Feb 2, 2026

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

Analysis by The North Africa Journal

Mauritania and Spain have carried out joint naval exercises off Nouadhibou, built around a port visit by the Spanish patrol vessel Furor and focused on navigation safety and operational coordination. The drills, paired with visits to Mauritanian military installations, signal a tightening maritime partnership in Atlantic waters that are central to security, fisheries, and migration routes. Officials in Nouakchott present the cooperation as part of a broader effort to strengthen maritime stability and protect shared interests at sea.

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Gulf War Escalates as Energy Markets Reel and Regional Fronts Multiply$

by The North Africa Journal | Mar 11, 2026 | Security & Defense, 1breaking, 1 Up Front, 1shorts, Maghreb, International politics, Security, politics upfront, International, 111, Briefs, International News, Politics, 1PREMIUM

The war involving Iran, Israel, and the United States is expanding across the Middle East, with growing consequences for global energy markets and regional security. Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure have pushed oil prices higher and raised concerns about supply stability. As missile exchanges intensify and fighting spreads to Lebanon, world leaders are scrambling to assess the economic fallout and prevent further escalation.

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by The North Africa Journal | Mar 11, 2026 | Security, security upfront, Shield and Alert: Sahel, 111, Briefs, International News, Security & Defense, Benin, 1shorts, 1PREMIUM, Burkina Faso, Africa, Sahel, Terrorism

Jihadist attacks in northern Benin have intensified in recent weeks, with militants linked to JNIM claiming a deadly assault on a military position near the Niger border and carrying out additional raids on security posts along the country’s volatile frontiers with Burkina Faso and Nigeria. The violence underscores how northern Benin has become part of a wider cross-border insurgency spilling south from the central Sahel, even as authorities bolster Operation Mirador and try to prevent armed groups from entrenching themselves on Beninese soil.

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Small desert locust swarms recently detected along the western Sahara corridor have prompted stepped-up monitoring across parts of North and West Africa, where shifting rainfall can quickly turn quiet desert areas into launchpads for wider infestations.

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