Dec 8, 2025

Niger Moves Uranium From SOMAÏR Mine Despite Arbitration Ruling$

Analysis by The North Africa Journal

Niger’s military authorities have authorized the removal and transport of uranium from the SOMAÏR mine at Arlit without the involvement of longtime operator Orano, prompting the French nuclear group to denounce the shipment as illegal and in breach of a September 2025 World Bank–linked arbitration ruling. While Niamey signals plans to sell the stock on the open market as an assertion of resource sovereignty, the move raises legal, safety, and security concerns as uranium travels by road through conflict‑affected Sahel corridors.

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Sahel: Niger Emerges as Key Battleground as JNIM and Islamic State Collide$

by The North Africa Journal | Aug 5, 2026 | 111, Briefs, 1PREMIUM, Security & Defense, 1breaking, Niger, Terrorism, 1shorts, Sahel, Terrorism, Security, security upfront, Shield and Alert: Sahel

A defection, a blood feud, and overlapping territorial ambitions are pushing JNIM and the Islamic State Sahel Province into direct competition across western Niger. The outcome around the region of Dosso could determine whether Sahelian jihadist violence stays fragmented — or consolidates into a wider regional arc.

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by The North Africa Journal | Aug 3, 2026 | Politics, International, Social & Human Affairs, Unrest, 1shorts, 111, Immigration, 1PREMIUM, Maghreb, International politics, Immigration, politics upfront, Shield and Alert: Maghreb, Briefs, Human Rights, Morocco, Repression

The official death toll from a mass border crossing into the Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta has risen to at least 72, but a rights group says it knows of 130 deaths and so many others missing. Morocco and Spain are facing growing pressure to explain how tens of thousands of people managed to force their way into European territory in a matter of days.

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by The North Africa Journal | Jul 31, 2026 | Politics, Security, politics upfront, Criminality and Corruption, Briefs, International, Morocco, 111, Politics, 1PREMIUM, 1shorts, Maghreb, International politics, Immigration

Morocco is facing scrutiny on two fronts this summer: a corroborated investigation alleging systematic use of Pegasus spyware against journalists and foreign officials, and a fresh migrant surge into Ceuta that echoes the 2021 border crisis. Both developments draw scrutiny of Morocco from European governments and beyond, each for different reasons — one a question of covert surveillance, the other of border management under pressure.

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