Oct 1, 2026
The United States military completed the withdrawal of all American troops from Iraq on Wednesday, ending a 12-year mission to fight the Islamic State group. President Donald Trump hailed the withdrawal as a victory for both countries, calling it the end of 'a very expensive excursion into Hell.'
The UN Security Council voted to extend the mandate of the international security force in Haiti by six months to continue fighting armed gangs that control much of the country. The force currently operates at just 30 percent of its intended staffing levels as violence continues.
The United States has completed its military withdrawal from Iraq after more than two decades, with Baghdad declaring four days of national holidays called 'Sovereignty Days' to mark the exit. The withdrawal raises questions about Iraq's future security amid concerns over militia influence and Iran's growing role in the country.
Ethiopian government forces and allied militias reportedly captured the strategic town of Alamata in southern Tigray, according to pro-government militia statements. The development marks a significant shift in the renewed conflict between federal forces and Tigray rebels.
Over 55,000 Sudanese refugees have crossed into eastern Chad this year, with the UN refugee agency reporting approximately 400 people per day now fleeing—about 20 times the previous daily rate. The UN is calling for increased funding to address the humanitarian crisis.
Pakistani security forces reported killing several Afghan Taliban fighters in ongoing cross-border fire at the Gulistan border area on Friday, following Pakistani airstrikes on 10 sites in Afghanistan earlier in the week. Pakistan accused Afghanistan of launching drone attacks on its border posts, which the Taliban government denied.
Pakistani security forces killed several Afghan Taliban fighters after they allegedly attempted to enter Pakistan and opened fire along the border in Balochistan province, marking a fresh escalation in cross-border tensions between the neighbors.
Saudi-led coalition forces intercepted six ballistic missiles fired by Yemen's Houthis targeting the Red Sea port of Yanbu and the city of Taif, with Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti calling on troops to be ready to sacrifice their lives.
Tigray People's Liberation Front forces seized control of three airports and clashed with federal troops across northern Ethiopia, effectively shattering the 2022 peace deal and signaling return to major conflict.
Jihadists killed more than 100 soldiers in central Mali this month in an attack on a military camp, according to two sources. The Malian army said it evacuated troops from the camp and conducted retaliatory strikes against enemy positions during an operation lasting more than a week.
Houthi fighters are pushing to seize strategic heights in Yemen's Kahboub Mountains to cut off the Red Sea coast from Saudi-backed forces, following reports that President Trump called off American airstrikes at the last minute even as troops were loading bombs onto aircraft.
Pakistani fighter jets struck sites in eastern Afghanistan's Kunar and Paktika provinces on Monday, with Pakistan claiming 28 militants were killed at suspected hideouts while Afghan Taliban officials and the UN reported three civilian deaths from one family. The strikes follow a recent attack on police in Kohat, Pakistan.
Sudan's medical infrastructure is deteriorating amid spreading disease and epidemics, doctors warn, as Egypt, Sudan and US officials meet to discuss ending the ongoing conflict that has devastated the country's healthcare system.
Renewed fighting along Yemen's west coast has displaced at least 112,000 people internally within two weeks, while nearly 3,000 have fled by sea to Djibouti, according to the UN migration agency. The escalation represents a new crisis layered atop Yemen's long-running humanitarian emergency.
A tribunal in The Hague convicted Kosovo's former President Hashim Thaci of war crimes including murder, torture, and illegal detention committed during the 1990s war for independence from Serbia, when he served as a senior commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army. Three co-defendants also received prison sentences ranging from 13 to 25 years.
Russia struck petrol stations in Kyiv and Ukraine hit a Russian oil refinery on September 15, contradicting President Trump's announcement that both nations had agreed to an energy infrastructure truce. The Kremlin called the proposal a "good idea" but both countries denied any agreement was in place.
Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky filed eight articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday, accusing him of violating the War Powers Resolution and launching military actions against Iran without congressional approval.
Saudi Arabia conducted hundreds of airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen after Iran-backed rebels launched drones and missiles at Saudi cities, including an alleged attack near Mecca that the Houthis deny. The escalation marks a significant widening of the broader Middle East conflict that began in February.
The UN Security Council unanimously voted to extend the current arms embargo on Sudan's Darfur region for one month while negotiations continue on a contentious US proposal to expand the embargo nationwide. Sudan's UN ambassador argued that a total arms embargo would violate the UN Charter's guarantee of countries' right to self-defense.
The UN's International Organization for Migration reports that at least 46,000 people have been displaced in Yemen since fighting between Houthi forces and pro-government troops escalated last week, with the number rising by the hour. The renewed conflict is forcing civilians to flee their homes, adding to Yemen's long-running humanitarian crisis.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosts Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and other BRICS leaders for a summit in New Delhi this weekend. The gathering comes as wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, particularly the US-led war on Iran, strain unity within the expanded bloc.
Top White House advisers, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have privately warned President Trump that the ongoing conflict with Iran could extend through the remainder of his presidency, contradicting earlier expectations of a swift resolution. The warnings come as Trump publicly threatens to 'wipe out' Iran and makes campaign promises tied to the conflict.
Three dozen health facilities serving more than 400,000 people in Sudan are closing this year due to global aid funding cuts, according to aid groups and medical charity MSF. The closures are pushing Sudan's already fragile healthcare system toward collapse amid more than three years of ongoing war.
President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used the 25th anniversary memorial ceremony of the September 11 attacks at the Pentagon to defend the ongoing U.S. military conflict with Iran, framing it as a continuation of the war on terror and citing Iran as the "number one sponsor of terror."
Yemen's Houthi rebels launched a wave of attacks on Saudi Arabia, wounding 73 people and igniting fires at multiple oil facilities including Saudi Aramco sites. The strikes hit civilian and energy infrastructure in Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jizan, and Najran, with the Saudi-led coalition vowing to respond.
Israel's air force carried out two airstrikes early Monday on the village of Kfar Rumman in southern Lebanon, killing at least 12 people and wounding others. The casualties included women and children, with Lebanon's Health Ministry reporting that one strike destroyed a three-storey residential building.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened a "full-scale war" against the Palestinian Authority if it prepares an attack similar to Hamas's October 7, 2023 assault. The warning came after a Palestinian stabbed and wounded an Israeli man at a West Bank settlement outpost before being killed by troops.
Thousands gathered in Belgrade for the funeral of Ratko Mladic, the former Bosnian Serb army commander convicted of genocide by a UN court. The elaborate funeral drew international criticism for glorifying a war criminal, though Serbia proceeded without official state honors or serving government officials.
Israeli forces killed at least three Palestinians in separate incidents across the occupied West Bank over several days, including during military raids and amid a surge in settler violence that has drawn international condemnation. The violence included attacks by militant settlers on Palestinian communities and an Israeli being stabbed.
A US airstrike intended for a communications complex in the Iranian coastal town of Kuhestak missed its target and hit a wedding celebration, killing at least four people including a child and injuring 68 others. The US Defense Department is investigating the incident, which occurred amid renewed US strikes against Iran and subsequent Iranian retaliation.
Masked Israeli settlers attacked an NBC News team and a 51-year-old Palestinian woman, Aida Ahmed Abdullah, during an interview in the occupied West Bank on Saturday. The assault, which drew rare condemnation from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog, occurred as the crew was interviewing Abdullah about being driven from her home by settlers.
The U.S.-Israeli war in Iran has now lasted six months, far exceeding President Trump's initial prediction of a four-to-five week conflict. Nearly 8,000 people have been killed, and there is little indication the conflict will end soon, raising concerns among Republican strategists about midterm election impacts.
Russia is preparing to intensify strikes on Ukraine, including targeting Kyiv's city center, after concluding that peace negotiations have stalled. Moscow is considering escalating conventional ballistic missile attacks as diplomatic efforts fail to produce results.
South Korea scrambled fighter jets on Wednesday in response to Russian military aircraft entering its air defence zone over the East Sea, marking the second such incursion in recent weeks and escalating tensions between the two countries.
The Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North, aligned with the Rapid Support Forces, killed 27 people including four children in attacks in South Kordofan, according to the Sudan Doctors Network. The violence comes as Trump's Africa envoy calls for a country-wide UN arms embargo amid escalating drone attacks.
Far-right Israeli Knesset member Zvi Sukkot used a sledgehammer to destroy a Palestinian memorial in the village of Madama while escorted by Israeli soldiers. The incident drew widespread condemnation across Israel's political spectrum, including from Prime Minister Netanyahu, though the military claims Sukkot acted deceptively beyond the approved plan for his visit.
Israeli forces launched multiple attacks across Gaza, striking a water desalination plant in northern Gaza City, a mosque, and residential areas, killing at least seven Palestinians including two children. Among the victims was 10-year-old Amal Abu Khater, shot while eating in her tent in Khan Younis.
A Russian double-tap drone attack struck a shopping center in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, killing at least 15 people and injuring over 130, including children. President Zelensky condemned the attack as cynical and called for more Patriot air defense systems.
Pakistani security forces conducted intelligence-based raids on multiple militant hideouts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, killing 49 militants. The operations come amid intensified efforts to counter a surge in militant violence, with Pakistan accusing both the Pakistani Taliban and Baloch separatists of operating from sanctuaries in Afghanistan.
Myanmar's military conducted an airstrike on a Buddhist monastery in Sagaing region, killing 14 people participating in a week-long meditation retreat. More than 100 people were at the monastery when the attack occurred.
Myanmar's military has deployed hundreds of troops to forcibly clear areas designated for a Russia-backed special economic zone and port project in the country's south, burning villages and sealing off surrounding areas. The offensive has sparked clashes with resistance groups and reports of civilian casualties, including a separate air strike on a Buddhist monastery that killed 14 people.
North Korea launched more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles into the sea on Thursday, prompting trilateral consultations between senior diplomats from the United States, South Korea, and Japan. The launch came hours after President Donald Trump announced plans to meet with Kim Jong Un and a day after Seoul said it was scaling back military drills with the US.
Ukraine commemorated its 35th Independence Day on August 24, 2026, amid ongoing Russian bombardment and a stalemate on the front lines. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered a defiant speech declaring Ukraine wants peace but will not surrender, while Britain, France, and other Western leaders gathered in Kyiv to pledge continued support despite Russian threats.
Ukraine commemorated its 35th Independence Day on August 24, 2026, amid ongoing Russian bombardment and a stalemate on the front lines. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered a defiant speech declaring Ukraine wants peace but will not surrender, while Britain, France, and other Western leaders gathered in Kyiv to pledge continued support despite Russian threats.
Myanmar's military has deployed hundreds of troops to forcibly clear areas designated for a Russia-backed special economic zone in the country's south, burning villages and sealing off land. Separately, a military airstrike on a Buddhist monastery in Sagaing region killed 14 people during a meditation retreat.
South Korea's defense ministry announced that annual joint military exercises with the United States will be shortened by six days at Washington's request, following President Donald Trump's order to scale back the drills. Trump cited his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as the reason for reducing the exercises.
President Donald Trump announced plans to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later this year while abruptly ending annual US-South Korea military exercises on Friday. The move has drawn bipartisan criticism from senators and raised concerns about undermining the alliance and South Korea's defense capabilities.
Syria warned that continued Israeli attacks on its territory fuel regional tensions following strikes on the Abu al-Duhur airbase in Idlib province, approximately 70 kilometers from the Turkish border. US envoy Tom Barrack called the strikes an "unnecessary escalation" and suggested creating a deconfliction mechanism.
Russia conducted deadly missile and drone strikes across Ukraine, killing at least 18 people in the Kyiv region and 10 in Kharkiv, while Ukraine responded with one of its largest drone attacks on Russia, firing nearly 800 drones at Moscow over recent days.
Israeli forces conducted airstrikes on the Abu al-Duhur military airbase in northwestern Syria. US special envoy Tom Barrack called the strikes an 'unnecessary escalation,' marking rare public criticism of Israel by the Trump administration.
President Trump directed the Pentagon to substantially scale back joint military exercises with South Korea, citing Seoul's refusal to join the war in Iran and his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The decision comes despite warnings from military officials about the North Korean threat.
Yemen's Mocha port has halted all commercial and maritime operations after being struck by more than 25 missiles in recent Houthi attacks. The closure of this strategic port raises concerns about escalating conflict in Yemen despite previous truce efforts.
Israeli settlers have surrounded and attacked Palestinian family homes in the West Bank village of Qusra, cutting off water and electricity, prompting condemnation from Amnesty International, the US and UK. The siege has sparked international calls for Israeli government action and debate over transferring law enforcement from the IDF to police.
The Pacific-based aircraft carrier USS George Washington is heading to the Middle East to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, following reports of mental health and supply issues aboard the long-deployed Lincoln as the Iran war continues with no clear end in sight.
Separatists in northern Mali have released 82 soldiers who were captured during nationwide attacks in April by al Qaeda-linked militants and rebel groups. The Malian military confirmed the release on Thursday, ending months of captivity for the soldiers.
The Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak has spread to a sixth province, with health authorities reporting over 2,100 deaths out of approximately 4,566 cases. The outbreak is the fastest-growing on record, with transmission accelerated by rebel conflict, poor infrastructure, and healthcare system challenges.
Israeli settlers have surrounded and besieged Palestinian families in their homes in the West Bank village of Qusra for multiple days, cutting off water and electricity in what residents describe as an attempt to forcibly take their properties. The Israeli military has moved to intervene, while security sources warn the situation resembles a 'powder keg' that could explode.
David McBride, a former army lawyer who leaked classified military documents about Australia's involvement in Afghanistan to the media, has been released from a Canberra prison on parole after serving more than two years of a five-year sentence. Attorney-General Michelle Rowland granted the parole.
Sudan's Rapid Support Forces renewed their assault on al-Obeid and intensified drone attacks across the country following battlefield losses, while officials discovered a mass grave containing at least 25 bodies, including women and children, in Kurmuk after the army retook the town.
Sudan's Rapid Support Forces renewed their assault on al-Obeid and intensified drone attacks across the country following battlefield losses, while officials discovered a mass grave containing at least 25 bodies, including women and children, in Kurmuk after the army retook the town.
The Pentagon acknowledged that U.S. military operations killed more than 150 civilians in 2025, with particular focus on casualties from Trump administration's Yemen campaign following Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's dismantling of an office focused on mitigating unintended casualties.
The Pentagon acknowledged that U.S. military airstrikes against Houthi militants in Yemen killed 153 civilians and wounded 243 in 2025, according to its annual civilian casualty report delivered to Congress. The report notably excluded any deaths from airstrikes on boats in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, drawing criticism from some officials.
A Pentagon review revealed that US airstrikes targeting Houthi militants in Yemen during 2025 killed more than 150 civilians, significantly higher than previously acknowledged. The assessment comes amid growing concerns over civilian casualties in the region.
Russian forces launched a missile strike on the Pisochyn community in Kharkiv region on August 11, injuring two men with blast injuries, one in serious condition. The attack hit premises of a civilian enterprise near a local market.
Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacked a cargo vessel in the Bab el-Mandeb strait on Tuesday, killing at least four crew members including three Pakistanis and one Indonesian. Some reports indicate the death toll may be as high as six, including rescue personnel.
UN investigators reported that Myanmar's military intensified aerial attacks on civilians in the run-up to elections held in December and January, using low-cost aircraft including motorized paragliders and gyrocopters. All sides in the civil war committed war crimes including torture and sexual violence over the past year.
A Syrian court sentenced former President Bashar al-Assad, his brother Maher, and cousin Atef Najib to death in absentia for crimes against humanity, war crimes, murder, and torture during Syria's 14-year civil war that killed approximately half a million people. Assad has been living in exile in Russia since his ouster in 2024.
A series of drone strikes targeted Libya's largest operating oil refinery in Zawiya, sparking a massive fire, followed by an attack on the South Zawiya power substation that caused widespread electricity outages. The National Oil Corporation warned it may halt refinery operations if attacks continue.
Nearly 6,000 people were displaced in one day from West Darfur amid clashes between Sudan's army and the Rapid Support Forces, while a mass grave containing at least 25 bodies, including women and children, was discovered in Kurmuk after the army retook the town.
Moldova recalled its ambassador to Russia for consultations after an unidentified drone crashed and exploded in the village of Crocmaz near the Ukrainian border. The Moldovan president condemned Russia over the incident, calling it a serious violation.
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi forces launched multiple waves of missile and drone attacks on the government-held port city of Mokha (al-Makha) on the Red Sea coast, killing at least 7-11 people and injuring 30-35 others. The Houthis also claimed attacks on Saudi Arabia's Jazan Aramco oil refinery, raising fears of renewed civil war and threats to strategic shipping routes.
Israel's military closed the Palestinian Christian village of Taybeh in the West Bank to non-residents on Sunday, citing the need to prevent growing attacks on Palestinians by Israeli settlers. The closure follows a series of coordinated settler attacks across the West Bank that injured residents and damaged property.
Myanmar's military-backed government rejected demands from ASEAN and the United States for the unconditional release of detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi, calling the appeals interference in its judicial process. The statements came after Suu Kyi met with the International Committee of the Red Cross on August 3.
UN experts condemned a sharp escalation in violence against Palestinian civilians in July 2026, with settler attacks in the West Bank surging 63% in the first half of the year to 660 incidents. The UN warned the West Bank is at a 'breaking point' as Israeli forces continued raids and arrests while strikes in Gaza killed multiple Palestinians.
Israeli troops entered Zawtar al-Gharbiyah, a village under Lebanese army control per a US-sponsored agreement, and built an earth barrier overnight. Multiple Lebanese soldiers were wounded in separate incidents, including three injured while defusing unexploded ordnance and one targeted in a strike on a military bulldozer in Tyre district.
A drone entered Bulgarian airspace from Romania on August 8, 2026, and exploded near the village of Kardam, approximately 1 kilometer from a compressor station on the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev confirmed no casualties or infrastructure damage, and Bulgaria summoned the Ukrainian ambassador for consultations as the drone is suspected to be Ukrainian in origin.
The Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine experienced two complete power losses on August 8, forcing reliance on diesel generators. The IAEA has expressed concern over the increasing frequency of off-site power losses and ordered water levels increased in used fuel pools as a precautionary measure.
A car bomb exploded at a toll plaza on the Pan-American Highway in southwestern Colombia on Saturday, injuring two security guards, one day after conservative political newcomer Abelardo de la Espriella was sworn in as president. The army blamed FARC dissidents for the attack as the new administration responded by transferring 117 prisoners to maximum-security facilities.
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi forces launched deadly missile and drone strikes on the city of Marib, killing at least 30 government soldiers and civilians, prompting UN warnings that Yemen is at its greatest risk of renewed major conflict since the 2022 ceasefire. The escalation comes as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey signed a NATO-style mutual defense pact in response to regional threats.
Democratic Republic of Congo authorities released 15 prisoners and handed them over to AFC/M23 rebels on August 6-7, marking the first known prisoner transfer under a peace agreement signed last year. The International Committee of the Red Cross facilitated the handover as part of the Doha peace process for eastern DRC.