In Sudan, El Fasher is now under RSF control. DW's Sella Oneko and Konan Tipen tracked the exodus of survivors to the camps in Tawila, fifty kilometers to the north, where survivors of the siege narrated their ordeals.

Al Fashir

Survivors from the Sudanese city of Al-Fashir have described severe abuses following the city's capture by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Witnesses recount torture, mass killings, and extortion, with many residents trapped or killed while attempting to flee. Aid agencies and NGOs report that sexual violence has been widespread, with over 1,000 cases recorded in Tawila alone in the past year. 

Local support centers offer limited assistance to survivors, while calls grow for greater psychosocial and medical aid. Humanitarian workers and survivors urge accountability for those responsible for the violence and demand justice for victims.

El Fasher survivors tell of harrowing effort to escape RSF

Mohamed shows us his scars, the results, he says, of torture at the hands of the Rapid Support Forces, or RSF. We can't verify his story, but he says he was beaten, dunked in sewage, and forced into hard labour. We concealed his identity for his own safety. The RSF caught him while he was trying to flee the city of Al-Fasher after it fell in late October. The RSF captured me around midnight. It was east of Chagra town. There was shooting and they killed about 140 people from our group. There were still about 24 to 46 of us. Mohamed was one of thousands of Al-Fasher residents heading for the nearest displaced persons camp in Tawila. But many never made it. Images from Yale University Research Lab show the RSF built sand barriers around the besieged city. People trying to flee were trapped there and massacred. The RSF posted this video showing dead bodies and burning vehicles. Mohamed says he witnessed scenes like this himself. He recounts how the RSF kept him prisoner for a month and interrogated him. Once they determined he was a civilian, they demanded a ransom for his release. We stayed four days in Mina. They tortured us. On the second day, they told us to call our families. They said, we'll give you the phone to call your families. I tried to call my brother, but he didn't pick up. The second day, he picked up and they demanded a ransom from him. They wanted 11 million Sudanese pounds. They tried to negotiate, but in the end, they paid it. That is the equivalent of 3,000 euros. The RSF capture of Al-Fasher involved some of the worst fighting of the Sudan War. The United Nations estimate that more than 100,000 people have fled to places like Tawila. Many of the women who've escaped report sexual violence. The aid agency Doctors Without Borders says it recorded over 1,000 cases of sexual violence in Tawila last year alone. Wissal Ismail is a protection officer with a local NGO supporting survivors. She has heard stories of rape committed by both the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces. She also heard of widespread extortion. There were seven women and ten men at a school in the Kani area. They had their hands behind their backs. They were beaten and tortured. They were asked to pay a large sum of money for ransom. All the women in the school were sexually assaulted by the security forces. The small support centre her organisation runs offers counselling and a space for the women to gather and cook. She wishes she could provide them with more psychosocial and medical support. While many women are too ashamed to report their abuse, some are willing to speak out. This young mother of two remembers how she and a group of women had left the house to buy food for their families. On their way back, they were confronted by the RSF, then beaten and raped. They forced us and threatened us with their weapons. They told us, if you don't open your body to us, we will kill you. They did all of this against our will. Eventually they released her. When she had the chance, she fled the city with her children, but had to leave her husband behind. Ismail wants two things to happen. For the survivors of al-Fashir, she wants support so that they can rebuild their lives. And those responsible for the rape, torture and extortion? She wants to see them held to account and brought to justice.

The U.S. Senate advanced a resolution that would bar President Donald Trump from further military action against Venezuela without congressional authorization, a rare rebuke of the Republican leader.

Washington

Venezuela Strikes

U.S. Senate advances measure curbing Trump's Venezuela war powers

U.S. officials have discussed sending lump sum payments to Greenlanders as part of a bid to convince them to secede from Denmark and potentially join the United States, according to four sources familiar with the matter.

Trump administration mulls paying Greenlanders to join U.S.

Iran’s connectivity drops sharply nationwide – As authorities tighten controls amid growing protests over the economy. NetBlocks says the apparent blackout follows ‘a series of escalating digital censorship measures targeting protests’.

Tehran

Iran experiencing nationwide internet blackout as protests intensify

The Senate on Thursday voted to advance a resolution that could limit President Trump's ability to continue military action in Venezuela without congressional approval. It comes as the president told the New York Times that he could see the U.S. having direct oversight of Venezuela for years.

Caracas

Trump says U.S. could have direct oversight in Venezuela for years

The crew at the International Space Station will return home early because of what NASA is calling a medical concern with a crew member. CBS News space consultant Bill Harwood has more details.

Texas

ISS crew returning due to medical issue for first time in NASA history

President Trump plans to meet with Colombian President Gustavo Petro after Mr. Trump issued threats following the U.S. operation in Venezuela that led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro. CBS News' Lilia Luciano reports from Bogotá.

Trump to meet Colombia’s Petro after tensions over Venezuela operation

The United Kingdom aided the U.S. in an operation to seize a sanctioned oil tanker linked to Venezuela in the North Atlantic. CBS News' Ramy Inocencio reports.

UK helped the U.S. seize an oil tanker linked to Venezuela

U.S. forces on Wednesday seized two oil tankers, one in the North Atlantic and the other in the Caribbean, as part of the Trump administration's blockade of Venezuela's oil exports. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. will take between 30 million and 50 million barrels of oil and sell it in the marketplace.

U.S. to control money from Venezuela oil sales after tanker seizures

Nick Reiner was set to be arraigned on murder charges on Wednesday in the killing of his parents Rob and Michele Reiner. But his defense attorney, Alan Jackson, told the judge he could no longer represent the 32-year-old. After the hearing, Jackson said he couldn't say why he withdrew for legal reasons, but added, "Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder."

Los Angeles

Nick Reiner's lawyer withdraws from case, says Reiner 'is not guilty'

NASA is considering a rare early return of its crew from the International Space Station over an unspecified medical issue involving one of the astronauts, after canceling a planned spacewalk that had been scheduled for Thursday (January 8), the agency said.

NASA mulls early ISS crew return due to astronaut medical issue

Washington says it has intercepted two Venezuela-linked oil tankers in the Atlantic as part of President Trump’s hardline effort to control oil movements across the Americas, claiming the vessels were part of a so-called shadow fleet used to ship sanctioned crude from Venezuela and Iran.

UK helped U.S. military to seize sentenced oil tanker on way to Russia

Minneapolis erupts in protests after a woman is shot by a federal agent – Video of the incident sparks outrage nationwide.

Minneapolis

ICE shoots woman: Incident sparks protests across the U.S.

President Masoud Pezeshkian has urged security forces to show restraint, distinguishing peaceful protesters from armed rioters. However, rights group Iran Human Rights says at least 27 protesters have been killed, while Iranian media report 15 deaths, including members of the security forces.

Iran police officer killed as cost-of-living protests enter 12th day

The decision comes as Trump approaches the first anniversary of his second term. Since returning to office, he has already moved to exit the World Health Organization, the Paris climate agreement, and UNESCO, while cutting funding to several UN bodies.

Trump orders U.S. withdrawal from 66 international organisations

Iran's army chief threatened pre-emptive military action on Wednesday over the "rhetoric" targeting the country, thought to be in reference to threats made by US President Donald Trump last week, warning that if Tehran "violently kills peaceful protesters," Washington would "come to their rescue."

Iran army chief threatens pre-emptive attack after Trump threats

U.S. forces have boarded a Venezuela-linked sanctioned oil tanker in the North Atlantic after pursuing it for weeks. The U.S. military also announced the seizure of a sanctioned tanker ship in the Caribbean Sea, the second vessel taken by American forces on Wednesday.

U.S. seizes two more sanctioned oil tankers with links to Venezuela

A woman was fatally shot by an ICE officer Wednesday morning in Minneapolis, the Department of Homeland Security says. CBS News' Nicole Sganga reports from the scene.

Protesters gather after ICE shoots and kills woman in Minneapolis

The U.S. seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker that was being shadowed by a Russian submarine on Wednesday (Jan. 7), after a more than two-week-long pursuit across the Atlantic as part of a U.S. "blockade" of Venezuelan oil exports.

U.S. seizes Venezuela-linked oil tanker after weeks-long pursuit

Nick Reiner, the son of Rob and Michele Reiner, is set to be arraigned in the killing of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner. It comes as details emerge about his time in custody and how his mental health history could play a role in his case.

Nick Reiner due in court on murder charges

Flights across France and Belgium and Eurostar train services have been severely disrupted by the winter weather.

Paris

Eurostar trains and hundreds of flights cancelled amid heavy snowfall

President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday urged security forces to distinguish between what he called rioters and protesters, urging them not to target peaceful demonstrators.

Iran's President urges security forces not to target protesters

In Iran, protests that broke out on December 28th over the soaring cost of living look set to continue. Security forces fired tear gas at demonstrators in Tehran's Grand Bazaar on January 6: without giving numbers, Iran's IRNA news agency said 'some' people were arrested.

Death toll rises as Iran's security forces clash with protesters

Members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are reacting to the Trump administration's comments on a potential Greenland takeover from Denmark.

Nuuk

European leaders blast Trump over Greenland takeover discussions

Donald Trump says Venezuela will hand over as much as 50 million barrels of oil and he will control the profits.

Trump says Venezuela will turn over 30-50 million barrels of oil

Britain and France have said they could send troops to Ukraine if a ceasefire is agreed. The pledge came at a Paris meeting of 30 nations, including the US, on security guarantees demanded by Kyiv before any peace deal.

London

Ukraine Invasion

UK, France ready to deploy troops in Ukraine after ceasefire

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said he would “take up arms” in the face of threats issued by US President Donald Trump.

Bogotá

Colombia vows to defend its sovereignty amid Trump’s military threats

Israeli forces storm Birzeit University in the occupied West Bank soon after students begin a sit-in in solidarity with jailed Palestinians.

Jerusalem

Middle East Conflict

Israeli school assault wounds dozens of Palestinians in West Bank raid

The White House says U.S. President Donald Trump and his team are considering a range of options in efforts to acquire Greenland as the ouster of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro continues to reverberate in the Western Hemisphere.

Trump sees acquiring Greenland as a national security priority

The United States for the first time backed a broad coalition of Ukraine's allies in vowing to provide security guarantees that leaders said would include binding commitments to support the country if it is attacked by Russia again.

U.S. backs security guarantees for Ukraine at summit of Kyiv's allies

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed deep concern over recent U.S. military action in Venezuela, calling for the immediate release of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.

Breakdown