August 25, 2026

Africa Watch

ANALYSIS | Crackdown on Chad’s opposition threatens return to one-party rule– www.news24.com

pgnewser May 28, 2026 0

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Chad’s President Mahamat Idriss Déby attends a working lunch on reforming the international financial architecture at the Africa Forward summit in Nairobi on 12 May.

Rather than learning from Chad’s history of coups and deadly conflicts, current leaders seem determined to repeat the cycle, writes Remadji Hoinathy in ISS Today.

Just two weeks after eight opposition leaders were arrested for planning a march against Chad’s governance problems, they were sentenced to eight years in prison without parole. Their Political Actors Consultation Group (GCAP) had scheduled the demonstration for 2 May.

A day before their sentencing on 8 May, the Supreme Court announced that the GCAP – the country’s main political opposition coalition – had been dissolved. The jailed leaders join key opposition figure Succès Masra, head of The Transformers party, who was imprisoned for 20 years in August 2025 for ‘incitement to hatred.’

South Africa and Afrikaners reject US claims of humanitarian crisis for white people– www.euronews.com

pgnewser May 28, 2026 0

South Africa and Afrikaners reject US claims of humanitarian crisis for white people– www.euronews.com
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The South African government and advocacy groups for the country’s Afrikaner white minority rejected on Wednesday the Trump administration’s position that there’s a humanitarian emergency affecting white people in South Africa.

The argument served as the administration’s rationale for raising the US refugee cap, but only for white Afrikaners.

The Trump administration said on Tuesday that it will admit an additional 10,000 white South Africans into the US as refugees this year, increasing its annual quota, but blocking people from other countries from entering through the programme.

Ghana begins repatriating citizens from South Africa due to anti-immigration tensions– abcnews.com

pgnewser May 28, 2026 0

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JOHANNEBURG — The first group of around 300 Ghanaian nationals flew to their country on Wednesday as their government started a voluntary repatriation program for its citizens in response to anti-immigration tensions in South Africa.

Families and travelers gathered at the Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg with their luggage as officials and police coordinated the departure process.

The repatriation follows renewed demonstrations over illegal immigration in parts of South Africa, where frustrations over unemployment, crime and access to services have fueled tensions.

After years on the back foot, ISIS ‘on the march’ in Nigeria– www.washingtonexaminer.com

pgnewser May 26, 2026 0

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Northern Nigeria is facing an ascendant ISIS insurgency, drawing Washington into the fray.

Since the jihadist insurgency in northern Nigeria began 13 years ago, the conflict has drastically changed in scope, amid concerted counterterrorism efforts from the Nigerian government, countless jihadist ideological splits, and international interventions. The 2020s began with ISIS and other terrorist groups on the back foot, but a change in tactics and fortunes has sent them back on the offensive in the last couple of years, turning the country into one of the foremost fronts in the Global War on Terror.

Alexander Palmer, a fellow in the Warfare, Irregular Threats, and Terrorism Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told the Washington Examiner that ISIS in Nigeria is “on the march, they are increasingly active, and they’re increasingly threatening military targets,” with a large-scale military campaign ISIS calls “Camp Holocaust.”

Nigerian Christians Rescued from Jihadists – thebethlehem.com

pgnewser May 26, 2026 1

The Nigerian government rescued 92 Nigerian Christians, including seven children, from jihadists who appeared to be attempting to enslave them.

Nigeria’s military spokesperson Sani Uba said, “Converging on the terrorists in a well-coordinated pursuit toward the Mangari-Dora general area, Operation HADIN KAI troops engaged the insurgents and forced them to abandon their captives and flee in confusion.”

Go Deeper

The Fight to Contain the Ebola Outbreak in Africa Just Got Harder– townhall.com

pgnewser May 26, 2026 0

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We currently face an Ebola epidemic in Africa, and it doesn’t help that health facilities are being attacked by mobs. The region where this latest outbreak occurred has long been neglected by government officials, so the increased attention has triggered hostile reactions from locals, some of whom suspect hidden motives. Yes, some believe the Ebola outbreak is a hoax, while others are secretly upset that they can’t bury their loved ones. The latter is how patient zero spread this pathogen. Now, we have dozens of those infected with Ebola roaming free after fleeing these facilities (via NBC News):

Doctors operating on the front lines of the fight against Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, already grappling with shortages of basic supplies, are now also having to deal with attacks on their facilities and fleeing patients as the virus spreads rapidly.

At least three such incidents have occurred in the northeastern province of Ituri where the first Ebola cases were reported, including two at the weekend targeting the same hospital that permitted more than two dozen patients to run away.

The attacks recall the widespread violence targeting health facilities during a 2018-2020 outbreak in eastern Congo that killed more than 25 health workers.

Some were perpetrated by civilians who were angry about not being able to bury their loved ones or were convinced that the outbreak was a hoax. The influx of money and manpower into an area that had felt neglected during decades of conflict and humanitarian crisis has spurred local suspicions about the real motives for the sudden spike of interest.

A similar dynamic seems to be playing out now, said Dr. Richard Lokodu, medical director of the Mongbwalu General Referral Hospital, which came under attack first Saturday and again Sunday.

After years on the back foot, ISIS ‘on the march’ in Nigeria– www.washingtonexaminer.com

pgnewser May 26, 2026 0

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EXCERPT:

Northern Nigeria is facing an ascendant ISIS insurgency, drawing Washington into the fray.

Since the jihadist insurgency in northern Nigeria began 13 years ago, the conflict has drastically changed in scope, amid concerted counterterrorism efforts from the Nigerian government, countless jihadist ideological splits, and international interventions. The 2020s began with ISIS and other terrorist groups on the back foot, but a change in tactics and fortunes has sent them back on the offensive in the last couple of years, turning the country into one of the foremost fronts in the Global War on Terror.

Alexander Palmer, a fellow in the Warfare, Irregular Threats, and Terrorism Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told the Washington Examiner that ISIS in Nigeria is “on the march, they are increasingly active, and they’re increasingly threatening military targets,” with a large-scale military campaign ISIS calls “Camp Holocaust.”

The insurgency in northern Nigeria is notable for the frequency and scale of ideological disputes triggering violent internal conflicts. Over the past few years, northern Nigeria’s main ISIS affiliate, Islamic State West Africa Province, has emerged as the primary jihadist threat.

Senegalese president names a new prime minister after sacking his predecessor– www.washingtontimes.com

pgnewser May 26, 2026 0

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Senegal’s president on Monday appointed a former banking executive as the new prime minister after his predecessor was sacked last week, a move that comes at a particularly tense moment as the African country grapples with debt and an internal crisis in the ruling party.

According to a statement read on national television, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye named Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo as the head of government, replacing Ousmane Sonko.

Sonko was sacked on Friday, after months of simmering tensions between him and the president. The sacking triggered the resignation of all the members of the government and its dissolution.

Lo will now have to form a new government. He was formerly an executive at the Central Bank of West African States, where he played a significant role in shaping monetary and economic policies at the regional level. He also served as state minister to the president and secretary-general of Sonko’s government.

Muslims Slaughter 17 People, Set Homes On Fire in Democratic Republic of Congo– gellerreport.com

pgnewser May 26, 2026 0

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A jihadist organization linked to the Islamic State kills at least 17 Christians in the Congo. The jihad genocide of non-Muslims in Africa continues with the silent affirmation of the international community. No Jews, no news.

Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) is not just a “rebel group”; it’s a jihad group with ties to the Islamic State. The idea here is the same as it is everywhere else: to drive the non-Muslims out and incorporate this territory into the global umma.

“17 civilians killed in rebel attack in Democratic Republic of Congo,” En.Haberler.com, May 20, 2026 (thanks to The Religion of Peace):

In the Ituri province of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, an armed attack by the ADF rebel group killed 17 civilians and set many homes on fire.

According to reports in the national press, members of the rebel group Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) carried out an armed attack on civilians in the town of Babila-Babombi, Mambasa region, Ituri province.

In the attack by ADF members, who set fire to many houses, 17 civilians were killed according to initial assessments. It was reported that many houses were set on fire….

Al-Qaeda’s Long-Forecasted Assault on Mali – PJ Media– pjmedia.com

pgnewser May 11, 2026 0

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On Saturday, April 25, 2026, the world awoke to a nightmare that seasoned observers of the Sahel had been forecasting for years. Fighters from Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), the al-Qaeda-linked umbrella group operating across West Africa, launched a coordinated nationwide assault on Mali. Striking before dawn, they hit Bamako’s Modibo Keïta International Airport, the main military base at Kati, the home of Defense Minister Sadio Camara, and cities including Mopti, Gao, and Kidal. JNIM’s longtime tactical partners, the Tuareg separatists of the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), simultaneously moved on northern strongholds, reportedly seizing much of Kidal and lowering the Malian flag.

 

Congo’s president warns next elections can’t take place unless the conflict in the east is resolved– abcnews.com

pgnewser May 7, 2026 2

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KINSHASA, Congo — Congo’s president warned on Wednesday that the African nation will not be able to organize and hold elections after his term ends in two years unless the conflict that has gripped the country’s east is resolved and stability returns.

The remarks by Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi, whose term expires in December 2028, came during a televised address to the nation in which he discussed a range of topics, including deportations of migrants from the United States under a deal with the Trump administration.

Congo’s decades-long conflict escalated in January 2025, when the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels advanced and seized the strategic city of Goma, followed by the town of Bukavu, which they took in February as they seek to expand their presence. The fighting has killed some 3,000 people and worsened what was already one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with around 7 million people displaced.

A U.S.-mediated peace agreement to end the fighting and other efforts have stumbled.

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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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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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.”