The announcement was made by a newly-appointed spokesperson, who assumed the same nom de guerre, Abu Obeida, during a televised press conference.
The new spokesperson, wearing the uniform associated with the title, confirmed that Abu Obeida, whose real name was Hudhaifa Samir Al-Kahlout and also known as Abu Ibrahim, had died.
He said Abu Obeida “remained connected to his people during the darkest circumstances” and confirmed that several other senior leaders were also killed, including former Hamas military leader Mohammed Sinwar.
In 2005, Abu Obeida was appointed the military group’s official spokesperson.
He became widely known after announcing the capture of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2006 and later gained prominence during Israeli military offensives on Gaza, particularly in 2014.
Abu Obeida delivered his last recorded statement on July 18, and was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Gaza on Aug. 30, according to sources within Hamas.
On Aug. 31, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that the spokesman of Hamas’s armed wing, Abu Obeida, had been killed in a strike in the Gaza Strip.
This meeting was part of his official visit to Brazzaville, which included a series of other engagements.
“Amb. Bazivamo, after conveying the greetings of the Chairman of the RPF Inkotanyi, His Excellency President Paul Kagame, who wished them good health and prosperity in their endeavors, presented Rwanda’s national development agenda. He also took the opportunity to remind them that, as Rwandans, they should actively contribute to these efforts,” reads a statement from RPF Inkotanyi shared on X account.
Amb. Bazivamo reminded the Rwandans that Rwanda, their homeland, fully supports them in their development endeavors and that the country stands ready to assist them in every possible way.
He also encouraged the Rwandan community to uphold core Rwandan values, particularly the principles of unity, collaboration, and integrity.
Amb. Bazivamo also extended his heartfelt wishes for a happy and prosperous New Year in 2026 to all those present.
Amb. Bazivamo is currently in Congo, where he was invited to attend the sixth congress of the ruling political party, Parti Congolais du Travail (PCT).
He noted with satisfaction the similarities in inclusive governance and the pro – people centeredness between RPF Inkotanyi and PCT and renewed the party’s commitment to advance bilateral cooperation with PCT and through the two political formations, bilateral relations between Rwanda and the Republic of Congo.
The two countries have long enjoyed diplomatic and political relations. Rwanda opened its embassy in Congo-Brazzaville in August 2016.
In 2011, Rwanda and Congo-Brazzaville signed several agreements in key sectors such as aviation, tourism, energy, security, justice, environmental protection and fisheries.
In 2023, President Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo-Brazzaville visited Rwanda, significantly boosting bilateral relations between the two countries.
The visit occurred a few hours after Congo-Brazzaville had granted Rwandans visa-free access. This visit also resulted in the signing of eight additional cooperation agreements, bringing the total number of agreements between the two nations to 33, following the signing of 25 agreements during President Kagame’s visit to Congo-Brazzaville in April 2022.
According to Reuters, the exercises involve the deployment of warships, fighter jets, artillery, and other military assets, simulating attacks on maritime and land-based targets, as well as military blockades and encirclement tactics near Taiwan’s major ports.
These drills are seen as part of China’s continued efforts to assert its sovereignty over Taiwan, which it considers a breakaway province.
This latest round of military exercises follows increased U.S. support for Taiwan, highlighted by an $11.1 billion arms sale approved by Washington in recent weeks. This sale, the largest of its kind, has exacerbated the already tense situation, prompting Beijing to express its strong disapproval through military action.
China has framed the exercises as a warning against any form of “Taiwan independence” and external interference in its domestic affairs. The PLA’s exercises focus on simulated strikes and a show of force, meant to underscore China’s capability and readiness to take action if necessary.
Taiwan, in response, condemned the military drills as an act of military intimidation designed to undermine peace and stability in the region.
Taiwanese defense officials reported detecting a significant number of Chinese aircraft and naval vessels near the island, which prompted Taiwan’s military to raise its alert levels and conduct its own rapid-response exercises.
Additionally, Taiwan highlighted its military readiness with footage of U.S.-supplied systems, such as the HIMARS rocket artillery, as a testament to its ability to defend itself against external threats.
Despite these escalatory moves, Taiwan’s financial markets have remained relatively stable, with investors continuing to show confidence amid growing geopolitical pressure.
China’s longstanding policy on Taiwan remains one of reunification, with Beijing.
In a speech broadcast by the Houthi-run Al-Masirah television channel, al-Houthi stated that his forces consider “any Israeli presence in the Somaliland region a military target,” “aggression against Somalia and Yemen, and a threat to the security of the region.”
He added that the group would take “all possible supportive measures to stand with the brotherly Somali people.”
Al-Houthi, whose movement controls large parts of northern Yemen, indicated that Israel aims to “make Somaliland a foothold for hostile activities against Somalia, African countries, Yemen, and other Arab countries,” a move he said would destabilize an already fragile region.
He also called for a “firm and serious” Arab and Islamic stance in support of Somalia and its people, urging collective action to counter what he characterized as Israeli expansionism.
Meanwhile, several Arab and Muslim countries issued a joint statement on Saturday condemning Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, and reaffirmed their support for Somalia’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
On the evening of December 27, 2025, the state broadcaster RTNC featured Major General Sylvain Ekenge in a segment ostensibly providing updates on security in eastern DRC, particularly South Kivu amid ongoing conflict.
While the primary focus was on military developments, the discussion largely shifted to attacks on Rwandans and Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese, especially Tutsis, whom Ekenge accused of deception.
He warned viewers to be cautious about marrying Tutsi women, alleging that traditional leaders facilitate such unions only for the woman’s relatives, such as cousins or uncles, to later intervene.
Ekenge claimed these relatives father children with the wife, attributing the offspring to supposed genetic dominance in the Tutsi community, and described the practice as a scam to infiltrate marriages.
Minister Nduhungirehe noted that this came after the DRC government had cooperated with the FDLR terrorist group in attacks on Banyamulenge in Minembwe and hosted Jean-Claude Mubenga in Kinshasa, where the latter allegedly called Tutsis “cockroaches” and a virus that must be eradicated.
He added that General Ekenge was now endorsing Gitera’s document.
“The spokesperson of the Congolese army now, FARDC, is adopting on national television RTNC the first of the ‘Ten Commandments of the Hutu’ [1990] from the extremist Rwandan newspaper Kangura,” he said.
Gitera founded the Association for the Social Promotion of the Masses (APROSOMA), which fostered division and hatred among Rwandans. He issued the set of ten commandments during a party meeting in Ngoma, Butare, on September 27, 1959.
The first prohibited Hutus from trusting Tutsis, while subsequent ones forbade praising them, forming relationships with them, among others designed to divide Rwandans.
These ideas were later republished and expanded in Kangura, a magazine that promoted genocidal ideology, in its December 1990 edition.
Minister Nduhungirehe observed that General Ekenge appeared to be drawing from material by intellectuals such as Professor Filip Reyntjens , as the term “intelligence” (often used by the Belgian academic to describe Tutsis) was a focus of the military officer’s remarks.
“This Congolese general does not stop there and even goes as far as repeating colonial theories that laid the foundation for the ‘ethnic’ division and the Genocide against the Tutsi, specifically the idea that the Tutsi are ‘Nilotics’ who conquered Rwanda and oppressed the Hutu, even appropriating ‘their Bantu language’’ Kinyarwanda,” Nduhungirehe said.
The minister concluded by warning that, even if President Félix Tshisekedi dismisses General Ekenge due to embarrassment or Western advice, the Congolese Tutsi community would still suffer the consequences of his words unless the international community responds decisively.
“I don’t have deadlines. You know what my deadline is? Getting the war ended,” Trump told reporters at the start of his meeting with visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.
Asked whether their Sunday talks will lead to a peace deal, Trump said: “It depends — I do believe we have the makings of a deal,” noting that the Ukraine crisis has proved difficult to solve.
Zelensky said his talks with Trump will focus on the latest draft of a 20-point peace plan and the sequencing of a settlement.
“It’s very important our teams talk about strategy — how to make step-by-step, and to bring peace closer,” Zelensky said.
Ahead of the meeting with Zelensky, Trump said on Truth Social that he “had a good and very productive telephone call” with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
During the phone call, Trump and Putin agreed that a temporary ceasefire would only prolong the Ukraine crisis, Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov said.
The two presidents “hold broadly similar views that the temporary ceasefire proposed by the Ukrainians and Europeans, under the pretext of preparing for a referendum or other pretexts, will only prolong the conflict and risk a resumption of hostilities,” Ushakov said.
During the Florida talks, Trump and Zelensky are expected to discuss possible ceasefire arrangements, a proposed demilitarized zone, the management of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, territorial control of the Donbas region, and security guarantees following the end of the crisis.
On December 22, 2025, DRC President Félix Tshisekedi Tshilombo hosted two Congolese expatriates from the United States, Jean-Claude Mubenga and Kalonji Kabamba wa Mulumba.
The DRC government claims that Tshisekedi, Mubenga, and Kalonji discussed Congolese unity and the country’s sovereignty and independence.
However, individuals familiar with the actions of these men on social media argue that the meeting was intended to further support their controversial views.
The following day, Mubenga posted inflammatory comments online, referring to Tutsis as “inyenzi” (cockroaches) and asserting that the DRC’s land does not belong to them.
He described them as a virus that must be eradicated before it spreads, likening them to cockroaches that should be killed immediately to prevent multiplication.
Mubenga, known for his repeated expressions of animosity toward the Tutsi community, urged Congolese citizens to target anyone speaking Kinyarwanda for elimination and praised Wazalendo militias for doing so.
He further encouraged youth to join efforts to eradicate the group entirely.This is not the first instance of apparent government endorsement.
In late September 2025, Government Spokesperson Patrick Muyaya met Mubenga and Kalonji in New York during a YouTube-broadcast discussion.
Muyaya expressed appreciation for Congolese individuals engaged in what he called a “media war” for patriotism, specifically commending Mubenga for his campaigning efforts.Similar patterns extend to other figures aligned with the administration.
Deputy Justin Bitakwira, a longtime advocate for the extermination of all Tutsis and a member of the ruling Union Sacrée alliance, oversees Wazalendo activities in South Kivu.
Despite EU sanctions imposed on him in December 2022 for inciting violence against the Banyamulenge (Congolese Tutsis), the DRC government has taken no action against him.
More recently, on the evening of December 27, 2025, state broadcaster RTNC featured Major General Sylvain Ekenge, spokesperson for the DRC armed forces, in a segment ostensibly updating viewers on security in eastern DRC, particularly South Kivu amid ongoing conflict.
While the primary focus was military developments, much of the discussion veered into attacks on Rwandans and Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese, especially Tutsis, whom Ekenge accused of deception.
He warned viewers to exercise caution in marrying Tutsi women, alleging that traditional leaders facilitate such unions only for relatives from the woman’s family, such as cousins or uncles, to later intervene.
Ekenge claimed these relatives father children with the wife, attributing the offspring to supposed genetic dominance within the Tutsi community, and labeled the practice a scam infiltrating marriages.
The DRC government maintains that no ethnic group is targeted and dismisses claims of persecution against Congolese Tutsis as fabrications.
Yet, statements from officials like General Ekenge and the associations with figures such as Mubenga and Bitakwira lend credence to widespread concerns about institutionalized hostility toward the Tutsi community.
According to a news release from the prime minister’s official website, the commitment of 2.5 billion Canadian dollars (1.83 billion U.S. dollars) for Ukraine includes financing that will enable the International Monetary Fund to lend to Ukraine, as well as other debt service suspension and loan guarantee programs.
Carney and Zelensky held a bilateral meeting in the Canadian city of Halifax to discuss the latest developments in ongoing peace talks.
Carney affirmed Canada’s full support for Ukraine. They also participated in a call with European leaders to advance joint efforts for Ukraine’s security and recovery, added the release.
“Canada has committed new support to Ukraine, not only to help end this war, but also to help the Ukrainian people recover and rebuild,” said Carney.
Zelensky on Saturday stopped over in the Canadian city before flying to Florida to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump for talks aimed at ending the Ukraine crisis.
According to local media, Zelensky is set to discuss a 20-point peace plan with Trump, likely at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday.
In a statement, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) General Command said it had followed “the targeting of the Al-Tina garrison inside sisterly Chad by a drone belonging to the militia,” expressing condolences to the Chadian leadership, people, and the victims’ families.
The statement stressed that the Al-Tina area inside Sudan is “under full control of the SAF,” with civil and security institutions operating regularly, adding that “no hostile activity toward neighboring countries has been recorded from this area.”
It added that the RSF “has repeatedly used drones to carry out cross-border hostile acts,” which it described as an attempt to create tensions between Sudan and neighboring states.
Two Chadian soldiers were killed and another seriously injured in a drone attack that targeted a military camp near the border with Sudan on Friday morning.
The Chadian army condemned the attack on Saturday, denouncing it as an “unjustified and deliberate” aggression that violated international law and Chad’s sovereignty. While it did not attribute responsibility, the statement warned Sudanese warring parties against repeating such violations, asserting that Chad reserves “the right to respond.”
No comment has been made by the RSF regarding the attack.
Sudan has been engulfed in a deadly conflict since April 15, 2023, when fighting broke out between the SAF and the RSF, leaving tens of thousands killed and millions displaced within the country and across its borders.
Inaugurated on December 27, 2025, in Gisenyi sector, the modern facility cost 5.7 billion Rwandan Francs.
Work on the market started in 2011 but was stalled for nine years due to various setbacks. In 2021, the project was transferred to private investors under Rubavu Investment Company Ltd (RICO Ltd), who partnered with Rubavu District to finish the construction.
The four-level structure offers 2,500 square meters of space per floor, not including the roof and basement.
Minister of Trade and Industry Prudence Sebahizi emphasized the need for even more ambitious projects to align with Rwanda’s Vision 2050.
“This market was conceived 15 years ago. I am confident that in the next three years, you will build others far larger, perhaps 15 times the scale. It was designed with a 2020 vision in mind, but today we are focused on 205,” he noted.
“Under the second National Strategy for Transformation [NST2], there are plans to boost private sector investment, and the enthusiasm shown by the community has been remarkable. This is one of the most warmly embraced initiatives by its beneficiaries that I have witnessed. Alongside tourism, the trade sector in this area now needs at least three five-star hotels,” the minister added.
He encouraged investors to build on the success: “You have impressive projects underway. When people unite, extraordinary results follow. Like RICO Ltd, expand your investments and take them beyond Rubavu. This market demonstrates the demand for high-value developments.”
Jeanne Françoise Mubiligi, Chairperson of Rwanda’s Private Sector Federation (PSF), commended the investors and developers for their role in bringing the project to fruition.
Rubavu District Mayor Prosper Mulindwa called the opening a milestone for the community.
“This is a momentous day for everyone here,” he said. “The market was long overdue, and its completion required collective effort. It addresses many challenges, with over 95% of trader placements already secured.”
Pierre Celestin Twagirayezu, Chairperson of RICO Ltd, expressed gratitude to the government for its support.
“The new market provides 1,500 stalls for traders,” he explained. “It will serve both local residents and visitors to Rubavu. This achievement would not have been possible without the government’s guidance.”
