ICRC Escorts Hundreds of Disarmed Congo Soldiers from Rebel-controlled City
Hundreds of Congolese soldiers and police officers, along with their families, were transferred from the rebel-controlled town of Goma in eastern Congo to the capital Kinshasa, the International Committee of the Red Cross said Wednesday. The soldiers and police officers have been taking refuge at the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Congo’s base since January, when the decades-long conflict in eastern Congo escalated as the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels advanced and seized the strategic city of Goma. The transfer from Goma to Kinshasa, about 1,600 kilometers to the west, is expected to last several days, Myriam Favier, the International Committee of the Red Cross chief in Goma, said during a press briefing Wednesday…The operation is the result of an agreement reached between the Congolese government, the rebels, the U.N. mission and the ICRC, which was called upon as a neutral intermediary, the Red Cross said in a statement. Upon arrival in Kinshasa, the soldiers, police officers and their families will be taken in by Congolese authorities, it added…The news of the ICRC’s escort comes amid persistent tensions in eastern Congo, where fighting between Congo’s army and M23 continues, despite both sides having agreed to work toward a truce earlier this month. AP
Rwanda Escorts Southern Africa Troops from Congo to Tanzania
Rwanda escorted the troops of a Southern African force through Rwandan territory to Tanzania on Tuesday as they pulled out from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda’s foreign minister and army spokesperson said. The Southern African Development Community (SADC), which groups 16 states, said in mid-March it had terminated the mandate of its mission and would begin a phased withdrawal of its force, known as SAMIDRC, from Congo. The force was sent to assist Kinshasa’s fight against rebel groups in Congo’s eastern borderlands in December 2023, prompting protests by the Rwandan government, which said the deployment would aggravate the conflict. Many of SAMIDRC’s troops, thought to number several hundred, sought shelter in U.N. peacekeeping bases after Goma, eastern Congo’s largest city, fell to Rwandan-backed M23 rebels in February…A witness said Rwandan army and military police personnel escorted some 20 vehicles over the Congo border into the Rwandan town of Gisenyi. The convoy carried what appeared to be military equipment along with Tanzanian and South African soldiers, the witness said…An M23 source said only half of the SAMIDRC force in Goma left Congo on Tuesday. The remainder would follow later, he said. Reuters
Sudan: ‘I Saw Many Die with My Own Eyes’: Survivors Describe an Unfolding Genocide in Darfur
Sudan’s slide into war between the de facto president, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and his deputy, Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, has turned almost the whole country into a battlefield. In the Darfur region, it has also renewed ethnic purges which beset the area 20 years ago. Hemedti’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and its allies are accused of trying to wipe out, or drive off, non-Arab and Black African groups like the Masalit in order to take their land. A similar massacre is now feared to be imminent in El Fasher, the besieged capital of north Darfur, after the RSF captured and razed the nearby Zamzam refugee camp last week. At least 300 people died during the fall of the camp and some 400,000 fled, either into El Fasher itself, which has been encircled, starved and bombarded for a year, or to the nearby town of Tawila. Survivors have reported civilian men being lined up and shot, women being raped, and homes and markets being burned down. El Fasher is the last army stronghold in Darfur and the last obstacle to the RSF consolidating its control in the region. The Telegraph
Sudan’s Burhan, Egypt’s Sisi Discuss Post-war Reconstruction, Water Security in Cairo
Sudan’s leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi held talks in Cairo on Monday, according to official statements from both countries. The talks focused on Sudan’s post-war reconstruction and water security…Sisi reiterated Egypt’s “firm support” for Sudan’s stability and state institutions, backing the reconstruction process…Egypt has supported Sudan’s government institutions during the ongoing conflict. Press reports have previously suggested the Sudanese army received weapons from Egypt, though neither side has officially confirmed this…An Egyptian presidency spokesman, Mohamed El-Shenawy, said…that the discussions concluded on continuing joint work to protect water security, rejecting “unilateral measures in the Blue Nile basin,” and applying international law for mutual benefit in the Nile basin. Sudan and Egypt have long objected to Ethiopia’s filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) reservoir on the Blue Nile without a legally binding agreement on water management. Sudan Tribune
South Sudan Appoints New Foreign Minister, Pledges Focus on Sudan Ties
South Sudan said on Tuesday it would consolidate relations with neighbouring Sudan, aiming to enhance strategic coordination for peace and stability in both nations…South Sudan, a landlocked nation, depends on Sudan to export its crude oil and relies on supplies transported via the Kenyan port of Mombasa…On Monday, President Salva Kiir appointed Akuei Bona Malwal Madut as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs. Madut is a long-serving career diplomat whose father, Bona Malwal Madut, is a veteran politician with established ties to numerous Sudanese political and military figures…Madut previously served as South Sudan’s permanent representative to the United Nations from 2016 to 2023. His diplomatic career also includes postings as ambassador to Ethiopia and Djibouti, and roles with the African Union and other regional bodies. His father held numerous political positions in Sudan before South Sudan’s secession. Sudan Tribune
Nigeria Appoints New Commander after Renewed Militant Attacks in Northeast
Nigeria has appointed a new commander for its fight against insurgency in the northeast after renewed attacks in the last four months that have killed several civilians and soldiers in the region.
The military appointed Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar as its 15th commander in the fight against Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgency in the northeast, Reuben Kovangiya, spokesperson for the operation, said in a statement. Abubakar’s previous roles include deputy commandant of the Nigerian Defence College and commander of a major security operation in north-central Nigeria. Boko Haram and its splinter rival, the Islamic State West Africa Province, have increased attacks in recent weeks in northeast Nigeria. These incidents have raised fears of a major comeback by the jihadists, whose tactics now include armed drones and explosive devices planted on major roads, security experts said. Reuters
Jihadists Kill 10 Nigerian Vigilantes: Military, Rights Sources
Boko Haram jihadists have killed at least 10 local vigilantes in Nigeria’s northeastern state of Adamawa, a military and human rights source told AFP Monday, increasing the number of people killed in the region in recent days to 24. The jihadists ambushed a group of vigilantes on patrol in Hong district near the border with Borno state, the jihadist group’s birthplace and stronghold, Amnesty International and a military officer said. “Boko Haram [jihadists] attacked the Kopre village in Hong at around 4:00 pm (1500 GMT) on Saturday, killing 10 Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) operatives and injuring unknown number of civilians,” said the officer, who asked not to be identified as he was not authorised to speak on the incident. He said the militants launched the attack from a village in neighbouring Borno state…On Thursday, Boko Haram killed 14 farmers in Borno’s Gwoza district near the border with Cameroon not far from Hong, according to a local official. AFP
Nigeria, UK Sign MoU to Combat Cybercrimes, Improve Criminal Justice System
Nigeria on Tuesday signed a multilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Kingdom to combat the menace of cybercrimes in the two countries. The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, also launched the Joint Case Team on Cybercrime (JCTC), in response to the need for a coordinated and robust approach to fighting cybercrimes as contemplated in the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended. Mr Fagbemi, who signed the agreement on behalf of the Nigerian government, said the initiative was a transformative stride by the government to put an end to cybercrimes in the country…The minister said that although cybercrime was complex and constantly evolving and even though there was a national legal framework for combating it, it was important to note that laws alone did not win battles. “It is the people who interpret, enforce, and apply these laws that must be equipped, united, and empowered to act—swiftly, cohesively, and effectively.” Premium Times
19 Ugandans Set for Repatriation, over 30 Await Rescue from Myanmar Scam Rings
The Thai government is set to repatriate 19 Ugandans who were trafficked and held in cyber scam centres in Myanmar for over a year, Uganda’s ambassador to Thailand confirmed on Tuesday. Ms Betty Bigombe told Monitor that the group will depart Bangkok aboard Ethiopian Airlines on April 30 and is expected to arrive at Entebbe International Airport on May 1…She added that at least 37 more Ugandans remain stranded in Myanmar and that efforts are ongoing in collaboration with Thai and Myanmar authorities to secure their release…Human traffickers often lure young Ugandans with false promises of lucrative jobs in Thailand. Once there, many are smuggled across borders into Myanmar, where they are forced to work in cyber scam operations under threats, long hours, and without pay. In March, nine Ugandans were repatriated from similar centres, leaving over 50 behind. Monitor
Uganda Opposition Says HQ ‘Sealed Off’ By Security Forces
Uganda’s opposition said on Monday that security forces had “sealed off” its headquarters in the capital Kampala to stop the party launching a protest campaign ahead of national polls next year. Security forces have in recent years frequently targeted the opposition party of the National Unity Platform (NUP), led by musician-turned-politician Bobi Wine. The east African country is preparing for a presidential election in January 2026, in which President Yoweri Museveni is expected to extend his 40-year rule. “The joint security forces, police, and the military, all heavily armed, have sealed off our party headquarters and we can’t access it,” NUP Secretary General Lewis Rubongoya told AFP. “The deployment of security and sealing off of our headquarters is planned to block the press conference today where we were to launch the ‘protest vote’ campaign,” he said. The campaign was intended to call on all citizens — but “especially the youths”, according to the NUP — to turn out to vote against the government, and then protect their democratic rights through demonstrations…Security forces raided the NUP’s headquarters in February, with the party alleging officers stole documents, computers and cash, in addition to planting listening devices and spy cameras. AFP
Seychelles Press Freedom ‘Deteriorating’ As Editor Expelled: RSF
The expulsion of a newspaper editor from the Seychelles reflects declining press freedom on the Indian Ocean island, Reporters Without Borders said Tuesday, undermining its image as a bastion of democracy in Africa. Vel Moonien, a citizen of Mauritius, was fired from his position as editor of the Today newspaper on April 22 and forced to leave the Seychelles on Saturday. It followed the closure of the government-funded Seychelles News Agency late last year, which occurred without warning or explanation…President Wavel Ramkalawan is standing for re-election in September…Ramkalawan is lagging behind the opposition United Seychelles in polls, with many criticising the decision to sell land near the ecologically important Aldabra marine reserve to a Qatari group building a luxury hotel. Relations between Ramkalawan’s government and the media have also been worsening. The publisher of the Seychelles Independent newspaper, Ralph Volcere, was arrested in April 2024 for trespassing after taking photos of wealthy Gulf nationals at the main airport who he said were being passed through immigration without the usual formalities. The same journalist was banned from attending Ramkalawan’s quarterly press conferences, where he has criticised other media reports. AFP
Algeria Drafts Wartime Mobilization Bill amid Regional Tensions
Algeria’s government proposed a law to streamline military mobilization amid tensions with neighboring countries Morocco and Mali, as well as former colonial ruler France. The text, set to be unveiled on Wednesday by the North African country’s minister of justice, was approved by government ministers earlier this month. Relations between France and Algeria sharply deteriorated last summer when France shifted its position to support Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara, a disputed territory claimed by the pro-independence Polisario Front, which receives support from Algiers and is based in refugee camps in southeastern Algeria. The debate on the general mobilization law comes as Algeria’s strongman leader, army chief of staff Said Changriha, makes a series of trips to military regions in the border areas to oversee military manouvers. It also comes after Algeria, which has one of Africa’s largest militaries, said earlier this month it had shot down a military drone near the country’s border with Mali. It was the first incident of its kind during growing tensions between the two countries that each govern a vast portion of the Sahara. AP
Ghana Arrests Three Indian Nationals over Suspected Gold Smuggling Ring
Three Indian nationals have been arrested in Ghana on suspicion of operating a gold smuggling syndicate that authorities believe has been taking tons of the precious metal out of the country for over a decade, the West African country’s gold trading regulator said on Tuesday. The three pleaded guilty at their arraignment and will remain in custody until a court hearing scheduled for May 12, a spokesperson for the regulator GoldBod said. Ghana and some other African countries have been losing billions of dollars’ worth of gold every year due to smuggling. The country established a new government body known as GoldBod in March to streamline gold purchases from small-scale miners, increase their earnings and reduce the impact of smuggling. Under the new system, foreign companies can only get the precious metal from GoldBod. The regulator said on X that the suspects – aged 35, 22 and 42 – were apprehended at their residence in Ghana’s southern city of Kumasi, which investigators say had been converted into an unauthorised gold trading centre. GoldBod also said they were in possession of 1.9 million cedis ($134,000), 4,500 rupees ($53), 4.363 kilograms of gold, two counting machines, a CCTV recorder and an Indian passport. The regulator said the suspects had not provided GoldBod with residence permits, work authorisations or tax payment records related to their business activities. Reuters
Eight Migrants Die Off Tunisia, 29 Rescued: Official
Eight migrants from various countries died and 29 others were rescued after their boat capsized off the coast of Sfax in central Tunisia, the Tunisian National Guard told AFP on Monday. The migrants were “all foreigners”, including some from sub-Saharan Africa and others of different nationalities, said Houcem Eddine Jebabli, a spokesman for the National Guard. The Tunisian Defence Ministry said the shipwreck occurred early Sunday. Tunisia is a key transit country for thousands of sub-Saharan migrants seeking to reach Europe by sea each year, with Italy’s island of Lampedusa only 150 kilometres (90 miles) away. Earlier this month, authorities began dismantling informal camps near Sfax where thousands of migrants, mainly from Sub-Saharan African countries, stayed. With the European Union’s mounting efforts to curb migrant arrivals, many irregular migrants feel stranded in Tunisia. In 2023, Tunisia signed a 255-million-euro deal with the EU, nearly half of which was earmarked for tackling irregular migration. The deal, strongly supported by Italy’s hard-right government, aimed to bolster Tunisia’s capacity to prevent boats leaving its shore. Frontex, the EU’s border agency, has said that irregular border crossings were down 64 percent last year through September for the central Mediterranean route. AFP
Egypt: Fears for Health of Alaa Abd El-Fattah and Mother as Hunger Strikes Take Toll
The family of the imprisoned British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah say they fear for his health along with that of his mother, Laila Soueif, as both continued their hunger strikes to demand his freedom. Relatives of Soueif said they were worried she was “dying in slow motion” after eight months on full or partial hunger strike…Soueif started a hunger strike last September, after Fattah reached five years in prison – the length of his sentence – in the Wadi el-Natrun desert prison. The Egyptian authorities, who jailed him on terrorism charges for a social media post about torture, claim his sentence will end in January 2027, discounting the period he spent in pre-trial detention, which is normally included in the sentence…Fattah became a British citizen through Soueif in 2021 while incarcerated. His family had hoped that acquiring British citizenship would rapidly increase pressure on the Egyptian authorities to free the author, computer programmer and activist who is known as one of the Arab world’s most prominent prisoners of conscience. The Guardian