Environment

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Mali: Bamako Under SiegeF

For years, Mali's conflict has been defined by territorial control, military offensives, and shifting alliances among jihadist groups, separatist movements, and government forces. Recent developments suggest that the conflict may be entering a different phase, a more...

German Think Tank Accuses the UAE of Destabilizing AfricaF

By Maïssata Koné-Dubois, Mondafrique: In an explosive report, the German think tank Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik accuses Abu Dhabi of being a major force behind instability across Africa. [Full report here] Until the Sudan war, the United Arab Emirates had...

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$

Small desert locust swarms recently detected along the western Sahara corridor have prompted stepped-up monitoring across parts of North and West Africa, where shifting rainfall can quickly turn quiet desert areas into launchpads for wider infestations.