Jan 15, 2026

Egypt’s Red Lines in the Horn of Africa Are Becoming Explicit$

Analysis by Arezki Daoud

Egypt’s expanding posture in Somalia and its firm stance on Sudan reveal a coherent security doctrine taking shape along its southern and southeastern perimeter. Cairo is drawing explicit red lines against state collapse, territorial fragmentation, and the emergence of parallel authorities in strategically sensitive areas of the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea basin.

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Premium Contents

Flashpoints: In Southern Chad, A Local Clash Reveals Deeper Fragility$

by The North Africa Journal | Feb 2, 2026 | Briefs, Communical Conflicts, Social & Human Affairs, Chad, 1shorts, Government abuse, Sahel, Shield and Alert: Sahel, Human Rights, 1PREMIUM, 1-BLUE-LEFT-SECTION-Special-Focus-Free

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.

Local Conflicts: State-Imposed Land Pact Struggles to Calm Tensions in Brakna, Mauritania$

by The North Africa Journal | Feb 2, 2026 | 1PREMIUM, Briefs, Communical Conflicts, Mauritania, Communal Conflicts, Social & Human Affairs, 1shorts, Africa, Sahel, Social/Human, Shield and Alert: Sahel, 111

Authorities in Mauritania’s Brakna region have forced a truce between rival farming communities after deadly clashes over fertile land in the Waalo zone. The agreement, signed in Aleg under the authority of the regional governor, halts direct confrontations and routes all complaints through the administration, but accusations of bias and political interference show that trust in the state’s land governance remains badly shaken.

Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2025) in Morocco: Strong Hosting, Weak Crisis Management$

by The North Africa Journal | Feb 2, 2026 | Social, Shield and Alert: Maghreb, General issues, 1PREMIUM, 1-BLUE-LEFT-SECTION-Special-Focus-Free, Briefs, 1Alert, Morocco, Social & Human Affairs, 1Notify, 1shorts, Maghreb

Morocco’s hosting of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations was widely praised for its stadiums, logistics, and overall organization, but the chaotic final in Rabat told a different story. A stoppage in play, disorder in the stands, and now a controversial set of disciplinary rulings from the continental federation have raised questions about how African football manages its biggest pressure points. The real issue is no longer just who lifted the trophy, but whether the institutions around the game can handle a final as the ultimate stress test.

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