United News of Bangladesh

Congo's latest Ebola outbreak has claimed 600 lives, while health authorities are investigating two suspected cases in a province that had not previously reported infections, according to the government's latest update. A report released late Wednesday said the two suspected cases were detected in Kisangani, in Tshopo province, marking the first possible spread of the outbreak to the area. The total number of confirmed Ebola cases across the country has now risen to 1,759. Health officials said one of the suspected patients had links to the Nia-Nia health zone in Ituri province, where the outbreak first began. The second suspected case has no known connection to any previously affected area, prompting further investigation. Congolese authorities officially declared the latest Ebola outbreak on May 15 after the virus had spread undetected for several weeks, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The current outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment. Last week, researchers launched clinical trials to test potential treatments in hopes of finding an effective way to combat the virus. Efforts to control the outbreak have been complicated by a shortage of funding, attacks on healthcare facilities and the continuing conflict in eastern Congo, where most cases have been reported.

At least 14 people were killed and 28 others injured after a passenger bus collided head-on with a truck in a remote area of northern Uganda, police said on Wednesday. The accident occurred late Tuesday at a trading centre along the highway leading to the northern city of Gulu, according to a police statement. Preliminary investigations indicate that the bus driver, who was allegedly speeding, lost control of the vehicle while trying to avoid a pedestrian crossing the road. The bus then crashed into an oncoming trailer, police said. The injured were taken to nearby medical facilities for treatment, while authorities launched an investigation into the crash. Deadly road accidents are frequent in Uganda and other East African countries, where highways are often narrow and poorly maintained. Police regularly attribute such crashes to excessive speeding and reckless driving.

Drone strikes targeting civilian vehicles in war-ravaged Sudan have killed more than 20 people in recent days, rights groups said, highlighting the growing use of unmanned aircraft in the country's more than three-year conflict. The Sudan Doctors Network said a drone strike on Tuesday hit a vehicle on the outskirts of Omdurman, west of the capital Khartoum, killing 10 civilians who were travelling to a wedding. The victims included five women from the same family. The medical group blamed the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for what it described as a deliberate attack carried out with a guided drone. It urged the international community to pressure the RSF to halt attacks on civilians. In a separate incident the same day, Emergency Lawyers, a rights group monitoring the conflict, said a drone strike hit a transport vehicle near a water facility in North Kordofan province, killing two people. The group also reported that another drone attack a day earlier killed 13 civilians, including five women, as they travelled to a wedding in the town of al-Shaatout in North Kordofan. Emergency Lawyers said the attacks reflect an increasing pattern of drone strikes targeting civilians, with drones reportedly monitoring residents' movements across northern parts of the province. North Kordofan has witnessed intensified fighting in recent weeks amid concerns that the RSF is attempting to advance toward the strategic city of el-Obeid, where the Sudanese army maintains a major military base. According to the United Nations, repeated drone attacks have damaged civilian infrastructure, including power facilities, residential neighborhoods, bridges and key supply routes. Sudan has been engulfed in conflict since April 2023, when fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF following months of escalating tensions. The war has killed at least 59,000 people, displaced about 13 million and pushed large parts of the country into famine, while more than 30 million people now require humanitarian assistance, according to humanitarian agencies.

At least 18 people have been killed in days of violence linked to a long-running land dispute in Nigeria's north-central Niger State, police said on Thursday. The clashes occurred between Monday and Wednesday in the Rafi area and involved gun attacks as well as incidents of arson, according to police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun. Police said the violence began on Monday when two people were killed. The situation escalated on Wednesday, when 15 people were burned to death after attackers set a house on fire, while another person was killed in a separate incident. Authorities said the unrest stemmed from a longstanding land dispute between two tribal communities. Abiodun said a reconciliation committee led by local government officials was working with security agencies to defuse the tensions, while joint police and military patrols had been deployed to restore law and order in the affected area. Communal violence over land ownership and access to resources is a recurring problem in parts of Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation. Niger State has also witnessed frequent attacks by armed criminal groups involved in kidnappings for ransom and extortion targeting rural farming communities. The latest violence comes only days after the reported abduction of 36 students in northeastern Nigeria.

Burkina Faso's military-led government on Friday announced the immediate severance of diplomatic relations with France, accusing its former colonial ruler of pursuing "neo-colonial ambitions" and supporting destabilising activities. In a statement, the junta alleged that France had provided backing to "subversive networks and terrorists," though it did not provide evidence to support the claims. France expressed regret over the decision, describing it as "hostile and unfounded." French Foreign Ministry spokesman Pascal Confavreux said Paris was reviewing reciprocal measures and closely monitoring the safety of French officials and citizens in Burkina Faso. "The decision reflects the worrying direction taken by the Burkinabè authorities," he said, urging French nationals in the country to exercise increased caution. Burkina Faso, a nation of around 23 million people, has been grappling with years of violence linked to extremist groups affiliated with al-Qaida and the Islamic State, as well as accusations of abuses by government forces. The wider Sahel region has become the world's deadliest hotspot for extremist violence. The immediate implications of the diplomatic break and its impact on the French embassy in Ouagadougou remain unclear. Communications Minister Pingdwende Gilbert Ouedraogo said the conditions necessary for maintaining relations based on mutual respect, trust and non-interference in domestic affairs no longer existed. Relations between the two countries have steadily deteriorated in recent years. Since coming to power in a 2022 coup, Burkina Faso's military rulers have repeatedly accused France of acting against the country's interests. In 2023, the junta requested the recall of the French ambassador and declared the United Nations' resident and humanitarian coordinator persona non grata. The following year, three French diplomats were expelled over alleged subversive activities. France had long been Burkina Faso's main security partner and deployed troops to help combat extremist groups, but the military government ordered the withdrawal of French forces after taking power. Despite pledges by the junta to improve security, analysts say violence has worsened. According to a recent Human Rights Watch report, government forces were allegedly responsible for at least 1,200 of the 1,837 civilian deaths recorded in the country between January 2023 and August 2025.

At least 15 people were killed and dozens injured after Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched overnight drone strikes in the central city of el-Obeid, health officials said on Thursday, amid an escalation in the use of unmanned aircraft in the country’s protracted conflict. The attacks, which began late Wednesday, targeted several locations across el-Obeid, including areas near an army position, according to officials at el-Obeid Hospital. More than 10 others were injured, some of them critically. Mohamed Elsheikh, spokesperson for the Sudan Doctors Network, said RSF drones also struck a funeral gathering at a cemetery, killing four people, and hit a gas station. It was not immediately clear whether the victims were civilians, combatants or both. An aid worker with Mercy Corps said drone attacks have intensified across el-Obeid in recent days, targeting public gatherings and disrupting daily life. Schools have suspended classes and markets are operating only partially due to security concerns, the aid worker said. Emergency Lawyers, a local monitoring group, warned that the death toll could rise as drones continued flying over the city. The group said residential homes near the military headquarters of the 5th Infantry Division were hit, along with a truck carrying food supplies into the city. The truck driver was killed in the attack. The group described the strikes as part of a broader pattern of attacks on civilian neighbourhoods, gatherings and infrastructure, including during rescue efforts and funeral ceremonies, raising concerns about their indiscriminate nature. Sudan’s conflict erupted in April 2023 following a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF. The war has since killed at least 59,000 people, displaced around 13 million and pushed large parts of the country into famine, with more than 30 million people requiring humanitarian assistance. Now in its fourth year, the conflict has left the military in control of much of northern, eastern and central Sudan, while the RSF and allied groups dominate most of Darfur and parts of Kordofan, regions rich in oil and gold resources. Analysts and humanitarian workers say drone warfare has emerged as one of the deadliest threats to civilians in Sudan, with both sides reportedly receiving military support from regional and international actors. A recent surge in drone attacks in Kordofan has also complicated humanitarian relief efforts in the area.

The Nigerian army has rescued 360 people abducted by Boko Haram during an operation in Borno State in the country’s northeast, military authorities said on Sunday. According to an army statement, the operation was carried out in the Mandara Mountains, a known stronghold of the militant group in southern Borno. The mission led to the rescue of hundreds of captives, including children, who had been abducted from different communities across the state. Army spokesperson Haruna Sani said two infants died from exhaustion during the rescue operation due to the difficult mountainous terrain and the hardships they endured during their prolonged captivity. “The remaining rescued abductees were successfully evacuated to safe locations for medical care and humanitarian support, marking a major operational success and a significant setback for the terrorist group,” Sani said. Nigeria continues to face a complex security crisis, particularly in its northern regions, where a long-running insurgency, widespread kidnappings for ransom and illegal mining activities have intensified security concerns. Among the most active armed groups are Boko Haram and its splinter faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which is affiliated with the Islamic State group. Last month, Nigerian authorities said a joint operation with the United States killed 175 ISWAP fighters. The insurgency in northeastern Nigeria has killed thousands of people and displaced millions, according to the United Nations. Security analysts have repeatedly criticized the government’s response, saying stronger measures are needed to protect civilians despite President Bola Tinubu’s pledges to tackle the crisis.

Somali security forces, backed by international partners, have killed 29 al-Shabaab militants including a senior commander during a joint operation in the Middle Shabelle and Hiran regions of central Somalia, officials said. The National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) confirmed in a statement issued on Tuesday that the allied forces had launched two separate, coordinated raids after intelligence reports revealed that dozens of group members were gathering to organize terrorist activities across the region. "The forces killed 23 al-Shabaab militants near Masjid Ali Gudud in Middle Shabelle in the first operation, and they later killed five and a commander at Buq Aqable in the Hiran region," NISA said.

At least 16 students were killed after a fire tore through a girls’ school dormitory in Kenya, authorities said, while several others sustained injuries and were taken to hospitals for treatment. A relative of one of the students, Wambui Nderitu, said she rushed to the scene to look for her cousin after hearing about the blaze. According to her, one of the dormitory’s two doors was opened by the matron, but students were allegedly not alerted to evacuate immediately. “The other door reportedly remained locked. My cousin managed to escape with a leg injury, but we were told many students were hurt and some lost their lives,” she said. The Kenya Red Cross said several students were rescued and transferred to different hospitals for medical care. The organisation also deployed tracing and psychosocial support teams to assist affected students and their families. Kenya has witnessed several deadly school fires over the years. In 2001, 67 students were killed in a dormitory fire in Machakos County, marking one of the country’s worst school fire tragedies. More recently, 21 students died in a school fire in central Kenya in 2024, prompting President William Ruto to declare three days of national mourning. In another incident in 2017, 10 students were killed in a school fire in Nairobi, after which a student was charged with murder.

Ugandan health authorities on Monday confirmed two new Ebola infections, raising the total number of cases in the country to seven. Officials said all the infections are linked to the Ebola outbreak in neighboring Congo, which is believed to have begun days or even weeks before Congolese authorities officially announced it on May 15. The outbreak in Uganda was traced back to a 59-year-old Congolese man who was admitted to a hospital in Kampala on May 11. He died three days later before doctors confirmed he had Ebola. Later, two other Congolese nationals who sought treatment in Uganda also tested positive for the virus. On Saturday, Ugandan authorities confirmed the first locally transmitted cases involving a driver and a health worker who had contact with the Congolese patient who died earlier this month. The Ministry of Health said Monday that two additional health workers at a private hospital in Kampala have also tested positive. Meanwhile, health authorities in Congo said suspected Ebola infections have exceeded 900, mostly in the eastern Ituri province where the current outbreak is concentrated. Efforts to contain the disease have faced major challenges, including fear, public anger and attacks on treatment centers. Distrust of authorities remains high in the violence-hit region, which has long suffered from armed conflict. The current outbreak has been declared a global health emergency. Health experts say there is no approved vaccine or treatment yet for the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus responsible for the outbreak.