By Maïssata Koné-Dubois, Mondafrique: In an explosive report, the German think tank Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik accuses Abu Dhabi of being a major force behind instability across Africa. [Full report here] Until the Sudan war, the United Arab Emirates had...
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Mali: After Kidal, The War Comes to Bamako
Mali’s military government is facing one of its most serious crises since taking power. On April 25 and 26, fighters from the Front de libération de l’Azawad, known as the FLA, and jihadists from the Groupe de soutien à l’islam et aux musulmans, or JNIM, launched...
Mali: Russian-linked Forces Under Drone Pressure in Northern Mali
Russian-linked forces in Mali are increasingly coming under attack from armed groups that are adapting to the drone age. Two recent incidents in the Kidal region, a March 30 strike near Anéfis and an April 7 attack on a camp in Aguelhok, are evidence of a clear...
Niger Turns to Local Self-Defense Units to Contain Growing Insecurity
Niamey's decision to formalize local self-defense units called Domol Leydi is the latest sign that Niger's security crisis has worsened, moving beyond a conventional counterterrorism problem and into a broader struggle for territorial control. The government says the...
West Africa: Jihadist Attacks Intensify in Northern Benin Amid Cross-Border Insurgency Pressure
Armed attacks attributed to Sahel-based jihadist groups have intensified in northern Benin in recent weeks, highlighting the continued spread of militant activity along the country’s borders with Burkina Faso and Niger. On March 4, fighters linked to the Group for the...
Desert Locusts Stir Fresh Worries in North-West Africa
Agricultural authorities in several parts of North and West Africa are maintaining surveillance for desert locust activity following recent reports of small swarms detected near Algeria’s southwestern border. The monitoring reflects the importance of the western...
Sahel: Foreign Workers Targeted in New Mali Kidnappings
A series of recent kidnappings in western and northern Mali have reinforced growing concerns for foreign workers and...
French Nationals Urged to Leave Mali as Insurgent Attacks Intensify in the Sahel
Faced with a surge of Islamist insurgency and increased boldness, the Defense Ministers of Mali, Burkina Faso, and...
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...
Sahel: With Droukdel dead, here’s Al-Qaeda/IS’ trio of leaders to watch
Three leaders have been left dominating the jihadist insurgency in the Sahel, following the death of a top al-Qaeda...
Niger: Attack on IDP camp in west Niger prompts thousands of refugees to flee
Niamey, June 3, 2020 - Thousands of people have fled a camp hosting 20,000 Malian refugees in western Niger after a...
Burkina Faso: Insurgents ambush vendors in Loroum, kill 15
At least 15 civilians have been killed in northern Burkina Faso during an attack attributed to jihadists, the...
Niger: Refugee camp in the Tahoua attacked, three killed
Jihadists carried out a coordinated attack on a camp housing thousands of Malian refugees in western Niger, killing...
Sahel Podcast: Covid-19, the insurgency and the brutality of government forces
In this latest brief podcast, MEA Risk's Arezki Daoud addresses the issues of instability and security in the Sahel,...
Burkina Faso: More violence in Houet, two gendarmes killed
Ouagadougou, May 25, 2020 - Two policemen have been killed in a fresh attack in the Sahel state of Burkina Faso, which...
Outlook: Can the country of Togo be a Jihadi hotspot?
Dapaong, Togo, May 21, 2020 (By Célia Lebur) - In a makeshift bunker of sacks of rice beneath a tree, heavily-armed...
Burkina Faso: Al-Qaeda-affiliate claims responsibility for attack in Loroum
Ouagadougou, May 20, 2020 - Two Burkina Faso soldiers and five civilian defence volunteers have been killed during an...
Niger: Insurgents attack Blabrine base near Diffa town
Niamey, May 19, 2020 - Twelve soldiers have been killed in a Boko Haram attack on a military outpost in Niger's Diffa...








