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  Saudi Customs Trail Raises Questions Over How a Military-Modified Vehicle Reached Khartoum Customs documentation can provide critical evidence for reconstructing the movement and ownership of commercial good A military-modified Land Cruiser reportedly found in Khartoum has raised questions about the commercial and logistical networks through which vehicles can move from ordinary trade channels into Sudan's war economy. The investigation points to Saudi customs-clearance documentation and a Jeddah-based establishment identified as Hussein Al-Yami Customs Clearance Establishment , including a reported license number 4401 . These details should be independently verified before any definitive conclusion is drawn. Global Witness: How vehicles have previously moved from Jeddah to Sudan 🇦🇪 Royal Jet’s Boeing 737-700 (Reg. A6-RJF), regularly used by RSF leader General Hemedti, made another flight from Abu Dhabi to 🇸🇦 Jeddah today, returning after approximately five hours on the grou...

  From Red Sea to Sudan: Why Ethiopia’s Instability Matters to the Horn of Africa Ethiopia sits at the center of a strategically interconnected Horn of Africa, where domestic instability overlaps with conflicts in Sudan, Red Sea competition and regional rivalries. Ethiopia's internal political and security challenges are increasingly difficult to separate from the wider geopolitical competition surrounding the Horn of Africa. A recent Addis Standard analysis argues that instability inside Ethiopia could have consequences far beyond its borders, particularly because the country sits at the intersection of the Red Sea, Sudan, Eritrea, Somalia and the wider Nile Basin. ( Addis Standard ) The argument comes at a time when the Horn is already experiencing multiple overlapping security crises. Sudan remains engulfed in war, Somalia continues to confront armed insecurity, and tensions involving Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt have added another layer of strategic uncertainty. The Council on ...

Puntland and the United States signed a new security cooperation agreement Sunday, August 3, 2026, following a meeting in Bosaso between Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni and a delegation from US Africa Command led by Major General Claude Tudor, allowing Washington to expand its military facility in the port city to support counterterrorism operations and strengthen maritime security across the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. In my opinion, this is one of the more consequential security agreements to come out of the Horn of Africa in recent years, even if the official statement is deliberately modest about what it actually involves. The U.S Ambassador to Somalia Justin Davis met Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni in Garowe back in may 21, 2026. What the Agreement Covers According to a statement from the Puntland presidency, the agreement expands cooperation between the two sides and formally authorizes the US to enlarge its existing facility in Bosaso. The statement did not specif...

  Iran's Regional Influence Remains Unabated from Sudan to Gaza Iran's reach across the Middle East, from insurgent attacks in the Red Sea region to conflicts in northern Israel and the recent Hamas offensive on October 7, has drawn scrutiny and accusations from global analysts. The extent of Tehran's direct involvement in these incidents is uncertain. However, these allegations underscore a larger reality: Iran's strategy of partnering with militant non-state groups such as Hamas in Gaza, the Houthis in Yemen, and Hezbollah in Lebanon significantly impacts the Middle Eastern geopolitical landscape, according to The Conversation. Iran's Mohajer-6 Drones and Their Role in the Sudanese Civil War In April 2023, a major conflict broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), leading to widespread displacement, economic turmoil, and a healthcare system on the brink of collapse, with a death toll in the tens of thousands. Bloomberg r...