Criminality

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Mali: After Kidal, The War Comes to Bamako$

Mali’s military government is facing one of its most serious crises since taking power. On April 25 and 26, fighters from the Front de libération de l’Azawad, known as the FLA, and jihadists from the Groupe de soutien à l’islam et aux musulmans, or JNIM, launched...

Mali: Russian-linked Forces Under Drone Pressure in Northern Mali$

Russian-linked forces in Mali are increasingly coming under attack from armed groups that are adapting to the drone age. Two recent incidents in the Kidal region, a March 30 strike near Anéfis and an April 7 attack on a camp in Aguelhok, are evidence of a clear...

Niger Turns to Local Self-Defense Units to Contain Growing Insecurity$

Niamey's decision to formalize local self-defense units called Domol Leydi is the latest sign that Niger's security crisis has worsened, moving beyond a conventional counterterrorism problem and into a broader struggle for territorial control. The government says the...

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

Armed attacks attributed to Sahel-based jihadist groups have intensified in northern Benin in recent weeks, highlighting the continued spread of militant activity along the country’s borders with Burkina Faso and Niger. On March 4, fighters linked to the Group for the...

Desert Locusts Stir Fresh Worries in North-West Africa$

Agricultural authorities in several parts of North and West Africa are maintaining surveillance for desert locust activity following recent reports of small swarms detected near Algeria’s southwestern border. The monitoring reflects the importance of the western...

Mali Army, Russian Allies Accused of Executing Civilians Near Mauritania Border$

Malian troops and their Russian allies are accused of executing refugees and civilians near the Mauritanian border, according to RFI. The French media outlet said seven people who had just crossed from Mauritania into Mali were killed on Friday, March 6, in the Ahl El...

Mauritania: Medical Equipment Contract Controversy Deepens in Mauritania$

Mauritania is facing mounting questions over a multimillion‑euro plan to equip its hospitals, after an independent investigation alleged that the military mishandled a major medical procurement on behalf of the Health Ministry. Instead of new diagnostic machines, the process has produced shifting contracts, large advance payments, and a change of suppliers, while hospitals continue to wait for equipment that should have been delivered months ago.

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.