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Social activists criticized the presence of a ‘mercenary’ whose company has been involved in human rights violations. On Tuesday, local broadcaster Panamericana reported that retired U.S. military officer Erik Prince, founder of the security firm Blackwater (now called Academi), is visiting Peru to propose “training for police and military units.”

Invited by far-right former presidential candidate Hernando de Soto, Prince said there are no magic solutions to address rising crime, but he plans to apply in Peru “solutions that have worked elsewhere.”

“We will provide various tools in the training for police and military units, and even for civil defense organizations that are being affected by crime,” Prince told the morning news show Buenos Dias Peru.

De Soto, who intends to run again in Peru’s 2026 presidential election, said that he and Prince are particularly focused on the problem of illegal mining.

“This is a conference to understand what is needed. Now, as the West is willing to help us, we’re seeking the knowledge he can offer. We are looking for resources to take advantage of our natural wealth and prevent criminals from seizing it,” the conservative politician said.

The former Navy SEAL also expressed concern over the “explosion of violence” in Peru and said he would spend three days in the country exploring options to address insecurity.

“We are here to listen and explore ways to help improve the government, helping to expand security stability in the country’s farthest regions and to protect people from the criminals causing the problem,” he said, mentioning that he has collaborated with the governments of Somalia and Haiti, providing their forces with tools to combat piracy and urban gangs, respectively.

Peruvian human rights defenders have warned that the presence of foreign mercenaries could erode national sovereignty and undermine civilian control over public security. Without clear regulation, Academi could operate under opaque contracts and avoid accountability before the Peruvian justice system.

They also emphasized that militarizing the fight against crime in rural areas — traditionally under the jurisdiction of the National Police and the Attorney General’s Office — could lead to repressive practices. Human rights defenders caution that the supposed “training” Prince might provide risks becoming a parallel security service focused on lethal technology and clandestine operations.

In the coming days, Prince is expected to meet with President Dina Boluarte and senior officials of the National Police. These discussions will determine whether Peru will enter into an agreement with Academi.

Prince is known for founding Blackwater in 1997, a private security company he sold to a group of investors in 2010. The company was implicated in serious human rights violations during the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

In recent years, Prince has aligned himself with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele and supported a fundraising campaign aimed at destabilizing Venezuela in 2024, shortly after Nicolas Maduro was re-elected president.

Over the weekend, he spent two days in Ecuador, where he also plans to provide “training” to that country’s security forces to supposedly combat drug trafficking, illegal mining, and illegal fishing.

“Prince was here for two days, visiting the country to conduct a brief evaluation and propose a future work plan. It’s part of the planning for the training he will provide to public security forces,” said Carolina Jaramillo, spokesperson for President Daniel Noboa.

Jaramillo, however, declined to offer further details about what Prince and his company will do in a country whose government is open to hosting a U.S. military base.

PM Mishustin ordered the creation of a government commission to oversee the response and compensation process. On Thursday, authorities in Russia’s Amur Oblast and Khabarovsk Territory declared three days of mourning following the crash of an An-24 passenger aircraft that claimed the lives of all people on board.

“With deep sorrow, I must announce that there are no survivors in the An-24 plane crash in Tynda, according to preliminary data. A three-day mourning period has been declared in the Amur Oblast. On July 25, 26 and 27, flags will be flown at half-mast across all territories of the region,” said Governor Vasily Orlov on his Telegram channel.

The Khabarovsk regional government has also announced mourning, as some of the victims were residents of the area. Governor Dmitry Demeshin said that each victim’s family would receive US$12,500 in compensation, along with coverage of travel expenses to the crash site.

All necessary payments should be made to relatives of all deceased passengers and crew members, said Transport Minister Andrey Nikitin in a statement. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday expressed his condolences.

The aircraft, operated by Angara Airlines, disappeared from radar on Thursday morning when approaching Tynda airport. Its wreckage was later found on a mountainside approximately 15 km from the city.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has ordered the creation of a government commission, headed by Nikitin, to oversee the response and compensation process. A criminal case has been opened to investigate the crash.

The Transport Ministry said 42 passengers and six crew members were on the crashed plane, including five children. The Chinese Consulate General in Khabarovsk confirmed that one Chinese citizen was on board.

The new sanctions specifically target Russia’s energy and financial sectors, as well as the so-called ‘shadow fleet.’ On Friday, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov denounced the European Union’s 18th package of sanctions against his country as illegitimate.

“We need to analyze the new package to minimize its consequences. At the same time, of course, we’ve already developed a certain immunity to sanctions and have adapted to life under them,” he said.

Peskov also claimed that the new sanctions package would harm European countries themselves, calling it “a double-edged sword.”

EU member states approved the 18th round of sanctions against Russia on Friday, after the Slovak government lifted a veto it had maintained due to a planned ban on Russian fossil fuel purchases starting in 2028. The new sanctions specifically target Russia’s energy and financial sectors, as well as Moscow’s so-called “shadow fleet.”

“The EU has just approved one of its strongest sanctions packages against Russia to date,” said EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas on social media.

The 18th package includes a proposal to lower the price cap on Russian oil from US$60 per barrel and to ban financial transactions involving the Nord Stream gas pipeline, which runs to Germany through the Baltic Sea and is currently non-operational. It also adds 105 more Russian vessels to the EU’s blacklist, bringing the total number of sanctioned ships in Russia’s “ghost fleet” to more than 400.

Additionally, the sanctions expand the ban on financial transactions to 22 more Russian banks, as well as to third-country operators that finance trade with Russia in violation of sanctions. The measures also target the Russian Direct Investment Fund, its subsidiaries, and associated investment projects.

The new sanctions also impose further restrictions on exports to Russia of certain critical technologies and industrial goods, including those used in the production of drones.

Slovakia’s earlier veto, however, stemmed from a separate issue: a European Commission proposal for EU member states to completely stop purchasing fossil fuels from Russia starting in 2028.

Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government had blocked the approval of the package six times, citing the severe impact such a ban would have on Slovakia’s economy, which is heavily reliant on Russian gas. Slovakia ultimately agreed to lift the veto after receiving assurances from Brussels.

“The Slovak government and the Commission have agreed on additional internal guarantees, which does not change our position that we will never support the proposal to halt the flow of Russian gas as of January 2028,” the Slovak prime minister said Friday.

Slovakia had already secured an EU exemption from the ban on spot contracts for landlocked member states, which would allow continued purchases of Russian gas even after the full embargo takes effect.

The country also received a “suspension clause” allowing the ban to be paused if energy security is at risk or prices surge. Still, Slovakia demanded — and continues to demand — a full exemption from the post-2028 ban.

The Court barred him from approaching embassies and communicating with foreign diplomats. On Friday, Brazil’s Supreme Court imposed new precautionary measures against former President Jair Bolsonaro, including an electronic ankle monitor and a ban on accessing his social media accounts.

The high court also barred him from approaching embassies, communicating with foreign diplomats, or contacting other individuals under investigation or prosecution in the coup attempt case.

The far-right leader was targeted by federal police, who carried out searches at properties linked to the former president. Bolsonaro is facing trial in the Supreme Court for leading a conspiracy to overthrow his successor, President Lula da Silva.

One of the searches was conducted at his residence in Brasilia and another at the headquarters of the Liberal Party (PL), the political organization led by the retired army captain.

These new actions come amid calls by former U.S. President Donald Trump to halt the trial against Bolsonaro, whom he has described as the victim of a “witch hunt.”

Bolsonaro is accused of leading, along with several allies—including former ministers and high-ranking military officers—a coup plot to remain in power after losing the 2022 presidential election to Lula.

The Attorney General’s Office has charged Bolsonaro with five crimes, including attempting a coup and violently seeking to abolish the democratic rule of law. Combined, the charges carry potential prison sentences of up to 40 years.

Last week, Trump announced an additional 50% tariff on Brazilian imports, citing mainly political reasons. The Republican leader highlighted the ongoing coup trial against Bolsonaro and also criticized what he called “secret” and “illegal” orders from Brazil’s Supreme Court to block social media accounts accused of spreading fake news targeting democratic institutions.

The comments have sparked a serious diplomatic crisis between Brazil and the United States. President Lula has demanded respect for Brazil’s judiciary and called Trump’s remarks “unacceptable blackmail.”

On Thursday, Trump sent a letter of support to Bolsonaro expressing hope for a “change of course” in Brazil’s government and calling for an end to what he described as a “censorship regime” in the country.

On Thursday, Israel, which portrayed itself as a protector of the Druze community, launched a series of airstrikes. A sudden eruption of violence in Syria’s southern province of Sweida has triggered a complex and escalating crisis, exposing the deep fragility of Syria’s stability just six months after the collapse of the previous government and sending shockwaves across the region.

Over the past week, Sweida has witnessed some of the deadliest intra-Syrian clashes in years. The fighting, initially sparked by a local dispute between the Druze community and Bedouin tribesmen, quickly escalated into a full-blown urban conflict involving Syrian government forces.

By Thursday, nearly 600 people were reported killed, including dozens of civilians and hundreds of fighters from all sides, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). As tensions escalated, Israel, which portrayed itself as a protector of the Druze community in Syria, launched a series of airstrikes, targeting Syrian military sites in Damascus and Sweida.

SANA news agency said one of the latest raids hit the outskirts of Sweida city on Thursday, following earlier strikes that reached, for the first time, as far as the Defense Ministry compound in the heart of Damascus. While Israel said the attacks were to protect the Druze population and deter a military buildup near its border, analysts view them as part of a broader strategic recalibration.

FROM LOCAL SKIRMISH TO GEOPOLITICAL TINDERBOX

What began as a dispute between local armed groups quickly drew in the Syrian government forces, which wanted to restore control over Sweida, a province that was largely outside the government’s grip even during the time of Bashar al-Assad’s rule.

The Druze fighters, affiliated with various sheikhs and influential clerics, have long been managing local security, while the previous government maintained only a minimal presence in official institutions.

The new authorities sought to reestablish control over Sweida as part of a broader effort to assert authority over areas that had remained outside the control of both the previous and current governments.

The army launched a large-scale operation to regain control of Sweida, sparking intense street battles, particularly with fighters loyal to Sheikh Hikmat Salman al-Hijri, who refused to surrender weapons. His resistance stemmed largely from deep mistrust, given the new authorities’ past affiliations with jihadist groups before the ouster of Assad.

Field reports and witness testimonies collected by SOHR in Sweida painted a grim picture of the situation clouded by summary executions, attacks on hospitals, and siege-like conditions for Bedouin communities. Many families fled their homes amid fears of sectarian retaliation.

On Wednesday, under U.S.-Arab mediation, Damascus agreed to a ceasefire and withdrew its troops to deescalate the situation, particularly after Israel intensified its attacks and threatened more.

“We were faced with two options: open war with Israel, risking our Druze brethren and national stability, or allowing local leaders to come to their senses and prioritize the national interest. We chose the latter,” Syrian interim leader Ahmad al-Sharaa said in a televised speech on Thursday.

On the same day, the authorities accused local armed elements of violating the truce and committing atrocities, and reiterated their commitment to restoring state authority and holding violators accountable, while warning against ongoing Israeli “aggression” and foreign attempts to exploit the situation.

ISRAEL’S EVOLVING STRATEGY

While Israel cited the protection of the Druze community to justify its strikes, regional observers point to deeper motives. Maged Botros, a political science professor at Helwan University, said the strikes were part of a longer-term Israeli strategy to redraw influence zones in Syria.

“Israel aims to create a buffer zone in southern Syria by sowing division among factions and portraying the new Syrian leadership as hostile to minorities like the Druze,” he said.

Political analyst Wael Alwan, speaking to SOHR, said Israel may be trying to pressure the Syrian government to prevent the establishment of a heavy military presence near its border. “These strikes send a signal that Israel won’t tolerate a return of Syrian or Iranian-aligned forces to the south,” he said.

Others believe Israel is seizing the moment to derail any political normalization efforts with Damascus. Amatzia Baram, a Middle East politics professor at the University of Haifa, told local media that recent violence disrupted tentative dialogue between Israel and Syria and complicated Israeli outreach to the new leadership in Damascus.

The Israeli strikes have sparked criticism across the region. The Arab League condemned them as a blatant violation of Syrian sovereignty, accusing Tel Aviv of exploiting the unrest for geopolitical gain. Egypt warned the attacks would inflame regional tensions.

Meanwhile, Lebanon’s Druze leader Walid Jumblatt called for unity among Syrians and urged Lebanese Druze to avoid internal polarization. Ankara, which has traditionally balanced its position in Syrian affairs, warned against Israeli attempts to derail a post-conflict consensus in Syria.

Turkish analysts said Israel’s strikes could challenge Ankara’s efforts to lead a diplomatic response and stabilize the region. Batu Coskun, a non-resident fellow at the UAE-based TRENDS Research and Advisory, noted that “neither Israel nor Türkiye wants direct confrontation,” but both are heavily invested in Syria’s future. “Ankara is using all channels to prevent escalation, seeing Syria’s fate as key to its national security,” he said.

The United States has said that it did not support recent Israeli strikes on Syria and had made clear its displeasure, while calling on the Syrian government to lead the path forward.

“Regarding Israel’s intervention and activity…the United States did not support recent Israeli strikes,” U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said on Thursday. “We are engaging diplomatically with Israel and Syria at the highest levels, both to address the present crisis and reach a lasting agreement between the two sovereign states,” she said.

FRAGILE CEASEFIRE, UNCERTAIN PATH FORWARD

Although a ceasefire has technically been in place since Wednesday, the situation on the ground remains fragile. Israeli jets continue to operate in the area, and local militias still hold positions in Sweida.

The risk of renewed violence is high, particularly as Arab tribes from northern and eastern Syria have threatened retaliation over the hostilities against Bedouin communities in Sweida. The conflict has highlighted the challenges facing Syria’s new leadership, which is struggling to assert control across a fragmented landscape.

The Syrian interim authorities are now grappling to assert control over all of Syria at a time when mistrust and lack of confidence are preventing such a goal. At the same time, Israel’s backlash poses a major obstacle, which is undermining talks between Israel and Syria that have been reported recently as part of the plan to reach a peace agreement in the near future.

As Syria stands at a crossroads, regional and international actors are maneuvering to shape its future through diplomacy, deterrence, or force. For now, the people of Sweida remain trapped between foreign interests, fractured alliances, and the lingering scars of war.

“This latest crisis exposes the deep contradictions of post-Assad Syria,” said Baram, the professor at the University of Haifa.

“Damascus wants unity, Israel wants influence, and the region is watching closely. What happens in Sweida will echo far beyond its borders,” he noted.