Harriet Barber

Thousands of people trafficked into scam compounds across Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand remain stranded after raids and attempted rescues. Survivors in Cambodia are sleeping rough or held in overcrowded immigration detention, while visa-overstay fines, lack of passports and inadequate consular support prevent many from returning home. Aid groups say authorities frequently treat former scam workers as criminals rather than trafficking victims, leaving them without shelter, legal help or repatriation. Criminal networks are rebuilding compounds and recruiting stranded survivors, prompting warnings that rescue operations have merely exchanged one form of captivity for another.

Armed gangs in Haiti are coercing and exploiting children amid state collapse, widespread displacement, school closures and chronic hunger. Children are kidnapped, threatened, paid or offered food and shelter before being used as lookouts, messengers, kidnappers, weapons carriers and fighters. Girls face rape, sexual enslavement and forced relationships with gang members. The UN estimates children may constitute half of gang members, creating serious risks for the incoming UN-backed Gang Suppression Force, which could face children on the front lines and gangs using them as human shields. Humanitarian officials stress that military action alone will not resolve the crisis: thousands of recruited children will need long-term protection, education and rehabilitation. A Haitian government and UNICEF programme is sheltering and supporting some survivors, but their testimonies show the lasting psychological and social damage caused by years of gang control.

Women-only commune Jinwar and other female-led communities in north-east Syria provide refuge, safety and autonomy for women affected by war, discrimination and family violence. Residents describe solidarity, shared labor, cultural diversity and a sense of empowerment. Nearby villages like Jarudi follow cooperative models with strong female leadership. Women involved in civil defence and ecological restoration highlight ongoing challenges from conflict, environmental damage and sanctions, while emphasising their commitment to peace, community protection and rebuilding Syria.

A reconstructed investigation reveals a massacre in the rural Haitian village of Jean-Denis, where at least 70 civilians were killed by the Gran Grif gang as armed groups expand beyond Port-au-Prince into previously insulated regions. Survivors recount indiscriminate killings, arson attacks and mass displacement as violence spreads into key agricultural and transit regions such as Artibonite and Sud-Est. Analysts attribute the escalation to weakened state authority, limited law enforcement capacity and the withdrawal of the Multinational Security Support mission before the arrival of a new UN-backed force. With gangs entrenching themselves along strategic routes used for trafficking and extortion, nearly 6,000 people were killed in 2025 and 1.4 million displaced, amid widespread impunity and the collapse of state protections.

Motorised paragliders and gyrocopters have become a widespread tactic in Myanmar’s civil war, enabling the military junta to carry out low‑cost, hard‑to‑detect airstrikes on villages, hospitals and gatherings across opposition‑held areas. Casualties have risen sharply since 2024, with hundreds killed and many more injured, while limited medical access worsens the toll. Analysts and human rights groups say the attacks violate international humanitarian law and reflect a broader escalation in the junta’s campaign against civilians, leaving communities in constant fear.

Mining and new wind energy projects in Colombia’s northern La Guajira region have intensified fears among the Wayúu and Yukpa peoples, who say decades of coal extraction have devastated their land, water and health and that large-scale renewable developments risk deepening these harms. Communities report displacement, water scarcity, environmental contamination and rising malnutrition, while leaders argue that government and corporate energy initiatives sideline Indigenous consent. As Colombia pursues its just energy transition under President Gustavo Petro, Indigenous groups warn that without equitable consultation and protections, windfarms may replicate the destructive patterns of mining, prompting continued resistance despite threats and violence.

Security forces in Ecuador have been accused of forced disappearances, torture and extrajudicial killings since the declaration of an internal armed conflict in 2024. Families report widespread abuses and lack of cooperation from the defence ministry in investigations. Despite mounting allegations, the US, EU and Britain have expanded security cooperation through intelligence support, joint operations and counter-narcotics agreements. A US-supported raid on a dairy farm led to claims of torture and destruction of civilian property, prompting US lawmakers to demand investigations. Rights organisations warn that foreign support lacks the necessary safeguards to prevent aiding abusive units. Violence in Ecuador continues to rise, and victim families call for an end to militarisation amid ongoing uncertainty over missing relatives.

Drone attacks by armed groups in Colombia have surged sharply since 2023, extending violence beyond traditional conflict zones and increasingly affecting civilians. Dissident Farc factions and the ELN have adopted low‑cost commercial and FPV drones to strike police, military units and communities, causing deaths, injuries and widespread fear. The spread of drone warfare is attributed partly to global conflicts such as the war in Ukraine and to armed groups’ international criminal ties. The government has expanded anti‑drone measures but struggles to keep pace with rapidly evolving tactics, leaving civilians more vulnerable as armed groups formalise drone units and adopt sophisticated technology.

Colombia faces a sharply divided presidential election as escalating violence by rebel groups raises doubts over the outgoing government’s “total peace” strategy. Surging attacks, including a major bombing and widespread territorial fighting, have intensified debate between candidates who support continuing negotiations and rightwing contenders who promise a return to force. Key rebel factions such as the ELN and Farc dissident groups have expanded during failed ceasefires, contributing to record displacement and increased threats to political figures. Analysts warn that the next administration will confront a fragmented conflict and argue that a balanced strategy combining negotiation and military pressure will be essential.

An Ecuadorian fishing crew recounts surviving a US drone strike and armed detention during intensified US operations against alleged drug-trafficking vessels in the Pacific. Crew members describe explosions that destroyed their boat, injuries from shrapnel, confiscation of evidence, and harsh treatment aboard a US patrol vessel before being transferred to El Salvador and eventually released without charges. Rights advocates argue the attack and similar incidents violate international law, noting a growing death toll and scant evidence supporting US claims of targeting narcotraffickers. Analysts warn of intelligence failures and legal overreach, while the fishers report lasting trauma and deny any involvement in drug trafficking.

Afro-Colombian communities along the Yurumanguí River reunite in Juntas for the Manacillos festival, a multi-day ancestral ritual symbolizing resistance, cultural preservation and territorial defence. The celebration draws hundreds who have been displaced by economic hardship, state neglect and violence from armed groups, illegal miners and drug traffickers. Community leaders highlight the threats facing their territory and the importance of maintaining traditions, honouring past leaders who were kidnapped and disappeared. Through photography and storytelling, the event asserts cultural identity and collective resilience while calling attention to the community’s ongoing struggle for safety and recognition.

Colombia’s president Gustavo Petro accused Ecuador of bombing targets inside Colombian territory after 27 charred bodies were reportedly found near the border. Ecuador’s president Daniel Noboa denied the allegation, asserting his forces operate only within Ecuador against narco‑terrorist groups. The dispute escalates an ongoing diplomatic rift that includes reciprocal tariffs and security disagreements amid Ecuador’s surge in drug‑related violence. Ecuador has intensified military operations with US cooperation, while Petro continues to question militarised drug policies. Petro appealed to US president Donald Trump to help prevent further escalation.

Years of advocacy had secured the release of 81 women imprisoned under El Salvador’s total abortion ban, but President Nayib Bukele’s state of exception has led to renewed criminalisation of women experiencing miscarriages and obstetric emergencies. Emergency powers have extended into hospitals, increasing prosecutions, limiting due process and deterring medical and legal professionals from intervening. Rights groups warn that suspended constitutional protections and heightened surveillance have created a climate of fear. The rollback in El Salvador aligns with wider regional restrictions on reproductive rights as conservative governments gain influence across Latin America.

Oil leaks from the Ecopetrol refinery and expanding armed groups have devastated the San Silvestre wetlands in Barrancabermeja, killing wildlife, poisoning waterways and destroying livelihoods. Fishermen and farmers report mass animal deaths, collapsing fish stocks and rising threats from gasoline‑stealing gangs who control the waterways. Environmental reports accuse Ecopetrol of hundreds of major contamination incidents, which the company denies. Armed groups have driven families from the region, while activists face assassination attempts. Communities call for safety and the ability to fish and live peacefully in their territory.

Indigenous Arhuaco communities in Colombia’s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta face escalating threats from paramilitaries, guerrilla factions and drug traffickers seeking control of strategic trafficking routes. Armed groups impose curfews, attack sacred sites, recruit children and displace families, while mining interests intensify environmental degradation. UN officials warn that the region’s Indigenous peoples risk both physical and cultural extinction as violence, explosives and forced confinement spread. Leaders describe widespread fear and rising assassination attempts against those who oppose territorial encroachment. Mining expansion, illegal economies and weakened state control compound the crisis, leaving communities struggling to defend their land and future.

US authorities arrested former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding, alleging he led a violent drug trafficking network accused of multiple contract killings and large-scale cocaine distribution. His path from athlete to criminal figure reportedly involved years of expanding connections in prison and associations with cartel-linked networks in Mexico. While US officials compared him to major cartel leaders and highlighted multimillion‑dollar bounties and seizures, security analysts questioned claims of his prominence, suggesting prosecutors overstated the scale of his operations. Wedding and associates are implicated in murders in Colombia and Canada, including the killing of an FBI informant, while a Canadian lawyer faces charges for allegedly advising him to murder a witness. Authorities continue to examine the extent of the network as extradition and prosecution proceed.

A vast distant-water fleet dominated by Chinese vessels fishes intensively on Mile 201 off Argentina, exploiting an absence of international catch limits for squid. Experts warn the uncontrolled activity threatens regional ecosystems, including species dependent on squid, and may cause widespread ecological disruption. Investigations by the Environmental Justice Foundation report severe animal cruelty, illegal fishing practices and human rights abuses among crews, with much of the catch entering major markets. The charity calls for global transparency rules and import bans on seafood linked to illegal or abusive practices.

Former Opus Dei members from Argentina and other countries plan to meet in Buenos Aires to share accounts of being trafficked into domestic servitude as minors. Forty‑three women allege they were lured to Opus Dei institutions with false promises of education and instead forced into unpaid labor under strict control. The case has prompted a federal investigation and renewed scrutiny from the Vatican, with Pope Leo XIV reportedly urging the conference. Organizers and survivors hope the gathering will influence the Vatican’s ongoing review of Opus Dei’s statutes and encourage judicial action in Argentina.

The United States imposed sanctions on four Colombian nationals and four companies accused of recruiting and managing hundreds of former Colombian soldiers to fight for Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary group accused of genocide and other war crimes. The network allegedly trained child soldiers, provided drone instruction, and participated in frontline combat. Analysts described the sanctions as a significant step toward addressing the international mercenary pipeline, though some warned that sanctions alone may be insufficient given the network’s operations in the UAE. Colombia recently ratified an international convention aimed at limiting mercenary activity as part of its broader security reforms.

Restoration efforts in northern Colombia’s tropical dry forests are helping stabilise populations of the critically endangered cotton-top tamarin. Former loggers, biologists and conservationists with Fundación Proyecto Tití are rebuilding fragmented habitats, planting native trees and monitoring monkey groups using radio transmitters. Once decimated by medical research, deforestation and the illegal pet trade, the species now shows signs of recovery as reforestation reconnects patches of forest. The conservation work also benefits other threatened wildlife, underscoring the wider ecological impact of habitat protection.

Excavations at La Escombrera in Medellín have begun uncovering bodies linked to forced disappearances carried out during Colombia’s armed conflict, particularly after the 2002 Operation Orión, when the army and paramilitaries were accused of widespread abuses. Families who have spent decades seeking answers are witnessing the recovery of remains, with seven bodies found so far. The Special Jurisdiction for Peace is leading one of Colombia’s largest forensic operations, supported by testimonies from former paramilitaries and satellite evidence, as efforts continue to identify victims and provide long-awaited closure.

Armed groups in Colombia are increasingly recruiting children through coercion, bribery and social pressure as they fight for control of territories tied to drug trafficking and illegal mining. Testimonies from affected youths describe threats, forced labor, violence and sexual abuse. Experts report rising recruitment cases and note that children are used as frontline fighters and to suppress community resistance. Some children who escaped now receive shelter, education and counselling at a Bogotá school run by Benposta, though new arrivals continue to grow as conflict intensifies.