SOFREP Daily: Russia Links Ceasefire to Sanctions Relief, Venezuela Challenges El Salvador Over Detainees

Good morning! It’s Wednesday, March 26, 2025. Here’s your essential briefing on defense and global affairs to keep you informed.

NATO Trains Troops Using Ukraine Lessons

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) wrapped up its largest air defense exercise, “Joint Project Optic Windmill,” in the Netherlands on Wednesday, incorporating lessons from Ukraine’s drone war.

The virtual 10-day drill involved 15 countries, including first-time participants Sweden and Finland, and focused heavily on countering drone and missile threats, particularly Iranian-style Shahed drones used by Russia.

About 700 soldiers trained on scenarios ranging from peace to full-scale war, including chemical and nuclear threats.

NATO emphasized integrating air defense systems for a more unified response.

The exercise also reflected growing European commitment to military readiness amid shifting United States involvement in NATO.

Denmark Aligns Conscription Across Genders

Denmark’s Defense Ministry announced it will move up military service eligibility for women by two years, starting July 1, 2025.

In response to growing security concerns, particularly from Russia, the change aims to boost recruitment and promote gender equality.

Women turning 18 after that date may be entered into a mandatory service ballot if there aren’t enough volunteers, aligning their obligations with those of men.

The new rules also extend the service period from four to eleven months. This shift follows Denmark’s recent commitment to significantly increase defense spending over the next several years.

🇩🇰Denmark is accelerating the introduction of compulsory military service for women, moving the start of the reform from 2027 to 2026.

It is planned that the annual conscription will now amount to 5,000 people of both sexes, which will significantly strengthen the armed forces.… pic.twitter.com/5oFCuszBem

— Lew Anno Support#Israel #Ukraine 24/2-22 (@anno1540) March 26, 2025

Russia Links Ceasefire to Sanctions Relief

The US announced that Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a partial ceasefire in the Black Sea, following technical-level talks in Saudi Arabia. Both nations committed to ensuring safe commercial navigation and avoiding military use of shipping routes.

Ukraine agreed to observe the truce immediately, while Russia tied its participation to the lifting of sanctions on its agricultural exports and banking institutions.

The agreement also includes a 30-day ban on strikes targeting energy infrastructure.

NEW: US, Ukrainian, and Russian officials reached some agreements for temporary ceasefires on strikes against energy infrastructure and in the Black Sea. The details of these ceasefires remain unclear and evaluating the ceasefires’ specifics in the absence of officially published… pic.twitter.com/ASBxB5dvLA

— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) March 25, 2025

Despite this progress, officials remain skeptical about a full ceasefire, suspecting Russia may be using negotiations to gain leverage.

President Donald Trump aims for a full ceasefire by April 20, though Ukrainian and European officials view that goal as overly optimistic.

Additional talks are expected, with the US also pledging to support humanitarian efforts and the return of Ukrainian detainees.

How Russia behaves in the coming days will reveal a lot—if not everything. If there are air raid alerts again, if there is renewed military activity in the Black Sea, if Russian manipulations and threats continue—then new measures will need to be taken, specifically against… pic.twitter.com/godMMN8d3K

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 25, 2025

Boko Haram Ambushes Cameroonian Troops

At least 20 Cameroonian soldiers were killed in a surprise raid by Boko Haram militants early Tuesday in Wulgo, a Nigerian border town near Lake Chad.

The attackers, disguised as herders and traders, infiltrated the area and launched a coordinated assault on military bases, seizing heavy weaponry, including Soviet-made Shilka guns, before torching the facilities.

The militants had mingled with civilians at a nearby market the day before.

Boko Haram militants disguised as herders and traders launched a surprise attack on Cameroonian military positions in Wulgo. The overnight assault, which lasted two hours, resulted in the deaths of at least 20 Cameroonian troops. The attackers burnt military bases and seized… pic.twitter.com/jfjvQFOgOn

— Mimi Mefo Info (@MimiMefoInfo) March 25, 2025

The raid highlights ongoing instability in the Lake Chad region, where Boko Haram and ISWAP have exploited weak regional coordination and growing tensions, particularly between Nigeria and Niger, to carry out deadly cross-border attacks.

Sudanese Warplanes Bomb Crowded Market

A Sudanese war monitor has accused the national army of killing hundreds of civilians in an airstrike on Tora market in North Darfur, amid the ongoing conflict with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The Emergency Lawyers group reported that the attack was indiscriminate and left dozens more seriously injured.

The incident reportedly occurred on Monday, though independent verification is difficult due to a communications blackout.

A deadly airstrike hit a crowded market in Tora, North Darfur, targeting civilians, mothers, children, and elders during peak hours.

This is not crossfire. This is a war crime.#DNHR is calling for urgent international action.

📍 Read the full report: https://t.co/9X48VEg6AI… pic.twitter.com/26n6cUAomp

— DNHR (@DNforHR) March 25, 2025

The RSF, which controls most of Darfur and has been accused of genocide, blamed the army for the massacre.

Since the war began in April 2023, it has caused tens of thousands of deaths, displaced over 12 million people, and triggered severe hunger and violence, particularly in Darfur.

Israel Hits Village After Border Clashes

An Israeli drone and tank strike on a southwestern Syrian village Tuesday killed at least six civilians, according to Syria’s Foreign Ministry and local sources.

Clashes broke out when Israeli forces attempted to enter Koayiah village and were met by armed civilians.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported at least seven deaths. Israel claimed it responded to gunfire from the area before launching the strike.

Syria slams ‘flagrant’ Israeli violation after deadly bombardment 👇 https://t.co/gZ16752y0W

— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) March 26, 2025

Syria accused Israel of violating national sovereignty and the 1974 UN-brokered buffer zone agreement.

Meanwhile, in Syria’s coastal region, a probe continues into deadly sectarian violence following attacks on security forces, as Damascus struggles to improve its international standing.

Separately, a sabotage attack on two internet cables caused a 12-hour nationwide outage.

Trump Shrugs Off Security Leak Over Signal Group Chat

President Donald Trump downplayed a major security lapse in which sensitive US military plans for a strike on Yemen’s Houthis were accidentally shared in a Signal group chat that included a journalist.

The Signal thread, created by National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, was meant for senior officials but mistakenly included The Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg.

The leak drew sharp criticism from Democratic lawmakers, who questioned why such information—allegedly involving weapons, targets, and timing—was shared on a public-facing app.

Trump and officials like Tulsi Gabbard and John Ratcliffe insisted no classified information was shared, despite bipartisan concerns.

President Donald Trump claimed Tuesday that to his knowledge, “no classified information” was shared in a Signal group chat that mistakenly included The Atlantic editor-in-chief and Washington Week moderator Jeffrey Goldberg.

“Our national security now is stronger than it’s ever… pic.twitter.com/Bs6PTbIody

— PBS News (@NewsHour) March 25, 2025

The incident has sparked calls for an investigation, possible resignations, and scrutiny over how the administration handles national security communications.

Trump defended Waltz and suggested returning to secure, in-person briefings instead of messaging apps.

Venezuela Challenges El Salvador Over Detainees

Lawyers hired by the Venezuelan government filed a habeas corpus petition Monday in El Salvador’s Supreme Court to challenge the detention of 238 Venezuelans deported by the US and held in a maximum-security prison.

The lawyers argue that many of those detained have no criminal record and are not affiliated with the Tren de Aragua gang, which the Trump administration has labeled an “invading force” to justify their deportation under a rarely used 18th-century wartime law.

The Salvadoran government has remained silent on the detainees’ legal status, and questions are mounting over the legality and human rights implications of imprisoning migrants without charges.

El Salvador is being paid by the US to detain them, a move both governments claim reduces costs but that legal experts say raises serious concerns.

Philippines Blasts China Over Sea Claims

Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro sharply criticized China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea on Monday, calling them “the biggest fiction and lie” no Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) country accepts.

His remarks came amid new incidents involving Chinese forces at the disputed Scarborough Shoal, including the installation of a floating barrier and a Chinese military helicopter shadowing a Philippine patrol flight.

Teodoro blamed Chinese President Xi Jinping and his inner circle for escalating aggression, which he said undermines regional stability and international goodwill.

Citing growing threats, Teodoro stressed the need for stronger national defense and closer military ties with allies.

“Bigest fiction and lie.” Ganito isalarawan ni Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. ang 10-dash line claim ng China sa buong South China Sea kabilang na ang West Philippine Sea.

Sa kaniyang pagdalo sa ika-49 na anibersaryo ng Western Command sa Palawan, sinabi ni Teodoro na… pic.twitter.com/hArHMAUkPN

— Radyo Pilipinas (@radyopilipinas1) March 24, 2025

The Philippines is finalizing defense agreements with New Zealand, Canada, and France, while US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is scheduled to visit Manila for talks on reinforcing the US-Philippines alliance.

Sources: News Agencies