Security

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Mauritania Arrests Anti‑Corruption Figure Mohamed Ould Gadda$

Mauritanian authorities have arrested former senator Mohamed Ould Gadda, now heading the anti‑corruption NGO “Transparence Totale,” in a move that has drawn criticism from parliamentarians and opposition figures over due‑process guarantees and the treatment of...

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

A recent account by the head of Benin’s Republican Guard alleged that France played a role in an attempted coup in Benin, triggering a legal and political debate in Paris. In an interview with Radio France Internationale (RFI), Colonel Dieudonné Djimon Tévoédjrè...

Niger Moves Uranium From SOMAÏR Mine Despite Arbitration Ruling$

Niger’s decision to move uranium from a disputed mine in the country’s north is deepening its confrontation with French nuclear group Orano and raising fresh questions about security and safety in the Sahel’s conflict‑affected transport corridors. Disputed shipment...

Benin Soldiers Mount Brief Coup Attempt$

Benin’s government says it has put down a brief but serious military uprising after soldiers appeared on state television on December 7 claiming to remove President Patrice Talon from power and suspend the constitution. The confrontation lasted only a few hours before...

Mauritania: Medical Equipment Contract Controversy Deepens in Mauritania$

A medical procurement deal in Mauritania has turned into a governance controversy, after an investigation by independent outlet Alakhbar alleged serious irregularities in how the military managed a multimillion‑euro contract to equip public hospitals. Instead of...

Mauritania Confronts Concentrated Desert Locust Outbreak With Regional Spillover Risk$

Mauritania is facing a concentrated desert locust outbreak in several western and northern regions, prompting intensified surveillance and control operations as ecological conditions continue to favor breeding. While the current wave of activity remains primarily...

Sahel: Dozens dead in clash in north Burkina FasoF

The general staff of the Burkina Faso military said 53 people died in Koumbri, near Ouahigouya in the north of the country on 4 September, when the 12th commando infantry regiment was deployed to secure the resettlement of populations who have left the area for more...

Leaders of Francophone Africa gripped by fear, strengthen their own securityF

By Arezki Daoud: Leaders of Francophone Africa are in state of panic following a series of coups that toppled their peers in Mali, Burkina, Guinea, Niger and now Gabon. Last week, Rwanda's President Paul Kagame announced the retirement of hundreds of military...

Mali: Three wounded in attack near capital BamakoF

A policeman and two civilians were wounded when Mali's security forces repelled an attack near the capital Bamako on Sunday, the army said. The attackers targeted a post in Dialakoroba, Koulikoro region, around 50 kilometres (30 miles) east of Bamako, at 01:40 GMT,...

Gabon: People waiting for junta to announce plan in coup aftermathF

People in the central African state of Gabon awaited a steer on their future on Thursday after rebel army officers brought the curtain down on 55 years of rule by the Bongo family. President Ali Bongo Ondimba, whose father Omar had ruled for more than four decades,...