International

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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....

Burkina Faso: Deep Supply Weaknesses in Ouagadougou Amid Seasonal Butane Shortages$

Gas shortages in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, have become a recurring issue at the end of each year. The problem now appears regularly between December and January, when demand for butane rises with year-end festivities and cooler harmattan, a dry, dusty...

Sahel: Jihadist Attack Kills Local Prefect in Southwestern Niger$

A jihadist attack in Niger targeted the residence of the prefect (governor) of Torodi during the night of Sunday, January 4, into Monday, January 5. Torodi, the last major town before the border with Burkina Faso, lies roughly 30 miles south of Niamey. At least seven...

Flashpoints: How Emirati and Qatari Competition Is Redrawing the Red Sea Map$

Charlotte Touati - Mondafrique: Two competing poles are now clearly taking shape in the contest for control over access to the Red Sea. The first, structured around the United Arab Emirates, Israel, and the Abraham Accords, includes Ethiopia and Somaliland, which has...

Flashpoints: Benin-Niger Tensions Deepen as Diplomatic Relations Deteriorate$

Relations between Benin and Niger have entered a new period of strain following reciprocal diplomatic expulsions. In recent days, authorities in Cotonou (Benin) asked two Nigerien embassy officials to leave the country. Niamey responded by declaring Benin’s chargé...

Niger and ECOWAS: The cost of collective punishmentF

Lines of hundreds of trucks stretch back many kilometres close to Benin's northern border with Niger, their cargo wasting and their drivers going broke after weeks stranded at the closed frontier. Almost two months since a coup ousted Niger's president, the trucks...

Sahel: Growing tension between Niger and BeninF

Niger’s junta dispatched army reinforcements in Gaya, a town located on the border with Benin, some 300 km from Niamey. The increased military presence is likely connected to the border dispute between Niger and Benin on the island of Lété, a conflict that dates back...

Sahel: Niger takes risks over diplomatic standoff with FranceF

The European Union's top diplomat on Monday voiced solidarity with France's ambassador to Niger, who has faced intense pressure after refusing expulsion orders from military leaders. After sacking the elected government in late July, the military said it was expelling...

Sahel: US military resumes surveillance flights over NigerF

The United States has resumed surveillance flights over Niger that were halted in the wake of the military takeover there but other activities remain paused, a spokeswoman said Thursday. "We can confirm that US forces in Niger commenced ISR flights to monitor for...