Based on security risk assessments, the security levels of various regions are as shown in the Global Risk Map. Afghanistan, Syria, Myanmar, Pakistan, Nigeria, Sudan, Ukraine, Palestine, Israel and other regions are classified as extremely high-risk areas. During this period, security incidents such as armed conflicts and terrorist attacks occurred frequently in these regions. Chinese-funded enterprises stationed overseas must enhance their own security precautions.

U.S. Military Conducts Airstrikes on Extremist Targets. On December 19, the U.S. military launched airstrikes against over 70 targets of the extremist group Islamic State (IS), including its "headquarters" and arms depots, in the desert areas of Deir ez‑Zor and Raqqa provinces in Syria, killing and wounding a number of "terrorists". The U.S. Department of Defense stated that the military operation, codenamed "Operation Eagle Eye Strike", aimed to weaken IS’s operational capabilities and deter the group. Prior to this, two U.S. soldiers and one American translator were killed in an attack in Syria.

Seven IS Militants Arrested. From December 16 to 17, Iraqi counter‑terrorism forces conducted security operations in Baghdad, Kirkuk and other areas, arresting seven IS militants including the group’s leader "Abu Aliya", destroying multiple hideouts and seizing some weapons and ammunition.

Israel‑Palestine Conflict Has Killed 70,925 Palestinians. From December 17 to 19, the central area of Gaza City was bombed by the Israeli military multiple times, killing at least 13 Palestinians and wounding 11 others. Data released by the Gaza Strip’s Ministry of Health on December 20 showed that 401 people have been killed and 1,108 injured in the Gaza Strip since the first phase of the ceasefire agreement took effect. Since the outbreak of the new round of the Israel‑Palestine conflict, Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip have resulted in 70,925 deaths and 171,185 injuries among Palestinians.

Scene of the Attack on Gaza City

Armed Attack in Kerman Province Kills 4. On December 16, a military checkpoint near the town of Fahraj in Kerman Province, southeastern Iran, was attacked by unknown armed men, killing 3 law enforcement officers and 1 civilian. Iranian security forces stated that the attack was carried out by local armed groups and drug trafficking gangs.

Israeli Military Attacks Hezbollah Military Targets. On December 18, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a notice saying that the Israeli military launched attacks on Hezbollah’s military installations in multiple areas of Lebanon on the same day, destroying a military camp used for training and exercises and several buildings storing weapons.

170 IS‑Linked Individuals Arrested. On December 19, Turkish police stated that over the past two weeks, they had carried out a crackdown on IS militants across 32 provinces, arresting a total of 170 individuals linked to the extremist group Islamic State.

Houthi Rebels Detain 10 UN Staff. On December 18, Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary‑General, confirmed that Yemen’s Houthi rebels detained 10 UN staff in Sana’a, the capital of Yemen, on the same day. The detained UN staff are all Yemeni nationals, from agencies such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). At present, the number of UN staff detained by the Houthi rebels has risen to 69. In response, UN Secretary‑General António Guterres strongly condemned the detention and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the detained personnel in accordance with international law.

Suspect in China‑Related Attack Arrested. On December 18, Afghan security forces launched a surprise operation in Fayzabad, the capital of Badakhshan Province in northeastern Afghanistan, arresting a wanted suspect involved in an attack against Chinese citizens and seizing some weapons and ammunition. The suspect had carried out an attack against Chinese citizens in Tajikistan.

Border Conflicts Result in Hundreds of Casualties. From December 15 to 21, armed conflicts continued to break out between Thailand and Cambodia in the border areas, causing hundreds of casualties. The Thai military stated that it had continuously launched attacks on multiple areas of Cambodia through military means such as ground troop advancement, heavy weapons shelling, drone bombing, chemical smoke release and F‑16 fighter jet airstrikes, targeting multiple casinos and cyber fraud facilities in Banteay Meanchey and Oddar Meanchey provinces, and initially taking control of the disputed 350‑meter Highland. The Cambodian Ministry of National Defense stated that the Cambodian army had retaliated against the Thai attacks with BM‑21 rocket launchers. As of December 20, 21 Thai soldiers and 21 Thai civilians had been killed, 337 injured; 19 Cambodian civilians had been killed, 79 injured, and 498,000 people had fled their homes.

Cambodian Residents Evacuated to Shelters in Siem Reap Province

Seven Terrorist Attack Suspects Arrested. On December 18, Australian police arrested seven terrorist attack suspects in southwest Sydney. These individuals were armed with knives and had close ties to the suspect in the Bondi Beach shooting.

Protests in Dhaka Spark Riots. On December 18, anti‑government protests erupted in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, triggering riots. The protests were sparked by the shooting death of Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson for the Revolutionary Front, during an election campaign in Dhaka on December 12. On the same day, some protesters targeted the Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, two newspapers affiliated with the caretaker government, accusing the caretaker government of failing to effectively maintain public security and leading to Hadi’s murder. Protesters broke into the newspaper offices and set them on fire, trapping dozens of staff members inside. In addition, some former ruling party offices and the residences of relevant personnel were set on fire and demolished.

Multiple Attacks Kill 14 and Kidnap 21. According to the monitoring report from Hanwei International’s security officer stationed in West Africa, in the early morning of December 15, an armed gang attacked Akisa Town in the Ora Igbomina Community of the Ifedayo Local Government Area in Osun State, killing 1 local resident and kidnapping 1 person. On the afternoon of the same day, an armed gang attacked a construction site in the Oba‑Isin Community of the Isin Local Government Area in Kwara State, kidnapping 7 construction workers. In the early morning of December 16, an armed gang attacked the Karakkai Community of the Bungudu Local Government Area in Zamfara State, killing 1 person and kidnapping several others. In the early morning of the same day, an armed gang attacked Adama Village in the Karaye Local Government Area in Kano State, kidnapping 4 people. On the evening of the same day, an armed gang attacked a mine in the Fan Community of the Barkin Ladi Local Government Area in Plateau State, killing at least 12 miners and leaving many others missing. On December 18, an armed gang attacked the Inele‑Ugoh Village in the Igah Ikeje Community of the Olamaboro Local Government Area in Kwara State, kidnapping 9 local villagers.

Building Collapse in Durban Kills 1 and Injures 11. On December 14, a four‑story building collapsed in northern Durban, KwaZulu‑Natal Province, South Africa, killing 1 person and injuring 11 others. At present, many people remain trapped and rescue operations are still underway. The cause of the collapse is under investigation.

Johannesburg Shooting Leaves 9 Dead and 10 Injured. On December 21, a shooting incident occurred in the Boksburg area of western Johannesburg, South Africa, killing 9 people and wounding 10 others. On the same day, about 12 unidentified individuals randomly shot at customers in a tavern, causing heavy casualties. At present, there is no information about the suspects and the police have launched an investigation.

Armed Conflicts in South Kivu Displace 500,000 People. On December 14, the United Nations issued a communiqué stating that since December 1, continuous armed conflicts have broken out between the Congolese government forces and the M23 rebel group in South Kivu Province in eastern DRC, resulting in hundreds of deaths, nearly a thousand injuries and over 500,000 people fleeing to Rwanda and Burundi.

Scene of Fighting in Uvira, South Kivu Province

Chinese Enterprise Camp Attacked in Mandera County. On December 16, a Chinese enterprise camp in Elwak Town, Mandera County, northeastern Kenya, was attacked by al‑Shabaab militants from Somalia, damaging several vehicles but causing no casualties. After the attack, local military and police personnel and border guard forces quickly launched a counterattack and repelled the attackers.

Bomb Explosion in Northern Province Kills 3 Children. On December 17, a bomb explosion occurred in a village in Gicumbi District, Northern Province, Rwanda, killing 3 children. On the same day, a group of children accidentally triggered an unexploded ordnance while collecting firewood in a nearby forest, causing the explosion.

Armed Conflicts Persist. From December 15 to 21, armed conflicts continued between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces in various parts of Sudan. This week, fierce fighting broke out between the two sides in the three central‑southern states of North Kordofan, South Kordofan and West Kordofan, as well as the northern state of Nile, causing heavy casualties and property losses. Among them, the military hospital and civilian facilities in Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan State, and Dilling City were attacked by drones and shelling, killing 9 people and wounding 17 others. A large power station in Atbara City, Nile State, was attacked by a drone, killing 2 staff members and causing power outages in multiple states. The armed conflicts that have lasted for more than two years have killed over 30,000 people, wounded tens of thousands and displaced more than 12.85 million people in Sudan. In addition, the World Health Organization stated on the 17th that 65 attacks on medical and health institutions have occurred in Sudan this year, resulting in over 1,600 deaths and 276 injuries.

Four Shooting Incidents Leave 3 Dead and 2 Injured. On December 16, Nuno Loureiro, a physics professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was shot and killed at his home in Boston. On the same day, a shooting incident occurred in the 2600 block of Brick Church Pike in Nashville, Tennessee, wounding 1 person. On December 17, a shooting incident occurred in the 1300 block of East Johnson Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, killing 1 person and wounding 1 person. On the same day, another shooting incident took place near 1400 Bienville Street in New Orleans, Louisiana, killing 1 person.

Scene of the Shooting at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Russia‑Ukraine Armed Conflicts Continue. From December 15 to 21, Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine continued. The Russian Ministry of Defense recently released a battle report stating that over the past week, the Russian military has carried out one large‑scale strike and six cluster strikes using high‑precision weapons such as the Kinzhal hypersonic missile, targeting Ukrainian military‑industrial enterprises, relevant energy facilities, ports and other infrastructure, as well as the unmanned boat assembly and testing center of Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense, assembly workshops and storage points for long‑range attack drones, fuel and ammunition depots, and temporary deployment sites of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and foreign mercenaries. Russian forces have taken control of multiple settlements in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. At present, the Russian Armed Forces have seized the strategic initiative and are advancing in multiple directions. On the Ukrainian side, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stated that within this week, the Ukrainian army carried out strikes against multiple Russian troop concentration areas, command posts and other targets, repelled Russian attacks in multiple directions and destroyed Russian tanks, armored fighting vehicles, artillery, unmanned aerial vehicles and other weapons and equipment. For the first time, special forces drones attacked a Russian oil tanker in the Mediterranean Sea and raided the Caspian oil and gas drilling platform of Russia’s Lukoil. In addition, on the 19th, Russia handed over the remains of 1,003 Ukrainian soldiers to Ukraine again and retrieved the remains of 26 Russian soldiers from Ukraine.

Four Shooting Incidents Leave 13 Dead and 2 Injured. On December 15, a shooting incident occurred in the center of Santo Domingo in Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas Province, Ecuador, killing 1 person. On the same day, another shooting incident took place in the area of Florida Highway 4 in the southern part of Machala in El Oro Province, Ecuador, resulting in 1 death and 2 injuries. On the same day, a shooting incident occurred in El Fortín in the northwestern part of Guayaquil, Ecuador, killing 4 people. On December 17, a shooting incident occurred in a residence in the center of Portoviejo in Manabí Province, Ecuador, killing 7 people.

Attack on Military Base in Cesar Province Kills 4 and Injures 7. On December 19, an attack was launched by the National Liberation Army (ELN) against a military base in Aguachica, Cesar Province, northeastern Colombia, killing 4 soldiers and wounding 7 others. The Colombian military stated that explosive devices were used in the attack, which was a "terrorist attack".

Attack in Moscow Oblast Kills 1 and Injures 1. On December 16, an attack occurred at a school in Odintsovo, Moscow Oblast, Russia, killing 1 child and injuring 1 school security guard. On the same day, a student stabbed the security guard with a knife and sprayed pepper spray on him at school, then stabbed a 10‑year‑old schoolchild to death. At present, the suspect has been arrested by the police and the relevant investigation is underway.

Drone Attacks in Rostov Oblast Kill 4 and Injure 15. On December 18, the port of Rostov‑on‑Don, the capital of Rostov Oblast in southwestern Russia, was attacked by Ukrainian drones, killing 3 people and injuring 9 others, and a cargo ship caught fire. On the same day, two residential buildings in Bataysk, Rostov Oblast, were attacked by Ukrainian drones, killing 1 person and injuring 6 others.

Plane Crash in Mexico State Kills 7. On December 16, a small plane crashed near the airport in Toluca, Mexico State, central Mexico, killing at least 7 people. The plane was flying from Acapulco in southern Mexico to Toluca on the same day, carrying 8 passengers and 2 crew members. Before landing, the plane crashed into a warehouse storing fuel and gas tanks near Toluca Airport and caused a large fire. At present, the fire has been brought under control and the cause of the accident is under investigation.

U.S. Military Attacks Kill 17. On December 15, the U.S. military stated that it carried out strikes against 3 ships in international waters of the Caribbean Sea on the same day, killing 8 people on board. On December 17, the U.S. military sank a "drug‑trafficking ship" in the Eastern Pacific, killing 4 people on board. On December 18, the U.S. military launched another attack against two ships suspected of drug trafficking in the Eastern Pacific, killing 5 people. Since the U.S. military began cracking down on so‑called "drug‑trafficking ships" in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific in early September, a total of 104 people have been killed.

Russian Oil Tanker Attacked. On December 19, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) stated that special forces of the SBU attacked an oil tanker belonging to Russia’s "shadow fleet" transporting oil with drones in the "neutral waters" of the Mediterranean Sea. The attacked oil tanker was not carrying any cargo, and the attack did not pose a threat to the surrounding environment. The Ukrainian military also stated that it will continue to carry out attacks against ships of the "shadow fleet" transporting Russian oil "anywhere in the world".

U.S. Seizes Oil Tanker. On December 20, the U.S. Coast Guard seized an oil tanker in waters near Venezuela. The tanker had previously docked in Venezuela. In response, Delcy Rodríguez, Vice President and Minister of Petroleum of Venezuela, condemned the United States for carrying out "theft and hijacking" of private ships carrying Venezuelan oil in international waters, which violates international law. This is the second oil tanker seized by the United States in waters near Venezuela in recent times.