An improvised explosive device struck a mixed transport vehicle near Baroua in Niger’s Diffa region at around 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, February 10, killing at least eight people at the scene and injuring others, according to local accounts. The blast destroyed the...
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Flashpoints: In Southern Chad, A Local Clash Reveals Deeper Fragility
Clashes in southern Chad between government forces and a little‑known rebel movement offer a window into how local conflicts feed into the continent’s broader instability, far from the headlines that dominate global coverage. On January 13, 2026, at least six people...
Local Conflicts: State-Imposed Land Pact Struggles to Calm Tensions in Brakna, Mauritania
Authorities in Mauritania’s Brakna region have brokered a fragile peace deal aimed at ending a violent land dispute between neighboring farming communities, but deep political mistrust and unresolved questions about land rights suggest the crisis is far from over. The...
Niger Airport Attack Deepens Sahel’s Security and Diplomatic Strains
An overnight assault on Niger’s main international airport has prompted a partial drawdown of U.S. diplomatic staff from Niamey and renewed scrutiny of the country’s security trajectory and external partnerships. Shortly before midnight on January 29, 2026, armed...
Defense: Mauritania and Spain Use Naval Exercises to Bolster Atlantic Maritime Security
Mauritanian and Spanish naval forces have conducted joint exercises off the coast of Nouadhibou, underscoring a growing security partnership in a stretch of Atlantic waters that has become central to migration control and maritime surveillance. The drills show how...
Mali: Gold Mining Site in Sikasso Region Hit by Armed Group
Armed attackers struck the Morila gold mine in southern Mali during the night of January 4 to January 5, 2026, causing material damage to the site, according to multiple sources. The mine is located in the Sikasso region, near Mali’s border with neighboring countries....
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...
Madagascar: “Mamy” Ravatomanga, billionaire, vice-king, and protester target
A profile by Olivier Vallée and Nicolas Beau [MondAfrique]: Maminiaina Ravatomanga, “Mamy,” is a wealthy businessman...
Mauritania: Ex-President Verdict Puts Mauritania’s Legal System Under Spotlight
Mauritania’s high-profile corruption trial of former President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz has sparked a bigger...
Sahel: Foreign Mining Firms Face Growing Risks as Juntas Assert Control Over Resources
Mining companies that have been operating in the Sahel for a long time are now experiencing a tectonic shift in their...
Libya: Illegal gold mining network dismantled, foreign nationals arrested
An illegal gold mining network, comprised of Chinese, Chadian, and Nigerien nationals, has been dismantled in southern...
Sahel: Mauritania sends ex-president Ould Abdelaziz to prison for corruption
A court in Mauritania's capital Nouakchott on Monday sentenced former president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz to five years...
Niger junta creates anti-corruption commission
The military regime in Niger that seized power in a coup said late Wednesday it has created an anti-corruption...
Mauritania: Ex President Ould Abdel Aziz to face corruption trial
Mauritania's disgraced ex-president, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, has been released from custody pending a trial on...
Mauritania arrests former president Ould Abdel Aziz for alleged corruption
Mauritania's former president, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, was on Tuesday jailed after a judge in charge of a corruption...
Mauritania: Ex-President Ould Abdel Aziz facing tough corruption charges
By Hademine Ould Sadi - A Mauritanian state prosecutor on Thursday requested corruption charges against former...
Sahel: Chad’s ex oil Minister Le Bemadjiel arrested on corruption charges
N'Djamena - Chad's former oil minister was in custody on Thursday following his arrest for allegedly stealing public...
Former Mauritanian president under investigation for alleged embezzlement
Nouakchott, Aug 18, 2020 - Former Mauritanian president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, under suspicion over embezzlement...
Sahel: Chad’s dictator Idriss Deby gets a new title: “Maréchal du Tchad”
N'Djamena, Aug 11, 2020 - Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno was named a marshal, the first in his country's history,...
Sahel: Government reshuffle in Mauritania
Nouakchott, Aug 6, 2020 - Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani on Thursday carried out a government...
Sahel: Tense situation in Mali after two people were killed
Bamako, July 11, 2020 - Tensions ran high in Mali Saturday, a day after deadly mass protests seeking the ouster of the...
Burkina Faso: From favored tourist destination to a hotbed of terrorism
By Armel Baily with Patrick Fort in Abidjan: Little more than five years ago, Burkina Faso was on the up, priding...
Niger: Concern over fraud in defense purchasing
Niamey, June 23, 2020 - Niger's state prosecutor on Tuesday reported evidence of fraud and other crimes in a military...
Sahel: Growing concern over soldiers’ misconduct in the Sahel
By Amaury Hauchard: Accusations of alleged forced disappearances and extrajudicial killings are mounting against...
Sahel: The people of Mali launch their anti-regime Hirak movement
Tens of thousands of people rallied in Mali's capital Bamako on Friday demanding the departure of President Ibrahim...
Mali: Anger in Bamako over arrest of anti-corruption activist Clement Dembele
Bamako, May 19, 2020 - About one hundred people took to the streets in Mali's capital Bamako on Tuesday to protest the...











