Sahel – The North Africa Journal

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Mali in Turmoil: Junta Suspends Political Parties Amid Mounting Opposition

Mali’s ruling junta has officially suspended all political party activities, marking the most sweeping crackdown yet on democratic institutions since the 2020 coup. The decision, announced on May 7 by General Assimi Goïta, cites public order concerns and follows weeks...

Mauritania and Senegal Launch LNG Exports with First Cargo from Grand Tortue Ahmeyim Project

The first shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Grand Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) project, located offshore between Mauritania and Senegal, has been successfully loaded for export, marking a key milestone for both countries as they join the ranks of LNG-exporting...

West Africa: ECOWAS in turmoil

West Africa's economic grouping, ECOWAS, faces a new crisis as former chairman and Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo refuses to step down despite his mandate ending on February 27, 2025. Embalo, who once criticized Sahelian coup leaders on behalf of...

Sahel: Terror Groups Gain Ground as Armies Struggle to Contain Them

Al-Qaeda’s Sahel branch, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM or GNIM in French) is now emerging as the region’s dominant jihadist force. Even the brutal Islamic State has been largely unable to contain JNIM's expansion, which has been expanding its control...

Brief: Fifteen Migrants Found Dead in a Boat off the Coast of Nouadhibou, Mauritania

Fifteen undocumented migrants, including one Mauritanian, have died off the coast of Nouadhibou, according to a Sahara Media. Authorities in Nouadhibou discovered a boat carrying 39 migrants, among whom nine were found dead, and ten others were in critical condition....

Mali Keeps Pressuring Algeria, Accusing it of Interference

Mali has accused Algeria of interference and supporting terrorist groups after top Algerian diplomat criticized its counter-terrorism strategy. Bamako alleges Algeria maintains ties to insurgent groups, a reference to the Toureg tribes, [am4show have='g1;'...

Mauritania and Senegal Launch LNG Exports with First Cargo from Grand Tortue Ahmeyim Project

West Africa: ECOWAS in turmoil

West Africa’s economic grouping, ECOWAS, faces a new crisis as former chairman and Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo refuses to step down despite his mandate ending on February 27, 2025. Embalo, who once criticized Sahelian coup leaders on behalf of ECOWAS, now defies the organization, even expelling its mediation delegation.

Sahel: Terror Groups Gain Ground as Armies Struggle to Contain Them

Al-Qaeda’s Sahel branch (GSIM) is now emerging as the region’s dominant jihadist force. Even the brutal Islamic State has been largely unable to contain SGIM’s expansion, which has been expanding its control across Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

Brief: Fifteen Migrants Found Dead in a Boat off the Coast of Nouadhibou, Mauritania

Mauritanian authorities discovered a boat near Nouadhibou carrying 39 migrants, including nine deceased and ten in critical condition. Survivors, primarily from Senegal and Mali, reported that fifteen migrants died from exhaustion, though not all bodies were found. The deceased were buried by local authorities. Mauritania has become a key transit point for African migrants attempting to reach Europe via the Canary Islands.

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