Sahel – The North Africa Journal

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Mauritania’s Former President Loses Final Appeal, Will Serve 15 Years

Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, who led Mauritania from 2009 to 2019, has lost his final appeal and will serve 15 years in prison. The Supreme Court of Mauritania upheld his conviction for illicit enrichment and money laundering, following a years-long legal process that saw...

Sahel: Community Mourns Mariam Cissé, Killed by Militants in Northern Mali

Mariam Cissé, a well-known content creator from the town of Tonka in northern Mali, was abducted on November 6, 2025, at a weekly fair in Echel, roughly twenty kilometers northwest of her hometown. The following day, she was executed in public in an area under the...

Sahel: Foreign Workers Targeted in New Mali Kidnappings

A series of recent kidnappings in western and northern Mali have reinforced growing concerns for foreign workers and business interests operating in the region, amid ongoing insecurity, targeted attacks, and evolving hostage negotiations. On November 6, five Indian...

Spain Faces Scrutiny Over Migrant Centers in Mauritania

Debate in Spain has increased over government funding for migrant centers in Mauritania, with some critics arguing these sites operate more like detention centers than shelters. The controversy is drawing attention to broader questions about European border security,...

Crisis in Sudan: Meet the Ruthless Warlord Hemedti

Libya has Khalifa Haftar, Sudan has its own ruthless warlord, Mohamed Hamdan Dagolo—better known as Hemedti. Like Haftar, Hemedti rose to power through brutal tactics, commanding paramilitary forces responsible for atrocities and exerting fierce control over...

French Nationals Urged to Leave Mali as Insurgent Attacks Intensify in the Sahel

Faced with a surge of Islamist insurgency and increased boldness, the Defense Ministers of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger met on November 7 in Niamey to accelerate the joint military structure of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a 6,000-man initiative that has been...

Mauritania’s Former President Loses Final Appeal, Will Serve 15 Years

Mauritania’s Supreme Court has confirmed a 15-year prison sentence for former president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz on charges of illicit enrichment and money laundering, marking the end of a historic legal process and setting a new regional precedent for the prosecution of financial crimes by former heads of state.

Sahel: Community Mourns Mariam Cissé, Killed by Militants in Northern Mali

Mariam Cissé, a prominent content creator from Tonka, Mali, was abducted and publicly executed by armed militants in the Goundam district of the Timbuktu region. Her killing, believed to be linked to videos she posted about armed activity in local markets, has drawn widespread shock online and underscored the dangers facing civilians and public figures in militant-controlled parts of northern Mali.

Sahel: Foreign Workers Targeted in New Mali Kidnappings

A string of recent kidnappings in western and northern Mali—including the abduction of five Indian technicians and an Emirati businessman—highlights the increasing risks for foreign workers engaged in energy, mining, and infrastructure projects. The evolving tactics of armed groups and complex negotiation processes have led companies to overhaul security protocols and adjust operations to cope with persistent threats.