Jan 6, 2026

Burkina Faso Faces New Security Tensions Amid Coup Allegations$

Analysis by The North Africa Journal

Burkina Faso saw a surge in political tension after warnings of a possible destabilization attempt triggered overnight mobilizations in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso. Security forces placed several military sites on alert as arrests were reported and social media claims pointed to internal and external actors. While the scale of the threat remains unclear, the episode reflects persistent instability under the country’s military transition and raises questions about internal cohesion, governance, and the long-term outlook for political order.

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Premium Contents

Southern Libya Boils Over: Three Haftar Soldiers Killed in Border Raid Near Niger$

by The North Africa Journal | Feb 4, 2026 | Shield and Alert: Maghreb, 1PREMIUM, 1-BLUE-LEFT-SECTION-Special-Focus-Free, Briefs, Libya, Security & Defense, 1shorts, Maghreb, Security

Three soldiers loyal to Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar were killed and several others captured in coordinated attacks on border posts near Niger, underscoring how southern Libya has become a key fault line in the country’s fractured security landscape. Fighters claiming to represent “revolutionaries of the South” say they are targeting Haftar’s forces over dire living conditions and alleged resource plunder, as cross-border armed groups test the limits of state control from Al-Tum to the Salvador Pass.

Tunisia Appeals Court Extends Rached Ghannouchi’s Prison Term by 20 Years$

by The North Africa Journal | Feb 4, 2026 | 1PREMIUM, 1-BLUE-LEFT-SECTION-Special-Focus-Free, 1Alert, Briefs, Politics, Tunisia, 1Notify, 1shorts, Maghreb, Politics, Shield and Alert: Maghreb

Rached Ghannouchi, the 84-year-old leader of Tunisia’s Ennahda party, has had his prison sentence increased to 20 years in a case known as “Conspiracy 2,” pushing his cumulative jail time from multiple convictions to more than four decades. His defense team says he will not seek a final appeal, denouncing the charges as politically driven and warning that the ruling deepens Tunisia’s crackdown on organized opposition.

With Saif al-Islam Killed, Gaddafi Dynasty’s Political Ambitions All But Collapse$

by The North Africa Journal | Feb 4, 2026 | 1PREMIUM, Briefs, 1Alert, Libya, Politics, 1Notify, 1shorts, Maghreb, Politics, Security, politics upfront, 111

Saif al‑Islam Gaddafi, the son of Libya’s longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi and a former presidential candidate, has been killed in the western town of Zintan by armed attackers. His death, confirmed by family and advisers, raises fresh questions about Libya’s fragile political balance.

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