Good morning! It’s Wednesday, January 8, 2025, and we’re here with your daily dose of updates on defense and global affairs. Let’s dive into today’s top stories.
US Declares Sudan’s RSF Committed Genocide, Sanctions Leader
The United States has officially determined that Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) committed genocide, announcing on Tuesday sanctions against RSF leader Mohammad Hamdan Daglo, also known as Hemedti.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken cited evidence of systematic killings and mass rapes targeting specific ethnic groups, calling the atrocities a clear violation of human rights.
Hemedti and his family are now barred from entering the US, with additional sanctions targeting RSF-linked companies involved in arms procurement.
The designation is a rare move, marking only the ninth time the US has formally recognized genocide since the Holocaust.
Sudan has been engulfed in chaos since a brutal conflict erupted in April 2023 between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces.
The war has displaced over eight million people, killed tens of thousands, and left more than 30 million in need of humanitarian aid, according to the United Nations.
The US Treasury echoed Blinken’s remarks, accusing the RSF of widespread war crimes in regions like Darfur and Gezira, with Hemedti bearing full responsibility as the group’s commander.
The Biden administration reiterated calls for an end to the conflict, vowing to hold those responsible for Sudan’s humanitarian crisis accountable.
German Chancellor Rejects Massive Defense Budget Hike
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz rejected Tuesday a proposal to nearly double the country’s defense budget to 3.5% of gross domestic product (GDP), calling it a “half-baked” idea that doesn’t explain where the funding will come from.
The proposal, championed by Green Party leader Robert Habeck ahead of February’s snap elections, aims to bolster defense spending to deter Russia, but Scholz remains cautious, emphasizing fiscal responsibility.
“Who will pay the bill? The citizens?” Scholz told the Stern weekly.
Scholz, who has positioned himself as a voice of moderation, acknowledged the need for “massive” defense investments but avoided committing to specific figures.
While Germany met NATO’s 2% GDP defense target last year for the first time in decades, Scholz stressed that voter concerns over escalating the Ukraine conflict must also be considered.
NATO, meanwhile, is urging members to increase defense spending, with Secretary General Mark Rutte suggesting a higher benchmark could be agreed upon to counter Russian threats.
Scholz’s balanced approach reflects his campaign strategy to appeal to both pro-defense voters and those wary of economic strain.
Pakistan Forces Kill 19 Militants in Deadly Border Clashes
Pakistan’s military reported fierce clashes in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Tuesday, leaving three soldiers and 19 militants dead.
The firefights occurred at three separate locations near the Afghan border, an area that has seen a spike in violence since the Taliban’s takeover in Afghanistan.
The Pakistani Taliban (TTP), the region’s most active militant group, frequently targets security forces, and Islamabad accuses Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government of harboring militants who stage cross-border attacks—an allegation Kabul denies.
The violence highlights a troubling trend, with attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan surging in recent months.
In 2024 alone, Pakistan’s military says it has lost 383 soldiers while killing 925 militants in ongoing operations.
Haiti’s Gang Violence Claims 5,600 Lives: UN Reports
Haiti’s gang violence hit staggering new highs in 2024, leaving over 5,600 people dead—a thousand more than the year before—and thousands injured or kidnapped, according to the UN on Tuesday.
Most of Port-au-Prince is under gang control, with the Wharf Jeremie gang responsible for a December massacre that killed over 200 people, many of them older individuals accused of voodoo.
Victims faced horrific deaths, including being dismembered or burned.
Despite international efforts, including a Kenyan-led mission backed by the US and UN, the violence continues unchecked.
The UN reported 315 lynchings of suspected gang members—some facilitated by police—and over 280 alleged summary executions by specialized police units.
UN rights chief Volker Turk called for urgent action to restore the rule of law, hold corrupt officers accountable, and fully implement arms embargoes and sanctions.
Turk also condemned the flow of weapons into Haiti, which fuels the gangs and causes widespread destruction, displacing hundreds of thousands. He criticized ongoing deportations to Haiti, stressing that the country’s acute insecurity makes safe returns impossible.
Ukraine Hits Russian Command Post in Kursk Region Strike
Ukraine confirmed Tuesday that it struck a Russian military command post in Russia’s Kursk region during combat operations but later walked back an earlier claim of launching a new offensive there.
The strike, described as “high precision,” targeted an area near the village of Belaya, though Kyiv didn’t specify if Western long-range weapons were used.
Reports from pro-Kremlin sources suggested Ukraine was ramping up attacks in Kursk, but Kyiv remained vague, simply stating that its forces are maintaining a buffer zone on Russian soil and actively targeting Russian military assets.
This operation follows a surprise Ukrainian incursion into the Kursk region last August, which Russia repelled with the help of North Korean soldiers.
Kyiv’s actions come as US President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office, promising to begin peace talks, with Ukraine’s presence in Kursk likely to play a role in any future negotiations.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted that Ukraine’s position in Kursk would factor into diplomatic discussions.
Biden Prepares Final Ukraine Weapons Deal Ahead of Trump Transition
The Biden administration is gearing up to announce one final, massive weapons aid package for Ukraine during Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s visit to Germany this Thursday.
While officials haven’t shared the exact dollar amount, it’s expected to be substantial, although not the full $4 billion remaining in congressionally approved funds.
The goal is to deliver most of the promised aid before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20.
Ukraine, currently launching a second offensive in Russia’s Kursk region, faces heavy missile attacks and Russian advances as both sides aim to strengthen their positions ahead of potential negotiations under the new administration.
Austin’s meeting at Ramstein Air Base marks his last with a coalition of 50 nations that have collectively provided over $126 billion in military aid to Ukraine since the invasion in early 2022, with the US contributing $66 billion of that total.
This final package will draw from US stockpiles and follows a $1.25 billion aid announcement on December 30, ensuring Ukraine is as prepared as possible before the incoming Trump administration takes charge.
Trump Considers Bold National Security Plans for Greenland, Panama
In a press conference two weeks before taking office, President-elect Donald Trump suggested he wouldn’t rule out military action to secure control over the Panama Canal and Greenland, calling both essential to US national security.
Trump’s comments challenge decades of US policy prioritizing territorial self-determination, with critics like Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen emphasizing the need for respect in any discussions about Greenland.
Greenland, home to a key US military base, is an autonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, while Panama has controlled its strategic canal since 1999.
Panama’s Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha dismissed Trump’s suggestion, calling the canal’s sovereignty “non-negotiable.”
Trump has also floated Canada as America’s 51st state, though he emphasized economic rather than military measures for that goal.
Canadian leaders fired back, with outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calling the idea “absurd.”
Trump further proposed increasing NATO defense spending to 5% of GDP and renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.”
He also criticized President Biden’s last-minute ban on offshore drilling, pledging to reverse it upon taking office, and railed against former special counsel Jack Smith’s investigations into his past actions.
Promising a “Golden Age of America,” Trump’s bold rhetoric sets the stage for contentious debates as his administration begins.
Sources: News Agencies
