Sahel

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West Africa’s New Rulers Use the Same Same Old Playbook of Their Predecessors$

Cameroon’s election aftermath is fueling more street violence, Côte d’Ivoire’s political prospects remain stuck in limbo, and now Guinea is laying the groundwork for another high-stakes electoral play. In an article on elections in these three countries, Nicolas Beau...

Mali’s Energy Collapse Deepens as Fuel Blockade and Infrastructure Decay Converge$

Mali’s capital has grown quieter in the dark. Across Bamako and beyond, entire neighborhoods now spend long nights without electricity, while daylight hours bring fuel shortages, stranded trucks, and roads worn into trenches. What began as a domestic energy crisis has...

Mali: Bamako Strikes Back as JNIM Expands Its Rule$

Over one turbulent weekend in mid‑October 2025, Mali’s army announced a series of airstrikes against jihadist strongholds just as the country’s most powerful al‑Qaeda affiliate, Jama’at Nusrat  al‑Islam wal‑Muslimin (JNIM), released a new video spelling out its...

Sahel: Three Sahel States Join Forces in Northern Mali Offensive$

Joint counterterrorism forces from the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) have carried out a precision operation in northern Mali, killing Boubacar Demougui Ag Almouner, one of the Islamic State in the Sahel’s most prominent field commanders. The strike took place on...

Sahel: The Demographic Tide Reshaping Mali’s Regional Balance$

Mali is on the cusp of a demographic transformation. According to new projections from the country’s National Population Directorate (DNP), the population—currently around 24.7 million in 2025—is expected to soar past 51.6 million by 2050. That represents a doubling...

Sahel: Fever Outbreak Overwhelms Mauritanian Hospitals$

Hospitals in Mauritania are under growing strain as an outbreak of an unidentified fever spreads through the country’s two largest cities, Nouakchott and Nouadhibou, raising alarm among residents and health professionals. Regional hospitals in both cities are...

Mali: Touareg group kills five army soldiers in LéréF

An attack on two military camps in northern Mali claimed by armed rebel groups killed five soldiers, while 11 others are missing, the army said late Monday. It was the latest attack against army positions in northern Mali, which, in addition to suffering frequent...

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...

Niger cancels 1,000 diplomatic passports from ousted regimeF

The new military rulers of Niger have cancelled more than 990 diplomatic passports held by nationals and foreigners linked to the ousted regime. The foreign ministry has written to notify diplomatic representations in Niger that the passports are now "lapsed",...