamabad district administration on a farmhouse in Tarnol area, according to the IFA.
Fifty live donkeys were also recovered from the site and an IFA team was destroying the meat under the supervision of Deputy Director Dr. Tahira Siddique.
Police have lodged a case against the arrested foreign national, who had been running the operation, and are looking for his local facilitators.
“A foreign national was arrested at the site which has been sealed and an investigation is underway,” Muhammad Nasir Butt, a spokesperson for the Islamabad district administration, told Arab News.
“We will conduct further raids as per the findings of the investigation and efforts are also underway to trace local individuals involved.”
Butt said the meat had been packed for “export to a neighboring country.”
“So far, we have not found any traces of meat being used in the local restaurants, but administration is investigating the matter from multiple angles,” he added.
According to a police report seen by Arab News, the farmhouse had no authorization to process donkey meat or export live donkeys.
“Due to the absence of records for [processing] haram meat, and on the basis of its supply and sale, legal action shall be taken against concerned individuals under Sections 11, 12, 13, and 14 of the Islamabad Capital Territory Food Safety Act, 2021,” the report said.
Pakistan is frequently listed among countries with the highest number of donkey populations worldwide. The country’s donkey population rose to 6 million in fiscal year 2024-25, which ended in June, compared to 5.9 million in 2023–24, according to the latest economic survey.
In May this year, Pakistan Customs had foiled an attempt to smuggle donkey hides worth approximately Rs80 million (around $283,800) to China. The staff deployed on the Risk Management Profiling System of the Karachi Customs
Collectorate detected a container number SEGU-3154225 cleared from the South Asia Pakistan Port (SAPT) terminal in Karachi, whose export documents showed 285 packages of leather products were being sent to China.
The animal’s meat and hides are quite popular in China. Gelatin derived from donkey hides is highly sought after in China for its use in Ejiao, a traditional medicinal remedy. Several Chinese eateries sell donkey meat and burgers for consumption.
Dr. Siddique, who was part of the team that raided the farmhouse, said the availability of safe and quality food in Islamabad was the top priority of the IFA.
“We are enforcing a zero-tolerance policy against those who endanger public health,” she was quoted as saying by the IFA.
At least 21 killed in attack on east Congo church by Islamic State-backed rebels, civil leader says

- Video footage from the scene shared online appeared to show burning structures and bodies on the floor of the church
- The attack is believed to have been carried out by members of the Allied Democratic Force (ADF) armed with machetes, who stormed the church premises in Ituri province’s Komanda town
GOMA: At least 21 people were killed on Sunday in an attack on a Catholic church in eastern Congo by Islamic State-backed rebels, according to a civil society leader.
The military confirmed at least 10 fatalities, while local media reports put the death toll at more than 40.
The attack is believed to have been carried out by members of the Allied Democratic Force (ADF) armed with machetes, who stormed the church premises in Ituri province’s Komanda town at around 1 a.m. Several houses and shops were also burnt.
“More than 21 people were shot dead inside and outside and we have recorded at least three charred bodies and several houses burned. But the search is continuing,” Dieudonne Duranthabo, civil society coordinator in Komanda, told The Associated Press.
Lt. Jules Ngongo, a Congolese army spokesperson in Ituri province, confirmed 10 killed in the attack.
Video footage from the scene shared online appeared to show burning structures and bodies on the floor of the church. Those who were able to identify some of the victims wailed while others stood in shock.
A UN-backed radio station said 43 people were killed, citing security sources. It said the attackers came from a stronghold around 12 kilometers (7 miles) from the center of Komanda and fled before security forces could arrive.
Eastern Congo has suffered deadly attacks in recent years by armed groups, including the ADF and Rwanda-backed rebels. The ADF, which has ties to the Islamic State, operates in the borderland between Uganda and Congo and often targets civilians. The group killed dozens of people in Ituri earlier this month in what a United Nations spokesperson described as a bloodbath.
Duranthabo condemned the attack “in a town where all the security officials are present.” He added: “We demand military intervention as soon as possible, since we are told the enemy is still near our town.”
The ADF was formed by disparate small groups in Uganda in the late 1990s following alleged discontent with President Yoweri Museveni.
In 2002, following military assaults by Ugandan forces, the group moved its activities to neighboring Congo and has since been responsible for the killings of thousands of civilians. In 2019, it pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.
The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), which has long struggled against the rebel group, has been facing attacks since the renewed hostilities between the Rwanda-backed M23.
8 killed, 18 injured as passenger bus meets accident in eastern Pakistan

- Bus heading from Lahore to Islamabad falls in ditch in Chakwal, local media reports say
- Fatal road accidents are common in Pakistan, where traffic rules are rarely followed
ISLAMABAD: Eight people were killed while 18 others were injured after a passenger bus met with an accident in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province on Sunday, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.
As per local media reports, the passenger bus was heading to the eastern city of Lahore from Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, when one of its tires burst near the Balkassar Interchange on the Islamabad-Lahore Motorway (M2).
Pakistani English language newspaper Dawn reported that the tire burst caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle, due to which it fell into a ditch and overturned.
“Eight people were killed while eighteen others injured in a passenger bus accident in the area of Balkassar in Chakwal today,” Radio Pakistan reported.
“According to Rescue 1122, ambulances and rescue vehicles promptly reached the site of the incident.”
The state-run media said that the injured were shifted to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
Fatal road accidents are common in Pakistan, where traffic rules are rarely followed and roads as well as a majority of vehicles are in poor condition.
Pakistan motorway police frequently warns masses on its social media platforms against violating traffic regulations and overspeeding.
Saudi FM: Conference to implement two-state solution reflects kingdom’s position on Palestinian cause

- Saudi Arabia, in partnership with France, is chairing a high-level international conference on the peaceful settlement of the Palestinian issue
- Saudi minister said the conference, to be held later this week, reflects the kingdom's firm stance towards the Palestinian cause
RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan announced on Sunday a conference in partnership with France that calls for recognizing a Palestinian state and implementing the two-state solution.
The Saudi minister said the conference, to be held later this week, reflects the kingdom's firm stance towards the Palestinian cause and its efforts to achieve a just and comprehensive peace.
Prince Faisal said: “The kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in partnership with France, is chairing a high-level international conference on the peaceful settlement of the Palestinian issue and the implementation of the two-state solution at the ministerial level, which will be held this week at the United Nations headquarters with wide international participation.”
French President Emmanuel Macron announced that he intends to recognise a Palestinian state in September at the UN General Assembly.
Saudi Arabia welcomed Macron's “historic decision.”
“The Kingdom reiterates its call for all countries that have not yet recognised the State of Palestine to take similar positive steps and adopt serious positions that support peace and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.”
Saudi Arabia taps French bank to expand local debt market

RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Finance and the National Debt Management Center have signed an agreement appointing France’s Societe Generale as a primary dealer for the Kingdom’s local debt instruments, according to an official statement.
Societe Generale will join five other international institutions already operating as primary dealers, namely BNP Paribas, Citigroup, and Goldman Sachs, as well as J.P. Morgan, and Standard Chartered Bank.
As part of ongoing efforts to deepen and diversify its domestic debt market under Vision 2030, the Ministry of Finance and the NDMC have taken new steps to strengthen the role of international and local institutions in supporting sukuk and bond issuance.
“This agreement fits within the Financial Sector Development Program strategy as a step toward achieving the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 by strengthening financial sector institutions and advancing the financial market,” NDMC stated.
The NDMC stated that the deal reaffirms its role in enhancing access to local debt markets by diversifying the investor base. This approach aims to ensure sustainable access to the secondary market and support its growth.
“It is noteworthy that applications for subscription in the primary market for the government's local debt instruments are submitted to the NDMC through the appointed primary dealers on a scheduled monthly basis where these dealers receive the applications submitted by investors,” the statement said.
The French bank will also be added to the list of 10 local institutions participating in the program, including Saudi National Bank, Saudi Awwal Bank, and AlJazira Bank, as well as Alinma Bank, AlRajhi Bank, Albilad Capital, AlJazira Capital, AlRajhi Capital, Derayah Financial Co., and Saudi Fransi Capital.
The Kingdom’s sukuk market has witnessed significant growth in recent years, underpinned by its strategic role in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 economic diversification plans. In the first quarter of 2025, corporate bond and sukuk issuance more than doubled to $37 billion, up from $15.5 billion in the same period of 2020.
Saudi Arabia accounted for more than 60 percent of all sukuk and bond issuance across the Gulf Cooperation Council during that period, according to the Kuwait Financial Center, also known as Markaz.
The NDMC surpassed the $1 billion threshold with its May sukuk issuance, raising SR4.08 billion ($1.08 billion)—a 9.09 percent increase from April and a 54.5 percent rise compared to March’s SR2.64 billion.
In June, the NDMC raised SR2.355 billion, marking a decline from May but demonstrating typical monthly funding fluctuations.
The July issuance rebounded sharply to SR5.02 billion, an increase of 113.6 percent month on month. That issuance was split into tranches maturing in 2029, 2032, 2036, and 2039.
According to S&P Global, the Kingdom’s domestic debt markets are expected to expand further amid Vision 2030 reforms, with sovereign and corporate issuance at 20.7 percent of gross domestic product and corporate debt alone rising from 1.9 percent in 2020 to 3.4 percent in early 2025.