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Burkina Faso Faces New Security Tensions Amid Coup Allegations$

Burkina Faso experienced a sudden spike in political and security tension overnight in early January, with coordinated public mobilizations in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso following warnings of a possible attempt to destabilize the country’s transitional...

The UAE’s Growing Role in African Conflict Zones$

Saudi–Emirati tensions over Yemen open a wider question: to what extent is the UAE using proxy actors, media leverage, and selective alliances to reshape crisis zones from Libya and Sudan to the Western Sahara file, often in ways that cut across Algerian and broader...

Africa: Visa Bonds Up to $15,000 From October 23: New U.S. Policy Targets Travelers from Africa$

Starting October 23, 2025, citizens of seven African countries must pay refundable visa bonds of up to $15,000 when seeking entry to the United States for business or tourism under a year-long pilot program aimed at curbing visa overstays.

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Sahel: Surging Jihadist Violence Batters the Sahel, Exposing Government Weakness$

Jihadist violence has surged across the Sahel, with militants overrunning military bases, ambushing convoys, and forcing civilians to negotiate with armed groups for survival. Hardest hit are conflict corridors in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and northeastern Nigeria, where blockades and insecurity have left millions displaced or trapped in besieged communities.

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Mali: Ongoing Attacks Prompt Longer Curfew in Western Mali$

Kayes in western Mali will continue under a nighttime curfew throughout October, as authorities respond to a series of attacks by armed groups and work to limit the threat of insurgent violence.

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Mali: Diplomatic Rift Widens as France Expels Malian Envoys, Halts Counterterrorism Ties$

Diplomatic ties between Mali and France have sharply deteriorated after Mali detained a French national on coup-plotting charges, leading France to expel two Malian diplomats and suspend joint counterterrorism efforts. In response, Mali expelled five French embassy staff, ending a lengthy era of security cooperation between the two countries.

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