Sahel

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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....

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...

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.

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Niger Airport Attack Deepens Sahel’s Security and Diplomatic Strains$

Defense: Mauritania and Spain Use Naval Exercises to Bolster Atlantic Maritime Security$

Mali: Gold Mining Site in Sikasso Region Hit by Armed Group$

Mauritania’s Former President Loses Final Appeal, Will Serve 15 Years$

Sahel: Community Mourns Mariam Cissé, Killed by Militants in Northern Mali$

Sahel: Foreign Workers Targeted in New Mali Kidnappings$

Spain Faces Scrutiny Over Migrant Centers in Mauritania$

Sahel: Violence in Northern Mali Drives New Wave of Displacement Into Mauritania$

Sahel: French Special Forces Accused of Direct Role in Benin Coup Response$

Burkina Faso coup leader Ibrahim Traore crows himself country’s presidentF

Sahel: Concerned about Russia’s presence in the Sahel, US warns Burkina Faso’s new juntaF

Burkina Faso: As regime in Ouagadougou collapsed last week, terror attack claimed 37 lives up northF

Sahel: Russia courting nation of Mali with free fertilizerF

Sahel: Anti-France protestors brandish Russian flags in OuagadougouF

Burkina Faso: Deposed junta leader Colonel Damiba steps down, flees to TogoF

Sahel: Burkina Faso coup leader removed by another coupF

Sahel: Regime in Chad abandons path to democracy, junta leader Deby seeks perpetual reignF

Sahel: Uncertainty in Ouagadougou as Burkina Faso descends into chaosF

Sahel: Relentless insurgent attacks continue in Burkina FasoF

Sahel: Growing pressure on Mali to release detained soldiers from Ivory CoastF

Sahel: Jihadists ambush patrol in Oursi, Burkina Faso, kill eight troopsF

Sahel: Chad’s Foreign Minister Zene Cherif resigns for being sidelined in peace talksF

Sahel: Germany suspends reconnaissance patrols in Mali due to inability to get flyover rightF

Sahel: Row between Mali and Ivory Coast intensifiesF

Sahel: Chad’s peace negotiations resume after rebel chief Erdimi was released by EgyptF

Sahel: Senior Mali army officer admits defeat, calls for evacuation of part of the northF

Mali: In the absence of institutional security in Kidal, the Tuaregs are in chargeF

Sahel: Burkina Faso defense chief fired as the destabilization of Burkina Faso continuesF

Sahel: Attack on army unit in Deou, Burkina Faso claims two troops and JihadistsF

Sahel: Three UN peacekeepers hurt in blast near Timbuktu, MaliF

Sahel: Growing tensions between Senegal and Mali over soldiers held in Mali against their willF

Sahel: Islamic State attackers kill dozens of civilians in northern MaliF

Mauritania: Ex President Ould Abdel Aziz to face corruption trialF

Beyond the Sahel: Togo extends state of emergency in the Jihadist-torn northF

Mali: As France pulls its forces out of Mali, Algeria seeks to fill the void in a complex environment ($)F

Sahel: German soldiers resume reconnaissance patrols in MaliF

Sahel: Region of Talataye in Mali falls in the hands of Islamic State affiliate after bitter fight with Al QaedaF

Sahel: Insurgency in northern Burkina Faso worsensF

Sahel: UN reports killing of civilians in a Mali army attack involving foreign troopsF