North Africa’s Security
Security | Defense | Terrorism
Sudan’s Army Gains Ground in Kordofan as War Strains Power and Food Systems
Sudan’s army is gaining ground in North Kordofan, securing key transport routes that could support a broader push west toward Darfur. But battlefield advances are unfolding alongside a deepening national crisis, with power grid failures, disrupted agriculture and local conflicts compounding the country’s instability. But this latest military momentum is unlikely to resolve Sudan’s widening humanitarian and infrastructure challenges.
SECURITY & DEFENSE
Niger Turns to Local Self-Defense Units to Contain Growing Insecurity
Niger has formalized local self-defense units known as Domol Leydi as violence intensifies across its borders, reflecting a shift toward community-based security in response to expanding militant activity and limited state reach.
Iran War: How Tehran and Washington Stepped Back From the Brink
Trump’s threat to bring “civilizational” destruction to Iran collided with last‑minute diplomacy involving Pakistan and China,producing a fragile two‑week ceasefire that left both sides preparing for talks even as they quietly brace for the war to resume.
Gulf War Escalates as Energy Markets Reel and Regional Fronts Multiply
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.
West Africa: Jihadist Attacks Intensify in Northern Benin Amid Cross-Border Insurgency Pressure
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.
Niger: Armed Attacks Target Military Bases in Tahoua
Armed militants launched coordinated assaults on military facilities in Tahoua, a strategic city in northwestern Niger. The attacks targeted Air Base 401 at the local airport and the headquarters of the 42nd Inter‑Arms Battalion. Nigerien forces repelled both assaults after intense fighting, leaving several soldiers lightly wounded and multiple attackers dead, with five suspects arrested.
Algeria and Niger Relaunch Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline After Diplomatic Freeze
Algeria and Niger have ended months of strained relations and announced the operational launch of the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline, a 4,000-kilometer project linking Nigerian gas fields to European markets through Niger and Algeria. The move signals both a diplomatic reset and a renewed push to position North Africa as a strategic energy corridor.
Algeria and Niger Restore Ties, Signaling a Shift in Sahel Diplomacy
Algeria and Niger restored diplomatic relations after nearly a year of tensions triggered by regional security disputes. The return of ambassadors and a planned high-level visit signal renewed cooperation centered on energy development, border security, and regional trade. The rapprochement highlights the strategic importance of the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline and reflects broader efforts to stabilize partnerships across the Sahel amid ongoing security and economic pressures.
Nigeria: More than 160 people killed in Muslim communities in Kwara State
More than 160 people were killed in predominantly Muslim farming communities in Kwara State, Nigeria, after villagers reportedly refused to accept an extremist group’s strict religious rule.
Niger: Roadside Bomb Kills Civilians Near Baroua in Diffa Region
A mixed passenger and cargo vehicle hit an improvised explosive device near Baroua in Niger’s Diffa region, killing at least eight people and injuring others. The attack highlights how mines and roadside bombs are tightening the squeeze on civilians across the Sahel, disrupting travel, trade, and basic access to services.
Morocco Allegations Reignite Spain’s Pegasus Debate
New reporting has revived scrutiny of the 2021 Pegasus intrusion targeting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s phone, focusing on the Ceuta visit as a potential operational opening and renewing debate over attribution, accountability, and Spain’s wider relationship with Morocco, including questions raised by Morocco’s growing security ties with Israel.
INSURGENCIES & TERRORISM
Sahel: Violence in Northern Mali Drives New Wave of Displacement Into Mauritania
More than 3,300 people have fled northern Mali into Mauritania in recent weeks as armed violence, fuel blockades, and civilian abuses intensify, underscoring the deepening humanitarian and security crisis spreading across the Sahel.
Sahel: Community Mourns Mariam Cissé, Killed by Militants in Northern Mali
Mariam Cissé, a prominent content creator from Tonka, Mali, was abducted and publicly executed by armed militants in the Goundam district of the Timbuktu region. Her killing, believed to be linked to videos she posted about armed activity in local markets, has drawn widespread shock online and underscored the dangers facing civilians and public figures in militant-controlled parts of northern Mali.
Sahel: Foreign Workers Targeted in New Mali Kidnappings
A string of recent kidnappings in western and northern Mali—including the abduction of five Indian technicians and an Emirati businessman—highlights the increasing risks for foreign workers engaged in energy, mining, and infrastructure projects. The evolving tactics of armed groups and complex negotiation processes have led companies to overhaul security protocols and adjust operations to cope with persistent threats.
Mali: Bamako Strikes Back as JNIM Expands Its Rule
Mali’s military launched air raids in Ségou just days after jihadists announced new sharia‑based restrictions and widened their blockade. The standoff now defines who controls the roads, fuel, and daily life in central Mali.
Sahel: Surging Jihadist Violence Batters the Sahel, Exposing Government Weakness
Jihadist violence has surged across the Sahel, with militants overrunning military bases, ambushing convoys, and forcing civilians to negotiate with armed groups for survival. Hardest hit are conflict corridors in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and northeastern Nigeria, where blockades and insecurity have left millions displaced or trapped in besieged communities.
Morocco Busts ‘Lions of the Caliphate’ Terror Cell After Yearlong Probe
Moroccan security services arrested 12 operatives of the so-called “Lions of the Caliphate in the Maghreb Al-Aqsa” after a yearlong investigation. Authorities say the terror cell, linked to Daesh in the Sahel, had a weapons cache in Errachidia and planned attacks in Morocco.
Tunisia Detains Russians Tourists on Suspicion of Terrorism
Eleven Russians arrested in Tunisia in late 2024 are suspected of terrorism. AFP says authorities claim they possessed equipment inconsistent with tourism during their visit to Haïdra near the Algerian border.
Moroccan Truck Drivers and Spanish Tourists Freed After Kidnapping in Burkina Faso and Southern Algeria
Four Moroccan truck drivers and a Spanish national kidnapped in the Sahel were freed this week, with both now safe under protection.
Book: Lafarge Group and the Islamic State
Lafarge’s indictment for financing terrorism reveals corporate entanglements with ISIS to maintain operations in Syria. In Personne morale, Justine Augier exposes how multinationals like Lafarge navigate ethics and profit in conflict zones, raising questions on global accountability.
Mali: Wagner and Junta leaders in tough spot with series of embarrassing defeats and decisions to make
(Photo from unconfirmed video showing an insurgent burning the presidential plane in Bamako. The person filming the attack speaks in Peul or Fulani language) By Arezki Daoud: This week’s attacks on the Malian capital of Bamako highlight the junta's difficulty in...