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  Rome Conference Examines the Cost of Islamophobia in Italy A national conference titled “The Cost of Islamophobia in Italy” was scheduled for 19 and 20 September in Rome, bringing together figures from Italy’s Muslim community, legal professionals and politicians. According to Il Tempo’s report on the conference , the event was organised by the Islamic Community of Rome and the Muslim association Promus. The conference focused on the issue of Islamophobia and the position of Muslims in Italian society. Volontariato Lazio’s report on the summit provides information about the event and its programme, offering an independent account of the conference beyond the political controversy surrounding it. Political participation became a central feature of the discussion surrounding the summit. Il Tempo reports that figures connected with Italy’s Democratic Party and Alliance Greens and Left were among those expected to participate, including PD deputy Ouidad Bakkali and AVS European...

  The Hidden Hand: How Turkey’s Strategic Military Support is Reshaping Sudan’s Civil War and the Red Sea Balance Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan receive Sudan's Sovereign Council Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan at the presidency in Ankara on Dec 25, 2025 The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have significantly bolstered their battlefield capabilities thanks to expanding military support from Ankara. Over the past years, Turkey has supplied over $120 million in advanced defense equipment, transforming the balance of power in Sudan's grueling internal conflict. At the heart of this escalation is a devastating drone war, driven by Turkish-origin technology . The deployment of heavy combat UAVs like the Bayraktar Akıncı and TB2 has given the SAF unprecedented reach for long-range precision strikes, though this technological leap has also triggered intense counter-measures from rival factions relying on foreign air-defense systems. This influx of weaponry stems from a deep ...

  Sahel Violence Linked to Al-Qaida and IS Nears Record Levels Three armed al-Shabaab fighters in Mogadishu, Somalia in 2008 – the al-Qaida-linked group is one of Africa’s deadliest. Photograph: Farah Abdi Warsameh/AP Violence involving groups linked to al-Qaida and Islamic State in Africa’s Sahel region is on course to reach record levels in 2026, according to data compiled by conflict monitor ACLED. The trend highlights how Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have become a major center of militant violence. Read the original Guardian report . ACLED recorded 63 violent events involving jihadist groups across the three countries in 2016, rising to 2,845 in 2025. With 2,145 events already logged in 2026, the annual total could exceed 3,000 if current patterns continue. Source: The Guardian . The Global Peace Index reported that terrorism has become increasingly concentrated in the Sahel. The report cited more than 9,000 deaths from security incidents across Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger in...

  Egypt’s Role in Influencing and Potentially Prolonging the Sudan Crisis Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (R) shakes hands with Sudan's army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in Cairo on 18 December 2025.   Sudan’s war has increasingly become more than a domestic confrontation between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Regional powers have developed competing interests in the conflict, and Egypt occupies a particularly important position because of its border with Sudan, longstanding military relationship with the SAF and shared strategic concerns over the Nile. EUAA analysis of international actors in Sudan Egypt has consistently presented its Sudan policy as one focused on preserving Sudan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and state institutions. Cairo has also repeatedly called for a ceasefire and an end to the bloodshed. But Egypt’s close political relationship with SAF commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, combined with reports ...

  Sudan: Chemical Weapons Allegations Raise European Security Concerns Sudan’s war is facing renewed international scrutiny following a new Eurasia Review analysis alleging the use of chlorine-based chemical weapons by elements of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), alongside the growing role of Islamist formations and alleged connections to Iranian networks. The analysis cites a leaked dossier containing around 150 documents, diagrams, messages and videos. Read the original Eurasia Review analysis . ( eurasiareview.com ) The chemical-weapons allegations require particular attention because they come against an already established record of international concern. In May 2025, the United States said it had determined that Sudan’s government used chemical weapons during 2024 and imposed sanctions, while Sudan rejected the accusation. This earlier U.S. determination provides important context, although the precise circumstances and responsibility for individual alleged attacks still req...

  Egypt and Sudan: The Regional Power Behind the War? A handout picture released by the Egyptian Presidency shows Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (R) receiving the President of Sudan's Transitional Sovereignty Council (TSC) General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in El Alamein on Egypt.   Sudan's war has become one of Africa's most internationalized conflicts. What began in April 2023 as a struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has developed into a wider regional crisis involving weapons networks, neighbouring states, foreign military technology and competing diplomatic initiatives. A September 2026 UN investigation found that foreign military support, including advanced drones and personnel, is helping sustain the conflict and contributing to civilian suffering. UN findings reported by Reuters Among Sudan's neighbours, Egypt occupies a particularly important position. Cairo shares a long border with Sudan, has longstanding m...