Feb 4, 2026

Tunisia Appeals Court Extends Rached Ghannouchi’s Prison Term by 20 Years$

Analysis by The North Africa Journal

Rached Ghannouchi, the 84-year-old leader of Tunisia’s Ennahda party, has had his prison sentence increased to 20 years in a case known as “Conspiracy 2,” pushing his cumulative jail time from multiple convictions to more than four decades. His defense team says he will not seek a final appeal, denouncing the charges as politically driven and warning that the ruling deepens Tunisia’s crackdown on organized opposition.

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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.

Morocco: Rights Group Says it Documented 130 Deaths Among Would-Be Migrants in Morocco-Spain Border Breach Disaster$

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.

Spies, Lies, and a Border Overrun: Morocco’s Bad Week$

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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