Feb 3, 2026

Cyclone Harry’s Hidden Toll: NGOs Fear Up to 1,000 Migrants Lost at Sea$

Analysis by The North Africa Journal

Up to 1,000 migrants may have vanished in the Central Mediterranean during Cyclone Harry, far more than the 380 people officially listed as missing by maritime authorities, according to humanitarian groups working on the Tunisia–Libya route. The Italian NGO Mediterranea Saving Humans says testimonies from coastal communities around Sfax and from migrants’ families suggest dozens of boats sailed into the storm and never returned, turning what was reported as a series of shipwrecks into what advocates describe as a “hidden catastrophe” at sea.

Receive Notifications on Breaking Critical Events and Weekly Analyses

🔒

Subscriber-Only Analysis

This in-depth report is reserved exclusively for clients subscribing to
The North Africa Journal.

👤 Already a subscriber? Log in here

Not a subscriber? Click here for our lowest rates

Premium Contents

Gulf War Escalates as Energy Markets Reel and Regional Fronts Multiply$

by The North Africa Journal | Mar 11, 2026 | Security & Defense, 1breaking, 1 Up Front, 1shorts, Maghreb, International politics, Security, politics upfront, International, 111, Briefs, International News, Politics, 1PREMIUM

The war involving Iran, Israel, and the United States is expanding across the Middle East, with growing consequences for global energy markets and regional security. Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure have pushed oil prices higher and raised concerns about supply stability. As missile exchanges intensify and fighting spreads to Lebanon, world leaders are scrambling to assess the economic fallout and prevent further escalation.

West Africa: Jihadist Attacks Intensify in Northern Benin Amid Cross-Border Insurgency Pressure$

by The North Africa Journal | Mar 11, 2026 | Security, security upfront, Shield and Alert: Sahel, 111, Briefs, International News, Security & Defense, Benin, 1shorts, 1PREMIUM, Burkina Faso, Africa, Sahel, Terrorism

Jihadist attacks in northern Benin have intensified in recent weeks, with militants linked to JNIM claiming a deadly assault on a military position near the Niger border and carrying out additional raids on security posts along the country’s volatile frontiers with Burkina Faso and Nigeria. The violence underscores how northern Benin has become part of a wider cross-border insurgency spilling south from the central Sahel, even as authorities bolster Operation Mirador and try to prevent armed groups from entrenching themselves on Beninese soil.

Desert Locusts Stir Fresh Worries in North-West Africa$

by The North Africa Journal | Mar 11, 2026 | Environment, Algeria, 1PREMIUM, Briefs, 1-BLUE-LEFT-SECTION-Special-Focus-Free, Mauritania, 1shorts, Maghreb, Sahel, Environment, Environment, Shield and Alert: Maghreb, Shield and Alert: Sahel

Small desert locust swarms recently detected along the western Sahara corridor have prompted stepped-up monitoring across parts of North and West Africa, where shifting rainfall can quickly turn quiet desert areas into launchpads for wider infestations.

Subscribe to Free Weekly Newsletter & NAJ WhatsApp Group

At the end of the week, we send you what mattered the most in North Africa and in the Sahel. Also join our WhatsApp Group to receive instant notifications from our editors.

