May 10, 2026

Africa Watch

Mali Buckles, Russia Withdraws

pgnewser April 29, 2026 0

After Islamists led a successful offensive across Mali, Russian forces withdrew, while junta forces failed to stop the assaults. Not only did the Islamists successfully disrupt multiple cities, but they also killed the country’s defense minister and gained territory in northern areas. The assault puts the junta’s power in jeopardy, especially given Russia’s disengagement.

What next for Mali’s military leaders after shock of rebel offensive? – BBC– news.google.com
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EXCERPT:

It is hard to overstate the sense of shock reverberating across West Africa after attackers, in co-ordinated assaults, managed to enter Mali’s capital, Bamako, assassinate the defence minister and seize control of northern areas.

Residents in different cities across the country woke to gunfire and explosions on Saturday – attacks which an alliance of two groups – the separatist Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) and the al-Qaeda-linked JNIM group – said they were behind.

The scale of the offensive and the withdrawal of Malian and Russian forces from the northern city of Kidal, now under FLA control, have fuelled doubts about the strength of the military government led by Col Assimi Goïta, who came to power in a coup in August 2020.

It has taken Goïta several days to make an appearance since the offensive, prompting questions about the junta’s future, as well as the role of Russian forces deployed in Mali and neighbouring countries to tackle the security threat.

  1. What next for Mali’s military leaders after shock of rebel offensive?  BBC
  2. Mali military leader Goita emerges as Russia declares it halted coup  Al Jazeera
  3. Mali leader says situation under control in first speech since attacks  Reuters
  4. Mali Rebels Strike Major Blow Against Junta and Russia’s Africa Corps  The New York Times
  5. Major blow to Putin in Africa as Russian forces driven from Mali stronghold by separatists, jihadists  Fox News

 

Insurgent alliance strikes at heart of Mali’s junta, exposing limits of Russian protection– www.france24.com

pgnewser April 29, 2026 1

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EXCERPT:

Mali has been plunged into its worse security crisis in more than a decade after Tuareg separatists and al Qaeda-linked jihadist fighters joined forces to launch sweeping attacks on Saturday, delivering a huge setback for its ruling military junta and its Russian allies.

Insurgents struck the main army base outside the capital Bamako and killed General Sadio Camara, the country’s defence minister, further undermining the junta’s claim that it is restoring order to impoverished West African nation that has long battled Islamist militants and separatist rebellions. The violence also saw rebel forces drive Russian mercenaries out of the key northern city of Kidal.

Pope Leo warns African youth against emigration, urges battle against ‘scourge of corruption’– www.lifesitenews.com

pgnewser April 20, 2026 0

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Pope Leo XIV called on young people in Africa to resist emigration and corruption, and to work for the good of their own countries.

On April 17, Pope Leo XIV addressed students and faculty at the Catholic University of Central Africa in Yaoundé and later celebrated Mass in Douala, urging African youth to remain in their homeland, combat corruption through moral integrity, and contribute to national development, during the midpoint of his pastoral journey to four African nations.

“Do not give in to distrust and discouragement,” the Pope said during the Mass in Douala. “Do not forget that your people are even richer than this land, for your treasure lies in your values: faith, family, hospitality, and work.”

Trump’s bid to win influence in Africa hits wall of entrenched China– www.washingtonexaminer.com

pgnewser April 20, 2026 0

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The Trump administration is rehauling its approach to wrestling influence in sub-Saharan Africa from China, an uphill battle against decades of Chinese momentum.

While the end of the Cold War saw the United States assert its unipolar moment over much of the world, this didn’t extend to sub-Saharan Africa, which ranked low on the list of U.S. priorities. The lack of U.S. interest helped facilitate China’s rise in the region, which has exploded since 2000. China’s dominance in sub-Saharan Africa has now exceeded anything ever achieved by the U.S. in the region.

The Trump administration is looking to buck this trend by drastically reworking its approach from previous administrations, switching from an aid-focused model to one of trade, a focus on critical mineral acquisition, and transactional economic cooperation.

Airstrike by Nigeria, U.S. ally against Islamist militants, kills scores– www.washingtonpost.com

pgnewser April 16, 2026 0

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First came the thunderous boom. Then the air billowed with thick black smoke. Fires were “everywhere,” survivors said. Scores of people lay dead.

The Nigerian military, with whom the U.S. military is fighting a growing Islamist threat, initially declared the attack on a weekend market in the remote desert village of Jilli a successful strike “on a known terrorist enclave.” But eyewitnesses describe a starkly different scene: The more than 100 people killed, they say, were traders and other members of the community, and included women and children.

Nigerian airstrike leaves 200 feared dead in Yobe, councillor and residents say– www.channelnewsasia.com

pgnewser April 15, 2026 0

Blurb:

Civilians have been caught in the crossfire and killed in military air strikes aimed at militants, though the authorities sometimes dispute hitting civilians.

Africa’s most populous country has been fighting a jihadist insurgency for 17 years, since Boko Haram’s 2009 uprising, which has seen the emergence of powerful splinter groups, including Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

A UN security memo seen by AFP, stated that “4 Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets launched airstrikes that mistakenly killed at least 56 people and injured 14 others at the Jilli market… on April 11.”

“This occurred during a military operation targeting Boko Haram fighters who visited the market to conduct terrorism activities,” it said.

Amnesty International earlier said on X that there were “more than 100 dead” and 35 people seriously wounded.

Local chief Lawan Zanna Nur, meanwhile, said: “The total casualties, dead and injured, are around 200.”

EASTER JIHAD: Muslims Slaughter 26 Christians, Churches Burned, Women and Children Kidnapped in Nigeria– gellerreport.com

pgnewser April 7, 2026 0

Blurb:

26 Christian worshippers slaughtered in Easter Sunday attacks across Nigeria.

Churches burned.
Women and children abducted.
The world stays silent.

Wholesale slaughter. Muslims butchering mon-Muslims. No news. No coverage. It’s expected. Silent affirmation and sanction of Islamic brutality.

Noticing the Muslim slaughter of Christians is ‘Islamophobic’ says the United Nations

US military deploys drones to Nigeria as fears mount of Boko Haram insurgency– www.foxnews.com

pgnewser March 25, 2026 0

Blurb:

The U.S. military has sent MQ-9 Reaper drones to Nigeria, a U.S. defense official reportedly told The Associated Press, as fears are growing of a renewed insurgency by the terrorist group Boko Haram.

The drones were deployed after 200 U.S. troops arrived in Nigeria last month to provide training and intelligence. Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, is battling a complex security crisis, especially in the north of the country.

A spokesperson for AFRICOM, the U.S. Africa Command, told the AP that U.S. troops “are working alongside their Nigerian counterparts to provide intelligence support, advisory assistance, and targeted training in support of the Nigerian Armed Forces.”

Among the most prominent Islamic militant groups active in Nigeria are Boko Haram and its breakaway faction, which is affiliated with the Islamic State and is known as Islamic State West Africa Province, or ISWAP.

Zimbabwe detains top opponent of changes extending president’s rule– abcnews.com

pgnewser March 23, 2026 0

Blurb:

HARARE, Zimbabwe — HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Zimbabwe has detained the leading opponent to planned constitutional amendments that would extend the rule of the country’s 83-year-old president and make the post elected by Parliament, not the people. Former finance minister Tendai Biti was set to appear in court on Monday.

It’s the highest profile detention yet of critics of the attempt to allow President Emmerson Mnangagwa to extend his rule, due to end in 2028, by two years. Police in recent months have banned meetings or arrested people for gathering to express opposition.

Biti leads the Constitutional Defenders Forum, a group campaigning against the amendments. CDF spokesman Jacob Rukweza said Biti and programs director Morgan Ncube are accused of holding a public meeting without notifying police. They were detained on Saturday in the eastern city of Mutare.

At least 17 dead in fighting on Sudan’s border with Chad, aid group says– abcnews.com

pgnewser March 19, 2026 0

Blurb:

Attacks on a town along Sudan’s border with Chad have killed at least 17 people and injured 123, Doctors Without Borders, or MSF, said

CAIRO — The latest heavy fighting between warring parties along Sudan ’s border with Chad has killed 17 people and many wounded, a medical group said.

The attacks on Monday in Tina left 66 people in serious condition, Doctors Without Borders, also known as Médecins Sans Frontières, or MSF, said in a post on X late Tuesday.

Nigeria’s First Lady, a Pentecostal Pastor, Challenges Claims of Christian Genocide– www.cbn.com

pgnewser February 24, 2026 0

Blurb:

WASHINGTON — One of the most dangerous places for Christians worldwide is Nigeria. More than a decade of deadly violence has drawn international scrutiny, prompted U.S. military action, and fueled debate over whether Africa’s most populous nation is facing genocide.

In an exclusive interview with CBN News, Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, pushed back on claims that Christians are being systematically exterminated.

“I don’t think so,” Tinubu offered repeatedly when asked whether genocide is taking place. Instead, she described the violence as rooted in long-standing regional conflicts, poverty, terrorism, and political instability — particularly as the country approaches an election year in 2027.

Lake Victoria is Falling to a Green Toxic Beast

pgnewser February 18, 2026 0

The world’s largest tropical lake, Lake Victoria, is going through changes that most people now fear might be permanent. The lake is losing fresh water ground to the spread of a green patina that brings with it toxins rendering the water contaminated. The lake touches the lives of millions of people in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. The culprit seems to be nitrogen, phosphorus, fertilizer runoff, and sewage.

Blurb:

World’s largest tropical lake turns into a ‘deadly zone’: Africa’s Lake Victoria is turning green, toxic, and unstoppable – timesofindia

The waters of Lake Victoria have turned an unsettling green. And it seems, it’s not just a passing bloom this time. Local fishermen barely flinch anymore. What was once occasional now appears almost permanent. The world’s largest tropical lake is changing, and people who rely on it are feeling the effects every day. Millions in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda drink from it. The lake has shaped lives for generations, but now, scientists warn that its recovery might be impossible. At least, on any timeframe humans might hope for. The green isn’t just cosmetic; it’s toxic and spreading.

What’s really turning the Lake Victoria toxic

Experts say it’s the usual culprits: nitrogen, phosphorus, fertilizer runoff, and sewage. Rain washes them into the lake, big blooms form, and Cyanobacteria thrive. What started as a few blooms decades ago now looks like a permanent feature. Satellite images show a lake that glows green in certain bays, sounds haunting. Some locals try to avoid the scum, but the toxins hide in clear water too. A study from 2021 measured nitrate levels in rivers feeding the lake. The Nyando River reportedly dumps over 6,000 kilograms a day during peak rains. Nzoia River, around 22,000 kilograms daily. Fertilizer, manure, sewage. All of it. Experts say these numbers are huge that is enough to trigger explosive algal growth. That growth sucks oxygen from the water leads to the death of fish, and in addition to this, the deeper parts of the lake are reportedly turning into dead zones.

How the lake changed over time

Photosynthetic pigments rose steadily from the 1920s. Zooplankton populations crashed around the 1960s, and Haplochromine cichlids disappeared in the 1980s. The lake didn’t suddenly fall apart experts note that what we see now is the long-term result of human activity in the catchment area, land use changes, damming, and rainfall shifts, all of which played a part.Microcystis and Dolichospermum dominate now. Both produce microcystin, a liver-damaging toxin, which suggests the blooms aren’t static. Researchers also found hundreds of uncharacterised cyanobacterial genes. But locals can’t rely on spotting green scum to know if the water is safe, which might look harmless and still be dangerous.

What leads fish to fight for survival

Fisheries support hundreds of thousands of tons annually, and a $600 million export industry. Now, oxygen fluctuations and food web collapse put catches at risk. Fish processing factories reportedly worry about consistency. Seasonal die-offs that were once “normal” are now systemic. Experts fear the lake could hit a point where it simply won’t bounce back.Lake Victoria isn’t just green, but warning us. Human activity, population growth, and climate interactions might have pushed it past a line we can’t easily reverse.

from timesofindia.indiatimes.com