demonstrating in Bamako, according to government spokesman Yaya Sangare. “A mutiny occurred at the Bamako Central Remand Prison,” he said in a statement published on Saturday. “Some overexcited inmates managed to break down the doors of their cells and assaulted prison guards,” Sangare added. Four prisoners died and eight more people were wounded, including one prison guard, the statement said. The government said the prison had been secured, that no inmates had escaped, and that it had launched an investigation. As prisoners rioted on Friday, tens of thousands of people rallied in Bamako to demand that President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita step down. Keita is under pressure to solve several crises afflicting Mali, including a flailing economy and chronic insecurity.
Flashpoints: In Southern Chad, A Local Clash Reveals Deeper Fragility
Clashes near the town of Korbol in southern Chad on January 13, 2026, left soldiers and rebel fighters dead after the army issued a 48‑hour ultimatum to the Movement for Peace, Reconciliation and Development. The incident barely registered internationally, yet it captures a familiar cycle in Chad’s politics: armed groups rejecting disarmament, a government relying on military pressure, and border regions absorbing the costs. Looking at Korbol helps explain how under‑reported local flashpoints quietly sustain instability across the country.




